Sydney, AUS

Lately, I’ve spent many an evening in my bed, relaxing and elevating my aching feet. Since one week after arriving in Sydney I have been a full-time working waitress at a hotel down on Sydney Harbour. At the job I’ve met some amazing people, some of my first new friends in Sydney, and some of whom I hope to stay friends with. But the problem is that I have been using my 4:20 am alarm clock as an excuse to do next-to-nothing. I come home from work, sometimes after working 9-10 hours and sometimes after just 7 and all I want to do is sit down. Plans of hopping on the bus to visit friends in Bondi are foiled when I realize that if I close my eyes at this moment I would be out cold and, anyway, I have to be up at the same time tomorrow and the 45 minute commute would get me home past my bedtime.

Where I should be.

The truth is that I have just been making excuses for myself. Sure, I’m tired. Sure, I have ridiculous working hours. But guess what? This is still my life.

When I was in Florence, I got scared. I had made a drastic life decision; uprooted myself and moved to a country I had barely given a second thought just for some guy. I got scared. I landed and realized I didn’t speak Italian, I didn’t know how the country or city ran and I had no idea what to expect. I was disappointed by what I found and I was thrown into a self-inflicted reclusiveness to save myself from embarrassment. Venturing out meant that I couldn’t get done what I wanted. Simple transactions at the supermarket or bank became a nightmarish debacle when I cut someone in line or was given the wrong change. The system was so different. Throw in my being jobless (and Lorenzo having a normal 8am-6pm work schedule) and I simply locked myself in. I made excuses like, the shopping can wait for Lorenzo so that we can decide together what to eat. I don’t really need to go out and get a new sweater because I have some here and I can’t afford it. The list went on.

Braving the city streets to explore Florence.

Things did get better in Florence but I still found myself to be more of a homebody than I ever had been before. Instead of meeting my friends for farewell drinks, I would make up some excuse because I was broke or it was cold, when the truth was that I didn’t want to be social and especially not if it meant the effort of speaking Italian. I always believed I didn’t really belong in Italy. It was never my plan and I was in the wrong state-of-mind to learn the language properly. My self-confidence was too shot. I told myself that when we moved back to Sydney that it would be so much easier because I knew Sydney, I loved Sydney and I spoke the language in Sydney. We’d both be happier there with no expectations to meet. Just freedom.

We arrived in Sydney and I threw myself into a job because I was scared to run out of money. A short supply my entire year and a half in Italy meant I was dead-set on earning immediately. It took a while for me to stop feeling like people at work were attacking me for being new and to start feeling like they were my friends. Then, they were my friends, and they were good ones. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was still missing out.

I didn’t realize that my habit of staying in, of being a recluse, would stick. I thought that when the language barriers fell, so would the personal ones. Old habits die hard. I am still finding that I have to fight myself to get out and explore. I love the city, but the hint of a grey cloud or a lonely day with no one to share the sights means that I’m happy to choose my laptop over the great outdoors.

It only took me four months but I have decided to start from the bottom and work my way up. My last day at work will be this coming Sunday, January 22. I’ll miss the wonderful people I work with but the change in schedule and attitude will be a worthwhile improvement. Plus, I don’t plan on letting them go that easily! With a more manageable and ‘normal’ schedule, I won’t be able to use tiredness as an excuse, which means I’ll have no argument against myself.

The things is that I have been living with my nose pressed against the glass.

There is plenty more of this in store for me!

When I was in Europe a group of girls from the class below me in my sorority were traveling and studying abroad. I used to scour their pictures to see the beautiful places they were visiting and the beautiful people they were meeting. I wanted their life. And I was too jaded to realize that I was living it, like for real.

Now, that same group of girls is in Australia doing their Work & Holiday Visas. I caught myself looking through their photos the other day, and although I’m happy to keep up with their adventures (and get inspiration on places to travel), it made me realize that I have been living with my nose pressed against the glass. I wanted their lives. In reality, I am living one quite similar and quite spectacular. I don’t want to take it for granted and watch my WHV slip away. Things are going to change now, and Sydney has been kind enough to usher the change in with some real summer weather.

Do you ever feel like you are living with your nose pressed up against the glass? What kinds of things do you do to remind yourself to live in the moment?

Life with your nose pressed against the glass: lessons in gratitude is a post from: Wayward Traveller

Sydney, AUS

It all started one wintery Sunday in Florence. We had an invitation to one of the well-known expat restaurants in town to enjoy their famous Sunday brunch. It was a company thing actually, our little travel agency had been running the brunch for years and to be honest, the promotion wasn’t go too well that particular semester and as it was being put on by our boss, what better way to get the word out than invite all of the favorite tour guides along.

As I watched the beautifully bulbous glass filled with red tomato-y goodness arriving to my table and tasted the first sip of the deliciously spicy Bloody Mary, I was hooked. Of course, I won’t even speak of the hashbrowns. Some secrets are meant to be kept. Our Sunday meetings at that little restaurant became a tradition and brunch became an obsession. I may or may not have even waited in a three-hour line to try the famous eggs benedict and french toast platter at Mama’s on Washington Square in San Fran.

So what does that mean for Sydney? I welcome a new challenge willingly. It started with a couple of morning stops at the local cafe which sits on our street corner but from there, recommendation after recommendation means that I have been able to try some of the best places in Sydney. My work is far from over here but I wanted to share with you some of my favorites.

Cafe Ish: This was a recommendation from the lovely Heather as one of her favorite breakfast stops in the city and it did not disappoint. Christine and I chose this as our meeting spot on one of her sporadic weekend ventures to Sydney and we vowed to both try something delicious, no matter the price!

After a bit of debate I opted for the fabulous crab omelette, a recommendation from Heather, which included tempura crab and avocado. As someone who is typically not a fan of omelets, it was fabulous. The cuisine at Cafe Ish is classified as Australian/Japanese fusion and that is exactly what it is. This little Surry Hills spot reminded me what I love so much about the creativity of Australian chefs. The coffee was phenomenal as well!

Cafe Ish is located at 82 Campbell St., Surry Hills.

Cafe Giulia: This was a random hint from a former Chippo resident. Apparently, Giulia is a household name around these parts and I wanted in on the action. Famous for their extensive menu, freshly made juices and true-to-Aussie form coffees I will say that even with the $60 dent in my wallet, it was a great brekky. Worth $60? Maybe not. But seriously try the juices; I opted for the Pineapple, apple, ginger, mint and it lasted all of five minutes. I had banana french toast but next time around I would like to try the Tuscan Toast, or one of the other fabulous things on the menu. I preferred the coffee at Cafe Ish to be honest.

Cafe Giulia is located at 92 Abercrombie St., Chippendale.

Well Connected Cafe: Be seated in a cozy leather swivel chair around a tiny table and enjoy your massive cup of coffee with a local paper or magazine. In fact, stay all day if you like. Well Connected even has free wi-fi! Not generally one to diss service, as a worker in the industry myself, but I admit that in my experience these waitresses do tend to get easily confused, just don’t let it get to you, enjoy your lazy morning. I’ve liked what I tried but I hear the eggs benedict are amazing and I’ll be there soon to find out.

Well Co. Cafe is located at 35 Glebe Point Rd., Glebe.

Baffi & Mo: This one came up when I was discussing the awesomeness of brunch with my housemates and she mentioned Baffi & Mo, a little cafe in Redfern. She had never been but her workmates were raving about it. I began reading the reviews on eatability and urbanspoon so see what all the hype was about, and you know, decide what to order. Not all reviews were fantastic. A lot of people were saying that the service was horrible and it looked like the owner pretty much hated her life and everyone in it. They mentioned that, although creative, the chefs seemed to be taking a nosedive in the quality of their food. Then there were a couple of cheers for the Hash Stack. At the time I read the reviews, I was sick and didn’t want to venture too far from home so we opted to head somewhere a bit closer, Newtown, and sat down at Funky Brewsters (see below).

Then one rainy Wednesday with nothing to do we took the plunge and walked to Redfern. What a cute little part of town. Redfern gets a lot of crap for being the slum of the city. Parts of it may be, but Redfern Street is adorable and thanks to Christine’s reply to my foursquare tweet, I now know many other places to try in the area.

Now back to the food.

It was fabulous. The coffee was delicious and the barista/waitress was as sweet as can be! The owner did look a little rough but she didn’t seem unhappy or angry in the slightest. The Hash Stack lived up to the hype; a creative fried stack of has brown strips toped with avocado and a perfectly poached egg, all set on a fresh bed of greens. Lorenzo had the Eggs Benny and seriously… why have I opted for everything else on every menu other than my favorite? It’s time for a change.

Baffi & Mo is located at 94 Redfern St., Redfern.

I have also visted Funky Brewsters on King Street in Newtown but I have to admit that I was underwhelmed. My mission has just begun so please, please tell me: 

What is YOUR favorite brunch/brekky spot in Sydney?? I’ll meet you there and if it makes a mean Bloody Mary, I’ll even buy you one!

Best Brekky Spot in Sydney: my research so far is a post from: Wayward Traveller

Sydney, AUS

I was nominated twice (can we say populuuurr) by the amazing Miss Melly Boo herself of TheMellyBooProject and also by one of my favorite new blogging friends Bobbi of Heels and Wheels to participate in this fun little meme floating around the travel blogosphere these days. So, without further ado…

A: Age you went on your first international trip: That depends on if you want to count Canada. At the time I crossed the border for the first time you didn’t even need a passport to do it. Things have changed now and since then I hopped on my first ever international flight to Puerta Vallarta when I was 21, and not long after I took the trip to Sydney that changed everything. I didn’t even know I wanted to travel when I got on that plane!

B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where: Hmmm, I have been testing out some of the tasty craft brews that Sydney has to offer in the past couple months, and shamelessly comparing them to the list of the Northwest at home. Otherwise, I’d venture to say that the beer in Munich is pretty delicious and Guinness really does taste better in Ireland and as a once avid hater, I have reformed.

C: Cuisine (favorite): Don’t make me choose please. The Italian in Italy is pretty much impossible to beat (or replicate), but I do prefer a little kick. I love Thai, Indian and Mexican but am always a fan of trying new things, especially when spice is involved.

D: Destinations, favorite, least favorite and why: Favorite is Sydney (obviously!) and Whistler definitely tops the list. Bars full of partying Aussie snowboarders, yes please! Least favorite would be Corfu in Greece. I’m sure that it had nothing to do with the careless and rude hostel workers or the “jizz-cuzzi” at the famous Pink Palace hostel.

Students wait to get on the famous Pink Palace Booze Cruise… oh the memories…

E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”: While I’m in the moment traveling, I can never quite grasp the magnitude of what is actually happening and it is always someone else’s life that looks like a fairytale. That said, I think that my Italian Christmas was one of the few times that I was able to smack myself in the middle of the moment and enjoy experiences another culture, one completely different from mine. A family whose words I could barely understand welcomed me into their home, into their age-old tradition and treated me like one of their own. Pretty insane!

F: Favorite mode of transportation: I love a nice easy train ride where you can relax and let the country pass you by. Buses are good for that too, but then I’ve never been on a long-haul bus ride in South America or Southeast Asia…

G: Greatest feeling while traveling: That’s tough. As I said above I think it’s hard for me to always grasp the moment but I really love both arriving at the airport to take-off and landing in a new city. Something about the city lights just gives me so much energy and excitement about what’s to come. It’s the anticipation of something special coming up.

H: Hottest place you’ve traveled to: Italian summers are seriously hot. Like walking around in a completely asphalt and stone built city in 100+ degrees hot. Like no AC anywhere hot. I have plenty left to learn.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where: We had some particularly memorable service in a some of the places we stayed in California. Just the general niceness and helpfulness of people is refreshing.

J: Journey that took the longest: I haven’t had too many bad ones yet to be honest but our hop over to the States was a bit roundabout as we landed in London, had an overnight then flew out to Iceland. In Iceland we were delayed nearly 4 hours, until about 7pm but the biggest problem was that everything in the entire airport was closed and we were starving. On our budget Iceland Express flight we had to pay for food and since we’d been delayed the entire flight was ready for dinner and with all of the transactions… it was a while before we had anything to eat. Chasing the Iceland summer sun meant we were pretty confused when we landed in New York City finally at about ten o’clock at night, a couple of days later.

K: Keepsake from your travels: Besides my thousands of photos, a couple of fun accessories and pieces of clothing, I guess Lorenzo counts, doesn’t he?

Not exactly a pocket-sized souvenir.

L: Let-down sight, why and where: That’s tough. I wasn’t enthralled with Venice the first time I saw it, but then again I hear that a lot and I feel like that is one of the reasons that I wasn’t excited about seeing it. The second, third and fourth visits allowed me to see it from a different light. I haven’t been let down all that often by destinations thankfully!

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel: It was probably in a Sydney karaoke bar when I managed to stop and look around and notice a room filled with amazing people from all over the world whom I just met but somehow felt as if I’d known for years. That, and the feeling of running down a beach on some beautiful coastline.

That’s love.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in: That would be the Radisson Blu just outside of the the Vienna City Center. The biggest, warmest shower and softest beds ever! Lovely and all to myself!

O: Obsession—what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?: Beaches or any water, especially when it reflects the sun. And food.

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where? Five from Australia, one from New Zealand, two from Fiji, two from Paris (although I’ve never traveled to France just arrived and exited Europe via CDG), six from Italy (five or which are completely illegible), one from Iceland (passing through) one from Ireland and two from London.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where: That’s tough… I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Isn’t there a giant banana somewhere around here in NSW?

R: Recommended sight, event or experience: Anything in Rome; never ceases to amaze me. Surfing in Australia.

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling: Plane tickets. That’s what the “savings” is for!

T: Touristy thing you’ve done: Plenty. I would say that spending St. Paddy’s Day in Dublin probably tops the list. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

U: Unforgettable travel memory: At the risk of sounding deathly uncreative, pretty much all of them!

V: Visas, how many and for where? One (student) from Italy, and two electronic ones from Australia (student and Working Holiday).

W: Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where? I don’t discriminate when it comes to wine, especially when it’s shared with amazing people but a brand new bottle from a wine cellar somewhere in the hills of Tuscany is pretty incredible. I’m also a recent lover of Malbec.

X: eXcellent view and from where?: As much as it is (quite literally) killing me, starting work at the crack of dawn means that my workday mornings are filled with brilliant sunrises over the Sydney Opera House.

Y: Years spent traveling? Family trips to Canada started when I was about ten years old. They were followed by snowboard trips in high school and drinking trips in college. All-in-all I have been consistently traveling without realizing it for about five years. But my real love of travel sparked from the first solo journey across the Pacific when I was 21, only three years ago.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where?: I’d say that the most amazing show of home team pride was when I was in Vancouver during the Stanley Cup. Many of the other bloggers that were there as well can attest to the amazing scene that took over the city as we exited pubs everywhere when the Canucks came out with a win in Game 5. A-MAZING. I felt like one of them.

Wayward ABC’s: Travel Stories is a post from: Wayward Traveller

Sydney, AUS

This was the year I had been waiting for, after celebrating a less-than-exciting welcome into 2011 in Florence, Italy, I was going to have an amazing time in Sydney.

We found out that Lorenzo’s parents were coming for a visit around the New Year back in November but they had originally planned to be traveling at the time so Lorenzo and I were hard at work deciding what we’d do. As the time passed, we had less and less of an idea of where we’d ring in the new year. Originally, I had thougth it best that we just arrive bright and early around to Circular Quay and wait it out. Then the factor of bad weather, or weather too good to be true came, into play and we thought maybe we should have a back-up plan.

Eventually, my friend Joey mentioned that her office building, which sits just over Luna Park was open for the evening to employees and friends of employee with an open bar, a balcony and a BBQ. Lorenzo and I thought we’d found our heaven.

Then, Lorenzo’s parents decided they’d stay in Sydney for NYE and we were back to square one. 

As we trudged through Darling Harbour in mid-afternoon, I was getting angry and acting a little bit like a spoiled kid. You see, Lorenzo can have a very chilled out way of looking at things, often meaning that the planning is left to me and when I am confronted with too many ideas, nothing gets done. At 3 o’clock on the day, we still weren’t sure where we’d end up and I was not about to miss out on seeing the most famous fireworks in the world. 

We quickly made our way to Pirrama Park at the water’s edge in Pyrmont, all the way I was dead set that we wouldn’t even have a view of the Harbour Bridge and we’d be forced to run back to Circular Quay or hop on a ferry, any ferry, to the north shore. However, we arrived to a park pleasantly scattered with families and food stalls and a perfect view of the back side of the Coat Hanger. I was forced to hold back a smile and eat my words as Lorenzo said I told you so. That will teach me to act like a spoiled little kid.

We walked up to Harris Street in Pyrmont to get snacks, reading material and drinks for the day and settled in on the nice grass of Giba Park, directly above Pirrama Park.

Surrounded by a huge group of Irish bacpackers, a couple of drunk English girls and a smattering of families, it felt as though we’d found the perfect spot.

Sunbathing and reading Cosmo and Grazia passed the first hours leading to the nine o’clock family fireworks show rather quickly. It was the hours until midnight that seemed to drag on. Getting through a six-pack of Corona, and one bottle of champagne in five or so hours and sharing grass space with your boyfriend’s parents doesn’t exactly make room for the most action-packed hours of countdown but I did manage to sneak in a little nap as my usual bedtime passed.

Even though they were continually stumbling back closer and close into our tiny space, the huge group of Irish guys and gals enjoying their holiday in front of us did help to boost the mood a bit and it was easy to sit back and realize how lucky we were to be there.

When the clock finally started counting down I almost couldn’t believe I was actually there. At the stroke of midnight the first burst of fireworks came off the top of the bridge and we stood in awe, mesmerized for the next twelve minutes. When it was over, I had to take a moment to reflect.

My favorite part of New Year’s Eve is the moment when the fireworks end and everyone around is hugging and kissing. In that moment all over the world, everyone is so grateful for what every day of their lives has brought. New Year is a day of hope and new beginnings, a way to put away what’s happened in the past, good or bad, and move on. That moment, everyone is looking forward.

I couldn’t help but smile. 

I am so thankful that I had a chance to ring in the new year in Sydney, I wonder where in the world I’ll be next year!

All of these photos were taken with my iPhone4, pretty impressive!! 

2012: New Year’s in Sydney, Australia is a post from: Wayward Traveller

Sydney, AUS

In the past few years, I haven’t spent a single New Year’s at home. Since 2008 I have been always been somewhere else to welcome in all of the possibilities of a new year. I’ve never been one to look forward to a new year as a way of burying the past; never thought ahead in hopes that the coming year would hold more promise, because well in the end life is life. I do enjoy seeing how celebrations take place in different parts of the world and more importantly I see the closing of a year as a way to look back and be grateful for all the things that you’ve experienced. As cheesy as that sounds, trust me, I’m not immune to feeling sorry for myself, as you’ll come to find in my next few posts, but when all is said and done and you say goodbye to yet another year of your life, you have to realize how good you’ve got it. Here are the places that I’ve said hello|goodbye in the past:

2008: Whistler, British Columbia (Canada).

I still remember some of the hilarious conversations that accompanied us on this long drive up to our first ever New Year’s Eve celebration in the legendary cabin of our good friend J.J. He was the new “sooo-not-my-boyfriend” boyfriend of our sorority sister Katie and he and his frat brothers were planning a big snowboarding and legal drinking debacle in Whistler to ring in 2008. Naturally, a party isn’t a party without the girls, so we all tagged along. Those days were our glory days, having, of course, partied the night before we were on our way to more partying and after the short three hour ride to the border we were had a car stocked full of oversized and underpriced duty-free booze. The shots commenced as Katie desperately attempted to decode J.J.’s simple-minded directions. Think, go over a bridge and after that bridge turn right, you’ll come to a roundabout and turn left… sounds like it could be straight forward but honestly, is there only one bridge between Vancouver and Whistler? Possibly not. By the time we finally arrived, it was well-into party hours and a quick changeover from sweats to party tops and we were out to the village, walking down Blackcomb to get to the bars.

This was possibly one of the best New Years of my life but not all things can go without hitches. After enjoying one small bar it was time to move on and we headed out. Waiting in the doorway for the group to commence, I was paying little attention to the whereabouts of my friends and suddenly found myself standing alone in the doorway of a tiny bar, familiar faces nowhere to be seen in the sea of passing partyers. Long story short, I be-friended one of the clubs bouncers so that he would call me a cab and send me on my way as my phone was not only roaming but dead as well. Smart move. The rest of the weekend was a smashing success with us stumbling upon only the best bar in all of Whistler; Merlin’s. That amazing pub will forever hold a place in my heart. It is also where I met my first group of Australians and probably the experience that would ultimately lead me to study abroad in Australia.

2009: Whistler, British Columbia (Canada)

Round-two was only better in that I didn’t get lost, we knew exactly which bar to go to and we met a new group of even cooler Aussies. A couple of which I still catch up with on Facebook from time to time. Whistler is still and will always be one of my very favorite places in the entire world.

2010: Amsterdam, Netherlands 

It’s pretty amazing how much your life can change in one year’s time. I went from January, holding onto the notion that I might have an Aussie ‘mate’ in Sydney when I arrived, to finding not only someone else but an entire group of amazing friends whom continue to be some of my best friends to this day. My time in Sydney changed me in so many ways, but one of the most important parts of that experience was the people. Those are the same people that I hopped on a plane to Amsterdam for just one day after arriving in Italy. When Lorenzo and I decided that I would move to Italy, I already knew of the preconceived plan my friends had of meeting in Amsterdam for the New Year. And I knew that if I was going to be in Italy around that time, I had to be sure I made it to see them. So without telling them of my plans, Lorenzo and I boarded a very early RyanAir flight to Eindhoven. After a bus and train ride we finally arrived in the city and I’ll never forget the surprise on our friends’ faces when they turned to corner and saw me standing there. The rest of the weekend was absolutely perfect. We met up with a Dutch friend who lent us her Uncle’s house to make a lovely dinner before taking us to the ultimate house party in a very old, rickety house threatening to fall into the canal at any moment. We were warned to not all go on the top floor at once. Living on the edge! As sad as I was to say goodbye to my friends I’m always thankful that I had that special New Year with them.

2011: Florence, Italy

Not to sound ungrateful but this was probably my least favorite of all the New Year’s I spent abroad. New Year’s Eve in Italy is something completely different and unless you like pretending that you are in a war, it is not different in a fun way. All day long there were kids and young adults throwing ‘fireworks’ all over the streets of the city. The only difference was instead of being beautifully colored displays of light they were more similar to colorless, lightless bombs. As the loudest sound I’ve ever heard shook the windows of the old buildings around me, it felt less like celebrating and more like just trying to stay alive. We had dinner at a popular expat restaurant where we are well known and then headed into Piazza Signoria in hopes of seeing something fun while we watched to minutes countdown on the the clock tower of Palazzo Vecchio. As midnight rang in we all hugged and wished each other well and the hundreds of young Italians around us began throwing their glass beer, champagne and wine bottles into the center of the square, where there were hundreds of people standing… as you do.

Enough said really, there were some nice concerts going on around town but it was nothing to write home about as it was hard to get away from the glass smashing and bombs going off enough to enjoy yourself.

Florence definitely shouldn’t be going on anyone’s bucket list as a place to celebrate New Year.

2012: Sydney, Australia

This year, I’m in the ultimate New Year destination… Sydney! Although at the time of writing I have already experienced the awesomeness of a Sydney New Year, you’ll have to wait until January 1st in your part of the world to hear all about it!

Coming soon…

Ringing in Four Years of Travel — New Year’s Eve Abroad is a post from: Wayward Traveller

This year Christmas was a bit unorthodox for me, not only did I work nearly ten hours non-stop, but after finishing I boarded the Sydney ferry to Manly Beach to celebrate Aussie-style with a couple of other orphan Sydneysiders.

Back home, my family Christmases have wavered over the years between eventful and quiet. The last of which was a full party at my Aunt and Uncle’s house (where I was living at the time) complete with cousins and friends. It was food filled, wine filled and tons of fun. Then last year I was introduced to a whole new way to celebrate Christmas. The Italian way. A way that included eating traditional Italian Christmas meals like tongue and hoof. Even though I was lost in a sea of language mishaps and unfamiliar words, I was still there in a warm house, sitting around a Christmas tree with a family that had grown to be mine over the previous year, and I felt like home. Although I missed the laughing antics of my own family, I didn’t feel homesick.

This year things were a bit different. I know that anyone who has even visited Sydney in the last month might stone me for saying it but the rainy days these past few weeks have actually been my saving grace. The kind of thing that could transport me straight home to Washington State where I spent every Christmas prior. Sitting behind the coffee bar in the hotel where I work, looking out over angry water of the Sydney Harbour as it reflects the grey clouds, was… comfortable.

The warmth of a freshly made latte in my hands at a time of year when my most often reoccurring thought is a classic, red holiday cup from Starbucks. It just defines Christmas for me. Just as it did last year as I traipsed around the frozen cobblestones of Prague’s old city, feigning that I knew the history and winding streets of the city as not to alarm my unsuspecting students and in the meantime forgetting that I was aware from home.

But this year, it was supposed to be summer, this year it would all change. Then, out of nowhere, just in time for Santa to ride off into it’s raging orange light, the sun came out and it beat down on the city in honor of the day. And I reveled in it. Toting a bottle of Chandon, fresh from the depths of the hotel storage fridge (a gift for my hard work) and a Cole’s bag with my first ever (albeit Cole’s Brand) Pavlova I boarded the ferry that would take me to my Christmas celebration. The beach was surprisingly sparse of activity, especially based on the massive amount of backpacks and DSLR cameras sitting around me during the journey but as we branched off to the right toward Shelley Beach, I saw where the action was. Shelley Beach, a tiny beach which sits on a curve sheltering it from the strong sea winds is a prime spot to enjoy the sun in Manly. Complete with a grassy hill, BBQ spots and nearby bars and cafes it is a favorite place to set up for the day and enjoy what Sydney does best.

Lorenzo and I were late to the party so we had a beer, a glass of champagne and a couple of sausages and enjoyed getting to know our fellow orphans. A long day at work and a couple of hours in the sun meant we were on the 8:45p.m. ferry back to the city in time for bed, but the day was still a success in my book. Especially considering the alternative; sitting alone in a huge empty house staring at our tiny (although lovely) Christmas tree with presents that weren’t ours and eating leftover ragu. It was a great way to spend Christmas Eve night but for a second time in a row I think it would have been simply depressing.

I did envy the fabulous endless glasses of sparkling and the plump, fresh Sydney prawns, oysters and Balmain bugs that my customers were enjoying while I ran frantically from table to table refilling their glasses, but maybe Lorenzo and I will save that for our next Aussie Christmas, when we have real jobs and real money.

Until then, I successfully logged another cultural, away-from-home Christmas without my family, without my pumpkin spice lattes and halfway around the world. It’s easy to miss your family around the holidays, but then again it’s all part of the experience.

Another fantastic addition to spending Christmas in Australia? Boxing Day. Great holiday pay for me working and just another public holiday to chill out on the beach for those with real jobs.

What did you do this Christmas and Boxing Day?

Santa Wears a Speedo; Christmas in Oz is a post from: Wayward Traveller

All summer my family and friends raved about stand-up paddle boarding.

 We have to try it. Let’s go this day or that day… When I went I saw so many jelly fish… blah, blah. 

Things to that nature plagued my summer. And in the midst of all of that, not once did I get my hands on a board. It just wasn’t happening.

I dismissed it, thinking that it probably wasn’t really worth my time anyway when what I really wanted was to be a real, hardcore surfer chick. I had better save my energy for bigger horizons.

One day, while I was nonchalantly surfing the Twitter feeds for Sydney, a photo popped up with a picture of a guy looking out toward the Opera House as the sun was rising. The tweet came from @SydneyScenicSUP and I retweeted the photo with some comment or other. A connection was made. I didn’t think much of it at the time but when I randomly tweeted about a what to do on a day off and Jack responded offering a sunrise paddle boarding tour, I knew that this sport could no longer be ignored.

That particular tour didn’t work out, as I ended up picking up my seventh work day that week. But I knew that Jack’s tour was something that I would have to put on my list of immediate things to try in Sydney.

Finally, one morning a few weeks later I saw that I had a couple of free days, and it all fell right in the middle of my boyfriend’s Uni break! That meant that I could drag my non-sporty, non-water friendly Italian into doing something I wanted to do, since I knew he had no other plans.

Being that I generally have to be on the bus for work at approximately 4:50am, getting up at 6am to catch the ferry across the Harbor to Mosman was no big deal. Lorenzo on the other hand was NOT happy. We fueled up on coffee and were off, two of five total people taking a leisurely Saturday morning ferry across the water.

The walk over the hill from the Mosman ferry landing to Camp Curlew Road was actually quite refreshing. Even walking among the looming glass encased mansions hanging over the cliff, there was a bit of humidity in the air and the sound of nature all around. A feel of the wild Australia that is lost in the CBD.

We arrived on the beach to find dogs and owners happily frolicking in the early morning sun and not long after Jack arrived followed by our three other tour mates.

Jack’s SUP tour is special because it is a lesson and a tour combined. The first few minutes are spent on the basics of SUP. A lesson that literally takes five minutes was actually rather refreshing as there was no details to mess you up. When I have set out to learn a new sport in the past the lesson is generally so packed with information that the sport itself is hard to manage as you are constantly going over the steps in your head. Jack simply told us how to balance, how to stand and how to use the paddle to control your movement. That was all we needed and our teacher had confidence that we’d be just fine. And we were.

Each of us glided into the water nearly effortlessly and although our first couple of steps toward standing were slightly wobbly, everyone managed to stay on board. In fact, it was Jack that took the first plunge. Whether or not that was a ploy to make us more confident doesn’t really matter because everyone was happy to take a dip once the sun started shining.

We made our way, slowly at first, around the first few shorelines until we reached Taronga Zoo. Directly after the pier which leads the the zoo entrance is a tiny, beautiful beach. And we pulled over to take a rest. Jack is full of information about Sydney and the history of the harbor. He paid special attention to Lorenzo and I being the foreigners of the tour. I won’t divulge any of the cool history he gave us because I want you to take the tour yourself. But it was both fun and interesting.

We stopped on the water for Ashleigh, Jack’s wife and the tours official photographer, to take some beautiful photos of us in front of Sydney most famous icons.

After taking in the beautiful views we headed back to Sirius Cove to get some technique practice in with some races!

As the only girl, I figured I’d have to prove myself at some point in the day. I took the opportunity to do it in the last race of the day, all about balance, something that I DO NOT pride myself on. Ashleigh and I were the only ones not to fall off our boards once in the entire tour. Girls are just better at some things I guess!

Jack and Ashleigh have just started some additional classes that I can’t wait to try out. Every Tuesday evening they are holding SUP yoga classes where balance and relaxation are crucial to success. Although I’m not a yogi, I do enjoy some yoga so to combine it with a sport that I can easily grow to love will be a brand new experience. I’ll be sure to report back but until then, get your butt to Sydney Scenic’s tour! It is well worth it!

Sydney Scenic SUP runs tours every morning beginning at 8am and 10:30am & the fitness classes run Tuesday evening from 5:30pm and Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:30pm. Check out the Facebook Page for more details! And don’t hesitate to tweet Jack, he’ll more than likely start up a conversation with you!

*All photos in this post are property of Jack and Ashleigh Plimmer and Sydney Scenic SUP*

Finding Balance with Sydney Scenic SUP is a post from: Wayward Traveller

I was feeling rather homesick on Thanksgiving as I had the Friday (actual Thanksgiving day in Seattle with the time difference) off of work and Lorenzo was working all day. Although I love Sydney and I’m excited to dive deeper into this adventure, homesickness has been rearing it’s ugly head lately and I find myself longing to be with my friends and family in both Seattle and Florence. 

It isn’t like I should have a hard time being away from my family. We’ve never been that close. That said, we are closer now than we’ve ever been and I’ve spent the better part of the last three years halfway around the world from them.

I’m lucky to have found the people I have through my travels. Friends like mine make it easy to forget that you are thousands of miles away from the people that love you most in the world.

Last year, on this very day I was cozied up in front of the fireplace in my friends Georgette and Tommaso’s basement abode while Tommaso’s Mama Italiana scrutinized over the details of a holiday that she doesn’t understand. It was a good thing. She wanted Georgette’s holiday to turn out right, all the bolts in place. We gathered around the table; two Frenchies, a girl from Belgium, an Englishman, three Americans, a Scot and a handful of Italians and we smiled in the warmth of what Georgette and Tommaso had done for us. That night, our adventure in Italy, far from almost everything we’ve known our entire lives, was home.

Creative Commons credit: WishUponACupcake

This year, as I ran frantically around work trying to please a large group of particularly fussy clients, the entire day passed with my thinking it was Wednesday. It wasn’t until I sat down for the first time, on a couch in the pub across the street with my workmates, that checking Facebook I realized it was in fact Thursday and Thanksgiving. Technically, as I type this it is in the midst of Thanksgiving dinner in my home time zone. And, honestly, I have a bit of a holiday feeling. It may just be that I’m home from work today, enjoying resting and looking at photos on Facebook is helping me feel like I’m right there with everyone. The weather in Sydney is quite fitting as well as it has been pouring down rain for the last week.

This will be my second holiday season away from home. I was reminded of the huge cultural differences that this time of year endures when my supervisor at work said she thought Thanksgiving was the day before Christmas! Earlier in the year she had expressed concern that we’d missed Halloween; on October 13th. Bless her. At least she realized that there was something coming up.

Growing up you are so accustomed to your own traditions that you don’t stop to realize that all over the world people may be celebrating something different. The fall season is such a huge deal in the U.S.; it’s the time that the colors are changing and beloved fall flavors come out. I could use a Pumpkin Spice Latte right about now. This season is is the epitome of home. The Christmas spirit begins the day after Thanksgiving when everyone crams themselves into the shops to get the best holiday deals. Steaming cups of sweet, hot drinks are seen in the hands of just about everyone as they trudge through the snow and rain to get inside their heated homes, cars and offices.

 Creative Commons credit: Chris_J

It’s meant to crawl into the 90s (F) in the coming weeks here in Sydney. Of course, I’m happy to welcome summer and with high hopes of finding a new pad on the beach it means that I just might be living the dream. Lorenzo and I are planning a late lunch or dinner on the beach to celebrate Christmas, we want to make it a special day since we’ll both be away from our families.

Last year, I spent a very eventful foodie Christmas in Italy and I’m looking forward to a brand new tradition this year in Australia with santa hats and bikinis, but when it comes to my traditional American holidays. Sometimes I just miss my family.

An American Abroad. is a post from: Wayward Traveller

For all the glitz and glamour that surrounds modern day Dubai, it’s easy to forget that this modernistic city was once a small coastal village, where the vibrant fishing trade once fuelled the local economy.

How times have changed.

Creative Commons credit: milos milosevic

The high rise skyscrapers, myriad shopping malls and seven-star hotels, which now dominates the city’s skyline, was the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed- a leader who seemingly doesn’t understand the word ‘no’ and whose continuous eccentric construction projects are attracting millions of international tourists to the city each year. Dubai’s recent popularity stems from its unique ability to show off: investing millions into projects, others would only dream of giving the green light.

Airline carriers from around the world are certainly doing their bit to help tourism flourish in the emirate. Many of the world’s top airlines are now opening up routes to the city, which has stirred competition in the market and lowered flight ticket prices. As a result, more and more travel operators, like DialAFlight, are now offering cheap flights to Dubai.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the city a few times now and witnessed firsthand, the city’s extraordinary tourism boom. Of course, one can’t help but get caught up in the razzle-dazzle, but for those whose holiday itinerary does involve some form of relaxation- even laziness- Dubai certainly has plenty to offer.

The beaches in Dubai are among the world’s finest- at least the best I’ve seen anyway. Most of the ‘posher’ hotel-owned beaches run adjacent to Jumeria Road. Privately owned, these beaches do charge a small fee for admittance but its well worth paying if you are planning to stay at the whole day. From here you can bask in +30 degree sunshine whilst letting the gentle sea breeze cool you off. Complete relaxation assured.

One of the most popular beaches is the Marina Beach Resort. Not only is it arguably the prettiest in the city- offering stunning views of Buji Al Arab- but it’s also well equipped with showers, toilets and shelter to keep beach-goers happy.

Creative Commons credit: Sarah_Ackerman

However, lying on a beach all day isn’t to everyone’s tastes. So for those who may bore of the golden sands a little too quickly, Jumeria Beach park does offer other ‘relaxing’ alternatives: snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing, jet skiing, kite surfing… to name but a few.

Of course some may argue that lying on the beach all day deters from sightseeing this extraordinary metropolis; depriving you of some of Dubai’s true magic. But you can still see the city in its entirety and be lazy.

Modelled on London’s famous open-top bus tours, the Big Bus Tour is Dubai’s official equivalent. With many routes mapped out across the city, tourists are certainly spoilt for choice. Tour guides onboard provide useful information as the bus whizzes past popular sights, so there’s a chance to learn more about the city as you sit back and relax.

The day of laziness doesn’t have to end once the sun goes down. In the evening, I walked down to the Bastakia Quarter, a traditional part of Dubai that dates back to the old fishing village days. Whilst here, it’s the perfect opportunity to indulge in the tastes of traditional middle-eastern cuisine. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in this maze-like district; shopping markets and art galleries too. It’s the perfect place to unwind, reflect on your lazy day in Dubai and watch as the city’s lights decorate the skyline.

Lazy Days in Dubai is a post from: Wayward Traveller

Sydney Craft Beer Week. What a gem. Thank god for Twitter otherwise I would have been left alone perishing in thoughts that craft beer simply didn’t exist in Australia. Sure, the commercial beer of Oz is great (and we are not talking Fosters here) but it’s not Craft Beer the way I know it.

Another instance of me wasting time by browsing the #Sydney hashtag on Twitter meant that I discovered that not only does craft beer exist in Sydney, there was a whole week devoted to it coming up in October! I began my research and browsed events. Knowing I would have Saturdays off from work I booked in a Comedy and Craft Beer show as a surprise gift to Lorenzo. He loves stand-up and we both love good beer. So that seemed like a perfect way to spend our Saturday night. A few weeks later I wanted to be sure I booked in at least one other event, so I continued browsing events and discovered that the same day, October 29th, there was an event at Hart’s Pub called Brunch with the Brewer’s. I was sold. Beer and Brunch? This must be some kind of heaven.

Lorenzo and I arrived at Hart’s Pub nearly a half hour early in anticipation of our beer filled brunch. And when we arrived we were greeted by one of the coolest little pubs I’ve seen in Sydney to date. For its small size, Hart’s offers a huge variety of craft beers, tasting paddles and, according to FourSquare, great food as well!

We waited patiently as we watched one of the final games of the World Series (and American sports! Seriously, this pub is a winner). When it was time for the brunch we headed upstairs and took a seat. Let the food and beer flow!

Each table was given full bottles and glasses of beer to taste along with and in between courses. Most tastings consist of just a couple of sips of each brew, so we were given a real treat. Naturally, I enjoyed the first beer that was set in front of me. The “Welcome Beer” was a Pale Ale from the Rocks Brewing Company. Little did I know the vast array of flavors that were about to hit me.

First course was char-grilled sourdough bread and spicy chorizo sausages. I like sausage. Chorizo is even better. But beer that perfectly compliments the spicy flavor and the flame-infused smokiness of the bread? Ho-my-god! The first course was so good it inadvertently ruined the rest of the meal for me. We paired these dreamy sausages with Two Birds Golden Ale. Wow. It was the perfect match like chocolate and peanut butter, strawberries and Champagne or french fries and ice cream. Yea it was that good.

The organizers of the brunch and many things Craft Beer Week were the blokes of BeerMenTV. They started in with a little expertise as they began describing the flavors found in each brew.

You’ll notice the flavor of the Two Birds really compliments the sausage. But really, if you have both beer and food together, who cares, you’re already winning. 

And there you have it. Winning.

We moved through a number of courses, including veggie frittata, chicken vol-au-vent and baked beans with more bread. It was the perfect accompaniment to the brews on offer.

I was introduced to so many new brews and breweries in Australia that I have my work cut out for me in the coming months. I may as well scrap all my travel plans and just go on a beer tour of the country at this rate.

Some of the beers we sampled:

4 Pines-Kolsch; must.get.to.Manly.

Stone & Wood-Pacific Ale; this alongside the Two Birds were my favorites, I would tell you why and how they were different but I don’t remember anymore and my notes simply have stars next to them. Just know that they have my recommendations.

Rocks Brewing-Butcher Porter; I like porters, so what? Sue me if that’s not girly enough for you.

There were eight total beers on offer including a full glass welcome and a full glass farwell brew. The men of BeerMenTV were wonderful hosts, even if they did stereotype me as a loud American by not letting me use a microphone to answer questions (in the end when the host heard my delicate voice he gave me the mic, but still).

Hart’s Pub was a winner. I’m already plotting my return, especially since it is such a short walk from work! Long hours equal early evenings drinking.

Sydney and Craft Beer; they do co-exist! is a post from: Wayward Traveller