We're in Tel Aviv!

I think we have more of a plan as of this morning. Scott and I walked to the beach, and sat down (the sand was so soft and warm and perfect!). I think we are going to hang out in Tel Aviv today, and then go to Jerusalem tomorrow (to see more of the Old city that we missed the first time). And then catch an overnight bus down all the way to Eilat. From there, we are going to cross the border into Jordan, and catch a cab to Petra. Spend 2 days in Petra, and then head for Alexandria in Egypt. Maybe 2 days in Alexandria, and then take an overnight train down to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. Spend 3 days there, and then take the train to Cairo. We'll be in Cairo for about 4 days, and then figure out how to get back to Tel Aviv for our flight.

I was up super early this morning because we went to bed pretty early last night (maybe 1230am) so I read through the Lonely Planet for a while. I also went to the grocery store to buy some stuff for lunch, and to change over some more money. I even walked all the way to the travel agency (which was about a mile, and I was wearing flip flops, so it sucked), only to find out they couldn't help me bcecause they didn't really speak English, nor did they arrange any sort of travel by bus or train, only planes. Blech. But one of the guys staying in our hostel was useful - he has been living here for the last year, and had been to Petra, so he gave me some pointers. Oh! I also bought a new memory card this morning too! A 4 gb one, so at least I will have plenty of room for photos and videos. Its just too bad I can't upload any of them yet - I would love to post them.

The Birthright Israel trip was amazing, but I was also glad it ended last night. It was a pretty hectic schedule, with not much free time, so I feel like theres a lot of things we missed. Hopefully we will still be able to see them before we have to head back.

Bula to Fiji!

I danced all night from 830pm Saturday night until I had to leave for my flight at 530 am yesterday (Sunday morning)! Amazing dances - had a great time, and didn't need the sleep at all! Got in to Fiji on Sunday at 515pm, and didn't do much last night except grab some food from a local place with a couple of people stayign here at this backpackers.

Today I am trying to sort out what I am doing for the rest of the week, and it looks like I will be going to Mana Island to do my advanced diving course... grand total of 730FJ$ (or 400 USD). Should be good though, and 7 or 8 dives hopefully.

Dave and I went over to meet our friends, Lauren and Mara, at their hostel last night for Thanksgiving. It wasn't a traditional Thanksgiving (this consisted of vegetarian chili and tons of goon) but it was still heaps of fun times. There was us three Americans, 2 Canadians, and then a bunch of other random nationalities that joined in the festivities.

I'm catching the shuttle to the airport in half an hour, and will be in Melbourne by 4pm today, so there will be dancing tonight! I'm still feeling kind of 'meh' but I'm super excited about moving on (and hopefully I'm not contagious anymore)! My head is still very stuffy, and I swear my nose has turned into a mucus factory, but I will take another Sudafed before I get on the plane, and I might survive.

No real big plans for Melbourne, except that I'm staying with a soon-to-be-friend, Penny, and we'll spend the weekend dancing. I'm volunteering at the exchange, but so far, I only have one shift on Friday, which is just fine by me. Maybe I will get out to Phillip Island this time to see the Penguin Parade

Sunday morning I will be heading back to Brisbane, to hop on another flight bound for Fiji! I can't believe in 4 days I will be in Fiji! Should be awesome!

Monday night I was so bummed about my crappy dive, so I went back to the internet place, and a couple of my friends talked me into changing my flight! So that explains why it is now Wednesday night, and I am still in Cairns!

The four of us - Dave, Lauren, Mara, and I - all went on a dive boat today. Lauren did an intro dive, and Dave and Mara snorkeled, while I had two fantastic dives in the Great Barrier Reef. I was feeling slightly better, and this time I had taken Sudafed to help clear up my sinuses. It mostly worked - I was able to equalize better, but it was still a little painful.

We saw some really cool things though - a turtle, tons of fish, and the most amazingly coloured corals.

Off to Melbourne tomorrow!

It took me a lot of work to finally be able to get on a dive boat. I have been trying for a couple of days now - originally, I was planning on doing a 2 day live aboard - but the boat I wanted to be on was booked. And so I tried a different boat, but because I didn't have my card on my, they were going to charge me a fortune for it. So finally, I just decided to do a day trip.

I woke up at 645 this morning, to call the Cairns Dive Centre - only to find out that they were completely booked. This is not good. Once again, I give in, and pick a different company... but I managed to get a spot on their boat today, which was both good and bad.

Yesterday, I had a slightly sore throat, and by the time I went to bed, my nose was stuffy as well. "Oh well, I'm sure it will be fine by morning" I told myself. No such luck. I woke up feeling like crap this morning - achy and grumpy, sore throat, swollen glands and all. But I still got on the boat, after paying my 150$

I tried the first dive, but I couldn't equalize at all. I descended about 6 meters, couldn't get any further, came back up, and repeated. The second dive went the same way. But this point, I was almost in tears: I waited all year to dive the Great Barrier Reef, and this was probably my last chance.

Finally, for the third dive, one of the dive masters descended with me, slowly, along the mooring line, and I had more success (it also didn't help that I was freaking out in pain from the pressure in my ear, and sucking down air like I had never breathed before!) It was actually a pretty good dive - saw some clown fish, tons of other fish (like a lion fish!), saw a cuttlefish or squid, and some other really neat things. Exactly as wonderful as I'd expect it to be. However, ever time we changed depth, even by just a tiny little bit, my head would feel like it was going to explode from the pressure. Not a fun way to dive.

Overall, huge disappointment. I was planning on 2 fantastically amazing dives, and instead, I ended up with one painful dive. I might have to try it again tomorrow if I feel any less sick.

Not what I was hoping for =(

And my head still hurts. I think it will be an early night for me. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night with such an early start for this morning.

still no pictures, sorry =( But free internet has its limits. No downloading anything for me either, and no skype, but I'll take what I can get!

Anna and I went on our Cape Tribulation tour and had a really great time. Fantastic, sunny, meltingly-warm days, and sandy beaches that stretched on for miles!

The tour bus picked us up at 715am on Thursday, and we slowly drove north. Stopped at a couple of places along the way, including Cairns wildlife zoo, and some lookouts. We also went on a guided walk of a section of the Daintree Rainforest. Eventually we were dropped off at our accommodation in Cape Trib. We stayed at the Ferntree Resort (which used to be 5 star, and now caters to backpackers). After we arrived, we walked to Myall beach, and along one of the tracks until we came to the creek. The map we had clearly labels the creek ad croc-safe, but it looks like the perfect hideout instead, with swampy, mangrove areas maybe 5 meters away. So we splash the water a bit, and wait, splash some more, and finally decide it was safe. I sent Anna across first, and seeing that she made it, I crossed afterwards. It was about waist deep water, crystal clear and about as warm as you could wish for. Some great photos from our crossing! The rest of the day we wandered about the other beach, and then went back to the hostel to cook some pasta for dinner.

Friday was spent lazing about the pool and the beach (though you can't swim at the beach, because of the threat of jellyfish!), before being picked up at 130 for our return trip. We went on a river cruise of the Daintree River, but didn't see anything, and drove through Port Douglas on the way back.

Anna and I went to the Woolshed bar/restaurant for free dinner last night, and stayed for the 2-4-1 drinks and eventually walked home about midnight. She got up this mornign to go to her rescue diver course, and I hitched a ride with the shuttle to get into town to find someone to dive with tomorrow.

I was hoping to be on a 2 day live-aboard today and tomorrow, but I couldn't get organized in time (and the sailboat I wanted to be on was booked!). I also wasn't really budgeting 400$ for diving for 2 days. So instead, I picked a different place, and will only get in 2 dives (instead of the 6 I was hoping for!) but it will be good anyways!

I expected a lot from Cairns - I had heard so much about it, and it has not quite lived up to the hype.

I arrived late last night and caught the shuttle from the airport to the hostel. Cute place, but there wasn't too many people around, so it was an early night for me. I did manage to make a couple of friends before going to bed, and work out some loose plans, so we'll see where that goes.

This morning, Anna and I (as well as a British couple) had breakfast together, before Anna and I set out for the 'city'. The 'city' is really only about 5 blocks of cafes, souvenir shops, and tour booking places. We walked along the beach to get there, and even though I had been warned it was not a typical beach, I was still stunned! It was gross! More like mudflats than anything else. And then it started to rain on us. After that, it started to pour. So thats how we found ourselves currently located in this tour booking/internet place ^_^

We are hoping to hire a camper van for the next couple of days and head up to the rainforest, and then make it back here early next week for some diving.

I loveeee Sydney!

Last night was the Mobsters and Mafia Swing Ball, so everyone dressed up and was looking fantastic!

Heres a picture of Catherina and I before we hit the town:



It was a pretty early night, with the dance ending at midnight. There was supposed to be an afterparty, but that didn't start until 2am, so Alicja and I skipped it and made it to bed at a reasonable hour.


Today, my other friend, Alicja, took me on a personalized walking tour of Sydney. We started in the suburb of Glebe, where she lives, because there was the Glebe Market Festival on today:



We walked past Central Station, through Chinatown, and all the way to Darling Harbour, where we had a very nutricious lunch:




Of course we walked along the Harbour Bridge:



We continued to the Opera House, where we proceeded to lindy bomb the place! Yay!

And more jump shots followed:



A fantastic tour!

And tonight will be more dancing!

And I am now in Sydney!

Just checking in quickly before Catherina, Leehui, and I head out to grab some lunch. It was a super late night last night, and Catherina and I didn't get to bed until 530am, so we are all moving a little bit slow today.

The dance was fantastic though. Lots of good leads, and decent music - although it was more bluesy and slow swing, but I did get in a bal dance or 2.

Internet two days in a row - CRAZY!


Last night I hung around the hostel for a bit and watched a movie (Remember the Titans), and then walked over to the pub, which was only 4 blocks away. I had a bunch of good dances, but it ended pretty early at 11pm, so I didn't get in as much dancing as I would have liked!

I am staying again with Chrissy, and Alicja is as well, so we all piled up into the car, and headed to Melinda's house for a cup of tea ^_^ We didn't make it to bed until 1230 or 1am.

Today is my last day here in Christchurch, and it was a beautiful one at that! Alicja and I walked from Chrissy house into downtown this morning, and ti was about an hour walk. We wandered about, and eventually found a Thai place to grab some lunch to take with us. A couple of minutes later, and we found ourselves in the pretty botanic gardens, lounging in the grass, eating our yummy take-away. I think we napped for a while in the sunshine, because when I woke up, there was a whole group of circus people practicing in our patch of grass!

What good entertainment! There were several jugglers, and plenty of people doing press handstands, back tucks and handsprings, etc. It was good fun. Alicja and I hung out there for a couple of hours before heading to the internet cafe (so that I could check my flight time for tomorrow, and she could play on facebook!)

And now its time to get going again! Back to Chrissy's house!