Brisbane & Byron Bay

It was a completely last minute decision for me to fly to Brisbane. I booked my flight the day before, following the strong recommendations from both my host and friend that I HAD to go to Byron Bay. And I’m glad I did. Aside from accidentally booking a bus from the wrong airport (classic Jackie~) Byron Bay was worth the drive out the ways. It’s a hippy little beach town where they hold tons of music festivals throughout the year, and is a spring break hotspot for surfers and college students alike.

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It reminded me a lot of my college town. Super charming and small, you could cover the ground “downtown” in an afternoon (or probably even less than that!). It was fun to stroll through the different shops and eateries all just a few blocks from the beach. And if you’re traveling on a budget, there’s also an Aldi near the town center where you can grab everything you need for a cheap, easy meal or some snacks. I also recommend an Asian grocery store called Red Ginger. They sell sold homemade dumplings and steamed buns (they even had vegetarian and vegan options!) and serve complimentary tea with your order. This was really close to the bus station, and just what I needed after traveling from the airport.

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Take a stroll to the beach and watch the surfers surf the waves as you swing on the swings not too far from the shore, and if you’re up for it, tackle the trek to the Cape Byron Lighthouse. It’s about 2km from the center of town, so definitely dedicate a morning or afternoon to the walk up there. It was gloomy and rainy the day I hiked the lighthouse, which made it beautiful in it’s own way.

I had about a day and a half in Brisbane, and one thing on my list: visiting the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and holding a koala. Mission. Accomplished.

It’s the world’s largest and oldest koala sanctuary, and they housed a few other friends, from platypus to dingos and kangaroos you can feed! I cuddled a koala named Spoon… I should’ve been good to fly home right after, right??! C;

19430112_10154875217687547_6850517276621267956_n — Spoon and I. I never wanted to let go!

Two Weeks Down Under: Koalas, the Coast, and the Coolest People

I spent two weeks “down under” this past June. The flight there took a little over 14 hours (thank goodness for in-flight entertainment). I left on a Saturday, but with the time difference, I started my trip off in Sydney on a Monday. And it was the Queen’s birthday! I had flown in just in time to celebrate, obviously.

I visited at the start of winter. So that meant more layers, and less tourists (most of the time). I was told that it can rain quite a bit during this season, and there had been torrential downpour in Sydney the week prior to my arrival. But the day I got there, it was sunny and gorgeous. I stayed in Potts Point, about 20 minutes from the Botanic Gardens and a stunning view of the Opera House and Harbor.

Woolloomooloo (say that three times fast)

View from the McElhone Stairs in Potts Point.

Lookout from Lady Macquarie’s Chair of the harbour.

I could continue chronicling this my travels listing all the sights I saw day to day, the places I ate at… but I’ll touch on the highlights for me, and for what I highly recommend you fit into your Australia travels as well.

To start, the territories I visited were New South Wales (Sydney, Byron Bay, Katoomba, Newcastle, Manly Beach), Queensland (Brisbane), and Australian Capital Territory (Canberra). If you look at a map, that’s all along South/Southeast Australia. Now, if you look at a map and compare the size of Australia to the rest of the world, you won’t be surprised as to why I decided to focus my trip within a specific area of this giant country (it would be worth another trip to return and visit a different part Australia, trust me).

I’ve got some posts in the works, but I hope you’ll read on and enjoy what I have so far of my little travel diary about my visit down unda!

The national flag in the capital of Australia: Canberra.

Me + Beijing vs. Chicago. And a burrito.

Traveling is never without its hiccups. My 24+ travel-time from Orlando to Beijing was no exception. Troubles began with my layover in Chicago. What was supposed to be a three hour layover turned into a five hour layover due to “airplane maintenance…” but I like to look at it as though they were double, no, triple checking everything to make sure we all landed safely.

It was finally starting to hit me, that the next flight I got on would take me to an entirely different continent, and that I would land at about 3AM Florida-time in Beijing, China.

When I went abroad last summer, what I craved the most was a burrito. There are lots of places to dine and make last minute purchases, but no Moe’s or Chipotle. Surprising, since O’Hare is such a big airport. It looks like my last “American” meal/snack was going to be an Asiago bagel from Starbucks.

I met up with Hannah, a sweet gal from Michigan who was also going on this teaching adventure to China. We had spoken almost everyday since April, sharing our fears and stresses over China. It was so wonderful to finally meet her in person.

Aside from our delay, other hiccups included:

forgetting my toothbrush
breaking the home button on my Ipad case
the lady sitting in the row in front of us rearranging her carry-on that was stowed up above in her compartment, and her socks and underwear falling onto Hannah & I. She didn’t notice, making it all the more awkward. I ended up having to chuck up her delicates, and I did so without her noticing, phew! I mean, we couldn’t say anything because we were laughing so hard.

We had a full flight, and there was very little legroom for thirteen and a half hours. I only wish that we had individual screens where we could choose what to watch. I caught a bit of Far From the Maddening Crowd, Hot Pursuit, and The Longest Ride… and when I say “a bit,” I mean that I couldn’t stay awake through any of the movies they played.

But just like my flight from Orlando to London last summer, the food, drinks, and snacks were plentiful. I love that for both meals, they offered a Westernized dish, as well as a traditional Chinese one. I was very open to trying a Chinese dish, but unfortunately, they didn’t have vegetarian options (ravioli + scrambled eggs for me!)

Out of the thirteen hour flight, I want to say that I slept for half of it, but it was very disruptive. I was, and still am exhausted. Adjusting to the time change has been so fun, fun, fun. I was pleased to learn that after getting picked up at the airport, the rest of our evening was free to rest up.

Getting on the Internet is difficult here, as is adding photos to my blog posts. But the air is clear, it’s currently in the seventies, there is a beautiful breeze, I just finished a basic Mandarin course, and I can’t believe I’m in Beijing!!!

More to come on my first official day in Beijing. But first, I have a group meal at a local restaurant to look forward to in a little bit!

Beijing Bound: ONE WEEK

I am excited to share that one week from today, I will be flying into Beijing!!!

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The journey to this day, where I can finally share on my blog that I’m actually leaving, hasn’t been without its obstacles. I didn’t receive my Visa until this past Wednesday, which to me, is cutting it a little close. This is the first time I’ve had to acquire a Visa for traveling, so I’m not sure if the timeline is the same if I was to visit a different country for a prolonged period. Anyways, after I had that in hand, I purchased my travel insurance (also a first for me!) and submitted both these documents to LoveTEFL (more on that in a bit), and received this email yesterday:

it's really happening! — djkaljfkh!!!!!!

Lucky for them, I’ve been packed for almost a month now, aside from some toiletries. I’ve learned that the earlier I start packing, the better. I’ve always been a planner. This trip has been in the works for about a year. I committed to going on August 22nd last summer, and August 22nd this year is when I will land in Beijing. Surreal.

Why Beijing, you ask? Well for one, I’ve never been there before. And if you know me, you know that visiting new places is a favorite hobby of mine. Adventure is out there, and I think we need to take it upon ourselves to try new things, meet new people, and explore spaces and places that are foreign to us, especially if you’re young/able/still trying to figure things out. You learn so much about yourself, other people, and other cultures while traveling, not to mention the memories you’ll make! Traveling always puts me in the happiest state of mind.

After Europe last summer, I looked into going abroad almost immediately after returning home. And that was where I learned about the benefits of teaching abroad. I did a lot of research and decided to complete a TEFL course through LoveTEFL. LoveTEFL is a UK based company who provides accredited TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) courses, as well as teaching internships such as the one I am completing, recruitment for permanent placements, and more. I was certified last December, became a US citizen in January, booked my one-way to Beijing in May (because hey, if the stars align, I’d like to spend as much time abroad as possible), finally booked a return flight home a few days ago at a price I couldn’t pass up, and now here I am: one week until I leave for Beijing, and what looks like will be total of ten months being abroad. I’m still organizing my post-China plans, but I will keep ya posted on those as best as I can.

I liked that LoveTEFL offered an internship option, so I can experience what it would be like to teach English abroad without committing to an entire year. Aside from volunteering at my middle school, I don’t have any experience teaching or commanding my own classroom. But that being said, I really enjoyed the teaching course. Lesson-planning came pretty naturally, and the course itself wasn’t hard, but I know that teaching isn’t for everyone. You have to be patient, organized, disciplined, and basically ready for anything. I know I’m in for a few surprises, but I see this all as part of the adventure that awaits.

I have a feeling this week is going to fly by. See you in seven days, Beijing. ♥

London // 07.01.14 – 07.04.14

Cheerio!

London was the first stop on our European adventure. We took the Gatwick Express, a train from the airport to where our hotel was located, in Victoria. One of the first businesses we passed was called St George’s Tavern, which was so ironic and so special to us because in St Augustine, there was a bar by the exact same name that we used to frequent. Crazy, huh?

By the time we located the hotel, it was 10AM London-Time. But Florida Time, we would have still been asleep. Unfortunately, we couldn’t check-in until 2PM, so we dropped off our luggage and decided to explore a little. It took everything in me to not take a nap on the grass in Beesborough Gardens (and I’m sure my fellow lady travelers felt the same way). Not only was I tired, but I noticed that the grass in London is very much like the grass in Toronto, where I grew up. It was cushion-y and soft, perfect for napszZZzZz and so much more appealing in my exhausted state of mind… Just kidding. I snapped outta that funk. Onward we marched, towards Tate Britain, the closest gallery to our hotel.

We spent five days and London, and I filled a few pages of my journal for each day. Rather than go into detail here about specific meals or what souvenirs I picked up, I’ll share some highlights, things worth noting for future London bound travelers (as well as some pictures, because one of my favorite parts about London was the architecture: grand, detailed, inviting… I was in love).

Looking up in our first museum stop, Tate Britain.

Food

The first thing we learned during our first meal in London (which ironically was pizza), was that you have to pay for water here. Expect to hear “still or sparkling?” from your server.
Nando’s is a popular fast food joint. Think Boston Market crossed with Chick-Fil-A. I ordered their veggie burger with lemon herb seasoning and it was delish.
Continental breakfast in London is very simple compared to continental breakfast in America. Corn flakes, jam, toast, and English Breakfast Tea, of course. No waffles, blueberry syrup or bagels here.
For Chelsea’s birthday, we dined at a Singaporean restaurant, called Rasa Sayang. Their tofu was really good and it was reasonably priced. The best part of venturing out to this restaurant was that it took us to London’s Chinatown. Who knew London even had a Chinatown!? Not us. Got my taro boba fix, of course.
Spotted: a pizzeria in London’s Chinatown.
Our favorite meal, we decided unanimously, was afternoon tea that we enjoyed in Kensington Gardens, ironically, on July 4th. Mini sandwiches, scones, dessert, and I’m pretty sure I drank 12 cups of tea during what was probably our most filling meal here.
Eating out for the portion-size we also agreed was expensive for our unemployed-college graduate budgets. Our saving grace was a grocery store called Sainsbury Market, which had the vibe of a 7-11, but with the selection of a Publix. A deli, a bakery, frozen foods, you name it. We didn’t starve in London, and we have Sainsbury Market to thank.

Sights

Despite our excitement and the huge, equally excited crowd that gathered for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, it didn’t quite live up to the hype for us. The palace itself, though, during sunset was glorious.
The majority of museums in London grant free/donation-based admission whilst churches and cathedrals had entrance fees. There were so many museums, and we only got to visit a handful of them. While we didn’t get to spend a ton of time in the Museum of Natural History, the Romanesque style the building of the building left me speechless. The details, the ceilings, the arches… it was all just striking.

I think what was so appealing about London architecture was the variety it offered. You can’t categorize the style of London architecture in just one category. The exterior of flats, everywhere we walked in London… I had to control myself from taking photos of every building we passed. London as a whole, at least the part we ventured to, was just so clean. I remember thinking that the hustle and bustle in certain areas, such as Oxford Street, Piccadilly, and Chinatown reminded me of New York on a smaller scale. But everything just seemed a lot more organized. Neat architectural details on every façade, and such clean lines… I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

I have to talk about London’s green spaces. I’m a huge fan of public urban spaces of parks and greenery, and how they can really bring people together for events, or picnics. Even naps. Lots of nappers. London had plenty of them. Hyde Park, Green Park, Kensington Gardens… just so much green!!! It was lovely.
I was especially fond of the Canada Gates (which I didn’t know existed until we stumbled upon it). The Gate serves as a formal entrance to one of the “Royal” parks presented to London by Canada in honor of Queen Victoria.

10527654_10152161612512547_2144535658263037723_n — Your fave Canasian in London representin’ at the Canada Gates.

The best way to see sights, as expected, was by doing the double decker tour best. We covered so much more ground than we would have on foot. It took us to St Paul’s Cathedral where we walked the Millennium Bridge across the River Thames and right up to Tate Modern. With exhibits featuring works by Rothko, Louise Bourgeois, and Robert Mapplethorpe, it felt like a smaller version of MOMA in New York, one of my favorite museums, so I was a huge fan.
Via double decker bus, we hit up all the major London tourist spots: Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the Elizabeth tower, Big Big Ben and the London Eye. We didn’t have time to ride the London Eye, but given there is a next time (hopefully), that is something I would love to do!

Looking out from Tate Modern to the River Thames & Millennium Bridge.

Our final day, we took a bus tour out to Windsor Castle, Bath, Somerset, and the mysterious Stonehenge. I remember being really excited to get out of the city, to see more of the UK outside of London. I remember how it hadn’t really hit me that I was in Europe, because in London, so many things reminded me of America, or Toronto. It didn’t feel very European aside from the opposite traffic flow, certain brands, and the accents. Granted, it was incredibly easy when asking for directions around here and I think a smart first stop for us to ease into being on a completely different continent. I’ll post about our visit outside London soon (and of course about the rest of our adventure abroad)!

Baby’s First Trip Abroad

One year ago today, myself and three gal pals embarked on a 30 day trip across the pond. And I’m going to do something I didn’t do when I went abroad… I am going to blog about it. I did however, keep a journal throughout the trip, which re-reading, has allowed me to do some reminiscing about this trip. Most of the details in this post I’m probably going to take directly from my journal. I don’t have the best memory. Writing down things always helps.

To start, I’ll tell you about who I went with: Stephanie, Gabriela and Chelsea. We were all recent graduates and friends from college. Steph and I hadn’t been abroad before. Steph had never even ridden on a plane before this trip. Aside from Gaby, none of us had never been to Europe before. But all four of us were ready to take on these three weeks of fun, fun, fun!

: Steph’s mom took this at the airport. Us U.S. gals, ready to take on Europe!

Now, where did we go? We visited three countries: the UK, Italy, and France in that order. I don’t want this post to be a million miles long, and as there is A LOT to say about this trip, so, I think I might indulge and dedicate a separate post for each city we stayed in. Yes. I think I will do that. It will give me another reason to re-live some great memories. ♥
We spent months planning before we left. And even after all the work that was put into planning, I don’t think we could have been prepared for how overwhelmed we were going to feel after arriving. There was just so much to do and see, and plenty of moments where we were like, “what now?” And boy, did we got lost. A lot. Basically 90% of the time we weren’t exactly sure where we were.

An 8+ hour flight is the longest flight I’ve ever been on. Flying isn’t my favorite form of transportation, but this flight was so incredibly smooth and comfortable. A toothbrush, pillow, and blanket were waiting for each of us in our seats and every passenger had their own personal television with an incredible selection of movies to choose from. I played Her, Labor Day and Winter’s Tale — and I fell asleep halfway through all of them. This is what happens when you’re the sleepiest person on the planet and a flight includes complimentary wine.

Around 5AM, we were served breakfast. I enjoyed traditional English breakfast tea as we were flying over the UK and I remember being over the moon thrilled about that. We landed on schedule, 6:50AM and stepping off the plane you could already feel a temperature difference. We definitely weren’t in Florida anymore and even though we would have been sleeping Florida-time, we were running on excitement once we landed (although that was a little short-lived)… more on London Town, soon!

I still can’t believe we left for Europe a year ago today. Things were so different. I think we returned from Europe as different people, our worldview widened, and our hearts and minds still in travel-mode but also in that “I’ll be home soon and will have dependable WiFi again” mindset. Despite the fact that this trip had it’s stressful moments, we learned a lot about each other as fellow travelers. This trip undoubtedly strengthened the friendship I have with Gaby, Chelsea and Stephanie. And if y’all ever read this, know how I much I love you girls. And miss you. It’s been a few months since I’ve seen any of you (and this needs to change). I couldn’t think of a another group of friends I would have wanted to share this experience with.