Thursday May 7th
Steven, our four wheel drive tour guide took us around and through the Cairns rainforests. Steven was so unbelievably knowledgeable about the history and current events of the area. We were in a Land Rover with just us and 3 other people and we got taken on tracks that aren’t even on a map! No joke, we were the only people through these parts of the rainforest that day. We explored GIANT fig trees that used to be homes to the Aboriginal people and even had lunch next to a gorgeous lake that was surrounded by the rainforest. Throughout the tour we had to make several river crossings in the vehicle which were quite exciting. Steven showed us a ‘stinging plant’ which has tiny fibers that are glass which when you touch the plant, thousands of them shoot into your skin which are toxic. The stinging apparently feels like ‘hundreds of bees stinging you at once’ and that’s not where it stops. . . .this feeling will go on for up to 3 months! Needless to say, we steered clear of all the stinging plants even though they appeared to be absolutely harmless.
The tour was an all day event. I wish I could describe to you how amazing walking through the rainforest was. What an incredible place.
Friday was a relaxing day for us, we just walked around Cairns, looked in some shops and went to the casino (didn’t win anything)! It was pretty rainy so we didn’t venture out too far from the hotel.
Saturday we travelled back to Brisbane where we had to grab a shuttle from the airport back to the Marriott hotel. I usually have games on Sundays, but this week we had a schedule change so we were scheduled to play Saturday at 5. . . but the field we were playing at was a little over an hour away.
The plan was for Karina to meet us at the hotel with Izzy and drive my parents and I down to the game in Mulliwumbah (AKA MIDDLE OF NOWHERE)! The drive to Brisbane on a shuttle usually takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Sure enough, the shuttle had taken almost 2 hours and was STILL not near the Marriott so we had to have the shuttle driver pull over at a taxi stand, let us out and we hopped in the taxi who drove us right to the hotel and we got there just after 3. Literally we dropped our bags off in the lobby and left for the game.
The game wasn’t too bad, we didn’t play too well but we managed to win 5-2 after being tied 2-2 at half time. They second half was much better hockey for us then the first. Izzy’s parents were at the game so my parents got to sit and chat with them so that was nice. My parents enjoyed the game and were really happy to finally see the team I have been playing with.
Mother’s day was great, I met my parents at the hotel and we hung out by the pool and for the day and then I went and got my haircut. . . really short! TO MY CHIN!!I haven’t had my hair cut this short since I was 10 years old. It looks very different and I am not at all used to it yet, but I am glad I did it, I’ve wanted a change for a while.
For Mother’s Day dinner, we went to a restaurant called Moo Moo. . .as I am sure you guessed, we had some delicious steak and Mom seemed to really enjoy it so that’s what matters most.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Welcome Ralph and Sarah
Well there is a lot to update you on. I am just going to go day by day and will give you a brief over view of what has been going on.
On Friday May 1st, my parents arrived and I met them at their hotel and we spent the day walking around a bit and going on a Harbor Cruise around the Surfers Paradise and Broad beach areas. It was very nice and a great way to see the gold coast!
Saturday May 2nd
We went to the Q1 tower and check out the view and it was a beautiful day so we got to see all the way up to Brisbane (50 min drive north). Even though I had down the Q1 tower before, it was still so gorgeous and a view I don’t think anyone would get sick of.
After that we travelled on the bus to Arundel and I showed them my house and they got to meet Karina and Molly. From there Karina gave us a ride over to the field where we got to watch or #1 and #2 men’s team play. This was the first time my parents had seen men’s field hockey and it was obvious that they were pretty impressed. What a different game it is when men play it! From there we caught another bus to take us back to the hotel. They pretty much got to experience the bus route I take very often.
Sunday May 3rd
We took the train up to Brisbane for the day. It was Labor Day week end here so there was SO much going on and it made it very exciting. There were markets all along the river and we walked around them and then through the botanical gardens were we even got to see a wedding going on. From there we walked over the Goodwill Bridge to Southbank (an area of Brisbane just on the other side of the river). There were thousands of people, mainly families, walking along the boardwalk where there were even more markets! We walked through China Town where there was a show going on in an outdoor theater that we watched for a bit before we continued on to a huge Ferris Wheel. The views from the top of the wheel were amazing. After spending the day there we returned on the train back to surfers paradise.
Monday May 4th
Cairns here we come! We arrived in Cairns around noon and we cam straight to the hotel and then spend the afternoon planning out what we were going to do the next few days and exploring the area around where we were staying.
Tuesday May 5th
Off to the Kuranda train station we went. This famous train station travels up through the hills and parts of the rainforest to a little town, Kuranda. The history of how the train was built is mind boggling because lots of the hill side was solid rock. The views, as you can imagine, were incredible. . . waterfalls, valleys, rivers. . . plenty of pictures were taken. When we arrived to Kuranda we went to a butterfly sanctuary and a wildlife sanctuary where we were able to feel wallabies! They were so sweet and there was even a new born, that was 6 weeks old that couldn’t even walk yet but was clearly trying to. We also got to see some koalas, snakes and crocs. The best part of the day is yet to come. . .
You see, we went to a bird sanctuary after this and literally we walk into the enclosed area and within 30 seconds a pink & white cockatoo flies onto dad’s head trying to get the little button off of his hat. . .very cute for a moment and then dad shakes it off but the bird wasn’t ready to leave. The bird sat on dad’s shoulder and within moments was biting his neck. . .literally, dad had 2 bird bite marks bleeding pretty badly. While all this is going on, a lorikeet lands on my bag and chews off the top of my water bottle right through the plastic! At this point we are all a bit freaked out so we do a quick sprint around the place to arrive at the exits where dad finally got the damn bird off of him! Hahaha it was pretty funny, but also kind of scary and no joke I have been startled by every bird I’ve seen since then! Poor dad. Haha. No worries though, 2 band-aids later everything was all better.
So from Kuranda we took a skyrail down over the rainforest which was a very cool way to travel back to the bottom of the mountain. Since the skyrail goes over the rainforest, the whole thing was constructed by helicopter in order to not disrupt the rainforest during the building process. . . pretty cool huh?
Wednesday May 6th
We traveled up to Port Douglas (about an hour and 20 mins north) and took a boat out to The Great Barrier Reef. The coolest part was the boat dropped us off at this floating pontoon where there were plenty of things to do off of. As soon as we got there I went scuba diving, just me and this other girl and our guide. HOW AMAZING!!! I have never seen anything as beautiful and peaceful as The Great Barrier Reef. . .I saw hundreds and hundreds of fish, all different sizes (up to about 4 feet long) and even did my first cave diving where we went through 2 coral reef caves which were very cool. I can’t even begin to describe what an incredible experience it was.
I also went snorkeling and tried to get some good pictures with my underwater camera. My parents and I went on a submersible, where the boat drives around and we sit underneath where you get a great view of the reef. . . the boat get’s so close to the reef that it’s shocking it doesn’t just crash right into it. You also could have taken helicopter rides from the boat but we didn’t do that. The weather was perfect while we were there because as soon as we left it began to rain. The boat ride from and to shore was rough because there were 25-30 knot winds!! YIKES. Luckily none of us suffered from the bumpy ride but there were some who did. . . if you know what I mean. Haha.
On Friday May 1st, my parents arrived and I met them at their hotel and we spent the day walking around a bit and going on a Harbor Cruise around the Surfers Paradise and Broad beach areas. It was very nice and a great way to see the gold coast!
Saturday May 2nd
We went to the Q1 tower and check out the view and it was a beautiful day so we got to see all the way up to Brisbane (50 min drive north). Even though I had down the Q1 tower before, it was still so gorgeous and a view I don’t think anyone would get sick of.
After that we travelled on the bus to Arundel and I showed them my house and they got to meet Karina and Molly. From there Karina gave us a ride over to the field where we got to watch or #1 and #2 men’s team play. This was the first time my parents had seen men’s field hockey and it was obvious that they were pretty impressed. What a different game it is when men play it! From there we caught another bus to take us back to the hotel. They pretty much got to experience the bus route I take very often.
Sunday May 3rd
We took the train up to Brisbane for the day. It was Labor Day week end here so there was SO much going on and it made it very exciting. There were markets all along the river and we walked around them and then through the botanical gardens were we even got to see a wedding going on. From there we walked over the Goodwill Bridge to Southbank (an area of Brisbane just on the other side of the river). There were thousands of people, mainly families, walking along the boardwalk where there were even more markets! We walked through China Town where there was a show going on in an outdoor theater that we watched for a bit before we continued on to a huge Ferris Wheel. The views from the top of the wheel were amazing. After spending the day there we returned on the train back to surfers paradise.
Monday May 4th
Cairns here we come! We arrived in Cairns around noon and we cam straight to the hotel and then spend the afternoon planning out what we were going to do the next few days and exploring the area around where we were staying.
Tuesday May 5th
Off to the Kuranda train station we went. This famous train station travels up through the hills and parts of the rainforest to a little town, Kuranda. The history of how the train was built is mind boggling because lots of the hill side was solid rock. The views, as you can imagine, were incredible. . . waterfalls, valleys, rivers. . . plenty of pictures were taken. When we arrived to Kuranda we went to a butterfly sanctuary and a wildlife sanctuary where we were able to feel wallabies! They were so sweet and there was even a new born, that was 6 weeks old that couldn’t even walk yet but was clearly trying to. We also got to see some koalas, snakes and crocs. The best part of the day is yet to come. . .
You see, we went to a bird sanctuary after this and literally we walk into the enclosed area and within 30 seconds a pink & white cockatoo flies onto dad’s head trying to get the little button off of his hat. . .very cute for a moment and then dad shakes it off but the bird wasn’t ready to leave. The bird sat on dad’s shoulder and within moments was biting his neck. . .literally, dad had 2 bird bite marks bleeding pretty badly. While all this is going on, a lorikeet lands on my bag and chews off the top of my water bottle right through the plastic! At this point we are all a bit freaked out so we do a quick sprint around the place to arrive at the exits where dad finally got the damn bird off of him! Hahaha it was pretty funny, but also kind of scary and no joke I have been startled by every bird I’ve seen since then! Poor dad. Haha. No worries though, 2 band-aids later everything was all better.
So from Kuranda we took a skyrail down over the rainforest which was a very cool way to travel back to the bottom of the mountain. Since the skyrail goes over the rainforest, the whole thing was constructed by helicopter in order to not disrupt the rainforest during the building process. . . pretty cool huh?
Wednesday May 6th
We traveled up to Port Douglas (about an hour and 20 mins north) and took a boat out to The Great Barrier Reef. The coolest part was the boat dropped us off at this floating pontoon where there were plenty of things to do off of. As soon as we got there I went scuba diving, just me and this other girl and our guide. HOW AMAZING!!! I have never seen anything as beautiful and peaceful as The Great Barrier Reef. . .I saw hundreds and hundreds of fish, all different sizes (up to about 4 feet long) and even did my first cave diving where we went through 2 coral reef caves which were very cool. I can’t even begin to describe what an incredible experience it was.
I also went snorkeling and tried to get some good pictures with my underwater camera. My parents and I went on a submersible, where the boat drives around and we sit underneath where you get a great view of the reef. . . the boat get’s so close to the reef that it’s shocking it doesn’t just crash right into it. You also could have taken helicopter rides from the boat but we didn’t do that. The weather was perfect while we were there because as soon as we left it began to rain. The boat ride from and to shore was rough because there were 25-30 knot winds!! YIKES. Luckily none of us suffered from the bumpy ride but there were some who did. . . if you know what I mean. Haha.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Only 23 Days Left. . .Making the Best of it.
Izzy, Charlotte, Karina and I went to the Movie World theme park on Monday and had so much fun! We got there when it opened at 10 and left when it closed at 5 so we def got our $64 worth. We did every ride at least once and some twice. The rides were pretty good, 2 of them were awesome, and although it didn’t compare to Disney World, I am so glad we went.
On Thursday I did my in water surf lesson!! I actually got up on the board and rode a few small waves!! Haha. . .my balance wasn’t so good to start but it absolutely got better as the lesson went on. The problem I have most is being able to catch the wave. . . when I attempt to paddle fast to catch one I just can’t seem to do it. But at least I can get up on the board I guess. I ended up just getting up and trying to wait for one to come but that didn’t work out so well.
I umpired 2 games Friday night. . .the u17 boy’s game and then the u17 girl’s game. All I have to say is that the boys complained about the calls I made/didn’t make WAY more than the girls did. They were complaining about everything and were actually throwing fits on the field! I was shocked. But I made $40 for doing the 2 games so I guess it was worth it.
Sooo, Saturday was ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day. The day is in memory of all the army corps who fought at Gallipoli in WW1. This battle was the first major military action fought by Australia and New Zealand in WW1. So on Saturday morning we went to the Dawn Service, which started at 4:28 AM which is when the battle began (this is what I was told at least). So we woke up at 3 and drove to the service and then we matched afterwards to a veterans club where there was breakfast and rum and milk or beer to drink. IT WAS 5:30 IN THE MORNING!! I tried some rum and milk but just couldn’t do it. Anyways, the service was very emotional and the day itself was quite sorrowful. I am glad I got to experience it and learn a little bit about it.
Well, we won our game today 8-0! (I know, insane huh?) We played the team that we lost to at the beginning of the season and really showed them who’s better. haha. We came out very strong and scored in the first 4 minutes and from that point forward they just didn’t seem to play as a team. It felt good to beat the team that beat us earlier in the season, and to beat them by so much!
After the game, a bunch of us went to dinner to an all you can eat restaurant and just ate our faces off! It was so good and I really can’t even begin to describe how much I actually ate. But I guess that’ll happen at an all you can eat restaurant.
This coming week is a BIG one. . .MY PARENTS ARRIVE ON FRIDAY! I can’t believe they are ACTUALLY coming. It’s going to be real great having them here and I hope they are ready for a busy 18 day vacation!
Alright, well I know this blog entry wasn’t too interesting but I am soooo tired, waking up at 3am on Saturday for Dawn Service has really caught up to me, so I am going to go to bed and catch up on my sleeeeep.
On Thursday I did my in water surf lesson!! I actually got up on the board and rode a few small waves!! Haha. . .my balance wasn’t so good to start but it absolutely got better as the lesson went on. The problem I have most is being able to catch the wave. . . when I attempt to paddle fast to catch one I just can’t seem to do it. But at least I can get up on the board I guess. I ended up just getting up and trying to wait for one to come but that didn’t work out so well.
I umpired 2 games Friday night. . .the u17 boy’s game and then the u17 girl’s game. All I have to say is that the boys complained about the calls I made/didn’t make WAY more than the girls did. They were complaining about everything and were actually throwing fits on the field! I was shocked. But I made $40 for doing the 2 games so I guess it was worth it.
Sooo, Saturday was ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day. The day is in memory of all the army corps who fought at Gallipoli in WW1. This battle was the first major military action fought by Australia and New Zealand in WW1. So on Saturday morning we went to the Dawn Service, which started at 4:28 AM which is when the battle began (this is what I was told at least). So we woke up at 3 and drove to the service and then we matched afterwards to a veterans club where there was breakfast and rum and milk or beer to drink. IT WAS 5:30 IN THE MORNING!! I tried some rum and milk but just couldn’t do it. Anyways, the service was very emotional and the day itself was quite sorrowful. I am glad I got to experience it and learn a little bit about it.
Well, we won our game today 8-0! (I know, insane huh?) We played the team that we lost to at the beginning of the season and really showed them who’s better. haha. We came out very strong and scored in the first 4 minutes and from that point forward they just didn’t seem to play as a team. It felt good to beat the team that beat us earlier in the season, and to beat them by so much!
After the game, a bunch of us went to dinner to an all you can eat restaurant and just ate our faces off! It was so good and I really can’t even begin to describe how much I actually ate. But I guess that’ll happen at an all you can eat restaurant.
This coming week is a BIG one. . .MY PARENTS ARRIVE ON FRIDAY! I can’t believe they are ACTUALLY coming. It’s going to be real great having them here and I hope they are ready for a busy 18 day vacation!
Alright, well I know this blog entry wasn’t too interesting but I am soooo tired, waking up at 3am on Saturday for Dawn Service has really caught up to me, so I am going to go to bed and catch up on my sleeeeep.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sydney pics.
Me and Michael and the Kaola named Frasier.
View from Bondi Beach.
Harbour Bridge.
The gorgeous Opera House from Pylon lookout.
View from Bondi Beach.
Harbour Bridge.
The gorgeous Opera House from Pylon lookout.
Welcome to Sydney
I’M IN LOOOOOOVE WITH SYDNEY.
What an amazing trip I had. Bruce and I flew down to Sydney on Thursday and got there around 10am. Bruce’s son, Joel who is 22, picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel and then after checking in he drove us to the Easter Show. The Easter Show is this huge festival that is held at Olympic Park in all the stadiums and fields. At the show we went to the food center where we could sample wine and food from all different tents. There was a home and living center, agricultural center, garden center and fashion center. There were tons of shows going on so we watched an axmen competition which was amazing, I was very impressed. We watched some dog shows and horse back riding shows, and we met up with one of Bruce’s friends for dinner (she was working at the show). My favorite part was the axmen competition by far. . .well the wine tasting wasn’t that bad either haha.
Friday we left the hotel early and walked to the Opera house and arrived there a little before 9. There was barely anyone there which I loved. I can’t believe that I actually went there. It was amazing and I really want to go back one day without a doubt! So we walked around the place and took plenty of photos. We went inside and did the free tour so we didn’t have to wait for the other one which wasn’t going to start for over an hour. If I go back again I will for sure do the guided tour so I can really see everything.
From the Opera House we walked around Circular Quay and walked up ‘The Rocks’ and checked out some markets that were all along the streets. After walking around there for a little we went to this place called ‘Pylon Lookout’ which when looking at the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Opera house is the tower on the left of the bridge. Throughout the tower you learn about the history of the bridge and how it was built and then you get climb steps all the way to the top and have incredible views of the harbour, the bridge, opera house and city.
Next we took a ferry from Circular Quay under the bridge over to Luna Park. Luna Park is just a little amusement park for little kids but we checked it out anyways. Then we took the ferry to Darling Harbour and went to Wildlife World.
Wildlife World was great because I got to hold a snake, pet a koala, get really close to kangaroos and pet a wallaby. There were also many, many other animals of course and since I loooove animals, I loved the Wildlife World.
After that we took the train to Hyde Park and walked around, the park reminded me a lot of the Boston public gardens. That night we met up with Karina’s grandparent for dinner and went to a nice restaurant on the harbour.
So Saturday included a trip to Bondi Beach (for all of you who don’t know, there is a popular television show called ‘Bondi Rescue’ which is filmed right on the beach. We got there quite early and a storm was just off the coast so the pictures I got were gorgeous. We took a coastal walk that took us from Bondi beach to another beach and was a 3 mile walk on the cliffs. . . .Needless to say, the views were breathtaking.
So we ended up going to Watson’s Bay which is famous for a restaurant right on the beach so we got a little lunch and then went to ‘The Gap’ and walked around the coast to South Head (which is just a point where the peninsula overlooks North Head on the other side of the bay.
After that we went to the Australian Museum and the Victoria Shopping center.
Joel was performing in cabaret that night so we went to this cute little bar where it was being held and it was very good. It was an hour and 45 mins long and there was singing and acting and there were only 5 people in the show. Joel is an aspiring actor and singer (ideally he would like to do musicals) and he was outstanding.
So that pretty much wraps up the trip. We walked about 8 miles on Friday and 7 on Saturday. We packed in soooo many things and were on the go constantly but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I wanted to do EVERYTHING possible and I really think we did.
Here are some pictures. . .
South Head View.
View from the coastal trail.
Bondi Beach.
What an amazing trip I had. Bruce and I flew down to Sydney on Thursday and got there around 10am. Bruce’s son, Joel who is 22, picked us up at the airport and drove us to the hotel and then after checking in he drove us to the Easter Show. The Easter Show is this huge festival that is held at Olympic Park in all the stadiums and fields. At the show we went to the food center where we could sample wine and food from all different tents. There was a home and living center, agricultural center, garden center and fashion center. There were tons of shows going on so we watched an axmen competition which was amazing, I was very impressed. We watched some dog shows and horse back riding shows, and we met up with one of Bruce’s friends for dinner (she was working at the show). My favorite part was the axmen competition by far. . .well the wine tasting wasn’t that bad either haha.
Friday we left the hotel early and walked to the Opera house and arrived there a little before 9. There was barely anyone there which I loved. I can’t believe that I actually went there. It was amazing and I really want to go back one day without a doubt! So we walked around the place and took plenty of photos. We went inside and did the free tour so we didn’t have to wait for the other one which wasn’t going to start for over an hour. If I go back again I will for sure do the guided tour so I can really see everything.
From the Opera House we walked around Circular Quay and walked up ‘The Rocks’ and checked out some markets that were all along the streets. After walking around there for a little we went to this place called ‘Pylon Lookout’ which when looking at the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Opera house is the tower on the left of the bridge. Throughout the tower you learn about the history of the bridge and how it was built and then you get climb steps all the way to the top and have incredible views of the harbour, the bridge, opera house and city.
Next we took a ferry from Circular Quay under the bridge over to Luna Park. Luna Park is just a little amusement park for little kids but we checked it out anyways. Then we took the ferry to Darling Harbour and went to Wildlife World.
Wildlife World was great because I got to hold a snake, pet a koala, get really close to kangaroos and pet a wallaby. There were also many, many other animals of course and since I loooove animals, I loved the Wildlife World.
After that we took the train to Hyde Park and walked around, the park reminded me a lot of the Boston public gardens. That night we met up with Karina’s grandparent for dinner and went to a nice restaurant on the harbour.
So Saturday included a trip to Bondi Beach (for all of you who don’t know, there is a popular television show called ‘Bondi Rescue’ which is filmed right on the beach. We got there quite early and a storm was just off the coast so the pictures I got were gorgeous. We took a coastal walk that took us from Bondi beach to another beach and was a 3 mile walk on the cliffs. . . .Needless to say, the views were breathtaking.
So we ended up going to Watson’s Bay which is famous for a restaurant right on the beach so we got a little lunch and then went to ‘The Gap’ and walked around the coast to South Head (which is just a point where the peninsula overlooks North Head on the other side of the bay.
After that we went to the Australian Museum and the Victoria Shopping center.
Joel was performing in cabaret that night so we went to this cute little bar where it was being held and it was very good. It was an hour and 45 mins long and there was singing and acting and there were only 5 people in the show. Joel is an aspiring actor and singer (ideally he would like to do musicals) and he was outstanding.
So that pretty much wraps up the trip. We walked about 8 miles on Friday and 7 on Saturday. We packed in soooo many things and were on the go constantly but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I wanted to do EVERYTHING possible and I really think we did.
Here are some pictures. . .
South Head View.
View from the coastal trail.
Bondi Beach.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Only 36 days left. . .where does the time go?
So after my adventure to Numinbah Valley where I experienced farm life, I went to the top of Mount Tamborine and experienced mountain life. Karina and Izzy’s grandparents live up there so we left early in the morning on Thursday and stopped at several scenic look outs on the drive up and even stopped and hiked to another waterfall (Curtis Falls). . .it was gorgeous! From the top of the mountain you can see the skyline of the gold coast with a back drop of the ocean. I wish I could describe the views! There is a great little town there that is known for their homemade fudge, so of course we got some and sampled even more! What a great day we had, eating homemade scones and bread made by Karina’s grandmother and playing cards and even learning cricket in the backyard.
On Friday I played in a hockey game that Bruce asked me last minute to play in. There is a boy’s team touring from New Zealand and they asked if they could play a game so Bruce gathered who he could. I played with mostly 16 year old boys and a few 17 year olds. . .i ended up being the only girl who showed and the oldest one out there. Haha, boy did I stick out. The New Zealand team was VERY good. . .they sorta kicked our butt, we lost 5-1. . .but I have never been so tired after a game so I got a good workout and it was fun to watch them (though I guess I shouldn’t really be watching while I’m playing huh?) and to play against them. So although the outcome wasn’t so good, it was still nice to meet them and now I can say I played against a New Zealand boy’s team. Oh, and they also did the Haka dance before the game, which is a traditional New Zealand dance that the men’s hockey teams do before the start of each game. I wanted to take a video of them doing it but I didn’t think that would be appropriate.
On Easter Bruce, Karina and I went to a place called Sanctuary Cove where there are some nice shops and cafes and it’s a marina. There were some enormous yachts, so we took a walk around the docks and checked out all the boats and picked out the one’s we would want if we could afford one. After exploring around there for a bit we went and got fish and chips at a little shop and got some grilled swordfish that was reeeeally yummy. To be honest I really missed being home for Easter but I guess being in Australia makes up for missing a little family time over the holiday.
Today we drove down to New South Whales on the coast where Izzy and her family are camping for the week. It ended up raining so we didn’t do much but walk along the beach, cook some food and play some games. It was nice to get a change of scenery for a bit and now I can say I drove over the border of Queensland into New South Whales! Woooo.
So this week I am heading to Sydney. . .we are leaving Thursday and returning Sunday.
Part of the Curtis Falls waterfall on Mount Tamborine and Izzy at the top of Mount Tamborine.
On Friday I played in a hockey game that Bruce asked me last minute to play in. There is a boy’s team touring from New Zealand and they asked if they could play a game so Bruce gathered who he could. I played with mostly 16 year old boys and a few 17 year olds. . .i ended up being the only girl who showed and the oldest one out there. Haha, boy did I stick out. The New Zealand team was VERY good. . .they sorta kicked our butt, we lost 5-1. . .but I have never been so tired after a game so I got a good workout and it was fun to watch them (though I guess I shouldn’t really be watching while I’m playing huh?) and to play against them. So although the outcome wasn’t so good, it was still nice to meet them and now I can say I played against a New Zealand boy’s team. Oh, and they also did the Haka dance before the game, which is a traditional New Zealand dance that the men’s hockey teams do before the start of each game. I wanted to take a video of them doing it but I didn’t think that would be appropriate.
On Easter Bruce, Karina and I went to a place called Sanctuary Cove where there are some nice shops and cafes and it’s a marina. There were some enormous yachts, so we took a walk around the docks and checked out all the boats and picked out the one’s we would want if we could afford one. After exploring around there for a bit we went and got fish and chips at a little shop and got some grilled swordfish that was reeeeally yummy. To be honest I really missed being home for Easter but I guess being in Australia makes up for missing a little family time over the holiday.
Today we drove down to New South Whales on the coast where Izzy and her family are camping for the week. It ended up raining so we didn’t do much but walk along the beach, cook some food and play some games. It was nice to get a change of scenery for a bit and now I can say I drove over the border of Queensland into New South Whales! Woooo.
So this week I am heading to Sydney. . .we are leaving Thursday and returning Sunday.
Part of the Curtis Falls waterfall on Mount Tamborine and Izzy at the top of Mount Tamborine.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Farming in Numinbah Valley
For sightseeing this week I went to the top of the Q1 tower (the tallest residential building in the world). . .what an amazing view! It was pretty rainy for most of the week so I didn’t go any where too exciting. . .just up to Surfer’s one day and to some of the shopping centers.
On Friday I spent the day in Brisbane at the footy (aka rugby game). We got there around 3:30 and watch the U21 Brisbane broncos play the St George dragons and following that game was the pro Broncos vs Dragons game. It was soooo fun. . .we were sititng in the 2nd row right behind the end zone. The players were literally 10 feet away from us and we were going crazy. We had a couple of beers and did our best to get on the big screen. . . it didn’t happen though. Haha. The stadium was huge and there were apparently 45,000 people there. It was such an exciting game and I am absolutely going to try and go to another one before I leave.
On Saturday I spent the day at the field watching our Div 3, 2, and 1 men’s teams play. It’s great being able to watch men’s hockey since obviously we don’t have that back home. After the game some of us went out to a pub and had a couple of drinks. . .i guess there is no “72 hour no drinking” rule down here. Haha. I have found my favorite beer down here, its called a blonde. Perfect name for me. Apparently its low carb too.
So Sunday we won our game, 2-0. It was the most intense game yet. . .it was very feisty and there was lots of trash talking from the other team. In the end it just backfired for them because we still won even though they were trying to get under our skin. One girl even slide tackled one of my teamies and took her out! It was absolutely terrible and there was only a verbal warning given by the ref. Anyways, we won so that was good. After the game all the div 2 and div 3 men and women’s teams were there and there was a bbq and lots of drinking. The older men and women can drink heaps! I’ve never seen such a thing. And beers at the club house are only $2.50 which is pretty darn cheap! I only had a couple of beers but we had a real good time and it was fun meeting some new people and spending time with the girls on the team.
Monday morning we were planning on going to a friends, Charlotte’s, farm, but it was raining all day Sunday so we figured we were gonna make it. Last minute 8am Monday morning she called us and said we could go so we got ready and left by 8:30. This trip was so far the highlight of my time here. The farm is in Numinbah valley,about an hour from here and the hills around it are beautiful! There were hundreds of cows and bulls and I learned how to feed them and how to round them up. . .there were some baby calves which were born last week and were so adorable and I even saw some kangaroos! I also learned how to stack and unload hay bails. . .between Charlotte, Karina and I we unloaded 150 hay bails off of a flat bed truck. It was hard work but we made it fun. There was a gorgeous sunset Monday night and we bbq and just had a really relaxing evening. This morning we woke up and it was sorta raining so we hung inside after feeding the animals and then left early in the afternoon but stopped by this gorgeous waterfall on the way home! Also, a glowworm cave was next to the waterfall but since it was day time we couldn’t see them. The hike to the falls was about 30 mins and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous! I took tons of pictures and am so glad we were able to go. I have never really been to a real farm like this, they raise cattle for eating (i know, very sad) and they have cows for dairy. It was so peaceful out there but being a farmer is clearly a lot of hard work and seems very time consuming.
Anyways, on Thursday we are going to head up to Karina's gradparent's house up on Mount Tamborine. . .apparently the views and scenery up there is even better than at the farm. :) We will see.
Me, Izzy and Karina before the rugby game.
Me unloading hay at the farm, and the Natural Bridge waterfall.
On Friday I spent the day in Brisbane at the footy (aka rugby game). We got there around 3:30 and watch the U21 Brisbane broncos play the St George dragons and following that game was the pro Broncos vs Dragons game. It was soooo fun. . .we were sititng in the 2nd row right behind the end zone. The players were literally 10 feet away from us and we were going crazy. We had a couple of beers and did our best to get on the big screen. . . it didn’t happen though. Haha. The stadium was huge and there were apparently 45,000 people there. It was such an exciting game and I am absolutely going to try and go to another one before I leave.
On Saturday I spent the day at the field watching our Div 3, 2, and 1 men’s teams play. It’s great being able to watch men’s hockey since obviously we don’t have that back home. After the game some of us went out to a pub and had a couple of drinks. . .i guess there is no “72 hour no drinking” rule down here. Haha. I have found my favorite beer down here, its called a blonde. Perfect name for me. Apparently its low carb too.
So Sunday we won our game, 2-0. It was the most intense game yet. . .it was very feisty and there was lots of trash talking from the other team. In the end it just backfired for them because we still won even though they were trying to get under our skin. One girl even slide tackled one of my teamies and took her out! It was absolutely terrible and there was only a verbal warning given by the ref. Anyways, we won so that was good. After the game all the div 2 and div 3 men and women’s teams were there and there was a bbq and lots of drinking. The older men and women can drink heaps! I’ve never seen such a thing. And beers at the club house are only $2.50 which is pretty darn cheap! I only had a couple of beers but we had a real good time and it was fun meeting some new people and spending time with the girls on the team.
Monday morning we were planning on going to a friends, Charlotte’s, farm, but it was raining all day Sunday so we figured we were gonna make it. Last minute 8am Monday morning she called us and said we could go so we got ready and left by 8:30. This trip was so far the highlight of my time here. The farm is in Numinbah valley,about an hour from here and the hills around it are beautiful! There were hundreds of cows and bulls and I learned how to feed them and how to round them up. . .there were some baby calves which were born last week and were so adorable and I even saw some kangaroos! I also learned how to stack and unload hay bails. . .between Charlotte, Karina and I we unloaded 150 hay bails off of a flat bed truck. It was hard work but we made it fun. There was a gorgeous sunset Monday night and we bbq and just had a really relaxing evening. This morning we woke up and it was sorta raining so we hung inside after feeding the animals and then left early in the afternoon but stopped by this gorgeous waterfall on the way home! Also, a glowworm cave was next to the waterfall but since it was day time we couldn’t see them. The hike to the falls was about 30 mins and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous! I took tons of pictures and am so glad we were able to go. I have never really been to a real farm like this, they raise cattle for eating (i know, very sad) and they have cows for dairy. It was so peaceful out there but being a farmer is clearly a lot of hard work and seems very time consuming.
Anyways, on Thursday we are going to head up to Karina's gradparent's house up on Mount Tamborine. . .apparently the views and scenery up there is even better than at the farm. :) We will see.
Me, Izzy and Karina before the rugby game.
Me unloading hay at the farm, and the Natural Bridge waterfall.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Gnarly Surfer Girl.
I took my first surf lesson this week! It was only 2 hours long and it was all on shore stuff. . . so now I'm going to need to go back so I can get in the water and really see what I have learned. My surf instructor told me when I signed up that I looked like a surfer and then we I was in the lesson he said that I wasn’t a natural like he thought I was going to be. Hahaha. . .oh well, I just have more motivation now to go back and show him that I CAN do it. haha. But really, it was a lot of fun and there were only 3 other people in the lesson with me. We all seemed to be at the same skill level so that was good.
I also took a nice walk from the southern point of Broadbeach up to Surfer’s. It was about a 40 min walk along the beach and it was so gorgeous! I honestly will never get sick of the views. . .I cant even describe how beautiful everything is. I did a lot of people watching and have really learned my way around. The bus system is quite simple now and the bus drivers are even starting to remember me.
My parents booked their flight and will arrive May 1st. . .Woooo I am really excited!!!
I went to the Oasis Shopping center this week, its not as good as Pacific Fair or Australia Fair but it was still nice to walk around. It is located right in the heart of broadbeach.
Our game this weekend was the best yet. We played really well and it was nice afterward to finally feel great about a game. We won 8-0, and they were 1st in our league and beat the team we lost to the other week. We really just came out so strong that the other team didn’t know what to do. Seriously though, they seemed stunned. I scored a couple of goals while playing the center mid position. Nikki Hudson is due to join or squad right after Easter. . .right now she is taking a little time off since she just retired and all. So I really look forward to playing with her and learning a lot.
I had a great week of walking around and exploring the coast. This coming week I plan to go to Brisbane again and then on Friday I am going to my first pro rugby game!! Izzy’s dad got us tickets so we will head up on Friday afternoon to Brisbane where the game will be held. I can’t wait to see how it compares to pro sports back home.
Oh, also this week, I saw my FIRST Starbucks since I have been here!! Oh it was so exciting. . .haha I got a drink and then went back a couple hours later and got another just in case I don’t find another while I’m here. For those of you who don’t know, I am a pretty big Starbucks addict. . .not as big as my dad but I’m still pretty addicted. Haha
Well that’s just a quick overview of some of the things I did this week. Hopefully I will have more exciting things to report next week.
I also took a nice walk from the southern point of Broadbeach up to Surfer’s. It was about a 40 min walk along the beach and it was so gorgeous! I honestly will never get sick of the views. . .I cant even describe how beautiful everything is. I did a lot of people watching and have really learned my way around. The bus system is quite simple now and the bus drivers are even starting to remember me.
My parents booked their flight and will arrive May 1st. . .Woooo I am really excited!!!
I went to the Oasis Shopping center this week, its not as good as Pacific Fair or Australia Fair but it was still nice to walk around. It is located right in the heart of broadbeach.
Our game this weekend was the best yet. We played really well and it was nice afterward to finally feel great about a game. We won 8-0, and they were 1st in our league and beat the team we lost to the other week. We really just came out so strong that the other team didn’t know what to do. Seriously though, they seemed stunned. I scored a couple of goals while playing the center mid position. Nikki Hudson is due to join or squad right after Easter. . .right now she is taking a little time off since she just retired and all. So I really look forward to playing with her and learning a lot.
I had a great week of walking around and exploring the coast. This coming week I plan to go to Brisbane again and then on Friday I am going to my first pro rugby game!! Izzy’s dad got us tickets so we will head up on Friday afternoon to Brisbane where the game will be held. I can’t wait to see how it compares to pro sports back home.
Oh, also this week, I saw my FIRST Starbucks since I have been here!! Oh it was so exciting. . .haha I got a drink and then went back a couple hours later and got another just in case I don’t find another while I’m here. For those of you who don’t know, I am a pretty big Starbucks addict. . .not as big as my dad but I’m still pretty addicted. Haha
Well that’s just a quick overview of some of the things I did this week. Hopefully I will have more exciting things to report next week.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Week Overview
So during this past week I took a trip to Brisbane, went out to the bars down at surfers, coached a little kids team, umpired my first game, had a game, and booked a flight!
My trip to Brisbane on Wed occurred because I have been having trouble with my bank card and the closest bank branch is in Brisbane. All I am going to say is that I spent 2 hours at the bank and it was not a pleasant experience. In the end, although it seemed like everything was all set, I found out 2 days later that it wasn’t. . .so I still cant access my money but should be able to shortly (crossing my fingers). But with that aside, Brisbane was a great city, very old architecture but to be honest I didn’t get to spend as much time there as I would have liked because I had training that night so I was a bit stresses out about getting back. There is GREAT shopping there and some museums that I will have to check out next time for sure. Needless to say, I will need to make another trip back. And on my way back I saw my first kangaroos but since I was on the bus I couldn’t get a picture!!
Thursday night I went out with some people to surfers and again, didn’t get home until 5am! I was pretty tired on Friday but it was all worth while because a company was having a promo night and I got a free baby blue backpack (my favorite color!) that had 2 t-shirts, a lanyard, 3 cds, wrist bands, a small bottle of Alize liqueur and a hat. It’s always nice to get free stuff. . . but as a friend of mine always says “its not about the stuff.” Hahaha. I beg to differ. . . haha just kidding.
On Saturday morning, Bruce called me around 9:30am because he was up at the field for practice, and he asked if I could come coach a team because one of the other coaches called up last minute saying he couldn’t make it to the 10am training session. Karina drove me over and I coached 7-9 year old boys and girls. They were very cute and quite good for their age! The Labrador Club has 500 kids (ages 3-10) participating in junior hockey teams. . .its incredible that 3 year olds play!!!! Seriously, kids ages 3-10 actually play hockey! That’s something we don’t have back home that’s for sure.
Saturday night I umpired my first game (division 3)! I got $20 so it was completely worth it. It was a good experience and I didn’t do all that bad for my first time. I truly have even more respect for umps after that.
Today we played a division 2 team, so since we are division 1 the game starts with them up 5-0. After the first half we had only scored 2 goals, and luckily in the 2nd half we played really well and made it 10-5. Since we lost last week scoring so many goals was good for our record so we are now in 2nd place! We played a lot better this week and I think it helped get our confidence up for future games. I scored the first 3 goals and I played center mid/center striker.
After our game we went to Izzy’s house and her mom made this delicious Phillipino pasta with chicken and it was soooo good. She cooks great food and since we live pretty close to them we tend to get the leftovers delivered over here!
Tonight Bruce and I booked a trip to Sydney for the 16-19 of April. His son lives there and is in the theater and music business so we are going to see one of his shows and then do a bunch of toursity stuff. I am reeeeally excited. Oh and also tonight, a BIG huntsman spider, a little bigger than the size of the back on my hand, was in the house and Karina and I were standing on the furniture while Bruce saved it and brought it outside. Even though that kind of spider cant hurt you. . . I still don’t want it in the house!
Alrighty that will be it for now, I am very tired and am hoping to do a lot of exploring this week, back in Brisbane and further down the coast.
My trip to Brisbane on Wed occurred because I have been having trouble with my bank card and the closest bank branch is in Brisbane. All I am going to say is that I spent 2 hours at the bank and it was not a pleasant experience. In the end, although it seemed like everything was all set, I found out 2 days later that it wasn’t. . .so I still cant access my money but should be able to shortly (crossing my fingers). But with that aside, Brisbane was a great city, very old architecture but to be honest I didn’t get to spend as much time there as I would have liked because I had training that night so I was a bit stresses out about getting back. There is GREAT shopping there and some museums that I will have to check out next time for sure. Needless to say, I will need to make another trip back. And on my way back I saw my first kangaroos but since I was on the bus I couldn’t get a picture!!
Thursday night I went out with some people to surfers and again, didn’t get home until 5am! I was pretty tired on Friday but it was all worth while because a company was having a promo night and I got a free baby blue backpack (my favorite color!) that had 2 t-shirts, a lanyard, 3 cds, wrist bands, a small bottle of Alize liqueur and a hat. It’s always nice to get free stuff. . . but as a friend of mine always says “its not about the stuff.” Hahaha. I beg to differ. . . haha just kidding.
On Saturday morning, Bruce called me around 9:30am because he was up at the field for practice, and he asked if I could come coach a team because one of the other coaches called up last minute saying he couldn’t make it to the 10am training session. Karina drove me over and I coached 7-9 year old boys and girls. They were very cute and quite good for their age! The Labrador Club has 500 kids (ages 3-10) participating in junior hockey teams. . .its incredible that 3 year olds play!!!! Seriously, kids ages 3-10 actually play hockey! That’s something we don’t have back home that’s for sure.
Saturday night I umpired my first game (division 3)! I got $20 so it was completely worth it. It was a good experience and I didn’t do all that bad for my first time. I truly have even more respect for umps after that.
Today we played a division 2 team, so since we are division 1 the game starts with them up 5-0. After the first half we had only scored 2 goals, and luckily in the 2nd half we played really well and made it 10-5. Since we lost last week scoring so many goals was good for our record so we are now in 2nd place! We played a lot better this week and I think it helped get our confidence up for future games. I scored the first 3 goals and I played center mid/center striker.
After our game we went to Izzy’s house and her mom made this delicious Phillipino pasta with chicken and it was soooo good. She cooks great food and since we live pretty close to them we tend to get the leftovers delivered over here!
Tonight Bruce and I booked a trip to Sydney for the 16-19 of April. His son lives there and is in the theater and music business so we are going to see one of his shows and then do a bunch of toursity stuff. I am reeeeally excited. Oh and also tonight, a BIG huntsman spider, a little bigger than the size of the back on my hand, was in the house and Karina and I were standing on the furniture while Bruce saved it and brought it outside. Even though that kind of spider cant hurt you. . . I still don’t want it in the house!
Alrighty that will be it for now, I am very tired and am hoping to do a lot of exploring this week, back in Brisbane and further down the coast.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Lots to tell.
Quite a bit has happened over the last week. . .
First of all, there was a cyclone (AKA a hurricane) off the coast at the beginning of last week so there was a fair amount of rain and wind which kept me from venturing out too far from the house. On Wednesday I headed up to Surfers Paradise and walked up to Broad Beach to check things out and the waves were HUGE! Oh man the beach was closed to swimmers and surfers and I could see why. The waves were insane. I am sure this sounds so lame but it was cool to see the ocean so ruff since the last time I was there the water was relatively calm. Also, there are some great shopping centers at Broad Beach that I walked passed but will have to head back and really check them out. We all know, I LOVE to shop. . . don’t worry mom, I wont buy any jeans (well, unless they are on sale)! Haha.
On Thursday night I went out to the bars and clubs for the first time since I’ve been here. We went out in Surfers and little did I know the night was going to be pretty long. . the bars don’t close until 5am, so a little different from the 2am close back in boston! It was a real good time though. . . there were a lot of ‘Uni Kids’ out. . .so it was pretty crowded every where we went. I felt pretty old to be honest since the drinking age is 18 here. . .i know 22 isn’t that old but everyone looked so young!
On Friday night I went to the casino! I didn’t gamble but we ate at a delicious Chinese restaurant and then sat in the lounge and had a couple of drinks and listened to the live band while watching people dance and make fools of themselves. Haha. The casino was pretty nice though, it was a good size and it was pretty crowded. There were tons of restaurants and bars there so I am sure I will head back. . .maybe I will gamble a little next time I’m there. . .just maybe though.
Saturday night was Izzy’s senior year formal. . .it was at a golf course and family and friends go to watch everyone get out of their car and walk up a red carpet into the venue. It was pretty interesting, a lot different from the way our proms were back home. After being entertained with that, some of the family and I went out to dinner to a great restaurant that was on a pier overlooking the water!
So today we had a game and we actually lost 1-0. . .apparently my team hasn’t lost for 2 years so it was pretty upsetting. It was a rough game for us but we will put it in the past and take what we can from it. There were plenty of teaching points that’s for sure! I found out today that Nikki Hudson, the recently retired captain of the Australian national team (recent as in a week or so ago), is going to be playing with my team!!!! Very, very cool! She is outstanding so I look forward to having the opportunity to play with her and learn a lot from her. For those of you who don’t really understand, this is kind of a big deal. . . I mean, she is kind of a big deal! Haha.
Overall the week was pretty darn good (minus the loss). This coming weekend I will umpire my first couple of games to make some money and I might be coaching some little kids (6 and 7 year olds) once a week as well. Life is pretty good here in Australia and I cant believe a month has gone by! I am really trying to do everything possible so I don’t have any regrets when I get home. It’s been a little hard since all the people I have met either go to school or work during the week so all the touring I’ve done has been on my own. But, I have learned the bus system very well and am proud of myself for doing so many things on my own.
Alrighty, well that is all for now.
First of all, there was a cyclone (AKA a hurricane) off the coast at the beginning of last week so there was a fair amount of rain and wind which kept me from venturing out too far from the house. On Wednesday I headed up to Surfers Paradise and walked up to Broad Beach to check things out and the waves were HUGE! Oh man the beach was closed to swimmers and surfers and I could see why. The waves were insane. I am sure this sounds so lame but it was cool to see the ocean so ruff since the last time I was there the water was relatively calm. Also, there are some great shopping centers at Broad Beach that I walked passed but will have to head back and really check them out. We all know, I LOVE to shop. . . don’t worry mom, I wont buy any jeans (well, unless they are on sale)! Haha.
On Thursday night I went out to the bars and clubs for the first time since I’ve been here. We went out in Surfers and little did I know the night was going to be pretty long. . the bars don’t close until 5am, so a little different from the 2am close back in boston! It was a real good time though. . . there were a lot of ‘Uni Kids’ out. . .so it was pretty crowded every where we went. I felt pretty old to be honest since the drinking age is 18 here. . .i know 22 isn’t that old but everyone looked so young!
On Friday night I went to the casino! I didn’t gamble but we ate at a delicious Chinese restaurant and then sat in the lounge and had a couple of drinks and listened to the live band while watching people dance and make fools of themselves. Haha. The casino was pretty nice though, it was a good size and it was pretty crowded. There were tons of restaurants and bars there so I am sure I will head back. . .maybe I will gamble a little next time I’m there. . .just maybe though.
Saturday night was Izzy’s senior year formal. . .it was at a golf course and family and friends go to watch everyone get out of their car and walk up a red carpet into the venue. It was pretty interesting, a lot different from the way our proms were back home. After being entertained with that, some of the family and I went out to dinner to a great restaurant that was on a pier overlooking the water!
So today we had a game and we actually lost 1-0. . .apparently my team hasn’t lost for 2 years so it was pretty upsetting. It was a rough game for us but we will put it in the past and take what we can from it. There were plenty of teaching points that’s for sure! I found out today that Nikki Hudson, the recently retired captain of the Australian national team (recent as in a week or so ago), is going to be playing with my team!!!! Very, very cool! She is outstanding so I look forward to having the opportunity to play with her and learn a lot from her. For those of you who don’t really understand, this is kind of a big deal. . . I mean, she is kind of a big deal! Haha.
Overall the week was pretty darn good (minus the loss). This coming weekend I will umpire my first couple of games to make some money and I might be coaching some little kids (6 and 7 year olds) once a week as well. Life is pretty good here in Australia and I cant believe a month has gone by! I am really trying to do everything possible so I don’t have any regrets when I get home. It’s been a little hard since all the people I have met either go to school or work during the week so all the touring I’ve done has been on my own. But, I have learned the bus system very well and am proud of myself for doing so many things on my own.
Alrighty, well that is all for now.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
So far so good.
Another successful game. We won 3-0 against Mudgee who is apparently our team’s biggest rival! So the game was intense and a little rougher then the last couple. Today I played center mid and left mid. I scored the first goal off of the same corner that we did yesterday. And then one of our other goals was also off of a corner, while the other was a slam from outside of the circle and tipped in.
We were more pleased with our play today then we were in the last 2 games so that is a step in the right direction. Our team has many individually skilled players so it’s all about playing together and getting used to each other. Today was our last trial/pre-season game, so next weekend’s game is actually going to count towards or record. Hopefully we will be able to keep the winning streak alive. I think we will have a promising season if we all work on learning each other's playing styles. We are off to a good start so far, but as I've said before, it can certainly get better.
I'm real tired so that is all for now. Hopefully I will do some exciting sightseeing this week so I’ll have some good stuff to tell you all and maybe some new photos as well.
We were more pleased with our play today then we were in the last 2 games so that is a step in the right direction. Our team has many individually skilled players so it’s all about playing together and getting used to each other. Today was our last trial/pre-season game, so next weekend’s game is actually going to count towards or record. Hopefully we will be able to keep the winning streak alive. I think we will have a promising season if we all work on learning each other's playing styles. We are off to a good start so far, but as I've said before, it can certainly get better.
I'm real tired so that is all for now. Hopefully I will do some exciting sightseeing this week so I’ll have some good stuff to tell you all and maybe some new photos as well.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Game 2
I took a visit this week to Broad Beach which is a little further south from Surfers Paradise. It was beautiful. . .the beach was even nicer then surfers paradise and everything was a bit more spread out so it was more relaxed. Also, since its not as popular as surfers paradise you have more locals bumming around there then you do tourists so its not as chaotic and crazy.
Last night I went to the GPS (greater public schools) swimming championships. Bruce coaches The Southport School team and so he was able to get me into the event. Apparently this swim competition has the best high school swimmers in the nation competing in it. The competition was all boys and I wish I could describe the atmosphere in the aquatic center, it was pretty impressive. The meet was held in the Brisbane aquatic center which is amazing. It has an Olympic size pool with 10 lanes and then there is a warm up pool with 5 lanes and then they even have all the Olympic diving podiums. The great thing about this event is that there were actually Olympians there because they used to go to some of these schools. Also, before we left for the meet a former Olympic gold medalist, I am drawing a blank on his name right now and feel like a terrible person, gave an inspirational talk to the team and then I got to talk and meet him afterwards! Pretty neat. Anyways, it was exciting and unlike anything I've ever been too, and Bruce’s team came in 2nd.
So on to Game 2. . .it was a great success! We played 3 20 minute periods. We won 4-2 and we played a Brisbane team which was much more skilled then the team we played last week. We started off with a 1-0 lead, I actually scored off of a corner, I was at the far post and tipped it in. And then they scored and tied it up and then we scored to make it 2-1 and then they tied it up again. So the score was 2-2 after the 2nd 20 minutes. And then in the 3rd period we scored 2 other goals. One was off of a corner and the other was off of a 2v1 breakaway. For this game I played as a striker and a center mid. The game was fun and fast paced! The girls and coaches are very nice and I have been learning a lot of new things from them. I am so far having such a blast playing with them all. We played a lot better as a team this week, although there are still plenty of things we need to work on.
We have another game tomorrow at 5pm, I will be sure to let you know how it goes. That is all for now.
Last night I went to the GPS (greater public schools) swimming championships. Bruce coaches The Southport School team and so he was able to get me into the event. Apparently this swim competition has the best high school swimmers in the nation competing in it. The competition was all boys and I wish I could describe the atmosphere in the aquatic center, it was pretty impressive. The meet was held in the Brisbane aquatic center which is amazing. It has an Olympic size pool with 10 lanes and then there is a warm up pool with 5 lanes and then they even have all the Olympic diving podiums. The great thing about this event is that there were actually Olympians there because they used to go to some of these schools. Also, before we left for the meet a former Olympic gold medalist, I am drawing a blank on his name right now and feel like a terrible person, gave an inspirational talk to the team and then I got to talk and meet him afterwards! Pretty neat. Anyways, it was exciting and unlike anything I've ever been too, and Bruce’s team came in 2nd.
So on to Game 2. . .it was a great success! We played 3 20 minute periods. We won 4-2 and we played a Brisbane team which was much more skilled then the team we played last week. We started off with a 1-0 lead, I actually scored off of a corner, I was at the far post and tipped it in. And then they scored and tied it up and then we scored to make it 2-1 and then they tied it up again. So the score was 2-2 after the 2nd 20 minutes. And then in the 3rd period we scored 2 other goals. One was off of a corner and the other was off of a 2v1 breakaway. For this game I played as a striker and a center mid. The game was fun and fast paced! The girls and coaches are very nice and I have been learning a lot of new things from them. I am so far having such a blast playing with them all. We played a lot better as a team this week, although there are still plenty of things we need to work on.
We have another game tomorrow at 5pm, I will be sure to let you know how it goes. That is all for now.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Insects.
So in the last couple of days I have come across some pretty frightful creatures.
To start, the other night we were outside and there were a bunch of toads jumping around and I went to pick one up and Karina said “no don’t do that they are poisonous!” hmm ok. . .so she went on to tell me that they are cane toads and they are the biggest pest in Queensland. I came to find out that when they get scared they spit poison and if it gets into your blood stream it will attack your heart. . .or if it gets into your eyes it could blind you! So needless to say, I will not be trying to grab any more cane toads. Good thing Karina was there to tell me HANDS OFF!
The next night I was walking into my bedroom and there was a spider about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. . .I literally stood 5 feet from it with my shoe in hand for at least 20 minutes contemplating how to kill this thing. Finally I went and asked Karina to take care of it for me. . .she went and got this chemical spray that you just zap the spider with and it slowly crawls to its death in about a minute! She reassured me that the spider she just killed is the SMALLEST I will see. She told me a story about how she was coming in from the garage once and there was one about 5 inches in diameter! YIKES.
The next day I was sitting in the living room and I looked down and there was a spider that was a little bit bigger than the one from the night before right next to me! Same kind though. . .they are called huntsmen spiders. This time Bruce came to the rescue and put it in a bucket and brought it outside and saved it. I really hope it doesn’t come back!
There are still plenty of lizards around, but they aren't scary and they are actually kind of cute now, compared to all the other creatures I've seen at least.
In a book that I read, I learned that Australia has 10 of the top 12 deadliest animals in the world. . . so with that said, everything I see I am going to stay away from just in case it is one of those 10!
Other than that the past couple of days have been spent going to the outlet shops again, working out, wandering around and traveling on the bus, and I even have a bike now so I ride that around but the hills are so big that I can’t ride up them. . . I literally get off the bike and walk it up! Haha. I also had practice tonight which went well and I still can’t believe they only practice once a week for an hour and a half!
Tomorrow I plan on heading to the waterfront, to broad beach this time instead of surfers paradise, and just explore a little more.
To start, the other night we were outside and there were a bunch of toads jumping around and I went to pick one up and Karina said “no don’t do that they are poisonous!” hmm ok. . .so she went on to tell me that they are cane toads and they are the biggest pest in Queensland. I came to find out that when they get scared they spit poison and if it gets into your blood stream it will attack your heart. . .or if it gets into your eyes it could blind you! So needless to say, I will not be trying to grab any more cane toads. Good thing Karina was there to tell me HANDS OFF!
The next night I was walking into my bedroom and there was a spider about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. . .I literally stood 5 feet from it with my shoe in hand for at least 20 minutes contemplating how to kill this thing. Finally I went and asked Karina to take care of it for me. . .she went and got this chemical spray that you just zap the spider with and it slowly crawls to its death in about a minute! She reassured me that the spider she just killed is the SMALLEST I will see. She told me a story about how she was coming in from the garage once and there was one about 5 inches in diameter! YIKES.
The next day I was sitting in the living room and I looked down and there was a spider that was a little bit bigger than the one from the night before right next to me! Same kind though. . .they are called huntsmen spiders. This time Bruce came to the rescue and put it in a bucket and brought it outside and saved it. I really hope it doesn’t come back!
There are still plenty of lizards around, but they aren't scary and they are actually kind of cute now, compared to all the other creatures I've seen at least.
In a book that I read, I learned that Australia has 10 of the top 12 deadliest animals in the world. . . so with that said, everything I see I am going to stay away from just in case it is one of those 10!
Other than that the past couple of days have been spent going to the outlet shops again, working out, wandering around and traveling on the bus, and I even have a bike now so I ride that around but the hills are so big that I can’t ride up them. . . I literally get off the bike and walk it up! Haha. I also had practice tonight which went well and I still can’t believe they only practice once a week for an hour and a half!
Tomorrow I plan on heading to the waterfront, to broad beach this time instead of surfers paradise, and just explore a little more.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
First game = first Aussie beer.
I finally had my first game today. It was 95 degrees out. . .so add 10 degrees and it was about 105 degrees on the turf! Our game was at 3pm so I guess it could have been even hotter. I should really stop complaining about the heat, I act like I didn’t know it was going to be this hot here, but sure enough I knew!
I am happy to say that we won 4-0! We played alright as a team. . .it is obvious that not all of us have played together before but we will surely get used to one another soon. I played as a center striker (forward for those of you who may not know what a striker is), and it wasn’t that bad. I actually scored the first goal of the season with a reverse chip shot from about 10 yards out! Crazy huh? Too bad I couldn’t do that when I played for BU. Haha. I also had another goal that was just a shot from the top left side of the circle into the far corner. Besides all the running a center striker does it was a pretty fun position.
Also today was my first post game beer, it was an Australian gold (I think was the name of it) and to be honest I would have much rathered a big jug of Gatorade because I was so dehydrated! Haha but I wanted to fit in of course so I felt the need to have a beer.
Overall my first game experience was hot, but fun. The level of play is pretty similar to what it was at BU. This game was just a preseason game so between the 2 teams we both seem to have a lot to work on.
In the past couple of days I have done some more sightseeing. I went to some outlets that are not too far from the house and I even went up to Broad Water where a huge triathlon was being set up. I went up yesterday and today was the actual competition. Yesterday all the contestants had to register their bikes and a lady told me there were over 800 bikes in the lot already! Seeing 800 bikes in one area was pretty impressive. I went up to the triathlon today for a bit because an old friend of mine was competing but I had to leave before her group even started. Bummer.
Today before my game I went to a luncheon with Karina and Bruce’s extended family. It was nice to meet other family members, and they were all very interested in where I came from so I had to give them a nice little run down of what Boston is like.
That is all for now I guess. I miss you all lots.
I am happy to say that we won 4-0! We played alright as a team. . .it is obvious that not all of us have played together before but we will surely get used to one another soon. I played as a center striker (forward for those of you who may not know what a striker is), and it wasn’t that bad. I actually scored the first goal of the season with a reverse chip shot from about 10 yards out! Crazy huh? Too bad I couldn’t do that when I played for BU. Haha. I also had another goal that was just a shot from the top left side of the circle into the far corner. Besides all the running a center striker does it was a pretty fun position.
Also today was my first post game beer, it was an Australian gold (I think was the name of it) and to be honest I would have much rathered a big jug of Gatorade because I was so dehydrated! Haha but I wanted to fit in of course so I felt the need to have a beer.
Overall my first game experience was hot, but fun. The level of play is pretty similar to what it was at BU. This game was just a preseason game so between the 2 teams we both seem to have a lot to work on.
In the past couple of days I have done some more sightseeing. I went to some outlets that are not too far from the house and I even went up to Broad Water where a huge triathlon was being set up. I went up yesterday and today was the actual competition. Yesterday all the contestants had to register their bikes and a lady told me there were over 800 bikes in the lot already! Seeing 800 bikes in one area was pretty impressive. I went up to the triathlon today for a bit because an old friend of mine was competing but I had to leave before her group even started. Bummer.
Today before my game I went to a luncheon with Karina and Bruce’s extended family. It was nice to meet other family members, and they were all very interested in where I came from so I had to give them a nice little run down of what Boston is like.
That is all for now I guess. I miss you all lots.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Older women can play hockey?!?!
That's my bedroom window, and then the beach at Surfers Paradise.
Tonight I had my first training session with the Division 1 Labrador Tigerstix, the team I will be playing for. It was really great to finally meet most of the girls and get to play with them. Our coach is a woman who used to live in Canada and apparently was an assistant coach for the women's national team for a little while. She is nice and real skilled. Training was quite interesting because the Div. 1 trains with the Div 2 team. The Div 2 team is made up of a lot of older women, for example some mom's who have some daughter's on my team, and some younger girls are on that team as well. The older women were actually pretty darn good and it was enjoyable to watch them since I have never really seen people their age play before at a decent level. (Disclaimer: Tracey, I know you are a GREAT player and this information does not include you). As you may expect it was another hot practice, and I am starting to get worried for our games which are during the day. I mean if it is this hot at 7:30 at night I can only imagine how unbearable it will be for me during the day.
Another interesting thing about our training sessions is that they are only an hour and half long! They go by so quickly. . . which is good for now I guess since I apparently can't take the heat.
Oh there is also a girl here from Germany, she's 19, and is here for several months. It's nice not being the only one not from Australia. Don't worry Sal and Trace, I will be very nice to her so maybe I can get her to come play for BU. haha.
Anyways, that is all for now.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A few pictures
From top to bottom. .
Surfers Paradise sign (pretty self explanatory i know).
The side yard and pool of the house.
the house from the front.
One of the summit ave hills. . .the picture doesn't look that bad but trust me, it is.
and My lizard friend who lives in my room with me.
Buses are FUN
Late last night I made a list of different buses that would take me to Surfers Paradise and home and when/where they would pick me up. All I can say is good thing I wrote down multiple choices. . .
8:45am I left the house to walk to the town center to see if I could get a daily bus pass. I was out of luck. They told me the closest place was about 5k down the road and although I walked about 2k to get to the shopping center I was not planning on walking 5k more. A girl told me that I could pay with notes (cash) once I get on the bus.
9:40 I was at the bus stop (at the intersection of Uplands Dr. and Napper Rd.) waiting for a Rt 14- Southport 14 bus. As I was waiting patiently by the sign I saw the bus coming and then it zoomed right by me. Hmm I thought to myself. Luckily there was a man mowing his lawn and he stopped and walked over to me and told me I need to hail the bus, that so many different buses come through they don’t know which one you are waiting for. I thanked him and then looked in my little notebook for the next bus. It seemed there was a 10:15 bus that would leave from Upland Dr. and Greenacre Dr. Fortunately when I went on my run yesterday I passed Greenacre Dr. so I sort of new where it was.
10:00 I reach my new bus stop and waited for the now, RT 15 – Southport 15 bus. When I saw it coming I was sure to hail it down. As I got on the driver asked me where I was going and I told her Surfers Paradise. She immediately asked if I had ever taken the bus before. I don’t know what gave away the fact I haven’t but I didn’t ask. I paid my $2.30 fair and sat down.
10:20ish we reach Southport station where all people who want to go on to Surfers must get off and switch buses.
10:30 I boarded a 707 – Burleigh Heads 707 bus.
10:45 and I arrive at Surfers Paradise. . . or did I? I realized the bus stop I got off was called Surfers Paradise but there was no beach to be found and now esplanade. I began to walk down the street searching for a map.
11:15 I eventually reached the big Surfers Paradise sign, with no help from a map. and I felt relieved. At this point, of course, I was hungry so I went and got food at a restaurant called Kitty O’Sheas. . .sounds familiar to some of you huh? I did the whole sit alone thing and I “read” a book so I didn’t look too loserish. Haha. I got some lunch and a beer. . or 2 and totally just people watched.
I walked around for quite a while and everything was so beautiful and there was so much entertainment as you walk around. I went into a few shops and even checked out a learn to surf place to see if it’s something I want to do in the future. So at about 1:45 I realized a bus would be leaving in 15 minutes to take me back towards home. I found my way back to the same bus stop I got off at. The bus was supposed to arrive at 2 and when 2 came around there was no bus. I then looked down the street onto the other side of the road and saw the bus I was looking for. I was supposed to be at the Surfers Paradise stop going back the way I came from. . .silly me didn’t think about that one. So then I literally ran to the bus and made it before it took off. I paid $2.60 this time.
According to my notes, I was supposed to get off and switch buses at Helensvale station. When I got there, I asked some guy if he knew how long it would be until bus 15 came and he looked at me and said no bus 15 comes through here. Awesome! The guy was nice enough to call the translink bus company to find out the best way for me to get to where I needed to go. I had to get on another bus, back to Southport and then take another bus from there to Upland dr and Napper Rd. Sound a bit confusing? Tell me a bout it.
I waited for 30 minutes. . . so at about 3 I got on a bus back towards Southport. I must have looked confused because the bus driver asked where I was going and I told him and he said I shouldn’t be on this bus. So when the bus stopped at the next stop, Griffith University, I got off and waited a few minutes for the next bus which was 709 heading back to Helensvale station. As we were driving along I realized I saw a shopping center that knew was on Napper Rd so I figured if I got of here I could find the road my house is on if I walk a little bit. I asked the driver to let me out and he did. From there I walked about 35 minutes and FINALLY made it back to the house!
What an adventure. Needless to say the bus system here is not as straightforward as Boston.
Although the travel home was a bit long and confusing, I loved Surfers Paradise and will definitely be heading back for surfing lessons in the near future.
I am trying to figure out how to post photos so hopefully I will have some up in a little bit.
8:45am I left the house to walk to the town center to see if I could get a daily bus pass. I was out of luck. They told me the closest place was about 5k down the road and although I walked about 2k to get to the shopping center I was not planning on walking 5k more. A girl told me that I could pay with notes (cash) once I get on the bus.
9:40 I was at the bus stop (at the intersection of Uplands Dr. and Napper Rd.) waiting for a Rt 14- Southport 14 bus. As I was waiting patiently by the sign I saw the bus coming and then it zoomed right by me. Hmm I thought to myself. Luckily there was a man mowing his lawn and he stopped and walked over to me and told me I need to hail the bus, that so many different buses come through they don’t know which one you are waiting for. I thanked him and then looked in my little notebook for the next bus. It seemed there was a 10:15 bus that would leave from Upland Dr. and Greenacre Dr. Fortunately when I went on my run yesterday I passed Greenacre Dr. so I sort of new where it was.
10:00 I reach my new bus stop and waited for the now, RT 15 – Southport 15 bus. When I saw it coming I was sure to hail it down. As I got on the driver asked me where I was going and I told her Surfers Paradise. She immediately asked if I had ever taken the bus before. I don’t know what gave away the fact I haven’t but I didn’t ask. I paid my $2.30 fair and sat down.
10:20ish we reach Southport station where all people who want to go on to Surfers must get off and switch buses.
10:30 I boarded a 707 – Burleigh Heads 707 bus.
10:45 and I arrive at Surfers Paradise. . . or did I? I realized the bus stop I got off was called Surfers Paradise but there was no beach to be found and now esplanade. I began to walk down the street searching for a map.
11:15 I eventually reached the big Surfers Paradise sign, with no help from a map. and I felt relieved. At this point, of course, I was hungry so I went and got food at a restaurant called Kitty O’Sheas. . .sounds familiar to some of you huh? I did the whole sit alone thing and I “read” a book so I didn’t look too loserish. Haha. I got some lunch and a beer. . or 2 and totally just people watched.
I walked around for quite a while and everything was so beautiful and there was so much entertainment as you walk around. I went into a few shops and even checked out a learn to surf place to see if it’s something I want to do in the future. So at about 1:45 I realized a bus would be leaving in 15 minutes to take me back towards home. I found my way back to the same bus stop I got off at. The bus was supposed to arrive at 2 and when 2 came around there was no bus. I then looked down the street onto the other side of the road and saw the bus I was looking for. I was supposed to be at the Surfers Paradise stop going back the way I came from. . .silly me didn’t think about that one. So then I literally ran to the bus and made it before it took off. I paid $2.60 this time.
According to my notes, I was supposed to get off and switch buses at Helensvale station. When I got there, I asked some guy if he knew how long it would be until bus 15 came and he looked at me and said no bus 15 comes through here. Awesome! The guy was nice enough to call the translink bus company to find out the best way for me to get to where I needed to go. I had to get on another bus, back to Southport and then take another bus from there to Upland dr and Napper Rd. Sound a bit confusing? Tell me a bout it.
I waited for 30 minutes. . . so at about 3 I got on a bus back towards Southport. I must have looked confused because the bus driver asked where I was going and I told him and he said I shouldn’t be on this bus. So when the bus stopped at the next stop, Griffith University, I got off and waited a few minutes for the next bus which was 709 heading back to Helensvale station. As we were driving along I realized I saw a shopping center that knew was on Napper Rd so I figured if I got of here I could find the road my house is on if I walk a little bit. I asked the driver to let me out and he did. From there I walked about 35 minutes and FINALLY made it back to the house!
What an adventure. Needless to say the bus system here is not as straightforward as Boston.
Although the travel home was a bit long and confusing, I loved Surfers Paradise and will definitely be heading back for surfing lessons in the near future.
I am trying to figure out how to post photos so hopefully I will have some up in a little bit.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Scary horses
What an exciting day.
We left this morning around 6:45 to head to Ipswich for a hockey game. I lathered on the sunscreen before the hour and 30 min drive. We drove past some amusement parks (4 to be exact, all within 5 miles of each other), and then ended up in the country. Horses everywhere. . .and if you don't know this already, I hate horses! Ok fine, maybe hate is a strong word, but i strongly dislike them. I think they are the scariest creatures alive. So anyways, We watched a game that began at 9 and then headed for some lunch and back home. The game was the Gold Coast vs. Brisbane. Brisbane is apparently one of the top teams around so it was real good to watch them play, they had some talented girls on their team.
Tonight we went to dinner at a revolving restaurant on top of a hotel called Four Winds. It was right on the beach, a little past surfers paradise, and you could see for miles. Bruce and Karina pointed out all the places I need to go, and showed me the tallest residential highrise in the world! What a great way to see everything. . .sitting down, eating great food, staring out a window.
Tomorrow I will be traveling on the bus to see surfers paradise in the daylight. I will also finally post some pictures so you don't have to read the boring stuff I've been writing and you can actually see some pretty neat stuff.
We left this morning around 6:45 to head to Ipswich for a hockey game. I lathered on the sunscreen before the hour and 30 min drive. We drove past some amusement parks (4 to be exact, all within 5 miles of each other), and then ended up in the country. Horses everywhere. . .and if you don't know this already, I hate horses! Ok fine, maybe hate is a strong word, but i strongly dislike them. I think they are the scariest creatures alive. So anyways, We watched a game that began at 9 and then headed for some lunch and back home. The game was the Gold Coast vs. Brisbane. Brisbane is apparently one of the top teams around so it was real good to watch them play, they had some talented girls on their team.
Tonight we went to dinner at a revolving restaurant on top of a hotel called Four Winds. It was right on the beach, a little past surfers paradise, and you could see for miles. Bruce and Karina pointed out all the places I need to go, and showed me the tallest residential highrise in the world! What a great way to see everything. . .sitting down, eating great food, staring out a window.
Tomorrow I will be traveling on the bus to see surfers paradise in the daylight. I will also finally post some pictures so you don't have to read the boring stuff I've been writing and you can actually see some pretty neat stuff.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Things learned
I think the jet lag is finally over!!!!
Alright, so these are some things I have learned since I’ve been here. . .
Peanut butter is called peanut paste.
The bathroom includes the shower, sink, and tub. . .no toilet. The toilet has its own room. So if you say “I am going to the bathroom” that means you are going to shower, so you must say” I am going to the toilet” (sounds strange huh? . . .not for you though Trace).
It’s normal for there to be lizards in the house.
Storms pass through once every day (usually late afternoon).
They don’t eat nearly as much as I do (no joke!)
“Arvo” means afternoon.
“Bloke” means man.
“Onya” means congrats or good for you.
I have also learned how the public transportation system works. I must say I took living in the Boston for granted. Its not as easy to get around here.
Tomorrow I will go to a town called Ipswich, which is about an hour north, and then inland a bit, or as they say, hinterland. Karina is playing in a game there and so is her cousin, Izzy, who seems to spend a lot of time here at the house.
That is all for now.
Alright, so these are some things I have learned since I’ve been here. . .
Peanut butter is called peanut paste.
The bathroom includes the shower, sink, and tub. . .no toilet. The toilet has its own room. So if you say “I am going to the bathroom” that means you are going to shower, so you must say” I am going to the toilet” (sounds strange huh? . . .not for you though Trace).
It’s normal for there to be lizards in the house.
Storms pass through once every day (usually late afternoon).
They don’t eat nearly as much as I do (no joke!)
“Arvo” means afternoon.
“Bloke” means man.
“Onya” means congrats or good for you.
I have also learned how the public transportation system works. I must say I took living in the Boston for granted. Its not as easy to get around here.
Tomorrow I will go to a town called Ipswich, which is about an hour north, and then inland a bit, or as they say, hinterland. Karina is playing in a game there and so is her cousin, Izzy, who seems to spend a lot of time here at the house.
That is all for now.
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