http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Ayla-MJ/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Ayla MJ en-us Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:19:41 +0000 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:19:41 +0000 So I'm HOME It feels ten times better being back than I anticipated I'm reveling in the feel and smell of my house and room the love of my family and friends and Winnipeg in summer. I have a life to get reacquainted with but first here is what I did with the final few weeks of my Australian adventure The day after my last exam I flew to the tropical north of Queensland. I met up with Caitl http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/blog-409039.html Hi allIt's been awhile here's what I've been up to in the month of May...Well I have my two finals next week and have been busy writing papers. However my roommate Caitlin has had endless papers and assignments for weeks so next to her and after the ridiculously busy fall semester I had I feel incredibly lazy at all times when it comes to schoolwork. I found out my grade for Intro to Cdn Pol http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-401443.html Hey allSo it's been two weeks since my Easter Break road trip through the Outback. I've been busy with an exam two papers and catching up on three classes worth of lectures but I've made time for the city and a 3 day camping trip to a nearby national park. I have less than 7 weeks left down under and there's still so much to do that it's a race against timeSo the Friday after I returned from http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-396018.html Hey AllSo this blog is solely about the 10 day road trip I took with Maxine Tiffany Caitlin and Matt to Alice Springs over our midsemester break We drove 6100 km in 10 days which means LOTS of road time and a new place every night. We left in a hurry. With Midterms we hadn't even had a chance to sit down and figure out food and money and overnight stops so although we had a general outline http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Alice-Springs/blog-392427.html Hey allI hope you're all enjoying spring in Winnipeg slush and sand and all It's been chilly here for a few days now only 15 which when you're used to 2530 does feel kind of cold. I'm wishing I'd sent myself a sweater or two in the package that finally arrived Only two months to cross the pacific yay I'm on my beautiful mac right now. When I finally did get my package from home I held ou http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-386879.html HeeeySo I thought I'd start REALLY trying to update more frequently so I don't write thesis length papers every time like that reference to your scholasticness Danna.Lately I've been trying to get more schoolwork done but it's really difficult to get back into the swing of studying and essay's and research. The last time I really had to be in uni mode was 4 months ago and I've done so much in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-386315.html Hello everyoneI know it's been a loooong time since I've updated I've just been busy living a lovely life in AustraliaRight now I'm on my friend Tiffany's computer because the package with all my things still hasn't arrived. Actually as far as Canada Post can track it hasn't even crossed the Pacific in the past 7 weeks. I moved from Wombat House into Goanna two weeks ago so now I'm living with http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-383001.html Hello EveryoneSo I've begun my life in Melbourne...To start off with living in residence in Australia is it's own world. It feels like this and only this is my entire life. I've already meet tons and tons of peoplefelt homesick for a day enrolled in my classes tried surfing wandered Melbourne City Center tried to personalize a dorm room and all with just the items I brought backpacking as http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-377173.html Hello everyone It's been awhile since I've updated and you know nothing about my time in Cairns in Northen Australia. Which is unfortunate because it was a fantastic week. So I will now fill you inMy flights to Cairns were not so fun. My bag was temporarily misplaced during my layover in Sydney but my minor panic attack was not warranted since they located my backpack before my next flight. Th http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/Cairns/blog-375733.html Bonjour party peopleSO. Since I last wrote...I got on the train to the West Coast of the South Island of NZ. It's supposed to be one of the most beautiful train rides in the world and it was through some lovely mountains but I thought a lot of it looked like BC only less dramatic. We travelled through Arthur's Pass and I got off at Greymouth a small town that was closed down for Waitangi Day http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-371852.html Kia Ora Maori Hello Everyone Here's the rundownI went on my Lord of the Rings tour of Wellington which was GREAT. We started on Mt. Victoria whch is a beautiful lookout point and also served as the Get off the Road sequence Sam and Frodo wandering the outer Shire the Nagul silhouetted at the top of the road the 4 hobbits running through the outer shire away from Nazgul as well as the sho http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-370561.html I'm currently in Wellington on the North Island of New Zealand. Now here's what I've been up to since my last updateMy first and only full day in Auckland started out with Marie Stephanie and myself remember those are my Quebec friends wandering the streets of downtown Auckland. Early in the afternoon I gave Steve and Robin a call. Steve is my aunt's cousin and of no direct relation to me b http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-369517.html Hello everyoneI'm in Auckland New Zealand the city of a thousand sails. I know it's only my second update since I left so it's going to be lengthy but worth it to read on since I've been doing countless unWinnipeg winter like things.Okay so after my last update I went on a daytrip out to the reef by way of Denarau harbour in Nadi Fiji. Nadi makes me think of what India might be like. Cows a http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-367989.html Hello So I'm in Nadi Fiji where I've already got a tan and a burn. My flights were fine the Vancouver airport seemed determined for me to get completely lost but LAX was great. I even saw someone that I recognized from movies but whose name I can't remember. I saw my first palm tree there but then I got to Fiji where there are lots more. I got in at 5 am yesterday which was I believe about 1 http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Fiji/Nadi/blog-365847.html So in less than 48 hours I'll be on the very first plane ride of this trip. I just want to thank everyone who came out last night it was amazing to see so many people there just for me. I had a great time despite some goodbye crying and I hope you all did as well.I'm just about to finish packing. Planning what to take when you're not going for a weekend or a week but rather 5 or 6 months take http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/blog-364409.html