Abby and Jason: Australia ‘07

Been WAAAAAAAAY too busy to make an update but Abby and I are still alive. There should be a long one from Abby sometime soon

First of all, this city is gorgeous! I woke up this morning and the sun was shining, the weather was warm [not like the desert, ironic, I know!] and there’s a beach down the street from the hotel! Other than being so unbelievably sick, you can’t go wrong!

Read Jason’s note below mine for the rest of the update on the Outback, but know this…when Jason talks about early nights/early mornings, that’s so not me. I’ve been living it up, to say the very least, and I know that explains why I’m sick. So I took advantage of last night to sleep for 12 hours straight and I’m feeling much better [I got my hearing back and that’s a start! No joke, I couldn’t hear yesterday…my ears popped on the Alice-Cairns flight and I didn’t get to hear anything again till this morning!]

We didn’t get to climb Uluru cuz of weather, but climbing King’s Canyon made up for it completely! Seriously, it was up there with the best things I’ve EVER done! Met a lot of really great, cool people on the last tour and looking forward to the same on our east coast jaunt…just hoping to feel a lot better very soon!

I got to hold a thorny devil in central Australia - it was creepy and felt really, well, thorny!

Miss you all, what’s up back home?

In May apparently! Sorry for not updating this at all but we’ve been running all around central australia for the past few days and now we’re over on the coast in Cairns. This city has a damn cool vibe to it. Just to recap the past couple of days.

Monday and Tuesday were our 2 days at Yulara/Uluru. Monday was of course also my birthday which was pretty laid back since we were on a bus for 4 hours PLUS we had to get up for like 6am the next day so most people were in bed early. I managed to sneak in a quick swim (as well with a few others) after we arrived. Tuesday was the big day…Uluru…we were there for sunrise and a quick bite to eat, then after that we headed over to the rock to climb it. One problem….CLOSED due to bad weather. So instead we all walked the 9.4km around it, needless to was not what we all wanted to do and we were all grumpy hahaha. Sunset was fun though, a champaign sunset infact, even though I don’t drink it was still a grand old time and I guess you could say…a few full moons were out for the other busses. *wink wink nudge nudge*

Wednesday and Thursday was pretty much spent at Kings Canyon and Kings Creek Station. The canyon was amazing, it was a 2 hour hike around the thing but WELL worth it, pretty much made up for the fact we couldn’t climb Uluru the day before. Wednesday we also camped out in swags underneath the stars, that was neat as well. Thursday morning was yet another bright and early day as we went ATVing around the station which again…damn cool.
Today we has to get up at 4:45a to get ready for a hot air balloon ride. At first the weather didn’t look like it was going to co-operate with ideal flying conditions but it finally did (although must of us would have been happy with just going back to bed). But when we got up, it was awesome, the views were awesome (plus we saw some wild kangaroos which is always a plus). With the ride we got some breakfast which is always a plus. After that it was back to pack up, say goodbye to the first tour and then sat in reception for a good 2 hours sleeping. It was pretty awesome hahaha…the flight to Cairns was a short one (only about 2 hours). The weather here is AWESOME…unlike the desert which has been cold, windy, and rainy the past few days (unlike our first 2 days where it was hot)

Anyways I must be off, I’m sure Abby will have something to say soon enough! hahaha

 - Jason 

I know, I’m cheesy!

Arrived yesterday after 23 hours of flying, plus time between flights and the drive down from Ottawa [which was a fantastic trip with Ward!] But the overseas flight from L.A. to Sydney was possibly the best flight I’ve ever had, lots of entertaining things to do on the plane, including video games! Not too shabby. Plus, on the flight from Sydney to Alice Springs, Jason and I sat next to a local who gave us tons of advice!

Got in yesterday and got to the hotel, met a ton of people on tour with us, partied with them at this Alice Springs bar that clearly caters to the tourists [it reminded me of the bars with the beer girls in Cancun], but was dead! Had the dance floor to ourselves, really.

Today we toured around Alice Springs, including going to an Aboriginal nature reserve and saw kangaroos and really creepy birds, from emus to one that looked like a hairy chicken! Place also had all sorts of animals special to the Outback, and lots of snakes!

We went from there to Simpson’s Gap [highlight of my day, to be honest!] It’s a bunch of rock formations that open at one point [the gap]. Not a lot of great pics cuz the sky was overcast, but we’ll be back there near the end of the week!

Also saw the Overlanders’ Telegraph Station, the headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and ANZAC Hill! Tomorrow, we head to Uluru, which CAN still be climbed, weather permitting. As it’s been a little rainy since we arrived [in the desert!] I’m just hoping the weather will be good tomorrow!

So far so good! This place is awesome!

So, it’s just three days to go until I get on the plane for Australia. Three days to go until I leave Ottawa behind for good.

I’ll miss, terribly, the friends I’ve made at school and at work, and all of them [hopefully!] know that they are the sole reason I have shreds of doubt about picking up everything and leaving. And I won’t lie, as I sit here packing up everything I own, deciding what I don’t need and throwing it out [which is hard for me, really], I realized just how much I truly hate to pack.

If I could do it without missing my flight to Australia, without missing out on sending my stuff to Vancouver, I wouldn’t pack. Ever. Celebrities have people they pay to do this stuff. I think that’s sad, but if I had the money and the ego, oh believe me, I would do it.

Tomorrow, my stuff will be on the way to Vancouver, without me. Tomorrow, I’m out of my house, where I’ve “lived” for the past year…if spending 90 per cent of my time somewhere else [work, friends…] truly contitutes “living” here.

I truly and sincerely hate Ottawa and know for a fact that almost any other city would be better - more culture, less conservative ego, less Senators And better weather. Damn, it was windy today.

While I love wind for it’s environmental aspect, the “free” feeling of the wind in my hair, yadda yadda yadda, makes me mad. I hate nothing more than a hot hot day being ruined by a massive gust of wind. And Ottawa’s bad for that.

And now that I’ve rambled on, I just want to say to all of you in Ottawa, I’ll miss you like crazy. For a city that really and truly sucks, I sure found an awesome gaggle of people to be friends with! Keep in touch, I know I will! Stay tuned for updates and pictures, and I’ll be back to visit as soon as I can! If you’re ever in Vancouver, don’t forget to say hello!

~ Abby

Booked my shuttle ride today it’s all slowly sinking in. 16 days away, just a little over two weeks! I honestly can’t wait, I really am not excited as I should be though. Soon enough…soon enough hahaha.

Our documentation was sent this week, now I’m just waiting for it to arrive! I think when it comes, it may finally hit “Holy crap, I’m going to Australia”.

16 days…16 days….

Okay seriously, this could come a little bit faster…

So, now it’s 44 days away. Not really much else to say. I’m starting to get really excited! I’m going to confirm my holiday time with work sometime in the next few weeks (I do have the month booked off, now I just need to confirm which days will be paid and which will be not. But it’s all good!

I’m watching the amazing race 3 right now and I’ve decided I really don’t like any of the final three. I know who wins and all, but I am some how wishing they all lose.

 I’m still debating if I should bring my Ipod or not. I’m at about 80% sure I am, but I’m still warry. Still 44 days to make up my mind….

….less then 2 months actually. Abby and I are 59 (well almost 58) days away from leaving. Slowest. 2 months. EVER.

…maybe we’re NOT quite paid off yet. But it will be all good (I have to say that or Abby will freak out hahaha)

I honestly cannot wait til May, good news is, this month has been FLYING by so hopefully it is going to be May sooner rather then later. Something else that we haven’t really mentioned yet is when we are down in Australia…it will be the birthday of a great great man…yours truely. hahaha Concidering I’ve never been on a trip like this before in my life…I cannot WAIT to celebrate my birthday in a whole different country.

If you’ve ever been to Sydney, I’d like to ask you a favour…leave a comment here. We’re actually going to be in the city for 8 days and we need stuff to do. So give us some ideas that are maybe off the beaten path a little. Not as common places that you read about in travel books. Hope to hear from someone! hahaha

- Jason