LINK TO PICTURES: http://cfinnegan.shutterfly.com/action
On Friday, Dad and I boarded an early morning flight out of Sydney (almost made late by our insane shuttle driver) to Brisbane. We jumped in our rental car and away we went. Six hours of beautiful country side, mountains, farmland later we arrived at St. Agnes Waters and the Town of 1770. Our hotel looked like it had jumped out of 1950’s Palm Springs but with a lot more BUGS! It was a 5-minute walk to the beach so neither Dad or I were complaining.
Saturday, we woke up bright and early and with 100 other people boarded Captain Cook Great Barrier Reef Cruises and hit the open sea. I fell asleep (what is it about the rocking of a boat?!?) and woke up to CRYSTAL clear water with Lady Musgave Island at a distance. I cannot describe how clear the water is on the reef. It is cleaner and clearer then the pool I spent the last year working at. Dad and I were the first people to jump in the water for a snorkel (“Yes, we know how a snorkel is suppose to fit. Yes, we know how to spit in the mask. Can we just go?”) Overall, the coral was amazing but due to our years spent snorkel in Hawaii we were slightly disappointed by the types of fish and the amount. When we took the tour of the island, we did see some small rays and a 4 foot reef shark.
The best part about the tour was getting back to the dock. The tide had gone out so the crew had to take the tourists off the boat onto a platoon in groups of 40. Dad and I were one of the last people to go so we got to really talk to the crew and enjoy the AMAZING view of the stars. Everything from the Southern Cross to the Milky Way to the Big Dipper…you could see EVERYTHING!! I kept saying “So, that’s what stars look like!” and wondering what they must look like in the middle of the ocean. It was awesome.
Sunday, Dad and I got back in the rental car and drove the 7 hours south to Surfers Paradise, the “Vegas of Australia”. The coastline is covered in huge skyscraper hotels, shops, restaurants, pubs, clubs, and cheap gift stores. (“This is PARADISE?”) The beach, however, is stunning. Perfectly white sand (the softest, fine sand I’ve ever felt) and the water is a crystal blue. You can’t tell were water ends and sky begins. The weather is really warm, around 80 and the water is a nice 74.
Today (Monday), we headed off to a Wildlife Sanctuary just outside Surfers Paradise. It was AWESOME!! We were the first ones to walk into the park and into a feeding frenzy. The Sanctuary is known for its wild Lorikeet parrots and you can hold a plate of food and hundreds of them fly around landing on any available surface to feed. It was hysterical. At one point I looked at Dad and he had 4 on his head, 2 on each shoulder, 4 hanging from his shirt on his chest, and about 20 lined down each arm. The birds hurt though. They fight on your arms for space, all the while screaming and singing in your ear. We spent about 30minutes feeding them and my arms look like I got into a fight with a cat. I should also have enough luck stored up for the rest of my life because I got pooped on about ten times. It was worth it though!
We then headed off to the Kangaroo area where 80 are free to roam. This was one of the things I wanted to do while I was here. Dad and I were the only ones in the area and we purchased some food and they came up to us to cuddle, nuzzle, and be fed. It was a highlight of the trip. Kangaroos are so friendly and sweet. Even after we ran out of food they would stay at our feet wanting a scratch behind the ears or a pet on the nose. The bound around effortlessly and they are truly beautiful animals. We wondered around the sanctuary for another 3 hours, getting familiar with Australian flora, Koalas, Crocodiles, Dingos, Wombats, and a large assortment of birds.
We are currently relaxing in the room, just hanging out because tomorrow is a LONG 10 hour drive back to Sydney, where we will be staying at the infamous Bondi Beach.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
G'day Mate!
LINK TO PICTURES: http://cfinnegan.shutterfly.com/action
Sydney is so awesome!! I keep looking at my Dad and jumping up down, screaming “WE’RE IN AUSSIE!!” or quoting Finding Nemo. I just can’t take in that I’m staring at all the sights I’ve only been able to dream about.
Day One:
The day started with a REALLY early flight out of Wellington but landing in Sydney Airport around 8am. It was POURING rain. Not something you really want to deal with when in a new city. We took a cab ride to our hotel in Old Sydney, “The Rocks”. Our room has a view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and The Rocks is really cool. This area was the first settlement of Australia. 14 ships dropped off 800 criminals and that started the settlement. The buildings are very cool and the streets are lined with cobblestone.
Dad and I literally dropped our bags off at the hotel and away we went. We walked out to the closest point of water and into the harbor, with our first sighting of the Opera House (SOH). We then walked the water front for about 2 miles to the base of the SOH. It is truly an amazing piece of art.
It was pouring rain so Dad decided it was a good time to take the SOH tour and I’m so glad we did. The story of its birth is full of twists and drama. It was really interesting to see how they made each of the sails and the way the building was built so far ahead of his time. I took pictures at every turn and I was actually surprised to find out the outer part of the sails are made of individual cream and white tiles, over 1.2 billion to be exact.
Dad and I then walked back to the hotel where I took an accidental nap for 2 hours and then it was off to do the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb (SHB).
By far this was one of the highlights of my LIFE!! We got all geared up in our climb suits, microphones, lights, fleece jackets, and beanies and set off on a 3 hour adventure. The weather broke about 20 minutes before we took off, the clouds cleared and we had blue sky. It was such an amazing view (SOH, the skyline, Darling Harbor, South Sydney, Bondi Beach, Blue Mountains) that Dad and I just kept looking at each other and smiling. Our tour guide, Vic, was awesome. He told us great stories, jokes, and interesting facts. Our group was pretty cool too. 7 out of 9 of us were from California. I’m so glad we did the Climb and I recommend it for anyone even remotely close to Sydney. DO IT!! (By the way, the weather closed out just as we stepped out the building. God was definitely controlling the weather for us tonight).
Dad then I went to a local pub where we shared a Crocodile meat pizza and a local brew.
Day Two:
We walked through the heart of the city to get to the Famous Darling Harbor. It was pretty cool. One side of Darling has the Zoo and Aquarium and the other side is surrounded by cafes, shops, and restaurants. It started to rain again so Dad and I caught “Whales and Dolphins” at the IMAX 3-D theater. After the flick, we went SHOPPING!! Ohhhh, it felt so good. We pretty much got all the souvenirs a tourist could want and then some. Dad and I then randomly decide to hop on a Harbor boat cruise, propped ourselves on the back of the boat away from the Japanese, photo happy tourists and just enjoyed the surroundings. I got some GREAT pictures myself and we saw parts of the Harbor you can only see from a boat.
After the boat trip Dad and I went for some food but before that we did a walking marathon through the city in the pouring rain (quite the accomplishment in sandles!) We got dinner and then came back to the room to relax, re-pack, and update my blog.
Tomorrow we leave at 5:25am for the airport to fly up to the warm and toasty (80+ degrees) city of Brisbane and drive 6 hours north up to Agnes Waters for our Barrier Reef trip on Saturday.
The probability of having an internet connection over the next week is very slim but I will continue to write daily and update when I can.
Sydney is so awesome!! I keep looking at my Dad and jumping up down, screaming “WE’RE IN AUSSIE!!” or quoting Finding Nemo. I just can’t take in that I’m staring at all the sights I’ve only been able to dream about.
Day One:
The day started with a REALLY early flight out of Wellington but landing in Sydney Airport around 8am. It was POURING rain. Not something you really want to deal with when in a new city. We took a cab ride to our hotel in Old Sydney, “The Rocks”. Our room has a view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and The Rocks is really cool. This area was the first settlement of Australia. 14 ships dropped off 800 criminals and that started the settlement. The buildings are very cool and the streets are lined with cobblestone.
Dad and I literally dropped our bags off at the hotel and away we went. We walked out to the closest point of water and into the harbor, with our first sighting of the Opera House (SOH). We then walked the water front for about 2 miles to the base of the SOH. It is truly an amazing piece of art.
It was pouring rain so Dad decided it was a good time to take the SOH tour and I’m so glad we did. The story of its birth is full of twists and drama. It was really interesting to see how they made each of the sails and the way the building was built so far ahead of his time. I took pictures at every turn and I was actually surprised to find out the outer part of the sails are made of individual cream and white tiles, over 1.2 billion to be exact.
Dad and I then walked back to the hotel where I took an accidental nap for 2 hours and then it was off to do the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb (SHB).
By far this was one of the highlights of my LIFE!! We got all geared up in our climb suits, microphones, lights, fleece jackets, and beanies and set off on a 3 hour adventure. The weather broke about 20 minutes before we took off, the clouds cleared and we had blue sky. It was such an amazing view (SOH, the skyline, Darling Harbor, South Sydney, Bondi Beach, Blue Mountains) that Dad and I just kept looking at each other and smiling. Our tour guide, Vic, was awesome. He told us great stories, jokes, and interesting facts. Our group was pretty cool too. 7 out of 9 of us were from California. I’m so glad we did the Climb and I recommend it for anyone even remotely close to Sydney. DO IT!! (By the way, the weather closed out just as we stepped out the building. God was definitely controlling the weather for us tonight).
Dad then I went to a local pub where we shared a Crocodile meat pizza and a local brew.
Day Two:
We walked through the heart of the city to get to the Famous Darling Harbor. It was pretty cool. One side of Darling has the Zoo and Aquarium and the other side is surrounded by cafes, shops, and restaurants. It started to rain again so Dad and I caught “Whales and Dolphins” at the IMAX 3-D theater. After the flick, we went SHOPPING!! Ohhhh, it felt so good. We pretty much got all the souvenirs a tourist could want and then some. Dad and I then randomly decide to hop on a Harbor boat cruise, propped ourselves on the back of the boat away from the Japanese, photo happy tourists and just enjoyed the surroundings. I got some GREAT pictures myself and we saw parts of the Harbor you can only see from a boat.
After the boat trip Dad and I went for some food but before that we did a walking marathon through the city in the pouring rain (quite the accomplishment in sandles!) We got dinner and then came back to the room to relax, re-pack, and update my blog.
Tomorrow we leave at 5:25am for the airport to fly up to the warm and toasty (80+ degrees) city of Brisbane and drive 6 hours north up to Agnes Waters for our Barrier Reef trip on Saturday.
The probability of having an internet connection over the next week is very slim but I will continue to write daily and update when I can.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The time...
....has come to say goodbye.
I seriously can't believe that 10 months has gone by since I left American soil. Tonight was amazing. I was surrounded by everyone that mattered to me in this experience (Former flatmates Haydn, Katrin, Frazer. Current flatmates Tia, Courtney, Cathy, and Bailey. Friends Seka, Simon, Jo, Ali, Henry). We ate, laughed, and told stories. It was really mellow but a great way to say goodbye to everyone.
I'm so grateful for this experience. I have grown so much as an adult. I am now stronger then I have ever been in my life. I came to NZ only knowing one person and I left with lifelong friendships. I have lived on my own, seven thousand miles away from anyone that loved me. I did this! I am so proud of myself for the fact that I simply survived, let alone did it so well. I now know I can do anything I put my mind, soul, and drive too. 10 months ago I had no idea. How many people pick up and move a world away? Not a whole lot. 40 years from now I get to tell my grandkids of the amazing adventure I had when "Grandma was a cool chick that taught swimming lessons in a great country." I have no regrets and will be eternally grateful to my family for being so supportive and pushing me to have this experience (I can't believe I had doubts).
I'm walking away with so many great memories, photos, and friends. I would do this all over again in a heartbeat. Good and Bad!
Time for bed. A wake up call from my cell phones alarm at 3:30am is NOT fun. I'll update when I can when we are in Aussie.
I seriously can't believe that 10 months has gone by since I left American soil. Tonight was amazing. I was surrounded by everyone that mattered to me in this experience (Former flatmates Haydn, Katrin, Frazer. Current flatmates Tia, Courtney, Cathy, and Bailey. Friends Seka, Simon, Jo, Ali, Henry). We ate, laughed, and told stories. It was really mellow but a great way to say goodbye to everyone.
I'm so grateful for this experience. I have grown so much as an adult. I am now stronger then I have ever been in my life. I came to NZ only knowing one person and I left with lifelong friendships. I have lived on my own, seven thousand miles away from anyone that loved me. I did this! I am so proud of myself for the fact that I simply survived, let alone did it so well. I now know I can do anything I put my mind, soul, and drive too. 10 months ago I had no idea. How many people pick up and move a world away? Not a whole lot. 40 years from now I get to tell my grandkids of the amazing adventure I had when "Grandma was a cool chick that taught swimming lessons in a great country." I have no regrets and will be eternally grateful to my family for being so supportive and pushing me to have this experience (I can't believe I had doubts).
I'm walking away with so many great memories, photos, and friends. I would do this all over again in a heartbeat. Good and Bad!
Time for bed. A wake up call from my cell phones alarm at 3:30am is NOT fun. I'll update when I can when we are in Aussie.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
*Drum roll please!*
Now announcing your guest writer for the evening.....Daddy!
Freezing my a$$ off!! But we are having a great time. I met alot of Casey's friend. We had a great dinner and a few drinks on Saturday night. We went to a rugby game on Saturday afternoon, where it was so windy I thought I would be blown home. It was the coldest I've been in a really long time. Yesterday we drove up to Lake Taupo and this morning we did the jetboat ride. It was one of the most amazingly fun things I've ever done. (as you can tell by the pictures). We shot up the river at 65 mph and we pulled some great 180 turns! It was so cold though that Casey kept saying "I can't feel my face because I'm smiling so big or because its so cold!!" It was such a great drive. New Zealand is such an amazing country. There are just endless amounts of vast green hills and space, with thousands of sheep dotting the horizon. One of the first things I said to Casey was "And you want to leave....WHY?!?!" Overall, its great. Being in the city and being able to walk, the people are so nice, and the beer is great.
Tomorrow is a mellow day. Casey wants to go to the pool to say goodbye and hopefully get a good letter of recommendation from her boss and then she has to go to the bank. At night all her friends and flatmates are coming over for what they call a "Feed." All I know is I get fed.
So long for now!
-Jimmy
Freezing my a$$ off!! But we are having a great time. I met alot of Casey's friend. We had a great dinner and a few drinks on Saturday night. We went to a rugby game on Saturday afternoon, where it was so windy I thought I would be blown home. It was the coldest I've been in a really long time. Yesterday we drove up to Lake Taupo and this morning we did the jetboat ride. It was one of the most amazingly fun things I've ever done. (as you can tell by the pictures). We shot up the river at 65 mph and we pulled some great 180 turns! It was so cold though that Casey kept saying "I can't feel my face because I'm smiling so big or because its so cold!!" It was such a great drive. New Zealand is such an amazing country. There are just endless amounts of vast green hills and space, with thousands of sheep dotting the horizon. One of the first things I said to Casey was "And you want to leave....WHY?!?!" Overall, its great. Being in the city and being able to walk, the people are so nice, and the beer is great.
Tomorrow is a mellow day. Casey wants to go to the pool to say goodbye and hopefully get a good letter of recommendation from her boss and then she has to go to the bank. At night all her friends and flatmates are coming over for what they call a "Feed." All I know is I get fed.
So long for now!-Jimmy
Friday, April 18, 2008
Brrr....
Yesterday was an amazing day! Yes, Dad and I both got teary at the gate when I picked him up. (Here in NZ you can actually greet arrivals at the gate!) It was a stunning day and we walked the entire city. I took him to the beach we go to, walked along the water front, purchased him a beer at one of our brewery's, walked the Central Business District, took the cable car to the top of the botanical gardens, and then walked back to the Monsoon Poon near my house to have a celebration birthday lunch.
Today the weather is CRAP!! Its about 50 degrees and raining! But I'm just stoked to have had ONE great day of weather....
....and my dad said it himself....
"WOW!! You really can't beat Wellington on a great day!"
Today the weather is CRAP!! Its about 50 degrees and raining! But I'm just stoked to have had ONE great day of weather....
....and my dad said it himself....
"WOW!! You really can't beat Wellington on a great day!"
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Joining the ranks!
I'm officially unemployed. EEK! I am nomad. A world traveler. A proud pilot of an improvised life.
Today was my last day at work. I will never have to wear neon orange again! It was a great start. I wandered in around noon to teach 2 hours of really cool kids then about 5 instructors and I went over to play in the bubble machine for one final time. It was great! The bubble machine never ceases to amaze me. This time I sat on the vent where the bubbles come out, Buddha style, and the massive air flipped me around under water 4 times.
It was really weird saying goodbye to some people. I'm stoked that my dad will be here in exactly 10 hours (now....if only I could get to sleep) but at the same time I was really bummed out to teach my last class. Teaching has been apart of my life for so long its weird to think I'm done. It hasn't really set in yet. I got some tearful goodbyes from my parents and an assortment of chocolate, pictures, and even a hand-made stunning necklace! My kids cried. My parents cried. It was a bummer. At least I know I can always come back!
Tomorrow, Dad arrives. Wellington Airport at 8am. We are going to get him home to nap and shower, get some breakfast, and then off to the pool to show him off. We will then probably walk around town and then I'll take him out to dinner for his 61st birthday! Saturday I'm taking him to a local rugby game a couple of my friends are playing in and then I'm having a friend dinner with alot of my buddies and co-workers. Sunday, we leave for Taupo (a town 5 hours north of here) to go jet-boating on Monday. Monday night we are having dinner with Jim and his wife and Tuesday is a mellow day, concluding with a Final Feed with current and former flatmates and a really close assortment of friends. Wednesday we jet set off to AUSSIEEEEE!!
Whew.....confused yet? Me too!
Oh well! At least I'll be with POPS!!'
Okay time for bed. The sooner I fall asleep the sooner I wake up and get on the bus to the airport!
Today was my last day at work. I will never have to wear neon orange again! It was a great start. I wandered in around noon to teach 2 hours of really cool kids then about 5 instructors and I went over to play in the bubble machine for one final time. It was great! The bubble machine never ceases to amaze me. This time I sat on the vent where the bubbles come out, Buddha style, and the massive air flipped me around under water 4 times.
It was really weird saying goodbye to some people. I'm stoked that my dad will be here in exactly 10 hours (now....if only I could get to sleep) but at the same time I was really bummed out to teach my last class. Teaching has been apart of my life for so long its weird to think I'm done. It hasn't really set in yet. I got some tearful goodbyes from my parents and an assortment of chocolate, pictures, and even a hand-made stunning necklace! My kids cried. My parents cried. It was a bummer. At least I know I can always come back!
Tomorrow, Dad arrives. Wellington Airport at 8am. We are going to get him home to nap and shower, get some breakfast, and then off to the pool to show him off. We will then probably walk around town and then I'll take him out to dinner for his 61st birthday! Saturday I'm taking him to a local rugby game a couple of my friends are playing in and then I'm having a friend dinner with alot of my buddies and co-workers. Sunday, we leave for Taupo (a town 5 hours north of here) to go jet-boating on Monday. Monday night we are having dinner with Jim and his wife and Tuesday is a mellow day, concluding with a Final Feed with current and former flatmates and a really close assortment of friends. Wednesday we jet set off to AUSSIEEEEE!!
Whew.....confused yet? Me too!
Oh well! At least I'll be with POPS!!'
Okay time for bed. The sooner I fall asleep the sooner I wake up and get on the bus to the airport!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Down to the wire...
So I'm officially into my last days here in NZ. The weather has been amazing and like I've said 100 times before... you CAN'T beat Wellington on a good day! Its been really warm, with that amazing blue sky, slight off shore breeze, and those big puffy white clouds. It's almost like that the city is saying "Casey! Don't GO!!" (I just hope the weather is half as good as today when Pops is here, so then at least one person will believe me about Wellington)
Work will be easy this week. It's the final week and the instructors basically just play with the kids. I also don't start till noon 3 out of the 4 days that I'm working. I know I will be a hunted woman too. Due to the fact that I'm leaving I have to watch my back because its tradition to get pushed in the pool. One of the managers got me in last week (while I was in my DRY uniform) because I chucked a water polo ball at his head. I can't help it if he catches like a girl. So I ended up wet on my "dry" day.
Friday night was my last night out on the town (I don't think Dad wants to stay out till the wee hours of the morning, dancing the night away). A bunch of my friends and co-workers came out to play and we had an amazing time at our favorite place to hang out, Hope Bros. We laughed, we danced, we acted silly. It was a great way to remember the city social scene.
That's about all for now. I'll keep you updated on the tears and goodbyes and the Hello and Airport greetings!!
Work will be easy this week. It's the final week and the instructors basically just play with the kids. I also don't start till noon 3 out of the 4 days that I'm working. I know I will be a hunted woman too. Due to the fact that I'm leaving I have to watch my back because its tradition to get pushed in the pool. One of the managers got me in last week (while I was in my DRY uniform) because I chucked a water polo ball at his head. I can't help it if he catches like a girl. So I ended up wet on my "dry" day.
Friday night was my last night out on the town (I don't think Dad wants to stay out till the wee hours of the morning, dancing the night away). A bunch of my friends and co-workers came out to play and we had an amazing time at our favorite place to hang out, Hope Bros. We laughed, we danced, we acted silly. It was a great way to remember the city social scene.
That's about all for now. I'll keep you updated on the tears and goodbyes and the Hello and Airport greetings!!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Humph.....
2 weeks to go....
Now that it is almost here, I don't want to leave. I've met so many amazing people and had so much fun. 10 months feels like 10 minutes. Don't get me wrong. I'm so excited to come home and see all the people that I have missed so much but that also means reality has to set back in. Which means a *gasp* a real JOB....like one of those things people call a CAREER.....EEK! I don't know what I want to have for dinner, let alone what I want to do with the rest of my life.
Let's see how long I can be a traveling swim instructor....I wonder if Hawaii needs swim teachers? And no, I'm not joking.
Now that it is almost here, I don't want to leave. I've met so many amazing people and had so much fun. 10 months feels like 10 minutes. Don't get me wrong. I'm so excited to come home and see all the people that I have missed so much but that also means reality has to set back in. Which means a *gasp* a real JOB....like one of those things people call a CAREER.....EEK! I don't know what I want to have for dinner, let alone what I want to do with the rest of my life.
Let's see how long I can be a traveling swim instructor....I wonder if Hawaii needs swim teachers? And no, I'm not joking.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Shake, Rattle, and Roll....
We had an earthquake this morning. Enough for me to wake up but not enough for me to care! "Just a little wobble" Tia says. I don't know what the size was but it was a decent jolt. Reminded me of HOME! Haha. Just wanted to let you know everything cool just in case I got a bombardment of emails "ARE YOU OKAY?!?!" (Not that I don't appreciate them)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
I'm a slacker...
I would write more if there is more to write about but honestly, time is going by. I'm working but its been great. They've hired a TON of new people and its been great getting to know them, swimming with them, training them. Work has mellowed out alot since we've figured out when and where and what lane we need to be in ("New pool? Old pool? Big pool? Little Pool? Just give me a puddle to teach in!!") and my parents are slowly starting to realize I'm not going to be teaching next term.
The weather has literally turned from Summer to Winter in 3.2 seconds. This morning on my 15 minute walk to work, I had to wear a beanie and a thick sweatshirt and my hands and face were bright red. Talk about BRISK!! It was bright and sunny today. Just crisp. It's suppose to rain this weekend....go figure. Second weekend in a row that its been GREAT during the week but raining on the weekend. Boo! No fun!
So in the mean time I'm just hanging out with all my friend. They get all teary eyed when I even mention my leaving. Next week we are having a Red, White, and Blue outing into town because Katie (the other American instructor) is also leaving in 2 weeks. Should be good times.
Stay Classy, States!
The weather has literally turned from Summer to Winter in 3.2 seconds. This morning on my 15 minute walk to work, I had to wear a beanie and a thick sweatshirt and my hands and face were bright red. Talk about BRISK!! It was bright and sunny today. Just crisp. It's suppose to rain this weekend....go figure. Second weekend in a row that its been GREAT during the week but raining on the weekend. Boo! No fun!
So in the mean time I'm just hanging out with all my friend. They get all teary eyed when I even mention my leaving. Next week we are having a Red, White, and Blue outing into town because Katie (the other American instructor) is also leaving in 2 weeks. Should be good times.
Stay Classy, States!
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