This is the life, and who'd argue?

Hi everyone!

So I know it's been for ever since I've updated my blog... I was gonna do this in Brisbane, and found out the office was closed for 2 weeks over the holidays. And coz it's just so expensive to go on the computer elsewhere (oh and because I've been really busy with travelling ;) I haven't come to it before now. Sorry! :)
So right now I'm back in Sydney, for a 2 day stopover before I catch a flight out to Melbourne. I'm staying at a really nice hostel, with a friend whom I met on the Fraser Island tour, he told me this was a good place to stay and since it is a rainy day today and there is free use of computers here I thought this would be the perfect time to update my weblog :D

So after I left Magnetic Island, and said goodbye to all the nice people working there (and all the cute horses) I headed of to Airlie Beach, with Anouk from the NL. It was really nice out there, a small town with just the good balance between partying and relaxing, which was good. We spent our Christmas there, and headed of for a tour around the Whitsunday Islands on boxing day: that was amazing! Sailed on one of the tallships, with 21 other people and had my first snorkling experience there, and saw some sea turtles: loved it! After that, Hervey bay was next and we got an overnight Greyhound bus (13 hours) to arrive there in the morning. We then went of for a two day, one night Fraser Island trip which was totally awesome! Met the most amazing people there, and drove over the island in a 4x4 bus, which was totally hilarious! Really enjoyd myself there, and was a bit sad when it was over, but found out a few people we met on that tour were heading the same way we were and decided to meet up again in Brisbane for new years eve.
New years on Brisbane's southbank was epic! Loved the fire works, and afterwards went to this amazing old casino in a building called 'the Treasury'. Good times!
Because Anouk had a little less time to do her travelling down the eastcoast than me we decided it might be better to split up and do our own thing. So after a few days in Brisbane, where I also met up with my friend Andrea (who I flew out to Oz with) I decided to go to Surfers Paradise. I heard people say that they didn't like it there at all, but I was really glad I payed a visit! Loads of really tall buildings, all right next to the beach, it looked really awesome, and ofcourse there were quite a few surfers too! Met some really nice girls from the NL there (there are quite a few of us out here, and if not from NL, then they're usually from Germany haha) and we went out for a club crawl, and saw three totally different clubs in Surfers, but all really nice! One club called ' Beergarden' had a live band playing, who played songs from all the bands I used to like when I was younger, and I loved it! (hahah felt like I was 16 again!)
After surfers I headed off to Byron bay. I had quite high expectations of Byron, since everyone said it was supposed to be awesome there, and it was!! I had the most amazing time there, could've stayed way longer than just the three nights. Went sea kayaking and saw wild dolphins there: dream come true! It was totally hilarious, coz I was the only one who didn't have a partner I went with one of the guys who worked there, and as we were floating on the ocean he said to me ' can you imagine that some people get seasick on these tours'? And right after he said it, I did get seasick, but managed to keep it all in hahahah! Most people fell out of the kayaks on the way back to the beach, because of the waves, but becasue my ' partner' was so skilled I stayed in, ofcourse :D
Also went on a daytrip to Nimbin, which is like a little hippie village, where everyone seems to walk the streets just trying to sell some drugs to the tourist: ' hey are you looking for some weed'?? Met a really cool dude from Austria there, who happend to be called John, and had a really nice time! Also met a really cool girl from Israel, who I'll be meeting up with again in Melbourne. I really love the travelling, but it's still hard to say goodbye to people who you are just becoming friends with, so it's a really big bonus when you have the chance to see 'm again here in Oz. At least most of the people I meet are from europe (or Germany to be more precise) so I can meet up with 'm when I'm back home :D
Sadly I had to leave the day after that, because I had booked a dolphin experience in Coffs harbour! When I arrived there I felt really Ill, just a flue or something, but I was really tired so I went and did my dolphin experience and then just went for a crash on the bed. There was another girl there (from NL ofcourse) who was also ill so we kinda looked after each other and whoever was feeling the least ill went to get the food :D which worked out pretty well haha! Coffs harbour had a really beautifull beach, which is called Emerald beach, and I saw some really big kangaroos there to, watched the sunset from the hill and watched all the surfers catch some last waves, it was pretty amazin!
After Coffs Harbour it was time for Port Macquarie, where I spent nearly the whole of last week, and really had some time to settle down and relax a bit. As always met some nice people (for once most of em were not from the NL) and went for a sunrise surfing session, horseriding in the Rowan Valley, biking trough Port Macquarie, and hanging out at a pub where they had an open mic. night :) I loved Port, and I could've stayed there even longer, if I had the time, but Melbourne is waiting for me! And since I really don't like Sydney all that much, I'm hoping Melboune will be my city, since most people tend to take a liking either to one or the other city ;)
As I arrived in Sydney yesterday, it was really nice to meet up with a friend again and just hang out together. Went to see a movie yesterday, called ' this is 40', it was supposed to be the follow up on ' knocked up' but I didn't find it quite as funny, but still it was okay :)

Allthough I still miss the ranch on Magnetic sometimes ( I really felt at home there) I'm also loving the travelling and meeting new people every day! Because I'm now travelling alone I can do whatever I feel like, and I must say that it is kinda ideal! Being really lazy one day, and then really active the next. Ordering pizza and hamburgers, or just eating some bread and fruit, (or 2min. Noodles!!!) it's all good!

It really surprised me on how easy everything is out here, and how simple it is to travel by yourself and meet new people! I'm lovin it, it's been totally epic so far and i'm still feeling totally zen and blessed!
So now only Melbourne and Phillip Island left, it was really hard to get a room in Melbourne because of the Australian open, but I've heard tickets are fairly cheap, so I might see if I can go to one of the matches there!
On the 4th of feb. I'm starting my work at the racetrack, near Gosford. My friend Andrea will be working there again to, at the end of feb. so I'm looking forward to seeing her there again and it should be awesome! Also there might even be the chance for me to train the horses there, that is definetly not certain yet, but I guess I'll enquire once I get there. At the 21st of April I will be flying out to Bali to do a months of volunteer work there at a school where I will be teaching kids English! I'm guessing this will be an amazing experience too, and I can't wait! My mom and two of our friends will be joining me for a holiday then, before I return to NL on the 1st of june. So i'm guessing I will see you guys fairly soon :)

Take care and lots of love!

xxxx Amy