So there was no way to blog in Australia cause I had no computer access, so I'm going to fit my whole adventure in this blog. It was so fun! I could totally live there. We stayed on a river, that was right in the middle of the city, but on the other side of the city was a beach, which was walking distance. We stayed in Gold Coast, on a beach called "Surfer's Paradise." So cool.
Our hotel was really neat. It was called "Vibe" and it was really young and hip. There was a nightclub inside of it and a really flashy restaurant. Our room was kind of modern-y looking, and the shower was SO nice...Funny how you remember things like that hah.
It had everything that you could want in a city, and it was pretty young too. LOTS of shopping (which I definitely did) and food and malls and cool boutique places to look around in...but then it was right on the beach. Also, Australia is always sunny. Apparently, when we were there it was "cold" but it was like 75/80, so I was happy! Before we left, it was so cold that Tracy and I tried to watch a couple soccer games but we got back in the car, bought hot chocolate, and watched Sex in the City in our PJs instead. It was freezing!!!
So we didn't stay long in Brisbane, we actually just got into a car and headed for Gold Coast. Funny story: the car was in my name, because I have my full license and Sara only has a restricted one. I was planning on just driving it off the lot and then letting her take over (opposite side of the road thing still gets to me). Anyways, turns out it's a stick-shift...good thing I got one lesson a week before. I was so nervous. I hit the gas really hard and revved the engine inside the rental place. HA! oops...Sara was trying to walk me through it, and I did okay. At least I didn't stall, but I pulled over immediately after I turned out of that parking lot. What a start.
We met up with Pip and she was so good to catch up with! I miss that wee little girl...hah she's so small. We took pictures and I look like a giant.
Maybe New Zealanders are just smaller, kinda like Asians...hah, I'm sure they'd love that comparison. I do find myself feeling really tall sometimes though, all Sara's friends are so short, even her dad...Anyways, weird tangent...so Pip showed us all around, and (of course) took us to her favorite food places. She really put some thought behind it.
Some of the food highlights included an all vegetarian buffet (LOVE) and this delicious market-like place with the freshest sushi in the world. It had all other kinds of stuff too, like fruits and soups and a chocolate place that was divine. There was a bakery and everything, kind of like a over sized Whole Foods, cause it was all organic and really fresh. We also had...drum roll please...a place called Igloo Zoo, which if I ever go back that could be the only reason why. SO YUM! (I know you hated that Bridget)...But it was! Fresh Frozen Yogurt with fresh organic toppings like white chocolate and pomegranate and all kinds of fruit and this thing called halva...OMG it was amazing. We went twice, and my size of choice grew the second time around. Loved it, well done Pip.
For my birthday we also went to this place called "Oh-Mi-Ly" which was a local favorite according to Pip. It was Vietnamese food, which I had never tried before, and it was pretty delish. Tomo and her girlfriend came that day to see us. Well, they came to see Sara really, cause Pip and I have never met her, but now we have and now we're friends..Tomo was exactly what I thought she'd be like, and nothing like what I thought she'd be like. She was funny though, I liked her a lot. Ha. We went after dinner to the big casino on Gold Coast, and that was neat. It was HUGE! I've never been to a casino that big, not that I've been to many casinos, but it was big. We had fun joking around, but our money didn't last long. The smallest minimum betting table we could find was $10 besides the pokies, and when you're only starting with like $40 maximum, that's like four games...give or take a win or two. Oh well. Cool to see, and Casinos are the most fun place to people watch...there are some crazies...and so much money! It's unbelievable how much money people blow in those places.
Other special things of note on our trip: we went to a place called Broadbeach (I think) and watched the surfers...They were sooooo good.
And so far out, and surfing towards these big rocks...Seemed dangerous. We also went to a big shopping mall called Pacific Fair, which was neat because it was like a mall that went winding inside and outside. I liked the outside parts, but I would get lost it was so big...Like a maze. We spent a good bit of time at the beach, which just so happened to have just gotten demolished two days before by freak tropical storms that rolled through. There were like cliffs of sand where the waves were coming up to, they had the highest tides ever, and there were tractors up and down the non commercial parts trying to even the sand out. It was still a really pretty beach, even though Pip said it was normally much nicer. The water was super warm, which most of you know is the only way I can even come close to putting my feet in.
Overall, a great trip to Australia. I can cross that one off my list. I'd still like to go to Sydney someday, and I'm definitely planning on going to Perth in the near future to visit Sarah :) I'm glad I had a good first impression of Australia, though. It was perfect.
Today was the day to job hunt. Sara didn't end up getting that gym job (sucks), but I got a good prospect this morning...it's a job that's looking for a short term working assistant in an office. I called and they seemed to like me. I'll see how it pans out, it would be perfect though. We went to the mall and handed out resumes. That's when you know you're desperate. Ha. Oh well, it was funny, and I really just want a job for selfish reasons, so I can afford another trip to Fiji or Australia or something. A perfectly justifiable reason.
Sara's dad made me the COOLEST jewelry holder for my birthday. It's not really easy to describe, but it's perfect and neat and just take my word for it :) He's so talented!
So it's Thursday night now, and this weekend just so happens to be a long weekend in New Zealand; It's the Queen's Birthday! I'm happy about it. What does that mean? Another trip! Extending my birthday celebration. I don't know where we are going, but Sara has something in mind, so I'm gonna run with it. I love seeing new places, and New Zealand is so beautiful. I can't wait!
I am getting a bit jealous of my family because I know in a few weeks they're going to be heading down to the beach...it's on the back of my mind, and my little taste of the beach was really nice. Every now and then I think "What was I thinking!! I left SUMMER!" but then I realize I'm in one of the coolest, prettiest countries in the world and that sets my mind at ease...It's still there though, missing the summertime and all my friends and family.
I love you guys, and I miss you!
Take care of yourselves and write to me sometime :)
xoxo Ding
It had everything that you could want in a city, and it was pretty young too. LOTS of shopping (which I definitely did) and food and malls and cool boutique places to look around in...but then it was right on the beach. Also, Australia is always sunny. Apparently, when we were there it was "cold" but it was like 75/80, so I was happy! Before we left, it was so cold that Tracy and I tried to watch a couple soccer games but we got back in the car, bought hot chocolate, and watched Sex in the City in our PJs instead. It was freezing!!!
So we didn't stay long in Brisbane, we actually just got into a car and headed for Gold Coast. Funny story: the car was in my name, because I have my full license and Sara only has a restricted one. I was planning on just driving it off the lot and then letting her take over (opposite side of the road thing still gets to me). Anyways, turns out it's a stick-shift...good thing I got one lesson a week before. I was so nervous. I hit the gas really hard and revved the engine inside the rental place. HA! oops...Sara was trying to walk me through it, and I did okay. At least I didn't stall, but I pulled over immediately after I turned out of that parking lot. What a start.
We met up with Pip and she was so good to catch up with! I miss that wee little girl...hah she's so small. We took pictures and I look like a giant.
Maybe New Zealanders are just smaller, kinda like Asians...hah, I'm sure they'd love that comparison. I do find myself feeling really tall sometimes though, all Sara's friends are so short, even her dad...Anyways, weird tangent...so Pip showed us all around, and (of course) took us to her favorite food places. She really put some thought behind it.Some of the food highlights included an all vegetarian buffet (LOVE) and this delicious market-like place with the freshest sushi in the world. It had all other kinds of stuff too, like fruits and soups and a chocolate place that was divine. There was a bakery and everything, kind of like a over sized Whole Foods, cause it was all organic and really fresh. We also had...drum roll please...a place called Igloo Zoo, which if I ever go back that could be the only reason why. SO YUM! (I know you hated that Bridget)...But it was! Fresh Frozen Yogurt with fresh organic toppings like white chocolate and pomegranate and all kinds of fruit and this thing called halva...OMG it was amazing. We went twice, and my size of choice grew the second time around. Loved it, well done Pip.
For my birthday we also went to this place called "Oh-Mi-Ly" which was a local favorite according to Pip. It was Vietnamese food, which I had never tried before, and it was pretty delish. Tomo and her girlfriend came that day to see us. Well, they came to see Sara really, cause Pip and I have never met her, but now we have and now we're friends..Tomo was exactly what I thought she'd be like, and nothing like what I thought she'd be like. She was funny though, I liked her a lot. Ha. We went after dinner to the big casino on Gold Coast, and that was neat. It was HUGE! I've never been to a casino that big, not that I've been to many casinos, but it was big. We had fun joking around, but our money didn't last long. The smallest minimum betting table we could find was $10 besides the pokies, and when you're only starting with like $40 maximum, that's like four games...give or take a win or two. Oh well. Cool to see, and Casinos are the most fun place to people watch...there are some crazies...and so much money! It's unbelievable how much money people blow in those places.
Other special things of note on our trip: we went to a place called Broadbeach (I think) and watched the surfers...They were sooooo good.
And so far out, and surfing towards these big rocks...Seemed dangerous. We also went to a big shopping mall called Pacific Fair, which was neat because it was like a mall that went winding inside and outside. I liked the outside parts, but I would get lost it was so big...Like a maze. We spent a good bit of time at the beach, which just so happened to have just gotten demolished two days before by freak tropical storms that rolled through. There were like cliffs of sand where the waves were coming up to, they had the highest tides ever, and there were tractors up and down the non commercial parts trying to even the sand out. It was still a really pretty beach, even though Pip said it was normally much nicer. The water was super warm, which most of you know is the only way I can even come close to putting my feet in.Overall, a great trip to Australia. I can cross that one off my list. I'd still like to go to Sydney someday, and I'm definitely planning on going to Perth in the near future to visit Sarah :) I'm glad I had a good first impression of Australia, though. It was perfect.
Today was the day to job hunt. Sara didn't end up getting that gym job (sucks), but I got a good prospect this morning...it's a job that's looking for a short term working assistant in an office. I called and they seemed to like me. I'll see how it pans out, it would be perfect though. We went to the mall and handed out resumes. That's when you know you're desperate. Ha. Oh well, it was funny, and I really just want a job for selfish reasons, so I can afford another trip to Fiji or Australia or something. A perfectly justifiable reason.
Sara's dad made me the COOLEST jewelry holder for my birthday. It's not really easy to describe, but it's perfect and neat and just take my word for it :) He's so talented!
So it's Thursday night now, and this weekend just so happens to be a long weekend in New Zealand; It's the Queen's Birthday! I'm happy about it. What does that mean? Another trip! Extending my birthday celebration. I don't know where we are going, but Sara has something in mind, so I'm gonna run with it. I love seeing new places, and New Zealand is so beautiful. I can't wait!
I am getting a bit jealous of my family because I know in a few weeks they're going to be heading down to the beach...it's on the back of my mind, and my little taste of the beach was really nice. Every now and then I think "What was I thinking!! I left SUMMER!" but then I realize I'm in one of the coolest, prettiest countries in the world and that sets my mind at ease...It's still there though, missing the summertime and all my friends and family.
I love you guys, and I miss you!
Take care of yourselves and write to me sometime :)
xoxo Ding
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