Layovers Around the World
It was Mother’s Day when we parted ways with our families and headed to New Zealand via Los Angeles and Sydney. However, weather delays weren’t exactly in our favor. Laura ended up making it to LA, but Claire got stuck in Atlanta for the night. An early morning brought us together the next day and we spent a wonderful day traveling around Santa Monica and the surrounding areas with Laura’s sweet cousin, Ms. Debbie, who lives in in Orange County. (Check out her awesome blog: Make it Delightful)
We had a fun-filled day riding the ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier, eating delicious Italian food, stuffing ourselves with cheesecake (we each ate a whole piece), and seeing the beautiful and funky California beaches. We even got our very own medical marijuana licenses in Venice Beach… (just kidding).
That afternoon we made our way to the LAX airport and awaited our seat assignments for our flight to Sydney. We were both flying standby and ended up getting business class seats (flat beds, awesome food, and deluxe service). We were so happy and well rested for our day in Sydney! It was Laura’s first time in first class and she didn’t even want to get off after fifteen hours. Whoever says there isn’t much difference between first class and coach is lying… it’s SO much better. Hopefully we will get lucky again on the flight back to the U.S.
It was early in the morning when we arrived in Australia (about 6 am) and we took the train into the city. We were practically the only people around. It was so neat because the only other people around the city were business men walking to work and joggers. We had the whole outside of the Opera House to ourselves for a few hours! It was so relaxing and such a beautiful day.
(In Sydney, we exchanged business cards with a fellow travel blogger we met. You can too with UPrinting business cards.)
Our day consisted mostly of walking around trying to find a good lunch and a smoothie place, but we ended up finding both and spent a few hours just enjoying the view of the Harbour and sitting in the sun all day.
And being pestered by this freakishly looking bird that kept trying to attack us.
Then… we were off to New Zealand.
Read MoreFavorites of 2011
2011 has been a great year for us! It has really flown by though and we had some great moments during our travels!
Favorite moments
- Starting out the year in Australia!
- Horseback riding on the beach in Australia.
- Learning to surf!
- Getting stuck for five days in Sydney.
- Drinking multiple smoothies every day in Mornington, Australia.
- Seeing a tango show in Argentina.
- Falling off paddle boards in Tybee, GA.
- Taking a mud bath at the Dead Sea.
- Riding a camel, visting Holy sights, and getting baptized in the Jordan River in Israel.
- Cliff diving in Kusadasi, Turkey
- Seeing the Parthenon in Athens and relaxing on the beautiful island of Patmos, Greece
- Reaching over 400 followers on Twitter.
- Watching the changing of guards at Buckingham Palace in London.
- Staying with friends in a small town in Switzerland for a week.
- Driving 110 mph on the Autobahn in Germany.
- Randomly running into a childhood friend in Amsterdam.
- Spending a day kayaking and bike riding in Tybee Island.
- Spending Thanksgiving at Port Saint Joe.
Favorite destinations
- Melbourne, Australia
- Sydney, Australia
- Kusadasi, Turkey
- London, England
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Jerusalem, Israel
- Bondi Beach, Australia
- Tybee Island, Georgia
We can’t wait for 2012! :)
Read MoreWhat’s it like to LIVE in Australia?
Adele, Claire’s cousin, is a teenager living in Australia. She has grown up in a completely different culture and environment than us, so we decided to interview her and get a glimpse of what life is like as a native Aussie!
Do you like living in Australia?
Yes, I love living in Australia! It’s a beautiful country.
Would you rather live anywhere else in the world?
Not really. I’ve always thought it would be exciting to live somewhere in Europe or Japan, however, I just can’t imagine living anywhere else other than Down Under!
What’s it like living somewhere that many people consider a paradise?
It’s hard to say. I’ve never lived anywhere else to compare it to. However, the older I get I realise more and more what a beautiful country Australia really is. We have world famous beaches, cute wildlife and hot weather.
What are your favorite places in Australia?
Hmm.. well I do love my home city, Melbourne. Sometimes overshadowed by Sydney, Melbourne has a lot to offer. It’s artier and celebrates individuality; it’s a very cool place. But I can’t not mention the Whitsundays! The group of islands neighboring the Great Barrier Reef is the closest I’ve been to heaven!
What are your plans after high school?
After finishing year 12, my friend and I are taking a gap year. A gap year is what we call when you defer from university for one year in order to get a job, travel etc. I am travelling to Europe, and doing a Contiki tour. I will also be staying with a friend in London, and working in a summer camp in the English countryside.
Where are you going to travel on your gap year?
As we will be mostly travelling in Europe’s wintertime, we’ll mainly stick to countries such as France, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany.
Favorite spots in Melbourne?
Hmm it would have to be inner city Melbourne, in the general area of Bourke Street. The heart of Melbourne is scattered with historic laneways. Filled with cafes and boutiques.
Would you ever want to live somewhere else in Australia?
Yes. Australia is different from many other countries. For one, we have a very small population, but also we don’t border any other countries. We’re pretty isolated. If we want to travel outside of Australia, it’s a long flight!
Favorite thing to do in Melbourne?
For me and my friends, it’s probably shopping! I love living near the city centre. Melbourne has great shopping.
How do you deal with the heat each summer?
I usally go to the beach! One thing about Australia is that most of the population is living right on the coast. So it’s not far to go when you want to cool down! 10 minutes max!
What’s the most unique thing about living in Australia?
Hmmm, that’s hard. I would say that it’s our Aussie spirit!! We are a pretty chilled and laidback country. Everyone is pretty open and friendly!
What’s it like never seeing snow?
That’s one thing I think all Aussies wish were different in Australia! I would love to have a white Christmas! But it never gets cold enough to snow. Australian Christmas’s are usually very hot, as summer has just started!
Read MoreThe Coolest Pool in the World
The Bondi Icebergs beach club in Bondi Beach Australia is home to a very cool pool. Literally. The 50 meter olympic pool is full of ice cold water that splashes in from the ocean. Visitors can gain entry to the club for about five dollars per person. I was in Australia in January this year and luckily I missed my flight home and got to spend a day at Bondi beach relaxing by the pool and watching surfers (Bondi beach is famous for surfing!). I ended up spending five days in Sydney trying to get a flight back home. As stressful as it was trying to get a flight as a standby passenger, I am so glad that I had a chance to see some of what Sydney has to offer. If you are ever in the Sydney area you should definitely stop by The Icebergs. It is truly a unique and beautiful pool in an amazing location and it is no wonder that it has attracted many celebrities, tourists, and locals over the years. Read about how The Icebergs Club began here… Here are some of my photos from Bondi
-Laura
This pool would make for perfect UPrinting postcards.
Read MoreTop 10 of Australia
1. JUICE BARS! You can find juice bars just about anywhere in Australia. Our favorite is a chain called “Boost.” I think we went to a juice bar at least once everyday, you can even find them in the airport. Not only are they DELICIOUS, but they are really healthy, too! Be sure to get the Mango Tango Crush or All Berry Bang…you won’t regret it. Visit Boost’s website
2. Bush and beach horse back riding...we rode horses at Ace Hi Ranch. Three things you should know: 1. You WILL be covered in dust if you go on the bush ride (wear sunglasses and bring a wash cloth, face wash, and a change of clothes if you are planning on going anywhere after the ride) and 2. You might get a super slow/obese horse if you have never ridden before (we did) and 3. You will probably be sore for at least three days. BUT the ride is worth it! The beach is amazing and the waves are gigantic! Visit Ace Hi’s website
3. Surfing!! You should do it. But you should know that you wont look as cool as you think. We got to wear these super stylish helmets and trendy over-sized wetsuits while surfing at Point Leo Beach!Visit East Coast Surf School’s website
G’day!
Australia was an amazing and unforgettable trip! We were in Victoria, Mornington, and Sydney most of the time. Some of the awesome things we did included learning to surf, riding horses on the beach, shopping in Melbourne, relaxing on the beach, petting kangaroos at the zoo, seeing kangaroos up-close in the wild, enjoying breathtaking views, visiting the Opera House, eating delicious meals, and so much more! We’ll be writing more detailed posts very soon, but first we’d like to share a few favorite photos from our adventure down under!
About Us
Laura and Claire have been best friends for over 16 years and have found a true passion for traveling the world! We also share an enthusiasm for photography and adventure. [read more] Sponsors
