Cruising

I always wondered if cruising was for me. I can see the endless cocktails, and funny folded hand towels in my room, I can see buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I can't see me taking part in early morning yoga on the deck, or line dancing lessons. 

The BF surprised me with a 9 day cruise to New Caledonia a week after we moved back to Sydney. How am I supposed to react to a 9 day cruise after the year I'd had (in the same month as Christmas). Not overly well I found out.

I was bored, bored before we took off and bored for the next 9 days. I found out we're not the line dancing type, and we're not much for karaoke or yoga. We watched a lot of television (often the same episodes of Greatest Catch repeated) and a few shared cocktails. 

The day trips onto the islands were rushed and there was very little to. I'm not sure if it was to do with our boat in particular, or just our type of holiday style, maybe a little of both. For me it felt like an RSL club on water. And I'm not one to frequent the local club. 

Maybe I'll give it another shot another time (with a different liner) but I think it'll be a little while before that happens.

I'm Home

I'm home... Sydney. You haven't changed, you're just as gorgeous as ever. Did you miss me?

I'm crazy talking to a city (I know), but running away from home for four very long months can do that to you. I've moved into a new area, not far from where I wanted to live but meant I don't need to compromise on anything at all in the apartment. And I get to learn how to catch a bus now. That's got to be a good thing.
And it seems I've arrived back in town right at the right time, summer. This weekend the city will reach tops of 36 degrees with out west, we anticipate at least 42. But summer also means outdoor concerts, night photography, dinners and drinks in the city, night markets, all of the wonderful things that Sydney is renowned for. Let's bring it on and celebrate.

Leaving Sydney

The emotions are boiling up just under my skin. I'm exhausted and need a break, I've had enough of a 5km commute taking 40 min to drive, that a trip to visit my parents is 2 hours each way and a $25 return trip. Sydney has finally gotten to me and I'm dealing with it all in the best way I can. 

I'm running away from home.

I've never done this, I'm the responsible one. I started working at 19 and not had a break. I moved out of home and never been back. And just now it's all gotten too hard for me to handle. It's been a big year, my girlfriend Ms R, lost her mother, and it's wiped me out more than I thought it could. Work hasn't been fun either, and I realise that it used to be.

So today my notice was given, carpet replacement organised (slight issue with the hidden chihuahua) and we're moving to Forster. Yes a summer paradise in winter with hundreds of bogan cousins living next door. But no rent. Saving cash each month. If I just do it for a few months, I'll be ahead and refreshed. Well that is the plan.

I hate change, I'm a Taurus. However bring on July 1.

New York has ruined me

I survived. 19 days in total - 17 traveling with Miss JJ & Miss V. We partied, snoozed, rode bikes, ferry rides, the subway & a whole load of walking.

And I fell in love. Hopelessly and madly inlove with New York City. How can such a diverse and crazy city be so soothing for my soul. From its hot steamy subways, open greens in Central Park to the southern fried chicken waffles in Harlem.

Yes I never thought I'd say it. New York has ruined me.

I've been spoilt for all other cities in the world and that includes Santorini.

It's been months that I've been back from New York. And for those months, I've barely had a night or day that I've not had the city in my thoughts and dreams. I had a steak on the weekend, and compared it to Kingswood (www.kingswoodnyc.com/) which single-handedly , without comparison gave me the best steak of my life.

I feel that because the culture that is the US is so similar to my own home town, that I'm cheating myself .... but when a place fills your hear and soul as much as the great city of New York did, it can't be stopped. A love affair is born.

I dream of the walking the high-line, of the subways, the people, the food, the shopping, everything.

I MISS NEW YORK and I want to go back !!!!

There's nothing like Australia

There's nothing like Australia. I know that. Everyone knows that right?

Tourism Australia has created a new campaign (http://bit.ly/LiZHt9) at a cost of $250m to try and lure tourists to Australia. Unfortunately tourism to Australia will continue to decline whilst the Aussie dollar is so over-valued against other world currencies - no matter how clever and attractive are the advertising campaigns and the cost of EVERYTHING is also a serious problem, until that is addressed we are fighting a losing battle. Do we know the Chinese even want to see fluffy koalas and kangaroos?

Some of the places, actually the majority of places listed in the fabulous campaign are so hard to imagine any ordinary visitor ever setting foot in. Did you know that Cape Leveque is near Broome? Flights there range between $433 - $2184 per person each way.  El Questro is in the Kimberly region of Western Australia and it's web site references regular flights are available between Perth and Darwin. Sure, there is only 4000km between those locations. Eenie meenie miney mo - let's pick.

In my humble opinion,  we need to focus on a campaign that does two things, one is that gets overseas people thinking and BOOKING a holiday in Australia, the every day tourists, that can focus on shopping and coffee in Melbourne, Sydney sights, or the beaches of the Sunshine Coast because they are the repeat experiences, things that people do and love so much that they think of coming back because of how easy and fun it was. The second thing and a lower priority is a high end campaign taking in some of the amazing features of the current advertising. Just know that once they have visited, the likelihood of a return visit is very slim. They ticked the box, lived the high life and next they will be checking out what is new and hip in Russia or Scandinavia or wherever the next big thing will be.

Nice try Tourism Australia, but I think you're only half way there.

911 Ten Years On

It's 10 years to the day since September 11. This day defined the first decade of the new century. It's also the day the world changed forever.
I remember the day or rather the next day for us with absolute clarity, almost like the 10 years haven't passed. I was at home getting ready for work and my partner turned on the TV and from that moment time stood still. Knowing he has friends in New York city, he took off for work in an attempt to ensure their safety.
I'd not traveled much at that stage and didn't really have a concept of New York, Washington or what it could possibly mean to be in a plane, let alone one that had been taken over by terrorists.
10 Years on and the images streaming into our homes are just as poignant as they were back then, maybe even more so. I still can't believe that something to this magnitude could be executed. That almost 3000 innocent people on their way to work, in a plane, or like the fire fighters, helping fellow countrymen lost their lives. It's such a waste.
In two weeks I'm heading to New York and Washington with friends. This will be my first visit. I'll be sure to pay my respects to those men and women who lost their lives and take a moment to think about those left behind.

Solo Travelling

The Amazing Race Australia is an inspiration. It makes me want to travel, even to places I've been, and I’m sure the 100,000 entrants who applied to be on the show would think so too. But you know what is better than running from country to country, and across continents? Taking part in your own amazing race and doing it on your own. Solo.

No I’m a self confessed loner, I love being on my own and spending time in my own company, but in reality, I don’t even cross the road at work to get coffee let alone crossing a continent.

The first time I traveled on my own was my third time overseas. Third time … I knew what I was doing right? No, I’d not any responsibility with any of those trips and suddenly, here I was at Heathrow airport not knowing how to read the signage to get to the Tube. My plan in London was to couch surf for 6 weeks. Friends would entertain me when they weren’t working and any travel would be weekend trips with them. That lasted a week before I got myself a ‘student’ ID and hit the open road.

In the 6 weeks I was in Europe I went to Santorini, Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Krakow. I explored, missed flights, found romance, got mugged, and was the first person in generations to see my homeland since the war. All experiences I would not have gotten nor traded for 6 weeks of couch surfing.

The confidence you suddenly gain is character building, not being able to rely on anyone strengthens you to the core. You challenge your perceptions and there isn’t anyone to judge your decisions. You begin to see things differently and I think, more clearly.

I traveled before the day or Meetups and Twitter, and a travel network was as foreign to me as saying hello in Polish. But I’ve come to realise, they would enhance my solo traveling, but couldn’t give the gift that I’d receive from my self discovery, exploring and pushing my own boundaries in a new city.

And at home, I still don’t get coffee on my own.