Australia Day 4-- New Year's Eve in Sydney!

Woke up around 10 am and showered quick before joining sean and his friend Gretchen for a coffee and a stay at the beach. We first had breakfast at his garden consisting of Greek yogurt and fresh berries.

After breakfast we went to rock dale beach where we could see the airplanes taking off from Sydney airport. Today, I applied SPF 50 after frying the tops of my calves and the areas touching my bikini. Ouch. We laid on the beach for a good four or five hours. It was very relaxing. Not a surfer beach like bondi and it was also in the area known as little Lebanon. People were setting up their blankets to watch the 9pm fireworks display while we were there too.

At about 5 we decided to head back to Sean's and shower and get ready for our New Year's Eve night out. We decided to catch the 9pm fireworks display at rock dale and then head up to observatory hill to watch the midnight Sydney fireworks. But first a drink from a townie bar complete with live karaoke. (I still have not eaten since my yogurt this am. Dying of hunger.....)

Had a coopers ale then we drive right up to the rock dale beach which we arrived at 858 and parked illegally. This firework display lasted a good half hour. Then hopped back in the car to drive into Sydney fr the fireworks. Stopped at darling harbor and picked up sushi pizza and a water for the display.

Made it up to observatory hill and a car had pulled out right as we arrived. We got prime street parking. This was the beginning of our lucky night. The queue into observatory hill was about 30 people long as it had reched it's capacity. So we headed down closer to the bridge only to be barricaded off. Luckily, sean knew the ranger (police officer) that was blocking off this section and she let us through. How lucky!!! The people in this section had been waiting for hours. And it's 1105pm and we slip right in. Next is the battle to find a spot to sit where we can see the bridge and the opera house. Fear not, we meandered our way all the way down the hill to the front side of the bridge and we could clearly see both the bridge and opera house. Found a spot in the grass Inbetween some other parties and had a seat and waited the thirty minutes for show time.

Happy new year

Skipped a barricade and weaves our way through thousands of people to watch the fireworks underneath the harbor bridge! Happy new year from Sydney Australia

Australia Day 3-- Bondi beach

Woke up around 10 am (after forcing myself back to bed at 6am and again at 8am) then packed up my beach bag (consisting of my blue messenger bag 2 luna bars, a pair of flip flops, my lay-upon and a liter of water) and caught the train to bondi junction where I caught a bus which delivered me right to bondi beach. Dave gurda you were right, absolutely gorgeous. White sand beach with a crazy rip tide and undertow.


But first, breakfast. I wandered up a random side street and found a cafe still serving eggs. Ordered a ham and cheese omelet and a chai tea. It was pretty good. Then I got a passion fruit frappe to go and sipped that while I walked to the beach.


Set up shop not too close to the water (let's be honest, I don't actually swim) and tanned in my Brazilian bikini for about four hours. Apparently bondi is a topless beach. Did not partake. About 3, Natalie- the chick that say next to me on the flight from lax-- and her friends showed up and we chatted. About 6 they left and I started te 3 mile hike to coogee beach. Alas, I was tired dehydrated and slightly sunburned so I turned around after a mile. Waited for a bus for about thirty minutes after picking up the Ozzie Gatorade and peanut m&ms. Then I decided to take the bus all the way to circular quay.

Upon arriving to circular quay I dipped into the Starbucks because my phone died. Used their plug for about an hour then headed up to harbor bridge to get a view of the city at night. Gorgeous. It was about 915 when I finished and decided I should probably head back to Sean's house as it takes a good thirty minutes. But first, I had to pick up a cheeseburger happy meal to see if the mcdonalds here tastes like the mcdonalds back home. Wait, I hate McDonald's. Oh well. It was the only spot open!


Not sure what our plans are for near years.

Australia Day two-- Sydney sights

Woke up at 5, darn jet lag. Didn't get out of bed until 10. Figured I was going to do the rocks Sydney opera house,botanical gardens and the harbor bridge. Planned to meet up with a couch surfer for a drink at night too. Sean was still sleeping so I showered and googled how to get to the train station and into the city. About a quarter mile hike to the train station and a twenty minute ride into the city.

Grabbed a Starbucks chai tea latte (ordered iced skim and seven pumps which they looked at me awkwardly) then walked along circular quay to the market in the rocks. Nothing too impressive from the street vendors (and everything is super pricey as it is tourist central) but made it to the bridge and I was getting hungry. Felt like breakfast so I kept walking in some direction (as long as I could see the bridge, or water I knew kinda where I was) but no luck. Then walked under the bridge and along the harbor and back Into the rocks where I found a place with chicken quiche plus a beer for 15$. Decent price in the city for lunch. It was decent. And the building was a renovated hospital. Each room sat maybe one or two parties.

Then I decided to head to the opera house and gardens. Gotta get that classic pic with the opera house in the back. The gardens were nice too. Reminded me of Central Park. Then I had two hours before I had to be back to meet a new Couchsurfer. Decided to hike up to the bridge.

On the way back through circular quay I saw my host sean doing his street performance. So I stopped and watched. Then for atop the first part of the bridge and found Cahill walk. Which brought me right to the botanical gardens. Perfect. Yet I was starving and still had about a mile walk to meet up with sam the Couchsurfer. Luckily I packed a granola bar, so I found sam and his Couchsurfer from the Netherlands on Macquarie point to watch the sunset. Absolutely beautiful.

After the colors if the sunset disappeared we stopped by the opera house and found out way to the three wise monkey pub where we swapped stories over nachos before I caught my train back to banksia. Made it home by eleven and easily fell asleep. Complete with sunburn around my neck. 

Then I decided to head to the opera house and gardens. Gotta get that classic pic with the opera house in the back. The gardens were nice too. Reminded me of Central Park. Then I had two hours before I had to be back to meet a new Couchsurfer. Decided to hike up to the bridge.

On the way back through circular quay I saw my host sean doing his street performance. So I stopped and watched. Then for atop the first part of the bridge and found Cahill walk. Which brought me right to the botanical gardens. Perfect. Yet I was starving and still had about a mile walk to meet up with sam the Couchsurfer. Luckily I packed a granola bar, so I found sam and his Couchsurfer from the Netherlands on Macquarie point to watch the sunset. Absolutely beautiful.

After the colors if the sunset disappeared we stopped by the opera house and found out way to the three wise monkey pub where we swapped stories over nachos before I caught my train back to banksia. Made it home by eleven and easily fell asleep. Complete with sunburn around my neck. 

Australia Day 1--arrival to Sydney

Got back to Sean's house and showered and put on a summer dress (it's 85 degrees here) then he made me a Greek yogurt plus blueberry blackberry and mangos, which I ate while he was getting ready for work. He has three little dogs and a cat. We then headed into the city which is about a 20 minute car ride so he could work. 

He is a street performer and does bicycle tricks. Street performer is quite popular here. His friends all do very different acts (I'm learning) one contorts herself init a 16x16 inch box. Another does unicycle tricks. A third plays with whips on fire and contorts himself thru a tennis racket on fire. Very interesting gig. Hung out under the fig tree of circular quay which turned out to be too hot to perform. Then moved to the wharf where it was too loud with the aborigine playing music. Ate a cashew salad and drank a coffee (white flat it's called meaning it has milk but not foamy milk). 

Then we decided to go to a beach by his house. Laid on some giant rocks and soaked up the hot ozone free rays before heading back into the city so he could perform at darling jar out after the 9pm fireworks. 

The jet lag was catching up with me by this time and I took a nap in his car in the car park before his show started at 930. The fireworks were brilliant. Apparently they spent 100k on this batch and the ones from the opera house on nye will be 5.2 million dollars worth. 

After his show I was fading fast. Crawled into bed and passed out. Not sure what tomorrow will bring. But atleast I'm out of the freezing cold Minnesota winter :-)

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Made it to Sydney!

The fourteen hour flight wasn't horrible. I cozied up to the window and passed out :-) the chick siting next to me is in the same flight back but only touring cairns Sydney Melbourne and Brisbane. We are gonna meet up in the airport on the 12 th to discuss our trips!

Made it through customs no problem, and sean my host and his puppy picked me up! Now time to shower and head into Sydney city so he can work and I can check out the town!!

It's 9am Saturday morning. Well see how long I can last before I pass out. Sean is getting me coffee right now.

Good bye USA

Got to the airport with plenty of time. Went thru neighbor nicks checkpoint but he was busy. Then texted Israel, a regular from northbound that I know who works at one of the restaurants in terminal one. And by-golly he was working and his restaurant was the gate next to mine. Ordered a juicy Lucy (don't worry, I didn't eat the bun).

Mostly packed!

Got everything to fit into my backpack. But there is no room for anything else, so I decided to busy out my pink puma bag and create a little more room in the pack.

Running to fedex to get my itinerary bound and a few more miscellaneous things. Flight leaves for LA at 530 pm.

Oh, and that's all I'm packing. Sarah in Perth day 8 said I can do laundry.

2 Days until Australia.

2 Days until I depart for Australia. 

I lose 12/27 this year as I cross the International Date Line

I am gone for 18 days, couchsurfing the ENTIRE time, here's my Itinerary:

Sydney: 12/28-1/1 (Sean)

Melbourne: 1/1-1/3 (Ben)

Adelaide: 1/3-1/4 (Tony)

Perth: 1/4-1/6 (Sarah)

Alice Springs: 1/6-1/8 (Jason)

Cairnes: 1/8-1/10 (Jack)

Surfer's Paradise: 1/10-1/11 (Tiago)

Sydney: 1/11-1/12 (Sarah)

I get back on 1/12 at 7pm!

Nicaragua Day 4-- Volcano Boarding in Leon

Slept in until 9 am. then John Paulo had egg ranchos ready for us. Ate, showered, and headed into town to get some souvenior shopping completed. Found a really cute dress and bags for the roommates.  Then we headed to the hammock shop to get the hammock for 250 cordobas-- which is about 12 dollars. Its pretty sweet. We then headed back and got our bags ready for the volcano boarding and dropped off the souveniors. We wanted pizza and so we sat down at hollywood pizza, at 110 and it would be 25 minutes for the pizza, so we went to burger king instead. got a whopper junior and fries. mmmm. then we headed to bigfoot where we were 10 minutes early this time, boarded the truck and was able to SIT down, instead of standing in the middle. paid 25 cordobas for a beer for the road and set out on the hour drive through the boonies on the bumpy gravel road complete with twigs that would smack you becuase the truck was wider than the road. Met a girl from sweden and a dude from vancouver. Before long, we arrive to the volcano national park where we paid our 5US$ entry fee and used the bathrooms before hoping back on the truck for the 5 minute ride up the mountain. We got off the truck and gathered our orange bags, our sleds and goggles. then we started the 45 minute hike up the mountain. There was an older couple (fifties) that brought in the rear. We stopped twice after 10 minutes of hiking, before the steepest incline climb that took about 15 minutes, then it plateaued again. Got a group picture overlooking the distant volcanos and the distant sea (pacific ocean). Then we suited up in our bright orange jumpsuits. Why-- because they are to prevent road rash if you wreck your sled down the mountain. 

Then Ross (our tour guide from detroit) gave us the DL on sledding. 1. sit back on your sled. 2. feet stay off the sled. 3. if you want to turn to the left tap your left foot twice. 4. if you want to turn to the right tap your right foot twice. 4. if you wreck-- Let go of the sled, and cover your face. Luis-Alberto and I were the fourth and fifth person to go. The first person wrecked. and the second person wrecked. Luis Alberto did not wreck. I went and it was quite intense.... if you lean forward you go slow, if you lean back you go fast. my sled kept trying to turn and i did not want to wreck. made it to the bottom without wrecking. 

A couple people after me, wrecked just beyond the 'bunny hill' portion of the hill where the inclinde drops to 45 degrees. fell off the sled and tumbled about thirty feet down the mountain and his sled came to a stop in the path. just beyond where everyone up top could see. first person after him made it without wrecking. going directly OVER the sled. next person, was the vancouver dude totally wrecked at his sled. tumbled. tried to go up the mountain to get the sled, went ten steps and decided it was too hard to climb up the hill and turned around and went back down the mountain. Finally the dude that tumbled made it to his sled and made it down the rest of the mountain. Everyone else made it down with little concern and Ross our tour guide ran down the mountain. Then we all enjoyed a beer before heading back the hour and a half back to town. Made it back with only a few swaps of the twigs along side the road for our two free mojitos. Cory-- a dude from colorado, Daniel and Jeffrey were a couple dudes from canada and Braeden a dude from vancouver all showered and had a couple mojitos and beer with us before Luis-Alberto and I lead the way to a nearby italian place. We meandered through the restaurant to the outdoor patio where we ordered 5 pizzas (for ten of us) and 3 rounds of flor de cana cokes and soda water. We cheersed and had a great time. Then we went to another place where they had karokee and we ordered two more rounds before Luis alberto and I called it a night. Went home, it was 2am. had to be up at 7am to catch the bus back to managua so i could fly out at 115pm

Nicaragua day 3-- Leon beach

Woke up at 7 to john Paulo's cooking of pintos gallos (rice and beans) scrambled eggs and fresh squeezed orange juice. We then got dressed for the beach. John paulo drove us the 20 minutes to the beach. We sat at playa rota. Rock beach bar on the second floor and had 3 rounds. Then we walked out to the rock in the water for some photo opps before going down shore a little bit to another beach front property for fish shticks and cocktail shrimp. Delish! Then it was 1130 and we needed to be back in town at 2 for our volcano trip. But john paulo wanted to show us one more place that serves the best seafood consumay. Its like soup with a bunch of seafood chunks in it. Like a lobster, shrimp, veggies, and other sea creatures. It was good. 2 more rounds. Then it was 145. We headed out and called gabby to call bigfoot to let them know we were running late and they made a big stink and refused to wait. We continued back to attempt a refund as we were planning on returning to managua tonight and going to the lagoon tomorrow. No luck. So, we changed our volcano boarding to thursday and decided to hit up the town. Went and did a little shopping, found a green and white hammock I liked for 11$ tried to haggle to 8 but its hard when you don't speak the language. Then we ordered flor de cana the nicaraguan slow aged rum. The youngest is 4 years, oldest is 25. We got the 7 year aged rum. In a 375 ml bottle plus bottle of coke club soda and limes. 1 part rum, 1 part club soda, 2 parts coca cola 1 lime. 3 more of those and we went back to gabby's house for dinner made by john paulo. Then we went dancing with lauren, an american girl staying at the house from the peace core until 2014. However, we got to the dance hall, and the bouncers wanted 80 cordoba at the door (thats like 3.50$). So the girls who are tight on cash didn't want to go. So we went to a nearby bar that had an open terrace. We set up a table and ordered a round of flor de cana. Then Luis-Alberto ordered some food, that ended up being appetizer samplers. Then the german's girl (who is a Chilla -- pronounced chila like the end of a chinchila) is a foreign girl in nicaragua. A chilero is a local who only dates foreign girls) german girls boyfriend came as did one of John Paulo's friends joined. it started to rain, and then it started to pour so we moved underneath the awning. then we moved back because it was too hot with too little airflow. Then the german girl and the chilero left and we went to a karokee bar. The signing was absolutely horrible. at about 2am we decided to call it a night. and John Paulo drove us back to the house and we passed out.

Nicaragua day 2

I woke up on the couch in a sweat. Its hot and humid here. Atleast I had my sleep sheet to sleep on top of. About 9am Luis Alberto came down stairs confused as to why he was in the bed and I was on the couch (after being punched twice I decided I should hust go downstairs instead of dealing with a very tired person). His brother woke up and his mama came to the house. Luis Alberto made breakfast (fried tortilla chunks and scrambled egges) and we enjoyed it over a mimosa. They then moved some furniture and 3 hours later we were back to Luis Albertos house for a shower, a nap, and bus to leon. I napped for about 2 hours after my shower. I was starting to get hungry again. It took us 4 hours to be ready to leave. But we got ready and stopped at mcdonalds. They had a 3$ meal special on a quarter pounder with cheese, fries and a drink. Luis-Alberto got 3 sandwiches and an ice cream. Then his mom dropped us off at the bus station where we got a bus to Leon. It again was a 15 passenger van which was already full, so I had to ride in front and luisAlberto rode in the back. The van had AC and was freezing cold. I busted out my brazil wrap and slept. The van was 60 cordoba (2.25$) for the hour and a half ride. We got to Leon and hopped a cab to Bigfoot hostel. Where we signed up for a volcano boarding tour. You basically sled down the side of a volcano. We then walked the 3 blocks to get to Gabby's house. Her mom and luis-alberto's mom went to college together. Their family has extra bedrooms where they host students. 80$ a month gives them a 6x6 room with a shower. And I think they get breakfast daily from the maid. Gabby got married last year to a rancher 2 hours north and is 36 weeks pregnant. After we settled in and chatted with her parents for an hour, gabby took us to barbaro, a bar down the block to get food. An hour and 15 minutes later, our food was ready. I ordered a burrito, luiis alberto ordered a schneitzel and gabby ordered a pizza. Rumor has it restaurants don't stock the food they need to prepare meals and simply once the order is in, the chef hops on a bike and drives off to go get the food.

Gabbys brother and friend met us for a beer at the restaurant where we talked John Pauol into bringing us to the beach in the AM before our volcano tour. We then retired early.
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Nicaragua day 2. Travel to Leon

I woke up on the couch in a sweat. Its hot and humid here. Atleast I had my sleep sheet to sleep on top of. About 9am Luis Alberto came down stairs confused as to why he was in the bed and I was on the couch (after being punched twice I decided I should hust go downstairs instead of dealing with a very tired person). His brother woke up and his mama came to the house. Luis Alberto made breakfast (fried tortilla chunks and scrambled egges) and we enjoyed it over a mimosa. They then moved some furniture and 3 hours later we were back to Luis Albertos house for a shower, a nap, and bus to leon. I napped for about 2 hours after my shower. I was starting to get hungry again. It took us 4 hours to be ready to leave.
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Nicaragua Day 1

Woke up at 640am to shower (with no hot water and very little water pressure) threw on a sundress and met Luis Alberto in the kitchen where he made me scrambled eggs and toast. His mother got ready and we packed day packs to go to the lagoon. His mama brought us to the bus station. You get in the back of a 15 passenger van they stuff with 23 people, no air conditioning and they drive off. Stopping all along the way to pick up people and let people off. We were going to the last stop Marasaya. Where we were going to catch a "chicken bus" a school bus overflowing with people to the lagoon. We were late. The 30 minute bus took about 50 minutes and we missed the bus to the lagoon.

Quick thinking luis alberto and I decided on Granada. A "gringa" town (full of foreign tourists). This bus was another 50 minutes. When people wanted to get on or off the bus slowed and you jumped. Good thing we were going to the end of the line. Arrived and climbed up atop the bell tower in one of the three cathedrals. Saw the view of the town complete with volcano background. Then we went to Kathy's waffle house for american omelets and homestyle fries. Amazing. And like 4$. We then did a walking tour of granada. Stopped at an irish pub for some cereveza. Then worked our way down to the water front where we were picked up by guys in a horse drawn carriage for a 1 hour tour of the town (for 8$). Saw all there was to see.

Went back to the irish pub for maracua (rum plus FRESH squeezed guava juice. 2x3.50$. We had 3 rounds of those, but shortly into the second round it started pouring. We seeked coverage inside, ordered tostilla chips with cheese salsa and beans while watching american football bowl game. About 430 we started the hike to the bus station where we hopped a mini coach bus (of course overstuffed with people) where I feel asleep on the 45 minute ride back to managua where Luis-albertos mom was waiting for us.

She had some business to take care of (signing lease agreement for a new tenant) so we waitied in the house while they checked to make sure everything was okay. We then stopped at the supermercado for cranberry juice, redbulls, and sprite before heading back to luis albertos house for a quick nap before heading to his brothers to welcome in the new year.

We napped for about an hour, then made pizza and Luis-Albertos mom brought us to his brothers house. There were many people here and appetizers. We arrive about 1120pm. Rang in the new year with noisemakers and sparkly hats. Then we started dancing and having a good time. People started leaving around 3am and I finally laid down on the couch here at 345am.
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Arrival to nicaragua

The flight to nicaragua was completely full with shorter leg space than normal. The seats were also a little tighter. In true for I got the window seat and had an 52 year old nicaraguan dude in the middle seat. Luckily he was skinny. We swapped travel stories although I would have preferred sleeping. He informed me of places I needed to visit and even offered me a ride incase Luis Alberto didn't show up.

Landed 3 hours later. And the humidity had already set in. I was literally the last passenger off the plane. Border patrol wasn't too horrible, I got stamped then I made up some lost time through customs as I only carried on my bags, didn't need to wait for my bags to drop. Xavier (52 yo dude from plane) informed me of the terminal and how to find Luis alberto. Made it out and into the hall to find him as the first person through the doors. He noticed the crew and thought something happened to me. His mama was waiting in the car right outside the airport to bring me to their house. About 30 minutes from the airport we got to his house, he showed me to my room (his room he's giving up to me while I'm here) and we had a cheers of local beer before passing out at 1am.
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