Sydney, Australia

April 8, 2012 

Happy Easter! Today consisted of more packing, fun for me! After I got my suit case packed yet again we headed to the airport and took off for Sydney. This was the best plane ride yet! I had the entire middle row to myself. I spread out across the entire thing and relaxed. Why can’t all plane rides be like this. 

After we landed, we got a cab and headed to our hotel. Can you say Ghetto! It was super sketchy. We went down to the McDonalds next door, used the wifi, got some dinner and headed to bed! We were super exhausted. 

April 9, 2012 

My favorite day by far in Australia. Today we woke up and headed to the Featherdale Wildlife Refuge. It is like a zoo, but a lot of the animals are just wandering around. I was super excited because I wanted to see a kangaroo really bad and guess what! I not only got to see one but I also got to pet it and feed it. I also got to pet a wombat and a koala bear. They are all sooo cute. 

Wombat! 

After the zoo we got on the train and headed into the city. There were a few things that were on my bucket list that I wanted to do here, and guess what. I did them all. It was amazing how beautiful the Sydney harbour bridge and the opera house were. I remember seeing them in the olympics and thinking how amazing they were. Let me tell you, they are even cooler up close. We walked around, ate at a very delicious restaurant and then headed to the opera house to take a tour. 

It was so beautiful inside! I couldn’t believe it! After the tour the lady said, there is a concert tonight and I have tickets for $25 for anyone that would like them! Of course we did! So what did I do that last night (for me at least) in Australia! I went to a Tony Bennett concert in the Sydney Opera House! AHH!HH!!!

What a great end to such an unbelievable trip! 

Cairns Australia!

April 6, 2012 

Today I got to the airport super early. Unfortunately, my carry-on was over weight and they got mad and I ended up having to check one. I was super annoyed but I had an idea that I was going to have to do that. Oh well! 

When we landed in Australia we automatically felt the heat and the humidity. Very different than New Zealand. We all loaded up into a taxi and went to our hotel. It is right on the ocean! How great is that. After checking in getting situated and taking a brief power nap, we headed outside to go to the beach. Unfortunately the beach across the street is off limits! LAME! We decided to sit by the pool instead. The weather was so nice and wonderful! I loved falling asleep out there! 

Tonight we went and got dinner in town. I got this wedges with bacon and cheese over the top. They were AMAZING! Then we went and looked around at this night market. It is really neat. I realized as we were walking that because I had to check my carry-on that I would get another carry-on so of course I am going to buy some more souvenirs. Not a lot but just a few! I have to have something from Australia right! 

April 7, 2012 

Today we went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef! It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen! I loved it! I saw so many beautiful fish, coral, turtles, and a bunch of other things. It was so great! I didn’t go to far out into the ocean because my mask kept filling up with water and I would panic because there wasn’t a sandy spot to stop and get it out. 

After I swam for awhile I went and laid on the beach. It was so warm and wonderful. I really am going to miss the beach a lot! I wish there was one in Wyoming. After enjoying the sand, I walked back to the boat and had lunch. It was a really lame lunch, but that’s okay I guess. Then we got on this glass bottom boat for a tour of the Reef. While we were on it we saw a shark! That’s right a shark! One of the girls saw one when she was swimming. How scary would that be. I can’t even imagine. I would panic and definitely swim away and not go back in the water! 

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to do that. It was so amazing! This was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Tonight we went back to the night market. I bought a few souvenirs. They are cool. I am now done. I can’t buy anything else, unless I find something for my mom. We will see though. Hopefully, my carry-on works this time and I don’t get in trouble, cause if I do then I’m doomed! Doomed I tell you! 

This whole entire trip has been so surreal. I can’t even describe how lucky I am to have done all these wonderful things. I am the luckiest girl ever! 

I’m excited to see how the next few months of my life plays out. I was not given an internship, which is lame, but I am okay with it. There is just something else in store for me. Who knows, maybe it is bigger and better than teaching. Who knows what I will be doing. I am so excited for the next adventures. 

Where did this Adventurous Girl Come From!? (Jumping off the Auckland Sky Tower)

April 4, 2012 

I only have 2 days left in Auckland. How crazy is that!? I didn’t think I would ever make it that far! Steph and I decided that we were going to go into the city today and have some fun! I needed a few last minute gifts and I decided that I was going to jump off the Auckland Sky Tower! Crazy huh!? 

We rode the train in with 2 other girls, Brittany and Alishia. We walked around for awhlie and then made our way to the Sky Tower! I paid, got all suited up and then headed to the top. It was so scary! The elevator ride up seemed to take ages. I wasn’t really too nervous until they got me all hooked up at the top. Then it hit me what I was going to be doing! They got me to the edge, how I do now know, and said 3, 2, 1 let go. I didn’t let go! I have no idea how many times they counted down, but I just couldn’t let go. Finally I did! You drop for about 10 m they stop you take a picture and then you fall the rest of the way! How far do you fall you are asking, 192 m in total, or for us Americans 330 ft! That is a long way down. You are falling for roughly 11 seconds. 

When I got to the bottom the lady asked me how it was and then said, “Emily, do you want to go again for free.” I didn’t really want to but my friends decided that I was going to. So up I went again. The whole time I was thinking in my head, I’m going to go right up there and just go. Yeah, again it didn’t happen. I sat on the edge for probably about 5 minutes. I could’t convince myself to let go. I don’t know why! I just couldn’t. Finally I did. 

It was so scary, but I am so glad that I did it! What a great way to end my trip in New Zealand. Tomorrow will consist of packing, eliminating things from my suitcase, and going to visit my school one last time! 

I leave New Zealand Friday morning (Thursday in the states) and head to Cairns Australia! Another new adventure. I am excited to go to Australia, but I am also ready to be home! 

Peace out Auckland! See you soon! 

April 5, 2012

Packing, need I say more. How in the heck am I supposed to fit 3 months worth of souvenirs into a 50 lb suitcase and 2 carry ons. I don’t think it is going to happen. 

Today Steph and I went and visited our school one last time. It was fun to see the kids one last time. We also hung out with Alisha tonight! I am going to miss her so much! She has been such a great friend to us! 

Tomorrow I am off to the airport super early in the morning! Fun for me! NOT! 

Dolphins and the Giant Tree

April 2, 2012 

Today we went swimming with the dolphins. Unfortunately the weather didn’t co-operate very well. The water was really rough, but that’s okay because the dolphins were AMAZING! They were so close to our boat, I could have easily touched them, but you are not allowed to touch these dolphins. Apparently dolphins have really sensitive skin. We were told that we could go in the water but only if we had experience with a snorkel and if you were a really good swimmer. I decided not to get in the water because I would be disoriented without my glasses. I was a little bummed, but it was still so great to see them from the boat! 

After dolphins we went shopping (I don’t know how I am going to get everything home) and then we went out to dinner with Ramona and her daughter Tiare. Ramona has been so great this entire trip. I am going to miss her and her family so much. Tiare and her brother Atticus have been like a little brother and sister to me! They are so great! Dinner was fun and delicious! YUMMY!

After dinner we had a final FHE together. Ramona gave us a lesson on budgeting and then we wrote nice notes about each of other. Then we gave James Ah Mu our present to him. We bought him a message for him and has wife. I seriously can’t express in words how wonderful this man is! He is the kindest most giving man ever! I wish that one day I can be half as wonderful as him. I am going to miss him so much! 

Today is our last day in the Northland, we leave tomorrow and we find out about internships tomorrow! Yikes! 

April 3, 2012 

What a sad day as we finished our last trip as a group. I love those girls so much and I am going to miss them all a lot! We loaded up our vans and then started on our way. After a little bit into our trip James stopped at this big giant tree for us to see. He takes all of his BYU groups here! We got many pictures with him and said our final goodbyes to everyone. It was really sad! I hated it! I have grown to love everyone so much these last few months. We are all going our separate ways and all have new adventures ahead of us. Some of us are getting married, some are moving to New Zealand, some are going on missions, some are going to be teaching, and some will still be taking classes. It will be interesting to see how all our lives change in the next little bit.

When we got dropped off I ran inside to check my email, because we were finding out about internships. I had nothing. Most of the other girls had heard, and so I was getting very impatient. A few hours later I got an email telling me that they did not pick me. I was heart-broken. It was so hard considering I wanted it so bad. Oh well I guess! There is another plan in store for me! We will see what it is! I have the chance to do second round interviews later this week. I think I will go for it, but I almost feel like I won’t get one at all. I just don’t know if it is right for me at this time! Bah! Oh well! 

I do want to say one thing though, Congratulations to all of my New Zealand girls that did get an internship! You will be great teachers! Those of us that didn’t get one, it will be okay! “Your journey is unfolding exactly how it should be."