Australia was a wonderful transition into international waters. I spent two and a half weeks with a close friend and her family. It was the perfect balance between being somewhere completely new and also having that sense of home. It’s amazing how quickly you can grow a community… Granted, I’ve never been very good at farewells but it seemed especially difficult to leave Sydney. The lifestyle… the people… the weather… everything was beautiful. There was a sense of belonging, of familiarity in Sydney. Perhaps it’s because there were many elements that are so similar to San Francisco.

Nicola and I were able to get ourselves into many shenanigans. Sleep was lacking but fun was plentiful. There were many late night chats and early morning coffees. I’d say I was able to balance work and play better than expected. I was also able to meet others who have traveled Europe, listen to their experiences and suggestions to help in planning my three month endeavor. I’m still in awe that I am even on this trip… that I am seeing the places I’ve drooled over on travel shows… that I am meeting amazing, inspiring people all over the world… that this is my life. The gratitude I feel is overwhelming.

I’m currently on the plane to Germany. Well, one of the three planes I’ll be on with a stopover in Singapore and a 7 hour layover in London. It’s going to be a long 30+ hours but I’m equipped with an amazing playlist, yummy Aussie snacks, a journal and some good movies. I can’t even imagine what to expect next.

Highlights from down under:
in Sydney…
-Creative fitness: hikes, playground circuits, picnic table sets, beach yoga
-70% of the way there themed tiki bar in Manly with ‘moist’ cocktails
-the ferry ride to the city, watching the sunset over the hillside houses
-wine on the beach in Manly with Nicola’s friends who adopted me for the evening
-‘Under the sea‘ house party
-feeding a giraffe at the zoo
-ladies night in with wine and cheese
-ducking huge spiderwebs and posting them to horrify Katrina
-the sounds of the birds in the trees (insanely loud and sometimes terrifying)
-the laugh of the kookaburra
-skinny dipping in the ocean pool
-kayaking the Narrabean river
-Open Air Cinema at the beach in Bondi
-cliff walk in Bondi
-salsa dancing
-hidden alley way bars with awesome themes
-karaoke until 5a-learning the proper way to order a whiskey and ginger without getting served scotch (a bourbon and dry, please!)
-Maker’s Mark as the well whiskey and $8.50 Pacificos… really??
-a proper send off of beer steins on the ocean in Manly
in Melbourne…
-eating Aussie junk food while watching ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert‘
-the most elaborate tiki bar, minesweeping pina coladas and dancing to 50’s cruising beach music… far out
-dancing to Beyonce on the streets at 3am
–Galentine’s day with Nicola: walking around the side streets, eating teeny cupcakes, fireworks over the river
-drinking a VB and watching cricket for the first time
-failing at an attempt to both throw a cricket ball and learn the rules of the game (I call it baseball’s eccentric aunt)
-deliciously intricate milkshakes at a total dive pool hall

AIRPORTS: 11
FLIGHTS: 11
STATES: 7
COUNTRIES: 2
CONTINENTS: 3
DAYS TRAVELING: 71