Raining outside... yuck

Sorry to bore you all with not doing a whole lot this weekend. I promise more adventures to come!! I am going to check out the horse racing museum today if it is open. Damn it being a weekend and a holiday tomorrow. Nothing is open. Tonight I am going to an interesting resturant with some friends in the city then hanging out at the university for awhile. I booked my hostel in Sydney. I cool building with a porch overlooking the city.


Okay like I said I am boring today so here are some pictures and hopefully I will update with more interesting stuff soon!

Julianne, me and Jess eating more Gelatto (oh so good)


A show at Federation Square.

Keith the cat that lives in the hostel.

Lazy day

The weathers was partially overcast today and I didn't feel like doing a whole lot so nothing all that exciting today. First I discovered a road down the street from my hostel with all these really cute cute stores with clothes. Luckily I wasn't in a shopping mood because I would have spent way too much money on clothes that would never fit into my already full backpack. While on the street I cashed in a few travlers checks and a bank that had a giant German Shepherd. He was so cute! Then I walked to my ever wonderful library and read a random book off the shelf then played around on the internet. After that it was like 2pm and I needed to get some lunch. I found a food court in a mallish type thing and had a lamb and veggie sandwich that was really good. Then I needed to buy a new book since I finished my other one so I stumbled upon a huge bookstore that I loved walking around in. After that I walked to Federation Square to see if anything was going on. There was a guy doing a little show so I sat down to watch for a little bit. It was funny. Then I went to Starbucks for a Carmel Macciato. Yummy! I caught the tram back to my hostel and after reading my new book for a little bit I went to the store to get some food for dinner. I ended up making something like a quesedilla but not quite since Australians have no clue what Mexican food is. Then I watched a little bit of a movie in the hostel and realized I haven't updated today! So now I am on the hostel computer, it isn't free but that is okay. I think I might go check out the horse racing museum tomorrow or if it is nice the botanic gardens. Peace out all!

Photos

Photos from St. Kilda and such!

The light show in federation square

These are what Australian Possums look like! I find them really cute.

St. Kilda... a really cute town on the water.

It took all my effort not to walk into one of these bakery's and buy everything...

Seagull and the water

Ocean!

My new friend Rosie and our yummy icecream!

Cockatoo!

St. Kilda

Last night I was chillin in the hostel lounge when I met a lovely girl from London named Rosie. She and I talked for awhile and exchanged numbers. This morning during breakfast I met up with her and another girl from Germany named Paulie. We talked and such for awhile then Rosie decided to move into my room at the hostel because I still don't have a roommate and one of her roommates is annoying. So now I have a really nice friend. She moved in then we caught a bus to a cute little town of St. Kilda. There we went to the beach, had lunch a great cafe then ate gelato. I had the best steak sandwich. It had lettuce and some sort of tomatos and something like pickles but they called them something else and some sort of cheese like feta but it wasn't. YUM! Then we had dessert at a gellato place. I had a scoop of Dulce de Leche and some other weird variety. HEAVEN. Then we walked around for a bit and found this travel agency that gave us free internet so I am updating. I can't load photos right now because it isn't the library but I will ASAP because I have a picture of a wild Cakatoo!!!

Yesterday (yes I am going in reverse) I took a wonderfully long nap then motivated myself to get out of bed by promising myself coffee. So I walked back into downtown Melbourne and found a Starbucks. I sat there for awhile reading my book and listening to music. I walked across the street to some shops and looked around Then I walked to the visitors center where they were having a light show of some sort so I watched that. Then I met Julianne at a McDonalds for a quick meal because she had to go study some more and was going there anyway. McDonalds is way different than at home. Their Medium is our small, no wonder Americans are so fat. I had a chicken ceasar wrap except for ceaser dressing they used Mayo. It was interesting. Then I walked back to the hostel and hung out in the living room. I stayed up till around 10:30 last night which I thought was good and woke up only once during the night.

I think tonight I am going out to dinner with Julianne then we are going to a bar for 90's night. So far everyone in Melbourne is fantatic. People here are so nice and willing to help with anything. I think I said all this already but it can't hurt saying it again!

Day 2!!

Melbourne is a crazy fun city and I have barely done anything! Yesterday after updating I went to find a place to buy a cell phone and walk around Melbourne a bit. It is a miracle I haven 't been hit by a car since they drive on the other side of the road. Oh and they have trams that go down the center of the road so it is even more of a miracle that I haven't been squashed! I found a cell phone and then found a place that served paninis. I walked back to the park and had lunch under a tree. Then I went back to the hostel and took a shower and got cleaned up. Then I hiked back into downtown Melbourne to meet up with my friend Julianne. It was great to see her finally! She walked me around Melbourne some more and showed me what streets would be fun to explore and the vistors center. Then we went and saw where she goes to school and make a plan for the next couple of days. Then we walked around her dorm and talked to a guy named Simon from Malaysia. He likes to film edit so he showed me some cool things and taught me a new video filming technique. Super cool guy. Then Julianne took me to dinner at the dorms. Oh the joy of dorm food. I got to talk to more people from her college and they were all really nice. Then she showed me how to ride the tram and I took it back to my hostel around 8:30 and passed out in my bed around 9.



I woke up around 4am and read my book for a little then fell back to bed and woke up around 8:30. I got dressed and went downstairs for the free tea and toast. Then I walked all the way across Melbourne to the aquarium. The aquarium here is crazy cool! I loved it. I then went to Subway because I couldn't find a cafe that wasn't crazy expensive. It is funny how Subway is different here. They have pinnaple to put on your sandwich and tomato sauce. I ate infront of a fountain by parliment then walked back to lovely library that has free internet. Later I am going to play Footie (soccer) with some people from Julianne's college and then don't know what I am going to do after that. Now onto pics...

Super cute car that I found

My lunch and the park

This probably made my day. These two were just sitting right next to the path when I walked by and there were like 20 more up in the trees. So freaking cute!

My first two horses I saw while in Australia. Yes I took a picture.

Me and Julianne on the Tram

This is for the Girls....

Penguin!!! This exhibit was awesome

Me and a cool tank of fish

Where I ate lunch the second day

I MADE IT!

As I type this I am sitting in the Melbourne public Library. It is right down the street from my hostel and the internet is FREE! Go figure. I think I shall begin from the beginning of my trip...

I left Chicago Monday afternoon. I sat next to a guy named David who was the head of some video game developing company. He was quirky but really funny and entertained me most of the flight. They also had an in flight movie (He is just not that into you) so that plane ride went fairly quickly. I got to LAX and had to navigate my way to the international airport. I got there, checked in and found my gate. I had to waste 3 hours so I got a lovely (not) meal of Burger King. I also talked to a bunch of people on the phone thinking that would be my last time using my phone.

I boarded the plane to find that I was in the middle row of four seats with only a cute guy named Bryon. He was going home to New Zealand from Canada and Central America. Yes he did have a New Zealand accent (Sarah) but it wasn't totally like the Flight of the Concords. He and I talked for most of the beginning of the flight then they turned down the lights and gave us dinner. The dinner was actually fantastic for plane food. I ate dinner, watched part of a movie, drank complementary hot chocolate, then fell asleep for a long time. I woke up, finished the movie, read my book, played a game or two. Don't really remember. They gave us breakfast and a hot towel. Quantas rocked! I got to New Zealand and found out my cell phone works there! Go figure. I walked around the terminal for a little bit since we had to get off the plane. Then about an hour later we were allowed to board again. I had my same seat again but since Bryon got off I had all four seats to myself. It rocked. I ended up lying down and sleeping more then watching some TV. I made it to Melbourne at 8:40 on Wednesday. After taking a bus ride from the airport, to the terminal, through the city, I finally made it to my hostel. It is totally cute and the guy who runs it is really nice and helpful. No one is currently in my room with me until tomorrow. I unpacked and decided to go find a place to buy a cell phone because apparently my phone only like New Zealand. While walking I found the library so I stopped to let you all know I am alive!

Photos in reverse order.....

Walking to the library... excited I made it!!

My room. I claimed the top of the two bed bunk bed.

Another veiw of the room

Walking off the plane

The Auckland airport had freaking cool bars...

Getting off the plane in Auckland

The start of my flight from LA... notice the bottom says "Time to Destination 12:01." Half a day on a plane... oh boy!

My plane to Australia waiting at the gate in LA.

LA has palm trees. I liked them.

Tunnel of lights in the United Terminal

Right at the beginning of my journey. Somehow I fit tons of stuff in that bag.

30 pounds later!

I just finished stuffing my backpack with clothes for 6 weeks.  I only had to take everything out and start over once.  I was really worried it was going to be over the 50 pound weight limit but after stepping on the scale I was pleased to see that it was only 30 pounds!  (HA only.)  The backpack is freaking heavy but its all good.  I also packed my little carry on bag.  Now I just sit around and wait until 1:30 when I head off to the airport to start my adventure.