Why hello my dearest friends and family! I hope you all haven’t forgotten about me in the land down under. I’ve been moving around so much that I haven’t had the time to sit down and actually write one of these dang blogs. Well…thats a lie. I have had some time recently but I was a lazy fart who couldn’t be bothered to put her fingers to the keyboard. But alas, after 3 months of traveling I’ve finally gathered the strength to update you guys. I’m just going to give a brief overview of the last few months for now…a little teaser if you will. Then in the following days (or weeks, sry I’m slow) I’ll post in more detail about each place. It’s been quite the journey so far. I’ve traveled to three continents and over 30 cities/towns. I started my big trip by leading a Birthright group to Israel for 10 days. Did somebody say free flight? Well that wasn’t the only reason I staffed a trip but it was definitely a big pro. My wonderful co-staff Jake and I led a group of 35 young adults all around Israel for their first time. I was surprised at how rewarding it was to share a country I love so much with a group of young jews who have never been. It was a heartfelt goodbye as the group split up but I know we are going to keep the group chat alive and have meet ups when possible! After Birthright ended, I stayed in Israel 5 extra days to see some friends and relax in one of my favorite cities in the world: Tel Aviv. I ate all the falafel and shakshuka my stomach could handle, relived my old Kuli Alma glory days, and scootered around the beautiful and historical Jaffa. Every time I leave Israel I always wonder when I will be back. Unfortunately it might take me a while this time but rest assured, I’ll be home again one day.
After Israel I flew to London for a week to stay with friends I met on past solo backpacking trips! First I stayed with Belle whom I met in Vietnam and haven’t seen for 3.5 years! A million thanks for your wonderful English hospitality. I saw Big Ben, ate a crumpet, rode in a double decker bus, and pretended to be British to see who would catch my bluff first. After overstaying my welcome at Belle’s, I moved in with Emily and Oak who are Irish sisters I met traveling in Costa Rica. We met back up in Panama and Guatemala and subsequently their new home in London. We gawked at the gorgeous homes in Chelsea, ate the best Korean food at 3am, and pranced around Buckingham Palace like royals.
After living out all my Love Island dreams, I boarded the longest flight of my life (24 hours to be exact) and landed in my new home for the next year (or two?): Australia! I first arrived in Sydney and volunteered for Wake Up Hostel to save some money right out the gate. I helped run the guest activities in exchange for free stay, discounted drinks/food, and free gym membership. I used the gym a grand total of 0 times so you could say the exchange was 100% worth it. I led walking tours of Sydney (as I saw everything for the first time too), hosted wine and cheese nights, and ran a weekly bar crawl (if you could call it that…iykyk). After 3 weeks in Sydney, my friend Erin from college arrived; we left the big city and all it’s drama behind (cough cough Wales…officially off the list for good). We embarked on a 2.5 week road trip up the Aussie East Coast to see all the gorgeous beaches en route to Cairns. In total we drove roughly 3,500 Km (2,200 miles) and explored 18 towns/cities. I somehow drove on the opposite side of the road AND car and didn’t crash! I did curb the rim a few times and my parking jobs should be considered illegal…but it was a safe trip nonetheless.
At the end of our road trip we landed in Cairns where we sadly had to return our car (Curby) to the rental agency. My current plan is to stay in Cairns for 3 months as I complete the specified work requirements for a second year visa. I’ve been staying at a hostel right on the waterfront while working as a full-time bartender at a fancy hotel. I spend my days off scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, cooling off in waterfalls, and feeding the cutest rock wallabies. After my 88 days are up, I’ll move down to Melbourne for their summer time. Overall, I’m having an amazing time and I’m extremely grateful for the wild life I have the privilege of living. Much love to all my friends and fam all over the world. Feel free to visit 🙂Â
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