The day after the night before

What an amazing last day of work and full day in Sydney.

It started off well with a free coffee from the cafe I visit everyday and big hugs from the staff there. Then off to work where I had nothing to do for the first time ever! No emails, phone calls, I was actually bored. But in good form for a beautiful lunch with my team. Back at work we all close up shop for the day and after a few lovely words from my boss Helen and Ant, our GM, we were off for drinks.




Oh and I did drink. The only thing worst than flying with a hangover the next day was moving in the morning, cleaning the flat then flying. It took all my energy but I got the apartment ready and dropped off my key. Meaghan and her mum drove me to the airport. We said our final "see you laters" amid tears and big hugs. I think I might be the only person ever in tears checking into a flight to Bali. The poor women at the Jetstar counter, she kept asking if I was okay, but every time I tried to tell her how I was leaving Australia for good I just started crying again.


But something did cheer me up, as I was walking to my gate I found a penny... Australia does not have pennies. This was a CANADIAN penny! I knew then I had good luck on my side and will keep my lucky penny close.


Not before long we were boarding our plane then taking off with one last spectacular view of Sydney. Six hrs later we touched down in Denpasar (Bali). The lucky penny is already working for me as I was approached by a taxi driver at the airport to take me to Kuta (where my hotel is), now I read about the fares so I knew it should only be 45,000 rupee. He gets me in the car then tells me that the fare is now 350,000 rupee! I tell him that is ridiculous and that I could get around Bali for that, grab my bags and hightail to another taxi, that charged me 45,000. So thank you Lonely Planet!


As if that wasn't enough excitement for the evening I show up at my hotel and they tell me in broken english, no room for you. Without panicking I pull out my online booking and find out that the hotel keeper can't read English, so I asked to see his hotel log and find Morrissey on it. He then smiles big and shows me to my room as if nothing had happened.


So Kate 2 Bali 0 and I've only just arrived.

Nameste India, Konnichiwa Japan

Well yesterday was not a good day for the travel planning.

It was a risk that I would not get my Indian Visa in time. After many phone calls and internet checking, I finally went down the to the consulate again to find out if I would get my visa in the promised 10 days.

Once there I was told they would need another 5 working days at least. What’s the deal? Why so much interest in India? So I was forced to withdraw my application for my Indian Visa as they hold your passport and I need it to leave Australia on Saturday.

After a few tears and calculating the $3000 I has spent on the India leg of the trip I was going to lose, I could only think “perhaps I’m not supposed to go to India”.

Once back in the office I started calling the airlines and tour group. To my surprise I got most of my money back, all but $700. Expensive lesson in 3^rd world politics.

Now the question remained, what will I do with my extra time? What country will I visit instead? Interesting enough I posed this question to my hairdresser that night and he told me about the 2 years he lived in Japan. He described it with so much passion I couldn’t turn down the chance to see it. Plus I LOVE sushi.

So I have now booked myself from Beijing to Tokyo and Tokyo home via San Francisco.

Best part! You do not need a visa for Japan. :D

My LAST weekend in Sydney :(

How best to start any weekend than drinks with best friends in the city suburb of Surrey Hills. For those that aren't from Sydney, Surry Hills could have been transplanted straight of of London.


We gathered at the Winery to celebrate Louise's big 30th B-day before her trip with Garry to Bali. Over a few glasses of wine, we all laughed and relaxed from our hectic week. We then meander down the road to Agrave, a renowned Mexican restaurant. Garry can vouch that they have the spiciest mole in all of Sydney, maybe even in the top 5!


You know it's a good night when you lose count of the "jugs" of sangria shared.


Fortunately for me I was in good form the next morning, because off I was going Skydiving.


Denise picked me up at 10:45 for our 1.5hr journey down south to Picton for our noon dive. Well sure enough notorious Sydney traffic got us there right as the rain starter and we were grounded for a few hours. There's not a lot to do at the jump base expect drink coffee. After 3 cups of coffee I didn't need the plane I could have just swung my arms and taken off! Fortunately Denise and I are not shy and never ran out of things to talk about. By the end Denise had even started to take on my accent, although she still sounded pretty Irish to me.


OKAY! ready to go, the rain has clear and we "skydive-suited-up". I was ready for my lesson, video, exam perhaps. Not quite... I got 3 instructions that took about 14 seconds for my instructor to share. 1. cross your arms 2. when I tap you stick your arms out 3. when we land raise your legs. Got it?!


I had refused to be nervous. Deep breathing, focus on other things etc. But in the plane I started to think... WHAT THE HELL I'M I DOING!!!!!! Especially when I looked out the window and realized we were only at 2,000 feet when we were jumping at 14,000 feet!


Yellow light on, goggles on, door open.... One by one the jumpers started dropping out the door. Fortunately I was 3rd to jump, not even eough time to scream out STOP or NO!!! Before I could blink I was falling out the plane. Hurdling at 240 KM/H it felt surreal, not like I was falling but more like hurdling forward like a roller coaster. Arm's out, legs back I could have fallen forever. Then the jolt, which feels a bit like being rear-ended, the shutte was open. The next 4 mins was the most amazing 4 mins. Floating down like a leaf it wasn't scary, it was incredible.


Not before long I was raising my legs and hitting the ground with a small thud. I ran over to Denise and we jumped and hug like we had hadn't seen each other in years.


What and amazing way to celebrate the last weekend of my big adventure in Sydney!

Packing!

I couldn't have been more excited when the slip arrived in the post that the backpack (that I bought online) was here waiting for me. Like a kid on Christmas morning and ran down to the post office to pick up my parcel. My new The North Face, red (for Canada) 50 Liter backpack.

Now 50L is considered a "weekend" backpack size, so I will be challenged to fit 7 weeks of stuff in it. The reason I choose a small backpack (considering most overseas travel packs are 80+ Liters) is that I had heard many stories of people regretting the large packs. They recalled saying that not only were they heavy and hot to carry but they stood out as backpackers even more! In addition, on bus and train trips in Asia you have to store larger packs in luggage holds, smaller packs however, you may get away with holding on your lap or empty seat next to you (valuable when your whole life is in that bag). SOOOO long story short I have decided to forgo the extra shoes, multiple changes of shorts and the small chemist of makeup and hair products in light of a lighter bag. 

So whoever said women can't pack light hasn't met me!

Itinerary

Oct 30- Bali

Nov 5- Singapore

Nov 8- Kuala Lumpur

Nov 17- Koah Sok National Park Thailand

Nov 18- Koh Samui

Nov 23- Bangkok

Nov 24- Hong Kong

Nov 26- Shanghai

Nov 28- Xi'an

Nov 30- Beijing

Dec 5- Tokyo
Dec 7- Kyoto
Dec 8- Mt Fuji San

Dec 9- San Fransisco HOME!!!!!

  

Planning begins

Well only 15 days left in Australia! I can't believe it. Some days it feels like I have been here for ages. 

My first week in Sydney in 2008

But as the days count down I must start really planning my monster trip home. The countries have been choose, the flights booked and tours organized but now are the more boring, tedious aspects such as applying for visa's.


I spent yesterday morning at the Indian consulate in Sydney waiting to hear if they can process my visa in under 10 days. Despite my offers of "donations" and shameless flirting with the government worker I was told I would have to wait out the full 10 working days. Now this is worrisome as I also need to apply for my Chinese visa before I leave in.... 15 days! Well fingers, toes and hairs crossed!!!!!


Stay tuned to see if I get my visas!