Tag Archives: travel

The Black Abyss (New Zealand Day 2)

This morning we woke up early to make it to the car rental agency the minute they opened, figured out all the paperwork, then drove South to Waitomo for our Legendary Black Water Rafting tour! In the word Waitomo, “Wai” translates as water and “tomo” translates to entrance or hole, meaning the whole word translates to “steam which flows into the hole in the ground.” This area is one of New Zealand’s original tourist destinations, but is also rich in geological landscapes and cultural history. Perfect for natural born adventurers!

The Black Abyss

We embarked on the most extreme of tours, which included a variety activities with the Legendary Black Water Rafting Company. My friend and I joined six others, along with two tour guides, and geared up in jumpsuit/jacket/booties wetsuits, gum boots, a harness, and helmet.

Tour group after gearing up

We drove about ten minutes down the road to an open field where they have a small training area set up, as well as the entrance to the cave. We had a short lesson on how to rappel, which is essentially using a rope to lower yourself down a cliff or slope that is too steep or dangerous to descend without gear. Also known as abseiling, this term comes from the German word “abseilen” meaning “to rope down.” The rope is threaded through a metal piece of equipment, and your thumb is used to push or release on the last small bar to control the speed. To stop, the bar is pushed all the way up, and your right hand is brought behind your back. The first challenge was abseiling down a 35 meter (115 feet) hole in the ground to the entrance of the cave system. The rock hole was shaped like an hourglass, so you enter with more space, pass through a smaller hole, then are lowered into the caverns as the space opens up a little more. We rappelled one by one until we all were at the cave’s entrance, then started are walk through the cave tunnels.

Start of abseiling into the cave

Abseiling into the cave

The Subterranean World

We had a short brief about cave walking safety and were told not to touch the stalagmites and stalactites that were millions of years old and can be easily damaged. The guides also pointed out a few fossils, and mentioned there were also wale and other fossils throughout the caves, that were over 1.2 million years old from when the area was an ocean. We crossed a section of the caves where grates were placed over cracks in the rocks, where we also connected our cow tails (basically safety ropes) to a hand rail rope until we crossed through.

Our next challenge was called the “flying fox,” where we were sent zip lining through the pitch black, across a deep cavern in the cave. There was a rock mechanism to stop you above a large rock, and the other guide helped us down one by one. It was an incredible feeling flying the open space with no concept of what was where! The platform we were on looked out over an underground rock pool, where we dangled our feet over the edge and enjoyed a snack of hot chocolate and homemade granola bars before jumping into the icy water.

Rock pool inside the caves

Next we grabbed inner tubes, put them around our waist, and jumped off a platform into a rock pool! The reason for the insulated wet suits is because, as you can probably imagine, the water in underground caves can get pretty chilly. We paddled our way to the wall to grab the rope and pulled ourselves along the wall, and walked through some of the more shallow areas. When we all got back in the inner tubes, we linked up in a chain as one of the guides pulled us along through the water giving us a lesson on glowworms.

With our helmet lights off, the pitch black allowed us to see a ceiling of glowworms that looked like a beautiful night sky full of stars. One major feature of the Waitomo caves is that they are home to glowworms, making it an incredible sight to see. If you would like more information on glowworms, refer to my previous blog post “Mt. Tamborine.” We also got an up close and personal look at some of the glowworms and their thread formations on the cave walls along the way. It was an incredibly peaceful, yet also eerie, moment to sit back and slowly make our way through the quiet and beautiful caves.

Up close look at the glowworms

Sweet As!

We spent time wading through the cave waters, climbing over the uneven rock surfaces, and eventually where were challenged to jump off a ledge into another rock pool. Then we came to a passageway where they gave us a hot drink and chocolate to warm our bodies up, and took a few group photos. They took one using a long exposure method so you can see the cave and the people, then had us put our translucent drink cups over the light on our helmets and each motioned a backwards letter in the air to spell out “Sweet as!” It was very cute.

Our tour guides also let us know that at that point, we were as deep into the caves as we would be experiencing for the day, at 60 meters below ground. At that specific spot the caves did get too much deeper compared to where we entered, the ground just got higher, so we were passing through the center of the mountain. The caves only go about 5 more meters deep, but still crazy to be so far below ground level!

Jumping into an underground rock pool

Tour group exploring the caves

Caving is Sweet As!

Underground Waterfalls

Next we slid down a small waterfall where they placed a slide to catch a photo op, and our next challenge was sliding headfirst through a small hole in the rock to get to the other cave room. I learned afterwards the larger part of the cave wrapped around if you didn’t want to attempt the crawl space method, but it was more fun that way! After exploring some more we caught a glimpse of an eel in some of the shallow water, where the guides explained that eels in the caves can grow up to two meters long and a hefty width (she motioned a size somewhere in between a football and soccer ball). We all agreed we were glad to not have known these little guys were swimming through the same water we were prior to jumping in!

Our last big challenge was rock climbing up two waterfalls. The guides instructed us step by step by pointing to rocks, until we reached a point where we were close enough to the top to just go for it. We got a short brief before the climb, but mainly it was either do it right because wrong will not end well! We climbed up one waterfall to a cave chamber where we waited for the group before walking through a short passageway, then climbing up the second waterfall.

Climbing through a small rock entrance from one room to the next

Cave eel

Sliding down a mini waterfall

Just a few meters straight, then another few left and you could see daylight, where the caves opened up into the same field that we entered down through. The cave exit was surrounded by a lovely little waterfall and pond area, with greenery all around.

Climbing out of the caves

At the conclusion of our tour, we changed out of our gear, showered off in fantastically hot water, then ate hot soup and a bagel as we watched our slideshow of pictures from the day of caving. It was a FANTASTIC tour that I would highly recommend to anyone traveling in New Zealand. Although you do need to be relatively fit and fearless, it was by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. After getting everything together, we jumped back in the car and made our way to Rotorua!

Tour group post caving adventure

Free Falling: Auckland Edition (New Zealand Day 1)

*Disclaimer: Sorry this post is long (as the rest from the week will be), but it is worthwhile if you want to live vicariously through me exploring New Zealand. Enjoy! 🙂

“Studying” Abroad

Yesterday a friend and I embarked on yet another experience of a lifetime, a week Holiday in New Zealand! Our flight was delayed an hour, but luckily that bought me a little more time to finish all my assignments before departing and (hopefully) not having to actually study over study week. I am just going to take a moment to talk about one very large study abroad stereotype. Despite the assumption of many, I do study and work hard on academics abroad, because the classes here are demanding and locals take assignments VERY seriously. Additionally, I am not taking pass/fail classes (wasn’t allowed to) and therefore need to put in the effort to get acceptable grades abroad. Let me tell you, there is a major difference in stress levels between those study abroad students taking pass/fail. Regardless, I managed to get most of my work finished before leaving (literally at the airport), and could finally start getting excited.

Upon stepping off the plane at 2am New Zealand time, I finally was thinking, I’m actually in New Zealand! However, I will say that I do fit the aforementioned stereotype since I am spending “study week” on Holiday! However, this is a fantastic decision in my opinion, because I would not otherwise have been able to find time during this semester to visit New Zealand. We checked into Nomads Auckland hostel around 3am, and although the lobby and service was unimpressive, it was a perfectly fine hostel to stay at!

Thing’s They Teach You [Part of] in School

So my whole life, all my role models taught me lessons using the phrase, “if your friend told you to jump off a bridge, would you?” Well, today I learned that sometimes what they teach you in school is not always the entire truth. The more accurate phrase should be, “if your friend told you to jump off a bridge without safety equipment attached, would you?” (Also the answer should be yes). This morning our day started by climbing and bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge! I did have fear, but I have no regrets.

For those who have not experienced this high-adrenaline activity, they say it is a step beyond skydiving. It’s definitely an activity well-fit for adrenaline junkies. Now, I’m a pretty grounded and level-headed person, but also always looking for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. My friend REALLY wanted to bungee jump, and despite my initial apprehension, I agreed to go. We geared up in a harness, walked to the middle of the bridge attached to the guardrail by a metal clip, and made our way up a short and steep flight of stairs to the jumping booth located under the bridge. At 40 meters above the water, all seven of us took turns one by one jumping off the platform. The youngest person to ever jump here was 10, the oldest 89, so despite my fear I told myself I would be okay. Luckily, since I was the lightest of the group, I got to go last and watch everyone else go first!

A Leap of Faith

So here’s how it happens. Essentially we have a hardness that wraps around the top of each leg and over our shoulders, joining at the waist, where another rope is connected to two brace-like wraps around your ankles. As you jump off head-first, the rope stays connected at your ankles, so that you are upside down at the bottom of the jump. Part of a rope is tucked in the left ankle wrap, which you pull out at the top of the second bounce, to flip you so that you are sitting upright with the harness just around your waist. You sit on a platform as the rest of your gear gets attached, then waddle out to the jumping point with your ankles pretty much tied together, until your toes are just over the edge of the platform. From there, the instructors make sure the surrounding area is all clear of boats that could interfere, and gives the okay by counting down from five.

On five, you HAVE to jump or you will literally be standing there anticipating it forever. My heart is still pounding just reliving it typing this! So, on five you literally dive straight out or down towards the water in a complete free fall. The first drop down is the most intense, with a feeling that I actually cannot describe in words. It sort of feels like a constant rush of wind with a terrifying but exciting feeling of flying through space. The feeling levels in the middle a little, and comes back not quite as strong on the second bounce. From there the rest is just riding out the swing and staying relaxed as the rope gets pulled back up to the platform.

Post bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge

The catch(es)

There’s always a catch, right? Well, I prepaid for a DVD, which they somehow messed up recording (apparently it happens sometimes), so they said I could jump again for free to re-record. My response was, “are you serious?!” I did jump again, and found out the second catch of the day. The feeling of having to force your mind to go blank and body to jump into a free fall, combined with the feeling of complete adrenaline on the first drop, does not go away. It’s definitely not one of those things where you do it the first time and then could easily do it a million times, it feels just the same! However, the second jump I got to enjoy a little more because I controlled it a little more and was able to tell where I was in space more easily.

If you let them know you want to, you can actually have your head touch the water during the jump. I opted out, but the second jump the instructor adjusted the equipment so that if I jumped more down verses out I could maybe touch. I was able to see and reach for the water, but wasn’t able to actually touch it. Regardless, it was an exhilarating experience that I would recommend for people who feel like they can handle it! As a follow up recommendation, take a go pro to record it yourself, or pay for a pre-paid DVD for the chance to maybe get to jump twice!

Waiheke Island

Does that name not just SOUND amazing. About a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland, “the island of wine,” or Waiheke Island is a 92 square kilometer island known for its beaches, artists, vineyards, olives, and restaurants. They have 17 fully-operational and highly-appreciated vineyards, to be exact. There are also many outdoor activities to take part in, including zip lining, ocean kayaking, mountain biking, walking, or hiking. With our itinerary and bungee jumping in the morning, we didn’t have enough time to do a full wine tour of the island, but went on a self-guided tour. We first walked to Oneroa, the small downtown area, and spent some time shopping around the boutique stores.

Downtown village of Oneroa

Then we headed to the wineries near Matiatia, the ferry wharf we docked in. The walk was longer than anticipated due to a few mistakes with directions on our part, but we were able to take in some absolutely incredible views of the iconic New Zealand landscapes. Due to the late time of day, the three vineyards we walked to in the area were closed for tastings, but at least we got to experience a lovely coastal walk of Waiheke Island!

Vinyard on Waiheke Island

Landscape of Waiheke Island seen on the coastal walk

Ferry wharf at port Matiatia at sunset

That evening, we made our way back to the ferry port, and headed back to downtown Auckland. After a dinner at our hostel’s restaurant (which was quite lovely), we headed in for the night to prepare for the next day ahead!

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

The other day, I was sitting in my favorite place. The one where David and Andrea work. It sits on the Arno, and we call it “Caffè.” The sun illuminated the rough, uneven white-brick walls and the golden brown wood of the tables. Adam sat across from me. It was his birthday; he turned 32. David sat at a table behind me on his late lunch break. Andrea behind the counter continuing the daily grind of Caffè work.

David and Andrea are brothers, (“i fratelli”), and they look like twins (“i gemelli”), but Andrea is two years older than David. David is but 22, and I am 20. I could easily fall in love, but it surely isn’t meant to be. They brought out an omelet with a little heart reading, “With love! 32” on it, and their classic goofy smiles. (Earlier that day they gave Adam a two day old piece of cake with two candles that were shaped like 22, which wasn’t even the right age, and then another slice of cake after the omelet. So funny and sweet!) They are just cute for the fun of it, and they enjoy life. It’s refreshing.

Alexxus sat behind me and to my left at the barrel with her iced cappuccino and biography of Tiziano Ferro, her favorite Italian singer and songwriter. Alexxus is younger than I am, I learned this just yesterday. She is a deep thinker, and coming without knowing a single soul, brave indeed. The sun warmed my soul as did the presence of my friends.

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

I was wearing my favorite dress in my favorite caffè, where I always do my work while Adam does his, and we joked with David and Andrea that “we all work together.” My hair was neat in my ballerina bun as usual with the wispy tendrils framing my face, and my soft tan dress tied at the waste by my dark blue denim collared shirt–a bit warm on this sunny day but just perfect for me. I sat at the table with my laptop and phone in front of me, hard at work on my photography homework. Beside my computer was a copy of a letter. It was addressed to the editor of one of the english speaking newspapers in Florence where I hope to remain for the summer months. I had just submitted it online the evening prior.

In part, it read: “…before I arrived in Florence, I thought I wanted to see the whole world, but once I arrived here, everything changed. I fell in love with this charming city. As I enter my fourth and final month in my study abroad program, I can’t even fathom leaving…”

I held the paper in my hands with my shoulders back and the warm sunshine on my face. With one ear available for the sounds of the caffè and an earphone in the other, the soft music of Ben Rector’s Sailboat awoke me to the romance of this moment. Suddenly, I realized just how intricate it was, irrepeatable. This moment of longing, of loving, hoping, and desiring for this experience to last a little longer–a moment that defines my 20-year-old life in a way that I am now different, somehow transformed from who I was before.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

Who knew I would find part of myself here of all places? I have grown a lot from this experience. Annie has taught me to be myself. Elizabeth says not to care what others think. Why need we be all the same? Santi Apostoli has given me a home and a mission. Gianna and Giovanna have made me smile with authentic zeal. Alessio teaches me to be free, to always try, and to never fear failure. And, my Florence family, and Cici, and Katie, and the staff of my school, and everyone! Florence especially, if I may personify the city. Everyone has taught me to love so deeply, so deeply that I am drunk off the sweetness of life–figuratively of course, but so deep that it almost feels literal.

The bliss, the riding of a wave that feels like a natural forever… But, in the back of my mind, and somewhere in my heart, I know I have to leave. I know the wave will eventually break against the shore. But, I just don’t know… how long will this loveliness last? And, I praise the Lord. I praise His holy name for giving it to me in the first place, and I hope desperately that my desires match His will. But, I also know that I need to trust Him. He is goodness and depth itself, while I am a little whisp… here and then gone in the blink of an eye in the whole history of human existence. My sight is so limited, tethered to here and now, latching onto the best thing I know in this world.

Fr. Mike Schmitz once said, “God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he loves us better than we love ourselves.” I love this. It reminds me that God has created me, His will is always and forever better than mine, and whatever He has planned for me is good. He has handcrafted this perfect bliss, one that speaks to my heart in ways nothing else can. And, whatever is to come is what is best. God is the bliss.

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II

“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

Last night I went to Adam’s birthday party. It was an apperitivo at La Petite, near Piazza della Repubblica. Rena and Alexxus came too. There we had a drink and some Italian food and enjoyed conversation about nothing yet everything with Melinda. Melinda is a writer and expat here in Florence, a woman who fell in love with Florence just like I am beginning to drink up its sweetness, only three months deep. Little did I know I would come across a former writer from the very publication I was applying to. What a truly lovely surprise this was.

Long story long, I am loving it here, the friends I’ve had the pleasure to meet, and all life’s serendipity. More photos to come!

Ciaooo

Angela

xoxo

Moreton Island

This weekend my friends and I made our second trip trip Brisbane, staying overnight and successfully making it to the aforementioned Moreton Island!

Life in The Valley

In the afternoon we took the train to Brisbane, and made our way to Bunk Backpackers hostel. As compared to the hostel I stayed in when in Sydney, this one was far better. The entrance looked just like a hotel, the rooms were clean, and the facilities (pool/hot tub, bar, lobby etc) were lovely. We checked in, then went to dinner at Full Moon, a nearby Thai restaurant. The food was fantastic and it looked like a lovely place to spend an evening relaxing listening to live music. Friday evening we explored nightlife in “the Valley,” a downtown area of Brisbane that locals often suggest visiting. The area looks like an artsy city at night, with lights and graffiti art all around. We enjoyed our time exploring, and headed back to the hostel early to get some rest before our morning ferry to Moreton Island!

Paradise?

In the morning we caught the 8:30am ferry ride to Moreton Island, which took about 75 minutes to reach. Moreton Island is located on the eastern side of Moreton Bay on the coast of south East Queensland, just north of Stradbroke Island. The island is 37 kilometers long, and 13 wide at it’s widest point. Many visitors also stay for more than a day, since 95% of the island is contained within Moreton Isand National Park, camping or glamping is very popular. The Coral Sea lies on the east coast of the island, offering plenty of water activities including sports, snorkeling, and even scuba diving. Nicknamed “the Gem of South East Queensland,” this bay is one of the few untouched areas of natural wilderness along Australia’s east coast. In fact, it is the third largest sand island in the world.

Tangalooma is the main access point for the island, although we docked at a nearby smaller port. Tangalooma Resort is an exclusive property where guests are able to stay for periods of time, and they offer many different packages and activities to do around the island. Fun fact, this resort was used in the filming of several commercials and movies, including Totally Wild, Getaway, Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Scooby-Doo’s Spooky Island.

Tangalooma Resort

Spooky Island movie set on Moreton Island

Visit Brisbane promotes white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters surrounding Moreton Island, and upon arrival we saw that this is 100% accurate! The water was legitimately the clearest water I have ever seen, and there were even a few starfish and tropical fish right near the water’s edge. The entire island literally looks like a postcard, the perfect image of paradise. We spent our day mostly just enjoying the beach, however since it is a national park, visitors can also enjoy walks and hikes, exploring historical sites, and many sport activities. There is also a mock shipwreck area called “The Wrecks” where a sunken ship is dispersed near the water’s edge. We stayed the day and caught an evening ferry home, returning to Brisbane for dinner on the water. We were all exhausted on the train home, but it was a weekend well spent!

Beaches of Moreton Island

The Wrecks at Moreton Island

Brisbane at night

B-R-I-S-B-A-N-E

Aloha Bar & Dining

On Friday night, my friends and I checked out a pop-up bar in Broadbeach, temporarily creating a fun business secretly (sort-of) tucked away in an unassuming alleyway. This restaurant is inspired by Hawaiian, Caribbean, and Asian cultures, which is represented in the atmosphere and menu. The restaurant itself is located in a garage-like building, with graffiti painted on the outside. It has an almost hidden jungle-inspired entrance, with pineapple and pin-up girl wallpapers, cane and bamboo furniture, and a faux palm tree in the middle of the main room.

Aloha Bar & Dining venue

As you can imagine, most people come once for the picture-taking experience, but it was definitely a worthwhile evening! There were a few minor mishaps, like most of my friends were not too crazy about the food or drinks, service was a bit slow, and orders were messed up three times, so it was more boutique dining than an actual meal. Overall, I would still recommend dropping in for the experience (just make sure you have time)! If you’re interested, check out their Facebook page!

Dinner at the Aloha Bar

South Bank, Brisbane

On Saturday, we took a day trip to Brisbane, an hour and a half train ride north of Gold Coast. Our intention was to take a ferry to Moreton Island, but unfortunately we were not prepared for the limited options, and all ferries were booked full, so we resorted to plan B.

We found a café to enjoy a light brunch and coffee while we tried to figure out what our game plan was. A few locals had suggested visiting South Bank, so we decided to head there. This area is located on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, and is inclusive of 17 hectares of parks, restaurants and cafes, a beach-inspired pool, and many public events. With beautiful waterfront views, it’s a perfect place to spend a relaxing day! We walked through the area to see what was around, then spent an hour at the pool, a lagoon-like water area with real sand to mimic a beach, right up against the river. It was pretty crowded since it was a hot day, and with it being exactly 99 degrees, we only stayed for a short while! With the strong sun (and the fabulous ozone hole over Australia), we chose to head out to the next adventure!

Beach/pool area in South Bank

After walking through some street markets and stopping at an acai bowl restaurant, we visited the colorful BRISBANE letters and took a few fun pictures. We walked along the river to the ferry stop, and took the ferry along the river for a little while, ending up on the other side at a restaurant for dinner. After a little bit of refreshing, we walked to the train station, and headed back home. Although it was a day without a plan, we enjoyed what we stumbled upon exploring the area, and had a lovely day becoming familiar with South Bank. However, stay tuned in the next couple weeks to hear about our visit to Moreton Island, as we are planning on making it happen a different day!

Brisbane letters

Pride Mardi Gras (Sydney Day 2)

The Blue Mountains

This morning we took a bus out to the Blue Mountains, and explored a few breathtaking locations. The Blue Mountains are located in Western Sydney, New South Wales, and are also well known as the Australian version of the Grand Canyon. After visiting, I can see why, because they really do look similar, just not quite as deep and are covered with trees.

Govetts Leap

After about a two hour drive, we arrived at our first stop, Govetts Leap. Here we saw the vast mountain canyon, and were able to experience one of the most untouched but well known natural attractions in Australia.

Govetts Leap

The Three Sisters

We then drove to the Three Sisters lookout, located at Echo Point Katoomba. This unusual rock formation represents three sisters who where turned into stone in an aboriginal legend.

Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo lived in the Jamison Valley and were part of the Katoomba tribe. They fell in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, however tribal law restricted them from marrying. As a result, the brothers were said to have kidnapped the sisters, caused a huge tribal battle, and in response a witchdoctor from Katoomba turned the sisters into stone to protect them. However, the witchdoctor was killed in the battle, and therefore unable to turn the sisters back after the fight ended. To this day, the sisters remain in their rock formation. Each sister stands 922, 918, and 906 meters tall, a very unique sight to see.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters lookout

Wentworth Falls

We stopped for lunch in a nearby town, then headed to Wentworth Falls. This attraction is most recognized for it’s three-tiered waterfall that runs from Jamison Creek, drops over the cliff edge, and falls 297 meters down into a pool, then flows down to the Valley of the Waters. With bush walks throughout the area and various lookout points, this stop was definitely worthwhile! Since we have not gotten much rain lately, unfortunately the waterfall and swimming area was a little too dry to use, however it was still a lovely sight to see!

Wentworth Falls

Pride Mardi Gras

After returning to downtown Sydney, we made a last minute stop at a dollar store for extra glitter and body paint, then headed back to the hostel to get ready for a fantastic evening of pride! After dressing up in rainbows, glitter, and body paint, we followed our tour guides to find a spot to watch the Pride Mardi Gras Parade, which is very well known in Australia. This is one of the busiest days of celebration throughout the year in Sydney, and also one of the biggest pride celebrations in the world! With all viewers and road blocks, it was pretty difficult to find a decent spot to see, so unfortunately we did not see much of the actual parade. It was a lot of fun though to walk around and see everyone dressed up and supporting the celebration. The atmosphere was great, with so many colors, lights, music, and people having a great time. After spending the night exploring nightlife around Sydney, we made our way back to the hostel with a few new and exciting memories.

Friends and I at the Mardi Gras Parade

Lighted float in parade

View of Pride Parade

Somewhere Over the Rainbow segment of parade

Beaches on Beaches (Sydney Day 3)

Manly Beach

On Sunday morning, we walked downtown to Darling Harbour once again, and boarded a ferry to take us to Manly beach. This beach is very well known for surfing, and also has an adorable little downtown area along the edge of the beach. We spent about two hours there, walking down to the Australian Open 2016 surfing competition and watching for a little, checking out a fitness competition that was going on, and of course getting some sun and cooling off in the water. After what seemed like hardly any time at all, we boarded the ferry back to Darling Habour, then took a bus to Bronte beach.

Manly Beach

Australian Open 2016 surfing competition

Hand painted surfboards selling along the beach

Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk

After arriving, we started on the Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk, which took about an hour (factoring in stopping for photos), and leads on a path built right along the coast. The views on this walk are beautiful, and you get to see so much of the natural beauty in the area. Bondi beach is known as one of the most popular and beautiful beaches in Sydney, usually a must-see for visitors, and it was definitely worth the trip. Once at Bondi, we spent the afternoon walking around the small downtown area, and simply just enjoying time on the beach. We took fun pictures by a wall of street art at the boardwalk area, and early evening boarded the bus for the way home.

Bronte Beach

Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk

Distant view of Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach

Taking pictures along the art wall

Despite the busy schedule and back-to-back events, my weekend is Sydney was very enjoyable and extremely worthwhile. There was no place we went that wasn’t worth it, and I was thrilled to check off many major items on my bucket list. My mom and I will also be traveling to Sydney together at the end of the semester, so I am happy to have a little first-hand advice for planning our trip!

Sydney Sites (Sydney Day 1)

This week my friends and I went on a tour through Sydney, with the highlight being the Pride Mardi Gras celebration! It was a wonderful weekend filled with incredible sites and experiences, and definitely worth the trip. We started out by taking an overnight bus to Sydney Thursday evening, taking about 12 hours to get to the city. The bus ride didn’t seem too long, but it was a bit weird arriving early morning and jumping right into the day!

Downtown Walking Tour

After arriving to Sydney early morning, we checked into Maze Backpackers Hostel, which was my first time staying at a hostel! It wasn’t the most glamorous accommodation, but considering we were pretty much only there to sleep, it worked well for the purposes of our trip. We all freshened up and headed out on a walking tour through the downtown area.

Our first stop was at Hyde Park War Memorial, which is an Anzac memorial in Hyde Park South. This building commemorates all Australians who served in the war, and is the principle State War Memorial in New South Wales. Built in 1934, the structure has been preserved very well, and is still in great condition today. Our next stop was the Hyde Park Archibald Fountain. This gift was built in 1932 for the City of Sydney in J.F. Archibald’s will. The fountain was created by Francois Sicard, and commemorates the relationship between Australia and France in World War One. We next visited St. Mary’s Cathedral, which stands just across the road from the Archibald Fountain. This English-style gothic church represents spiritual origins of the Catholic Church in Australia, and was built by William Wilkinson Wardell from local yellow-block sandstone just like the city is built on. The inside of the building is just as picturesque as the outside, and has a very warm and inviting color scheme in addition to the detailed architecture.

Hyde Park War Memorial

Hyde Park Archibald Fountain

St. Mary’s Cathedral of Sydney

Inside of St. Mary’s Cathedral

From there we walked to and through the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney, 30 hectares of gardens in the middle of the city. Started in 1816, this property spans around Farm Cove at the edge of Sydney Harbour, and inhibits plants from Australia and the world.

I think my favorite area of the gardens was when it opened up to the edge of the harbor, giving a view of the water and opera house in the background. Following the pathways out of the gardens, we walked to the iconic Opera House, where I was ecstatic to see this beautiful work of art in person!

The opera house is known as Australia’s most recognizable building, and took 16 years to build (1957-1973). A master of modern architectural design, engineering, and construction technology, it truly is an impressive work of art. We spent about an hour walking around the property, taking in the sites of Darling Harbour, and enjoying lunch on the water at Searock Grill.

The last stop on our sites walking tour was the Sydney Harbour Bridge, where we climbed the first pylon to see a spectacular view of Sydney. After walking out to the center of the bridge, we climbed 200 stairs to the Pylon lookout, 87 meters above sea level. This iconic bridge initiated construction in 1922, and opened in 1932. Even though we were not on the very top pylon of the bridge, it was still a spectacular view of the surrounding area!

Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Harbour Bridge

View from Sydney Harbour Bridge first pylon lookout

At the conclusion of our walking tour, we headed back to the area near our hostel. We made a brief stop at Patty’s, a market center in Chinatown, to pick up a few last-minute costume additions for our Mardi Gras outfits, then headed back to the hostel to get ready for the evening.

Darling Harbour Sunset Cruise

In the evening we walked back down to the Darling Harbour area, and along the way passed many people and decorations present for the weekend’s celebration. Seeing all the pride colors was heart-warming and very festive! Walking through the harbour area at nighttime was very pretty as well, with all the lights and evening bustle around the waterfront. We soon boarded a dinner cruise boat for the evening, and spent the night on the water. It was a lovely evening with friends, food, and beautiful skyline views of the city at night. After a few hours on the water, we docked and headed on a party bus to Side Bar, a local bar that was included with our tour package. We returned to the hostel after exploring Sydney nightlife for a little while, and got ready for our next day of adventures!

View of Sydney Harbour on the dinner cruise

Mt. Tamborine

This weekend I visited the Tamborine area Northwest of Gold Coast. Our first (stumbled upon) stop was at the very top of Mt. Tamborine, at a lookout point off the side of the road that showed a beautiful view of the land below. You could see far off to the mountains, giving an actual skyline view of the surrounding area.

View off Mt. Tamborine

Tamborine National Park

Our first planned stop was at the Tamborine National Park to spend some time swimming in the natural rock pools. I was expecting them to be enjoyable, but it turned out to be one of my favorite experiences so far! I also went to a rock pool last weekend, and these rock pools were much different but still amazing.

The rock pool I went to last week is an area carved out of rock right up against the ocean, near the border of Queensland and New South Wales. It had walls built up in a square, a flatter bottom, and was built right next to the ocean. Waves would crash on the side of the structure and even periodically spray past into the pool!

To get to these pools, you walk a little ways into the park, then follow a trail down the side of a small mountain canyon to where the rock waterfall starts. As you make your way down to the rocks you can start to see the pools, and a lot of people were there! The pool area starts with a waterfall at the very top, which flows over the rocks down about six or seven tiers, each with their own rock pool. The pools were various sizes and depths, and we spent time at the pool furthest down the canyon. This pool was not so crowded, the water was deeper, and there was even a small cliff jump and rope swing into the pool. It was a bit of rock climbing to get there, but such a great experience to carefully make my way into a pool that is literally natural fed with water, with rocks of various sized covered in algae lining the floor.

According to locals, during heavy rain the area has more water flowing through, so the waterfall is stronger and the pools larger, and when there is little rain the area dries out more. Luckily, when we visited there was just enough rain to have a smaller waterfall running and still nice pools. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the whole canyon, but due to the way it’s carved out, you could only see two or three tiers at a time. An aerial view would be beautiful to see. Unfortunately this must be a hard picture to get, because even Google couldn’t find one for me! However, in real life it looks like a scene that should be featured in National Geographic.

Top of rock pool canyon

Second tier pool, waterfall in the background

One of the rock pools

Mt. Tamborine Glow Worm Caves

For lunch we stopped at a local café, where I had one of the best veggie burgers of my life, and got to see the local lifestyle. Then we headed around the corner of the block where the Mt. Tamborine Glow Worm Caves were conveniently located! This has been an attraction I had wanted to visit since before I arrived in Australia, and since we happened to be so close by, we decided to check it out. Prior to the tour, we stopped by the beautiful pond they have on property and walked through a self guided frog house tour. The most unique part about this was that it was a relatively large pond, and while it was manmade, it was amazing that it stayed in such good condition despite the fact that it was placed directly on the very top of a mountain.

Pond on Glow Worm Cave property

While this property has a man made cave used for educational purposes, glow worms are a unique animal only existing in Australia and New Zealand. They are born, transform from egg to larva, pupa, then to an adult mosquito-like insect. Glow worms are the larvae, and the only stage in the insect’s life when they are able to glow. Adult flies only live for two days (females) or six days (male), and are not able to feed, so glow worms must consume enough nutrients during their larval stage to essentially get them through the rest of their life! In good conditions, larvae live for around one year.

Glow worms make silk threads that capture small insects for food, and get their name because of their special character trait of bioluminescence, or light produced by a living organism. A pigment called luciferin reacts with the enzyme luciferase and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the oxygen in the air to create the blue-green light that the glow worms emit. In nature, the lights can actually be so bright that they light up the cave enough to see where to walk. When standing in the cave, it looks similar to looking up into a night sky full of starts. Theoretically, the glow worms have adapted this way to make it look like a night sky, so potential prey will try to fly upwards and get stuck in the silk threads of the glow worms.

Another fun fact, our eyes are so trained to filter out extremely bright lights that when you look directly at the very tiny glow worms, it “disappears.” In comparison to the dark room, our eyes are unable to detect the light when looking directly at it, however you can still see them in peripheral vision. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos inside the cave, but look below to see the best photo I could find online that looked like the cave we were in.

Example of a glow worm cave
(Source: Peter Clark, Bioluminescence, Pinterest)

This week is full of midterm exams, so it was nice to enjoy the weekend before lots of studying! Being able to spend time outside at such beautiful natural places has been one of my favorite parts of being in Australia. I am definitely planning on finding and checking out more places like this along the way!

Adventure is Out There

This weekend I was able to explore around the Gold Coast area a little more, and went on some very fun adventures!

Cruising Through Life

On Saturday morning, a friend and I took a Sea World cruise, departing at Southport, with the destination of Marine Sanctuary Cove. Fun fact, Sea World Australia is not associated in any way with the American SeaWorld Company. They have very similar marketing and architecture, but are not the same company.

The cruise was about an hour and a half each way, and we lucked out because it was a pretty empty boat that day, so we got to spend the entire time on the top deck of the 3.5 million dollar cruise yacht! We traveled through the Coomera River passing Wavebreak, Ephraim, Sovereign, and South Stradbroke Islands, with crew announcing information on the surrounding plants and wildlife. While Gold Coast is known for its tourism and vacation destination reputation, Hope Island, and specifically Sovereign Island, is home to the some of the wealthiest individuals in Australia. One house we passed by was the 13th house of the richest man in Australia, and for his daughter’s 14th birthday she received a private yacht fully equipped with crew. Smaller homes lining the edge of the water sold for $600-900,000, while other larger homes were priced in the range of $9-15 million. Ironically, a few homes mentioned were actually bought and then foreclosed, selling at a second time for a much lower cost (for example, somewhere in the range of $12 original to $5 second sale). Would hate to be the first buyer there!

View of Sovereign Islands, featuring the house and yacht mentioned above

View from the top deck of the boat

The boat stopped at Marine Sanctuary Cove for lunch, and we had a great time exploring the little island of cafes, shops, and waterfront views of the beautiful harbor. We ate lunch at The Covenant, a reasonably priced restaurant with gourmet food. If the descriptions don’t sound gourmet, take my word from the pictures!

Boardwalk to get fresh fish straight off the boat

Roasted pumpkin with coconut foam, wasbi ribbon, pea and wasabi puree, and cashews

espresso crème brulee, house-made pistachio and macadamia biscotti, and pistachio pershain fairy floss

Espresso crème brûlée, house-made pistachio and macadamia biscotti, and pistachio Persian fairy floss

View of the boardwalk and Marine Sanctuary Cove harbor

On the return from the harbor, we were able to spot a kangaroo in one of the grass fields, as well as a Dugong just past Wavebreak Island. This animal is a medium-sized marine animal, and is one of four species in the Sirenia order, including three species of Manatees. It’s closest modern relative is the Sea Cow, and looks very similar to a Manatee. The season for sighting is just starting, however our crew speaker informed us that it was only the second time she had ever seen one on that cruise route, so it was lucky! They are relatively non-invasive creatures that tend to stay grazing on the sea floor, and usually only come up to the surface for air. Since they move slowly, staying near the surface would unfortunately increase their risk of getting hit or injured by boat or other marine vessels moving quickly through the waters. After the sighting we headed back to port, and onto our next adventure for the day.

Café Catalina

A local Australian singer was doing an EP launch at Café Catalina, which coincidentally was just a short drive from where we were. The artistic, Jacob Lee, is currently on Spotify after spending time performing on WillIAm’s team on The Voice. We spent some time at the café listening to quality music, then walked around the area, which was just off of the beach. We walked right through a park-like area, and down the pier to see the lovely lookout, then walked left through a patch of mangroves. Then we headed home, and got ready to head out for the evening.

Miami Marketta

That evening we checked out Miami Marketta, a food and music venue. I would definitely say that it surpassed my expectations! The venue is an old warehouse, with murals painted all along the walls and lights hanging from the ceilings. When you enter, there is a stage with live music to the right, and a more permanent restaurant/bar on the left, next to a boutique shop. The first half of the area is seating, and the entire back half has food stands lining each side. There is also a room specifically for just dessert, and a few small seating rooms. Whatever food you are in the mood for, I guarantee you can find something! I got a Mediterranean flatbread sandwich of black beans and feta, as well as coconut gelato later on.

The food was fantastic, the atmosphere lovely and upbeat, and we decided we would definitely be returning with all of our other friends the next weekend! From there we went to explore the Broadbeach nightlife, and returned feeling like it was quite a successful day!

Lights of Miami Marketta

Dinner with friends

SkyPoint Observation Deck

After a morning of catch-up and travel planning on Sunday, I was able to spend another day exploring Gold Coast. I found out that downtown Surfer’s Paradise is very cute during the daytime. Despite the crowds, there are many shops and cafes, and even a street market that is held by the beach. One very fun stop was the Q1 tower, at the SkyPoint Observation Deck. This is Australia’s only beachside observation tower lookout. At 230 meters above the ground, you are able to see a 360 degree view North to Brisbane and South to Byron Bay. There is even a restaurant and live music to enjoy while you check out the view. It takes just 43 seconds to ride elevator up to the 77th floor, and they even have a video screen on the ceiling of the elevator to watch as a live camera films the movement of the elevator car. I would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful lookout point!

View off the SkyPoint Observation deck

Full North side view off the SkyPoint Observation deck

Burleigh Heads Lookout

Later in the day we went to check out the lookouts in Burleigh Heads National Park. While some of my friends were hoping to do a sunrise hike in this area at some point, it ended up being a much shorter hike than I anticipated. We walked by phone flashlight up to the northern lookout, which was a little small but allowed you to see the coastline lit up all the way to Surfer’s. From there we walked to the larger southern lookout, where again you can see all along the coastline lit up during nighttime. With the perfect temperature, peaceful water, and bright moon, it was the perfect way to end a weekend of adventures!

The Black Abyss

The Subterranean World

Sweet As!

Underground Waterfalls

“Studying” Abroad

Thing’s They Teach You [Part of] in School

A Leap of Faith

The catch(es)

Waiheke Island

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

“The threshold which the world crosses in him is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II

“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

Life in The Valley

Paradise?

Aloha Bar & Dining

South Bank, Brisbane

The Blue Mountains

Govetts Leap

The Three Sisters

Wentworth Falls

Pride Mardi Gras

Manly Beach

Bronte to Bondi Coastal Walk

Downtown Walking Tour

Darling Harbour Sunset Cruise

Tamborine National Park

Mt. Tamborine Glow Worm Caves

Cruising Through Life

Café Catalina

Miami Marketta

SkyPoint Observation Deck

Burleigh Heads Lookout

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II