Thursday, February 14, 2008

It`s time to embrace 24!

I`ve been 24 for an entire week now and it is time to take action. I am determined to make my 24th year a fantastic year for myself. I want to continue to explore and discover the world before me, expand my knowledge of the outside world, and accomplish various personal goals. I am determined that there is no day better than today to begin working toward making my 24th year an exceptional one. This being said, the time has come for me to concentrate on the following:

- Make lifestyle changes to my diet. Limit carbohydrates, sugars, processed items, chocolate, potato chips, and all of that other "junk" that plagues me!
- Become more active outdoors: incorporate exercise into my daily routines (4-5 days/week)
- Visit at least 5 new countries this year.
- Obtain volunteer work in Sydney.
- Raise the money for a volunteer stint in South America.
- Obtain part-time employment in Sydney to maximize savings.
- Gossip less and try to find the good in everybody.
- Drink less (limit it to twice/month--- in small quantities).
- Be more patient and understanding/accepting of others.

Australia`s Greatest Asset!

I`ve been away from home for a few months now and so I`m not sure whether or not this KitKat find has hit Canadian shelves as of yet, but let me tell you----- it is absolutely fantastic! If you think cookie dough ice cream is a real treat, one bite of a KitKat Cookie Dough and you`ll think you`ve hit the jackpot! Just think about it----- actual creamy cookie dough crammed in between layers of KitKat wafers and chocolate! Bon Appetit!

Chocolate bars not appearing on Australian shelves:

- Reese peanut butter cups (what are they thinking?)
- Oh Henry
- Mr. Big
- Pretty much any peanut butter chocolate bars (with the exception of Snickers)

Australian chocolate substitutes:

- Tim Tams (Australian chocolate cookies prevalent throughout Australia)
- Twirl (not so good)
- Nutella (Sure we eat it at home, but these people consume it in massive quantities. While I would say that it is a fairly new phenomenon back home, it is apparently generations old here in Australia)

Thursday, February 7, 2008

A day in my running shoes!


So I`ve started a new workout rountine that involves walking the "Coastal Trail" from Coogee Beach all the way to Bondi Beach. Thus far, I`ve only walked it a few times each week, but with my new tummy tattoo in mind, I`m going to force myself to complete it more often! The walk between Coogee and Bondi takes a little over one hour each way--- and it is absolutely phenomenal! The trail winds along the coast, thereby passing along several breath- taking beaches. Each time I set out on the trail, I find myself thinking to myself "Is this for real?" To think that so much beauty lies just outside my front door... Bronte Beach...


A lot of the beaches have swimming pools built on top of the ocean!

Australian lawn bowling... a very popular sport!

And finally: Surfside Coogee--- my home away from home!


February Update from OZ

I wish I could say that I`ve just been too busy with work or too caught up in the sunny Sydney summer weather to update my blog, but the truth is---- I still have not gotten off my rear end to seek volunteer or part- time work---- and the weather in Sydney has been a real nightmare!
I`m really satisfied with myself for having so easily secured a full- time job directly on the beach that offers various perks such as free accommodation, etc, but I really need to motivate myself this week to get out there and find both part- time employment (to maximize my savings) and volunteer work (to build up that resume!). Living on the beach and surrounded by vacationers, it`s been hard for me to get out of that "I`m on vacation" frame of mind.

I remember reading somewhere that Sydney boasts 300 sunny days per year. I`d like to know where they pulled that figure from because I`ve been in Syndey about 30 days now and have definitely witnessed about 15 rainy ones. Monday`s headline read "Sydney to get a month`s worth of rain in 4 days!"
Anyways, I`m just chilling here in Dulwich Hill at Shaina`s apartment. I can`t even begin to describe to you how much of a relief it can be to get out of Coogee for even a few hours. Living at my work, and surrounded by the same people and stores day after day--- I sometimes start to get antsy and feel as though I need to break out of the bubble. I`m quite happy to spend my birthday stuffing my face, catching up on facebook, watching tv (a real luxury), and doing my laundry in an actual apartment (which coming from a 20- girl dorm is heaven on earth!).

Mind you- my living arrangements in Coogee are not that bad at all. I am really enjoying the hostel life. Despite the fact that there isn`t much privacy, the television has been broken for over a month now, and it can be rowdy at times, there`s always someone around to talk to, always someone looking for someone to go out with, and always someone there to lend you something you just cannot for the life of you find in the chaos factor that is your backpack.

I`ve officially been living in the dorm for 4 weeks now (as of today) and everyday is a new adventure! There are several girls in the dorm who`ve been there as long as I have, and several others who intend to be there for the next while. For the most part- we are like one big happy family. Of course there are times when we`d like to scratch out each other`s eyeballs or attack the girl whose been in the bathroom for the last hour, but for the most part, we gather around and chit chat, listen to music, sip wine, and update one another of the current events in our lives. Here are a few pics from the dorm...