Goodbyes...

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The past 6 weeks have been some of the best times I've had in Australia, but also some of the hardest - I never knew saying goodbye could be so hard!! In the beginning of January, my friend Mike went back home to the states, and saying goodbye to him was alot harder than I thought. Then Erin came and went, and we had such a blast together and it was so great to have a friend from home take her time and money to come out her, so saying goodbye to her was definitely a downer. Then Michaela's friend Maria, from Denmark, stayed here for 3 weeks while Michaela was traveling with her 2 Finnish friends from home... and while Maria was here, we got pretty close and had some really great times together. She left on the same day Michaela's 2 friends left, so saying goodbye to those 3 was really sad. And then the most recent was my Mom, which was hard to see her go because I don't know when the next time I'll see her will be... and she's the only family I will have seen in an entire year. BUT like I said, even though it's been a little tough, I've keep having a great time here, things just keep getting better.

Now summer break is winding down and I have to say goodbye to lazy days in the sun and late nights... school starts on February 23rd, so it's just right around the corner! I also start back up at my job this coming Monday, which will be nice because I love the people I work with, the kids, and the 23 dollars an hour 😊 I'm even a little excited to start school again and to meet all the new international students and make some new friends!! Only 5 months (20 weeks!) until I come back home to the States... I can't believe how time flies! Soon enough it's gonna be time to say goodbye to Sydney, and I'm sure a few tears will be shed.

Anyways... I've been keeping really busy with all our guests coming and going. On Australia Day (Jan 26), me, Michaela, Maria, Michaela's 2 friends from Finland (Jenny & Dickie), and Michaela's Aussie friend Rachel, went to the Botanical Gardens and had a big picnic, complete with 10 dollar boxed wine. We sat out there for awhile and saw tons of really old ships in the harbour, saw some air force jets fly by, and the city was also using all the really old buses from, like, the 1950s. Really cool. As the afternoon went on, it began to rain so we took the party back to our apartment and a box of wine turned into a couple exciting games of Spoons, Kings, and some other card games... which lead to more wine and great times. It was so much fun, and we were all laughing that even though we're from all different parts of the world, we all still know the same card games.

On Thursday (Jan 29), my Mom and I flew up into Cairns (Northern Queensland) and drove up to Port Douglas. We were staying at the Sheraton, which has about 8 HUGE lagoons to swim in and it was also right on Four Mile Beach. Well, our 2nd night at the resort, Mom was taking a nap and I was watching the Australian Open Mens Semi-Finals with Nadal and Verdasco... and ONE SET into the game... the power goes out!! So obviously I'm pissed because I know it's going to be a good match (AND IT WAS... longest match in the history of tennis and Nadal won in 5 sets!)... so we sleep in the hot, dark room... roam about the next day and come back that night to find there was still no power. So the hotel gave us the option of staying there with a measly 25% off of crappy, expensive food, or we could move to another resort. So we moved to The Beach Club which was AMAZING, ohmygod. We had a 2 bedroom suite: each bedroom had a king sized bed and flat screen tv, we had a big living room with a giant flat screen tv, a big kitchen, washer/dryer, and a huge outside balcony with a couch, dining table, and grill. The pool was awesome as well, lined with amazing couch-bed things to tan on. I would show everyone pictures of all this amazing stuff, but unfortunately I had left my camera at Andy's house. Anyways, the weather in Port Douglas sucked... it was super humid and hot, but it was cloudy and rainy most of the time. Then, lucky us, the weather got worse and tropical cyclone Ellie decided to visit Cairns, which resulted in no boats going out to the reef for a few days. So I was feeling pretty bad that my Mom didn't even get to see the reef, but overall I think we had a pretty good time, I got my first home cooked meal in a few years, and I kicked her butt in cribbage.

On my Mom's 2nd to last night in Sydney, we went with Raphaela, Michaela, and Andy to Max Brenner (the best place in the whole world), for a chocolate feast. Mom had the most amazing waffles EVER with chocolate drizzled over them and ice cream, I had chocolate/banana crepes with strawberries and ice cream, and the others got chocolate souffles. Seriously, this place is a party in your mouth... SO GOOD... but it's also probably one of the main reasons people in Australia are getting fatter... haha... anyways...

So here I am, back in Circular Quay. I just went for a jog in the Botanical Gardens - the weather was perfect and I watched the sun go down behind the Opera House. Today I went to lunch with my friend Chris, my neighbor from the Village last semester, who I haven't hung out with in forever. We went to this place called The Meat & Wine Co. in Darling Harbour and ohmygoshhhhh it was SO good. I had an amazing steak and he had an amazing cheeseburger and we split it half and half. We decided that since his birthday is 2 weeks after mine, we are going to have a joint birthday dinner there with our friends somewhere within those 2 weeks, which should be fun! 😊

And just in case any of you forgot, my 22nd birthday is coming up!! 4 weeks away - how did I get so old!? My roommate Michaela actually leaves to go back to Finland on my birthday, the 8th, but the week before that we decided to go skydiving... which scares the crap out of me, but I'm making myself get over this little fear of heights that I've developed lately. Should be awesome, though.

Alright, time to lay back, relax, read a book, and watch some movies. For those of you who haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, GO SEE IT - it is absolutely amazing. I actually just finished the book and it is just as great, very different, but definitely tugs at your heartstrings. Hope everyone is doing well and surviving the winter... stay warm!! I'll try and send some of the heat and sun your way.... 😊

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Photos

Mango Beers @ Lowenbrau
Maria and I

The Finns
Jenny & Dickie

Beach Days...
Bondi beach to Bronte beach hike... awesome views!!

MAX BRENNER
the best chocolate cafe in the entire world

Comments

[mom]

back in the USA
HI, I just read it was like 117 degrees in Queenland. Hope you are cooler there. I have alot of pictures from The Pepper Beach, if only I knew how to send them to you lol. blessings on your day Kara Mae I miss you..........................