"Life is Short, but Sweet for Certain....."

What a fantastic week has just gone by! I think that I have officially gotten through the patch of homesickness I was experiencing recently and am just really loving Australia and life in Carins.  Although I do miss all of my friends and family so much!

I had my 30th birthday last week and I have to say it was so much fun, but I missed talking to my friends and family on my birthday, especially my big 3-0.  We celebrated on the Saturday night prior to the actual day since all of my friends schedules in Cairns are work dependent.  I was so surprised that my friend Lyndal (who is from the States too), actually bought me a cake, a hot pink boa and put lost of love in to making my day so special.  We all had some drinks at their apartment, well lots of drinks actually, before heading out to some of the Cairns bars.  I must say that a party isn't actually a party unless jello shots are included and I do believe we had a few of those. 

Lyndal and I...I am so lucky to have her!

We ended up at a restaurant called the Salt House on the harbor.  They had an awesome live band and we danced all night.  And yes I danced so you know it was a good night with plenty of alcohol.  On the actual day of my birthday I had to open at work at 6am and when I got home around 3pm my wonderful Swedish housemates had decorated the house with balloons and had the candles burning on my birthday cake! Another really great surprise!

Me and my birthday cake!

Emma, Carolina and I!

We also had an impromptu trip last Thursday to Port Douglas which is about an hour north of Carins.  We are in the rainy season now, so it was a sunny day and we took advantage of it.  Lyndal, Nathan, Joe, Dan, Brennan and I piled into our cars and took the stunning drive up to Port Douglas.

Port Douglas is a beautiful little town that seems to cater to a posher, quieter crowd than Cairns.  We walked around town for a bit and enjoyed a few moments and some photos on the beach before heading to a bar on the harbor for drinks and some lunch.  We were the first ones in the bar for the afternoon and got the VIP seats right on the water and watched the dive boats come in from the reef.  We hung around until the evening grouper feeding which I wasn't able to get any photos of the actually grouper but it was pretty cool.  This grouper is about 5 feet long and probably 100lbs and they feed it nightly and it attracts quite a crowd.

The beach at Port Douglas

The boys and I at harbor bar....

After that we headed home for a BBQ at the apartment.  On the ride home Lyndal spotted a field full of kangaroos and we quickly swerved, safely of course, the car to the side of the road and ran out in the field.  As you can see from the photos below, it was a pretty phenomenal site.  Seriously one of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life.  I couldn't have asked for a better day with better company! Cheers!

Nathan, Dan and Brennan at Rex Lookout

The stunning scenery!

Kangaroos!!! Everywhere.....

Joe got quite close to the big guy....

I have just been working the rest of the week and I joined a gym here on the Pier which has been one of the best things I have done for myself.  I seriously missed my workouts and now feel so much better.  I also get access with my membership to this really awesome rooftop pool which I have been taking advantage of too!  I also was offered and accepted a new job at a restaurant called Splash here in Cairns.   I am so excited to start working there this week.  The owner and my new boss Megan is just the most lovely person and they are so excited to have me.  It is a much smaller restaurant with a focus on customer service which is right up my alley!

I hope that each of you had the happiest Thanksgiving in the States!  I know that I have so much to be thankful for; my beautiful friends, the best mom in the world, a loving family, a thriving business, a new job here in Carins and the trip of a lifetime.  I truly cannot imagine if I had have not come to Australia.  This trip has been life changing and I still have more time here.  I would recommend to each and everyone of you to take a trip or do that one thing that you have always wanted to do. 

Scare yourself a bit and take a leap of faith. 

And as Dave Matthews puts it best, "life is short, but sweet for certain...."

All my love from beautiful Cairns!

Cheryl

You Probably Think This Blog is About You Don't You?

So much to blog about, but on this rainy day in Carins it seems like a good day to blog.  I have been working a week now at the new job here in Carins and I must say although I am glad to have the work, but it is no Village Conery or Boardwok South.  I have a heightened appreciation for the business my mom and I own, my employees and my bosses at BoardWok Gia and Ty! 

I think the word pompous best describes the people who are my "managers".   One is your typical nasty female manager and the other just thinks he is the cats meow.  It is funny coming from a VERY customer service oriented way of conducting business and now working in an Australian restaurant.  You are not tipped generally here and as your wages are much higher than in the States.  While it may be a good thing if where you are working isn't very busy, but I believe it leads to poor customer service and understaffed restaurants where you have no time to take care of your customers. Quite an adjustment for me and I am just doing my best to figure it all out. 

I have moved into a really nice share house this week as well and it is awesome to no longer be living the hostel life.  I will probably move again in the next few weeks though since the house is just too far away from town and it's not safe to ride your bike or walk home at night.  But for now it's great and my housemates are couldn't be better. 

Although things in my dating life are seemingly always below par, I think I have had some clarity and insight into the opposire sex and dating in general.  I actually couldn't resist the the tarot card readings that were offered at the Esplanade markets last Saturday.  And I know that it's sort of hokey and can't be taken as facts, she did tell me some things that I needed to hear.  The biggest one was that I have to stop trying to please others and focus on myself and what truly makes me happy.  I am not exactly sure what that is at this very moment, but I am surely going to see what I can come up with while I am here in Oz.

And as for the title of my blog, I am just tired of guys always being so self-absorbed and assuming things about girls that may or may not be true.  It's always so funny to me how I guy will court and chase you and then when they get you and you are kind and caring, they either A) freak out and get weird or B) or retreat and ignore you.  Now, personally I think that's just shit (sorry for the language but it's how I feel).  I am sorry but I am not very good at playing the whole cat and mouse dating game I simply do not have the energy or care to play.  It's stupid.  If I like you and you like me, really what is the issue?  And if you aren't interested in an intelligent, witty, fun, caring, compassionate, giving and kind woman than I am clearly not your girl.  I also find it unfathomable that anyone genuinely "likes to be alone".  What kind of life is that?  Life is so much better shared with someone who enjoys you and life equally.

Granted I am not in anyway, shape or form perfect, but who is?  I am 100% aware of my faults and shortcomings and try to be a better version of myself everyday that I am lucky enough to be alive.  But even more important what gives any other person the right to make some feel unworthy or not wanted.  I do believe in karma, both good and bad, and don't be surprised when it returns to you in an unwanted way.

If we have ever dated or had any sort of relationship and you think this blog might be about you, then you could be spot on.  And if this does hit a little close to home for you then maybe today should be the day to make some small change in the way you treat people.  Everyone deserves to be respected and the honest truth so give it, good or bad.

Be true, be genuine and be warm always....

Cheryl

Cairns or bust.....

I am here! Yesterday I had a quick flight up from Brisbane and checked into to my 5 star hostel (insert sarcasm here).  I am looking at a place to live today so this will hopefully be my only post from here.   As soon as I put my bags in my room, I headed over to a restaurant on Esplanade (the main road on the water) called La Pizza for a quick interview with the manager.  It's a busy Italian joint that serves the trinity and was told to come into work Sunday morning.  So I will now be working, making some cash and friends too.  

A quick update on the Skipper for you all.  Got a note from him that he's basically not interested, which was surprising and not all the same.  This is pretty much the standard response when a man just doesn't "like you enough" as I like to say.  It's all good though, but after chatting last night with an old friend, I need to share an email with you that sums up dating, for me at least. Enjoy!

"Ahh, don't get down.  I mean after all, the dude drives a boat for a living.  I mean seriously.  Men are bastards and are threatened by smart and strong ladies.  So that is two strikes against you.  You need to find a guy as equally smart and strong that doesn't play games.  I think some of your troubles come from the fact that you give too many schleps a chance.  Schleps never work out because they are schelps and aren't worth a shit.  It will happen but in the meantime, enjoy yourself and don't sweat it." - A good friend  

 

Told you that was a good one.  And pretty solid advice too, all of which I know but seem to forget in the moment.  Oh well, moving on.  I also had an interesting experience at the bar last night.  The same bar and restaurant that we went to for our boat party is literally attached to my hostel so after my interview I went down for a happy hour drink, I thought I deserved one.  I found myself a nice seat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine and was pretty content.  I felt like there were one-thousand pairs of eyes on me, sort of like I imagine you feel if you were stuck in a dark cave with a bunch of hungry rats.  Low and behold the girl behind the bar says that the guy at the end of the bar wants to buy me a drink.  I say "oh geez great", but sure I will take it.  Thinking that the guy is going to actually come and speak to me I mentally prepare myself.  And nothing.  That was a win on my part.  I order another drink from a different server a little later and then the bartender tells me that the guy who bought me the first drink is now upset that I bought a drink and that I should order a bottle of champagne "whatever I want", yet he still hasn't even spoken to me. Um no thank you, but thanks for the little boost of confidence. 

I went up to my room to change and freshen up and then found a different area of the bar to sit and have some dinner.  I thought I was safe, but again an Aussie guy comes up to me and asks if I am waiting for someone.  Good line buddy, do I look that pathetic?  Well he was actually a really nice guy and went to college in the States so we had a good chat.  He of course bought me a couple beers and then starts talking about how he is house sitting for his boss next weekend and I should come.   Seriously?  Is this my life and what it has come to?  You should at least ask a girl out for dinner before you invite her randomly to a perfect strangers home for the weekend.  So I said I was going to the bathroom and moved to table in another area of the bar to finish my beer and then went back to retire for the night.  Odd.  

The dating rituals that single people have to endure truly are grueling and not for the faint at heart.  It's amusing, but stressful at the same time and I would prefer a man to do a little leg work first to see if I am interested and then ask me out on a proper date.  Too much too ask these days?

It's another beautiful day here in Australia and I am going to look at my possible new home in a few hours and go buy some clothes for work tomorrow.  Also after a talk with my girl Megan last night, throwing around the idea of putting all of my "misadventures" of love and life into some sort of compilation.  I do think it would be an interesting read and I have the perfect person in mind to help me edit it too!  So I will update on that soon! 

So from HOT and sunny Cairns make it a great day!

Cairns Part 2 and Gordonvale....

The night after the boat returned from the GBR we were all to meet at a local bar in town called the Rattle and Hum.  It's huge bar with lots of food, drink and people wondering about.  We all met up around 8pm and were just having a good time getting to know each other better, talking about the trip, laughing heaps and drinking quite a bit too. We thought for a bit that the crew had just told us to meet there and that they had no intentions of coming, but they did show up "fashionably" late.

All of us at Rattle and Hum

Julia (Canada), Arek ( boat Supervisor), Me and Vivian (Holland)

Adrian (France/The Chef) and Vivian

Me and Jeff ( The Skipper)

So as you can tell by the picture above "the skipper" and I sort of hit it off and really enjoyed each others company from the moment we met.  It's good to know that there are actually good men still out there!  After we were all sauced up we headed to another "infamous" bar in Cairns called the Wool Shed.  We had only been there to eat dinner previously as our hostel gave us "free" meal vouchers that we just couldn't pass up.  The food was terrible but the bar was lots of fun.  The drinks kept flowing and by the end of the night our stomachs hurt from laughing.  It was one of the best nights I have had in Australia for sure.

I was scheduled to fly back Brisbane the following afternoon, but The Skipper asked me to stay and I thought you only live once so why not.  I called the airline to hopefully get some tiny credit and cancel my flight.  Someone up above was giving me approval to stay, because the women at the airline informed me that there had been an "error" and I wasn't booked on the flight and my card was never charged! SHEW! That was a tiny bit of fate that worked in my favor.  Jeff lives in a gorgeous town right outside of Cairns called Gordonvale.  The first day I was there we went for a swim in this cold, but beautiful river, cooked some good food, drank a few beers and relaxed.

He had to go back to sea in two days, but again we decided I should stay until he returned so we could spend more time together.  While he was away at sea, my friends Vivian and Ralf from my dive class came back through Cairns and came to stay out in Gordonvale.   Jeff graciously let us stay in his home and when he came home from sea took us on the best sightseeing day. 

The view from Jeff's truck on our off-roading adventure!

Ralf, Viv, Me and Jeff....Can't remember the name of the mountain

Jeff and I at Lake Eacham after our picnic and XXXX Gold's (Beer)

Lake Eacham

Ralf and Vivian left for the rest of their trip down the Australian east coast.  And Jeff had to go back out to sea.  Now, I am not one give a play by play account on my blog, but I will tell you that I do really enjoy Jeff's company and hope that we see each other again.  When he left yesterday to go on the boat it was sad, but I do know if things are going to work out they will and then need to happen organically ( that's for you Kev :)

And that also leads me to the next part of my story.  Before I left Cairns, I scored two job interviews and am fairly confident I will have a job tomorrow after I interview with one of the restaurants.  I have been applying for jobs for weeks in Brissy and nothing has happened.  And since I love Cairns, living on the water and want to dive as much as possible Cairns seems like the perfect place for me.  Plus I will have work finally!  I am flying back up tomorrow and will stay at a hostel for a day or two until I can find a more permanent place to live.  I have a couple places to look at tomorrow when I get there as well so maybe sooner than later. 

So again I feel very lucky to be here in Australia and making so many awesome memories!  I will keep you posted and promise to be better about writing!

Lots of love from Oz!

Cheryl

It's Pronounced "Canz"....

That's right Cairns is pronounced "canz".  Weird I know, but hands down my most favorite spot in Oz I have visited! I started to write this before I left Brisbane, but once I got here got distracted with diving and doing all the fun stuff so below you will see my horoscope that I saved before I left.  Funny how sometimes they are true and you have to read on to find out more. October 26, 2010 Sagittarius...taken from Yahoo Horoscopes As you well know, life is a series of extended vacations that we're fortunate enough (hopefully) to take alongside a number of carefully chosen, well-suited travel companions -- aka our friends, family members and select strangers that don't stay in that category for long. You're due to meet someone new and wonderful now -- at least one new someone, that is -- who'll want to go along for the ride on the next leg of your trek. Ready?

"You Can Go Your Own Way......"

I have always believed that my life has a soundtrack.  And all the moments, however grand or minuet they might be, can be best summed up by a song.  You know when you hear a song and it brings you right back to a high school prom, a first date or your college hay-days.  Well most days my life is set to music, in my head at least, and today Stevie Nicks sang to me on my way into town to find work.

I am lucky enough to have some of the very best friends in the world and you all know who you are.  And when your not very close to your family and the ones you are close to live entirely too far away, you count on your friends to share your life with and for sound advice.  One of my best girls told me over the summer to stop worrying about what everyone else is doing in regards to getting married, having children, buying home and settling down.  And to just be OK with living my life and being me.  Truly when she told me this, although I of course thought this many times, I was freed from that feeling of not measuring up to everyone else I know.

Recently I saw the movie Eat Pray Love and think that Julia did a phenomenal job (much better than Liz herself) in the role of Liz Gilbert.  If you have been hiding under a rock for the past few years and haven't heard of the novel, the author or the blockbuster movie give Google a go for the background info.  Although my life does not mirror Liz' at all, I do feel like I am on my own little journey figuring out me and what I want out of life.  I always imagined that I would marry my high school sweetheart right out of college, have the picket fence and family to match.  And I always had my life planned.

I am a month away from my 30th birthday and I am not sure if I want the family and the picket fence.  I go back and forth all the time and I know when I meet the illusive Mr. Right that all of those thoughts will be thrown out the window.  Or maybe I will be single and I am OK with that too.  There are many things I don't know, but I do know that my dream is still to open a restaurant and I am optimistic that will be sooner than later.

I still have so many places in this world I want to see and experiences I need to have.  And I am just not one to be fenced in or tied down.  It's in my Sagittarius nature to be a bit restless and I am living up to that in no uncertain terms.  Everyone has "that single friend" and that just might be the role I play in your life.  Or maybe not, only God knows what's in store. 

I will leave you with my favorite quote from the book/movie Eat Pray Love as I go and enjoy a glass of delicious Marlborough sauvignon blanc (the only inexpensive item in Australia). 

"So now I have started living my own life.  Imperfect and clumsy as it may look, it is resembling me now, thoughly." Liz Gilbert, Eat Pray Love

What's your theme song today?

xx-

Cheryl

A Gecko You Say?

OK.  So I know I have said this before, but Australia is a very different country than the US.  I know we both speak our own versions of English and have many similarities and yet there are so many things I notice everyday that differentiate our countries.  Let me give you a little insight into what I am talking about.

While I was staying in Kawana with Fraser and Amanda on the Sunny Coast, I had an introduction to Australian wildlife aside from the beautifully colored lorikets and white cockatoo that are in nearly every tree. Amanda and I had rented a movie, the kids and Fraser were in bed and we were enjoying a glass of yummy Aussie wine when I heard a pretty loud noise from what I thought was outside the kitchen window.  So I nonchalantly asked Amanda what that noise was.  I thought it was a bird even though they aren't that noisy generally after dark.  Amanda very casually says back to me "Oh it's a gecko".  Then I said "Outside right?".  You see where this going by now, but she told me they live in the house.  One lives behind a sconce in the kitchen, another behind a photo in the hall and one in the A/C unit.  You should have seen me whip my head around to make sure she wasn't trying to trick me and she wasn't.  And these geckos straight up bark and it is very loud.  We watched him chill around the walls in the kitchen. 

Amanda is American and I couldn't believe how normal this was to her. I liken it to having a mouse in your home in the States and just when they come out being like  "Oh that's just the mouse that lives in the cupboard".  IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN.  Well in most homes I know at least.  I still cannot get over it and apparently they are in most homes and they just live there.  I am all for cultural differences, but that's just strange to me and when I return to the States I will be happy to know the only animals knowingly living in my house will be the ones that we own.

I am now in Brisbane staying with Katie and Ben and searching for work.  In Australia, you have to complete a course before you can work in an establishment that serves alcohol called RSA or Responsible Service of Alcohol.  Luckily the course is online and albeit extremely boring and seemingly silly you must know the laws here so as a server you don't get into any sort of legal trouble.  So I have completed that and put in a few resumes at some restaurants in the city. 

It is a short and easy train ride to the city center and there is no shortage of people here.  I was a little overwhelmed when I hoped off the train yesterday by the moving crowds of people on the streets.  And although I lived for years in Raleigh, we don't have the business district like Brisbane does.  So keep your fingers crossed that I will have a post tomorrow about my new job or jobs!

The weather here is just perfect and I am ready to start planning my next travel adventure, but want to secure an income before I get too crazy.

Good day from Oz!

Coolum, Moreton Island and now Kawana.....

Hey everyone.  I hope you are all doing fantastic and again I apologize for being slack on posting, but it's difficult when I haven't even unpacked my bags just yet.  I am hoping next week I will be settled and starting work so keep your fingers crossed.

I have had an amazing last two weeks and have been able to see some really beautiful parts of Australia.  I stayed with my friend Patrick in Coolum which is about 2 hours north of Brisbane and just a really cool surf town.  It's close to Noosa, where I stayed a few days and many other beaches up here on the Sunny coast.  Patrick is lucky enough to have a boat and offered to take us out to Moreton Island for a few days.  If you are my friends on FB then you have seen the pictures that I took, but it was hands down the most beautiful water I have ever seen.  We put the boat out in a town called Cooloundra and had her loaded with food, drinks and supplies for a few days. 

We were fortunate to have the most spectacular weather on the way across the Pumice Stone Passage which takes you from Bribie Island across the bay to Moreton Island.  The scenery was stunning with the Glass House Mountains, where Katie and Ben and I hiked a few weeks ago, in the background, crystal blue waters and dolphins playing in the waves.

We arrived at Moreton Island around noon dropped anchor, poured drinks and made some lunch.  After a long day of doing absolutely nothing (FAB) we called it a night.  I have found it hard to stay awake past 10pm since I have arrived and being on the boat made it even more difficult.  During the night we awoken by the boat smacking back and forth on the water.  Oh don't you worry, there was no storm or high sees; the tide had just gone out and left us on our hull.  It seems our Captain didn't really find bringing a tidal chart and important part of our boating adventure.  So we waited until the tide came in to continue exploring the Island. 

At the tip of the Island is a surf break that Patrick wanted to check out.  I was of course game to relax on the boat while he got a surf in, why wouldn't I be right?  Well we headed towards the point and we suddenly spotted a whale splashing in the waters!  It was so awesome to see, but he moved out to deeper water too quickly for me to grab a shot.  Apparently seeing whales is very common especially at Moreton Island.  So we continued out to the point and the swell continued to get bigger and bigger.  Now granted I am from the beach and love deep sea fishing and have never been sea sick, but the swells we were in seriously scared the life out of me.  I eventually had to go into the cabin as I couldn't stand to watch the boat jump into the massive waves any longer.  And I have no pictures of this since I couldn't bring myself to move from the cabin.

Finally after many prayers and the certainty that I was going to die, we turned around and made it back to calm waters.  We docked up for the night next to the man-made shipwrecks close to the stunning Tangalooma Resort.  The dolphins head into the resort nightly to "put on a show" aka get fed for the guests and we watched them play on their way.  We cooked up a delicious dinner and called it a night. 

The next day we headed back towards where we put the boat out as Patrick's cell wasn't working and we couldn't call for our ride to come scoop us and the boat.   We pulled the boat in on the beach and went in search of an elusive car charger.  When he came back the boat needed a bit more water to push out so he told me I could go for a walk around Bribie Island "while the tide came in".  Well wouldn't you know when I returned from my much needed walk around town, the boat was completely shipwrecked on the beach.   Interesting hey?

 

After the 8 hour wait for enough tide to float the boat, it was around 6pm and dark, we moved to a much deeper spot in the Passage a few hundred yards away.  This was by far the calmest and most beautiful night on the boat and after a few glasses of wine I was out.  The next morning Patrick navigated back through the Passage and back to the water boarding Cooloundra.  He found an awesome surf spot while I watched the boat and made sure we didn't ship wreck again.  We spent the day just checking out the different beaches and coves and headed in around 4pm to meet his friend Jason to pick us up. 

It really was an amazing trip despite occasional shipwreck and I got to see some of the beauty Australia's waters have to offer!  After arriving home at Patrick's we unloaded the boat and settled in for a weekend filled with movies and drinking as the rain came down pretty hard until Monday.  Monday morning our friend Amanda who is an American and met her Australian husband Fraser years ago at the Down Under Restaurant where we all worked.  They live in a town called Kawana which is still on the Sunshine Coast and north of Brisbane.  They have two little boys and we have been hanging out and enjoying the sun that has decided to come out.  I am going to stay for a few more days and head back to Brisbane to find/start working hopefully as soon as next week and FINALLY unpack my suitcase! 

So if you've learned anything from today's entry take this away my friends.........

Although life is best enjoyed without the pressure of a definitive plan, it is a good idea to pay attention to the  changing tides so you don't end up stranded on your hull!

The Sunshine Coast.....

I know I know, I am awful and haven't blogged or taken a single photo while I have been here.  But my sweet Mom has mailed one from the States and will hopefully get it in the next few days and catch you up on the beauty that the Sunny Coast offers!

After a few wonderful days in Nundah, Brissy area, Katie and Ben drove me up to Noosa as they were heading to the States for a few weeks and I have some friends living on the coast.  On the way up we went hiking (good news Katie has photos) in the Glass House Mountains.  What a stunning delivery of flora and fauna God has put together in those forests and mountains.  If any of you have ever seen the Lord of the Rings movies, you could almost bet that part of it was filmed along our hike.  Rock pools, water falls, greenery as far as you can and some pretty amazing views of the surrounding towns.  We were also able to see a few of the very common animals that are founds in Queensland too. 

Ben and Katie then dropped me at the Noosa Backpackers in Noosaville.  When you think backpackers or hostel I am sure visions of dirty dorms and horror movies fill your head, but this was a really cute place.  I had my own room and only had to share a bathroom with 3 other rooms, not much different than sorority house living, but only one of the other rooms was occupied and that was only for the first night.  Check out the website at  http://noosabackpackers.com/  and I have a pic below of the entrance.

Katie and Ben gave me some advice on what to do while I was there and everyone who worked there was amazing too.  They headed on their way and I showered up and took the public bus into to town to check out the shops and have some dinner.  The town is a perfect beach town with all the clothing, pharmacies or chemists as they call them here, restaurants and bars.  After a browse around, I stopped into the Surf Club.  All beach towns have these here and they have the primo location in each one as well.  Situated on the beach front and serving foods, drinks and gambling to members and the public.  It was a rainy night so I just had a beer and then headed to find some dinner.  I stopped at an Italian restaurant called Lindoni's and had another phenom meal.  Started with a garlicky homemade bruschetta and a nice cold beer and for my meal delicious Gorgonzola gnocchi.  Seriously the best I have ever eaten.  Headed home for a rest and then on day two walked down from the backpackers for a coffee and some breakfast.  This country really does food so well and I am in love with poached eggs and flat whites.  With a full belly I decided to try my hand at solo kayaking and let's just say it was a short stint and I prefer the company i.e help of someone else.  There was a bit of wind and that only made matters worse so I turned in the free kayak at the backpackers and resorted to something I know I am fantastic at.....reading on the beach.

Later that afternoon after hanging out at the beach and a scenic run along the beach path, I had a light dinner and hung out at the bar inside the resort and talked to some of the locals for a bit.  It really is funny how we all essentially speak the same language, but they have such a different "slang" if you will that I find myself having to listen very well and ask at the end of a convo what certain terms mean.  I plan do a whole blog on slang here soon so stay tuned.  The next day my friend Patrick from the old Down Under Restaurant picked me up and we headed about 20 minutes south to his house in Coolum.  I have since taken some pictures of Coolum and will post after we return from our boating excurison which we are leaving for in about an hour. 
It is Monday at 6:30 am here and he is busy packing the boat while I blog :).  I have been in Coolum since Tuesday morning and have had a blast so far.  We have gone to the Australia Zoo which is just so freaking cool!  They have an open area where kangaroos and wallaby's hop around and love for you to pet and feed them, koalas that you can hold and pet, crocs, native birds, tigers, elephants, Tasmanian devils and so much more.  It really is a necessary stop for anyone who visits of lives here.  I have also been hiking in Coolum and Noosa and spent some good time with Frazier, Amanda and their sweet children Ryder and Zephyr.  I worked with both of them at Down Under too and plan to spend more time with them while I am here. 

Heading out on the boat soon so I will update again when we return possibly Wednesday or Thursday.  Let's see how I do without a proper shower for a few days and we might make an early return :).  Off to get packed and ready.  Love everyone and hope that you are working on saving to visit Australia right now!

xx- Cheryl

Adventures in Nundah....

This town is just so cute.  Nundah Village which is about 2 blocks down the street from Katie and Ben's place has all of your basics.  Quite a few quaint restaurants, coffee, shops, a grocery, beer/wine/spirits store (very important), bakeries, salons, laundry mat, etc.  So all of your necessities are in walking distance.  Just about two blocks further is Centre Toombul (a mall) that has all of usual shops you would find in our American malls just completely different stores and products.  I walked in to town yesterday and today just to check things out and purchase a camera battery.

I have had breakfast both days at this adorable cafe call Simply Duo that serves breakfast and lunch.  For those of you who know my eating habits, I absolutely love eggs and they have the All Day Brekky for $6.90 AUD and it's a delicious plate of two eggs, bacon, toast, and AU sausage (cannot remember the name but so good).  As I mentioned before their coffee is amazing here and I have had a Flat White that last two mornings.  It is simply their version of a latte made with espresso and milk.  Yummo!

It's amazing how our countries can be similar but so very different.  While you can find some of the products and foods that we have in the states, most are branded differently or made my manufacturers from this side of the world.  Initially most Americans, including me, are shocked by the seemingly higher prices for everyday goods, groceries, dining out, beer, electronics, cars and I guess that's pretty much everything.  But you have to take into account that salaries are higher here than the US and sales tax is included in all listed item prices.  So for example when you go to the grocery and get a $2.00 loaf of bread and $3.00 carton of eggs your total bill would be just $5.00.  Which seems to make much more sense and helps you budget a little better when you are shopping.  I found that groceries were just a bit more expensive but hygiene products like toothpaste is about $6.00 here and body lotion is $8-15.  When I have my camera up and going I will take pictures in the stores to show you some others and give you a better idea.

Tonight Katie has arranged a dinner for me to meet her American girlfriends here in Brisbane so I am looking forward to seeing the city.  From the photos I have seen it is a spectacular city with a river that winds through.  Brisbane has about 1.6 million residents so it is large with a lot to offer and I cannot wait to dive in!

My next mission is to learn the metric system, so I will be able to convert recipes and read food labels, and start incorporating their terms into my daily conversations.

So G'day for now and love to all!

Australia the Beautiful.....

I know I am due an update on my trip to Los Angeles but that will have to wait.  Australia really deserves the spotlight so I will start from the beginning......Oh and I do not have a camera.  Yes I know it's ridiculous but I had a battery failure and electronics are MUCH more expensive then in the States so I am waiting for mom to mail one to me :)......

My flight left LAX (seriously disappointing airport) at 11:20pm on Monday.  The flight was 15 hours so I decided to have a little snack and a few glasses of wine to help me sleep.  Australia is 14 hours ahead of east coast time, so I would be landing at 7:00am on Wednesday in Melbourne Australia and knew I needed to sleep since I would be missing out on Tuesday the 21st completely.  As I said before the bar was so sad, but it served it's purpose.  We boarded quickly and I have to say that Quantas is a superb airline.  I was seated next to a couple from Melbourne so they were so kind and happy to give me a few tips on my extended stay in Australia.

I landed in Melbourne and the temperature was about 40 degrees (freaking cold), but I didn't leave the airport.  I went through customs but was slightly harassed as my Visa did not have my middle name Louise on it like my passport so he gave me hard time.  After that I picked up my luggage at baggage claim then proceeded to what they call "bag drop" here.  It took about and an hour and a half and I already had my ticket so that was a little frustrating.

The airport in Melbourne was very nice and quite posh.  Very nice shops and great food options.  The best coffee I have had has been here in Australia as well.  So after a few hours in Melbourne airport I boarded my domestic flight to Brisbane.  I had a child behind me, kicking my seat the whole way so that prevented any sleeping.  I read a bit and before I knew I was deplaning in Brisbane.  I walked down the stairs to Katie (my friend from Raleigh who is engaged to Ben whose from Oz) holding a beautiful Gerber daisy and welcoming me to this great country.

It was so great to see and hug Katie.  We grabbed a kebab for lunch which is just slightly amazing.  It is sort of like a grilled wrap and gyro combination and so delicious you can hardly stand it.  Katie had to return to work and she dropped me off at home so I could shower.  After 24 hours of travel the only thing you want to do is take a shower and put your feet up so I did that and got a bit of work out.  After they returned home they took me to a "pub" for dinner which in America conjures of notions of greasy nachos, chicken wings and fries; not in Oz.  I had a marvelous roasted chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and grilled veggies.  Fine dining in the states, but standard pub fare here.  Juts one of the many drastic differences.....

I have so much more to tell, but honestly the jet lag is setting in again and I just made a nice stir fry for the five of us and enjoyed a few glasses of wine and need some more sleep to catch up.  But this country is amazing and I cannot wait to post pictures and tell you more.....

The Good Life....

If the picture below is any indication of the joy my friends bring to me, you can see how good life is! Before I left for Los Angeles, all of my best ones got together for a small, but super fun party at our friends Liz and Travis' house in Raleigh.  I think it is so cool when all of your friends become friends and you are all able to be footloose and have a good time even with all the responsibilities that many of them have with work, family and new babies.

We had lots of yummy beer, wine, homemade egg rolls, pimento cheese dip (which I obviously love), stuffed Roma tomatoes and Sarah brought some awesome dessert from the Greek Fest in Raleigh. It really couldn't have been more perfect.  

There were so many laughs that we all sort of got carried away and were up until 3:30am which most of us rarely see, but it was so worth the headache the next morning.  And there is absolutely nothing better than a game of Catch Phrase after a few too many beers....

 

So in the end it's really not the number of relationships and friendships we have but the quality and love you share and if that's the case, I am living the Good Life and I am very grateful.....

Hello Life, It's Me Cheryl......

And I am off to live it!  Finally! 

Well, if you know me that's a bit dramatic but I feel like I am doing something I needed to do many years ago. I am laying here in bed at my moms house drinking coffee, watching the news and thinking about the last few items I need to pack. 

It is overwhelming to pack for an extended and unknown amount of time.  I had to do a "rough" pack and then a final pack that took about 3 days.  Ridiculous...yes, but again if you know me you know that I kept getting all emotional and would have to walk away and take a little break.

I am going to miss my summer memories gained here at home in Hatteras.  I am going to miss my mom, the sweet baby kitten that showed up in our yard crying her heart out earlier in the summer, the comfort of home, driving my Jeep, the Atlantic and good friends. 

But it's a fresh start even if it is only temporary and when I come back next year I will be a different person and hopefully just a bit better version of myself.  A friend of mine, who recently sold her home in NY and moved down to the Island because this is the place she loves, and I were chatting yesterday about starting over.  It is such a good feeling and great way to wipe away any regrets, bitterness and not so wonderful memories and make new for beautiful new ones. 

One of my best friends in the world recently took up photography and has taken some really beautiful shots.  Alicia took the one below and although it only says a few words it is so powerful and just a perfect motto to live by and new tag line. 

So everyone enjoy the trip, whatever one you may be on at this very moment and be sure to soak it all in! 

And most importantly BE WARM and not bitter...it looks so much better on you!

Say What You Need to Say

I know John Mayer said it first, but I have always been a big fan of doing just that.  Be it good, bad or indifferent sometimes it can mean so much to someone to hear it from you.  Just telling someone you dig their shoes or how beautiful they look can drastically affect the other person.  Sometimes I think so many of us just hold back when all it takes is a phone call, text or an email like my best friend Kevin wrote below. 

And it doesn't necessarily have to be something good.  We all at times need someone to tell us the hard truth that we don't want to hear.  I know I have had some of my very best friends do that for me and initially, yes it stings, but after a little reflection you can see the good intentions of calling you out on a bad choice or action.  I think that is the beauty of true friends and family; they are the reflection that we sometimes need to help us grow and be the best version of ourselves.

Why is it so difficult to just say I am sorry or I was wrong or THANK YOU or even compliment someone on something they have done?  So like Kev did for me below, if you are thinking something, albeit small or grandiose, that could impact someone you love or care about go ahead whip out your pen and personalized stationary or open your email and say what you need to say...

The email below from Kevin made my day and I plan to keep it with throughout my entire trip Down Under!

Cheryl,

I haven't talked to you much lately, but I wanted to take a quick break from work and let you know how I feel about all this Australia non-sense.  I'm really proud of you.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and you're seizing it.  There will almost always be something else in the way; work, love, family and financial obligations.  But a narrow window has opened for you, one where none of this stuff can stop you now.  Instead of making excuses, worrying about rent or your stuff, you've taken quick action to put all your shit in storage and sublet the place out.  You need change and you made it happen and that's why I'm proud of you.

Things might not work out.  You may even have to come home earlier than planned.   Just remember that nothing can be considered a failure.  If you make it to Australia, and spend even just a month there, you have succeeded.  You will always have the pictures, memories, stories, and experience of that time abroad.  Most importantly, you'll always be able to say, "I went for it."

Good luck and I love you,

Kev

Minimalism.....

I was so stoked to be in Raleigh Tuesday, even though it was just for the night and to bring some of my belongings back to Hatteras.  I forget sometimes how lucky I am to have such awesome friends!  Dave helped me load up the big white van and then we hurried home and headed to our favorite neighborhood watering hole for a few drinks and some grub.  Liz, Travis and Kev came out and it just made my day.  Despite the poor decision to order the Molson bucket that was on special it was perfect.  Let's just say I was in a bad way the next morning.....

OK back to the title of this posting.   I have had virtually everything I own in storage since June of this year and I have to say that I haven't missed one thing or could even tell you exactly what I had in there.  I have six boxes of clothing that I am going to attempt to put away and downsize today and I can't help but wonder how it got to this.  Growing up in a small town and being allowed $200 or so dollars for back to school clothing and again in the winter, I am not sure how I became so attached to "things" and clothing.  Don't get me wrong I still love fashion and style, but just don't see a need for so much of it.

In the end it is definitely not anything we own that makes us happy it's the people who we are lucky enough to experience our days with that truly matter and make us happy.  Money definitely makes life easier, but that's about it. No quantifiable happiness comes with it unless it is spent with or on those who matter most!

Off to unpack.......

Sort of freaking out here....

It has been a pretty stellar weekend; spared by Earl, a Pirate football victory and now just two weeks until I leave for Australia for a currently unspecified amount of time.

My upcoming trip to Oz is by far the most out of character, unplanned and spontaneous thing I have ever done and entirely overdue!  I cannot believe how quickly the summer has gone by here on Hatteras Island.  Everything here came to a screeching halt right before Earl and although we have a few tourists here this weekend it is pretty quiet.   

So much to be thankful for!  A great season at the Village Conery (our ice cream biz going 10 years strong), a wonderful staff, an awesome second job at BoardWok South waiting tables, fantastic friends,some new friends, a few more life lessons, loads of sunshine and a place to stay thanks to my mom.  

It's hard to imagine in a few weeks I will be waking up every morning in Australia!  The goal is to make daily

(hopefully witty and intriguing) posts about my trip Down Under and the shenanigans that ensue.

Standby for more soon......