tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71522813471442691542024-02-07T00:30:12.132-08:00Suzy's Adventures AbroadAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-87101584534892108012014-07-24T15:55:00.001-07:002014-07-29T17:09:08.419-07:00Wanderlust in Norway.<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You
will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always
be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing
people in more than one place" - Miriam Adeney</span><br />
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When deciding on a name for my blog, I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted it to be. Partly because I'm very indecisive, and partly because the idea of me writing a blog was a bit weird. In an attempt to be simplistic and to the point, I ended up with the name Wanderlust Suzy. The definition of wanderlust is "a strong innate desire to rove or travel about". To me it conveys adventure and excitement. I feel that this past semester has been just about that. I have challenged myself in ways I never thought I would; I have jumped out of a plane, scubadived in the Great Barrier Reef and with sharks (albeit harmless ones), abseiled into dark caves, and heaps more. More importantly though, I left my comfort zone of Norway, and traveled halfway across the world to a new place. I was lucky to meet so many wonderful people in Australia, people from all around the world that have made this past semester better than I could have ever imagined. I look back at my time abroad with fondness. When friends and colleagues ask me how my semester abroad was, it is hard to convey what a fabulous experience it was without me ending up rambling on about all the things I've done and the people I've met. </span><br />
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As silly (and self absorbed) as it may sound, I have read through my previous blog posts these past few days. Going through my blog, post by post, reminds me of the all the good times I've had this past semester. However, my blog does not portray a completely accurate picture of my time in Australia; there were so many experiences that didn't make the blog. You know, all those little things that seemed arbitrary at the time or weren't exciting enough to share with the world, like long nights at the Macquarie library or walks to Woolworth's or the Macquarie Center. I never thought I would be one to share my experiences with the world through a blog; I'm very glad I did though. I'm glad I diligently wrote about the things I experienced because it makes me so happy to read about all the things I did, how I felt, and the little details that I likely would have forgotten.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be honest, coming home was a little anticlimactic. I (somewhat naively) expected everything to be wonderful and fabulous once I got off the plane in Oslo. Although it was wonderful and fabulous in many ways, I missed Australia. I still do... Very much. Part of my heart is definitely still in Sydney. I have been back in Norway for two weeks now, and it is still a little surreal being home. It has finally hit me that my time in Australia is over. I feel like a different person coming back to Norway after my semester abroad. While in Australia, I was someone who said yes to daring things, someone who lived in the moment, and aimed to experience as much as possible. </span><br />
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Though I am missing aspects of Australia (especially the sound of kookaburras outside my bedroom window), Norway is indeed a beautiful place to call home. I feel like I'm seeing Norway with new eyes and extra colors after being gone for so long. Norway in the summertime is spectacular, and the nature is breathtaking. The Weather Gods have granted us with many days of sunshine, reaching maximum temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius/91 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things, but I still feel the need to actively battle the post-study-abroad blues by keeping myself busy. It has been great spending time with friends and family these past two weeks. It doesn't seem like a single day has passed when I'm with them, and that's truly a great feeling. After spending 6 months abroad, it is also time to replenish my bank account. I've started working full-time at the psychiatric ward again, and alternate between day shifts, evening shifts, and night shifts. I enjoy working with old colleagues and getting to know and helping new patients. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1FbLkP5d6JoCpEAYO1_wd9C9F3IpkJiz21WDXXcN72XJzB3HDlJvb68s3abrhkv9Scpif5TD1V5VDiKlgBlL-zsqsQF_LFgoF0QPAGUxo0oMG-_BWe48RONgjOiIE45fREiP1QAd70M/s1600/IMG_1790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1FbLkP5d6JoCpEAYO1_wd9C9F3IpkJiz21WDXXcN72XJzB3HDlJvb68s3abrhkv9Scpif5TD1V5VDiKlgBlL-zsqsQF_LFgoF0QPAGUxo0oMG-_BWe48RONgjOiIE45fREiP1QAd70M/s1600/IMG_1790.JPG" height="292" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday stroll to Majordammen with Trine Lise and Ruben</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_aJuqo5RZn0iL8D4vT2uGHCIXIyMEU0gXCLx_9QrJ97A65d3wH0Nvd4CuvkBt9CcQXMXMjgrbWux3chjmIbkr71DHxFYnE-HpoFONIsAbVDT4PIw22UgpvQJbiFgTODMriXDjcz52yc/s640/blogger-image-165884179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_aJuqo5RZn0iL8D4vT2uGHCIXIyMEU0gXCLx_9QrJ97A65d3wH0Nvd4CuvkBt9CcQXMXMjgrbWux3chjmIbkr71DHxFYnE-HpoFONIsAbVDT4PIw22UgpvQJbiFgTODMriXDjcz52yc/s640/blogger-image-165884179.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bestefar and I</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0jjMFrBdo-yO0EFtlb98M5R41pWFFgjo7dpFkKo7etu-Ym2KA0eKMulIcf3AdhaVvnvWfCBxjHIkDdyS2uoZKcWzpKY6VbYZVUmUzq604G-85h1XrYgJD0ulE-8EVi29R89XF9whDrA/s640/blogger-image-213447547.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've missed having my own kitchen. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8paKVZ0zKkUPJ6nLmBu9yy2myMCyAnslHFerfzNgaZ01K3-edQfJV1jetb_CU0bUJWzOKWx8H3_hmMM3Srige935iyDpiXyrksZhEgBvzYoNEXOQUZKu-uvLnL1UD7fM9FrP7nF7ZqSs/s640/blogger-image-1384975760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8paKVZ0zKkUPJ6nLmBu9yy2myMCyAnslHFerfzNgaZ01K3-edQfJV1jetb_CU0bUJWzOKWx8H3_hmMM3Srige935iyDpiXyrksZhEgBvzYoNEXOQUZKu-uvLnL1UD7fM9FrP7nF7ZqSs/s640/blogger-image-1384975760.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also missed hosting dinners with the girls. Reidun, Tanja, Trine Lise, Hulda, Pernille, and Helene came over for dinner one of the first days I was home. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friend, Bjørn, took me out for a fabulous dinner before I went to the night shift at work (Fun fact: His name translates to "Bear" in English. How neat is that?)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDvCF_cl7J_YXe-8DETkZ8-pcwWeY_5A_IInqi-AiBm4p7drFD8h5_mt8cfju2ZkK_Cwa44Rnv8dpcObO3Y9Bz3TBEoPXzIleW5EIfQja-WrHAWH120x6ZEyvgxAqpFUmDxam4o0p0JU/s640/blogger-image--1802251430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDvCF_cl7J_YXe-8DETkZ8-pcwWeY_5A_IInqi-AiBm4p7drFD8h5_mt8cfju2ZkK_Cwa44Rnv8dpcObO3Y9Bz3TBEoPXzIleW5EIfQja-WrHAWH120x6ZEyvgxAqpFUmDxam4o0p0JU/s640/blogger-image--1802251430.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My lovely neighbors, Helge, Inger, and Reidun, came over for coffee and cake one evening after work.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOgROBPBIkxFfpBffZkNn8VbHI0WU9zAmcS8SQ749DSq-UDwIhyGGsbLPwJSVK8KLUQmARgfL-PAvwC5DEbM3sCBH4tds9rMDBrT5_pnER6bcwcc98GL6Q2DjEXI5wzZmZ-4BYsKDsvg/s640/blogger-image-204494349.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from my living room. This will never get old. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find myself striving to remain the adventurous person I was these past six months. I'm eager to explore more of Norway now that I am back.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I've always known that there are heaps of things to do and see in Norway, but I I haven't felt the urgent need to do all these things. I've thought that there will be time to do those things later. No rush. After being in Australia, I realize there's no better time than the present, and it's time to get started on crossing off things on my Norway-to-do-list. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past weekend I crossed off one of these items. My friend Pernille and I rented a car, and drove the 4,5 hour drive to Jotunheimen to hike the Besseggen ridge. Besseggen is Norway's most frequently executed mountain hike with over 30 000 visitors completing the hike annually. It was time for us to give it a go! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhCLaTqFIoMFP9luhZGbZMkLPcnZgcQlJ1sUKNDSX2IU5I9LdYiA7YerHcYq9xhPjolby3dMuPOisX3Kuf5cZm5vpeyfX4ZgRdbdWL3fQEiJlL5u2wiZi1yYwC8jHe7-ROrjF-0XP7VA/s1600/IMG_1553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWhCLaTqFIoMFP9luhZGbZMkLPcnZgcQlJ1sUKNDSX2IU5I9LdYiA7YerHcYq9xhPjolby3dMuPOisX3Kuf5cZm5vpeyfX4ZgRdbdWL3fQEiJlL5u2wiZi1yYwC8jHe7-ROrjF-0XP7VA/s1600/IMG_1553.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVg07Fkm3uQqP4-74OOvf-DWXEkmw-bQPuRM94WBQZbvbpdBBG6YvndSyaZlV3SgxLHSoxQ6j6Msm0Moicpj8H534tEkGhHtZqYNpsGMsnb4SeCL8yzqr7BAo-cUfh6QSe4zhnBCFn4s/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNVg07Fkm3uQqP4-74OOvf-DWXEkmw-bQPuRM94WBQZbvbpdBBG6YvndSyaZlV3SgxLHSoxQ6j6Msm0Moicpj8H534tEkGhHtZqYNpsGMsnb4SeCL8yzqr7BAo-cUfh6QSe4zhnBCFn4s/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our sleeping quarters for the night was a 16 person dorm at the cozy Gjendesheim Tourist Lodge. The weather forecast said it would be gorgeous the following day (i.e. lots of people going to hike) and w</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e arrived at around 9pm, so we were very lucky that we got to stay in room with beds. The people that arrived after us, had to settle for mattresses on the floor in the common areas. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBfrlBlYAsTgl52Sd-SSycnZYKLepbul3ACyIBFhKbPPsjT-SEpc7O2gW1SeF8o_yDycd4FsbAdPjno1HnHFPZ-WNbtNddKfHax5Je5yNjzBFj5WbD83bKKTkp9AnJqPVq4HKAq2hfWI/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBfrlBlYAsTgl52Sd-SSycnZYKLepbul3ACyIBFhKbPPsjT-SEpc7O2gW1SeF8o_yDycd4FsbAdPjno1HnHFPZ-WNbtNddKfHax5Je5yNjzBFj5WbD83bKKTkp9AnJqPVq4HKAq2hfWI/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px;">We woke up early the next morning at around 6am. We packed up our stuff, had a quick breakfast in the car, and caught the first ferry from Gjendesheim to Memurubu. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGWtzniT3ghDc5ZesjgB-HFA4guHioDEOLjX5DgFKGccVTz8oI0nVPSDPLP-8qpvei-Znh4Z_OWukMwvGAsOMW6_viedwlIsSLGVat40qHFJ5M-iSfgEIVn9fQOx8WLwfcJoyrAB5kZU/s640/blogger-image-1417127973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGWtzniT3ghDc5ZesjgB-HFA4guHioDEOLjX5DgFKGccVTz8oI0nVPSDPLP-8qpvei-Znh4Z_OWukMwvGAsOMW6_viedwlIsSLGVat40qHFJ5M-iSfgEIVn9fQOx8WLwfcJoyrAB5kZU/s640/blogger-image-1417127973.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">The first hour of the hike proved to be the most challenging. The rather steep incline was a reminder that neither of us had done much hiking the previous months. Once we got past the first part, the rest was fairly painless. We were likely distracted by our beautiful surroundings; the dark blue Bessvatn Lake and the emerald green Lake Gjende was astonishing. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHgPJLZ3TOaNIVyETAHKt-ueXs77pGf6U3e204YmAvjOK0Pb7H4JnUFsuRibaw_UmOmAipvkWu-SeOklHkKEf6lFTyOY8DGEonbL513To1YyvoLWaDwp9mqr8c_TI-CBDWhfX4ZfHn6s/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHgPJLZ3TOaNIVyETAHKt-ueXs77pGf6U3e204YmAvjOK0Pb7H4JnUFsuRibaw_UmOmAipvkWu-SeOklHkKEf6lFTyOY8DGEonbL513To1YyvoLWaDwp9mqr8c_TI-CBDWhfX4ZfHn6s/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" height="302" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It was a beautiful day to go hiking. We were a little worried that we would be walking alongside heaps of people due to the beautiful weather conditions, but it wasn't too crowded. We stopped some of our fellow hikers to say hello. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yFUEtR1fMguiEI7aqY-i_9-mgOiukUYHrpZMZTxUpZatRumVBUi3WU-5U1cEpIGQic5Qwy88tWYQy1qHrg44CCLAoSSEQbZD54AievjYAAJBKJ3oUR8cB-d0pnIg0djHT_tBoy4hWa0/s1600/IMG_1595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yFUEtR1fMguiEI7aqY-i_9-mgOiukUYHrpZMZTxUpZatRumVBUi3WU-5U1cEpIGQic5Qwy88tWYQy1qHrg44CCLAoSSEQbZD54AievjYAAJBKJ3oUR8cB-d0pnIg0djHT_tBoy4hWa0/s1600/IMG_1595.jpg" height="268" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't consider myself to be a person that is afraid of heights, but walking on the narrow ridge proved to be a challenge for both Pernille and I. There is a roughly 400meter/1312foot drop straight down to Lake Gjende, so I guess it's understandable that we were a little apprehensive. You actually had to climb at certain points. Yikes! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXMj3UBhHtgYMMbwiM0KobzienJKpCFVx13uXhUnaLH2q5zF1XCJWYUV6O9jvZl3S0rjPW7WZ0Wl69GKZjmUi8AvPWAV4zq4bu1Uo0qJNpVhZitUFg9kK9BVJFOsGqUx_UDYd5slGaS8/s1600/IMG_1763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXMj3UBhHtgYMMbwiM0KobzienJKpCFVx13uXhUnaLH2q5zF1XCJWYUV6O9jvZl3S0rjPW7WZ0Wl69GKZjmUi8AvPWAV4zq4bu1Uo0qJNpVhZitUFg9kK9BVJFOsGqUx_UDYd5slGaS8/s1600/IMG_1763.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pernille was ready for the challenge. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMWUfQKTHXjpE12acjr76QWIab04fdd6m5wncincy1dr-KFVm15HHe2TPMT7Otj9S-pr3_7_O6WgMs2yyjhJtofbXTK62oNr6Bq1iaXqc3z623Sv49A9x2_LJdcsBLbUp0j0-zTMrwOE/s1600/IMG_1613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMWUfQKTHXjpE12acjr76QWIab04fdd6m5wncincy1dr-KFVm15HHe2TPMT7Otj9S-pr3_7_O6WgMs2yyjhJtofbXTK62oNr6Bq1iaXqc3z623Sv49A9x2_LJdcsBLbUp0j0-zTMrwOE/s1600/IMG_1613.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy to be at the top. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At one point when we were in Australia, my friend Sydney and I were addicted to King Size Kit Kat bars. Coming back to Norway, I realize that nothing quite compares to the Norwegian equivalent: Kvikk Lunsj (In English this translates to Quick Lunch). Pernille and I made sure we had an ample amount of these on our hike. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMu2DepvBraHWq2mmKbiedPk1P9O5KFgcFbLaiqlaMDuH4RMiEBGy8hq8k7LVc7AMZQF5SY6W8TRNEwY8wX6wQPJLIFeWHywToe2UHxV0r0foKGDsQYkHTAK_Up3zvv15gFFDCu290SQ/s1600/IMG_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMu2DepvBraHWq2mmKbiedPk1P9O5KFgcFbLaiqlaMDuH4RMiEBGy8hq8k7LVc7AMZQF5SY6W8TRNEwY8wX6wQPJLIFeWHywToe2UHxV0r0foKGDsQYkHTAK_Up3zvv15gFFDCu290SQ/s1600/IMG_1578.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WR-HOH5uEaFPxH5GjlMVyKqmeeRGQ3i0VZdL17akp2EiFu8EZtqAEtB5jC554gei1XpykSIn-IIwHlXbbUzazGRPhse50cGXTGiYiJts4rQnpo2dv1f6WDmNEDKKz_WHCP1jmxb1nWw/s1600/IMG_1581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WR-HOH5uEaFPxH5GjlMVyKqmeeRGQ3i0VZdL17akp2EiFu8EZtqAEtB5jC554gei1XpykSIn-IIwHlXbbUzazGRPhse50cGXTGiYiJts4rQnpo2dv1f6WDmNEDKKz_WHCP1jmxb1nWw/s1600/IMG_1581.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">We also made sure we had Gjende cookies. These are originally from the Gjende area, so it was a very fitting snack indeed.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMlI1znTHxkOT3VChoHMy_3wPHJQPfmocVFFD5TfznoFSM_365_K0Yt2FCLm0iIGaJ5uycgtc8_sVSkJoYewe2FEbunoWTRFhUIpCo6znEpvk7w9fazeQ2YV2jWIoT8ABewjjeYS7AnE/s1600/IMG_1579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMlI1znTHxkOT3VChoHMy_3wPHJQPfmocVFFD5TfznoFSM_365_K0Yt2FCLm0iIGaJ5uycgtc8_sVSkJoYewe2FEbunoWTRFhUIpCo6znEpvk7w9fazeQ2YV2jWIoT8ABewjjeYS7AnE/s1600/IMG_1579.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The large pile of rocks in the distance marked the highest point of the hike, 1734meters/5689feet above sea level. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUUIiKxaOKOfJUgKD4KweUxuEZPXbZgGCiuKXcBoroyYrAtu42PjgpOEdI1eWbzPd2cHRwJk4d5Re3DskH6RUXbuYOtZgVXOdiPft29fpi_JbUKjcpam5iho_yJK_rooaCIi8iEckFrI/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUUIiKxaOKOfJUgKD4KweUxuEZPXbZgGCiuKXcBoroyYrAtu42PjgpOEdI1eWbzPd2cHRwJk4d5Re3DskH6RUXbuYOtZgVXOdiPft29fpi_JbUKjcpam5iho_yJK_rooaCIi8iEckFrI/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" height="218" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was excited to try out my new hiking boots. At the end of the 17km/10.5mile hike, I realized how foolish it was to go on such a long hike in new footwear. I knew I was taking a risk, but they felt so comfy before I left. Putting on my trusted Asics running shoes felt like a vacation for my feet after wearing those hiking boots all day.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5NnVIhgvINZCWHHTRC3tHXF0ywq-JikKaToHxsaFkqUPEYR9D863HtwhMYn9nae6aBv5yZlnjiYCZXsompA-wJ5Tx1pbaS0Rg6UEoTSC1h8FAjdqMjXUpj2iEaKs0jwfOPH2jR5hDwE/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5NnVIhgvINZCWHHTRC3tHXF0ywq-JikKaToHxsaFkqUPEYR9D863HtwhMYn9nae6aBv5yZlnjiYCZXsompA-wJ5Tx1pbaS0Rg6UEoTSC1h8FAjdqMjXUpj2iEaKs0jwfOPH2jR5hDwE/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent;">The hike usually takes between 5-7 hours to complete. The current record for completing the hike is 1 hour and 14 minutes. Due to frequent stops to admire our surroundings (and painful footwear), we completed the hike in 6,5 hours. </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvL6Z1q3aeI_s5CZf_OEwBqbdYvNtyVH-Qas7upmSN9CSbjlvlfEHmdJkWJSqyj45TnjYL-B-w1y21z2q6rX9NaES9vB_WxZVKCGDnL-x6qwNHQo3yIw2d7lDvqLx8o3K2I1Vns7O9zAc/s1600/IMG_1651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvL6Z1q3aeI_s5CZf_OEwBqbdYvNtyVH-Qas7upmSN9CSbjlvlfEHmdJkWJSqyj45TnjYL-B-w1y21z2q6rX9NaES9vB_WxZVKCGDnL-x6qwNHQo3yIw2d7lDvqLx8o3K2I1Vns7O9zAc/s1600/IMG_1651.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhID41YODaIj4hzESbbYboc1iTysl5pBCjefAJWYU2X4Y2KpMUy0ROpckiihK2CJlisDoAh-7YTrAm4ZQ97iZcdZgO6te9qIrx36Rb_eJOD-45PFmIvJy1XEhbbzAbQ18X9uBJS3nMroeA/s1600/IMG_1632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhID41YODaIj4hzESbbYboc1iTysl5pBCjefAJWYU2X4Y2KpMUy0ROpckiihK2CJlisDoAh-7YTrAm4ZQ97iZcdZgO6te9qIrx36Rb_eJOD-45PFmIvJy1XEhbbzAbQ18X9uBJS3nMroeA/s1600/IMG_1632.JPG" height="268" width="640" /></a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkD0-JdFryhHNSXMT41ASl4Em1LJIXozeE6PtY1QVR_1wy2aLzN4xM5zhLXzMteX9wlUljG_BqxRJyiXwe84mE1ALS1Kl55Qd7rA7vhiwvHXiE6TnMOb4oPkT6ipq33XLTN38rbj6kvc/s1600/IMG_1649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkD0-JdFryhHNSXMT41ASl4Em1LJIXozeE6PtY1QVR_1wy2aLzN4xM5zhLXzMteX9wlUljG_BqxRJyiXwe84mE1ALS1Kl55Qd7rA7vhiwvHXiE6TnMOb4oPkT6ipq33XLTN38rbj6kvc/s1600/IMG_1649.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97v3AvEwfjG3MxOZ1uhp4QeIcwof8QKvyen9kKi_YTx89H7wZigTPzy-e_39PYSF_9gkpzp4Vvu7irI9PQhiIsl0kCl-CghNcU65K4BnRoRxxIKpX6HU9lmGPpwDX9f6Sem5IklUUcos/s640/blogger-image--917519194.jpg" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">Once we got back to the lodge, we packed up the car and hit the road. The journey home went by relatively quickly. We stopped and had a traditional Norwegian dinner ("kjøttkaker" and potatoes), and also made some new friends along the way. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl48vvDJQBCOItPwiKKLaL6zNYEdk0w4Rk8GdIwZQ5CG-avUH77YeTQon9ctPO-ZTywoRyxL30-YUX7VXt98d_jfeRltrRBfPeLvfAYpwKS-hdz4BHlLnRQaJ05np2L92EovMd4-9hp0Q/s1600/IMG_1532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl48vvDJQBCOItPwiKKLaL6zNYEdk0w4Rk8GdIwZQ5CG-avUH77YeTQon9ctPO-ZTywoRyxL30-YUX7VXt98d_jfeRltrRBfPeLvfAYpwKS-hdz4BHlLnRQaJ05np2L92EovMd4-9hp0Q/s1600/IMG_1532.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTlVgVXYOVJD89vmYAUs50yGbbNS_SnrrXugggz1Kphl6njzRp64ESIqtML0qtmll_Y8HNIywFYoXK_E2165vF4yP2QQGYGHCanmGZky_4b4Avkh4MZ-jOXCZeOR7CYh2M2G8ymiC1gk/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTlVgVXYOVJD89vmYAUs50yGbbNS_SnrrXugggz1Kphl6njzRp64ESIqtML0qtmll_Y8HNIywFYoXK_E2165vF4yP2QQGYGHCanmGZky_4b4Avkh4MZ-jOXCZeOR7CYh2M2G8ymiC1gk/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a mere few weeks, the semester at the University of Tromsø starts. Jam packed days of clinical psychology lectures and therapy sessions await! I'm so excited to finally apply all the knowledge we have (hopefully) acquired in therapy sessions with our very own patients. Don't get me wrong, it will be nerve wracking having a live human being wanting help across the table... But it will be fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The goal of this blog was to keep friends and family updated while abroad, and I think I succeeded in this task. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't quite decided if I am going to continue posting. Perhaps continuing will encourage me to keep crossing things off my Norway-do-to-list? We'll see. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either way, thank you all for reading. It's been fun sharing the things I never thought I would do in a way I never thought I would. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-64912625417829588662014-07-08T13:41:00.002-07:002014-07-29T12:31:30.304-07:00Home Sweet Home<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Approximately 36 hours ago I was in Sydney, and now after over a day of traveling I'm in Norway. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Here I am, back in my house in Drammen. It is somewhat surreal that my </span>time abroad is over, and that I'm already back in Norway<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. I don't think it has fully hit me yet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The journey from Sydney to Drammen went surprisingly well. Our route went from Sydney to Singapore to London to Oslo, followed by an hour train ride to Drammen. The total flying time was 23 hours, and the whole journey took about 30 hours. Both of the long flights went very well. I was surprised at how refreshed I felt when we stepped off the 13 hour flight in London. Isabelle and I were both able to sleep quite a bit, so that made a huge difference. Despite not being too exhausted after the long flights, it was a great feeling getting off the last plane in Oslo. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Poor Isabelle had another 6 hour layover before getting on the two hour flight to Tromsø. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFpLGEfTGTDIlq4GHNRppTIpH4joLfP0jELm5jlzIMyvJnDugXx-zN0lfcIdnjFR4eqoSNd5SUweLAQIx5WpIdmcBQIEmiKiKC7WrRcHxo9kmET1WDHOI1Wur_CIYABpnppAqS7w3Fj0/s640/blogger-image--1856722036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFpLGEfTGTDIlq4GHNRppTIpH4joLfP0jELm5jlzIMyvJnDugXx-zN0lfcIdnjFR4eqoSNd5SUweLAQIx5WpIdmcBQIEmiKiKC7WrRcHxo9kmET1WDHOI1Wur_CIYABpnppAqS7w3Fj0/s640/blogger-image--1856722036.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not too excited about the looong journey. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle was VERY excited when she found these koalas. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Synchronized travellers at London Heathrow Airport</span></td></tr>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had quite a bit of time to think about the last months while on the long journey home. One thing I kept asking myself was "What will I miss from Australia?" The most important thing I will miss is obviously all the wonderful people that I got to know; that's a given. Besides the people, there are quite a few other random things I will miss, too. I made a quick list while trying to make the time pass on the first flight. I quickly gave up trying to make an exhaustive list; there are far too many things I will miss. Here's the 20 first things I could think of (which is in no particular order, by the way):</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Screaming/laughing birds (I just love those hilarious ravens and kookaburras)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">2. Australian politeness (for example, s</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">aying thank you to the bus driver when exiting the bus)</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Gelato from Messina (suprise, suprise)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. </span>Seeing the Opera House on a weekly basis </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5. </span>Driving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge by bus/train to get to the city </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. The Aussie accent</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">7. </span>Smoothies from Boost (Mango Magic and Passion Mango were the best) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">8. </span>The convertible seats on the train which enables you to always face the right direction (oh so convenient!) </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Australian expressions (e.g. "How you goin'?", "Sweet as", "Cheers", and "No worries")</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10. The way Rhiannon (Isabelle's roommate) said "That's alright", and how Isabelle and I would imitate her because we thought it was adorable. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11. Seeing people already swimming laps when going to 6am workout classes at the Macquarie Sports & Aquatic Center. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12. Randomly seeing people walk around barefoot like it's no big thing (which it really isn't in Australia)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13. Being in the future (because of time difference)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14. My adventurous attitude and willingness to try new things (hopefully this will continue even though I've come back to Norway)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15. Speaking English every day </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16. Being able to go to the beach whenever </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17. Flat whites (though I missed regular filtered coffee, these caffeinated beverages grew on me) </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18. Australian/New Zealand cider </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">19. The sound the street crossing sign made </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">("PEW PEW"... Just like a lazer beam)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">20. The security guards at the Macquarie library who took their jobs waaaay too seriously</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though we were greeted by grey, drab weather, it was nice to land in Oslo. Isabelle and I had finally made it to Norway! We quickly went through Immigration, stopped by the Duty Free shop, picked up our bags, and made our way out to the departure hall. Isabelle and I said our goodbyes, and I got on the train to Drammen. I looked like a little packrat with all my luggage. My Papa picked me up at the station in Drammen, and it was good to see his cheerful face. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started unpacking as soon as I got home. As much as I dislike packing, I dislike unpacking even more. I feel like you should unpack the same way you pull off a bandaid; doing it very quickly makes it less painful. Yet again I wondered how in the world I managed to accumulate so many things in such a short amount of time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I had just put away the last few things, when my friend, Reidun, showed up at my door. After catching up for a while, Pernille also came over. It was great seeing these two after 6 months of being away. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the girls and other friends soon!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0sA4wmgpTaB5G7fA2ab7ncu-xp1WU1BozxgrZwYETvKPk0IKePLaX22O53CTxRdr5TisXva1T16p7tQ9qKPU2Y3QvWvevYPykV7eef770Z0ndtXJNUvkoER1WEFYl8Tk9iutGUUVyWY/s1600/Gruppebilde+2-svart.hvitt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0sA4wmgpTaB5G7fA2ab7ncu-xp1WU1BozxgrZwYETvKPk0IKePLaX22O53CTxRdr5TisXva1T16p7tQ9qKPU2Y3QvWvevYPykV7eef770Z0ndtXJNUvkoER1WEFYl8Tk9iutGUUVyWY/s1600/Gruppebilde+2-svart.hvitt.jpg" height="513" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though it feels a little surreal and a tad bit strange, it's good to be home. I think it will feel even better after a good night's sleep in my own bed. Goodnight from Norway! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-7624474136626080872014-07-07T20:49:00.000-07:002014-07-29T12:28:31.704-07:00Minimalistic Packing & Goodbyes<div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our time in the Southern Hemisphere has come to an end. In a mere few hours Isabelle and I will be getting on a plane and heading back to Norway. I've said it before and I'll say it again; it is amazing how quickly the time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday we arrived sunny Sydney, and now it's time to leave. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leaving means having to pack up all your things. In an attempt to procrastinate studying for exams last semester, I started watching episodes of "Hoarders" and reading books on minimalism and hoarding. Nothing makes you want to declutter and get rid of things as much as watching people (literally and figuratively) being buried in stuff. I suddenly felt the urge to get rid of the unnecessary things I owned. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I found out that I would be studying abroad and would have to move all my things from Tromsø to my hometown, Drammen, I realized it would be silly to move things I didn't really need or use. After getting into the minimalist mindset, I started going through all my things, both in Tromsø and Drammen, trying to get rid of things I didn't use/need/like. When I left Norway in the middle of January, my possessions had been considerably downsized, making it relatively easy to pack for my semester abroad. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though I felt like I hardly brought anything with me when I left Norway, I had some difficulties when I started packing the other day. Making everything fit into my bags was quite the challenge. It's amazing how much one can accumulate within such a short period of time. Where did all these things come from?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything wouldn't possibly fit into my bags, so it was yet again time to downsize the things I owed. Being the sentimental hoarder that I am, it has been difficult for me to throw away random sentimental things like ticket stubs and coasters from restaurants. It's like if I throw them away, I throw away the memories (after reading all the books on hoarding, I understand this is not the case). After a few rounds of my favorite packing game,"Do I really NEED this?", sorting items into keep and donate piles, I have managed to pack everything in my 55L backpack, a small suitcase, and a purse. I'm sure there's still heaps of things in my bag that I still really don't "need". Oh well, as long as my bag isn't overweight! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last few few days in Sydney have been enjoyable, but also a little sad. Leaving also means saying goodbye to a marvelous city and the people who have made my time here so enjoyable. I have been blessed to meet a bunch of great people here in Australia from all over the world. Saying goodbye to friends is never fun, especially when you don't know when you will see them again. Walking along the streets of Sydney for the last time also makes me a little sentimental. I guess this is one of those times that you just have to be happy for everything we have done and people we have met rather than being sad it is over. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjZ2M3ST7Fpt3R2VLp-1dl2q4eoKMdOapbpCwzlpov8umEcYJgbWH2D18Og69gnIJUenrDxAZeZJyvEk9C3Sl9ArfAmNdnngn_6SNsaYGoJeQEDCGoeYwbQn_Rb5WX0Qnu407Mn5KIw8/s640/blogger-image--1523397550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjZ2M3ST7Fpt3R2VLp-1dl2q4eoKMdOapbpCwzlpov8umEcYJgbWH2D18Og69gnIJUenrDxAZeZJyvEk9C3Sl9ArfAmNdnngn_6SNsaYGoJeQEDCGoeYwbQn_Rb5WX0Qnu407Mn5KIw8/s640/blogger-image--1523397550.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After packing up all our stuff at the apartments at the Village, we headed to the city to check in to our hotel.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle also accumulated quite a bit of stuff. Her backpack is taller than she is! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV4l2zFMTY3l_6onvd3s9tYVbMmFz_dgRv-IKk0r7kGJvGhxOdR9L9QES4JpBoE9CWTdElwMOSOOi6f4qAU2MaBRNYhg0RTy1Wtn9_3Ml5bmK3hkSnW4PMYz-9koXOrh16tEcdlETJvg/s640/blogger-image--291955906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV4l2zFMTY3l_6onvd3s9tYVbMmFz_dgRv-IKk0r7kGJvGhxOdR9L9QES4JpBoE9CWTdElwMOSOOi6f4qAU2MaBRNYhg0RTy1Wtn9_3Ml5bmK3hkSnW4PMYz-9koXOrh16tEcdlETJvg/s640/blogger-image--291955906.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent our last Saturday evening (June 5th) at Anne and Charlie's apartment. We had dinner, played fun games and talking. We rediscovered the game "Camping Trip", which entails one person making up a rule for what you may or may not bring on a camping trip and the others trying to figure out the rule. One round we could only bring things that were red, another round we could only bring things that started with the letter B, etc. The best part of the game is when everyone has figured out the rule except for one person. It may sound lame, but it is heaps of fun! After a few too many rounds of this game, we headed out for a few drinks.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following two days (June 6th and 7th) were spent walking around the city and different neighborhoods soaking In the last bit of Sydney-ness. We stopped by my favorite place, Messina, for one final gelato treat. Ahh... I will miss the Salted Caramel with White Chocolate and the Milk Chocolate with Peanut Fudge. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will definitely miss this beautiful city. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it's soon time for departure, so I better wrap it up for now. Our first flight to Singapore is 8 hours, our second flight from Singapore to London is 13 hours, and our last flight from London to Oslo is 2 hours. It's going to be a long day.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-71245166921722181212014-07-06T05:29:00.001-07:002014-07-29T12:24:55.471-07:00Last trip in Australia<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday (June 5th) I got home from my last trip in Australia. I flew up to Ballina/Byron Bay on Wednesday (June 2nd) to hang out with my friend, Christian, for a few days. The flight from Sydney to Ballina is only a little over an hour, so it wasn't too long of a journey to get there. Christian grew up in the area, and he showed me around all the must-see places. We had a lot of fun, and he turned out to be a fabulous guide (not that I was doubting his guide skills). I love having a local at my disposal to show me around! </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first place Christian took me was the Pat Morton Lookout in Lennox Head. From the top of Lennox Point, we had a truly great view.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz_GLI-rgmfgzVvjG_NqkX5-BSDBIf_4des-Nb4837lPEh5HgpqSy3dIpABIDncEKzyteC9vMLCUwzv_ctwPfoSAjel0g16kKaA-DZGIjjdWpIR4iEAagK_F2IB9TfjYakDr30j3S_Ew/s640/blogger-image--489472022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz_GLI-rgmfgzVvjG_NqkX5-BSDBIf_4des-Nb4837lPEh5HgpqSy3dIpABIDncEKzyteC9vMLCUwzv_ctwPfoSAjel0g16kKaA-DZGIjjdWpIR4iEAagK_F2IB9TfjYakDr30j3S_Ew/s640/blogger-image--489472022.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We wanted to have a picnic lunch at Cape Byron Lighthouse, but we weren't the only ones who wanted to go there on this particular sunny day. There were cars and people everywhere, and there were no vacant parking spots. We decided to have our lunch at Wategos Beach instead, which wasn't a bad place to have lunch if you ask me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After lunch, Christian had to go off and get some things done for work. I just hung around by the beach, and was happy as a clam. The weather was gorgeous; sunny and warm with a slight breeze. The time I spent just laying on the grass looking out over the water was great. I heard the waves crash against the beach, and saw them splash along in a sort of domino effect. The sunlight glistened on the water, and looked like millions of diamonds. Simply beautiful. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After laying by the beach lazily for a few hours, I decided it was time to get moving. I walked from Wategos Beach to the Main Beach via a nice walkway along the coast. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I window shopped in some of the cute shops for a bit before finding a spot on the grass by the beach. The sunset was beautiful, and the colors on the water were magnificent. Just after the sunset, Christian returned from work. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian grew up on a farm in Doubtful Creek, about 100km/62miles from Byron Bay. I wanted to see some of the Australian countryside, so naturally I was super excited when Christian said we could go up there. Before we made our way to the farm we stopped by the Cape Byron Lighthouse. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drive to Doubtful Creek was nice. It was already dark when we got there, so I wasn't able to see much of the surrounding area. I did, however, see an absolutely gorgeous starry sky. It was amazing how many stars we could see. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from the fire building skills, Christian also showed off his superb piano skills. Hearing him play made me regret not continuing taking lessons when I was younger. My poor rendition of "Heart and Soul" and the first ten notes of "Für Elise" paled in comparison to the songs Christian played. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day (July 4th), I got a much better view of the farm and the area. It was such a charming place, and it reminded me a lot of my Bestemor and Bestefar's (Norwegian grandparents) farm. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were heaps of gorgeous trees around. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted the cows to come and say hello. Unfortunately, they decided to keep a safe distance. Even Christian's excellent cow-mooing sounds didn't make them come closer (the cows did moo back though). </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a nice breakfast, we headed to the Border Ranges National Park in the afternoon to explore the World Heritage listed rainforest. What a great way to spend the 4th of July! </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from the Pinnacle Lookout was gorgeous. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As were the waterfalls and other things we saw. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a great few days, and I'm glad I managed to squeeze in one last trip before leaving. It's hard to believe that it was my last trip in Australia. It's also hard to believe that I will be heading home to Norway tomorrow afternoon... Yikes! Where has the time gone? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-81154826708786923872014-07-01T09:14:00.002-07:002014-07-29T12:21:34.400-07:00Scuba certification, AFL game, final exam, whales... Oh my!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The days after vacationing in Bali have been a mixture of running around trying to get things done and enjoying the last few days in Sydney. I was greeted by a gorgeous Sydney sunrise when I stepped off the plane on Friday (June 27th). Though I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Bali, it was good to be back. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsUbsgQx1QtgFRFnoHmzhWx4CPXkBlscbS4er88WcNtRQ7SMpNBnQ3NmBfXk8K1CnLUCKQH3X9ZIwaP4Gjup48-AT0QnTN8z3SVhhFnyXp57aM7u9gyyzx8D68_YoBZ676BT_0VZmQJg/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsUbsgQx1QtgFRFnoHmzhWx4CPXkBlscbS4er88WcNtRQ7SMpNBnQ3NmBfXk8K1CnLUCKQH3X9ZIwaP4Gjup48-AT0QnTN8z3SVhhFnyXp57aM7u9gyyzx8D68_YoBZ676BT_0VZmQJg/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After having so much fun diving in Bali, I decided I should get certified as an </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Open Water Diver (an entry-level certification for scuba diving). I did some research, had a medical evaluation at a hospital in Bali on my last day there, and signed up for a course at the Manly Dive Center for the following weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) course consists of three main phases: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Knowledge development to understand basic principles of scuba diving </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Confined water dives to learn basic scuba skills </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Open water dives to use the skills you learned and explore the fantastic oceans </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first portion of the course (knowledge development) is online through an interactive eLearning program. You have to complete this prior to doing your confined and open water dives, so I spent the whole day in the library doing this when I got home on Friday. The eLearning training through PADI was relatively easy; it just took a while to get through it. There were 6 modules, all of which were "taught" by a person with a different English accent. American, Australian, Irish, and British... You never knew who you were going to get for the next module! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After completing and passing the eLearning, I was all set</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for the next portions of the course: confined dives and open water dives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I headed to Manly early on Saturday morning, and met my instructor for the next two days, Andy, and another guy getting certified, Chris. I was somewhat nervous, so I was very happy that it was just Chris and I taking the course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The confined water dive consisted of learning and practicing skills needed to scuba dive. We also learned how to put together all the gear, and set it up appropriately. The skills we had to learn, were things I had done previously. We had to take out our regulator, adjust our buoyancy, show that we understood the hand language lingo, and lots of other things. We also did my favourite skill: clearing the mask after a partial and full flood (i.e. filling it with water). The whole take-off-your-mask-like-it's-no-big-deal was the one thing that I had been dreading the whole time. And for good reason; it was absolutely terrifying. In my defence, I had a bit of difficulty doing this because of my cleft palate. Luckily, with a few minor adjustments I was able to do it (I still need heaps of more practice though...). </span><br />
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After demonstrating ample confined dive skills, it was time to use these skills in the real open water. We headed to Fairlight Beach, which was about a 10 minute drive from the Manly Dive Center headquarters. It was a beautiful day for a dive. The sun was shining, and the water looked very inviting. It could have been a tad bit warmer in the air though, I must admit. Brrr.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before getting our scuba gear together and going into the water, we had to demonstrate that we could swim 200 meters/656 feet. This is to ensure that if an emergency arose, you would be able to swim for a bit. We completed 8 laps in the small tidal swimming pool right next to the beach. To say that the water was a bit chilly would be an understatement... But Chris and I both got through it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is always important to dive with a buddy; it is so much safer being in the water with another person. Not only is it nice to share the experience with another person, it is also vital to have another person there in case of an emergency or unforeseen event. My buddy, Chris, and I performed the buddy check prior to going into the water. We remembered what to do with this helpful sentence: Beautiful Women Rarely Are Free. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">B - BCD (check that the BCD inflates and deflates properly) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">W - Weights (show buddy where you have weights) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">R - Releases (show buddy how he/she can release you out of your gear if need be) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A - Air (check that primary regulator and secondary regulator work properly) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">F - Fins and final check (a final look over to make sure everything looks in order)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first dive at Fairlight went well. The visibility was pretty good (about 7 meters), and we saw a lot of interesting things in the water, like colorful fish, starfish, sea urchins, and small sharks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the evening on Saturday I went to my first (and likely last) Australian Football League game. The Sydney Swans played the Western Sydney Giants. We were a fairly large group of people: Isabelle, Anne, Charlie (Anne's boyfriend), Jack (Charlie's little brother), Anita, Tord (Anita's husband), and Simon (Tord's best friend who was visiting from Norway). After the first day of diving, I was a bit tired, but very excited to finally see an AFL game. AFL is played on a round field, which I thought was very interesting. The players could both throw and kick the ball, and have to get it through the big goal poles. Though I understood very little of the game and wasn't quite able to follow, there were several factors that contributed to it still being a very enjoyable evening: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Heaps of gorgeous men running around on a big field in short shorts and tank tops</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Hanging out with good friends </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Ice cold beer </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Sunday we did several more open water dives in the chilly, chilly water at Fairlight Beach. Though our instructor, Andy, had given us both an extra thermal layer to wear under our wetsuits, it was still pretty cold being in the water and getting out. </span>Andy also lent hats, which were much appreciated between dives. We bundled up with blankets, towels, and clothes, and drank warm beverages in an attempt to stay warm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After completing the three more dives on Sunday, and proving that we were capable of doing the skills to an acceptable level, we were certified. Though we were only in the water for 30 minutes each dive, going in and out of the water and getting all the gear together, was very <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tiring (actually squeezing into a skin tight wetsuit was probably the most tiring aspect of the day). I was exhausted by the time we were done diving. I was ready for a very long and very warm shower. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxujK5Nu4CzrlsICg6PeyxLcU4brcl2dHt3rqtmM5ojpWL8l5hvBvGmxJUVqA3Z0B9Ms-kNivGm2YqjnwgziGek5xYuijuHtBP5_n3heQuOT0aat0DCpYjI2Pyp3sUpEEqVMeCPgD_gE/s1600/IMG_1125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxujK5Nu4CzrlsICg6PeyxLcU4brcl2dHt3rqtmM5ojpWL8l5hvBvGmxJUVqA3Z0B9Ms-kNivGm2YqjnwgziGek5xYuijuHtBP5_n3heQuOT0aat0DCpYjI2Pyp3sUpEEqVMeCPgD_gE/s1600/IMG_1125.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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Yesterday (June 30th) Isabelle, Anne, Anita, and I had our last final exam in Health Psychology. Hurray, we are done with all academic work while at Macquarie! Immediately after the exam Anne and I went and sold/gave away our textbooks. Not bringing those heavy things back to Norway... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We celebrated our freedom by heading to the city. I have been looking for the perfect souvenir to bring home with me from Australia. I wanted something that I would either use or love to look at. After much searching, I finally found the perfect souvenir on Etsy.com; it was a spectacular circular panorama picture of Sydney. Anne, Isabelle, and I met with the Sydney-based photographer, Hamish Ta-mé, at his studio in Surry Hills after our exam. I'm happy to say that I finally have a lovely souvenir in my possession. I can't wait to have it framed and hang it in the living room in Drammen! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc003z_0NjMvN0s-qBVySsonpA87WZEIXdtrz9sCpweliibvLOfY8Am0J0IMV00ikglHncySWmdbfOLF4i67kZFjgQv1hn-dsF3OEJUpNGGS_JTWz8nZPXUv_B7yJ2adTuA-WN8JrpqI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-01+at+00.35.39.png" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="522" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CircPan of Sydney by Hamish Ta-mé</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLc003z_0NjMvN0s-qBVySsonpA87WZEIXdtrz9sCpweliibvLOfY8Am0J0IMV00ikglHncySWmdbfOLF4i67kZFjgQv1hn-dsF3OEJUpNGGS_JTWz8nZPXUv_B7yJ2adTuA-WN8JrpqI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-01+at+00.35.39.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NRoJVhY2puM41Zer6cy1HE743ne2u9C2-h5LATLhNE4SqkxJlww6LupR3rmlYFzdWch28XflgS5vkMhW6XxFwkIhUUG99FUbyRVvQHCh0cWDRQCRxqBIMlNzPN4lrBHSfVwvz2oIdZI/s1600/IMG_1152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NRoJVhY2puM41Zer6cy1HE743ne2u9C2-h5LATLhNE4SqkxJlww6LupR3rmlYFzdWch28XflgS5vkMhW6XxFwkIhUUG99FUbyRVvQHCh0cWDRQCRxqBIMlNzPN4lrBHSfVwvz2oIdZI/s1600/IMG_1152.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hamish has termed the circular panoramas "CircPan", and I absolutely love this intricate technique. By placing 24 cameras on a specially designed tripod and using a self-designed computer program, he is able to capture gorgeous 360 degree views. He has taken lots of pictures in different places in New South Wales. If you'd like to check out his other work, visit www.bwstreetphotography.spiffystores.com or find him on Facebook. He is so talented, and such a nice guy! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzea3Gyix1ZlNgz4q4C2pQuFOt8X6PM3SVSfKZsfxh5DVhPl5_-O0p2-gXr7Ul8ADwAo01aELuSdPgKRAkxGWF0a9lWwBilx4nwKW9c0x6eQ74Mr8hn4drNWDbmwx293X_NKVAbpAcmg/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzea3Gyix1ZlNgz4q4C2pQuFOt8X6PM3SVSfKZsfxh5DVhPl5_-O0p2-gXr7Ul8ADwAo01aELuSdPgKRAkxGWF0a9lWwBilx4nwKW9c0x6eQ74Mr8hn4drNWDbmwx293X_NKVAbpAcmg/s1600/IMG_1155.JPG" height="242" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anne also fell in love with the pictures, and ended up getting a print as well. She opted for a colorful CircPan of Coogee Beach. After we had great souvenirs in our possession, we headed to a caf</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to have some much needed food and beverages. While I've been in Australia, I've gotten hooked on ciders. The Australian/New Zealand ciders are so much better than the ciders I've had other places; they're less sweet and more dry. I tried a new one yesterday, and it was delicious! It was a very enjoyable afternoon in the city. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYURn01WOCpG5u9hNjCHJqQYwhtRp7Qswdn8C2fPRuqefkB5USzF8R-efmTBHd5jaiGJLj-sBqlaVavI8atGOCAeyOUYoB9LLGVp8aJ6wIAS-WWHtaO-KqYDSUXKEG817zjr02NQC-W0/s1600/IMG_1157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYURn01WOCpG5u9hNjCHJqQYwhtRp7Qswdn8C2fPRuqefkB5USzF8R-efmTBHd5jaiGJLj-sBqlaVavI8atGOCAeyOUYoB9LLGVp8aJ6wIAS-WWHtaO-KqYDSUXKEG817zjr02NQC-W0/s1600/IMG_1157.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started the packing process last night. Packing is probably one of my least favorite activities in the world, so when Isabelle and Devan asked me to join in on their roommate-outing to Max Brenner, I gladly accepted the invitation. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieisrIEJu2P7HGDexcDwPDnangixMcgYSo2as0eoOiHJv32o25q8mE3W-Wz4NbdgZil3asb8vYAZhm4AALLT3fGdVnVA-2s5M7X444m4wvfRAjdg1rjAHd4aXOKp71xOdCfpMWkFaPvhk/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle, Ruby, Taylor, me, Rhiannon, and Devan.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieisrIEJu2P7HGDexcDwPDnangixMcgYSo2as0eoOiHJv32o25q8mE3W-Wz4NbdgZil3asb8vYAZhm4AALLT3fGdVnVA-2s5M7X444m4wvfRAjdg1rjAHd4aXOKp71xOdCfpMWkFaPvhk/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rhiannon got me a very sweet gift: a soft kangaroo with an Australian flag. I couldn't have been happier to receive such a sweet, unexpected gift. Isabelle named the koala she got Ranlee (because she kept calling Rhiannon this the first week here) and I named my kangaroo Messina (because I LOVE the gelato from Messina). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETFkQ3R5GFFRiRkRf6xATOdrS3Tq7ubH0S607QxkauljkE4MzPFeMT6Y6EHXzQMhfFLhgg7_0s-xCMhjpRr2cA8kgeu_zP2i1TUpZhsqTIBOUEQXxTSSUlkLQsSxVjiLDOr-fdeABZfM/s640/blogger-image--618480041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETFkQ3R5GFFRiRkRf6xATOdrS3Tq7ubH0S607QxkauljkE4MzPFeMT6Y6EHXzQMhfFLhgg7_0s-xCMhjpRr2cA8kgeu_zP2i1TUpZhsqTIBOUEQXxTSSUlkLQsSxVjiLDOr-fdeABZfM/s400/blogger-image--618480041.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today (July 1st) has also been an eventful day. Caitlin and I bundled up with all the warm clothes we could find (and some pretty nifty snowboard gloves from Woolworth's), and headed to Cockle Bay Wharf to go on a whale watching tour. The company we went with promised dolphins, whales, and pelicans. Unfortunately, we didn't see any pelicans! All the majestic whales and playful dolphins made up for that though. We had a good time, and were nice and toasty! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4gWOFXn4PxdSk2Dwf0220xolkzDgn-j2ITD0uIMR4fu9t2TfbxQDGYTKpsKjmjmVHLAGPbw45J4H01xwAq4fAvZj1eASK2T6E6FqViDfcteaLyByxGg8lh0GElp1HmApMGTpcxVEgWY/s1600/IMG_9791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4gWOFXn4PxdSk2Dwf0220xolkzDgn-j2ITD0uIMR4fu9t2TfbxQDGYTKpsKjmjmVHLAGPbw45J4H01xwAq4fAvZj1eASK2T6E6FqViDfcteaLyByxGg8lh0GElp1HmApMGTpcxVEgWY/s1600/IMG_9791.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJDDZy1lvpGwUnBZFukTC2ZC3PWORYNXrLrR88xX-jr0poHReaDp_ljzuHbMhF7FpEg_OUjT1yvD0YKS636qoY8YpC8y24zogXR1bEtETYzHhSlkMvya7_bl-NLt3lS6RzcQ8gJwfGU/s1600/IMG_9860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IJDDZy1lvpGwUnBZFukTC2ZC3PWORYNXrLrR88xX-jr0poHReaDp_ljzuHbMhF7FpEg_OUjT1yvD0YKS636qoY8YpC8y24zogXR1bEtETYzHhSlkMvya7_bl-NLt3lS6RzcQ8gJwfGU/s1600/IMG_9860.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9W_06rMHyS19OSbmjzAY1tzQmfi6bgrrqOaF-wT4P_uqr7gRlNULfUw9YEVjtz7LVFQP_9cvjVb2QpMBM8XWPi8jVK9hhekpj-WbjW_MglkBuKkVifttK3jn2rlE1kMc1Jp2HzpiIYQ/s640/blogger-image-295696110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9W_06rMHyS19OSbmjzAY1tzQmfi6bgrrqOaF-wT4P_uqr7gRlNULfUw9YEVjtz7LVFQP_9cvjVb2QpMBM8XWPi8jVK9hhekpj-WbjW_MglkBuKkVifttK3jn2rlE1kMc1Jp2HzpiIYQ/s640/blogger-image-295696110.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the whale watching cruise, Caitlin and I met up with Anne, Isabelle, and Caitlin's mom who is visiting from the States. We had a yummy lunch at the Opera Bar before Isabelle, Anne, and I took the ferry to Manly to do some window shopping. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The views from the ferry were absolutely spectacular today. The weather was simply perfect.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbhfJzSDQJgIsyDjSPQ78jF8SY_f3g81SDMiH5j8AWRDeDQXSnaWiZ6jKdWZ0yqg_C69QA4h3bxEzh2x3fTdGmPj-f5PniYTpT4KTMimKQRcI1hl1kLJKR3Jzmya5thoxiKRigbD-iJU/s640/blogger-image-1990200344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbhfJzSDQJgIsyDjSPQ78jF8SY_f3g81SDMiH5j8AWRDeDQXSnaWiZ6jKdWZ0yqg_C69QA4h3bxEzh2x3fTdGmPj-f5PniYTpT4KTMimKQRcI1hl1kLJKR3Jzmya5thoxiKRigbD-iJU/s640/blogger-image-1990200344.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmq628PC_GvUuU3RqZCR7JcaA-JlmJ5PJ4AwuN4uDiXOmPekGnHvJkv_GpK1VCHauRAPhbE_LVlMVuBN59b6ERuHZ8751lOl0p8fjh0FAxI20QdURmbrXXe1wpQVGkNTIetpklMn8jm0/s1600/IMG_9736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmq628PC_GvUuU3RqZCR7JcaA-JlmJ5PJ4AwuN4uDiXOmPekGnHvJkv_GpK1VCHauRAPhbE_LVlMVuBN59b6ERuHZ8751lOl0p8fjh0FAxI20QdURmbrXXe1wpQVGkNTIetpklMn8jm0/s1600/IMG_9736.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcA6i2Sc5f8Y4Cc6u7lB0M4OwepuZDJzJ88nTZaA5eZaQFzNFGosrv2XCH2_CwNYZnDZiTaoatd1k98iHxk1J4pDDzHucd_LEEpIwFd7uNX8B28GljOtuhAbA4mzqdhx_KJ0kqf0cHMQs/s1600/IMG_9866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcA6i2Sc5f8Y4Cc6u7lB0M4OwepuZDJzJ88nTZaA5eZaQFzNFGosrv2XCH2_CwNYZnDZiTaoatd1k98iHxk1J4pDDzHucd_LEEpIwFd7uNX8B28GljOtuhAbA4mzqdhx_KJ0kqf0cHMQs/s1600/IMG_9866.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-52250393647499791992014-06-25T09:01:00.006-07:002014-07-29T09:29:16.035-07:00Suzy's Gone Diving. <div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To combat the post-Sydney blues, I decided to go on a scuba dive trip yesterday. I waited until the evening to book anything, so I was a little worried that I would not be able to go. I was happy when Markus from Joe's Gone Diving responded to my enquiry about an introductory dive, and informed me that they had an instructor that could take me to the USAT Liberty shipwreck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I woke up early the next day (surprise, surprise) so I had time to eat breakfast and get ready to be picked up at 7am. I was shuttled to the Joe's Gone Diving headquarters in Sanur, where I met with my instructor, filled out paperwork, and got diving equipment. Once all that was done, we packed up the van </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and were on our way to the dive site. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The USAT Liberty is located in Tulamben, a little town in the Northeast of Bali. The Liberty was one of ten ships taken up by the US Army for defense service in World War II. While en route from Australia to the Phillipines with a cargo of railway parts and rubber, the ship was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Lombok Strait. The ship beached on the shore of Bali at Tulamben, and the cargo and fittings were salvaged. The ship stayed beached until 1963 when the tremors associated with the eruption of volcano Mount Agung caused the vessel to slip off the beach. The 125meter/411feet ship now lies on a sand slope in 9.1meters/30feet to 30meters/100feet of water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My instructor for the day was a Dutch guy named Roland. He got his diving certification in Thailand in 2007, and been diving ever since. He has been working as an instructor for the past four years. I was a little apprehensive about going scuba diving by myself (i.e. without any friends), but Roland made the experience very fun. After talking for the main duration of the two hour drive to Tulamben, I was more excited than nervous to get in the water. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other diving instructor, Imam, and my instructor, Roland. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather could have been much better; it was overcast and raining at the start of the day. As Sydney so eloquently put it (as I texted her about my scuba trip): "We have the curse of hot guides and bad weather". Oh, so true. I'm glad I used the overcast day on something a little more adventurous than just laying in my hotel room watching the movie channels (which was plan B if I couldn't go diving). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We completed two dives, and had lunch in between. As with the previous dives, I had to demonstrate some skills: taking out the regulator and putting it back in, getting water out of my mask, and show I understood the different hand signals. There was also a new addition to the skills repertoire; I had to take my regulator out, "lose" it, and then find it again. The tought of doing this below 6meters/20feet of water was scary, but luckily it was much easier than expected. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As oppose to my previous dives, we entered the water via the beach. This meant putting on all the gear (wetsuit, BCD, oxygen tank, etc), and walking in the water. Getting out if the water proved to be quite the challenge (which I miserably failed). After the second dive a huge wave crashed behind me, making me tumble over. I'm sure I looked great as I flailed to get back on my feet. Thank goodness Roland and another random bystander were there to help me up (the tank was quite heavy, and the waves kept crashing in to shore). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite less than ideal diving conditions (the water was a bit murky), both dives were very fun. We were out for about an hour each dive. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was lots of colorful coral and interesting fish swimming around. My favorite things I saw were probably the pin cushion sea star and the blue star fish because I hadn't seen them before. Oh, and we saw a great barracuda, which was pretty cool. Unfortunately, no reef sharks or sea turtles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending the day with Roland and completing another two dives, one thing is for sure: I REALLY want to get my Open Water Certification. After not quite liking my first dive at Manly SeaLife Aquarium, I was coming to terms with the reality that diving wasn't for me. Then we dived at the Great Barrier Reef outside of Cairns, and I actually really enjoyed myself. I'm liking it more and more, and feel more confident under water with each dive. I've started looking into courses back in Sydney, and as long as I can get the medical evaluation in order, I will be completing the certification this coming weekend. I'm sure the water will be cold in Sydney... Brrr! But I definitely think it will be worth it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today there were far fewer clouds in the sky, and the sun has finally been out. I took advantage of the good weather, and laid out for a while by the pool. When I reached my tanning threshold, I decided to walk around the area a bit. I spent the rest of the day walking around aimlessly. It was nice not having a plan or schedule.</span><br />
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Now it's time for bed... It's 12:02am, and waaay past my bedtime. Goodnight from Bali! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-30755196260598716512014-06-24T06:08:00.002-07:002014-07-29T09:24:08.641-07:00Aggressive monkeys, early mornings, and so many waves of gratitude.<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've met some pretty fabulous people while studying abroad this semester. One of these great individuals is Sydney. "I met Sydney in Sydney" = Perfect. Sydney and I have spent lots of time together these past months, and I don't think my study abroad experience would have been quite the same without her smiling face and contagious laugh. While hanging out at school and traveling together, we have gotten to know each other very well. There are, however, some things I didn't know about Sydney until our trip to Bali. For example, the random fact that she knows all the lyrics to La Bamba (she sang it for me), her nickname back home is "Squid" (I totally prefer Sydney), and she also really enjoys playing rummy. She was going to teach me... But alas, we never bought cards. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though there has been no rummy playing, these past few days in Bali have been spectacular. Sydney greeted me with open arms, a big smile, and a sigh of relief that I hadn't been abducted on my way to Bali when I finally arrived to her hotel at 12:30am. After all the delays, the 6 hour plane ride, and long slow moving line at immigration, I was happy to be reunited with my friend. After some chit chat, we dozed off quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. We had breakfast, checked out, and made our way to Legian, where we would check into paradise (also known as the Swiss-Belinn Legian Hotel) for our remaining two nights we had together. We found this spectacular hotel on Groupon (of course), and it included a late check-out, 6 beers at the bar, and breakfast. Everything was clean, the beds were comfy, and the buffet breakfast was to our liking (very important). The Legian location was nice, and the beach was only a short walk away. We didn't spend any time laying on the beach though; we rather lounged by the deep blue infinity pool on the top floor. The view was breathtaking! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though we didn't lay out on the beach, we did walk to Legian Beach a few times to eat. The five minute walk was through a quaint alleyway. It was very narrow, but scooters still managed to pass by us every now and then. As we stood there plastered against the wall, I prayed our toes would not be run over. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent our first full day (June 21st) just lounging by our awesome pool, and walking around the area of Legian. We ate dinner at a restaurant by the Legian Beach promonade, and tried out the local cuisine. The nasi goreng (fried rice) was very tasty! We walked along the beach afterwards, and saw a beautiful sunset. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bali is a very lively place. The streets are full of both tourists and locals, and shops selling all sorts of things line the streets. There are quite a few cars here, and scooters zip by quickly between all the cars. The low rumble of traffic and honking can be heard at all hours of the day. It's surprisingly clean here. It reminds me of a toned-down version of certain towns in India. Ordered chaos! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Supposedly, the nightlife in Bali is very fun and exciting. Not that we would know anything about that; we were typically in our extremely comfortable beds by 8pm. In our defense, we did wake up at 6-7am every morning, too. I was happy that my travel companion shared my love for early bedtimes and mornings. She also didn't seem to mind me obnoxiously proclaiming "Good morning!" loudly at the start of each day. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The funny thing is that Sydney responds to me waking up happy in the same way that I respond to her being "hangry" (being so hungry that you become angry, frustrated or both); be as quiet as humanly possible and try not to disturb the beast. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lovely Snapchat that Sydney sent. We're so wild! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our second day (June 23rd) we decided we should see other things than just the area surrounding our hotel. We did some research and figured out what we wanted to see, and hailed a taxi after eating way too many pancakes at our buffet breakfast. It proved to be a great day for sightseeing; it was overcast for the majority of the day. What is it with me and bad weather on vacation? </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our taxi driver, Maddi, was very entertaining, and you could tell he enjoyed practicing his English. He asked lots of questions between telling us how beautiful we were (we responded by talking about our made-up boyfriends back home). For the first part of our journey we enjoyed listening to old 90s hits like Uptown Girl by Westlife and Hero by Enrique Englesias. Maddi handed us off to his father, who was also a taxi driver, after a while; he apparently had to go to school. Maddi's dad was a happy fellow who also enjoyed practicing his English. To our annoyance, he also enjoyed honking his horn for every little thing that happened on the road. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm glad we didn't rent scooters here. The traffic isn't too bad (at certain times of the day), but I don't think I would be able to drive here. There's so much indiscriminate honking; they honk when they pass, they honk when they wait for you to pass, they honk to say thank you, They honk when they're annoyed, they honk all the time. Or maybe it was just Maddi's father who honked all the time... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first stop on our sightseeing trip was to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sancuary in Ubud. Though only approximately 30km/19miles, it took us over an hour to get there. We were very excited about seeing all the long-tailed macaques when we finally got out of the car. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were greeted by an interesting sign when we entered the Monkey Forest. We found the advice about not hiding food (the monkey will know) particularly amusing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4ijPgDVbfiFvxPIGPwiGDSMKcEiwDCl27zbLnB_or2AZTIJoYBpRAb-q_0Je8l67iv1fx5g0-0EikIfJTK4kkEjbHNOkVf75vqZWfV9Qxii8gz-KdJf15Euft-v3_XMMfBSeXX3iWtQ/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4ijPgDVbfiFvxPIGPwiGDSMKcEiwDCl27zbLnB_or2AZTIJoYBpRAb-q_0Je8l67iv1fx5g0-0EikIfJTK4kkEjbHNOkVf75vqZWfV9Qxii8gz-KdJf15Euft-v3_XMMfBSeXX3iWtQ/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, our encounter with the monkeys</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> wasn't ideal... The sign warned us about hiding food; it did not, however, warn us about the fact that the monkeys will bully you into giving them all the food you have by hissing at you and showing their freakishly scary fangs. The six bananas we bought were pretty much gone after being in the park for 2,5 minutes. To be honest, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was actually pretty scared of the monkeys. Many of them were really aggressive!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder what would have happened if we hid food... That would have been terrible! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHiLEaKLTUew0pwLIDBZZ1JLQSNL_xe87m8BLW6aUvuqIcDi7fOW4WXH5BWY0_0B2U44Ju2iOhmwlDm2n6BDzL0X3a7t2iDi6JMp2FkDfm2xOJyKLw27uZ8FSzrum6zHqJvNB1UTZVH9Q/s1600/DSCN0732.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello, lille monkey. Want a banana? </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhuupuZodzAepFg2Q5UNoVpWY1CjELlzywkHuewX7x04kWjJVtzw2u6OAVy_eBbMwNE6UNZ2V94DONm9oJiMCd3RuIsPIYSq96wvf7UT9UQXJmUaLkujM73fh2_oGBAckJxDFDceddZ8/s1600/DSCN0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhuupuZodzAepFg2Q5UNoVpWY1CjELlzywkHuewX7x04kWjJVtzw2u6OAVy_eBbMwNE6UNZ2V94DONm9oJiMCd3RuIsPIYSq96wvf7UT9UQXJmUaLkujM73fh2_oGBAckJxDFDceddZ8/s1600/DSCN0735.JPG" height="494" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok, sure. Keep the bananas!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were lots of monkeys in the forest: big monkeys, little monkeys, old monkeys, and baby monkeys. If you held your hand up high with a banana in your hand, monkeys would jump on you to get the food. It took some time getting used to having monkey climb on you. We heard that if you tip the guys that work in the park $5, they will help you with the monkeys. Being too scared to try to get the monkeys on our own, we tipped a nice guy and got some help. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX50GnOqUrMLyXHprtPOcymK5nDYuEd6NqGsiSw02JmYog0dXgKRrkvR81H6-KX_WLrgDQ9TERCZF29AROLkNeIJlxs1GA29nWdv995r9pNrkJiiEiEj7u7qSvGlaZnm-7v4ncgmOk_U/s1600/DSCN0741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX50GnOqUrMLyXHprtPOcymK5nDYuEd6NqGsiSw02JmYog0dXgKRrkvR81H6-KX_WLrgDQ9TERCZF29AROLkNeIJlxs1GA29nWdv995r9pNrkJiiEiEj7u7qSvGlaZnm-7v4ncgmOk_U/s1600/DSCN0741.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney's first encounter with the monkeys </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once Sydney got used to having a living creature jump and climb on her, she relaxed a little. She had a bonding moment with this cute little guy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEs2868n1REHOG6Z_RnbVo-6IPHAgdox0BDjrhfaOQfaiC-Zsncnc15HRzobfX71vr1QLyVzGnmOXT5VT_JSXPXWTklzkuF4xcB2qzTb5h662u1KqgNQYQ1ancoBSa623SmLoYU50UfEc/s1600/IMG_0758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEs2868n1REHOG6Z_RnbVo-6IPHAgdox0BDjrhfaOQfaiC-Zsncnc15HRzobfX71vr1QLyVzGnmOXT5VT_JSXPXWTklzkuF4xcB2qzTb5h662u1KqgNQYQ1ancoBSa623SmLoYU50UfEc/s1600/IMG_0758.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the monkey wasn't gazing fondly into Sydney's eyes; it was plotting an attack. Not only did the monkey grab her nose, he also bit the side of her face. Notice how unfazed the monkey looks as it does this. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bad monkey! </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqu5JEtPW-pMsier3czYf5PrP8nJgHk8SCKvFdHqRhd0mhSwO9XbbXdzNkKbcI1-RXaGPtiNGjPBEPSnsXZA4RbJ8Xt_quM5r8QSouuToLwOqaz-rmgN8-ClmpH6H9HehuAIXD-isRHC8/s1600/IMG_0759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was lucky; the worst I got was a tail in my face as a little guy was trying to get the food in my hand. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMEUnuiJBf8-rC8BPOixNKLYkHdz30cuKn-1lBgMYjI3L4JAKMleHiI9qUzRZZvBgM5yNcqn2XzcE2Q3fYyD50_Xt2wUFScyUm5_xl8Mg7LFpK2pqZYzrJrz8_F5iyNdMceimYUNCeg8/s1600/IMG_0797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMEUnuiJBf8-rC8BPOixNKLYkHdz30cuKn-1lBgMYjI3L4JAKMleHiI9qUzRZZvBgM5yNcqn2XzcE2Q3fYyD50_Xt2wUFScyUm5_xl8Mg7LFpK2pqZYzrJrz8_F5iyNdMceimYUNCeg8/s1600/IMG_0797.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This big guy aggressively shooed another little monkey away to get the banana. Once he got the banana, he was pretty calm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlghXK9WGEVwDzKpjuLWfwF6NIx3zkhLeGi6aAIet18dVzYEKTriPkCfTF30d7x69UY30TWY7mtXFK8RpbAmt8OuDfleO6d-iULZaUqLquk1v72hZorUjtLBBtM1qvKgKeGy3BSSELyjI/s1600/IMG_0842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlghXK9WGEVwDzKpjuLWfwF6NIx3zkhLeGi6aAIet18dVzYEKTriPkCfTF30d7x69UY30TWY7mtXFK8RpbAmt8OuDfleO6d-iULZaUqLquk1v72hZorUjtLBBtM1qvKgKeGy3BSSELyjI/s1600/IMG_0842.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not all the monkeys were aggressive and intimidating. My favorite monkey, by far, was this awesome monkey who was just chillin' on the ground. Look at him! AW!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4F7EeuKQ02bfCbYBsz_XEKFgIiCfUdE4992m9P45wfeO89tWgT4gpviKFZFrUMJKRHvTeI7E5zHkUjXJ0A1yQO9qIPjpN93x41xlMQ83bF9JcTt0wkl5pYp9lOuyAaXy5AQTNDT72tc/s1600/IMG_0710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4F7EeuKQ02bfCbYBsz_XEKFgIiCfUdE4992m9P45wfeO89tWgT4gpviKFZFrUMJKRHvTeI7E5zHkUjXJ0A1yQO9qIPjpN93x41xlMQ83bF9JcTt0wkl5pYp9lOuyAaXy5AQTNDT72tc/s1600/IMG_0710.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The forest in itself was beautiful. Lots of tall, green trees, creeks, and beautiful stone carvings. When taking a selfie, I decided to do my new signature move: wave. I have noticed that I wave in many of my pictures lately. This started out as something I did when Isabelle and I were in India, walking along the river in Alleppey. Sydney loves it when I wave in pictures. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_X2mTDgnLXw6sH6ah88HbFtbwAg8rujij5t3w0VZTDOejlYRoKNiwxz_-2_tK04ln-ALWemu5jXZKoBXRkAh5xawGzFWclWfvX9FzbrNiSFCyOLYVKzUD4Guy9rHHd2c1TJ-Z5jUQDf4/s1600/IMG_0737.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Don't wave! You always wave!"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As there are heaps of beautiful temples all around Bali, we decided we should probably see at least one. After giving away all of our bananas (and being bullied to give away my half-eaten ice cream to a monkey in the parking lot), we decided it was time to get away from there. Our next stop was the Pura Tanah Lot, which literally means the Tanah Lot temple. The temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. We were pretty exhausted due to our encounter with the aggressive monkeys, our honk-happy driver, and the heat, but the temple was beautiful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RWpjm7QWMIlF03C042Kb8fmxk1Q2S7B12rppk6FUjD3rzB4JweEatKD1hSGKwLdA4U3euJIaG7esjUV8RVqMXfvrJaOW9lvO5tqFc-HzIUwAh9ohwJ3f9CyTizOUetmNjosmdrijjrs/s1600/DSCN0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-RWpjm7QWMIlF03C042Kb8fmxk1Q2S7B12rppk6FUjD3rzB4JweEatKD1hSGKwLdA4U3euJIaG7esjUV8RVqMXfvrJaOW9lvO5tqFc-HzIUwAh9ohwJ3f9CyTizOUetmNjosmdrijjrs/s1600/DSCN0759.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJAZTkO8UDT4y7tcaLqsStGW6Y3B6YsaiqbX_-8Yz8y14FGU7Cl2eq2InQt-OGQJLJLM_EnxO0qeRMPLYgTDxTgpLV07I7YtacTgwTKXactGYQykX3n40gmjBssHkks9EHwC3XG9X3qI/s1600/DSCN0754.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looks can be deceiving. Sydney and I were both very hangry at this point. Thank goodness food was on the way. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We headed back to the hotel to recuperate a little before heading to the Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak for dinner. Sydney took me out for a belated birthday celebration, and oh my goodness, I cannot begin tell you how fabulous place this was. People were lounging in daybeds, sipping cocktails by the infinity pool, and enjoying the beautiful day. Potato Head is a popular place; there was a line about half a block long outside. Sydney emailed ahead of time, made reservations, and made sure we got a table with a GREAT view of the sunset. What a sweetheart! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0f65tqFKRRNxLs9YR5ADep6JUHVWC_uOCoHIOASy8F-2u9N0X2813osnWGwUXOcQky5AZ22DYnp1Im1TvVHuMAgYIO2kf3-tiiEQON1hWkZ_Hv0Tee5-5-9uYxLECGYm8usrrpqklZc/s1600/IMG_0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0f65tqFKRRNxLs9YR5ADep6JUHVWC_uOCoHIOASy8F-2u9N0X2813osnWGwUXOcQky5AZ22DYnp1Im1TvVHuMAgYIO2kf3-tiiEQON1hWkZ_Hv0Tee5-5-9uYxLECGYm8usrrpqklZc/s1600/IMG_0898.JPG" height="326" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkFVISRDKdvEDyGzIk1EOtVhvFOheHcsBjceCEAIJhQ9eqFCxB-bnjq2d24G5MX0pwnAMaE0YOrFx23RRiMSPw5AmXDpwmb6hYZTftghwNe9OkvHRFNQscdCeIbgZ5QsNlpPHX7LZUNU/s1600/IMG_0908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkFVISRDKdvEDyGzIk1EOtVhvFOheHcsBjceCEAIJhQ9eqFCxB-bnjq2d24G5MX0pwnAMaE0YOrFx23RRiMSPw5AmXDpwmb6hYZTftghwNe9OkvHRFNQscdCeIbgZ5QsNlpPHX7LZUNU/s1600/IMG_0908.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sfKc9VPFj93w5hEKavNdvzdPGtIrpGiGAuu1Vq78tBFnWrnoPfdiwKWI7ebl9WBTjWLbE_ZlxYqVOEhterFsNSbrabBOuwjDhlTLVIFNRPe6B31o0d6kOJ_2vioqBPlu-tup8w3lFH8/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View of the sunset from our table</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sfKc9VPFj93w5hEKavNdvzdPGtIrpGiGAuu1Vq78tBFnWrnoPfdiwKWI7ebl9WBTjWLbE_ZlxYqVOEhterFsNSbrabBOuwjDhlTLVIFNRPe6B31o0d6kOJ_2vioqBPlu-tup8w3lFH8/s1600/IMG_0940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The atmosphere, the view, the drinks, the food, and not to mention the company... Everything was perfect! Sydney even had them surprise me with a happy birthday dessert. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyit0rV_Ys2OhgO4ln-_XlBmAlTb7IpYPGA9t_RuFvuKvMEK29d1FGw-WuVhZ0ViBGeyFJcbhyphenhyphenjriDX7JZGYudzaKZg-UJBkEZ6nfjPc3MJqRSJg9nfFX251Zkz7vB3eP_Kuj8k5MOaxY/s1600/IMG_0958.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyit0rV_Ys2OhgO4ln-_XlBmAlTb7IpYPGA9t_RuFvuKvMEK29d1FGw-WuVhZ0ViBGeyFJcbhyphenhyphenjriDX7JZGYudzaKZg-UJBkEZ6nfjPc3MJqRSJg9nfFX251Zkz7vB3eP_Kuj8k5MOaxY/s1600/IMG_0958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've previously mentioned how I get these waves of gratitude that come over me, and they make me just want to hug everyone in sight. Well, there have been quite a few of these when in Bali... Especially while watching the sun set over the water at Potato Head. I can't believe how lucky we are to have experienced all the things and places that we have. Poor Sydney, seeing as she was my only travel companion (and thus the only appropriate hug target), she was the only one that had to deal with these waves of gratitude. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, our third and last day together (June 23rd), was a weird day. It was time for Sydney to fly back to Sydney in the evening, leaving me in Bali for another three days on my own. We were both in weird moods the entire day, just avoiding the topic of departure and having to say goodbyes. We laid lazily by the the gorgeous pool the first part of the day. Music was playing loudly, which made having a conversation difficult. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">think Sydney and I both appreciated being distracted by the music. I </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">couldn't tell you who was playing for the life of me, but I enjoyed it. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The music reminded me of the music my Uncle Will and Aunt Nancee play when they make dinner. They are quite the gourmet chefs, and I have fond memories of observing their techniques with lovely jazz music in the background. For a brief while my mind was not thinking about Sydney's departure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We managed to pull ourselves together, and get out of our funk as the day went on. We checked out of the Swiss Belinn Legian, and went to my new hotel, Favehotel Umalas in Seminyak. As we jumped on the bed in my small but nice hotel room, we suddenly realized that Sydney's iPhone was missing. To make a long story short: What happens in Bali, stays in Bali... Especially Sydney's phone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Saying goodbye to Sydney was naturally very sad. We had tried avoiding the topic the whole day, but we both knew that our trip together was soon coming to an end. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">While studying abroad I've been counting down the remaining time I have left, trying to fit in as much as possible. Saying goodbye to Sydney made me realize that my time abroad has almost come to an end, too. I've been able to shove this fact in the back of my head lately, but her leaving marked the beginning of the end. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">As we sat in the hotel lobby teary eyed and saying our final goodbyes, we both agreed that we had really made the most of our time while abroad. We had no regrets; we did all the things we wanted, visited lots of awesome places, met great people, and ended our time together with a bang in Bali. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">(Insert wave of gratitude here) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-51698193085875396062014-06-20T10:49:00.001-07:002014-07-28T19:49:43.682-07:00Another year older, another year wiser.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems like just yesterday I turned 25... 24... 23. Time sure flies by quickly. It was my birthday the other day (June 18th); I turned a whopping 26 years old. That number does not roll off the tip of my tongue, but then again, neither did "25". I'm sure I'll get used to it! Another year older, another year wiser, right? </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My 26th birthday was primarily spent on campus, cramming for a final exam in Psychopathology that I had in the evening and for the Organizational Psychology final exam I had the following day. An exam on my birthday and the day after was definitely not ideal. It was a fairly uneventful day, but there were quite a few things that made my 26th birthday special. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I woke up to text messages, emails, and phone calls from family and friends. These continued throughout the day, and it was great being distracted every now and then while studying. I bumped into friends on campus, who stopped to have a chat and give me a birthday hug. As many of my classmates in Tromsø know far too well, I love hugs. I made sure to maximize the number of hugs on my birthday. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met up with my fellow Norwegians, Anita, Anne, and Isabelle, before our Psychopathology exam. None of us felt as prepared as we had hoped to be, but we were in good spirits. I was especially in good spirits after Anita surprised me with a birthday present. How sweet! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anita got me a very cool box that looks like a book, salt and pepper shakers very suitable for a future psychologist, and a Strip-O-Gram. I anxiously awaited a knock at the door from Simon "Sexy Legs" McDonald when I got home after the exam. Alas, Sexy Legs did not show. I was really hoping to see him in the blue Power Ranger costume! Perhaps Anita gave him the wrong address? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzu2ZAA9CgN__-jXtPOtnwV3qJ17NNPHzG1sab3onz3JNzuP95moMe0peb2DJnpT6zpCLnSdp1-viEYI3MjMlyoe_37JDKoLaVzcDmszPYe4nh0vt69UjksNYhBG7FPjuDjGSdKZ3hUc/s640/blogger-image-2095772461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzu2ZAA9CgN__-jXtPOtnwV3qJ17NNPHzG1sab3onz3JNzuP95moMe0peb2DJnpT6zpCLnSdp1-viEYI3MjMlyoe_37JDKoLaVzcDmszPYe4nh0vt69UjksNYhBG7FPjuDjGSdKZ3hUc/s640/blogger-image-2095772461.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to Max Brenner with Devan after finishing the exam. Max Brenner is a café that specializes in chocolate deliciousness. We had the chocolate fondue; melted dark and milk chocolate, strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, banana bread, and a Belgian waffle. As Heidi would say: BEETUS. After getting our sugar fix, I headed back home to start my next cram-session. This time, Organizational Psychology was the focus. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC3S7YaQyM9Zn2VYfdAHQaRoN-L7Bam4qJ7wbPeqHLSE0bpCWhYHfbDPk2u9LyhD3xD9LFIlU6QXmmUTf6MBL57mIUq5jUEINps55CHQJKbMxZtAU754125Z_Yamv1E9dVk_2zggUSEQ/s640/blogger-image-837650510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC3S7YaQyM9Zn2VYfdAHQaRoN-L7Bam4qJ7wbPeqHLSE0bpCWhYHfbDPk2u9LyhD3xD9LFIlU6QXmmUTf6MBL57mIUq5jUEINps55CHQJKbMxZtAU754125Z_Yamv1E9dVk_2zggUSEQ/s640/blogger-image-837650510.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle stopped by with some caloric study motivation, a sweet card, and a hug. Bonus points for getting candy with suitable names: Smarties and Lifesavers! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This whole semester I've been jokingly saying that I refuse to turn 26 in Australia because so many of our friends are so young. I'm talking 20ish year old young; Devan turned 21 the day before me! Oh my gosh. Needless to say, I was happy that Isabelle let me live in my little fantasy world of only turning 24 on my birthday. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from the cards from the girls, I also got some cards in the mail on my birthday. I LOVE getting mail. There's nothing like opening the mailbox and seeing envelopes with your name on them! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiso-Y_mBuw_UIzC5bOB1cblvj48PljiljJCWjfCUy3p8t5o_vk6lOb4iuONG15iHoxSRefQk8Do3Eie-6u6lp6yJUW6Bt1UADOWjFi8tJGN49N3O64pHjP3cMFFZOx5KaZtpS7EveTxjQ/s640/blogger-image-1288315161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiso-Y_mBuw_UIzC5bOB1cblvj48PljiljJCWjfCUy3p8t5o_vk6lOb4iuONG15iHoxSRefQk8Do3Eie-6u6lp6yJUW6Bt1UADOWjFi8tJGN49N3O64pHjP3cMFFZOx5KaZtpS7EveTxjQ/s640/blogger-image-1288315161.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, I would say it was a pretty good day. Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy day to wish me a happy birthday! You are wonderful. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday (June 19th) was also a very good day. As my birthday was spent primarily studying, we decided to celebrate the following day. We had our Organizational Psychology exam in the afternoon. Crossing my fingers that we all passed! There were quite a few tricky questions, and at times I couldn't help but laugh. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It felt great to get that final out of the way, so we also wanted to celebrate being done with finals. Well, we're technically not quite done. We have our last final in Health Psychology on the 30th, but that should be a breeze compared to the other ones. It feels marvelous to be done with Organizational Psychology!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmvgt4jLQ9__LUyuTfWBgcLUhwPV_h1ZqW_-f87dHtqc1uyVM8uvRJWdR3VL8JDS6FDUMGYw3EwuE2xqz4_XmRBTDWqAMG7SJzCM03F07xm6XAmA8S6eZeE6dcUZOYHcY1Go5af-tmxo/s640/blogger-image--762838396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmvgt4jLQ9__LUyuTfWBgcLUhwPV_h1ZqW_-f87dHtqc1uyVM8uvRJWdR3VL8JDS6FDUMGYw3EwuE2xqz4_XmRBTDWqAMG7SJzCM03F07xm6XAmA8S6eZeE6dcUZOYHcY1Go5af-tmxo/s640/blogger-image--762838396.jpg" /></a>Isabelle and Anne took me out to dinner in the evening. We went to a nice Italian restaurant in Surry Hills, and ate delicious pizza and drank red wine. Delicious! Anita joined us for drinks later in the evening at a bar nearby. It was a great night with great friends!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today (June 20th) I slept in, and got packed for my first adventure as a 26 year old... Bali! I'm really looking forward to spending six days in the sun. Ah, it will be grand! Sydney will be there with me for the first half, and then I'll be on my own for the second half. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy, the 26 year old </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-6523396710997409292014-06-16T04:47:00.001-07:002014-07-28T19:47:15.054-07:00A jam-packed weekend in Sydney<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past weekend I had my first visitor in Sydney. It was my friend, Heidi. She is American, but has lived in Brisbane for the past two years. We had lots of fun when I visited her in Brisbane, and it was my turn to return the favor and show her a good time in Sydney. Seeing as Heidi only had a few days here (she arrived late on Friday and left Sunday evening), we had to cram a lot into a short period of time. This was obviously not a problem; we both enjoy doing tons of stuff in a short amount of time. Best of all was that Heidi wanted to do lots of touristy things, so I got to be all touristy this weekend. Hurray! </span><br />
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On Saturday, we woke up early and headed to the city. We stopped for breakfast at the Opera Bar before heading to the lush Royal Botanical Gardens. We walked all around, and stopped at Mrs Macquarie's Chair. This is an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, hand carved from sandstone in 1810 for Governor Macquarie's wife, Elizabeth. I'm still not quite sure why Heidi was so keen on seeing this, but I was very happy with the gorgeous views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge on the way there. Gorgeous!</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeR_paF7OmmjfPrwyd5bdBZAFwKBxVIWWKU3ZUBnf9geJmxOT-ExnPKKDpKS67EajWec-gu4qjZ95fruT1UWmkRFUyfodrqoNOV8KLf4dCXJI6wZPoel9wcBi0a4DYrgmk50Bcw0lvL0/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeR_paF7OmmjfPrwyd5bdBZAFwKBxVIWWKU3ZUBnf9geJmxOT-ExnPKKDpKS67EajWec-gu4qjZ95fruT1UWmkRFUyfodrqoNOV8KLf4dCXJI6wZPoel9wcBi0a4DYrgmk50Bcw0lvL0/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" height="260" width="640" /></span></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJYLoxuia2YjQ8hSaoiksTINftWfNHUE2QlvN7SKjw_qtNcPNjgqFOl62QXrZlOui1XDYCORZj5U2d2k4WpOADQI_YtTP-7p9W5hnBCxlkr72O7RXIh4RTDO6eU00JeNPU_FihpMe32c/s1600/DSC08535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJYLoxuia2YjQ8hSaoiksTINftWfNHUE2QlvN7SKjw_qtNcPNjgqFOl62QXrZlOui1XDYCORZj5U2d2k4WpOADQI_YtTP-7p9W5hnBCxlkr72O7RXIh4RTDO6eU00JeNPU_FihpMe32c/s1600/DSC08535.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hm. Did this tree just fall over? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We saw heaps of yellow-crested cockatoos. Number 097 was pretty cute. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Wx20in2a9rPPNp4-T4Y7D09O0Az9awTvi4bayacTqzI7FVis-9iC5HdzIwQPL3W15aufOOX-hZlAfi-V5ZLnbMHhUmF2Yrb7b_oRlLH0nYGrpZQYV5fTbldpQQ6uueHI8iFmsLXbUlk/s1600/DSC08528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This looks just like the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane. Unfortunately, we did not see any awesome water dragons like we did in Brizzy. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8qeKQfRMjN15Cweg2RsaQggu99s6vmulbhMNrwoANKtr-ACXVROY0og0rcgRVcDLQ5EMm64hN40BtOOSiGf5VUkbf40ANgsfsXXKYv9_h2cIBhkgGGELmsBorZy8ONprIQ14vdnpuD0/s1600/DSC08555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The castle-esque Government House </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IIlNvyFcPp04VPaUusBCQCPdVhU6Rynl-JTLK5dsw-unKyYxOA2lLOX-Kov-gVga8D7j37ercDSXAklpaJfUSyw8z8XLNnaAx_UxJMduocxCx6Hiu9hZK9Q2sfP4o7d76qz0ACmkzj8/s1600/DSC08557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifEuw4oDcpPnnb1AKLER7qRA-MXJttFzpLu2dd0500ulFmbI0DaaGZm92Jot3KDfDaihCVhu9T-8HRf9wOJ1wQrenR8WYiYwebkni_URtWFpJCSFVdVxT0Gih7350o3Iw-Agwu3glfAY/s1600/IMG_9721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifEuw4oDcpPnnb1AKLER7qRA-MXJttFzpLu2dd0500ulFmbI0DaaGZm92Jot3KDfDaihCVhu9T-8HRf9wOJ1wQrenR8WYiYwebkni_URtWFpJCSFVdVxT0Gih7350o3Iw-Agwu3glfAY/s1600/IMG_9721.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next on our itinerary was an hour-long guided tour of the Opera House. Ahhh! You can imagine how excited I was. We got to hear all the history, stories, and magic of this iconic building. There were about 10 other people on the tour. Our guide, Bruce, was knowledgable and nice. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaC2IU0ffpNmvCRPzCclDYN7v_CXBO85V8q_uFZp-gcgbK3R6BPOPFvLlsEuqyVQAX69Xu4T8xD779PyHDjsXQgLul6KrewsUTv_h1ECpC7ClW5_fEc3zXE1FiuEwY7tnYryhQxB25MU/s1600/IMG_0425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaC2IU0ffpNmvCRPzCclDYN7v_CXBO85V8q_uFZp-gcgbK3R6BPOPFvLlsEuqyVQAX69Xu4T8xD779PyHDjsXQgLul6KrewsUTv_h1ECpC7ClW5_fEc3zXE1FiuEwY7tnYryhQxB25MU/s1600/IMG_0425.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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Fun facts about the Opera House:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Danish architect Jørn Utzon was initially rejected by three judges in the 1956 competition to design the Sydney Opera House. Luckily, his entry was picked out by the fourth judge who arrived late. The American architect Eero Saarinen thought Utzon's design was fantastic, and deserved a second look. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jørn Utzon beat 232 other entrants from 32 different countries.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The construction of the Opera House cost $102 million. The original estimate cost was $7 million. Ooops...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Opera House took 14 years to build.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a total of 1 056 006 ceramic tiles on the sails.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tiles are beige and off-white, not white. If they were white, you'd be blinded when sunlight hit them. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We worked up an appetite walking around the Opera House. We ate lunch at Eat Love Pizza, which is located smack in the middle of Darling Harbour. The sun was shining, and we were in very good spirits. We also had tons of good food and wine, so that obviously added to the experience. Since I've been in Australia, I've become very fond of Groupon and Scoopon. For those of you who aren't familiar with these sites, they are deal-of-the-day websites that feature discounted gift certificates to different places. We got an appetizer, an entrée, dessert, and a bottle of wine for $49. Such a good deal! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Side note: Australians call the courses different names than what I'm used to. An appetizers is an entrée, and an entrée is a main. Weird.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful Darling Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent a great deal of time walking around on Saturday. I have no idea how far we walked total, but our feet were getting tired after a while. We were very temped to catch a ride on the Darling Harbour train at one point. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I visited Heidi in Brisbane, she made sure I had heaps of awesome culinary experiences. I made sure she got to taste the oh-so-fantastic gelato from Messina. A phrase you can often hear from Heidi is "beetus", which is a slang term for diabetes. Though I understand that diabetes is a serious medical condition and not a laughing matter, hearing Heidi say this in all seriousness after every indulgence is truly hilarious. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: thank goodness I do not have a Messina close to my house as I have no control over myself when it comes to Messina. Messina is truly the best gelato I have ever tasted. I aptly demonstrated my complete lack of self-control by having gelato twice in one day. In my defence, we were in the area (twice). Oh... And it's super delicious. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BEETUS!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After finishing up our extremely tasty gelato, we made our way to the Shangri-La Hotel. I've been to this hotel once before, and ever since that visit, I have wanted to go back. Having a visitor made this the perfect opportunity! We got there early, patiently waiting for the elevator to open and take us to the Blu Bar on the 36th floor. To our surprise, all the window spots were taken by the time we got up there at 5:02pm. How did they get up there without us seeing? So sneaky! Regardless of our not-so-perfect seats, the champagne and cider we had still tasted excellent. We awkwardly huddled around the lucky people by the windows to get a better glimpse (and some pictures) of the beautiful view. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEism1IShCMniKz7ws-lWujATU2oASY0AYahWDizLWZb6glmuD4BZsOoNikFLgriXPPIg3yK37wXmqFEqYQwBfy0PaMEpmUZB7N2EIKA_OIzGq6NzN2KkidwZYc8SvgxDrLvjzBMJ76pE9g/s1600/IMG_9730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEism1IShCMniKz7ws-lWujATU2oASY0AYahWDizLWZb6glmuD4BZsOoNikFLgriXPPIg3yK37wXmqFEqYQwBfy0PaMEpmUZB7N2EIKA_OIzGq6NzN2KkidwZYc8SvgxDrLvjzBMJ76pE9g/s1600/IMG_9730.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B00eYCIXYR20ldrGjyTVGk0zTyWJ6MzgCZkkxfAxEf-5OgBuctlO0gV7AeTR-Wn2vT0SQqyIx6BkgGQ917hO2C2640uvfsmT-fMzl6_ZulZSplO6uDTlPMGLO78xIyEnKbiPIlvxBIc/s1600/IMG_9731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B00eYCIXYR20ldrGjyTVGk0zTyWJ6MzgCZkkxfAxEf-5OgBuctlO0gV7AeTR-Wn2vT0SQqyIx6BkgGQ917hO2C2640uvfsmT-fMzl6_ZulZSplO6uDTlPMGLO78xIyEnKbiPIlvxBIc/s1600/IMG_9731.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last thing we managed to cram into our jam-packed Saturday was a visit to the Sydney Lyric Theater. We spontaneously booked tickets to see "Strictly Ballroom" while on a sugar-high at Messina. This show is based on the 1992 movie, and tells the story of an Australian ballroom dancer, Scott Hastings, struggling to establish his personal style of dance in his way to win the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Dancing Championship. Heidi and I agreed that it was a cross between Footloose, Save the Last Dance, and Dirty Dancing. Though there could have been more dance offs, it was highly entertaining! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtDiRiQ9QG-WT3jsHn4c2RIUMrtVlyNDySLcKrJrrjkco942sRprMjpyrXVrJrHJ7u_o4qcOKlkPKLzASlPqDPMl9-Cab-zmOrUJfg7AW0RwXkxgU5yim1OiTiyQ-A280iNswwLtYN_Q/s1600/strictlyballroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtDiRiQ9QG-WT3jsHn4c2RIUMrtVlyNDySLcKrJrrjkco942sRprMjpyrXVrJrHJ7u_o4qcOKlkPKLzASlPqDPMl9-Cab-zmOrUJfg7AW0RwXkxgU5yim1OiTiyQ-A280iNswwLtYN_Q/s1600/strictlyballroom.jpg" height="330" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZLbhendIFS2st6idZWFx7UiZeBnJVDvO14Wtdv1Lo1NTLjd3ee8FsMHP-SSmm5bCf3QBhrjshnuM-sCn0Bx9kfSlAFDxEuEK3IlQI-WW3KAPSH08-8545z2PY-eDjhRPBvuFHoFWCCw/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZLbhendIFS2st6idZWFx7UiZeBnJVDvO14Wtdv1Lo1NTLjd3ee8FsMHP-SSmm5bCf3QBhrjshnuM-sCn0Bx9kfSlAFDxEuEK3IlQI-WW3KAPSH08-8545z2PY-eDjhRPBvuFHoFWCCw/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a good night sleep, we woke up bright and early, and ready for our next exciting day. We went and saw the cool documentary Great White Shark in 3D at the world's largest IMAX theatre. Seeing this made me even more disappointed that I don't have time to go cage diving with these fascinating creatures in South Australia. I think my Grandma is pretty pleased that I haven't done this; her exact words when I told her I was considering it were "Susanna! Do you want to kill me? I would die!!" No need to worry, Grams. There's not enough time left in Australia for those sorts of adventures! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOmUVdQOFXPUICZymxj81Em06xWxhj6pd0Z5aaVsLKmPBWY4asGcpcMZNg-AKZc7f6ozHF9YwkvhIHnaNsvhT4p0zIZZo_DgQEgIDQac1X2vBIyqS6PLgK_LsOkFWm26lu-SCa2RT1k4/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOmUVdQOFXPUICZymxj81Em06xWxhj6pd0Z5aaVsLKmPBWY4asGcpcMZNg-AKZc7f6ozHF9YwkvhIHnaNsvhT4p0zIZZo_DgQEgIDQac1X2vBIyqS6PLgK_LsOkFWm26lu-SCa2RT1k4/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday was truly a day filled with aquatic adventures.The other aquatic things we visited were the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Sydney Fish Market, and the SeaLife Aquarium. Aside from going on a whale safari (which is still on my to-do-list), I don't think there were many more aquatic things we could have visited yesterday.
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We were drawn to the Australian National Maritime Museum because of the life-size whale photography exhibition by Bryant Austin. The pictures were very nice, but there was only one full life-size picture of a whale... And it was of a Minke whale, one of the smaller whales! We wanted to see a life-size picture of a Blue whale. We would've settled for a Humpback whale, too. Oh well, it was still fun (and it fit into the aquatic theme of the day). </span><br />
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The Sydney Fish Market was about a 15 minute walk from Darling Harbour. It was quite the place! Lots of stalls and restaurants selling fresh local seafood.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjD23ZSvgHytvKah1qcv3ezuFzqSVClsmw2xCqskPoW6eQYi0sgHjym9xEQxo7cfIACkuGkHBB4X36p4irT0ckZRwdf2YT7c_mIeUez6unImjP-Zl32yEj7a-GdrMuoJi8KbAuGpodtac/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjD23ZSvgHytvKah1qcv3ezuFzqSVClsmw2xCqskPoW6eQYi0sgHjym9xEQxo7cfIACkuGkHBB4X36p4irT0ckZRwdf2YT7c_mIeUez6unImjP-Zl32yEj7a-GdrMuoJi8KbAuGpodtac/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The SeaLife Aquarium was very similar to other aquariums I've visited, but we did see some really cool things I hadn't seen before. Definitely worth a visit!</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrk-Uy5Eq4ukh8_paKL6sQlpHvWkoH6r9kFwmkc7HjkHhv09MyMV4V4SZ16oA7qpIa7vBps3iJgdNR3UCgWRbeYoKZStxGtV5S5OlRxxC4vgJWRWtCdn9Dydwun4qH5-qofQd9fLaNh9I/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrk-Uy5Eq4ukh8_paKL6sQlpHvWkoH6r9kFwmkc7HjkHhv09MyMV4V4SZ16oA7qpIa7vBps3iJgdNR3UCgWRbeYoKZStxGtV5S5OlRxxC4vgJWRWtCdn9Dydwun4qH5-qofQd9fLaNh9I/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were fascinated</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlj4oKcr_t8qwe6dx6-6m5ubJ6daFWFvFoNJ9XN0y4FwYVpsX0a9rKaog64jpkCwDEv7kjbFQNGEbcnuwmDcsSz0r9Jiys6ZkvRPXmcVRHzV-iiRqiHePLG61sgcUzXURZFQmTeLfiU0/s1600/IMG_0505.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fluorescent jellyfish </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJb5GWYko8c1AJs4p0xHvvJR0CiNQKLqLSa8v4FlrvpMs9B6k87QW9CQ5_xS08wqY1bVjA-tCGZobmzC10kyBlCDOiK9CgltqqdryFGDAFXvCN2HLSyb4RShckTs8olOOsjshOmpryJs/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJb5GWYko8c1AJs4p0xHvvJR0CiNQKLqLSa8v4FlrvpMs9B6k87QW9CQ5_xS08wqY1bVjA-tCGZobmzC10kyBlCDOiK9CgltqqdryFGDAFXvCN2HLSyb4RShckTs8olOOsjshOmpryJs/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coral fish </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjZuPxOGLSM6YR1ozXlx4D61-NN2aNon0ImU0XM3KSpdNlyjmtvbykkRNTGtraAh_k1xsWIDmqTqeq06Jus-EUyE8zRA3GoNXfAaREL-xycdDaGw0ijx1zc94CQXUZluyEsRQvdYNpfQ/s1600/IMG_0520.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder if it's official name is "chainsaw shark". Doubtful. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, it was a great weekend spent with a very funny and entertaining friend. I was sad to send her off to the airport Sunday evening. On the bus home from the city I realized that Isabelle and I will be on our way home three weeks. How has time flown by so quickly? </span><br />
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I can hardly believe it is already June 16th! My fantastically awesome friend, Trine Lise, turns 26 today. I don't know what I would do without this wonderful girl in my life. I wouldn't mind being in Norway right now to give her a great big hug. I guess I will have to wait until July 8th... </span><br />
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Gratulerer med dagen, kjære panda! Jeg gleder meg masse, masse til å se deg om 22 dager! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwXSWqJenPzk9Hnh35bQDazeWuqW0acpoZThHPxxf3VzME_ALAVSDwqno7TLLl1r1zGWdMSBqeiQM4tqOkGo4KpGTD9q_o6-jeQvIQkmTp7d4Nz2Z1-0fUKFqgA2eBuXEtGm_P7AsrQA/s1600/IMG_6012.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bestefar is a big fan of Trine Lise, too.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-pf6MHVzKkNM%2FU52Ryz4ipBI%2FAAAAAAAACTE%2F_MTOMNqYD9I%2Fs1600%2FIMG_0518.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJb5GWYko8c1AJs4p0xHvvJR0CiNQKLqLSa8v4FlrvpMs9B6k87QW9CQ5_xS08wqY1bVjA-tCGZobmzC10kyBlCDOiK9CgltqqdryFGDAFXvCN2HLSyb4RShckTs8olOOsjshOmpryJs/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" -->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-50931854792982187132014-06-10T00:02:00.003-07:002014-07-28T19:36:09.508-07:00Festive Sydney<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is always something going on and something to do in the vibrant city of Sydney, and I love this (I'm not, however, a fan of the fact that I can't fit everything I want to do in my schedule). The Vivid Festival started up on May 23rd. This is a unique annual event of light, music, and ideas. All around the city there are extraordinary light installations and projections, performances from local and international musicians, and public talks/debates from leading global creative thinkers. I only had the chance to explore Vivid on a few occasions, and I would have loved to see more. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and yesterday (June 9th) was the last day of Vivid. Last night I walked around to soak in the last bit of Vividness.</span><br />
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I have come to realize that I may have a slight obsession with the Sydney Opera House. I just can't get enough of it. Though it may be a little hyped up, I can't help but get super happy and excited every time I get a glimpse of this beautiful building. On Saturday, in a mere 4 days, I'm going on a guided tour of the Opera House with my friend, Heidi. We will discover the stories, history, and magic of my favorite Sydney building. I'm super excited!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being as obsessed with the Opera House as I am, my favorite part of Vivid was (naturally) the spectacular illumination of the Opera House sails. Every night from 6pm to midnight during the festival the Opera House came to life and depicted a dramatic journey through time - from the birth of architecture and civilisation through the pinnacle of human and technological achievement. It was a great sight seeing the sails change from one thing to another. I could have watched this all night. Truly mesmerizing! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwQHtvTaySRC8tXSau-tmP5Nuy1O1816Oe-InENgAhA1gJ3-2pLlA_HjD7bClxBYPn8X4WNvmFW_AW8bWCWe5vIZXzCcnUuPC9_3GVSPKy5vS5UBNNFBHm3nWt5kBiiWFt63koi_tZ7Q/s1600/IMG_9605.JPG" height="425" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYQ9ShIx2W3sD-nNSblcHR9574HsC7uxNChlNNQnR-RJS2gaHNP1YKBelvrIbEtRmDM59hRpNaJByH9vlUWOHecfHDqA2urj_UrVzVlQTld6rps3TueVU7PiU8MNCsxwpOYuK2UmFCPU/s1600/IMG_9627.JPG" height="426" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdXLoZCmkzurngzVSDmx67zNKT80sr4Du0Jj1gp5G5Au-71lSb7PiXr8R6SMAfkR9SUaHtY7TAfLHGm9i8KKWyEpb2lo9-f0btNdvqP9tFiQkVIdStQDgjNbc8KnAgXtEbEc-Ap7O1U0/s1600/IMG_9635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdXLoZCmkzurngzVSDmx67zNKT80sr4Du0Jj1gp5G5Au-71lSb7PiXr8R6SMAfkR9SUaHtY7TAfLHGm9i8KKWyEpb2lo9-f0btNdvqP9tFiQkVIdStQDgjNbc8KnAgXtEbEc-Ap7O1U0/s1600/IMG_9635.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPUhoB4ShebZ8TM-h0G0Q1a84uGSupm1cLE2mf9cRNe-vAVIC7GmN8ui5yU5dP2L73WfGyexvnBiQyVTrLT6Zf-Syk6ijpXTP9TrPBnUko7yUKNufFlgIVK1wBz-1FnIESzIrSkI6pyI/s1600/IMG_9641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPUhoB4ShebZ8TM-h0G0Q1a84uGSupm1cLE2mf9cRNe-vAVIC7GmN8ui5yU5dP2L73WfGyexvnBiQyVTrLT6Zf-Syk6ijpXTP9TrPBnUko7yUKNufFlgIVK1wBz-1FnIESzIrSkI6pyI/s1600/IMG_9641.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8YLubhf8sTbqAs-BmABWTmjVFC3yZIGZ4W-4y7ev1H00wNtJ_0kAihEJJ8nkeaTVTEsPThlX6wG1TMFrA2ABeoeoC-hm3rcf0aepiQwD0y1qO7xval3fLhIlVvBtFmqE6fK_ExLWzas/s1600/IMG_9650.JPG" height="426" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could take boats around the harbour to get better views of the Opera House and the city. These were lit up with bright lights, creating a beautiful rainbow of colors in the water. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnfabr9BSoLDG9OoRs0BUOkQwXJseqwdabc_-9KNY0ZGQPo5PA8ojBTldzy5nKtRj7YsrOdidcTY5oKT1ed9Kq_Lk_d9T2Xl-fxAqkk3rIrmLKZbVSgGSsciFgkXxHCQQEEo0DsQ6_Yc/s1600/IMG_9619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnfabr9BSoLDG9OoRs0BUOkQwXJseqwdabc_-9KNY0ZGQPo5PA8ojBTldzy5nKtRj7YsrOdidcTY5oKT1ed9Kq_Lk_d9T2Xl-fxAqkk3rIrmLKZbVSgGSsciFgkXxHCQQEEo0DsQ6_Yc/s1600/IMG_9619.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my opinion, the Opera House illumination was the highlight of Sydney. However, there were heaps of other beautiful attractions. For example, the continuously moving projection on the Museum of Contemporary Art building was colourful and spectacular. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a09BCqiCGDbHNalUfC6IfN-NXruVK7oz1meNQD4ALXLG8klv7h61QaOujcjWxh3UgHDzB18Z_BKLwMqMkb5e7E68FleHxf37HjPb281eDqV5dv7nw7Yz0L2A1bUSZmuIwxhqxEulXas/s1600/IMG_9663.JPG" height="426" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Vivid Aquatic Water Theater at Darling Harbour featured water shows and aquatic effects. A constant flow of water jets and color lasers enabled the audience to see people dancing beautifully on the water. Pretty nifty, don't you think? </span></div>
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Huge inflatable white rabbits invaded Sydney for Vivid. The 7meter/23feet bunnies appeared to be enjoying their new home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After taking in the beautiful views for an hour, I met up with my friend, Christian (from Australia), to go to another festival: the Sydney Film Festival (SFF). SFF is one of the world's longest-running film festivals, and is a major event in NSW. It is a 12-day festival that screens feature films, documentaries, short films, and animations from around the world in venues across the city. This year the festival is from June 4th - 15th. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">On our way from Darling Harbour to the movie theater, we suddenly heard the familiar sound of Mario theme music. Childhood memories of playing Nintendo with my brother and cousins in California quickly came to mind. Remember how you had to blow into the game if it didn't work? Ah, t</span><span style="text-align: center;">he original Mario was the best! </span><span style="text-align: center;">As we continued walking, the person playing suddenly came into view. It was Mario himself! </span></span><br />
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The movie was playing at the State Theater on Market Street. Lovely venue! We saw "Cold in July" starring Michael C. Hall (the guy who plays Dexter). Perhaps not the best movie I've seen, but was entertaining! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look forward to more cinematic adventures in the near future. Tomorrow Anne, Anita, Isabelle and I are seeing the Norwegian/Swedish/Danish action comedy "In Order of Disappearance". Should be fun! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I end this post, I'd like to say a quick hello and thank you to my friend in California, TJ Berger. I spoke to my Grandma today, and I am happy to hear that you are keeping her updated on everything I'm posting. I appreciate it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love visiting new places and seeing new things. I especially love doing this when accompanied by fun people like Anne and Caitlin. Anne, Caitlin, and I flew to the Whitsundays for a brief visit. Though we only had approximately 48 hours there, we maximized our time and saw quite a bit. </span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hhvXVd9Dn6_mOxQhMMMj9GZ77hp0xSSeha79dAegJEVxVtgyS_3KFjCd6AbXz3XDzGyNDIyct28y3sA5xBXCdvoePM93TC5n3GO5__AuQ_NoROgkhZZmUUqyihf_JdA2u8S3sXmjNNE/s640/blogger-image-1692392508.jpg" width="640" /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn695BttzhJEghZ0slseMGNxsuKTc8gmRBX6ekIhomOvgIHOoG2SOUscqk24fN0mW4Lk8JWlaig4Ta14e1ZOmH2HdSKwa3252Nnuztm9E4FyJFgOHLAwL_I7dg4W_gsBnMIASR_2hJkO0/s640/blogger-image--489152370.jpg" width="640" />We arrived at the Proserpine airport in the afternoon on Thursday (May 5th), and made our way to Airlie Beach. We took the overpriced $18 per person shuttle. Airlie Beach is approximately a 35 minute drive from the airport. We arrived at our hostel Base Airlie Beach Resort, and were happy that we got a 4-bed dorm all to ourselves. Again, the Australian hostels didn't disappoint us. Clean, spacious, and most importantly, no bugs! </span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0xNNqX0-GWKu4VvacGXg5tfgo-jonzHvAUxrMLiNRwl179dHWKQ0_SIdyFzNCHP8gJqOmRDSstvEWrzLgyPklIJ8S-z2G1J8lr9PXtAuvrGoHrKO-mZBhV9O5p6q_wNfyel_0CG8PPU/s640/blogger-image-190456143.jpg" width="640" />The weather forecast said that there would be scattered clouds with a chance of rain on the days we were there. We saw that there weren't too many clouds in the sky when we arrived, so we quickly changed, and went to the nearby man-made lagoon to take advantage of the sun. <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDmiK0IqXR-FZhYD4wNqdxaPezqjO7TVcEhZG76hdm2Y0ocj10rOkeCXm-85ysyvQR5Cw-1P2A5s8nNDxxqfHtSyk90O4wPqr5aWtdpTgkvaDgJPG3PkhuefImCdmN-KhA8QRGA859Iw/s640/blogger-image--665592519.jpg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDOH0dqXAjcbE8o3JgWqFoaG2CNzn2L3N8T16d25l-gHwY9iXjIrB8urfuu1T1LoXx9AOVK0CI0owrLdhwPxzvg8cdhuE7U9U1PB9uqcEaI3_fjoWLUjhzMLPNKwaoNXx0iRe9xEhBhZ4/s640/blogger-image--1988414143.jpg" width="640" />After some time in the sun, an ice cream, and walking around the mellow streets of Airlie Beach, we headed back to our room to shower up before dinner time. For dinner, we went to a cozy restaurant down the street with outside seating. We were initially drawn to this place because of a guy playing an acoustic guitar in the restaurant. We liked him at first, but felt he sang waaay too many sappy songs after a while. Though the musical performance wasn't to our liking, we did enjoy the great 2-for-1 pizza deal; two large pizzas for the price of one! Only $22. Madness! Once our stomachs were satisfied, we headed home and went to bed early. Like 9pm early. We were so tired! <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEif1Ws8_c1e6jI58iANu5Oq2apgwLrJpOjSBu6bRHIzJTIBSbCIMc0Le7T5HJzrjdzFKWalKeQMBadh2gbU4xEerggATiSfoDShC_DbsFEPyXizm9tVc-Jkn8ZjsZKMOAH8FxnSG1p7k/s640/blogger-image--1834614189.jpg" width="640" />The next morning (May 6th) we were ready to see more than just the surrounding shops and restaurants near Airlie Beach. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he Whitsunday Islands are made up of 74 islands, and only 8 of these are inhabited. </span>We booked a 3-island boat tour, and were picked up at around 7:30am. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our first stop was Daydream Island. This is the smallest of the Whitsunday Islands; it's only 1km/0.6miles long and 400meters/0.25miles wide. The island has the world's largest lagoon-style aquarium, containing over 40 marine fish species and 50 coral varieties. Our nice tour guide, Becki, showed us around and provided lots of fun facts. </span><br />
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The most memorable fact: All clownfish are born male, but when the current female of the group dies, the most dominant male will transform into a female. When Nemo's mom died (in Finding Nemo) the dad, Marlin, should have turned into a female. That would've probably confused the kids though... </span><br />
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0sYVRN5YnYTwvixW-oBdYeDlpjJcP0d4-vYTXTtUiwqSAmoMe5OKX33xqu7vicks4eWFWLagpRqrvfucbNYzlgy0dMPOTC8OuFYDWVHSwQ8cB1YjSyQeIaGaNAuAURw1kFMzh27BYow/s640/blogger-image-365531460.jpg" width="640" />We saw some other wildlife beside sea creatures. There were lots of bush-stone curlews walking around Daydream Island. They are also known as Murder Birds because when they communicate, they sound like someone is being killed. Charming birds, indeed. We weren't fortunate to hear the murder birds communicate, but I'm sure they are just as hilarious as the screaming/laughing birds that I have previously mentioned. </span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3rgM2-2CfFBVykVBayXLnqmFrQS-gfEyc3_EK-EPjzQ4YsKalLQnW4INlEhNnGzv11xm4FvkTFWkP7tGTbXHWzODUgKRDt2-3e4Zerc64yXtx90hKRZ6J4rhzxIiV5w9YenftmKy4BA/s640/blogger-image--613103557.jpg" width="640" />They were all about mermaids at Daydream Island. Mermaid statues, mermaid paintings, mermaid-named restaurants. We took a picture with one of the three mermaid statues by the beach. Poor mermaid, we kind of just climbed all over her. <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWItIfiLyxbJ2eO8O66JyP6cQy5E_pZ38vDac4Q-Z94thCK12nLdemjonAWd3unH925OcF-gymFJWJycnjYxlcD_GZWXFk6_-jOHOA1RpSJX8IMiSLPfOyzQU3AW7t8A7zrE95r8Y-_w/s640/blogger-image--1146467543.jpg" width="640" />Our next stop was Hamilton Island, one of the largest inhabited islands. We had lunch here at the Marina Tavern, ice cream at the ice cream parlour, and browsed around in the cute shops. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhlF8j6nrW7hyphenhyphen-AYlEQewEpQ5DWVT440uuHXe3iYoXhOyaQHQv3i6jVXvkwaSjLPvET5f-3eGs40uGPWWHDZ37RjpyfJvMFoITWiYDePtdiGt6HB8KbrbIgCKNqMYruasxHetcTCv-fo/s1600/IMG_0161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhlF8j6nrW7hyphenhyphen-AYlEQewEpQ5DWVT440uuHXe3iYoXhOyaQHQv3i6jVXvkwaSjLPvET5f-3eGs40uGPWWHDZ37RjpyfJvMFoITWiYDePtdiGt6HB8KbrbIgCKNqMYruasxHetcTCv-fo/s1600/IMG_0161.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We considered investing in some real estate while there, but unfortunately our student budgets did not make the cut. The cheapest apartment we found was around $400,000, and the most expensive house we found was $3,500,000. <span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNIec6Tjj_fKVkOj56G1QVcH4o4KX0S1ayasRYEEXG6DY-5X_v_9jkjizDFETBc-QZRvqvVdTb9vAJPLagXSkTbxatQ7crDeKg0kqAFeNgplrxcFxyrsTpAjjD8iemo9Lp00iamliMU4/s640/blogger-image-1465293213.jpg" width="480" /> </span></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The last stop on our trip was Whitehaven Beach, a 7km/4.3miles stretch along Whitsunday Island. The sand consists of 98% pure silica. This gives the sand a beautiful white color, and also makes the sand squeak when you walk on it. <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKRrkmY_FHDlTXhAV1YaJYB9roikzHPdcUc5qV-Jm3OTYH_nSe-_2CVHzuVAGIAQblrtvr_0MkvJnLE8SemaaE7dsZiaQ8GfbeuzvAqcuPFcjF_IoLenAq_A9jHWejKNq34Aqhb1B01k/s640/blogger-image--270384747.jpg" width="640" />Before we got off the boat, we were told that we could grab stinger suits. Though jellyfish season is over, the guides said there could still be some swimming around in the water. To be honest, we weren't too concerned with the jellyfish. However, we couldn't pass up an opportunity to look like beach ninjas, so we each grabbed a suit when disembarking the boat. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/928YKHM39sI" width="420"></iframe></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The suits were truly magnificent. Had it not been for the fact that we would technically be stealing, we totally would've brought the suits home with us. They covered the majority of our bodies, except parts of our feet and faces. The mitten hands were likely the best part. <img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5t_ni0dLlv4ya63EqITsHM5vlokHGDjfBFEstg-SfOVrNlv_bsBlDR00VWURnEyVztgmATt5exuapTMXlnCuWdSNStSlZQ4rVPPKkEv-iV0fFv8H3lTD0q4WrdH7rbw663V2tsDgRJU/s640/blogger-image-1081227970.jpg" width="640" /></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me doing cartwheels</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caitlin posing </span></td></tr>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJ_4n-BFdUNYUgHGT-jmVcN37z1lXtliVZehQRFBpmGm9iRXWH57128JEuVRPhNmS0nLP88WPnWK_TwNuaDDbrBsfgNowjKnpflla5OYMFnC8EYZQdr_bQ1pu43j4Z_GUjym-BGGwIJE/s640/blogger-image-1744851081.jpg" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whenever I'm on a beach, I get the urge to write something in the sand. I'm not the only one who gets this. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There weren't too many sticks on the pristine beach, so Anne had to make do with what we found. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uFKwiImuuiJqmlzJ9gOOLq37z3RvwU48lVGgl5fqjASpXRqJtKL7PRh5XjNGQws4LdiW0Rej77zHmcdSDcImfvAujTKyc9pORV1bK0VklZV_zVS-aopDYdZGQeR9dyUru5zVGxyeauc/s640/blogger-image-1029891450.jpg" width="480" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead of writing something corny like "Whitsundays 2014" or just hearts (like I did), Anne wrote "I'm writing with a stick". She's a clever one! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While enjoying our time at Whitehaven Beach, we suddenly saw a shark in the water. We were in the water splashing around at the same time, so I'd say that we were technically swimming with sharks. Based on what we saw at the Daydream aquarium, we concluded that it was lemon shark. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiWpdhJLj6q0UnSIeILgrxRoKfA06JiMZnZjx1G8LeofLxpnY_zUcyg933F7yl37s4xn0kU2X2WlKylAXmMYCkrwvHlnn6-DCP5XGbooeTZQ9OHgIwqGbFH3LUPvYy0xrfUCFFCppAkI/s1600/IMG_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiWpdhJLj6q0UnSIeILgrxRoKfA06JiMZnZjx1G8LeofLxpnY_zUcyg933F7yl37s4xn0kU2X2WlKylAXmMYCkrwvHlnn6-DCP5XGbooeTZQ9OHgIwqGbFH3LUPvYy0xrfUCFFCppAkI/s1600/IMG_0378.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See the dark spot in the water? That's the shark!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Though our excursion likely doesn't seem too strenuous, we were exhausted by the time we got back to our hostel at 6:15pm. We counted down the hours until it was an acceptable time to go to bed (we concluded that 8pm was an early yet acceptable bed time). Initially, I attributed my tiredness to my old age (ha ha). However, I think Caitlin, the spring chicken of only age 21, fell asleep first, so maybe we just needed sleep. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful sunset on our way back to Airlie Beach </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We flew home yesterday morning (May 7th). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The visit to the Whitsundays was short but sweet. I wish we could have stayed longer, but I am happy that we had a chance to go and that the weather cooperated a little. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night I had the pleasure of accompanying my friend, Christian, to a World Cup Celebration. It was an event that raised funds for Special Olympics New South Wales. Their mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disability. This provides continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and build friendships with their families, coaches, other Special Olympics athletes, and the broader community. Christian works for the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, a club that supports Special Olympics NSW. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The celebration featured lots of entertainment from (among others) the Ten Sopranos, Anastasia Zoi, and Rio's Brazilian Dancers. There was also a raffle and an auction. Despite my limited knowledge about the World Cup (and being pulled on stage during the Brazilian dancing act), I had a great time. The food was delicious, the entertainment was enjoyable, and the company was excellent. Most importantly, lots of money was raised for a great cause!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-63853783572113261902014-06-04T02:31:00.003-07:002014-07-28T19:25:29.539-07:00Oh, Everybody's Starry Eyed! <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As today has been a day full of procrastination, this will be a very brief post. Tomorrow morning Anne, Caitlin, and I are heading to the Whitsundays for a little visit. The Whitsunday Islands are a group of islands off the central coast of Queensland. Though we only have 48 hours there, we plan to soak up as much sun as possible.This will be me tomorrow afternoon (except I won't be wearing a pink one-piece or holding an umbrella): </span><br />
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4OGLn0VwsDyr67TVrtWMNyApIL6GaIz89pPi2PGO0-HYmyqlagTrYlPyUzDd_QFJt0SUW2uj7tO_rNq90QCZq-eQl3C5pvZ8OnAC9qElg2iG6O4TC9YEEhmvv0pNs1J1HsNBbcYZS1A/s1600/Whitsundays.jpg" height="208" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, I attended my first musical event while in Australia. Isabelle, Liza (from Russia), and I went to an Ellie Goulding concert at the Hordern Pavilion, and had a great time. She was sooo good! We were amazed by how well she sang live. No need for lip syncing! </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz3gc-5ylwQeQ3YtoLPaT3_BCMkEwjRyJhSqVWo7r-HJrMR_n-Dvy-g1Qn7D1K91NULMvEF37GKxlA2bNcJ6ShnxcmKZSHON4lqCrWm5z6-CuCwr6WYnja2Hp6cpfUdcGvXnXDUZs4Oc/s640/blogger-image-552934967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz3gc-5ylwQeQ3YtoLPaT3_BCMkEwjRyJhSqVWo7r-HJrMR_n-Dvy-g1Qn7D1K91NULMvEF37GKxlA2bNcJ6ShnxcmKZSHON4lqCrWm5z6-CuCwr6WYnja2Hp6cpfUdcGvXnXDUZs4Oc/s640/blogger-image-552934967.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her setlist was great, and some of the songs she sang were Starry Eyed, Lights, Only You, Guns & Horses, Goodness Gracious, and Tessellate. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle and I were ecstatic when she sang You My Everything and Burn as her encore songs. What a great ending to a great show! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, she didn't sing How Long Will I Love You. As Sydney would say: "That's my favorite!" Oh well... I was still very satisfied with the evening. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing as my first final is only two weeks away, I should be spending most of my waking hours studying. I had big plans of being super productive today. However, rather than be studious, I spent the day cleaning every nook and cranny of my room. I managed to convince myself that this was a wise way to spend the whole day. I know I'm going to feel the urge to clean as finals come closer, so really this was a proactive measure on my part. You can always tell that final exams are in the near future by the way my room looks. Every clothing item in every drawer is neatly folded, nothing is out of place, and there's not a speck of dust in sight. Suddenly vacuuming becomes</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a life or death issue. It must be done, and definitely cannot wait until later! Though I may not be any closer to knowing anything about theories in Organizational Psychology, at least my room looks impeccable at the moment. Maybe I'll go through some notes while soaking up the sun at the beach. We'll see. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-76558262374732459472014-06-01T02:00:00.000-07:002014-07-28T19:23:33.781-07:00MS Walk & Fun Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a great way to start out the month of June! I woke up to one of my favorite Australian sounds early this morning: the chirping of birds. Now, when I say chirping, I really mean the laughing/screaming of birds. There are some birds here in Australia that make very, very weird sounds, and they are absolutely hilarious. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it... One of the sounds is like a laughing monkey (hoo-hoo-hoo-hee-haa-haa). The other sounds is a cross between a crying cat and a screaming goat (search for "screaming goats" on YouTube). I'm not exactly sure which birds make these incredibly funny sounds. However, based on random observation and Google searches, I think the first is a kookaburra and the second is a raven. Regardless of which birds make these sounds, they always make me smile. Even when it's 6:30am, and they wake me up when I still could sleep in for another hour. As the birds continued making their hilarious laughing/screaming sounds, I gave up trying to get more sleep and figured I might as well get ready for the day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I put on my workout clothes, laced up my running shoes, and grabbed my wallet. I got ready to meet Sydney and head to the city center to participate in our activity for the day: the MS Walk & Fun Run. Thousands of people participate in this event every year to raise money for the treatment</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and management of MS (Multiple Sclerosis). Before the MS Walk & Fun Run began, a total of $1 360 000 had been raised. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hurray!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of this big amount, Sydney and I contributed $510 thanks to our generous family members and friends. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you so much to everyone that contributed to our fundraising. We really appreciate your contributions. You guys are great, and your money is going to a truly great cause! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim-cL4slaVfCr8ysljZyZZSw3AHS2Rhj5Wa0UznzAypKR8vrL8MIBZdvFYegO9R_8WuFk4ZNvifs519uUlawHXmEl-YNFs8J91nsBIsNtdiQ6VVlyC6QcMMwJh0fi17WY3lI14ai2bHV8/s640/blogger-image-841216076.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ready to walk 11km/6.8miles</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Due to some health issues, I wasn't able to actually able to run in the race. Sydney, being the true friend that she is, decided to walk with me instead of run. We did the 11K walk instead of the 10K Fun Run. We still had heaps of fun though! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have never had the pleasure of meeting Sydney's family members, but I have heard a lot about them over the past few months. One observation that I have made, is that Sydney's mom is the cutest when it comes to texting. She ends her texts with little icons of koalas and hearts. When we had to pick a name for our team (which consisted of only Sydney and I), we decided to call ourselves "Team Koala <</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE-Iue-UT2y_qZFOjRJkSQnKghaTVE61RY6q54TeHLag5kaXkjus3rZMplkANPguK8_gnQ5wFD2GU4IHT6Pd8nSiTjCQwnnJlQydKLJd_Q8XL5FRoP3KVVB-D4uYyZxEiilbRCaRjzXw/s640/blogger-image-1198469737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAE-Iue-UT2y_qZFOjRJkSQnKghaTVE61RY6q54TeHLag5kaXkjus3rZMplkANPguK8_gnQ5wFD2GU4IHT6Pd8nSiTjCQwnnJlQydKLJd_Q8XL5FRoP3KVVB-D4uYyZxEiilbRCaRjzXw/s640/blogger-image-1198469737.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The walk started and finished in Tumbalong Park near Darling Harbour. We had a great time walking around the lovely Sydney Harbour, Royal Botanical Gardens, Opera House, and Pyrmont Bridge. The weather wasn't the greatest, but everyone was pumped up to walk around Sydney for a great cause, so it didn't really matter. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standing in front of my favorite building in Sydney with my favorite Sydney</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can cross off "Royal Botanical Gardens" after today's walk </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJY28_fMkthksIJIOdJuY13u6SzEVkyfms-YHzGO9F8bE2aZTXGFpXkDG-kkXFMNqFcIEA_QXZd0uC9a52g7uaauKbkpsFd5E5ttY22C7I_HriSV_NLahE7E2QYtZunpdShIdOqSpZl4/s640/blogger-image--1803806649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJY28_fMkthksIJIOdJuY13u6SzEVkyfms-YHzGO9F8bE2aZTXGFpXkDG-kkXFMNqFcIEA_QXZd0uC9a52g7uaauKbkpsFd5E5ttY22C7I_HriSV_NLahE7E2QYtZunpdShIdOqSpZl4/s640/blogger-image--1803806649.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After passing the finish line, it was time for a late breakfast. Prior to starting the walk, we decided that we should go to Pancakes on the Rocks, a place where fabulous pancakes are served. I had never been there, but Sydney told me stories of delicious pancakes served with ice cream (YUMMY!). Throughout our whole walk, our growling stomachs and yearning for pancakes kept our pace up and our feet moving. Needless to say, Sydney was pretty satisfied when the pancakes were finally in front of her. I was, too. They were delicious! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We headed home afterwards. I spent the afternoon with Isabelle, doing a little shopping at the Macquarie Center. Though it was raining, it was such a beautiful walk home. The birds were making their usual hilarious screaming sounds, and the sun was low on the horizon, creating a beautiful yellow lighting. We even saw a rainbow! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A great start of the month of June, indeed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-55939835564084972642014-05-29T02:37:00.000-07:002014-07-28T19:19:34.386-07:00A Perfect Wedding in California.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">M</span>y big brother, John, who I’ve always looked up to and admired, married the girl
of his dreams, Maria, this past Saturday. Words cannot express how happy I am for the two of them. They are both such wonderful and beautiful people, both inside and out. It almost seems surreal that the event that we have all been looking forward to since we heard the wonderful news of their engagement in February 2013 is over. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">It's currently 7:30am in the morning, and I have been up for the past 4 hours. Hurray for jetlag! </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">What better thing to do in the wee hours of the morning than share some of the experiences I have had this past week in a blog post? Though I will not be providing as much detail as I normally do in my posts (too much gone on this week), here's a glimpse of my week in California. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAOjMcHfRTzsrK4rxwXHQI3PeHqgEVtTzvrfxudfdcm5keIjy8w6vgAyea_4yzblV-zfUsTeXf_EZVklqR8Ui8Kzw94hU05FWRJti60w1BtYlIU1pLovcqdNg_-qt3hA6Ino2dmfn2lE/s1600/IMG_9896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAOjMcHfRTzsrK4rxwXHQI3PeHqgEVtTzvrfxudfdcm5keIjy8w6vgAyea_4yzblV-zfUsTeXf_EZVklqR8Ui8Kzw94hU05FWRJti60w1BtYlIU1pLovcqdNg_-qt3hA6Ino2dmfn2lE/s1600/IMG_9896.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The happy couple, Maria Alejandra and John Jørgen</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">To say that it was a hectic week would be an understatement; </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">I hit the ground running after arriving Los Angeles from Sydney on May 16th. </span>There was lots to get done and to arrange, which resulted in late nights, early mornings, and lots of to-do-lists.<span style="line-height: 22px;"> E</span><span style="line-height: 22px;">verything was absolutely worth it though, and t</span>hinking back on this past week puts a big smile on my face.<span style="line-height: 22px;"> </span> </span><br />
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Being John's little sister, making sure our parents were adequately prepared was one of my main concerns and responsibilities. I had to make sure they were primped and primed for the fun-filled wedding weekend. I obviously took my job very seriously (no disappointing big brother!). Luckily, both parents were very happy and cooperative, and not completely helpless. We had a lot of fun in the process.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Papa getting his first ever manicure. His words when I took this picture were, "This is not going on the blog, is it?" Sorry, Papa, I just had to. Thank you for letting me persuade you to do this. Your nails looked great! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeOrwXmaKOU4RWicA1kOQejsmUFxy7GDs2oV2aaNM9tjhk-ZgrlKWx3WQCW6FAR3QGgCAVvaZhK1agLlX3N8dKNhxKRFwhY_WDrWGCjzPRoRM8sDJ2hxSFRlfy0WrPA3jdJJNKEtOSJM/s640/blogger-image-1281759265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoeOrwXmaKOU4RWicA1kOQejsmUFxy7GDs2oV2aaNM9tjhk-ZgrlKWx3WQCW6FAR3QGgCAVvaZhK1agLlX3N8dKNhxKRFwhY_WDrWGCjzPRoRM8sDJ2hxSFRlfy0WrPA3jdJJNKEtOSJM/s640/blogger-image-1281759265.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpUMx8_4ghlFt_jwIpy7Spmc-UY7a2OpUKxm9nbxp5nBt7SxRp_GSV48q2i9-W-H87ht8DFktfqoNxCzUqoBbjeVFdamlgcytqX6Wyly2yzDvenbH3_YJbyM9Cm7ny4t0m9FPSTu3iNw/s1600/IMG_9750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpUMx8_4ghlFt_jwIpy7Spmc-UY7a2OpUKxm9nbxp5nBt7SxRp_GSV48q2i9-W-H87ht8DFktfqoNxCzUqoBbjeVFdamlgcytqX6Wyly2yzDvenbH3_YJbyM9Cm7ny4t0m9FPSTu3iNw/s1600/IMG_9750.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between running errands, shopping for wedding attire, and manicures, I made sure Papa was properly fed. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">One thing I really enjoyed about this week was that family and friends gathered on several occasions, and not merely on the actual day of the wedding. </span>It was heartwarming to see how many people came to celebrate John and Maria. It was a very international event; family and friends flew in from all over the world to partake in this joyous event. It was great spending time with and getting to know everyone that mean a lot to John and Maria. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">The festivities started out on Thursday (May 22nd) with a BBQ for the bridal party and some family and friends that had arrived town early. Maria's mother and aunt had prepared a beautiful feast of Nicaraguan food. The food was absolutely divine (I'm secretly hoping that Maria will teach me how to make all these yummy things next time we see each other. Hint hint!). Unfortunately, there are no pictures from this evening. I was too busy eating the scrumptious food and mingling to document anything. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">The next gathering was the rehearsal dinner on Friday (May 23rd) at Margarita's, a restaurant in Palm Springs. Margaritas, tasty food, live music from a mariachi band, along with even more family and friends set the mood for a great evening. </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">My dad and I had both prepared a few words to say at the rehearsal dinner, and luckily neither of us fainted due to our fears of public speaking. Did you know that next to dying, public speaking is Americans biggest fears? Totally understandable, if you ask me. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt6jchrXUslKS647JSlQYMFwBNyKDvqV6sgTOfPYypdp09eUk6zixXqJcez7XL2A2UXbHLLW0yC0oF5MWhazfBrir_bdRJAgdhSVqQy_HSxa6XpoqT-V6HQY4jcagacjKbLECBTAFPS4/s1600/IMG_9849.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Papa, John, myself, and Maria</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdt6jchrXUslKS647JSlQYMFwBNyKDvqV6sgTOfPYypdp09eUk6zixXqJcez7XL2A2UXbHLLW0yC0oF5MWhazfBrir_bdRJAgdhSVqQy_HSxa6XpoqT-V6HQY4jcagacjKbLECBTAFPS4/s1600/IMG_9849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilai5Z_syqreWSYXkeBtYRddEmcTzoHIa1qVRS0jvOqlLnqAz7ROO_al14SX4Ej0gVB7k8itaR6JR7dpbiEm9zgzG8BZx5MSwSqlGTgZUpnVtWiW0qyBQEMSEaHox-xjbcst_BZmKYB3s/s1600/IMG_9799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilai5Z_syqreWSYXkeBtYRddEmcTzoHIa1qVRS0jvOqlLnqAz7ROO_al14SX4Ej0gVB7k8itaR6JR7dpbiEm9zgzG8BZx5MSwSqlGTgZUpnVtWiW0qyBQEMSEaHox-xjbcst_BZmKYB3s/s1600/IMG_9799.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiQrakdTEwOT8Vll3HpWVksrvXD2eKLWjSHrihCHU0ojbr5_wOpZopttrfYrw_ticMTtoc9WHqRTSz2JUo3E7J4P2TZWCI6cs9bjU8KHWUYd084noq4-zRICLdsUTMGo32HhiKLA4k6U/s1600/IMG_9804.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three of the groomsmen, Tze-Heen, Idean, and René, and significant others, Glenna and Andrea </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugXmD1ny3wh9ZN5y83_TlHXfqmYfvahgI0jWHLBcFApUQAKuXDQGKMAoBwr-u-ctoX0ukJwuw0W5uPIC9u8dcCd_ZzVluIvgiu4kIjqmMYOuxRJCajYcCGKHmqUT1WRpGKd0jicECxMY/s1600/IMG_9811.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best man, Grant (our cousin), Gina, and their two adorable kids, Harper and Kennedy </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISsL8x1vnr_Tf3xuWM5j9MTWeSiyHp4ZbGFWyWIAGyNeC_Rv3QVqcDeHHnb-H0pSwoxVKfFqTWGUNh9aGIHxPE3aycmPNuaeQgJCvz0kCkTZ9CvbfaC1emSMPC62s1FBE_VfqPd04pO0/s1600/IMG_9819.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aren't they just adorable? The wombat and koala hand puppets I bought them were a hit. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSI5-n8bjFBJJ7Jz7Tv3WbxkWoS5KOipQES4LlViDMiMLH5_P2UWdnGbehTbyaKViXZx1Tewby1Wk0teqe6bmM274DWB8Ho4CrgEy9LqL3vrpsEilRFpJ5PuYXDNDPsNRMPl9w3-ryNQ/s1600/IMG_9823.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnny and Uncle Will </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXAbjHlRXeRC5c2fih4iULvHJk9I3gBPHshvyeSyNBtFdZmf3XpAHQfCG5u2oyi2weM92nJgBRMlWcF_68ezH5w0nTb4nk_mrBLKMwmQWdo68tTxJtXuJN3rUXKmwsAFdDrDPOoq127c/s1600/IMG_9826.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Naomi and Papa </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlHV6ZhoOVIhv3WJCAzQRmsyFS7__n_UvMiFhgcDg2biGQBYTb3M4kFPCGr-YG-lkdx48vKoI9_iZhcHhd3dSk8COmuIwuAqQM6cuv-rb3LSP8AyNTejUQXjDUdja4Njt6rf2ahDIRpE/s1600/IMG_9834.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mumsy and Aunt Susan </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6jaQdC4EFUWdG61EaxDOhy1vUyYWRL7KMpAmFtzb8CpCvAHU3mKTHSRuW3QFJJ3Z1ILEyBHKIe7VBHrzK35Zfo2Q2pIUkFKyYwpBfFmuPCfSv_EgTwrD9mqrtTQO_CcI2ocT7_mlJ3I/s1600/IMG_9837.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Russ (with the hat), Aunt Nancee, Lauren, Grandma, and Harvey</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">I also showed a video of our 91 year old Bestefar (Norwegian grandpa). Distance has always been a common theme in our family, and technology has made it so much easier to stay in touch. Every time I visit our Bestefar, him and I take a little video for John and Maria. It started off as a silly thing we did to test out my new iPhone, but now it's turned into a little tradition. At first he wasn't quite sure what to say, but now he's a pro. </span><span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">He always knows that I'm going to say "Oh, Bestefar! Time to make a video for John Jørgen and Maria" at some point during my visit. He'll comb his hair, sit up straight, and get ready to say a little something into the camera.</span><span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"> As he couldn't attend the wedding in California, we made a little video for John and Maria instead. </span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rVNIil3PKWI" width="420"></iframe></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">A <b>BIG</b> thanks to my friend, Julie Grønneberg Bech, for editing all the raw footage and adding subtitles so that all the non-Norwegians could understand what was being said. I'm in no way tech-savvy, so without you this wouldn't have been possible. You're fabulous! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Saturday (May 24th) the big day had finally arrived. Hurray! The wedding ceremony and reception were at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. The weather and scenery couldn't have been more breathtaking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9e1xJzwo1z9IgJvEtSjzHgWUe_8SipmPsAoId1v1I1rpUQwTpFoSmEcB7Uz5YWVewaoLO4W74V_s80BuKqmBnSbGe4JEoO72gDV12ynnwG08rGDHj7wlB4lh1uFeNXhJAZvC2h0gymbw/s640/blogger-image--1043748635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9e1xJzwo1z9IgJvEtSjzHgWUe_8SipmPsAoId1v1I1rpUQwTpFoSmEcB7Uz5YWVewaoLO4W74V_s80BuKqmBnSbGe4JEoO72gDV12ynnwG08rGDHj7wlB4lh1uFeNXhJAZvC2h0gymbw/s640/blogger-image--1043748635.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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I got ready at the villas with the lovely bride and bridesmaids. We had our hair and make-up done, and it was heaps of fun. Can't leave anything up to chance on a day like this. Maria looked absolutely stunning; I had to hold back the tears when I saw her in her dress. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2ocMPmJWbxMIcKDsw7mx9NLO4uUPq1rcPQrbIyaicU-4JBFci8Kbop-TMTo-cfQZsJnoRlveO9szMrW8rvKcXKE8HJDF4MugZD13jykhurWdWXDN9idpCPS7KqIaUxrzGQeC_8RPrCk/s1600/IMG_9940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 22px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2ocMPmJWbxMIcKDsw7mx9NLO4uUPq1rcPQrbIyaicU-4JBFci8Kbop-TMTo-cfQZsJnoRlveO9szMrW8rvKcXKE8HJDF4MugZD13jykhurWdWXDN9idpCPS7KqIaUxrzGQeC_8RPrCk/s1600/IMG_9940.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-JIr3CHrtvPdntJsjwUdLchktXR_79PLwKiQDBH_q0f4co8EjWYRJTWnFBFM80iOvksmvqkNT4iM6YBZ7SwmsG25DduS6UD9AuIMpodI7B0XlcoB-hl2iBxuOvQ0gy2x4p8YDYdgk18/s1600/IMG_9946.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The maid of honor, Pegah, helping Maria with her dress</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xEvQ27d-LAzCeZVdvzInK-Suzcx-oTJMQ6fH2_BPPgJQjfY_xUQqMMiPdFsPdG06i140twK9MqaWen2C-EGaIb8ge1FjQyuv9pb2SU-tbzU4VL2ElWQvZadGsxD459YynjyGy4rteng/s1600/IMG_9944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xEvQ27d-LAzCeZVdvzInK-Suzcx-oTJMQ6fH2_BPPgJQjfY_xUQqMMiPdFsPdG06i140twK9MqaWen2C-EGaIb8ge1FjQyuv9pb2SU-tbzU4VL2ElWQvZadGsxD459YynjyGy4rteng/s1600/IMG_9944.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andrea, Raman, me, Pegah, Chloe, and Jackie</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maria, being the sweetheart she is, gave all us girls beautiful robes and sterling silver earrings as gifts. How sweet is that?</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0uBTbsl4GrlIHVEbf4591PCeKj2HBxtCbCET8iqJlliD0oHnrniHvIbdoEEALTz9ZLKDXdvSRpHXzW-P8WdP43rSAa4ojoyHPNi53zYXohR85lC7vTyJExENnWQHLussj1oYc_UTCf4/s640/blogger-image--1010163517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0uBTbsl4GrlIHVEbf4591PCeKj2HBxtCbCET8iqJlliD0oHnrniHvIbdoEEALTz9ZLKDXdvSRpHXzW-P8WdP43rSAa4ojoyHPNi53zYXohR85lC7vTyJExENnWQHLussj1oYc_UTCf4/s640/blogger-image--1010163517.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32p6jRzSnyx8JgnzT9FwfjASKTdjz0Rj18CXixfc8_tMXn6mIJ8on4Oh4amnpHgBriIFBx6Y3kqim0-jdBM9erIM0ez88Lgc7v-QNhGfTExozPshE48nRuxXyCzui72y__t69Zrfsa-s/s1600/IMG_9887.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ready for the wedding </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32p6jRzSnyx8JgnzT9FwfjASKTdjz0Rj18CXixfc8_tMXn6mIJ8on4Oh4amnpHgBriIFBx6Y3kqim0-jdBM9erIM0ez88Lgc7v-QNhGfTExozPshE48nRuxXyCzui72y__t69Zrfsa-s/s1600/IMG_9887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 22px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LR4WY_X9hDyRQx-LnR2AxNzUPDDpiPh6WjhPMMBJt3rQcQINBr4Yr18cspEm3sNk3HxQJaIZGf2sBn_xtv80dfKT1Ix0kg6LsGJTXu-wqTMBhWReiG15jBscC6ghyM-7cZKEgRJEtG0/s1600/IMG_9867.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful corsage </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me, Lauren, Gina, and Jessica being all matchy matchy. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their wedding was simply perfect. Just like the two of them.<span style="line-height: normal;"> I can only imagine how much effort and planning it took to make everything as perfect as it was. Both John and Maria show great attention to detail, and you could tell that they had thought of everything. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best man and the groom </span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John and Maria share a love of wine, so they incorporated this into their wedding in many different ways. For example, instead of the regular numbers on the tables, they had names of red wines. So clever!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GzrVpAtBJo1oA_cUNRTzkvsi8YmuMSh1NFOXIdkbDA_mKrIwN-gbs_YksIrLD5759mUZPBzFwtzZtKgLQbMEftVHvY96vhuMk5HX7vag4_78hX_rnfm66lOd8Ici4DW9lOTssqpyBZU/s1600/IMG_9894.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GzrVpAtBJo1oA_cUNRTzkvsi8YmuMSh1NFOXIdkbDA_mKrIwN-gbs_YksIrLD5759mUZPBzFwtzZtKgLQbMEftVHvY96vhuMk5HX7vag4_78hX_rnfm66lOd8Ici4DW9lOTssqpyBZU/s1600/IMG_9894.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Selfie with the happy couple </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">After ten hectic, but fun days in California, it was time for me to return back to Australia. I'm so glad I could be a part of their beautiful celebration. It was great, and will </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">definitely be something I will remember and cherish for many, many years to come. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flight back to Sydney felt much longer than the flight to LA. What made the 15 hour flight seem horrendously long was likely the fact that my touch screen wasn't calibrated correctly (is that what it's called?). This resulted in me not being able to hit the "next" button, so I could only watch a few of the movies in the great United Airline movie selection. After a few hours, I wasn't able to hit the play button either. Sooo... No more movies for me. </span><br />
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The day before departure, I jokingly told my cousin, Grant, that not having a screen that works was one of my biggest fears. This was obviously an exaggeration, but it's kind of true! It may not sound like a big deal, but when you're stuck in a seat for over half a day, you kind of want your screen to work properly. My usual tactic to make the time pass on long flights is to go through all the movies, creating lists in my mind of which movies I want to watch and in which order. Depending on how meticulously I go through the movies, this process usually takes at least 30 minutes to an hour. Highly recommended for long flights. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because I couldn't kill much time watching movies, I resorted to my other long-flight-tactic: stand in the aisle by the bathroom for 30 minutes every now and then. I think I spent a total of 2 hours randomly standing by the bathrooms throughout the flight. Warning: Standing in the aisle for more than 5 minutes will likely make you feel super awkward (especially if you have to make eye contact with the people sitting in the exit row). Hey, whatever kills time, right? You do what you gotta do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">I can hardly believe that I am back in Sydney. The time in California went by so quickly! It's good to be back though. </span>I'm going to spend the next few days doing nothing productive. Like going out to lunch with Isabelle and other friends. I'll start studying for final exams next week. I promise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcjqwcE2kZLXELRskUd9IJLG1vXfkJr1RyTaDOz6gKtG07kLqnBPr8yhjaKgKRY11muqC__u1jbOjS6jVT0OJtNcznHjp_NSxBv4ACwxx9AlcpSLonmctYo_vsQCAXKFw3WMwFPL38MU/s640/blogger-image-562965545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcjqwcE2kZLXELRskUd9IJLG1vXfkJr1RyTaDOz6gKtG07kLqnBPr8yhjaKgKRY11muqC__u1jbOjS6jVT0OJtNcznHjp_NSxBv4ACwxx9AlcpSLonmctYo_vsQCAXKFw3WMwFPL38MU/s640/blogger-image-562965545.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-3817003104560547582014-05-18T00:35:00.001-07:002014-07-28T19:07:05.419-07:00A very untraditional 17th of May celebration<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy 17th of May, everyone! The 17th of May is Norway's Constitution Day. It was signed in 1814, and today marks the 200th year anniversary. Hipp hipp hurra! Gratulerer med dagen! </span><br />
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The 17th of May is a very special day for Norwegians. Norwegian flags can be seen all around, children walk in parades, and the streets are filled with lots of people that are eager to celebrate lovely Norway. Though this may sound strange, the 17th of May is also a day when kids (and adults) are allowed to eat as many hot dogs and ice cream as they please. </span><br />
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Personally, I think the best part about the 17th of May is that everyone gets dressed up. In Norway we have traditional folk costumes called bunads (pronounced boo - nahhds). There are lots of different types, and they vary depending on the region they come from in Norway. It's common to get a bunad as a gift for confirmation at around age 15. I didn't get a bunad until a few years ago. I think the wait did me well. I was thrilled to FINALLY get a bunad. I absolutely love it! It makes me feel super Norwegian.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz212ZTUjwINQpNJ36ti3lnovs38Z7X2zjRQ2u2C9zlzRhI88NdARHsz4W4YNUB1lwiIpnDrFK7Wrqer-OBuzYthM8GjziVW_uCF8iXBd-71WGbSAi-MVCAyD2QRTMJxba4Ek9rRqPw0/s1600/IMG_5143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz212ZTUjwINQpNJ36ti3lnovs38Z7X2zjRQ2u2C9zlzRhI88NdARHsz4W4YNUB1lwiIpnDrFK7Wrqer-OBuzYthM8GjziVW_uCF8iXBd-71WGbSAi-MVCAyD2QRTMJxba4Ek9rRqPw0/s1600/IMG_5143.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My bunad is from Vestfold, the county West of the Oslo Fjord. My Bestefar (my dad's father) and Bestemor (my dad's mother) both are from this county, along with the rest of their family. It was in other words an easy decision to make when deciding which bunad to get. </span><br />
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Everything on the bunad is made by hand, and it took about 8 months to finally get it. All the measurements are taken specifically for the bunad-wearer, so it fits perfectly. Great incentive to not gain any weight during the year! Luckily, the seamstresses include some more fabric in case one needs to have it altered. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScoGdyDt1V05GJEejSXApidJ0MK-D5LJb_cN3TlKNTcNVqoZyKM0EVcONDQABtwln6BJpaBFD_pX1poNPlzqObK2zl2JzDhRly5rvbsTLzejDPGkcn3pI_lMj6i1W_hpLdy85GqyevT8/s1600/IMG_5145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScoGdyDt1V05GJEejSXApidJ0MK-D5LJb_cN3TlKNTcNVqoZyKM0EVcONDQABtwln6BJpaBFD_pX1poNPlzqObK2zl2JzDhRly5rvbsTLzejDPGkcn3pI_lMj6i1W_hpLdy85GqyevT8/s1600/IMG_5145.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bunads are expensive. Partly because everything is sewn/embroidered by hand, and partly because there is so much silver required. They range from around $2000-$10 000, depending on the design, fabric, embroidery, gold, silver, and accessories</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Unsurprisingly</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, i</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t's common to get your bunad insured. My bunad will likely be the most expensive thing I will ever have in my closet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI9ZgVJOcGEIcX54s4xWolfUjyCJB4GuXpaOzRkQJBN2FP4Dvfuu84mvFsc6OrpHwmJvpf75vak1ExXcesP4JPL0UCwvPbmKLBGBl4clr7DrITOa3mA72stcsSRAkM_VmhxZEJf8eVwo/s1600/IMG_5146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI9ZgVJOcGEIcX54s4xWolfUjyCJB4GuXpaOzRkQJBN2FP4Dvfuu84mvFsc6OrpHwmJvpf75vak1ExXcesP4JPL0UCwvPbmKLBGBl4clr7DrITOa3mA72stcsSRAkM_VmhxZEJf8eVwo/s1600/IMG_5146.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span><br />
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The accessories on the bunads are lovely. Lots of silver, a cape, and even these fun pilgram-looking shoes. It takes about 20 minutes to get everything put on correctly. I've needed assistance getting everything on correctly the two times I've worn mine. It's not easy getting everything right! You don't want to get caught wearing something wrong by the Bunad Police (i.e. old women who know exactly how everything is supposed to look). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPA96Ybk511j-OC9D5MXxfNy3X0g8HZaNis2LSBgzkOwmn6xrok3JHk4saHAn66dbq8pmfPWq1fgCKlxYMrwjVKboZgxkZp8GOBVLBT8WKQYV6fYKJVImIkFjw5dcwpd37QdDTfoNHzUQ/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The majority of the bunad is made of wool, and it is therefore very heavy. I hauled it as a carry on back and forth from Oslo - Tromsø last year, and several women stopped me at the airport offering their sympathy; "Oh, you poor thing. I know how heavy those bunads are!" Heavy is an understatement - </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I almost had to amputate my arms afterwards. It was worth it though. I couldn't miss an opportunity to wear my bunad! </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMILflqsV8UEwj-xJDv7RqqQW2Ls1CPOWo1Ngb-8VhQ3fYNrfxg7E2ydG0V__JLQ_2-jeshhm6D5H4OLqFSve9L6gwslowGcJ1z_ExCQQHsz3ljy6U5uZaXvjvuiX4Cj0tiD9_cvtauhc/s1600/IMG_3517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMILflqsV8UEwj-xJDv7RqqQW2Ls1CPOWo1Ngb-8VhQ3fYNrfxg7E2ydG0V__JLQ_2-jeshhm6D5H4OLqFSve9L6gwslowGcJ1z_ExCQQHsz3ljy6U5uZaXvjvuiX4Cj0tiD9_cvtauhc/s1600/IMG_3517.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Little Red Riding Hood-esque cape is probably my favorite part of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bunad</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bunads aren't just for women; men also have their own bunads. Here's my classmate, Lars Petter, in his recently acquired bunad. There's nothing like a handsome guy in a bunad (especially when he has a Norwegian flag stuck to his forehead). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Champagne brunches are also usually a part of the celebration. Lots of yummy food, great company, and lots of bubbly! A great start way to celebrate the nation, if you ask me. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 17th in 2012 in Drammen with Pernille and Helene</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjm1YjEGSzMEX-RBKa0qlzDM_u2ZmtnQcRpg2WHGQyT0oiUlQ5xFgJqtAo4L2f2Pq8qO19L2Ip690FitVt4tTCnJIbjq6w-tiDV8hRw4cZnsKhyiao3TmtZAPCVoSl7bm-1UWxT1nWdk/s640/blogger-image-1530594093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjm1YjEGSzMEX-RBKa0qlzDM_u2ZmtnQcRpg2WHGQyT0oiUlQ5xFgJqtAo4L2f2Pq8qO19L2Ip690FitVt4tTCnJIbjq6w-tiDV8hRw4cZnsKhyiao3TmtZAPCVoSl7bm-1UWxT1nWdk/s640/blogger-image-1530594093.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Champagne brunch at our place in Tromsø May 17th, 2013 </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you probably can tell by all the bunad talk and pictures, I'm missing my bunad and Norway quite a bit today. I spent this 17th of May in California, and it was very untraditional. No bunad, no champagne brunch, and no ice cream. I've just been running errands all day, trying to get things ready for my big brother's wedding. The big day is in a week, and time is running out to get everything done! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although this 17th of May was very untraditional, and I'm missing valuable bunad-wearing-time, I'm so happy to be here. I'm spending some quality time with my Mumsy before my Papa, soon-to-be-sister-in-law, and brother fly in to the city in a few days. It will be great to see them all again, too! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope everyone had a fabulous 17th of May wherever in the world you may be. Gratulerer med dagen! </span><br />
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Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-75635332267099665242014-05-16T21:12:00.002-07:002014-07-28T18:59:02.758-07:00Life after the infamous term paper.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday (Thursday) was great in every way. It was a full day of doing nothing even remotely stressful, and just hanging out with friends. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I slept in, and then met up with Anne to do some exploring in Newtown, a suburb south-west of Sydney CBD. There were lots of interesting shops there. Trinkets, books, funky things you didn't think you need until you saw it, and most importantly: secondhand clothes store. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpRNwsla6Xrdlt6o1hxb3AnpmNJtJulCxczC_S6k2PO-0In2NsVnrzDI1qrNMQOigXLzueJjesSAKuvYvHOAPM8qRZjPpKFJzTh6K_BO7u9QtJi3ZnEXanWjZwV1xprZ_b89rDMnyyrg/s1600/IMG_9604.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to get my OCD fix for the day before we began browsing</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmov8GWs-Iui1Paa8rkoURLa_Fz6RPKWUAULZIds9j9GZjiUv_1Sybqso7EK1JYkbz5zaWvRKcZWrF_Le3wHxJVEKH1k9M1hcMYdJrQGBOyKX9YYrsfIwO1vn4olNIsi19HyINy1ha5o/s1600/IMG_9605.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such a shame that Anne didn't buy this beautiful hat. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwp1v3nkodpmDBXu-qnZtbaKYtYN5EjkLvX8lWxn_zuIYNegWTvSnBMTNIhRIJzzgwx6TBl06NsuoKHbndIJ8VhTZwPyxKAJYXje2_LbfHUECXO6gSJJqCaGp4C2gU5m4ZWBaUu4ZuA0/s1600/IMG_9608.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is this a good hat for my brother's wedding, perhaps? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt3FIhASy8_fyzIAS1zAAjUlkxXS7TV8-F3Q11oACHFlnHmr3nbVF3Xr4PzmcFtk2C9FLTQsMb4GmvybD8JmJutG-3ZwmKZHJ5c7pUaCKZAk5HsRwSAWBUjAoGgF-MVNuHsCvb9IGyHw/s1600/IMG_9615.JPG" height="480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was so tempted to get a DIY Lamb for Isabelle. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My cousin, Jessica, studied in Sydney a while back. I was obsessed with cats when I was younger, and I remember she sent me a kitty sticker. I absolutely loved that sticker. It was a kitty AND it was pink. It didn't get much better than that. As Anne and I were walking around, we found a store with the exact same pink kitty. I wonder if this is where she got it? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxt-8Xzaa5Z3nh-R3leIsMCGspxpqvk1vw47Fo0d3X_5zNcPd_6miuei0HMKXulbITleqP1DvKaOhzWHXlpWdX0HSKG8mR2B-n1Rm_uBtH5ayj-crKyNuYMYGlE4wVEJO2BGQ4leNyy8/s1600/IMG_9618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxt-8Xzaa5Z3nh-R3leIsMCGspxpqvk1vw47Fo0d3X_5zNcPd_6miuei0HMKXulbITleqP1DvKaOhzWHXlpWdX0HSKG8mR2B-n1Rm_uBtH5ayj-crKyNuYMYGlE4wVEJO2BGQ4leNyy8/s1600/IMG_9618.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span><br />
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Anne, being the cool cat she is, was wearing an oh-so-cool pair of secondhand Levi's shorts. I've been wanting a pair of cool shorts myself, so that became our mission for the day. We passed all the stores that only sold new clothing; they weren't of any interest. We were looking for old treasures. After rummaging through a few stores with heaps of jeans from the 90's, trying on quite a few hideous pairs, and having lots of laughs, we finally found a pair of Levi's 501s for me. Mission accomplished! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAokSoLxtQIH70HTEwskKdJtH_HHvMOGGzeUFE-31zlb1hkhOxH_uqVES87b_HJghF8I2xtaErpaaIXCgJrB9g3DqpwQ1HviMuPaugdjwMJfc8WKNsrydSEra0Iozo66Jp8bTy_jfcqaM/s1600/IMG_9568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAokSoLxtQIH70HTEwskKdJtH_HHvMOGGzeUFE-31zlb1hkhOxH_uqVES87b_HJghF8I2xtaErpaaIXCgJrB9g3DqpwQ1HviMuPaugdjwMJfc8WKNsrydSEra0Iozo66Jp8bTy_jfcqaM/s1600/IMG_9568.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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After walking around for a few hours, we needed something to eat. We went to Janets's Pies on King Street for lunch. There I had my first ever meat pie. Nothing fancy; it's a common meal on the go. They're cheap, too! Only about $5. These hand-sized pies of goodness consist of lots of pie crust and largely diced or minced meat and gravy. I'm going to take a wild guess, and say that they aren't too healthy... It was delicious though! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HP4Va7wDR3o5NRfMJ8wkFBAxu6IRrHI_sMIDDdnLa0jlP-S8NmuP8lNNlbDupqK4I2TK879CQ0P6EWpbLAc3lNoGg-7D5IUcKGVZid-Zjk8FW3-Y3n2FRS6HEt_w4iqKRMfHvroqC3k/s1600/IMG_9616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HP4Va7wDR3o5NRfMJ8wkFBAxu6IRrHI_sMIDDdnLa0jlP-S8NmuP8lNNlbDupqK4I2TK879CQ0P6EWpbLAc3lNoGg-7D5IUcKGVZid-Zjk8FW3-Y3n2FRS6HEt_w4iqKRMfHvroqC3k/s1600/IMG_9616.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span><br />
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Walking around Newtown was so relaxing. There was nothing else we were supposed to be doing or had to get done. We didn't have a care in the world! Now that we only have three finals left, Anne and I have decided that we're going to spend more time exploring the city by just walking around different neighborhoods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later in the evening we met up with Anita, Isabelle, and Isabelle's friend who's visiting from Norway, Guro, at the Shangri La Hotel. This is a beautiful hotel located in the historic Rocks district that has a bar on the 36th floor, Blu Bar. Isabelle found it by chance while looking through pictures on Instagram. The view was breathtaking! We got a table right by the window, and had an unbelievable view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and Darling Harbour. As we sat there, sipping our exetremely overpriced white wine, I again got a rush of gratitude that I am studying abroad in such a gorgeous city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g6Oo9isfcjBrl-4DIiynwKNjAQnz0lbdN4AODL3jUvZxxk4cQfi1eR6UuJEMBJkdiUl9jNXbbsA-Cb68ahFX4NaUlQOZLlGxM31GvePjcDWcwwHe8fFGkZAN-pEWwigzEpegLDeannk/s1600/IMG_9558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g6Oo9isfcjBrl-4DIiynwKNjAQnz0lbdN4AODL3jUvZxxk4cQfi1eR6UuJEMBJkdiUl9jNXbbsA-Cb68ahFX4NaUlQOZLlGxM31GvePjcDWcwwHe8fFGkZAN-pEWwigzEpegLDeannk/s1600/IMG_9558.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoZcHeXARyE2vOdC_U1euRS0CE4ewr3axaDSwJwyHZ3SGrmAoWYB86JUSJawOE7g1mZRy6Zp_Z1b1onlohV_okpy1TjtUpNeMkfVLkGOGSBCYi-PVHXGnMUwXkILNyJiMMCuD6omVnXU/s1600/IMG_9623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoZcHeXARyE2vOdC_U1euRS0CE4ewr3axaDSwJwyHZ3SGrmAoWYB86JUSJawOE7g1mZRy6Zp_Z1b1onlohV_okpy1TjtUpNeMkfVLkGOGSBCYi-PVHXGnMUwXkILNyJiMMCuD6omVnXU/s1600/IMG_9623.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Blu Bar opens at 5pm. If you want to see the sunset, and get good seats, you need to be there a little before it opens. I can't believe we hadn't been there before. We will definitely be going back!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkms9uc4ABugpQ5p6LpuR-V8-SwuYjxTmvn-xBc_UeaSk_dsKahJDz_3Z8v6xusBJNf4vtwIZIWDqu5kMVrLMKy93hM5OGC9veUiBQ4O0UbZMPt7DmQcPHzCMOT4lovCZf6iiUWCdGrtY/s1600/IMG_9566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkms9uc4ABugpQ5p6LpuR-V8-SwuYjxTmvn-xBc_UeaSk_dsKahJDz_3Z8v6xusBJNf4vtwIZIWDqu5kMVrLMKy93hM5OGC9veUiBQ4O0UbZMPt7DmQcPHzCMOT4lovCZf6iiUWCdGrtY/s1600/IMG_9566.JPG" height="290" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning (Friday) was pretty uneventful. Just did some last few things before heading to the airport. I looked like a little pack-rat with my overstuffed 55L big backpack, another overstuffed smaller backpack, and my somewhat overstuffed purse. It was a pain getting to the airport with all of this, but it was worth it. In addition to all the gifts for the family, I brought everything I won't be needing for the remaining time of the semester so my dad can bring it directly to Norway for me. Sweet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPFTsU-C4N2aNqqM7Y51mqe9YizYQq4WLsNSu6UyX99mLED670WC5iGoE3Ha1LAwHkyucpBcEfUVMCA2HxrpNSq9WlSSp86HTLb9wYLHUP0Zn0I7lcqsJne8NBxA1lNIJ4ODvtQYwEg8/s640/blogger-image--1326010116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPFTsU-C4N2aNqqM7Y51mqe9YizYQq4WLsNSu6UyX99mLED670WC5iGoE3Ha1LAwHkyucpBcEfUVMCA2HxrpNSq9WlSSp86HTLb9wYLHUP0Zn0I7lcqsJne8NBxA1lNIJ4ODvtQYwEg8/s640/blogger-image--1326010116.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was (obviously) not looking forward to spending over half a day up in the air, but the 14 hour and 40 minute flight went surprisingly well. We did have a good 2 hours of massive turbulence, where everyone (even the flight attendants) had to be seated. But guess what? We survived! Everything went well. Fear of flying is so irrational. </span><br />
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I watched Finding Nemo for the billionth time to make the time go by. It's one of those movies I can watch again, and again, and again. I must say, it was a lot more fun watching it after visiting the Great Barrier Reef. I've seen lots of the coral and sea life in real life! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite part of that movie is when Marlin and Dory are near Sydney, but are a little lost. Dory insists on asking a little fellow off in the distance for directions. The "little fellow" turns out to be a whale. "Didn't that sound a little orca-ish?" </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hilarious!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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My Mumsy came and picked me up at LAX. For some reason, I was feeling unusually awake and alert. I think I was just so excited about being off the plane, on solid ground, and to finally be in California. I haven't driven in about 5 months (aside from New Zealand), I drove back to her house. Felt good to be behind the wheel again - especially on the correct side of the road! </span><br />
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I've managed to stay awake since I got here. Sooo tired and jetlagged. It's 9:11pm right now. That's a good time to go to bed, right? Oh, yes, it definitely is.</span><br />
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Goodnight from California! </span><br />
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Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-34875921739917553422014-05-14T10:19:00.002-07:002014-07-28T18:50:27.072-07:00Oh, happy day! <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ladies and gentlemen, I am FINALLY done with my term paper. You have all had to endure me talking, writing, complaining, and stressing about the ambiguous "Huge Norwegian Term Paper" for the past 5 months, and I am now done. My 20-page paper "The Effects of Being Visibly Different: A Look at Individuals with Cleft Lip and/or Palate" has been sent in to UiT, and is out of my hands. I'm so happy to be done with it. I'm sure you guys will appreciate not having to hear me talk about it, too! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIi7azA1kz0r29ydG6L6bzRBSuVQYcsVUOVXjIvMWBRAU6WWECkp5nnZvM0ymwmIMFCTwXTWoO2CedH8UoGa2FAIfv6vqC8gqNa0RKgcQF9aaxXQ2tGRLrqB5d9sw3NERduZwXPf7oIe4/s640/blogger-image--1509604785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIi7azA1kz0r29ydG6L6bzRBSuVQYcsVUOVXjIvMWBRAU6WWECkp5nnZvM0ymwmIMFCTwXTWoO2CedH8UoGa2FAIfv6vqC8gqNa0RKgcQF9aaxXQ2tGRLrqB5d9sw3NERduZwXPf7oIe4/s640/blogger-image--1509604785.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a beautiful day to finally turn in my term paper.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today has been quite the productive day. After sending off my term paper, I got started on a business report for Organizational Psychology. I quickly realized that I had no clue what I was doing, so I went home and started packing for my trip to California instead. When in doubt, procrastinate a little, right? After a bit of packing (and a two hour glorious nap), I finally got back to the paper. It was only an 800-word paper, but it was trickier than I had anticipated. Our task was to convey the results of a psychology research study in a manner that was accessible and applicable to a business audience. Not my cup of tea! </span><br />
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Anywho... My goal was to get all my school work done before the time I left for California, so I wouldn't have to worry about assignments, lectures, or quizzes. I'm happy to say that I succeeded. I didn't think it was going to happen, but everything on my to do list has been crossed off. All academic work is completed, my room is clean, my backpack is packed, and I'm ready for departure on Friday. This is a happy day, indeed! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHvhT8EKscjEo-NBGhthti5qbIcXgoL-lNwGzJboOBTDIT1vBYVWG1kYDKG1uRRTSFTUn_PVcZhkigMbkvdl3G39Kx0PBxHkNQZcmIcmhCvtZ50DNxSIIUO-WkwOSfEPnzPqCQ_REtXo/s640/blogger-image--208285043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHvhT8EKscjEo-NBGhthti5qbIcXgoL-lNwGzJboOBTDIT1vBYVWG1kYDKG1uRRTSFTUn_PVcZhkigMbkvdl3G39Kx0PBxHkNQZcmIcmhCvtZ50DNxSIIUO-WkwOSfEPnzPqCQ_REtXo/s640/blogger-image--208285043.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A friend lent me his luggage scale, and to my surprise, my extremely overstuffed backpack isn't overweight</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of happy... I came across this video yesterday, and I just have to share it with you. It put a smile on my face while I was completing seemingly hopeless task. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! </span></div>
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Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-63723916806300961002014-05-11T06:18:00.003-07:002014-07-28T18:47:13.276-07:00Uluru: A weekend in the Australian Outback<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend's adventure went to the huge red rock in the middle of the Australian Outback. Isabelle, Devan, Sydney and I hopped on a plane and went to Uluru (also officially known as Ayers Rock) from Friday to Sunday (May 9th - 11th). This is one of Australia's most impressive landmarks, and with good reason... It was amazing! </span><br />
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Uluru is a holy place for the Anangu tribe of Aboriginal people in Australia who have been in the area for about 10 000 years, and is located in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Teritory Outback. The remarkable rock is approximately 600 million years old. It stands 348meters/1142feet high, and has a total circumference of 9.4km/5.8miles. Interestingly, most of the bulk of the rock is underground. The rock is listed as both a natural site and a cultural site on the World Heritage list.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Uluru was indeed beautiful, and worth a visit. We saw it when the sun rose, during the day, and when the sun set. The sight of the rock morphing from a red terracotta hue into a more violet and blue color was spectacular. </span></span>I never thought I could be so excited about seeing a rock, but I was pretty excited (which, to the others' annoyance, I proclaimed approximately 37 times throughout the weekend). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6af2czsdyMYkDHClv30iafS26YRWM4yWidhgKQ1UBxng_PWx7Nx9GJrxTGGnA0HzLKn989efBeagTvJk2NeUAIguYZsIZkJwxfSwAsChYD4x_bfZ6D7qwsbnQ6vLLmOoDoNTKHU8fZA/s1600/IMG_9520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6af2czsdyMYkDHClv30iafS26YRWM4yWidhgKQ1UBxng_PWx7Nx9GJrxTGGnA0HzLKn989efBeagTvJk2NeUAIguYZsIZkJwxfSwAsChYD4x_bfZ6D7qwsbnQ6vLLmOoDoNTKHU8fZA/s1600/IMG_9520.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the 3 hour direct flight from Sydney to the Ayers Rock airport, we were picked up by the complimentary shuttle and driven to our living quarters. Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara has monopoly over accommodation, food outlets, and other services in the area near Uluru. Though there was only one area to chose to stay in, there were a few different accommodation options (all at somewhat inflated prices). We chose to stay in a four bed dorm at the Outback Pioneer & Lodge. At $40 per person per night, this was our cheapest option. Well, except for staying in a tent on the camping grounds. The room was actually quite nice, and we enjoyed ourselves here. Nice and clean! </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXHkjV8Mn5x24dGB_AnAXK1Wg2Ih5rFOUE_ARIMT6nbFKvQaOXZwZJljC1mIYq65qE3MnM9DWwa9TqaOyyNs72g6P7ZaedgShJxRCw8eT4dBX3L2zzReg-_MYCwv0mknXMuzMIQpQmwk/s1600/IMG_9523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXHkjV8Mn5x24dGB_AnAXK1Wg2Ih5rFOUE_ARIMT6nbFKvQaOXZwZJljC1mIYq65qE3MnM9DWwa9TqaOyyNs72g6P7ZaedgShJxRCw8eT4dBX3L2zzReg-_MYCwv0mknXMuzMIQpQmwk/s1600/IMG_9523.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We arrived in the afternoon on Friday, so we had a bit of time to explore the Ayers Rock Resort our first day. Lots of different restaurants, souvenir shops, and even a grocery store. We went up to the viewing platform near the Outback Pioneer & Lodge, and watched the sun set. It was spectacular. There were lots of clouds in the sky, so the rays created a beautiful mosaic of colors. We had an early start the next morning, so we headed to bed at a decent hour (i.e. we were in bed by 9:30pm). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalcg1Aj05IQXlhUUGCBvEWfAR-pL9HBBxWYoSnPqJzE4yzrc-dLjQ3pGPJ81W5kiRc0NckVp4JRGGkXgeH5pTBBG6aEhZ3EUvlCdGSyKP_DNACn-1jvzIvbH2X_SyHoMLxaV8ZUSoVlk/s1600/IMG_9476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalcg1Aj05IQXlhUUGCBvEWfAR-pL9HBBxWYoSnPqJzE4yzrc-dLjQ3pGPJ81W5kiRc0NckVp4JRGGkXgeH5pTBBG6aEhZ3EUvlCdGSyKP_DNACn-1jvzIvbH2X_SyHoMLxaV8ZUSoVlk/s1600/IMG_9476.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doesn't the sky almost look fake? This pictures wasn't edited the least bit. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QqPEQP_OLOKfCre2TimgxMrti8JVc7yICoqzaygsH25vFymJDWBinCdJw-hSHHKWwPhIG1TpEh-Fr8oe5ZdEqwWbP8uieZobIEq-7RIFVCITRRPZzvQAEe3P6nSuG0BHIuRVhki3QVU/s1600/IMG_9475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QqPEQP_OLOKfCre2TimgxMrti8JVc7yICoqzaygsH25vFymJDWBinCdJw-hSHHKWwPhIG1TpEh-Fr8oe5ZdEqwWbP8uieZobIEq-7RIFVCITRRPZzvQAEe3P6nSuG0BHIuRVhki3QVU/s1600/IMG_9475.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Uluru during sunset </span></td></tr>
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We booked a guided walk a tour company named SEIT. For a whopping $149 we would be guided around the base of Uluru for approx 14km/8.7miles. In addition, we had to pay the $25 entrance fee to get in to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Little did we know, we could've rented a car, driven to the park, and walked around by ourselves. We would've saved so much money! That being said, we did enjoy the guided tour, and learned a lot more than we would have by just walking around ourselves. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2xDxK_iHwJZteRxOsJWjqag7STyL1sIKRuNi9hRrHDMaOszzB7wsCgng15wg1d1dO04xtdUw0wQ2SMUfAMfAE0CXJxUmj0wOZPVXUePOrKfdVXORAuLHtTHQqyONxUreM3OfIduvRHY/s1600/IMG_9480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2xDxK_iHwJZteRxOsJWjqag7STyL1sIKRuNi9hRrHDMaOszzB7wsCgng15wg1d1dO04xtdUw0wQ2SMUfAMfAE0CXJxUmj0wOZPVXUePOrKfdVXORAuLHtTHQqyONxUreM3OfIduvRHY/s1600/IMG_9480.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Our guide for the day, Danny, really made our walk enjoyable. Don't be fooled by the name Danny; she was a girl (so no guide-crush for us this trip). We were joined by 6 other people on the walk: Christina and Marc (originally from the US, but currently living in Beijing), Susanne and Steve who were visiting their daughter Casey (who had studied abroad in Cairns this past semester), and Susan (Danny's mom). Danny originally had the day off because her mom was visiting from Adelaide, but she was asked to work because of high tour demand. It was a great way for her mom to see her in action. At the end of the tour, we asked Susan how she thought her daughter did, and with a big smile on her face she exclaimed "I'm so proud!". We could see Danny's reflection in the rearview mirror; she had tears in her eyes when her mom said that. We all missed our own mothers that day quite a bit. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCyVlSewZjweTGuOVcmHCk1y2mKyH1Xd2zUdMC5HrwKAZJILfz4-Xbk41rGNj_gmnUmAo2wGZiawlWgFZeL-49zP6GvO91eagIDvJInLn_HBUxdq152jkWCRjJU-s_V4n45GpCUxODTA/s640/blogger-image--1573472369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCyVlSewZjweTGuOVcmHCk1y2mKyH1Xd2zUdMC5HrwKAZJILfz4-Xbk41rGNj_gmnUmAo2wGZiawlWgFZeL-49zP6GvO91eagIDvJInLn_HBUxdq152jkWCRjJU-s_V4n45GpCUxODTA/s640/blogger-image--1573472369.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Mother's Day, Mumsy! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our tour started before the crack of dawn (5:45am), so we could see the sunrise. We were anticipating a beautiful, beaming sun peering out from the the horizon as we started our walk in the pitch black. Unfortunately, there were way too many clouds in the sky for us to see anything, so no gorgeous sunrise for us. Oh well... </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqauVG9bjaNQFIf_eTmuCVxHS0gqf7p7dyu6ztKWlpaq9NdIkIvuLJmTTLklR798_qE-d3qItP8vBomToVyzk1Lj_Iab0lhYKgyV2CtzZ6IhipGC2SszpxTtCoo79y4_54f6cUCXruw8/s1600/IMG_9484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqauVG9bjaNQFIf_eTmuCVxHS0gqf7p7dyu6ztKWlpaq9NdIkIvuLJmTTLklR798_qE-d3qItP8vBomToVyzk1Lj_Iab0lhYKgyV2CtzZ6IhipGC2SszpxTtCoo79y4_54f6cUCXruw8/s1600/IMG_9484.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So many non-cooperative clouds</span></td></tr>
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Despite not seeing a beautiful sunrise, we did see many other beautiful things along the way: caves, paintings, sandstone folds, and geological abrasions. The red color of Uluru is due to the high iron content in the rock which has resulted in surface oxidation. In areas where the surface hasn't oxidized, the rock looks more gray. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6JYPfv1FZRElr-etbIoBZ2DjYWQOhDOJZdG6fKbb23yVvc3qBbEYhiEUC57NgmT7PdN_muyyYpDdjnRioKeHwvYpN4yVXyraq0NvtJUlWdDIWKMikdHdIKIN3zBeVUFZn5PH8kX02No/s640/blogger-image--1106773388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: start;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6JYPfv1FZRElr-etbIoBZ2DjYWQOhDOJZdG6fKbb23yVvc3qBbEYhiEUC57NgmT7PdN_muyyYpDdjnRioKeHwvYpN4yVXyraq0NvtJUlWdDIWKMikdHdIKIN3zBeVUFZn5PH8kX02No/s640/blogger-image--1106773388.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqajr7yBu6xL5OXqsbs-qq43yOl3ejU6KO6q2CBTEX2-9EkAzguPUbaIvQfPttrdlWg9CRcWT85Z2ELSztxq_DtxfKjn50eEg-9lkPd7-p7YD22CuqMAcqfzeGOVNKtMJR4l_YDksdGtw/s1600/IMG_9489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqajr7yBu6xL5OXqsbs-qq43yOl3ejU6KO6q2CBTEX2-9EkAzguPUbaIvQfPttrdlWg9CRcWT85Z2ELSztxq_DtxfKjn50eEg-9lkPd7-p7YD22CuqMAcqfzeGOVNKtMJR4l_YDksdGtw/s1600/IMG_9489.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nmBBbF7GJ0VcCqOH3nlk8DdUPOg2xm9L7DolfdGKuS1R3jBfxXB0Z-WiojOA4NQWgibhmowsfVETTXXIJ4r2pwwBcQibbjFwhIYiYVJeBtANz8ewevixqIwWVFqc6Cz0EgxZKoCXCEI/s1600/IMG_9503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_nmBBbF7GJ0VcCqOH3nlk8DdUPOg2xm9L7DolfdGKuS1R3jBfxXB0Z-WiojOA4NQWgibhmowsfVETTXXIJ4r2pwwBcQibbjFwhIYiYVJeBtANz8ewevixqIwWVFqc6Cz0EgxZKoCXCEI/s1600/IMG_9503.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VAtRDxsVF5mb6jPcL_o8HtVh-3xdT75fibxOAQxFIFMKPLOVE_M2KZGG0_Z8zhH24G4qavRJtspElVZFbR2B_UeEmxPt-yp-uDbum1k6bTelU8QGJJ_rDF8ga3x-Pej9Z8t8I_yJIjI/s1600/IMG_9506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VAtRDxsVF5mb6jPcL_o8HtVh-3xdT75fibxOAQxFIFMKPLOVE_M2KZGG0_Z8zhH24G4qavRJtspElVZFbR2B_UeEmxPt-yp-uDbum1k6bTelU8QGJJ_rDF8ga3x-Pej9Z8t8I_yJIjI/s1600/IMG_9506.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYFUSK5nlDXhwb8Enz9IwKXXVEcy_FqXYIoCu4WDD1Q9r76kWtheyVKKhHEqkI2mS-Mp4SuSUksB-r1ffX7-5wdkc9UJK-79Hp7qyLsGgADr5tqHc7PoeaWwgLXDm0AOYllfSIIkZCTk/s1600/IMG_9499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYFUSK5nlDXhwb8Enz9IwKXXVEcy_FqXYIoCu4WDD1Q9r76kWtheyVKKhHEqkI2mS-Mp4SuSUksB-r1ffX7-5wdkc9UJK-79Hp7qyLsGgADr5tqHc7PoeaWwgLXDm0AOYllfSIIkZCTk/s1600/IMG_9499.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During periods of high rainfall, waterfalls appear from many different areas around the rock. The massive black stains on the rock is algae growing along the path left from the waterfalls. The organisms are living evidence of storms from the past. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B01ftjXqrZcakQBFpBXlnPGy74ucgPnck4fCUxuKaPYQrCOJQeAPXC3NzIUbG5-Xp1cwDS8G40Wvtbvdy1_IKbM-0SZNNwYNigS86TlEvxLlTmvnrDVTzpBsUKvm_2K8DXyYKFrwblM/s1600/IMG_9498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B01ftjXqrZcakQBFpBXlnPGy74ucgPnck4fCUxuKaPYQrCOJQeAPXC3NzIUbG5-Xp1cwDS8G40Wvtbvdy1_IKbM-0SZNNwYNigS86TlEvxLlTmvnrDVTzpBsUKvm_2K8DXyYKFrwblM/s1600/IMG_9498.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heart shaped cave </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMU-_GlZPaq9QAVGeL8Rz9sff_fOQat5DZQ61EN6VoUmVHenoRHllkrRB_UeHu_NPGz9NhN0p85thIEfcJ33bF-GQQfuSimedyNDe5IttAc9sPiCL1uCSM3Ur5gIPmBQL3geoO1SqLfE/s1600/IMG_9525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We didn't see much wildlife on our walk except for a few interesting caterpillars and birds. Oh, and flies. There were tons and tons of flies. They were nosy little flies, too! They flew in your eyes, month, and nose. They flew everywhere, and were so annoying! After a mere hour of walking around on Friday, we quickly realized that we wouldn't be able to go on the base walk without some fly protection (hence our fashionable hats with nets). </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1cSztbr-YodTvpUNJ6QjN2k5tbGDnHo0T2bA1b2koxQFy1jKit895d9b-f29grY5OvsfStJss9M8-0410blIfLzc3M1pGFcWHhe8mV7x2wGzyH9SolJ_pkgdDBwhXuA80-zr8YzINGY/s1600/IMG_9510+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1cSztbr-YodTvpUNJ6QjN2k5tbGDnHo0T2bA1b2koxQFy1jKit895d9b-f29grY5OvsfStJss9M8-0410blIfLzc3M1pGFcWHhe8mV7x2wGzyH9SolJ_pkgdDBwhXuA80-zr8YzINGY/s1600/IMG_9510+2.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney, Isabelle, myself and Devan in our nifty hats.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzyvk-VmFyF-VrndWc3ymmfu_kif_24arqC-VlgH8Tn5iOxewzT_1h8zIs14U_9HrnI16MaUPkX-bZZVm3PtaRFbovuXpyW8HTwJKWJOs029w7B7e_fmr8F2pkBFiBF2mxgWjC8D-Zg0/s1600/IMG_9494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzyvk-VmFyF-VrndWc3ymmfu_kif_24arqC-VlgH8Tn5iOxewzT_1h8zIs14U_9HrnI16MaUPkX-bZZVm3PtaRFbovuXpyW8HTwJKWJOs029w7B7e_fmr8F2pkBFiBF2mxgWjC8D-Zg0/s1600/IMG_9494.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heaps of flies. Yuck. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7w6pCBr2PY9XOQqm8LxpZugKARNVt2bGxW7K-doSl5ZvYfH3zLGJCDqltkFR44ZheaNiDjpvRzTsldge87-P3q6IievwFsF-oDr6NYtwXTdN_BZQnv_0qDLKEFySPzb8VUh5jktTE6M/s1600/IMG_9491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7w6pCBr2PY9XOQqm8LxpZugKARNVt2bGxW7K-doSl5ZvYfH3zLGJCDqltkFR44ZheaNiDjpvRzTsldge87-P3q6IievwFsF-oDr6NYtwXTdN_BZQnv_0qDLKEFySPzb8VUh5jktTE6M/s1600/IMG_9491.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ferocious caterpillar with spikes.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were back to our hotel by 12pm, so we had lots of time to enjoy the rest of the day. We walked around, stopped at a few of the shops, and ate at lunch at one of the restaurants. I wasn't feeling the greatest, so I ended up having to stay in our room for the remaining hours of the day. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWd-57hO_QHU0tSVSMJM9N9PlJQE0RmnYyu32Z_YNJh4SjIPrGlMWRolllOwRK2unvSJYXUZK74OJWL-Vuirq8yG_dg9okt95UbwPhC5QjlsW-RNsBLSy3NGS2CvUhP47YD542havhIg/s640/blogger-image--1182425440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWd-57hO_QHU0tSVSMJM9N9PlJQE0RmnYyu32Z_YNJh4SjIPrGlMWRolllOwRK2unvSJYXUZK74OJWL-Vuirq8yG_dg9okt95UbwPhC5QjlsW-RNsBLSy3NGS2CvUhP47YD542havhIg/s640/blogger-image--1182425440.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're thinking that going all the way to the middle of nowhere to see one rock is a little excessive, I have some good news for you. While in the area, you can also visit MORE rocks: the Kata Tjuta (also known as The Olgas). We were thinking about renting a car for the Sunday and driving out, but opted not to because of financial reasons. We still have another month and a half in Australia, and we have to make sure we'll be able to eat something (other than Ramen noodles) for the remaining part of our semester. We made do with one big rock this weekend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next morning (Sunday), Devan and I woke up early for a second attempt at seeing a beautiful sunrise. As we were walking up to the viewing platform, we had high hopes. There weren't too may clouds in the horizon. But alas, this time the trees were the ones being uncooperative, and they blocked a majority of our view. We caught a few glimpses of the sun though. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our flight back to Sydney left in the afternoon, so we really only had time to have breakfast and stop by a few places to do some last minute shopping before heading to the airport. We got home to Sydney a few hours ago. Time to get to bed. Long day of tutorials and term paper writing ahead of me tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-43991888080673624822014-05-05T07:04:00.001-07:002014-07-28T18:35:42.653-07:00Coogee to Bondi: A Fabulous Way to Spend a Sunday<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone" - Pablo Picasso</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this quote by Pablo Picasso because it emphasizes a certain sense of urgency to spend your time wisely. Don't put off things until tomorrow because you may not have another tomorrow. Why do something later, when you can do it <i>now</i>? I very much enjoy doing things right away. By doing things right away, there's one less thing to have to write down and remember to do (I'm quite forgetful). Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things I put off doing right away. I have perfected the art of procrastination in some areas. I've managed to procrastinate finishing my Norwegian term paper for months now (yikes, the deadline is creeping up!). For some reason, I don't have an urgent need to finish that in case of no more tomorrows! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week was busy, and there were lots of things to get done. I would like to say that everything on my aforementioned to do list has been completed, but alas... It is about the same as when I first wrote it. By the time I cross something out, I realize there are a few more things that need to be added. Oh well, it will all get done by the time I get on the flight to LA. Slow and steady wins the race, right? </span></div>
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I can't tell you how excited I am to see everyone in California. Only 11 more days! Coming back to Sydney after two weeks of glorious, action-packed vacation has been somewhat anticlimactic. Having HEAPS to do and little motivation to do any of it is just kind of... Meh. </span><br />
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To combat the meh-ness, I figured I had to put in some fun things on my to do list as well. The Bondi - Coogee walk is a scenic cliff top coastal walk that extends for 6km/3.7miles in Sydney's Eastern suburbs. It's about a two hour walk with a steady pace without too many stops. I've been wanting to do this all since I got to Sydney, but just haven't found the right opportunity. I find it strange how the activities that are within relatively close proximity aren't always prioritized. One figures that there'll be time later to do it, and then suddenly, there isn't any time left and it's time to go back home. Opportunity missed! </span><br />
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There's no better time than the present, and I wanted to make sure that this wasn't something that made the Oh-I-wish-I-got-around-to-doing-that-list. I checked out the weather forecast for the weekend, saw that Sunday (May 4th) was going to be nice, so I typed in "Bondi - Coogee walk" in my iCal. I was happy to discover that a few of my friends also wanted to escape the monotonous, dull surroundings of the Macquarie Library for the day. Hurray for having company! </span><br />
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Yesterday, Kiefer (from Canada), Jackie (from the US), and Steve (from Czech Republic), and I took the bus from Macquarie to Coogee. Kiefer likes to think that we left at the crack of dawn, but it was really quite late: 9am (he wanted to leave at 10am, and I initially wanted to leave at 7am, so we had to compromise). I guess leaving at 7am would've been a tidbit early... It was Sunday after all. After two bus rides and a quick stop at the Rip Curl store, we arrived Coogee Beach. At first, we were somewhat confused. Were we really at Coogee Beach? It was just like a mini version of Bondi! It was a beautiful place to start our walk. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMsMgNJw-kZGAO1SccSx_8dRGJ0D1MsvlQ10u0Crku-1TBAckXKOC18VJHbod9_I3QUhq7FnbUPlvH25RIabgTTxnXEsNIXe4lI5WicAfVhfMOnSpBLo8dO6eL1pI0hB8TjWh7YlMrkg/s1600/IMG_9309.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coogee Beach </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJib_ccnNsCO39V_e7u-M2rlqdImGRPqWy_AP-RRDuZqh21UJMH0p-nNllMcVDLZs00gGJjJ4pwwvETPYLvAGSVsjv1i19n6Z_ifjBOR2X2ovEd9nQO-LquBeKRr12V3sdo-66Hytov8o/s1600/IMG_9311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJib_ccnNsCO39V_e7u-M2rlqdImGRPqWy_AP-RRDuZqh21UJMH0p-nNllMcVDLZs00gGJjJ4pwwvETPYLvAGSVsjv1i19n6Z_ifjBOR2X2ovEd9nQO-LquBeKRr12V3sdo-66Hytov8o/s1600/IMG_9311.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our route went from Coogee to Bondi (we decided to only walk one way instead of back and forth). Lots of beaches and bays along the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuBle2Wd6u0cRLNlFIcC7m8URci8u99pXdHNndwtUaY-i611o61rUl547HUGtEUrWdIiz7XLEesN9-z6ycDJOi48aXmIUJfGH-ZZjQB7xUhU10WB_9iZWEhxcTBFtDtTOE0H3BDcPsfQ/s1600/Bondi+-+Coogee.gif" height="400" width="282" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a paved walkway the whole way, but you could also walk along the cliffs by the fence. Being the adventurists that we are, we chose the latter. I wondered how a 6km/3.7mile walk could take 2 hours (average walking pace is typically around 6km/hour). We quickly realized that part of the reason for this was because of all the gorgeous views that you have to stop and take in. In addition, there were some ups and downs on the walk (in terms of incline - the four of us remained friends the whole day). The walk was well posted, and I'd say everyone with an average fitness level could do it. Nothing too strenuous. </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some places required a little climbing though (if you decide to not go on the paved walkway).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQxPEPFk7LLQcz18jj5ryxDQc_obe9MPi4theG1ba77YSDgkGZTkSfHc6A2Vw2kw8qpuw_sh2LLG2SS5pg3USb2JVdpacfivs3NUM1LkIj-I22FO2Ck62BzRdOUo72dUClxIvWS7Q4Ww/s1600/IMG_9394.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were so many beautiful and interesting rock formations along the way. They weren't your average rock formations either. Lots of different shades of colors, shapes, and textures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Qa5-g3xWzgl2zb36y9qMBM0zL6AS8zLcE8sNf6arIAK74gu9TJMfj5olaozR8m_Ke79sbz8HcEudMF4ZvIMrjSRmx97qqQYvvZf0sJov7kmk1C5T8d0d8mcRocAI1x-7Nf0UKLPz48k/s1600/IMG_9322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Qa5-g3xWzgl2zb36y9qMBM0zL6AS8zLcE8sNf6arIAK74gu9TJMfj5olaozR8m_Ke79sbz8HcEudMF4ZvIMrjSRmx97qqQYvvZf0sJov7kmk1C5T8d0d8mcRocAI1x-7Nf0UKLPz48k/s1600/IMG_9322.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of people had etched their names, proclamations of love, and other random things into the more porous, sand-like rocks. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7I660gyARhcGG-4PPE_tA1nb1tnL1REUhVweGgtK6RXz8FmAEGVNpmz4I7KMX4njLM9H_YQ3L0wVIobnAsrpwVM-YfC34t30rhB9H970sGymvBj_EGEXIv7dvLOv-uOpQ5l0wX-nHeSQ/s1600/IMG_9319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7I660gyARhcGG-4PPE_tA1nb1tnL1REUhVweGgtK6RXz8FmAEGVNpmz4I7KMX4njLM9H_YQ3L0wVIobnAsrpwVM-YfC34t30rhB9H970sGymvBj_EGEXIv7dvLOv-uOpQ5l0wX-nHeSQ/s1600/IMG_9319.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We carefully crept along the side of a few cliffs to explore the gorgeous views from another angle. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxe49i2suF8SwKV19eUAizRETz2-jQmzGGbY8HUNJR4qfOB6Ol7LM36vUTnq-PW0Hi8Ay__emvtuKQIdaZnAnoohVI3lsTSSurT6vOJFCfzk_vRnqzPiguHTqgEVk21Zqi5zPoAi8kwE/s1600/DSCN1832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxe49i2suF8SwKV19eUAizRETz2-jQmzGGbY8HUNJR4qfOB6Ol7LM36vUTnq-PW0Hi8Ay__emvtuKQIdaZnAnoohVI3lsTSSurT6vOJFCfzk_vRnqzPiguHTqgEVk21Zqi5zPoAi8kwE/s1600/DSCN1832.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The water was especially gorgeous yesterday. There were so many beautiful shades of blue. In the distance we saw shades of deep blues, while closer to shore were shades of greens, teals, and turquoise. At times, my Asics matched the water perfectly. </span></div>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ro6_mGVEA24qnhtXTrMKYpqlgDZDbty03zqk7rciH19r8nS5zkhQHtrni8NBJQLH2OmnQznDCEnhoC8IVADc-K2HlcLwE5f-H9nV6X-Nd08fde3XtQiDr5oeZaTeGXqDriPpUB7bTXo/s1600/IMG_9421.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long way down </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVa-4N-HDNlD_iOSQLcKhyphenhyphennVKmR04OLCi7ohzjQo4YUfY1Jmzls54mXOhjHhV3OolWEhKOyfWW_795l5FD62DImganxUCqUwcbZ38eLaWI2b4O_wUumTe3VymsbWRktEI5wndTFQpPUw/s1600/IMG_9418.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About a minute later I got away from this cliff area. It was a little freaky sitting on the edge. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7c4_K1k8XAjJRxuZpVPzmANZe7vML6aXMvzWqrCw79cVTPdMsIj604tOcFClqKpSslUnvJhJCyLFNPNk-W13ISUOxprsygvs1JTSJgFGPha__yScp5kwGeZ9AEe0E9AEPtkcikLNiL4/s1600/IMG_9315.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn't want to end up like the person on the danger sign </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not quite sure where he suddenly got the idea, but Kiefer wanted to do reenact a scene from Disney's "The Little Mermaid". He wanted to pose like Ariel with the waves crushing behind him. After passing Gordons Bay, we found just the right spot to make his wish come true. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrmJ5Mj-qepwsfKFTd5GqkT6-sb7rLzz0m-PFLzj83H2DhnsmaPCq6tGhPLMIp-5lyv_Q1W3vRUu5YvZ59J5lR5MOU_T4BuaDisyEDPCrLViZ1tHXq2lJ4PmeXLkPKh91H9dZv7oeB1A/s1600/ariel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrmJ5Mj-qepwsfKFTd5GqkT6-sb7rLzz0m-PFLzj83H2DhnsmaPCq6tGhPLMIp-5lyv_Q1W3vRUu5YvZ59J5lR5MOU_T4BuaDisyEDPCrLViZ1tHXq2lJ4PmeXLkPKh91H9dZv7oeB1A/s1600/ariel.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite Kiefer's hair color being more brown than red, his attire not being quite as scandalous as the purple sea shell bra, and the fact that he certainly isn't a mermaid (or merman?), I thought his picture turned out great. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50MYFsK1GAr-3CmULKvTya842ipQ87htvOJAEkZX4DGQJGaKApxu94rTjNxmFXFyEG3R_gJd9slT_kWMVrEiM7qEybW_MpUBTAwWYhRA2_gDABqvbBvlR1qhk7yVs6x1QEV0FwFldwdo/s1600/IMG_9350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50MYFsK1GAr-3CmULKvTya842ipQ87htvOJAEkZX4DGQJGaKApxu94rTjNxmFXFyEG3R_gJd9slT_kWMVrEiM7qEybW_MpUBTAwWYhRA2_gDABqvbBvlR1qhk7yVs6x1QEV0FwFldwdo/s1600/IMG_9350.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jackie and I liked his idea so much that we also wanted to do our own mermaid picture. Steve, on the other hand, didn't feel the need to channel his inner Ariel. <span style="text-align: center;">The first wave that crushed again the cliffs when Jackie was standing there got her shoes completely soaked. I think this left her a little apprehensive of the next waves. It was also surprisingly windy on the edge there. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQffSbnfuHXwxPEO-_m0gxQ5aKQjrT_gvRJB8TzstQ8ehygyEhDUo_pUrk-VGi8gjF4mhi8xt9zIWTNltpRbbtyfyxty3EPZDSx_wLoctI8M7vIhDnGtrssZ8MFcQ61AYbxXQKNAX52SA/s1600/IMG_9360.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ended up with completely soaked shoes as well. Worth it? Yes. I felt just like Ariel.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUohOS219wkg_ODpaEcxsyfc4kFQsudUKJlow2MR9d3ngrJI9Cp7QRwa9TJeNOXRqnPiJtlpHT94MGf-wo_4eYtvGV3FjoZkQ6yG0LnnAmv-n1rpGE6XGm8Izc0SsL2GfZT47vghYyHFs/s1600/IMG_9366.JPG" imageanchor="1"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUohOS219wkg_ODpaEcxsyfc4kFQsudUKJlow2MR9d3ngrJI9Cp7QRwa9TJeNOXRqnPiJtlpHT94MGf-wo_4eYtvGV3FjoZkQ6yG0LnnAmv-n1rpGE6XGm8Izc0SsL2GfZT47vghYyHFs/s1600/IMG_9366.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The result of the thick mist created by the splashing of the waves? A rainbow. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-AZBHWwWbpPpoaY4XGsOXufJYcCTARDN8bhEQFZJxGaGHP37_0ckY-55mwS6TU_zIxyESd7z3F4d511_dQWG_lQn2laBJO9Ox0XVY97q8Y1nBkfRmrNAY9h0TGLwTfgXNy_WC6FlNGk/s1600/IMG_9362.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful rainbow captured by Kiefer </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-AZBHWwWbpPpoaY4XGsOXufJYcCTARDN8bhEQFZJxGaGHP37_0ckY-55mwS6TU_zIxyESd7z3F4d511_dQWG_lQn2laBJO9Ox0XVY97q8Y1nBkfRmrNAY9h0TGLwTfgXNy_WC6FlNGk/s1600/IMG_9362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We saw lots of surfers in the water on our walk. The waves were pretty insane at some of the places. The waves were HUGE! I doubt my acquired skills from Surf Camp would have made do in those extreme conditions. This courageous surfer was making his way out to sea right where we took our Little Mermaid pictures. I was baffled by the fact that he (and other surfers along the way) surfed so close to the rocks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAgSGG6PyX4LLGNWKiBFKHY4msUh23994q4sihZ3lXgt7ew4SzU5-zZrhGT0ZYM689Fo4tRhqiG17ExZ_9zalPJI8MRa00OwGV04fcHqq61Mi2o51RLHH1kBe-Zj9jFO113eP-Y6J5DM/s1600/IMG_9346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAgSGG6PyX4LLGNWKiBFKHY4msUh23994q4sihZ3lXgt7ew4SzU5-zZrhGT0ZYM689Fo4tRhqiG17ExZ_9zalPJI8MRa00OwGV04fcHqq61Mi2o51RLHH1kBe-Zj9jFO113eP-Y6J5DM/s1600/IMG_9346.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oZwaBsq70nFRcYFHxMFJKuAIVWuGskq567mcALpxi8Pvmuuo-wh42Rf8C-_vKRC7jWaBnes2CejnTGwvrmUAKN1V0hte7Q9d9HtR2vrJpLnyuvpcjWYva5t-P5gyGVCvj_clYdYMkxk/s1600/IMG_9403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oZwaBsq70nFRcYFHxMFJKuAIVWuGskq567mcALpxi8Pvmuuo-wh42Rf8C-_vKRC7jWaBnes2CejnTGwvrmUAKN1V0hte7Q9d9HtR2vrJpLnyuvpcjWYva5t-P5gyGVCvj_clYdYMkxk/s1600/IMG_9403.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></span><br />
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At Clovelly Beach we observed the Clovelly Open Water Swimmers (or COWS as they like to call themselves) complete a race. They dove into the water at one side, swam to the other side, and back to the starting point. Though the distance may not seem too far, the massive waves would drag the swimmers back and forth. It actually looked quite difficult! It would have been fun to jump in with them, but we decided to it would be best to keep dry for the remaining part of the walk. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33voUwHVn_JmfpTdrDW_z83_pzJCyw89BAEAlgRDxNWy9wRndqTiux5LE8tEkl5aukVqAzHPAF-exrXxAivQxSpnHWDv6Qa8v_zcdwhacPlDkDjJ6I6-cEUMWzY0q_xvgWsVOOHb6v5Q/s1600/IMG_9375.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">COWS in the water by Clovelly Beach</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We passed the Wavely Cemetery, which has to be the most scenic burial spot in the world. This cemetery dates back to 1877, and <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">contains the graves of many people who shaped Australia. This includes literary figures such as </span>Henry Lawson<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">one of Australia's most famous poets. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtseMtBYbj16WSRDUHU8XDB_q8w0bMc9DwALuceSdt6H5qAIGv0v9iRfVPHIgahcaRF1WK7R7GbpRzRvSfUtOhpDeD6jaP5slmK9DLWAG_VZBv644-0XdplDc3Fk6N8WkUupwaUBIa76E/s1600/IMG_9385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtseMtBYbj16WSRDUHU8XDB_q8w0bMc9DwALuceSdt6H5qAIGv0v9iRfVPHIgahcaRF1WK7R7GbpRzRvSfUtOhpDeD6jaP5slmK9DLWAG_VZBv644-0XdplDc3Fk6N8WkUupwaUBIa76E/s1600/IMG_9385.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The more lively Lawn Bowlers could also enjoy the beautiful views of the ocean, as well as the little kids playing rugby at one of the parks. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8gNz6ILMe7u9c9mjmM9huatdJmfhs5vaoz2CodAP9QZAJ-7O4cTuoXq5AmoKBE7b2Eztl3KiWiYl-v0FWZWVTFKTYfquDCsqQUumo7hlWT4DsPFdXriDQnHZZK4zt6Ssg-gSM6uFnA0/s1600/IMG_9384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8gNz6ILMe7u9c9mjmM9huatdJmfhs5vaoz2CodAP9QZAJ-7O4cTuoXq5AmoKBE7b2Eztl3KiWiYl-v0FWZWVTFKTYfquDCsqQUumo7hlWT4DsPFdXriDQnHZZK4zt6Ssg-gSM6uFnA0/s1600/IMG_9384.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_IKdzcvgOZePDrLY2dzWLIU0c2Y6_k-CCTuOP-KaP0myUNYeEokMeCVuKEb3K6cKbKABox8ObLc_mg_kteWjoZXNjC7VnEr9ca4U_zBZKxYJ6kAY3spT1Oiezihumyyh27tGyoQG_g0/s1600/DSCN1837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_IKdzcvgOZePDrLY2dzWLIU0c2Y6_k-CCTuOP-KaP0myUNYeEokMeCVuKEb3K6cKbKABox8ObLc_mg_kteWjoZXNjC7VnEr9ca4U_zBZKxYJ6kAY3spT1Oiezihumyyh27tGyoQG_g0/s1600/DSCN1837.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather was absolutely perfect for our walk. The sun was shining, and there was a slight breeze that kept us cool whilst we climbed the hills and steps along the way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d-VhYaMYGKHF3NGXbUfwaKR6NmF-We3CocdHK8-E-b3rSUACJzUVXDt8Dk94TuYB4WLa1J63HiEWc5iwSo5Fwi78t6plXoC0nMHQJZeaHAnFHRvTtABYLHhL-GDEsC9Ez7_fQq5oAaw/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8d-VhYaMYGKHF3NGXbUfwaKR6NmF-We3CocdHK8-E-b3rSUACJzUVXDt8Dk94TuYB4WLa1J63HiEWc5iwSo5Fwi78t6plXoC0nMHQJZeaHAnFHRvTtABYLHhL-GDEsC9Ez7_fQq5oAaw/s1600/IMG_9331.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were lots of other people out walking yesterday, taking advantage of the great weather. We passed quite a few adorable dogs, and I was able to contain myself most of the time. However, when I saw this adorable Golden Doodle, I just couldn't help but go up to the owner and ask to take a picture. It looks exactly like my Grandma's dog, Cooper.</span><br />
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNySaetT7HN6poKIngX2x_mKOXsItQjnzo0eFfWjtNJp6VmniDciJh14GPnRME3-_sRvHu8zEUJj6N1Mp5eLMdtowmRwm11F2bwoMASMy_p07wTexdOoWLVSWFJdJR2-nqL7z4nD8GfZs/s1600/IMG_9380.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I asked to take a close-up, I (quite creepily) took some pictures at a distance. </span><br />
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienBikARfmTbg7uEvZlV2clxoJQCtO4NZ3MjWiCf1KU4QoPwcwNrznPx7sjE4sZLl1sXS0JduSMAPFx_PhZYk2piPKiKeRGwJxuIIOHv4us2C2TWm4ySTyuGEzrbj337JAu3_677LEDlo/s1600/IMG_9381.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aaand my heart just melted a little. Actually quite a bit. LOOK AT THAT FACEEE!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On one of Kiefer's previous times exploring the Bondi Beach area, he came across this cool hole in ground. We obviously took turns taking pictures in it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQ5I1WrdksYmJ6QoUxAMBOU0QsA9vEsyzEv6ToLgwJ8I8c1El3mLShiptYDTGOG6PKIX7be6S2oVWtbRCsLKQjLMHCTDQd1qdaV6bu5y0d5SnGC3W3grtj5tLo5kNs6WkWXoFRRlcQnE/s1600/IMG_9413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQ5I1WrdksYmJ6QoUxAMBOU0QsA9vEsyzEv6ToLgwJ8I8c1El3mLShiptYDTGOG6PKIX7be6S2oVWtbRCsLKQjLMHCTDQd1qdaV6bu5y0d5SnGC3W3grtj5tLo5kNs6WkWXoFRRlcQnE/s1600/IMG_9413.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DO_VwBiXJHWx_2taOOuYuhgyzW6HDa_P2spzSETlNRFmyDLzxsVGwa-03IhqVah5DpyPshcHfE0uukVizNhN5Do_c_jymDj1zY9kbnR5jiVswM6VKvUnxHx3z2m6ilJfL_YuaDIxgk8/s1600/IMG_9412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DO_VwBiXJHWx_2taOOuYuhgyzW6HDa_P2spzSETlNRFmyDLzxsVGwa-03IhqVah5DpyPshcHfE0uukVizNhN5Do_c_jymDj1zY9kbnR5jiVswM6VKvUnxHx3z2m6ilJfL_YuaDIxgk8/s1600/IMG_9412.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thing I would like to do before I return to Norway, is do a few laps in the 50 meter Olympic pool at Bondi Beach. The famous Bondi Baths have been landmark of Bondi Beach for over 100 years. The pool is always slightly colder than the ocean because of its solid concrete construction. The pools are open to the public, so no need to be a millionaire to get access. You can also become an "Iceberg" here (i.e. an official winter swimmer). However, to do this, you must log 75 swims here during the off-season in July when the pool temperatures dip to below 15.5Celcius/60Fahrenheit. Brrr! I think I'd settle for just one swim. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1SNwDCy3adAXIY-RaGiL5fpTUjTixaJj1OI8ljGsBvhQ5-Mwb8FxQk9APrMdivLNKAeByR1UCE7_xvGSl72aNLkczuyLSfl2zWpTVYCyrE9xIe-5a28hqxYgYvgpcl_e5FqqiM_Ax48/s1600/IMG_9423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1SNwDCy3adAXIY-RaGiL5fpTUjTixaJj1OI8ljGsBvhQ5-Mwb8FxQk9APrMdivLNKAeByR1UCE7_xvGSl72aNLkczuyLSfl2zWpTVYCyrE9xIe-5a28hqxYgYvgpcl_e5FqqiM_Ax48/s1600/IMG_9423.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once we made it to Bondi Beach, it was high time to get something to eat. Neither Kiefer nor Jackie had tried gelato from Messina's (aka Gelato Heaven). I didn't have to persuade them much before we decided that we needed to get some. Though Kiefer initially just wanted to have gelato for lunch, we ate a quick wrap/salad at a placed called Envii first. The gelato was worth the wait... Just as good as I remembered. It's a good thing we don't have one of these gems closer to Macquarie. I don't think I would be able to limit my intake. The Salted Caramel with White Chocolate is just heaven. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33YXurtMwSaYGAqJ5h_0-8MEWqz8i_WfaWoaKlaBg10N5b7UbJMd2VOW1j5CLN34I75-mSc1vSEZiGj8WuY4lZe8nS-wPB-scnPKZGg-NEsnoE61BqpylECaSrBgEd1sGA0sWtJIAMQM/s1600/IMG_9428.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The face of pure joy and happiness. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlMAvJy0nBlnfO5e2vPP42r5FdWxXKH61eFoHm_7xyPBrr8UPF-01LqWbcIyDoY670NNTncdvY3Jbma-jPg9sod8mL-j_hmglp9mCiGgtvWACa5btwZd0UJDy9pPld36sSApboFhikXI/s1600/IMG_9429.JPG" height="464" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As oppose to Jacki, I'm too busy eating to smile...</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlMAvJy0nBlnfO5e2vPP42r5FdWxXKH61eFoHm_7xyPBrr8UPF-01LqWbcIyDoY670NNTncdvY3Jbma-jPg9sod8mL-j_hmglp9mCiGgtvWACa5btwZd0UJDy9pPld36sSApboFhikXI/s1600/IMG_9429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After our scrumptious treats, we met up with Steve, who had stayed a little longer at Bronte Beach to observe the surfers. We layed out at Bondi Beach for about an hour. Believe it or not, it was actually quite chilly because of all the wind. The once packed beaches were now quite deserted, indicating that winter has arrived. We tried to tough it out, but we put on a layer of clothing one by one until we were all pretty much done with laying on the beach. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The others had things to do back at Macquarie, so they took the bus home after our failed bronzing session attempt. I decided to hang out in the city for a bit before going home. I walked all along the harbor, taking in the gorgeous views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. I also took the opportunity to stop by some of the souvenir shops to pick up some Australian gifts for family and friends. So though I didn't cross off anything related to academics yesterday, a few other things did get crossed off my list! I'd say it was a very productive day. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BrEH9QUGCSWmkUittbqzGSQ0p0I5XwBuRAWnY5IqDe_SPWI2lI2GDVFWHV4HO4zqQeTBzUXZPjkvONcublvt5260b_5DgrqyO4GfiHbwUIw09leyteQqY9KEVVC2cKrn5367OWf0mzs/s1600/IMG_9448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BrEH9QUGCSWmkUittbqzGSQ0p0I5XwBuRAWnY5IqDe_SPWI2lI2GDVFWHV4HO4zqQeTBzUXZPjkvONcublvt5260b_5DgrqyO4GfiHbwUIw09leyteQqY9KEVVC2cKrn5367OWf0mzs/s1600/IMG_9448.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHvew73FfllD6g-oymzIR9W1kYrIxMe0HTzeMtIyKlrLq5uTnCIh3EPiU9z5dHYl56_1ez3SL6A0ghDHKRR0eNtlx6fTkvsd9CG6Gc-XaEzkpQh6okcO7G9Ej75dCryTJHuS_1FfXj0Q/s1600/IMG_9455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHvew73FfllD6g-oymzIR9W1kYrIxMe0HTzeMtIyKlrLq5uTnCIh3EPiU9z5dHYl56_1ez3SL6A0ghDHKRR0eNtlx6fTkvsd9CG6Gc-XaEzkpQh6okcO7G9Ej75dCryTJHuS_1FfXj0Q/s1600/IMG_9455.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhd2W4Qr1NPY9Yv2KN71CCWn-H9HfiQmh2q1kMQzYparaYIPqvx3-JKaIRr56rE8_fSsTzScMhToPbuq18-VZMmiIJv7-PvfKcvR35GWjPX2pUNRbuNgjm_TXlq0oOT_b9VUSbBb4cOI/s1600/IMG_9452.JPG" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A street musician walking home with his didgeridoo. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI6owsik95IDQVogqkOSldrv3KzLrphd2n76bWi5DBysDm_iUjTKc7A3KsSIhA9f1c4k2hcjo2zAKtdPGl7jJi1Nen7D6y8Hp3BkjsHOdChQvDNBbLL8RqBMF0jW-md4M5IzCtw3RR28/s1600/IMG_9458.jpg" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="426" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Canopy of bird cages by Angel Place</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI6owsik95IDQVogqkOSldrv3KzLrphd2n76bWi5DBysDm_iUjTKc7A3KsSIhA9f1c4k2hcjo2zAKtdPGl7jJi1Nen7D6y8Hp3BkjsHOdChQvDNBbLL8RqBMF0jW-md4M5IzCtw3RR28/s1600/IMG_9458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After yesterday's adventures it was time to get back into the academic swing of things. Taking the day off yesterday really motivated me to be productive, so today a lot has gotten accomplished. It has been a day filled with tutorials, an almost 10km/6.2mile run, online lectures, and studying for my Psychopathology midterm that I have tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck! </span><br />
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Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-47177652640826864992014-04-30T05:58:00.003-07:002014-07-28T18:23:51.370-07:00Back to Reality<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The mid-session break ended very well. The Weather Gods cooperated, and we were able to lay out by the pool at Gilligan's for the majority of the last two days. Ahhh... Finally some consecutive time in the sun! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK7pBxnZfTwcU7t5OtdRbXwcWCbRunK4DY2K9Bp6Ex_2k52dYukh8d1oJ21OWgBvMUv3k5O-dMXSNghzt0T2EKyXPvhTngXnQ-Eto88BTG1M03G4POKRhuan8Ywe90unEHk0WI3LWPiw/s640/blogger-image-2025174239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK7pBxnZfTwcU7t5OtdRbXwcWCbRunK4DY2K9Bp6Ex_2k52dYukh8d1oJ21OWgBvMUv3k5O-dMXSNghzt0T2EKyXPvhTngXnQ-Eto88BTG1M03G4POKRhuan8Ywe90unEHk0WI3LWPiw/s640/blogger-image-2025174239.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is a foxtail palm tree. Pretty, huh? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3PgICYHIAfldFs9IYeNIC5YjDNP11_UYcDGSb3DvSeVvaqJsrEE0KiJgp-9wZ_okFUzCfWB8RZLYzSr09L7ZuzBEl3RIKVXmUt6Kc8Jhy0tsQs6rq1KZXplJnV1hR6H92f65UP-v1mo/s640/blogger-image--182822634.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Fancy pool area. Notice the waterfall in the back... And the pretty girls! </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3PgICYHIAfldFs9IYeNIC5YjDNP11_UYcDGSb3DvSeVvaqJsrEE0KiJgp-9wZ_okFUzCfWB8RZLYzSr09L7ZuzBEl3RIKVXmUt6Kc8Jhy0tsQs6rq1KZXplJnV1hR6H92f65UP-v1mo/s640/blogger-image--182822634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 22px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim-MbqGnmKN0HLCN1tbBqx56ROXV2dSvXNUiPrc4-49V04L8r7oFRW1uKXGnCS5glLyrLy5pdVPNfPZ1roLWHFJnOZ44iMrniYPuxlKZ8r-Sg8oWuCNI-S4lUWmes4FKbt-1RFyR_kVw/s640/blogger-image-1584135779.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We made sure to take advantage of the free sunscreen before soaking up the strong Australian rays</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim-MbqGnmKN0HLCN1tbBqx56ROXV2dSvXNUiPrc4-49V04L8r7oFRW1uKXGnCS5glLyrLy5pdVPNfPZ1roLWHFJnOZ44iMrniYPuxlKZ8r-Sg8oWuCNI-S4lUWmes4FKbt-1RFyR_kVw/s640/blogger-image-1584135779.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); color: black; line-height: normal;">Caitlin's cousin studied abroad in the Cairns area, and recommended the Lily Pad Caf</span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white;">é across the street. Though I keep getting the name wrong (I have been consequently referring to as the Lotus </span><span style="color: black;">Caf</span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white;">é), this is a place I will never forget. The food was DIVINE. Everything, and I mean EV-ER-Y-THING, on the menu sounded amazing. Even the simple order of multigrain toast an scrambled eggs was fabulous. If I could eat this every morning, I would be happy as a clam. We (Caitlin, Sydney, Isabelle, and I) enjoyed this place so much we ate there four times in two days. We would've eaten there six times had it not been for the fact that they closed before dinner time (and we have some sense of dignity, of course). </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgOgtrKKAO0oo5SnkWHfI8YZpT3DaQXJ2Pty95YevJAkWPu1K9tpQarWofmqdVw9PLIvMPTemiAyC7ittk9NrNV-kFBVk17YmNB99z-9P1B3205LT8PVzJdDOofm1wh3JLwHRA8NTfJ0/s640/blogger-image-917411110.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time to detox with a green veggie smoothie</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">At one of our exceptional meals at the Lily Pad </span><span style="color: black; line-height: 22px;">Caf</span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">é</span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">, the four of us sat around the table playing a game of "highs and lows of mid-session break". This very simple game involved listing what your most and least favorite things about the past two weeks. </span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">We also played some other various games, like "what-would-you-change-if-you-could-change-one-thing" (to which we all replied weather) and "</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">what-would-you-change-if-you-could-change-one-thing-besides-the-weather" (here we weren't quite sure). </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">The past two weeks had been so exceptional, and nothing had really gone too wrong either. What was our favorite activity: </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Exploring the Waitomo Caves? Hiking in the Tongariro National Park? White water rafting? Zorbing? Hobbiton? Jumping off the Auckland Sky Tower? Zip lining in the Daintree Rainforest? Diving in the Great Barrier Reef? </span></span><span class="Unicode" style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">We did so many fun and exciting things that it was</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> hard to decide on just a few. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Many of the adventurous activities certainly made the list of favorites. I was apprehensive for a few of them, and it always feels good to overcome a challenge. However, in addition to these, all the little random things and the time spent with good friends are really what made the trip so memorable. Traveling with Isabelle and Sydney was a blast, and it was also great meeting up with the others in Cairns. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't believe how lucky I am to experience all these fabulous things with all these fabulous people.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">From time and again,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I will get this overwhelming feeling of happiness and gratitude. The wave of gratitude is always accompanied by a stupid grin on my face, the urge to hug everyone, and me proclaiming how lucky we all are. The hugging doesn't always go over well with Isabelle, but she usually (sometimes unwillingly) complies to make me happy. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">Thinking back on our two weeks, here are some of my favorite little things (in no particular order): </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving in New Zealand; I felt a great sense of accomplishment because I was driving on the opposite side of the road (so silly). </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The random people we met (the passive aggressive hostel owner, the little girl at the thermal pools in Taupo, even the crazy British girl that crawled in my bed accusing me of being a thief)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney and I using the word "hobbity" for everything after visiting Hobbiton (we would laugh every time)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">The fact that I wrote "drive approximately 1 hour and 59 minutes" on our NZ-itinerary (of course I made an itinerary for the trip... A very accurate one, too!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Singing in the car (especially to our road trip theme song Waves)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having to "dive" into the Zorb</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting somewhat stuck while diving into the Zorb</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our reaction to the size of the 4,5-star hotel room</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fact that we went to the movies THREE times because we didn't have appropriate attire for anything else </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney snapping "Don't tell me what to do!" when I suggested that maybe we all were a little famished and needed something to eat (HAHAHA!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The llamas at the Lilliput Farm Fun & Animal Park (and the fact that we actually visited this place)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All our charming guides (we had crushes on almost all of them)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hot chocolate with Bailey's at the restaurant across the street from our hostel at the Tongariro National Park </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listening to the rain hit my jacket and my soaking wet shoes hit the ground on the way down from Lake Tomo</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having a picnic lunch at Mt Eden in Auckland</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The realization that our hostel Gilligan's was essentially a giant bar/club with rooms on the upper floors</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The look on Sydney's face when the Jungle Surfing guide, Jeremy, kept on talking and talking and talking (Isabelle and I were cracking up over her priceless facial expression)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle and Sydney (literally) singing Hallelujah to the fact that they got to hold a koala (for 17 seconds) at Cairns Tropical Zoo</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The size of the GIANT raindrops in the Daintree Rainforest </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">On Sunday, after 5 days in Cairns, Isabelle and I flew back to Sydney. It was bittersweet. We were tired after two adventurous weeks, and were ready to head home. At the same time, this meant we would have to go back to reality, and stop living in our vacation-bubble. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcwg8_S-ZrKZOh2eymQiKpIXQZVVm2AKlh8x5lxRj5558Su5UyJrma_nOilZN20k1V3y8wNhCB_8duL3El3dmgxOR-adK69-QiytjF4ZhLsRnQ-cJk8uUqndRL30utWNoUEE-0O8UWFU/s640/blogger-image-72586682.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I may not enjoy flying, but I do enjoy the pretty views once we're up in the air (granted there is no turbulence)</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcwg8_S-ZrKZOh2eymQiKpIXQZVVm2AKlh8x5lxRj5558Su5UyJrma_nOilZN20k1V3y8wNhCB_8duL3El3dmgxOR-adK69-QiytjF4ZhLsRnQ-cJk8uUqndRL30utWNoUEE-0O8UWFU/s640/blogger-image-72586682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Luckily, reality in Sydney isn't really all that bad. I mean, come on, it's SYDNEY! How difficult can study abroad reality be in this beautiful city? I spent Monday going to my tutorials, and realizing how many things I have due in the next two weeks. I have managed to put all assignments and obligations at the back of my mind while traveling. Within the next two weeks, I have three papers to write, a midterm and a few quizzes to complete, and a bunch of errands to run before heading to California (for my big brother's wedding). Oh, and I have to start training for this 10K that Sydney and I are running on June 1st (only 31 days away, yikes!). With so many things to get done, I thought it was wise to spend a good hour creating </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">a to-do list, followed by some more time cleaning the drawers in my bedroom, and randomly searching the web. Hello, Procrastination!</span><span style="line-height: 22px;"> Rather than get started on assignments on Monday evening, I met up with some Norwegian friends that are visiting Australia for dinner (very worth it!). We went to a nice Italian restaurant, and then walked around the city. Don't worry, I've been oh-so-productive yesterday and today. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibO7Bpz4PKTUoy2pSlM854JDblH40ClxwxzjO5KXstGRewjpvqf7jwdVjFlSHqwalZXZS_60eYCxfgeYVnQQPxSgzll_-CFtc2NCaeJRue5_T0wv998exWno9dVZ8BnLiZTpBhyinQsE/s640/blogger-image-351570510.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After-dinner walk around Darling Harbour</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">These next two weeks will definitely be hectic, but nothing that I can't handle thanks to my organized and detailed to-do-list. </span><span style="line-height: 22px;">Bring it on!</span><span style="line-height: 22px;"> I'm confident that everything on my to-do-list will be crossed out by the time I get on the plane to Los Angeles on May 16th. I also have some fun things on my list in addition to the more boring things (all work and no play makes Suzy a dull girl). The weather forecast says it's going to be nice and sunny on Sunday, so I'm planning on walking from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. Seeing as this is a scenic, coastal walk, I feel like I need to take advantage of the good weather. Perhaps I should try running it, and get in a little workout session for the 10K? We'll see. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">In addition to this lovely walk, more travels are in my near future (surprise, surprise). Next weekend (from May 9th - 11th), Isabelle, Sydney, Devan, and I are going to the middle of Australia, in the outback to see Ayer's Rock. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22px;">Ok, enough blog writing for now (I can cross off "write blog" off my list). Now onto finishing a paper for Psychopathology, and off to bed. </span></span></div>
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Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-42444994840734112172014-04-25T05:03:00.000-07:002014-07-28T18:17:47.684-07:00Cairns: Rainy and Spectacular<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The plan was to sleep the morning after we got to Cairns (April 23rd). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We didn't have anything planned, so there was nothing to wake up to.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So no alarms, just sleep until we woke up. In the 8 bed dorm at Gilligan's Backpackers Hotel & Resort, this turned out to be pretty early. At 7:15am I woke up to a girl crawling into my top bunk bed, reaching for my backpack. In my sleepy haze I assumed this was Isabelle or Sydney trying to find toothpaste. But it wasn't. It was another girl in our dorm who was convinced that her iPad was in my backpack. I tried telling her that it wasn't in my bag, but she continued to take my bag down to the floor and started looking for her iPad. It was absurd, and I was so perplexed by what was going on. Finally, after a bit of back and forth (and some fowl words from the dorm mate), she decided that I didn't have anything of hers, and that her bag might be a better place to look. It seemed like her two friends and her were rushing off to something, so they were packing their stuff quickly. Between throwing stuff in their bags, the girl kept whistling the Do Re Me song from the Sound of Music (in a very creepy way, I must add). They ran out the door 15 minutes later. Oh, the joy of dorms. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBIkQQ7Axpc6C0QCqnaHMVowpXj_Ckav2Y25SLvAdM9xf_dfc3tUKjOuZ53YQhgcS4528e7IPY0pfR7sHcwiPjwEgwwjijD7AZmZG_wKUWSGrTy_pmJobgW1A3O_5UeEYxXKxLHJvAN4/s640/blogger-image--2002692284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdBIkQQ7Axpc6C0QCqnaHMVowpXj_Ckav2Y25SLvAdM9xf_dfc3tUKjOuZ53YQhgcS4528e7IPY0pfR7sHcwiPjwEgwwjijD7AZmZG_wKUWSGrTy_pmJobgW1A3O_5UeEYxXKxLHJvAN4/s640/blogger-image--2002692284.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After my unexpected wake up call, I couldn't go back to sleep. I just got dressed and ready for the day, and had coffee at a cozy café across the street. Isabelle joined me a little later, and we decided to take advantage of the semi-nice weather. We layed out by the pool for about 25 minutes before it started raining again. At least we got to be in the sun for a little while! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We regrouped with Sydney at lunch time. We had crisp bread, jam, and very yummy organic peanut butter. Yum! We decided to go to the Cairns Tropical Zoo in the afternoon. We read that we could hold a koala, a boa, and a baby crocodile (for an additional fee, of course), so we had to visit this place. After a 40-minute bus ride, we were very ready to see some tropical animals. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTQLesOfYRTSjfM5S7LC79ptDMxKBEzmgg3YwfP5hKnwzFfvcz7ZalcWFvDbXbPgVvkzXmZxG17MKTVGpYLgaGPN-8KRLJjyUiE78IBcDNqmG8y9IoAGmqCwY_XljLXS_bAVnVJBdZOU/s640/blogger-image--2103036410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTQLesOfYRTSjfM5S7LC79ptDMxKBEzmgg3YwfP5hKnwzFfvcz7ZalcWFvDbXbPgVvkzXmZxG17MKTVGpYLgaGPN-8KRLJjyUiE78IBcDNqmG8y9IoAGmqCwY_XljLXS_bAVnVJBdZOU/s640/blogger-image--2103036410.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The highlight of our trip to the zoo was... Drumroll, please... Holding a koala! I think it would be fair to say that both Sydney and Isabelle are pretty obsessed with koalas, so we paid $18 to hold a koala named Cooper. You had to support the koala with one hand, and put your other hand out like a tree branch. Below is me getting all branchy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bIr_UBgPQfN7Q6DAiZ-ahZPCrYyBmQ1GrsP-rM_lr4iDUfpqBs6cRpwtYhw6loa1CZbF0hhcuUcCeCqIsShiZTMj09ot3xYjt9JU5W0Gbemkvz_QflNT2UMJTuXYqn93b9RfiMmPy_s/s640/blogger-image-2007054106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bIr_UBgPQfN7Q6DAiZ-ahZPCrYyBmQ1GrsP-rM_lr4iDUfpqBs6cRpwtYhw6loa1CZbF0hhcuUcCeCqIsShiZTMj09ot3xYjt9JU5W0Gbemkvz_QflNT2UMJTuXYqn93b9RfiMmPy_s/s640/blogger-image-2007054106.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Koalas have pretty sharp claws. Cooper's little claws were digging into my skin. Ouch! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohTTUFXdMCabklqzupBu42s5yNQ-3eqGYt7AlwBovzQUmTwUi7OJfv6iRLSxSb_jRCzKsFnjeLoSeLZ3rkxGRkCOh00qPCtNknLUXlvvoybYdQ_H49qyRZIUnZhgJyr6iDKcxWIjk6_w/s640/blogger-image-2061079506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohTTUFXdMCabklqzupBu42s5yNQ-3eqGYt7AlwBovzQUmTwUi7OJfv6iRLSxSb_jRCzKsFnjeLoSeLZ3rkxGRkCOh00qPCtNknLUXlvvoybYdQ_H49qyRZIUnZhgJyr6iDKcxWIjk6_w/s640/blogger-image-2061079506.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The actual holding of Cooper only lasted for about 17 seconds, but the memories will last forever. Right, Isabelle and Sydney? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrjuymuA6RQAvd7fYPy2_xpmbgKaYSdz88021qWI_xxtblEIcWZ_co9P7-ZcUOd1W2kEZamcmGKCfrRlEJYClNwasUKCK4O5dxsX6SETw-LcAEJf_dLNXFM3CP5SyH45pEwZmTRjjKBY/s640/blogger-image-1541809256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrjuymuA6RQAvd7fYPy2_xpmbgKaYSdz88021qWI_xxtblEIcWZ_co9P7-ZcUOd1W2kEZamcmGKCfrRlEJYClNwasUKCK4O5dxsX6SETw-LcAEJf_dLNXFM3CP5SyH45pEwZmTRjjKBY/s640/blogger-image-1541809256.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXPqS4J7cD8UJB8zkeFnaxi_IaHrfsS7Kj9yLTwjAj2-kO1ly-mu6npsvfWtb1lVhZHEX2crDH7aSDUYVSTqLRWOzat1RYk2u3-lEKjvLzCcrShx6fRVJGKf0Pm0XunJLn38tYNt6Nz8/s640/blogger-image-91670306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXPqS4J7cD8UJB8zkeFnaxi_IaHrfsS7Kj9yLTwjAj2-kO1ly-mu6npsvfWtb1lVhZHEX2crDH7aSDUYVSTqLRWOzat1RYk2u3-lEKjvLzCcrShx6fRVJGKf0Pm0XunJLn38tYNt6Nz8/s640/blogger-image-91670306.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also got a lovely photo printed. The girls have already decided that their photos are going above their beds, so they can admire them every night before they go to sleep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not all koalas can be cuddled for photos. The koala must have a gentle temperament, and undergo many years of training to enjoy being held by a stranger. We imagine Cooper looked something like the koala in the brochure when he first was done with his training. So bright eyed and bushy tailed, and ready to be cuddled!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL7Q8D5KuJZSCa_aD_gTTa25eHpTcsmu5BEVOriRNruFVNXTl5zQxObiWPzcHpGzIpaGR_jmkj_lleVXxaFYQQfpwaAadaBpYKe1I9AFZrH26nT8NGQsbHi5pl6HbtrAP24tYYCt7z6Y/s640/blogger-image-971987640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizL7Q8D5KuJZSCa_aD_gTTa25eHpTcsmu5BEVOriRNruFVNXTl5zQxObiWPzcHpGzIpaGR_jmkj_lleVXxaFYQQfpwaAadaBpYKe1I9AFZrH26nT8NGQsbHi5pl6HbtrAP24tYYCt7z6Y/s640/blogger-image-971987640.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cooper doesn't look too excited about being cuddled anymore. In our photos, we look super excited to hold a koala. Cooper? Not so much. His facial expression screams "Why do they do this to me?" and "Get me out of here."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhPylFMntYF5m0SzLphl7-0qJ7QnJuzj-E_nQH6vRyUTK0M6n8fJmQSUr0E79IOeRUOZiho6duUKZruwohVXZPlS32OqmPGVM21HrLjSLcVJuT-NY9t72jb9TF9nx_KJeMipbTKuziRo/s640/blogger-image--1790572013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhPylFMntYF5m0SzLphl7-0qJ7QnJuzj-E_nQH6vRyUTK0M6n8fJmQSUr0E79IOeRUOZiho6duUKZruwohVXZPlS32OqmPGVM21HrLjSLcVJuT-NY9t72jb9TF9nx_KJeMipbTKuziRo/s640/blogger-image--1790572013.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately we got to the zoo too late in the afternoon to hold a snake and a baby croc. Isabelle and Sydney weren't too concerned about missing this opportunity. After all, they did just get to cuddle with their favorite animal. Despite not being able to hold a baby crocodile myself, I was able to pet one of them. The skin on their backs was rough and bumpy, while the skin on their stomachs was smooth. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8Mkzd-czbctIiZUndoGx0lxWnw30gG5d4HFLLb2GwHczapB9IPagV7GJepFtzjDuQHqVU6RSwBRgeyBr2PJuh5gnJgNLFAi1JhCwrvFxfL3KOE6Usv207uC3bYxJw2Izva1H5xv80yM/s640/blogger-image--1556314110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8Mkzd-czbctIiZUndoGx0lxWnw30gG5d4HFLLb2GwHczapB9IPagV7GJepFtzjDuQHqVU6RSwBRgeyBr2PJuh5gnJgNLFAi1JhCwrvFxfL3KOE6Usv207uC3bYxJw2Izva1H5xv80yM/s640/blogger-image--1556314110.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The zoo had lots of crocodiles and alligators. I think this lopsided fellow named Gummy was my favorite. He was so cute! Contrary to my initial thought, Gummy's appearance was not the result of a ferocious crocodile fight. Rather his appearance is likely due to his egg being incubated at too high a temperature. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDxFB_fDEySA5k_d2cmGyCwMdUzIucTDkOD07A8egcBjeM_PS2QyOW_X12UFX-9C7ttIBm4CT_a1SqwvDK8AjkrX0ilO_1BoSyDS5ND7Er7_b489ll98Y6TwtI2RCM_KTe_Lx0lvrpTQ/s640/blogger-image--768560328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDxFB_fDEySA5k_d2cmGyCwMdUzIucTDkOD07A8egcBjeM_PS2QyOW_X12UFX-9C7ttIBm4CT_a1SqwvDK8AjkrX0ilO_1BoSyDS5ND7Er7_b489ll98Y6TwtI2RCM_KTe_Lx0lvrpTQ/s640/blogger-image--768560328.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of Isabelle's worst nightmares: being eaten by a croc! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLrAXWEziHMBLetuioElBzdJDt6mwfUpmFCEQX4RuInnfwIGCdKfFgAmHiXbhCQhfJurCSjz_2g070Nrozp8imWzh1oDF86QOFJN8pQuzPe8qKc-9Y7e-oL53xHRHWKD_GyWxd0SexTc/s640/blogger-image-1603124205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLrAXWEziHMBLetuioElBzdJDt6mwfUpmFCEQX4RuInnfwIGCdKfFgAmHiXbhCQhfJurCSjz_2g070Nrozp8imWzh1oDF86QOFJN8pQuzPe8qKc-9Y7e-oL53xHRHWKD_GyWxd0SexTc/s640/blogger-image-1603124205.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition to koalas and crocodiles, we saw lots of other animals at the zoo (it wouldn't really be a zoo if all they had two types animals).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4LIvRid6NpuhkpkZI3UCHHIaERXh_i3PBXAnaDI9EbXPVtA4-5dFGWhKJe3dKLj4SZGnQTID_BeVpIdzCGiaMd1NtcLVaVaTFtqlTdVCDn-A7bi_caTw_zOHf5g3Q0UIpFkMxu_DhJ4/s640/blogger-image--482241045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4LIvRid6NpuhkpkZI3UCHHIaERXh_i3PBXAnaDI9EbXPVtA4-5dFGWhKJe3dKLj4SZGnQTID_BeVpIdzCGiaMd1NtcLVaVaTFtqlTdVCDn-A7bi_caTw_zOHf5g3Q0UIpFkMxu_DhJ4/s640/blogger-image--482241045.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My wombat encounters have been very disappointing while in Australia; they have always been completely uninterested in me. They've been far more interested in stuffing their cute little faces with food. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kG5Vv2KLkku-8N0w2py1V05IxTlofgBIoHJICuKUOuYKE_cDO5C8p_y9kwF8g3nH0Sgk9CmJd0l4ik4nEGd5w8-bRpAtlvikFET55xyHNygYmA8SPcIO4Z73UjJxBX9xIvMsSAMS4Ak/s640/blogger-image--2118037454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kG5Vv2KLkku-8N0w2py1V05IxTlofgBIoHJICuKUOuYKE_cDO5C8p_y9kwF8g3nH0Sgk9CmJd0l4ik4nEGd5w8-bRpAtlvikFET55xyHNygYmA8SPcIO4Z73UjJxBX9xIvMsSAMS4Ak/s640/blogger-image--2118037454.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This cassowary was as skeptical as all the other cassowaries I've seen. Did you know that there are only about 1200 wild cassowaries left in Australia? I didn't until I read the sign next to their cage (ha ha ha). They are a keystone species, eating fruits indigestible to other species, dispersing their seeds. Without the help of the cassowaries, a lot of trees and plants would die out. This could shift the balance in the rainforest, and ultimately result in the collapse of the entire eco-system. Pretty important birds! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsWwaf00lMDL0bSro3nvlVlUuYb35QVl9xQNjZRnb1aaeV0EgDaMl6rvnRdk3b9VV5MzWpDcXgcprUu-R81FS4MJNyxsPVdQbiE4oPLyB7O5gMunBukNMyjL7Sddy6EwOUC-AMZIXWLE/s640/blogger-image-458581562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsWwaf00lMDL0bSro3nvlVlUuYb35QVl9xQNjZRnb1aaeV0EgDaMl6rvnRdk3b9VV5MzWpDcXgcprUu-R81FS4MJNyxsPVdQbiE4oPLyB7O5gMunBukNMyjL7Sddy6EwOUC-AMZIXWLE/s640/blogger-image-458581562.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney and Isabelle found the perfect thing to wear on a cold winter day: Koala hat! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9FHHmMQJDKqGZxPUNqJPZTQ25oMGBexZXY5kd9z3jk47imioMVoZ0szSrLiJvGxajePzr0cFiB963lxHLDxh71AZpg_or7ET6eym8ZT-R_KWUTGgBCnKU9mvkDh-Tor_lTttFlJN1EM/s640/blogger-image--354530543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9FHHmMQJDKqGZxPUNqJPZTQ25oMGBexZXY5kd9z3jk47imioMVoZ0szSrLiJvGxajePzr0cFiB963lxHLDxh71AZpg_or7ET6eym8ZT-R_KWUTGgBCnKU9mvkDh-Tor_lTttFlJN1EM/s640/blogger-image--354530543.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mzejEmDraYNvJbFhVBIUhbB7Jv786mPtzTc4jaSmfzrp6E_rO8eD4WGDoNCG5JDqEztlfhrZMkMgnpTR2o6ewVyQBo-lb6TMi_yhbShnTDvF02_uY_yitWCz11r37C7GkjDOia10CWg/s640/blogger-image-961366695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mzejEmDraYNvJbFhVBIUhbB7Jv786mPtzTc4jaSmfzrp6E_rO8eD4WGDoNCG5JDqEztlfhrZMkMgnpTR2o6ewVyQBo-lb6TMi_yhbShnTDvF02_uY_yitWCz11r37C7GkjDOia10CWg/s640/blogger-image-961366695.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was feeling a little more hoppity, so I felt the kangaroo hat was a better fit. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmtmQsaygJ531LGyqlBUYKt62K8o7Nr9gzmQONXltdacKU6m7Uq1iMsxK30W8Z3Zj30KTYLoM2CiZBQ1aCLHUwRyXSdbTlfWVMC8wq3dManDvn2yQi0MEAS84nSenIkOINlV5YmBvcq8/s640/blogger-image-2023326962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmtmQsaygJ531LGyqlBUYKt62K8o7Nr9gzmQONXltdacKU6m7Uq1iMsxK30W8Z3Zj30KTYLoM2CiZBQ1aCLHUwRyXSdbTlfWVMC8wq3dManDvn2yQi0MEAS84nSenIkOINlV5YmBvcq8/s640/blogger-image-2023326962.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hostel that we're staying at offers free dinner when you purchase any kind of drink (shouldn't it be the other way around?). We took advantage of this offer our first night, before going out to a bar called Woolshed later in the evening. Fun place! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had yet another early start yesterday (April 24th). The Jungle Surfing tour we booked started at 7:00am. Jungle Surfing entails zip lining through rainforest canopies of the Workd Heritage Cape Tribulation and Daintree Rainforests. Isabelle, Sydney, Caitlin, Jill, and I were (somewhat) ready for a full-day tour. It turned out that we were doing a few other things besides just going down zip lines. We went to yet another wildlife park (Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas), and on a crocodile river cruise. The drive to the rainforest also took quite a while. We started at 7am, and weren't home until 7:30pm. It was a looong day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were able to feed the kangaroos at the Wildlife Habitat. I took the opportunity to snap a few selfies with this friendly 'roo.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-ZNTjWXqE3KOdneVf2UQIJYv-RyrINRNTH7VnpdSWiIcrAwn4spKp1rOTYu0oWNq6Bofce0yZUFgd3o_e-LLMshGkHBDRxYPkZGBZ635hJAFPp6_67iDIYyVjv0FG0_TYBJP9V3GuZE/s640/blogger-image--302360903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-ZNTjWXqE3KOdneVf2UQIJYv-RyrINRNTH7VnpdSWiIcrAwn4spKp1rOTYu0oWNq6Bofce0yZUFgd3o_e-LLMshGkHBDRxYPkZGBZ635hJAFPp6_67iDIYyVjv0FG0_TYBJP9V3GuZE/s640/blogger-image--302360903.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not easy getting the kangaroo to pose, so I bribed him with a bag of food pellets. He seemed pretty satisfied.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iLSxJuFPPH32ymF7RF7wPL6PpLjoMDap0pgV7xj_FQBGMjBV1rKaImQ4ZGbfJX6wv7XVVdupW195s4Q6-Awrc8DwgA4CHQV_c8pYAqYmcTNhdNRdk3IIJegvvGpy_3aK0jEU6b_BWNk/s640/blogger-image-447805599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iLSxJuFPPH32ymF7RF7wPL6PpLjoMDap0pgV7xj_FQBGMjBV1rKaImQ4ZGbfJX6wv7XVVdupW195s4Q6-Awrc8DwgA4CHQV_c8pYAqYmcTNhdNRdk3IIJegvvGpy_3aK0jEU6b_BWNk/s640/blogger-image-447805599.jpg" /></a>My friend, Helene, made a good point on an Instagram post of mine (of me and the kangaroo). "This is the type of picture it sucks to be ugly in. It's not easy to get a kangaroo to pose." Oh, so true! I found this hilarious. You can only imagine how many pictures I had to take to get a decent shot. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhawiVGLjcUrYPkGxAqSD9ZDa5TDi2kGMvFKqKX38gsH6OiMqyLI-_jCI8IwB_4SqkyJvRNo5f4Kc4Vs-zB9pFBtQHHi3YLTr10Qo8jjCfHhxJbVkngE9K0DcN1U6m6EK1qG5L-2BdYc/s640/blogger-image--1838281574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhawiVGLjcUrYPkGxAqSD9ZDa5TDi2kGMvFKqKX38gsH6OiMqyLI-_jCI8IwB_4SqkyJvRNo5f4Kc4Vs-zB9pFBtQHHi3YLTr10Qo8jjCfHhxJbVkngE9K0DcN1U6m6EK1qG5L-2BdYc/s640/blogger-image--1838281574.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our guide for the day, Jeremy, was so cheerful and happy, despite so many things going wrong yesterday. First, his car broke down on the way to work, then the van we were in broke down, which caused further delays, and finally on our way home the second van was starting to have some trouble. Also, it was pouring almost the entire day. He really had a great attitude. I love happy people like that! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rMwltUTkKqAjwboqFfqi5JZMVqO3HFu5jvh0a8gpZ2gFY1RloT5SbB0AHADa6GAybGG4OMOusYn7jE_L5sux0WenleS9Noj5cf0CN9QsVHRG_ftUWE4b24gvGDNBUEq0ZUkos71EjYs/s640/blogger-image-1606377052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rMwltUTkKqAjwboqFfqi5JZMVqO3HFu5jvh0a8gpZ2gFY1RloT5SbB0AHADa6GAybGG4OMOusYn7jE_L5sux0WenleS9Noj5cf0CN9QsVHRG_ftUWE4b24gvGDNBUEq0ZUkos71EjYs/s640/blogger-image-1606377052.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jeremy was also extremely talkative (he talked non-stop for the first portion of our trip from 7am to 1pm). He was extremely knowledgeable, and I love when the guides provide lots of facts and stories. However, I think we could have benefitted from a little quiet time here and there. Sydney definitely wanted/needed some quiet time. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fpxlUM93kKB9O4if-zQhATgxT4cURvyOgpnpPzWQTWgVOdBRbptV9oU6VNhyJIqfHn_ICa55XQkxYp_9kMip37Ymq-PQF0dg0Uq2RahtGZHJU8ZYN87Ica95AM1z5FO_sCEXGJciej0/s640/blogger-image-1797878025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fpxlUM93kKB9O4if-zQhATgxT4cURvyOgpnpPzWQTWgVOdBRbptV9oU6VNhyJIqfHn_ICa55XQkxYp_9kMip37Ymq-PQF0dg0Uq2RahtGZHJU8ZYN87Ica95AM1z5FO_sCEXGJciej0/s640/blogger-image-1797878025.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finally made it to the Jungle Surfing at around 1pm. We got geared up in harnesses and helmets, and we were ready to zip line in the rainforest. We each got a new identity; I was King Kong. I was joined by Sheena Queen of the Jungle (Caitlin), Catwoman (Jill), Pocahontas (Isabelle), and Princess Leia (Sydney). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16vzw2naBGt4-RZdSiVOzaedzmY4mFUy9139mysbbNc9vP_KmUyX3KzJMxYjFo0ijsG4CSO73BvPZlTkcVTuuI5AoIBH4GXWY9mKu1gUpbobYo4RWhnVTBm6tHyWUadqQHNCRLWuLVQ0/s640/blogger-image-1613126951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16vzw2naBGt4-RZdSiVOzaedzmY4mFUy9139mysbbNc9vP_KmUyX3KzJMxYjFo0ijsG4CSO73BvPZlTkcVTuuI5AoIBH4GXWY9mKu1gUpbobYo4RWhnVTBm6tHyWUadqQHNCRLWuLVQ0/s640/blogger-image-1613126951.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We flew through the rainforest, and stopped at five tree platforms with bird's eye views over the treetops. It was raining TONS, but it really just added to the experience. It was fun being in the rainforest when it was raining. By the time we reached the bottom, we were all drenched. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsLjK5mwDP7IPkb64taP9qJjBQ2ALXhUhvRJP94ZfgOg4AoomXtIuDyQVfH2IQTRPFaOeDCs_IlKhp2S0PNW8aas07OJaR7U2XCLWfWFWQ5yx14sg8l5Vss1wBaMZr3_Pt-UuBVSFTFo/s640/blogger-image--300118339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsLjK5mwDP7IPkb64taP9qJjBQ2ALXhUhvRJP94ZfgOg4AoomXtIuDyQVfH2IQTRPFaOeDCs_IlKhp2S0PNW8aas07OJaR7U2XCLWfWFWQ5yx14sg8l5Vss1wBaMZr3_Pt-UuBVSFTFo/s640/blogger-image--300118339.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At each platform we were met by a guide who provided lots of fun facts about the rainforest. The Daintree Rainforest is the largest area of continuous tropical rainforest on the Australian continent, and is about 12000square km/4633square miles. It is approx 135 million years old. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You felt completely safe while zip lining. So safe that we even went without hands on one and upside down on another! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4PDFldi76J3kldhyV-Lg41K9msRwfFs2wpQ7eli0r8O0TNy_-FtYf87BK58_SW7vR8CknQkkH4GF9dGTwv8_MaxqSR5jgTau6iazlxGFYOFsATw1NKaIzPnW3Y4sxAJqOOYmF-eddcE/s640/blogger-image-1670493056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4PDFldi76J3kldhyV-Lg41K9msRwfFs2wpQ7eli0r8O0TNy_-FtYf87BK58_SW7vR8CknQkkH4GF9dGTwv8_MaxqSR5jgTau6iazlxGFYOFsATw1NKaIzPnW3Y4sxAJqOOYmF-eddcE/s640/blogger-image-1670493056.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our last activity for the day was a crocodile cruise. Crocodiles are fascinating creatures. The saltwater crocs (who can actually live their whole life in fresh water) are the largest living reptile species. They can grow up to six meters/20 feet! They are carnivors, and are a threat to humans. They wait around and learn the routine of their prey before they ambush and attack. Intestingly, they eat much, much less than what one would expect; they can survive on about 160 calories a day. Their metabolism is i</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nsanely slow, and they can go several months (!) without eating. Unfortunately, w</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e didn't see any on our cruise... But we did learn a lot. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fdW31pQovookKBbATVLSnIWegH3siEZ-699g1-duHDlw6_-wAc3Fb665sXfLpIUCBjYt9MJiictgmC0q0hxZp5MJTKuKEHYMPZZsYIyAN8vLjtsoJBKM7iRAd8lsiCBXYbEeXO_KiEM/s640/blogger-image-1768791286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fdW31pQovookKBbATVLSnIWegH3siEZ-699g1-duHDlw6_-wAc3Fb665sXfLpIUCBjYt9MJiictgmC0q0hxZp5MJTKuKEHYMPZZsYIyAN8vLjtsoJBKM7iRAd8lsiCBXYbEeXO_KiEM/s640/blogger-image-1768791286.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 12 hours out and about, we were exhausted. We ended up getting something quick to eat before going to bed and passing out at 9:30pm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is Anzac Day, which is a very special day for Australians and New Zealanders.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> This day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our first Anzac Day, Isabelle, Sydney, Caitlin and I went on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with the company Reef Experience. Our tour started from the Marlin Wharf at 7:30am, and we were back at around 5pm. It included breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, coffee/tea, snorkeling, and an introductory dive. You also had the option of doing a second dive for $55. I would highly recommend this company; the tour was great and the guides were very friendly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to two reefs about 60km/37miles from Cairns: Hastings Reef and Breaking Patches Reef. Before diving, a marine biologist had a 30 minute talk about the reef and what we would encounter out there. The four of us snorkeled for a while before Isabelle, Caitlin, and I did our introductory dive in Hastings Reef. This was my second time scuba diving (first time was in Manly with the gray nurse sharks), and I didn't really like the whole breathing-under-water-thing. However, this time was so much better. It was a lot easier than the first time, and went much better than I had expected. So well that we decided to do the second dive at Breaking Patches Reef, too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the intro dive, you had to show that you could equalize your ears, get water out of your mask, and take the regulator (the thing that provides oxygen) out of your mount under water. This took a little while, so we only had about 20 minutes to swim around Hastings Reef. The second dive was longer, probably around 45 minutes. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJjdUZtdHYWet-QFaDLvBWlGmVgDAkRSBlfvJrWRAKUURHZzD0DY52QOfkk28kaIb5RZhAr7NXO65JOdpsFl7YOE-NcIEgLiVsVcnxHLBZEysQgQiFqY6jKXpDkSIY8moQwdE8hbQqMM/s1600/photo+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJjdUZtdHYWet-QFaDLvBWlGmVgDAkRSBlfvJrWRAKUURHZzD0DY52QOfkk28kaIb5RZhAr7NXO65JOdpsFl7YOE-NcIEgLiVsVcnxHLBZEysQgQiFqY6jKXpDkSIY8moQwdE8hbQqMM/s1600/photo+008.JPG" height="424" uta="true" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our guide on the intro dive, Craig from Newcastle, was very entertaining and funny. We have come to realize that we get girly crushes all our instructors/guides. We liked the surf instructors, the cave guy in Waitomo, the rafting guy in Tongariro, the jungle surfer guy, to name a few. I think it has to do with them knowing exactly what we need to avoid getting hurt. You feel like your life is in their hands (which at times it kind of is). Our guide for the second dive, Ellen, was also very nice, but for some reason we didn't end up crushing over her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though the weather was pretty lousy, we still had good visibility under water. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwS9qcjJYyYl_a9FNCiLiMU4nr2g3y7KD9p6LF5HuOYcq5TQSgxL7MP0oP-_Orjy4nembXGKDUk2tZUUs7XOjIBq5QFW4pDHcG6Lv0RAp5UOjvcPvIfLWaKqT8moLbOSMQMzmsWY1J06c/s640/blogger-image-885409748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwS9qcjJYyYl_a9FNCiLiMU4nr2g3y7KD9p6LF5HuOYcq5TQSgxL7MP0oP-_Orjy4nembXGKDUk2tZUUs7XOjIBq5QFW4pDHcG6Lv0RAp5UOjvcPvIfLWaKqT8moLbOSMQMzmsWY1J06c/s640/blogger-image-885409748.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We saw lots of different coral and sea life when snorkeling and scuba diving. Some of the coral was hard, while other flowed freely in the water. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hard corals act as building blocks for the Reef. They form when colonies of coral polyps produce limestone skeletons to support themselves. Soft corals are flexible because they lack a solid skeleton which means they are often mistaken for plants. We had to be very careful not to step on or damage the coral in any way. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MmrCS8EFH5yzq3pZX5CFHK-_1Rer2nm9WFnjYIylKolsGamkzPPf-6je4KPph_cfqpU6kOt3XJg7xkbi6hHh-UOkUo-0jyQzbZv6OCBygJK1BqZXjrKIV4qUeTwZNqCh_VsX5XJRWZo/s1600/P4250431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MmrCS8EFH5yzq3pZX5CFHK-_1Rer2nm9WFnjYIylKolsGamkzPPf-6je4KPph_cfqpU6kOt3XJg7xkbi6hHh-UOkUo-0jyQzbZv6OCBygJK1BqZXjrKIV4qUeTwZNqCh_VsX5XJRWZo/s1600/P4250431.JPG" height="480" uta="true" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were also lots of fish and other creatures in the water. One of my favorite movies is the animated Pixar movie Finding Nemo. The clown fish, Nemo, is abducted from his home in the Great Barrier Reef by divers after he ventures out into the open sea. He is taken to a dentist's office in Sydney, and his father, Marlin, sets out to rescue him. In the movie we meet lots of typical reef creatures. When snorkeling/diving, you really feel like the dentist in the movie; you're just this huge thing observing everything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm happy to say that Pixar depicted the reefs and its inhabitants very well. We found Nemo (bi-color clown fish) and his friend Crush (sea turtle), but we couldn't find his other friends Gill (moorish idol) or Dory (blue lines surgeon fish). Many of the fish had electric, vibrant colors that made them very easy to see. The sea turtle was amazing. It just swam around peacefully. We also got to hold a few sea cucumbers on our second dive. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR83g-8saH68v3iu-vx6TlOrda_u8boH53xXmdzk9xWqILrpKWzHeZgqEZ_fMl2l_lg0q-feDvuxERAQ9bsklKNbYkRMsLSOdSm5lETxQ9nLafnH8Id9Yv8H0btUMLz5C5U_Sm0TPILK8/s1600/P4250465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR83g-8saH68v3iu-vx6TlOrda_u8boH53xXmdzk9xWqILrpKWzHeZgqEZ_fMl2l_lg0q-feDvuxERAQ9bsklKNbYkRMsLSOdSm5lETxQ9nLafnH8Id9Yv8H0btUMLz5C5U_Sm0TPILK8/s1600/P4250465.JPG" height="480" uta="true" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were so many interesting things to see. We were just swimming around in awe. It was surreal. The reefs were truly amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a camera guy that swam around taking pictures. In the last scuba dive pictures and video (from Manly), we realized that all we did was wave whenever the camera was pointed at us. Well... This time we added a few more signs to our repertoire: the "OK" sign and the Shaka/Hang Loose sign. Whenever the camera was pointed at us, this is what we did. In every single picture. Our facial expressions were also very ridiculous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK2tYYjRbmZXBnHX0QCgBk2kcmp1UgYo5rW9syq60cGW8hfhycd0kBMsNTcOe-J7iT4Sm4AYdgJ4dAw6Rhy4cxpquaXiImtKnX__a7zYlh5NqTYyHsmd0mNqKgeITU4nDWy5l4Qmb2Po/s1600/photo+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK2tYYjRbmZXBnHX0QCgBk2kcmp1UgYo5rW9syq60cGW8hfhycd0kBMsNTcOe-J7iT4Sm4AYdgJ4dAw6Rhy4cxpquaXiImtKnX__a7zYlh5NqTYyHsmd0mNqKgeITU4nDWy5l4Qmb2Po/s1600/photo+186.JPG" height="640" uta="true" width="422" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I was definitely OK.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_mjDeSDn9Bks6hIcGwea4LEeGz7YiUu88KL3sW7N9qfs8jJeqhyphenhyphenr9lEG4mP-gacyX2GZQqnvUw63B6M_cegOdz_mQIL4nZIpuu5ou0JTJjISugl_D1TYaC6e89HjX5vXmzGc5m_Qbk/s1600/P4250452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_mjDeSDn9Bks6hIcGwea4LEeGz7YiUu88KL3sW7N9qfs8jJeqhyphenhyphenr9lEG4mP-gacyX2GZQqnvUw63B6M_cegOdz_mQIL4nZIpuu5ou0JTJjISugl_D1TYaC6e89HjX5vXmzGc5m_Qbk/s1600/P4250452.JPG" height="480" uta="true" width="640" /></a></div>
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Actually, we were all okay. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DGujstQ6-jhkha2HSyXXMrNmIxr7rzk5AyziefmePYs9UVZTf91cj1rUmWpeG0cQxTMKqhZIC2aVeRcoOBBKcscNwHJjyj1sUkACcZy8e9yGi9IYrgfp7uXacD24NhgezApLVXw7MBs/s1600/photo+193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DGujstQ6-jhkha2HSyXXMrNmIxr7rzk5AyziefmePYs9UVZTf91cj1rUmWpeG0cQxTMKqhZIC2aVeRcoOBBKcscNwHJjyj1sUkACcZy8e9yGi9IYrgfp7uXacD24NhgezApLVXw7MBs/s1600/photo+193.JPG" height="422" uta="true" width="640" /></a></div>
I'm pretty sure I was doing the Shaka sign with my right hand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0p5wOcy1sDj7OJijuIJSwYhjVahXFmaYxn6aiH-yVtXRVkX45PqrFjPzPTGtkm-m-9Dnd9xzTBPN3AyCyl-Lr6hyphenhyphenilRo7jjV9WPSAf7wrQp8osSsjquMb_-kOp0AraPhsyfK0ukvS8nA/s1600/photo+212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0p5wOcy1sDj7OJijuIJSwYhjVahXFmaYxn6aiH-yVtXRVkX45PqrFjPzPTGtkm-m-9Dnd9xzTBPN3AyCyl-Lr6hyphenhyphenilRo7jjV9WPSAf7wrQp8osSsjquMb_-kOp0AraPhsyfK0ukvS8nA/s1600/photo+212.JPG" height="640" uta="true" width="422" /></a></span></div>
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Isabelle is OK (yet again).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aQ3AFR0xuN-ZWbL1-BIrW8_T7CW451sCicw-PpgsVUxMcMBWUWKuWwD57IealuhF4uw5ogjaTy4BKM1ksVsoWHGYvyVlzdmSV9hHS5i6dICpbpOX3t3EbA4HaCfgwStEaqkhgEVR9bg/s1600/photo+217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aQ3AFR0xuN-ZWbL1-BIrW8_T7CW451sCicw-PpgsVUxMcMBWUWKuWwD57IealuhF4uw5ogjaTy4BKM1ksVsoWHGYvyVlzdmSV9hHS5i6dICpbpOX3t3EbA4HaCfgwStEaqkhgEVR9bg/s1600/photo+217.JPG" height="422" uta="true" width="640" /></a></div>
Shaka and OK hand gesture combo.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ika2-2z_K_9rJyaLqVUpIO8KetJG836ubwH1Ade6F_pjtsfcrnTXhtDq0N3qGq6sjJgA5WdHnuhtvErn_n9NWqeyWhwT4ollFUAAf9H5_BDLHPZOfrXYx3FC1ilQvKDqIKOyfPsmaEg/s1600/photo+223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_952649="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ika2-2z_K_9rJyaLqVUpIO8KetJG836ubwH1Ade6F_pjtsfcrnTXhtDq0N3qGq6sjJgA5WdHnuhtvErn_n9NWqeyWhwT4ollFUAAf9H5_BDLHPZOfrXYx3FC1ilQvKDqIKOyfPsmaEg/s1600/photo+223.JPG" height="640" uta="true" width="422" /></a></div>
Last picture from the second dive = last chance to do the OK sign. I opted for a thumbs up, which actually means "I want to go up" in scuba lingo. Oops.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After getting home and washing off all the saltwater, the girls and I went to PJ O'Brians for dinner. I had a burger (surprise!), and Sydney had the fish and chips (surprise!). It turned out to be another early night (in bed by 9pm). Tomorrow is our last full day in Cairns, and we plan to spend it by the pool. The Weather Gods are finally cooperating, and giving us some sunshine! Going to give the no-alarm-sleep-until-I-wake-up-thing another try. Crossing my fingers that I don't wake up with another dorm mate in my bed tomorrow morning! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-66299238877992076452014-04-22T00:12:00.002-07:002014-07-28T18:04:35.864-07:00Tired... But ready for Part 2 of Mid-Session Break <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today started out at the crack of dawn (4:50am) in our hostel room in Auckland. Everything was packed and ready to go. All we had to do was jump in our clothes, check out, and head to the airport bus down the street. Approximately 40 minutes later, we were at the airport. Isabelle and I were on a later flight than Sydney. We all met up at the Sydney airport, and took a taxi home together (rather than the train). We only had a few hours to recuperate before we need to be back at the airport, so we thought we'd treat ourselves to a much shorter taxi ride. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I left my Mac at home while in New Zealand, so there have been a few things I haven't been able to upload from my iPhone. Here's the lovely video of my doing the SkyJump yesterday. Can you tell I was totally regretting falling for Isabelle's persuasiveness? I look extremely unhappy and skeptical while walking out on that ledge, and was ELATED to be back on the ground. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Also, here are some pictures from the caving adventure we did in Waitomo. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaCeOzyG-C5ZzahnzB-qtUopVyOzOUIy3DbJzh4KTKoSfVFvH2C19qKArwnuDzXPxLYllE9EMkLXm8louXJ-hxxRio6V6IY5d_SY4WW5bvgsiElELQO1LIAQO3g-0tDE-T7noGAK-r3Q/s640/blogger-image--998378389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaCeOzyG-C5ZzahnzB-qtUopVyOzOUIy3DbJzh4KTKoSfVFvH2C19qKArwnuDzXPxLYllE9EMkLXm8louXJ-hxxRio6V6IY5d_SY4WW5bvgsiElELQO1LIAQO3g-0tDE-T7noGAK-r3Q/s640/blogger-image--998378389.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKFmKzFH2I8kzhRPK7XpakPDyXhO2ddB8dViDi-xjVZ-ZkwOzQe6t3gxd86cN3v3J65MVAUdq8iZllNJi4A-TbGpvhJnTyLMoAZOhFFfh5Si9InKDE3_aaDMPqHNo6qKGRW-qH4rufPE/s640/blogger-image--1067997529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the 35meter/115feet abseiling into a pitch black cave</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGq6-1HVkrdsIMrV54oN2fEnqPmdzGsRqzolGEaGt1eW-il1ZxMpFIW0kBzxFqVxGIFWbAW9syISUOCfchTj5hGc-3NyT2DcP52pnlsjViowegbQAWH69IrJenwST5REo8vnQCYdax9qQ/s1600/P3150022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGq6-1HVkrdsIMrV54oN2fEnqPmdzGsRqzolGEaGt1eW-il1ZxMpFIW0kBzxFqVxGIFWbAW9syISUOCfchTj5hGc-3NyT2DcP52pnlsjViowegbQAWH69IrJenwST5REo8vnQCYdax9qQ/s1600/P3150022.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xnldmoQFuBkc0SPqxnleNbF0RYAuAN5Bka2JwHpxOrFsEhLYhbHpx_Cr9BMWpyyAErXqC0sFjXnF6KikvnBQ3xJtamdCnFEUlMDN1T8YC6kgHDdpZSvKKyfVBKMjxUeyPMnzYKevt9Q/s640/blogger-image--1221046226.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To avoid being kicked in the face, we had to lay down on the ground once we had completed the flying fox. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isabelle jumping in the water with her tube. BRRR!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group picture (from the left): Cosmo, Syd, Rudy, Susanne, Isabelle, Sydney, Marigold, and me</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to crawl through some parts of the cave </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-dAWvrxTDgd-dw5V3xSuyybXe3B07rGrYmBpxummPt_WTfWzwnLl2H0fH3CthiP2oSK-c8YrIAPJIhcSm2vGNOyIwAdHf3yOHT5vhiLkmOUVuNU8CwpBend1MUPBXBiCecU7SgsFIhc/s1600/P3150079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV-dAWvrxTDgd-dw5V3xSuyybXe3B07rGrYmBpxummPt_WTfWzwnLl2H0fH3CthiP2oSK-c8YrIAPJIhcSm2vGNOyIwAdHf3yOHT5vhiLkmOUVuNU8CwpBend1MUPBXBiCecU7SgsFIhc/s1600/P3150079.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The caves were beautiful </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wPWwYZvdwXbnSubG464Yp_5xPjJXgnGfza45l_GhIcj_x5TSH-cRDDVdUTwuP4um7jvDX0tgOhkjxrYHyy-3D5IG233Rb2L49K5SJ9SA6FtvjSFq0PZ80rOSM3NGiYZd7G0PS4fcAsQ/s640/blogger-image--1265817300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our group standing together in a big tube for our group shot (don't ask me why we were standing in a tube). Pretty squished! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been great being home in my apartment, if only for a few hours. It would have been nice to be home for a day or two before leaving, but I am ready for Part 2 of Mid-Session Break. My backpack is repacked (everything in it went straight to the laundry hamper), and I'm all set for 5 days in Cairns (which is pronounced "Cans" by the way). Cairns is located in the far North of Queensland, about a 3 hour flight from Sydney. Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're a fairly large group of people (ten girls, if my memory serves me right). Some of the girls signed up for a 5-day package deal, while Isabelle, Sydney, and I just booked things separately. I am so happy for that decision right now. I don't think I could handle a super full itinerary after a busy week in New Zealand. We have a few things planned though. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow and Saturday are our "days off", and we have nothing planned for those days (yet). We were hoping to just lay by the pool doing nothing. I have a few books on my Kindle I want to get through this week (before I have to get back to textbooks). As it turns out, we are bringing the gloomy weather with us from New Zealand. Come on, Weather Gods! Be a little bit more cooperative. We've had a week of primarily rainy weather. All we're asking is two days of sunshine so we can come home from break looking a little more sun-kissed than before. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the forecast miraculously changes. Cross yours, too! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time to go back to the airport. Cairns, here we come! Enjoy this awesome song that </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney, Isabelle, and I have listened to over and over this break. Ahhh... Such a great song! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-4703266262421012282014-04-20T23:48:00.001-07:002014-07-28T08:45:26.714-07:00Last day in New Zealand<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to Starbucks before the movie last night. Outside of the US pretty much the only people that go to Starbucks are tourists. You'll rarely see locals enjoying a Tall Mocha Frappuccino or a Venti Soy Latté at Starbucks. Nope, just lots of tourists. The reason is of course because they have free Wifi, which is a valued commodity for tourists. We needed Wifi to figure out what to do the next day, so Starbucks was a good place to be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New Zealand is the land of the bungee; it originated here. I bungee jumped in Rjukan (Norway) once like five years ago, and I honestly thought I was plummeting to my death. Isabelle did it over the Victoria Falls when she went traveling in Africa. Sydney hasn't done it (yet at least). Isabelle has been talking about wanting to bungee jump again for a long time, like since we were traveling in Asia. I haven't entertained the idea of doing anything remotely similar to bungee jumping much. That was, until last night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There we were, the three tourists in the Auckland Starbucks. We started talking about the famous Auckland Sky Tower that we had passed a few times. It's a beautiful structure; it reminds me of the Seattle Space Needle (though I have only seen it in pictures). Well, it turns out you can jump from this beautiful tower. Who would have thought? The SkyJump is New Zealand's highest jump, and you rush through the air at around 85km/53miles per hour and fall for about 11 seconds. The jump is a whopping 192meters/630feet. It can be described as base jumping while attached to a wire. Just the thought of it made my heart race. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think you know where this story is going. "If your friends jump off a bridge, then would you do it too?" Well, yes. I can't miss a thrilling experience. If they jump, I jump. Isabelle said she was going to do the SkyJump, and I couldn't not do it if she did it (and she totally knew this, she's so sneaky). The SkyJump website advertized that it is not the same as bungee jumping. There is no hanging upside down, and you land gently on your feet on the landing platform. I said I would be open to everything while I was studying abroad except bungee jumping... So Isabelle and I booked a jump for the next morning at 10:15am before I could rethink it and change my mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney knew she wouldn't enjoy it, so she didn't book it. Very smart choice. It's important to know your limits, especially when you have people around you who aren't afraid of anything (i.e. Daredevil Isabelle) or who are very easily persuaded (i.e. me). I've been very nervous for many of the activities that I've done, but deep down I've known that I would enjoy doing them. I just have to stop overthinking everything, and just do it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was no turning back after booking the jump. Well, technically there was... But I didn't want to lose the $180 I paid. It's amazing how having paid money for something will make you do things (like jump off high buildings). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We woke up early, had breakfast, and made our way to the Sky Tower. It wasn't a far walk, only about 10 minutes from our hostel. We signed away our lives for the zillionth time, and promised not to sue if anything went wrong. A nice guy from Northern Ireland, Neil, got us geared up in a space-like suit and a super tight harness. My suit was waaay too short for my legs, and I looked ridiculous. Not the most attractive thing I've worn, but I wasn't too concerned with that at the time. I was going to jump off a building soon! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went up to the 53rd floor, where two nice girls met us at the SkyJump. On the ride up, you could see out over the city from the elevator. I was (of course) questioning why in the world I keep doing this to myself. Why, why, why? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The girls explained what was supposed to happen. First, they hooked up a GoPro camera to my wrist, so I could film myself doing the jump. Everything has to be documented! As for the jump details: they would double check my harness, hook me up to the wire, take me to the ledge, and count down from three. All I had to do was let go of the rails I would be holding on to, that was it. I didn't have to dive towards the ground (like I did for bungee jumping). It seemed simple enough. By the time I was out on the ledge, I had forgotten which hand was left/right, what I was supposed to do, and was questioning the how secure the harness was. Oh yeah, I was cool as a cucumber. Happy to have captured that on film. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to upload the video of myself, but here you can see the SkyJump promo video: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The jump wasn't as bad as I expected (few things are really as bad as I fear). When they counted down, I just let go, and suddenly I was on my way towards the landing platform. The view was incredible. Jumping from such a high spot in a city was very thrilling, and I was screaming the whole way down. I thought it would be more like bungee jumping, however, you're not really free falling towards the ground. You can tell that there is wire holding you back (not that that was a bad thing). Thanks to the lovely Sydney, who was at the landing platform waiting, Isabelle and I got some pictures of us falling and landing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See that little black dot in the sky? That's Isabelle! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A big thumbs up for our last adrenaline-rush activity in New Zealand. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwbp3S97763DbpJ4A6pQ4y7_Z1-qPXgOhHLvHTHDqVMRiAgSl4dKXbDeZjgMVbejc7O6PpWs4xiETI4xuNmijWy0thzlgbRvRyXBAVIn5Z_zI3Ct5be4c4QqOM2Xo60feFODpOsCHmaM/s640/blogger-image-639846439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwbp3S97763DbpJ4A6pQ4y7_Z1-qPXgOhHLvHTHDqVMRiAgSl4dKXbDeZjgMVbejc7O6PpWs4xiETI4xuNmijWy0thzlgbRvRyXBAVIn5Z_zI3Ct5be4c4QqOM2Xo60feFODpOsCHmaM/s640/blogger-image-639846439.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look who we met in the lobby on our way back to the base: a super happy Tower Man!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our next activity for the day was a walk up to Mt Eden to see the spectacular views of the city and its surroundings. This is the highest of the volcanos in Auckland, 196meters/640feet high. It was a nice walk from the city. I think it took us about an hour to get to the top. We sat at the too for a while, enjoying some fresh fruit and vegetables that we bought. So relaxing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful views of the city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a giant, well-preserved crater that was 50meters/164feet deep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After our walk to Mt Eden, we took the 12-minute ferry boat to Devonport, a harborside suburb of Auckland. We were starving once we got off the boat, so we went to find a café in Victoria Street. Thanks to my great navigation skills, we took a very roundabout way of getting there. But we made it, and we found a nice café as well. There were so many beautiful Victorian era houses. The neighborhood was just grand. I would have loved to live here. The views of the city were gorgeous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It rained a little today as well (we were pretty lucky most of the day though). We've seen quite a few rainbows on this trip. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the evening we went to the Sky Deck to get a view of the city. I love going up to these places in the evening. It's so nice seeing all the twinkling lights of the city from up above. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They had an area where you could see straight down to the ground. Hard to believe that Isabelle and I were looking at this just a few hours ago, and getting ready to jump! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NlIcZ64YooJXue97lH43lybI6lBLeWuZp2QRRBUG0WPjT1tkzPUPSZMz94_2dsDJ6eZAWTG4b9Eu8-UVt8DPfWdMkmZOQC-uiKfLHXCzVc56jCwnN2TAHOs-hQZzksVIqkUrKoKmJKg/s640/blogger-image--1815068413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NlIcZ64YooJXue97lH43lybI6lBLeWuZp2QRRBUG0WPjT1tkzPUPSZMz94_2dsDJ6eZAWTG4b9Eu8-UVt8DPfWdMkmZOQC-uiKfLHXCzVc56jCwnN2TAHOs-hQZzksVIqkUrKoKmJKg/s640/blogger-image--1815068413.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was our last full day in New Zealand, and we spent our time wisely. We fly home to Sydney early in the morning tomorrow. We will have a few hours at home before we need to head back to the airport to go to Cairns. We have to leave the city at 5:30am to get to the airport on time... Time for some sleep! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-2121072793939360322014-04-20T00:39:00.000-07:002014-11-23T10:28:17.375-08:00Return to AucklandToday we drove our last bit of our journey from Hamilton to Auckland. In total we have driven 876km/544miles this week. It has been the perfect amount of driving, about 1-2 hours each day. It has been such an eventful week. We went caving in Waitomo, went hiking in the Tongariro National park, white water rafted in Turangi, visited an animal farm and thermal pools in Taupo, went zorbing in Rotorua, were hobbity on the Hobbiton movie set, and stayed in a 4-star hotel in Hamilton.<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I'd say Isabelle and I did a pretty good job driving, if I do say so myself. </span>We didn't crash, or even have any "close calls", and we managed to return the car in the same condition as when we first got it. It really didn't take long to adapt to being on the other side of the road. We took turns driving, and that worked out well. I almost preferred driving; that meant you didn't have to sit in the passenger seat, and be in charge of the music. When in charge, you question every song, and really start doubting your taste in music. Do they like this song? Are they singing? Why aren't they singing? Should I switch? Should I wait to switch? Why aren't they singing?! Oh, so nerve-wracking being the DJ. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4PPKKVgFz31grTbz28lThZUvSjxcdechloYRxSRXEi5U1WdvL8YG6l3lnrewS8PKWWGXkwTlZSOywIEuWCVndbYqWgPKzNz_J3EUglfvgQ9QfUftX1TrdmpxPTsBpqgbbJNx4tN3eD8/s640/blogger-image--802344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4PPKKVgFz31grTbz28lThZUvSjxcdechloYRxSRXEi5U1WdvL8YG6l3lnrewS8PKWWGXkwTlZSOywIEuWCVndbYqWgPKzNz_J3EUglfvgQ9QfUftX1TrdmpxPTsBpqgbbJNx4tN3eD8/s640/blogger-image--802344.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Sydney was the perfect passenger; she always sat in the back (despite being offered the front seat many times), and was happy as a clam. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We initially thought that Sydney wasn't able to drive the rental car because she was too young. As it turned out, she could drive here. As long as you had a license, you were good to go! Isabelle and I have been mentally preparing ourselves for driving on the opposite side of the road since we booked the rental about a month ago. Sydney wasn't too keen on driving, so we just pretended we didn't hear the info about her being able to drive. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsufiCLAt0sx1nz4dhPro99CDJcKSRmRHMswYH_kVo16caVo_dwkucAdj0Jewbw4_nf9wNUuJz84daYs0xuIt81pFzBhJ7rgLzx-SwyxwCaX5aYJzMP7RjMJFVK64ZtqAddLh5_8O3pWA/s640/blogger-image--235883640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsufiCLAt0sx1nz4dhPro99CDJcKSRmRHMswYH_kVo16caVo_dwkucAdj0Jewbw4_nf9wNUuJz84daYs0xuIt81pFzBhJ7rgLzx-SwyxwCaX5aYJzMP7RjMJFVK64ZtqAddLh5_8O3pWA/s640/blogger-image--235883640.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We returned Charlie (the 2000 Nissan Pulsar) and Bertha (the GPS) to Snap Drive Rentals at around 2pm. It was sad... Sydney and Isabelle almost cried (hah, just kidding).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Standing in the car rental reception was so weird; it seems like we just got here. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">It's surreal that a week ago we were getting all our ducks in a row, and getting ready to leave for New Zealand. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In two days we will be getting on a flight back to Sydney, rushing home to repack our backpacks, and heading back to the airport to catch a flight to Cairns to meet up with some other friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The nice rental guy, Mark, drove us to the Domestic Terminal so we could take the bus in to the city center. After a quick 40-minute bus ride, we got off at Queen Steet, and made our way to the hostel we booked. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We checked into Jucy Hotel (did they misspell "juicy" on purpose?). It isn't as spacious as our airport-of-a-hotel-room we had at the 4-star hotel last night, but it certainly will suffice for the next two nights. I love the nice, high ceilings. We also have more than enough sleeping space; we have two twin beds and one queen bed. We voted that Sydney got the queen bed today since she has been sitting in the back seat this whole week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I wonder if Sydney will take advantage of the extra space, and sprawl out like Isabelle did last night... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">After a quick nap, we went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Not very much was open today seeing as it is Easter Sunday. The pulled pork sandwich, chicken parmagiano, and burger were good though. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Food was highly appreciated and needed after a long day (i.e. we were all getting a little food-deprived and cranky). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As we were looking for stuff to do in Auckand brochures and on the internet, we realized our clothes have hindered us in doing some things. We're all dressed like we're about to go to the gym, so we can't really go to any place that is even remotely fancy. We thought maybe we'd see a show here in Auckland, go to a comedy club, or even just have a nice dinner. But alas, our attire would make us stick out like a sore thumb. It's mainly our shoes that give us away; brightly colored Asics don't screen "I dressed up this evening!" If we had flip flops and a sweater, the running tights could possibly pass as black pants. Packing light does have it's downfalls... It also has it's perks though. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">On the bright side, we've only had a small backpack to keep track of. Also, it only takes about 2 minutes to get ready in the morning. There's not very many choices that need to be made, and the big decision is between wearing the Macquarie hoodie or the Nike running half zip. It's amazing we still smell so good (we smell like a fresh bouquet of flowers, of course). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Due to our backpacker wardrobe, we went to yet another cinematic adventure this evening. I don't think I've ever been to the movies three times in one week before. I guess there's a first for everything! We saw The Grand Budapest Hotel this evening, and we enjoyed it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Tomorrow is our last full day in New Zealand, so we are going to make the most of it. We have a few fun things planned! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989874019950333983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152281347144269154.post-78578319624886120622014-04-19T13:12:00.000-07:002014-11-23T12:29:02.825-08:00Taupo & Rotorua & Hobbiton<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you having a hectic or bad day? Llamas are an instant pick-me-up! They are such happy creatures (though Sydney tells me they sometimes spit on you). Doesn't it look like this llama is smiling? We were smiling, too! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W6dbFEoOk0LMh1tzXp5aaBPDOk2c1e8_VskByHWGNCUFkkf0IFsVKeHMFdOqj4gzi_xbTcn2Fc3JxjrvxgXufV7g-4iHgqA2mT5ZGiiLvUymOy_RpH18nw6kjuk-KygmPokDnv8PkWY/s640/blogger-image-1465621037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W6dbFEoOk0LMh1tzXp5aaBPDOk2c1e8_VskByHWGNCUFkkf0IFsVKeHMFdOqj4gzi_xbTcn2Fc3JxjrvxgXufV7g-4iHgqA2mT5ZGiiLvUymOy_RpH18nw6kjuk-KygmPokDnv8PkWY/s640/blogger-image-1465621037.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The llama took a selfie. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANQJPb08JA-zSQtCaQlr7edM7BSaWtVkSRY_Pk-O9CiwcnLXymkbLOD6_0qBEo6tcFwlSZH3Ta4K7cF5HTPGiuVM1HEJ-rPx7yOIEAEc_fEzXQj0hFt0ZBrbdGhrl91jGs7hyJL601eY/s1600/IMG_8795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANQJPb08JA-zSQtCaQlr7edM7BSaWtVkSRY_Pk-O9CiwcnLXymkbLOD6_0qBEo6tcFwlSZH3Ta4K7cF5HTPGiuVM1HEJ-rPx7yOIEAEc_fEzXQj0hFt0ZBrbdGhrl91jGs7hyJL601eY/s1600/IMG_8795.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTkikQV_Umny3DDPEmGZ3i-7FC1M98hLXlpB_XWIBcQbVdCLCD4Ju55V3G7EneIHT2jun9xSFOs8avIIzNtrV2iReUt7U59oBFtKfL1lB_JDxZMjOMpjEZXHpaUrbQ-z_ZtrUWEW9QFQ/s640/blogger-image-282341689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTkikQV_Umny3DDPEmGZ3i-7FC1M98hLXlpB_XWIBcQbVdCLCD4Ju55V3G7EneIHT2jun9xSFOs8avIIzNtrV2iReUt7U59oBFtKfL1lB_JDxZMjOMpjEZXHpaUrbQ-z_ZtrUWEW9QFQ/s640/blogger-image-282341689.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday (April 18th) we went to the Lilliput Farm Fun & Animal Park in the morning. We have been doing adrenaline-rush-provoking activities since we got here, so we thought it was time to do something a little more relaxing. What could be more relaxing than an animal park where you can pet and feed adorable animals? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney's mom asked her if Isabelle and I were going to the animal park just to make her happy. The truth is, the animals made us pretty happy as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaohd6td1H_aPq8YiZtNwjFn43B6NxifMNEb86O7Kmm3OXPsWT79SJ0IfTh_mB0rFeugg9-BmIp_3ntfpLRCjGr-rkLOeT8Ol4GMGSIXC3_nTFrI5F8S_A0yWeVYrkQan6bVa2r-uIGQ/s640/blogger-image-1140978921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaohd6td1H_aPq8YiZtNwjFn43B6NxifMNEb86O7Kmm3OXPsWT79SJ0IfTh_mB0rFeugg9-BmIp_3ntfpLRCjGr-rkLOeT8Ol4GMGSIXC3_nTFrI5F8S_A0yWeVYrkQan6bVa2r-uIGQ/s640/blogger-image-1140978921.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made a lot of new friends yesterday thanks to this bucket of food pellets. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpvP0EQp8HE7VjFoj6MCWMl6u1pnjAtvOHVHgVR9YAATDJ1ZS4D_E0Rm-dx6xw1G93gyBbwlBhlIzYU1WYzrov33RwMBpFtgERSKTvBBbAC1J8C0WU6QmqFJe4fvGuyqMsfh82BoLtFk/s640/blogger-image-371537198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpvP0EQp8HE7VjFoj6MCWMl6u1pnjAtvOHVHgVR9YAATDJ1ZS4D_E0Rm-dx6xw1G93gyBbwlBhlIzYU1WYzrov33RwMBpFtgERSKTvBBbAC1J8C0WU6QmqFJe4fvGuyqMsfh82BoLtFk/s640/blogger-image-371537198.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had them eating out of the palm of my hand (literally). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoe3NIwXNWEy3GfKYq2wl1nh2B55j0F395CwwRzHUO1FtXERhdd2c7PsYAMPhh9778pzhOfnuV2BRh2qQUzN-CE4luAJq9rRq3_L0ovpTcJfVQ2G2JhYfMl5Z47apR-1w4vjDauuicz4/s640/blogger-image-306951596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoe3NIwXNWEy3GfKYq2wl1nh2B55j0F395CwwRzHUO1FtXERhdd2c7PsYAMPhh9778pzhOfnuV2BRh2qQUzN-CE4luAJq9rRq3_L0ovpTcJfVQ2G2JhYfMl5Z47apR-1w4vjDauuicz4/s640/blogger-image-306951596.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Say what? You used food to lure me over to take a selfie?" Yes, yes, I did. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4VgOipKcqOAoQrO_PJ34mrBrBi-ee1WzjJD86M3qt4oCikC_14UBHDSG9nsWBJL_8wAjnX3ONm43N9POIkPIGdXDQanepjt9Gl2u6ZTPdyDLypyNfsnW_rREcqQr3UQ_vjrTp1NCHrI/s640/blogger-image--2005794648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4VgOipKcqOAoQrO_PJ34mrBrBi-ee1WzjJD86M3qt4oCikC_14UBHDSG9nsWBJL_8wAjnX3ONm43N9POIkPIGdXDQanepjt9Gl2u6ZTPdyDLypyNfsnW_rREcqQr3UQ_vjrTp1NCHrI/s640/blogger-image--2005794648.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle and Sydney became pretty popular as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8fJs4L0nO2Nh8y-cdYQYu9p6eClojhkTNqnZvWYTNV3PcwqNrPmpIjsmmlV-NunXNBqsv5RWRZ0vagyRdMvT6hqWM8SaJjJvWLxGUoa9P9tPuEgWWypHFerQBnNnCSYuJKsnoZx5mxg/s640/blogger-image-18288750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8fJs4L0nO2Nh8y-cdYQYu9p6eClojhkTNqnZvWYTNV3PcwqNrPmpIjsmmlV-NunXNBqsv5RWRZ0vagyRdMvT6hqWM8SaJjJvWLxGUoa9P9tPuEgWWypHFerQBnNnCSYuJKsnoZx5mxg/s640/blogger-image-18288750.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The runner up for cutest farm animal was this adorable sheep. Look at how content it looks with its head in the fence. It reminds me of a stuffed animal I have; my fluffy sheep named Ulla (which means Wooly in Norwegian). Poor Ulla, she didn't get to come traveling with me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4GrgmqBepwAY-yB3gnd_H5vzl5T-tRCn3vkbPCFX-OCivjNI7OnoI1DHEDWDIWdCH5D5sOnUdHR8zqCeHO-pdmOnq9GtXb6-T2qz9ZA4A4vkZD_dVnCowkqi1AH2KVxvJT8I64-CP-A/s640/blogger-image-1396700077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4GrgmqBepwAY-yB3gnd_H5vzl5T-tRCn3vkbPCFX-OCivjNI7OnoI1DHEDWDIWdCH5D5sOnUdHR8zqCeHO-pdmOnq9GtXb6-T2qz9ZA4A4vkZD_dVnCowkqi1AH2KVxvJT8I64-CP-A/s640/blogger-image-1396700077.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were lots of different animals on the farm: bunnies, cats, horses, goats, pigs, emus, and lots of birds. They were all pretty friendly (except for the goats that tried to eat Sydney's hair). We were a little skeptical of this pig... I think he felt the same way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Invasion of the duckies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We regret not getting this miniature horse as a souvenir. It would be a great way to get to and from class at Macquarie, wouldn't it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pretty sure this park is meant for little kids... But we still had a good time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As summer is approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, autumn and winter are the seasons of the Southern Hemisphere. In other words, don't expect me to be too tan when I come home in July. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After getting our cute-animal-fix, we went to the thermal pools at Taupo DeBretts. We initially were going to splurge and get some spa treatments, but it turned out they were fully booked all day. Oh well... That saved our student budgets some money! The thermal pools were relaxing enough. They had two big mineral pools outside with small waterfalls and hydrotherapy spots, in addition to 12 small, indoor private pools you could go to. The water in the pools ranged from 38-40Celsius/100.4-104Fahrenheit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While we were soaking in the outside pool, we met a little girl around 10 years old. She was adorable, and looked just like a younger, more freckled Sydney. She was from NZ, and was there with her family on vacation. She went on to tell us about how her twin sister was just playing on the slide, and wouldn't play with her. When Isabelle said that she always wanted a twin when she was younger, our new little friend said she wouldn't recommend having one. Sydney asked her if the two of them are similar. To which she replied "Well, we share a bedroom, and both of us like blue. We don't like pink. I guess we're similar". Kids are so cute. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The place itself wasn't the fanciest. I think we were all expecting something more along the lines of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. However, it was still very nice to just sit and soak in minerals for a bit. Our skin feels silky smooth after just one visit (placebo effect, perhaps?).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGije0QQmfTD32fyEG2XJH_3OaQnSyq7wAlQ6gsSGKuLxDY4_NJtRMptZzfVCpSNUJPvodoFjgjEViFdXlyqixPkf4uRHYn7Wg65O9jU3TwerSqYC2LdvGF1KVjSrLmaH-nqeKNQmicAI/s640/blogger-image-1167962003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGije0QQmfTD32fyEG2XJH_3OaQnSyq7wAlQ6gsSGKuLxDY4_NJtRMptZzfVCpSNUJPvodoFjgjEViFdXlyqixPkf4uRHYn7Wg65O9jU3TwerSqYC2LdvGF1KVjSrLmaH-nqeKNQmicAI/s640/blogger-image-1167962003.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday was Good Friday. That meant that places added an additional "public holiday surcharge". Also, you couldn't buy an alcoholic beverage without buying a full meal. Interesting! I guess a Norwegian can't complain about weird rules like that. It's kind of like the pot calling the kettle black. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03nvDm1I8ukVSL4Ok05hs39EihO1CA7WVriEZNGOWpIgmLqnQtqnPcpwqnOiTzDaFetIRxOPzwQkIgI8q6LYMamlGaVOFDotsOv-YqjMIrn9ayvU96SceL3Z_T9jPFC7hFHy06g6sheo/s640/blogger-image--345129337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03nvDm1I8ukVSL4Ok05hs39EihO1CA7WVriEZNGOWpIgmLqnQtqnPcpwqnOiTzDaFetIRxOPzwQkIgI8q6LYMamlGaVOFDotsOv-YqjMIrn9ayvU96SceL3Z_T9jPFC7hFHy06g6sheo/s640/blogger-image--345129337.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had an amazing lunch at Dixie Brown's, followed by coffee in a park area. We had a great view of Lake Taupo. Unfortunately, no cliff diving allowed here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our next stop on our adventure was Rotorua, located approx 80km/50miles from Taupo. The weather fluctuates quite a bit here; one minute it will be sunny, the next it's raining heaps. Very unpredictable. It seems that every time we have to get out of the car with all stuff, it starts pouring. No exception yesterday. Lots and lots of rain! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLVqjjvu934ORWs58g3t5wcqUw_IgjrwNmznEBHB9zibYvjg0jmHut9aFHYi_gnGSmmK3rIr01wEZFSDnh45FB3wmPguIB0VYI0s9VjBLOgpgy1T_jMdTC62FqhlmqPKNPzLpzWWhzjY/s640/blogger-image-1965976145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLVqjjvu934ORWs58g3t5wcqUw_IgjrwNmznEBHB9zibYvjg0jmHut9aFHYi_gnGSmmK3rIr01wEZFSDnh45FB3wmPguIB0VYI0s9VjBLOgpgy1T_jMdTC62FqhlmqPKNPzLpzWWhzjY/s640/blogger-image-1965976145.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A rotten egg-y smell greeted us when we drove in to odoriferous Rotorua. Nothing like the smell of sulfur to welcome you to the city! The abundant geothermal activity from the geysers, hot pools, and mud pools are what causes the town to smell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We checked in to a 6 bed dorm at the Rotorua Downtown Backpackers. The receptionist, Kat, was super helpful. We got to Rotorua around 5:30pm, and were trying to find something fun to do. Everything was either fully booked, closed, or unsuitable for rainy weather. Sooo... We went to another movie. We couldn't just sit in our dorm staring at the wall. Rather, we walked 10 minutes from our hostel, and paid money to stare at a screen and see the movie Noah. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYviPESQNTj5lobQOfQhzpTI4dXZR4TLAhB9uQp8RvlgPttmJeRhf-j55rXK4dn5Qmw1TXpvGRv44y033RzVTkmGkTlxCnHHJCMZ5UhLy15eKsZGAbjrF5cFCSR8WoH1uQfRjTL33bOM/s640/blogger-image-901667622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYviPESQNTj5lobQOfQhzpTI4dXZR4TLAhB9uQp8RvlgPttmJeRhf-j55rXK4dn5Qmw1TXpvGRv44y033RzVTkmGkTlxCnHHJCMZ5UhLy15eKsZGAbjrF5cFCSR8WoH1uQfRjTL33bOM/s640/blogger-image-901667622.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We got up early this morning to check out, and get on the road. I feel the coffee cup reflected our need for more sleep. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was the day when we were finally going to go Zorbing. We had been looking forward to this since we booked our tickets. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZL3uWTTJeNe_MJ0knepiRcackPfczrmqYvewYOlS0sgUEDyMmzE3_CQTRmtfqNkY4FyUnk4qB33ZDPYLF8Au7YPA7cka0kwaAnrFdCOFtb9zlC3Lh4r13OtAPhpy9fK4KKzFCm2oY4/s640/blogger-image--912885726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZL3uWTTJeNe_MJ0knepiRcackPfczrmqYvewYOlS0sgUEDyMmzE3_CQTRmtfqNkY4FyUnk4qB33ZDPYLF8Au7YPA7cka0kwaAnrFdCOFtb9zlC3Lh4r13OtAPhpy9fK4KKzFCm2oY4/s640/blogger-image--912885726.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zorbing is pretty simple; you just climb into a big inflated ball and roll down a hill. It may sound strange (it is), but it was SO fun. The plastic ball is double walled, so the "zorbonaut" doesn't get hurt. One can choose between the dry version (zorbonaut is harnessed it), or the hydro version (water is put inside the zorb and the zorbonaut can slide around). We chose the hydro version for two reasons: 1) rolling down a hill in a ball going upside down a lot would likely make us nauseous, and 2) if we did the hydro version we could all go in the same zorb. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could chose between three different courses:Fast Lane, Zig Zag, and Drop. We only did the Fast Lane because we thought it would be more fun to go together. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYJnCKwGrpdHpoaVqNBKCfdWU5D6aKIjdHnUCmY396jyeSyPC39OzhD7udjnu6s6imGY4KQ46sw_dMXZTs0fegMzAbN8TtJ154o7ceZIeFo0JuuxmasHPkISVFtxbeI-2J3xXsqwEo3c/s640/blogger-image--768693992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYJnCKwGrpdHpoaVqNBKCfdWU5D6aKIjdHnUCmY396jyeSyPC39OzhD7udjnu6s6imGY4KQ46sw_dMXZTs0fegMzAbN8TtJ154o7ceZIeFo0JuuxmasHPkISVFtxbeI-2J3xXsqwEo3c/s640/blogger-image--768693992.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To get in the zorb, you literally have to run and dive in. It looks so ridiculous when people run, dive, and disappear in the zorb, it feels even more ridiculous when you're the one diving in. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PZGkArTH8-PBkj_A3h8RRxct-sp708gr0pOn4XgQ0gNREhHspOe-4yuHzTk3Ruw0EKUGr3ODBGKGUfi2_3Emlt4X6yB4JZWk7eixz4AKLzkGZrwaRjm31ptr9pHU38KZQ7QOV4qjeQ8/s640/blogger-image-1803750213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PZGkArTH8-PBkj_A3h8RRxct-sp708gr0pOn4XgQ0gNREhHspOe-4yuHzTk3Ruw0EKUGr3ODBGKGUfi2_3Emlt4X6yB4JZWk7eixz4AKLzkGZrwaRjm31ptr9pHU38KZQ7QOV4qjeQ8/s640/blogger-image-1803750213.jpg" /></a>After our first ride down, we decided the one trip just wasn't enough. Round 2, here we come! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to see the geysers at Te Puia, but quickly realized that we didn't feel like spending $50 on the entrance fee. It would have been worth it if we were going to take advantage of the tours they offered, but we really just wanted to pop in, see the geysers, and pop out. No geysers for us... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kiwis (a nickname for people from NZ) are extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't think Australians could be beat on the friendliness-scale, but I think perhaps the Kiwis surpass them a little. After we decided not to go in to Te Puia, a guy that worked there came over and told us about Redwoods Forest, a beautiful place where you can go hiking. He said this would be perfect for us; he noticed we were wearing athletic clothes (the same clothes we've been wearing the past week...). So off we went to the Redwoods Forest! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wasn't too far from the city center, and there were lots of different trails. It we had known about this place, we probably would've planned for a longer hike. We went on the Waitawa Walk, which was only about a 40 minute walk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trail was clearly marked, along with signs telling us not to litter and to "love our trees".</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_GcS-Frm8-tuhC_7qVpYo-6K5foISzH8jPmseeEBjOwexOoos_s-Hxf2nKF4VMhyphenhyphen0td_hH6qyCdCRf-ZyhE-6Ga-GJ29O7UDUfX1vbVTuCO17FLBaYl8c-rYJO1IrjsV5sYlKwgOWKQ/s640/blogger-image--365001543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_GcS-Frm8-tuhC_7qVpYo-6K5foISzH8jPmseeEBjOwexOoos_s-Hxf2nKF4VMhyphenhyphen0td_hH6qyCdCRf-ZyhE-6Ga-GJ29O7UDUfX1vbVTuCO17FLBaYl8c-rYJO1IrjsV5sYlKwgOWKQ/s640/blogger-image--365001543.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Syndey, Isabelle, and I always obey the signs that are posted. We love the trees! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was such a beautiful area, and we were so happy the guys told us about this place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were mostly fir trees in the forest, but we also saw the occasional palm tree here and there. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheooU0963hwOoVK0KeA2mO7GOEQRgXH-76t2tvbo4lPI54NiqgK3zSiBF8yQ3hW-ZIk6U9RVLQS6NsKIGG84au5ypRAiVogJwSnbL6m9cqu8t8dACu12565-B9ryBfV3C25qIK0zFbm2w/s640/blogger-image-224408018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheooU0963hwOoVK0KeA2mO7GOEQRgXH-76t2tvbo4lPI54NiqgK3zSiBF8yQ3hW-ZIk6U9RVLQS6NsKIGG84au5ypRAiVogJwSnbL6m9cqu8t8dACu12565-B9ryBfV3C25qIK0zFbm2w/s640/blogger-image-224408018.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After our great walk in the forest, we headed to Hobbiton to visit the famous movie set. We were originally going to stay another night in Rotorua and go there in the morning. However, due to the lack of vacancy in any hostels/hotels in Rotorua, we had to get moving. It was a beautiful drive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 12-acre Hobbiton movie set was created by filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson to depict the homes of the hobbits. It is a major tourist attraction for film fans and tourists. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not the biggest fan of the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but I must say... It felt good to be hobbity for a few hours. There is a total of 44 little hobbit holes in Hobbiton, and all are dug into the hillside. Hobbit gardens and orchards surround the little holes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me being hobbity, and chopping wood (I guess hobbits need to chop wood, too). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sydney was naturally very hobbity, and immediately knew what to do with the broom. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gorgeous surroundings, indeed. I feel the urge to watch all the movies now. I think I've only seen the two first Lord of the Rings movies, and that's it. I read the book when I was in 7th grade though. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Hobbiton tour was great (albeit a little pricey at $75 per person). Our guide had lots of fun facts for us (none of which I can remember in my current sleepy state, unfortunately...). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We drove to Hamilton after our tour. This was the only place we could find a place to stay. As the Easter holiday is a busy time of the year, we went for a room at a nice 4-star hotel instead of a hostel (this was really our only option). Luckily, it was only about $50 per person, so that's not too bad. We'll survive! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we checked in to the Hamilton City Oaks hotel, we got a big surprise: our room was HUGE! This panoramic pic doesn't accurately depict how big this room is. There's one king size bed, two twin beds, a tv, a desk, and even a dining table with three chairs! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOFj8tylYu8ib50iWlyAeseBOQ9GO7j5QWawPJWpm66kXO_bVuFd6uiugtGgwHDsqJ5U6W5KNEcTfwXHK33RJvfjSguU2BUPFw-zIoYttJcKhLguOAZPc3kH43GTwjKcJQSmpaGHE_Vk/s640/blogger-image--821912584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOFj8tylYu8ib50iWlyAeseBOQ9GO7j5QWawPJWpm66kXO_bVuFd6uiugtGgwHDsqJ5U6W5KNEcTfwXHK33RJvfjSguU2BUPFw-zIoYttJcKhLguOAZPc3kH43GTwjKcJQSmpaGHE_Vk/s640/blogger-image--821912584.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isabelle and Sydney were very excited about our room (and the fact that they could belly flop onto the beds without the chance of hitting a top bunk). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUueKHLmnCwSjID8A-VXt7lW5VfWfDtrML03GJC3cTciLpJWFYiaZozhCcvccJNmng528DBYVSf098w3zb2LU7Wsyra232aRK4nD0b6VNeW-u2TNhixt5NhLpEo2X-w9vTFDVSO4wEPk/s640/blogger-image--1850705872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUueKHLmnCwSjID8A-VXt7lW5VfWfDtrML03GJC3cTciLpJWFYiaZozhCcvccJNmng528DBYVSf098w3zb2LU7Wsyra232aRK4nD0b6VNeW-u2TNhixt5NhLpEo2X-w9vTFDVSO4wEPk/s640/blogger-image--1850705872.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we're driving to Auckland, and returning the car. In fear of jinxing it, I must say, I'm amazed at how well it has gone driving on the opposite side of the road. You get used to it very quickly! Tomorrow will be our last day with Bertha. It will be sad to let her go, but I'm sure she'll be a great help to some other travelers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, this post has been long enough (if not too long). Time to call it a break. Good night from Hamilton!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suzy </span></div>
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