Hi all!
So as you can see, it's clearly been a LONG time since we wrote to provide updates on our lives!
This has been unintentional, although it speaks to the reason for this blog in general, which I originally created yes, for our trip, but also to keep people up to date on what's going on in our lives when we all live so far away. Yet we've been SO busy, the blog has already fallen by the wayside! Yikes!
Ok, I know I know, now that we're back from our EPIC ADVENTURE, how exciting could life possibly be?? Well... I figured this post could serve as a quick recap, as well as a springboard for a pretty exciting adventure ahead...but more on that in a minute!
So! Since I am normally SUPER long winded - I have decided to bypass all that and get right to the point. HERE is what we've been up to the past few months since arriving back stateside!:
- Jon and I lived with our parents for a few weeks while we got readjusted to USA living.
- Jon applied for jobs while I worked on my photography website, Focus on Joy Photography
- After about 2 weeks of applying, Jon got FOUR job offers, because he is a baller.
- Jon accepted a position at Speight, Marshall, and Francis in Richmond, VA, with a 6 month training period at their office in Virginia Beach.
- We are currently living in an apartment in Virginia Beach, butttttttt......... we are in contract to purchase a home in Richmond, VA at the end of August!!
WHEW!
I think I got out all the big news!!
Oh yea! One more thing. Since Jon is busting his tail at his new job and I am patiently awaiting our move to Richmond to really hit the ground running with my photography business, I have decided to embark on a cross country adventure!! (Told ya there was big news ahead ;-)).
So! I'm hoping to write again semi-regularly while travelling across the country! My travels will take me to over 20 states spanning from Virginia to Maine to Texas and California (and back again).
Look out for exciting updates on my "Cross Country Extravaganza!" which you can find right here in the coming weeks!
See you on the flip side, readers ;-).
With love,
The Perpetual Nomad with the Most Amazing Husband Who 100% Recognizes Her Insatiable Wanderlust
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Travelling to Oceania
So you want to travel to Oceania? Our advice? Plan to be here for a LOOONNNGGGG time, because there is NO WAY you'll have enough time to see all the things you'll want to see!! We were in this part of the world for almost 5 weeks and we are trying to figure out a way to come back for at least another 2 months to see just SOME of what we missed! BUT! Here's our advice for the things we WERE able to see and do!
Australia:
It's amazing. And we only saw 3 cities. We would love to be able to come back and explore a lot more of it - we missed so much this time around! But here's what we can tell you...
Melbourne:
It's the best city. It just is. Seriously. I'm in love. Plan to spend at least 5 days here. In that amount of time you'll be able to hit a lot of the really great restaurants, while also having plenty of time to take advantage of its various free public spaces. These include: Federation Square (a large meeting area), St. Paul's Cathedral (beautiful church next to Fed Square), the ACMI (movie museum - spend at least 2 hours here - awesome hands-on exhibits), LANEWAYS (find a laneways map and explore them all - they are amazing!), and then all of the public parks such as the botanical gardens and Birrarung Marr. There's also a free conservancy near Cook's Cottage (Cooks Cottage costs a few dollars to enter but the park it's in is free). Overall, just enjoy the atmosphere, revel in the (mostly) free public transportation, and eat lots of delicious things. Don't forget to devote at least a day (preferably a sunny one) to driving the Great Ocean Road and exploring the southern coast and its beaches. And also, bring me with you when you go :).
Cairns:
March is not the time to be in Cairns as it is PRIME box jellyfish season (aka the deadliest creature on the planet. No bueno.) The jellyfish aren't around in Australian winter (aka July and August), so this is the suggested time to head to Cairns. Basically only plan to go here if you want to scuba dive and don't plan to be here for longer than you'd like to dive. Don't forget that you shouldn't fly within 24 hours of a dive, so plan accordingly. While we only did one day of diving, there are LOTS of options for 3 or 4 day live-aboards. If you are certified (or want to get certified) SERIOUSLY CONSIDER this option as it will allow you to go to the inner part of the Great Barrier Reef, aka where less people have the opportunity to go, it's more untouched, more pristine, and I've heard is better overall. Unfortunately we didn't have the time (or money) to do a live-aboard, but next time I will BE there. As for the city of Cairns, there's REALLY not much to it - only explore if you have some time while waiting to be able to fly out of there ;-p. As for the Daintree Rainforest, while very pretty, it wasn't something we felt too strongly about. Instead, drive up to Cape Tribulation and enjoy some time there, but honestly, you can skip the Daintree...
Sydney:
Sydney is really lovely, but it's also basically just a big city. Two to three days here is plenty and will allow you time to visit the Sydney Opera House (I think the tour is a must - quite fascinating and beautiful), as well as to head to the beaches - Manly and Bondi. Bondi is more touristy and Manly is where the locals go. We only went to Manly as we'd heard it's the better overall beach. Until that point, it was by FAR the nicest beach we'd been to on this trip. Manly Beach is highly recommended. As far as things to do, we'd also recommend climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge if your budget allows for it. It is VERY expensive, but it is honestly one of the best "go-climb-this-tall-structure" experiences we've had (and we've had a LOT of them!) We had SO MUCH time on the bridge to just relax and enjoy the view - we never felt rushed at all while climbing (which is not something you can say of most of those experiences) AND our tour guide was SUPER knowledgeable about the bridge and the surrounding harbor. Overall a pretty great experience. Also, if you like eating dessert for breakfast, check out Pancakes On The Rocks - DELICIOUS.
New Zealand:
IS AMAZING. GO. JUST DO IT. GO NOW.
We went to FAR too many cities, so instead I will just say this - while it is definitely possible to see both the North and South Islands in 2 weeks, it is NOT possible if you actually want to enjoy yourself and SEE the country. We spent 2 weeks driving around the North Island and it was a good amount of time. We were never really rushed, we saw about 10 different cities, and went to almost every section of the North Island. If you want to really cover it extensively I would say 2 1/2 - 3 weeks is the right amount of time. As for the South Island, I've heard you need at least 3 weeks to cover just the South Island alone. Also, everyone says the South Island is much more beautiful, so if you only have time for one, consider doing the South. Or, you could be like us, and do the North in one trip, and South in the next so you're even MORE pleasantly surprised when you get there :).
As for our favorite places in the North Island, we LOVED Taupo - beautiful area, lots of green spaces, hiking trails, etc. and the lake is gorgeous. We also loved Napier on the East Coast, a quaint little town (much like Northport, where we grew up), and on a beautiful black pebble beach. We were also a big fan of the Northern section of the island up near Whangaray, although we wished we could have spent a bit more time in the Bay of Islands.
But like I said - New Zealand is amazing. Just book your trip now :-p.
Fiji:
Where we were in Fiji was amazing and DEFINITELY relaxing. We recommend going for as long as you're cool with sitting on a beach with a drink in your hand :). With Fiji we were a little concerned that if we stayed on the mainland we'd run into the same problem we'd had in Bali - the place had been overrun by tourism and was NOT what we were actually looking for. As such, we decided to head to one of the outlying islands (one of the 330 that comprise Fiji) and we were FAR from disappointed. The Octopus Resort, located on Yawa Island, was incredible - clean, nice amenities, great pool, and right on a gorgeous and pristine beach. A few years ago it was ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in the world, and it's easy to see why. Crystal clear water, amazing staff, great rooms, and a beautiful coral reef just FEET from the shoreline. Not only that, but we appreciated the opportunities to interact with the local staff, as well as to explore town. The town was located only a 15-20 minute walk from the resort and everyone there was quite friendly and welcoming. We really enjoyed our time in Fiji and look forward to going back when we find ourselves on that side of the world again :). When we do come back, if we don't stay at Octopus again, we will most likely look for a similar experience on a different, smaller island. It really was a little slice of paradise.
Australia:
It's amazing. And we only saw 3 cities. We would love to be able to come back and explore a lot more of it - we missed so much this time around! But here's what we can tell you...
Melbourne:
It's the best city. It just is. Seriously. I'm in love. Plan to spend at least 5 days here. In that amount of time you'll be able to hit a lot of the really great restaurants, while also having plenty of time to take advantage of its various free public spaces. These include: Federation Square (a large meeting area), St. Paul's Cathedral (beautiful church next to Fed Square), the ACMI (movie museum - spend at least 2 hours here - awesome hands-on exhibits), LANEWAYS (find a laneways map and explore them all - they are amazing!), and then all of the public parks such as the botanical gardens and Birrarung Marr. There's also a free conservancy near Cook's Cottage (Cooks Cottage costs a few dollars to enter but the park it's in is free). Overall, just enjoy the atmosphere, revel in the (mostly) free public transportation, and eat lots of delicious things. Don't forget to devote at least a day (preferably a sunny one) to driving the Great Ocean Road and exploring the southern coast and its beaches. And also, bring me with you when you go :).
Cairns:
March is not the time to be in Cairns as it is PRIME box jellyfish season (aka the deadliest creature on the planet. No bueno.) The jellyfish aren't around in Australian winter (aka July and August), so this is the suggested time to head to Cairns. Basically only plan to go here if you want to scuba dive and don't plan to be here for longer than you'd like to dive. Don't forget that you shouldn't fly within 24 hours of a dive, so plan accordingly. While we only did one day of diving, there are LOTS of options for 3 or 4 day live-aboards. If you are certified (or want to get certified) SERIOUSLY CONSIDER this option as it will allow you to go to the inner part of the Great Barrier Reef, aka where less people have the opportunity to go, it's more untouched, more pristine, and I've heard is better overall. Unfortunately we didn't have the time (or money) to do a live-aboard, but next time I will BE there. As for the city of Cairns, there's REALLY not much to it - only explore if you have some time while waiting to be able to fly out of there ;-p. As for the Daintree Rainforest, while very pretty, it wasn't something we felt too strongly about. Instead, drive up to Cape Tribulation and enjoy some time there, but honestly, you can skip the Daintree...
Sydney:
Sydney is really lovely, but it's also basically just a big city. Two to three days here is plenty and will allow you time to visit the Sydney Opera House (I think the tour is a must - quite fascinating and beautiful), as well as to head to the beaches - Manly and Bondi. Bondi is more touristy and Manly is where the locals go. We only went to Manly as we'd heard it's the better overall beach. Until that point, it was by FAR the nicest beach we'd been to on this trip. Manly Beach is highly recommended. As far as things to do, we'd also recommend climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge if your budget allows for it. It is VERY expensive, but it is honestly one of the best "go-climb-this-tall-structure" experiences we've had (and we've had a LOT of them!) We had SO MUCH time on the bridge to just relax and enjoy the view - we never felt rushed at all while climbing (which is not something you can say of most of those experiences) AND our tour guide was SUPER knowledgeable about the bridge and the surrounding harbor. Overall a pretty great experience. Also, if you like eating dessert for breakfast, check out Pancakes On The Rocks - DELICIOUS.
New Zealand:
IS AMAZING. GO. JUST DO IT. GO NOW.
We went to FAR too many cities, so instead I will just say this - while it is definitely possible to see both the North and South Islands in 2 weeks, it is NOT possible if you actually want to enjoy yourself and SEE the country. We spent 2 weeks driving around the North Island and it was a good amount of time. We were never really rushed, we saw about 10 different cities, and went to almost every section of the North Island. If you want to really cover it extensively I would say 2 1/2 - 3 weeks is the right amount of time. As for the South Island, I've heard you need at least 3 weeks to cover just the South Island alone. Also, everyone says the South Island is much more beautiful, so if you only have time for one, consider doing the South. Or, you could be like us, and do the North in one trip, and South in the next so you're even MORE pleasantly surprised when you get there :).
As for our favorite places in the North Island, we LOVED Taupo - beautiful area, lots of green spaces, hiking trails, etc. and the lake is gorgeous. We also loved Napier on the East Coast, a quaint little town (much like Northport, where we grew up), and on a beautiful black pebble beach. We were also a big fan of the Northern section of the island up near Whangaray, although we wished we could have spent a bit more time in the Bay of Islands.
But like I said - New Zealand is amazing. Just book your trip now :-p.
Fiji:
Where we were in Fiji was amazing and DEFINITELY relaxing. We recommend going for as long as you're cool with sitting on a beach with a drink in your hand :). With Fiji we were a little concerned that if we stayed on the mainland we'd run into the same problem we'd had in Bali - the place had been overrun by tourism and was NOT what we were actually looking for. As such, we decided to head to one of the outlying islands (one of the 330 that comprise Fiji) and we were FAR from disappointed. The Octopus Resort, located on Yawa Island, was incredible - clean, nice amenities, great pool, and right on a gorgeous and pristine beach. A few years ago it was ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in the world, and it's easy to see why. Crystal clear water, amazing staff, great rooms, and a beautiful coral reef just FEET from the shoreline. Not only that, but we appreciated the opportunities to interact with the local staff, as well as to explore town. The town was located only a 15-20 minute walk from the resort and everyone there was quite friendly and welcoming. We really enjoyed our time in Fiji and look forward to going back when we find ourselves on that side of the world again :). When we do come back, if we don't stay at Octopus again, we will most likely look for a similar experience on a different, smaller island. It really was a little slice of paradise.
The Best of Oceania
So now that the third and final leg of our trip has come to an end, it's time for a recap of our time in Oceania. So! Without further ado!
Jess' Favorites
City as a Tourist: Taupo, New Zealand
City to Potentially Move to: MELBOURNE
Hike: Tongariro National Park, NZ
Beach: Octopus Resort, Fiji
Experience: skydiving!
Country: Australia
Best things Jess brought for this leg of the trip: bathing suit, camera, Phase 10/playing cards, GoPro, Padi Dive Certification card
Worst things brought for this leg of the trip: hmmmmmmmm...might not have any...
Jon's Favorites
City as a Tourist: Melbourne and Napier, New Zealand
City to Potentially Move to: Taupo, New Zealand
Hike: Tongariro
Beach: Octopus Resort
Experience: Skydiving
Country: New Zealand
Best things Jon brought for this leg of the trip: bathing suit, hiking shoes
Worst things brought for this leg of the trip: ...
Overall we LOVED this part of the world and are very much looking forward to returning ASAP!
Jess' Favorites
City as a Tourist: Taupo, New Zealand
City to Potentially Move to: MELBOURNE
Hike: Tongariro National Park, NZ
Beach: Octopus Resort, Fiji
Experience: skydiving!
Country: Australia
Best things Jess brought for this leg of the trip: bathing suit, camera, Phase 10/playing cards, GoPro, Padi Dive Certification card
Worst things brought for this leg of the trip: hmmmmmmmm...might not have any...
Jon's Favorites
City as a Tourist: Melbourne and Napier, New Zealand
City to Potentially Move to: Taupo, New Zealand
Hike: Tongariro
Beach: Octopus Resort
Experience: Skydiving
Country: New Zealand
Best things Jon brought for this leg of the trip: bathing suit, hiking shoes
Worst things brought for this leg of the trip: ...
Overall we LOVED this part of the world and are very much looking forward to returning ASAP!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
The Longest Day Ever.
Today has been the longest day ever. But seriously.
We woke up this morning, March 22, 2016, in the Octopus Resort in Fiji. After eating breakfast, we packed up the rest of our things and checked out of our room. From the office we headed to the beach where we were able to enjoy a BEAUTIFUL morning on the island. We had wanted to go snorkeling but unfortunately the tide was too low (the coral was all peaking out from the ocean that's how low it was!) Instead, we relaxed on the beach and in the pool before eating our last meal at the resort and taking a walk down the beach to check out the massive lava rocks at the end of it. The rocks were beautiful and full of tiny seaside creatures from hermit crabs to guppies. There were also these crazy slimy-looking lizard-like animals that jumped back and forth between the wet rocks. They almost looked like tadpoles - would love to find out what they were - it was fascinating watching them! We also saw TONS of crabs (there have been hermit crabs all over the beach here) and hung out at the rocks before heading back to the resort to get ready for our loooooonnnnngg day.
We were able to take showers (which was fantastic - a perk of the shared bathroom situation) before getting ready to catch our boat to Nadi/the mainland. We had been told to get ready by 2:30, so of course we were out there at 2:17. We played cards and hung out on a hammock on the beach while we waited for our boat to arrive. The boat was supposed to get to Octopus at 3 pm...and yet at 4 we were still sitting on the hammock waiting to leave. Finally at 4:06 they herded those of us who were leaving onto a motorboat and took us to meet the Yasawa Flyer, the larger boat we'd be taking the 2 1/2 hours to Nadi.
I had been a bit nervous about getting sick on the boat since recently I've been experiencing sea sickness more than I usually do. Luckily, the boat ride was smooth sailing - hooray! The sun had slipped behind the clouds so it was a bit cool outside, but other than that, the rain held off and it was a really beautiful ride through the Fiji Islands (the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands) back to the mainland - a fairly perfect way to end our time in Fiji.
We arrived at the mainland around 6 pm and were told there were free shuttles to the airport - awesome! We caught a free shuttle and arrived at the airport around 6:30 - perfect timing for our 9:40 pm flight. After WAAYYY too much difficulty (involving the airline not being able to find our reservation...), we were finally able to check in for our flight to Los Angeles. We hung out at the airport for a while, ate dinner, bought our final magnet, exchanged our money back to US dollars, and played cards before boarding our plane.
So why is this post called "The Longest Day Ever"? While in actuality it should only take us 18 hours to travel from Nadi to New York, during this trip, we crossed over the international date line. Meaning that when we took off at 9:40 pm, we had already spent 21 hours and 40 minutes in March 22. But by crossing over the international dateline, we actually went BACK in time to the beginning of March 22.
Due to crossing the international date line, flights, layovers, and time changes, we spent a total of 40 hours on March 22, 2016.
SUPER CRAZY!!
So! Our flight to LA was fairly uneventful, although there was quite a bit of turbulence (and I may have been clutching Jon's hand more than a little. Quite bumpy.) We watched the last Hunger Games movie together (since neither of us had seen it) and then I fell asleep for a long time while Jon watched another movie. We arrived in LA around 11:30 am ON MARCH 22, picked up our bags, cleared customs, and were once again on American soil. Pretty weird. Especially considering it was actually our first time in America in 2016, making it country #14 of our travels!
As soon as we arrived in LA we were PUMPED to be able to use our phones and access unrestricted internet again! We hadn't had internet access in about 4 days (since getting to Fiji) so it was nice to check in with family and friends and actually be able to use our phones. We bought sandwiches for lunch and waited for our flight, which was already delayed by about an hour.
Our flight to New York marks our 20th flight in the past three months (including every leg of our journeys, 21 if you include our skydiving flight). Yet when you come to the end of your travels, it seems like nothing moves at the pace you want it to. Our flights were delayed, we weren't given seats when we checked in, the airport was kind of a nightmare with WAY too many people and not enough space, there were 3 flights trying to board basically at the same gate so it was overcrowded and there was pushing, AND when we were finally given our seat assignments, we realized that we were not seated next to each other. Thanks for the super great experience, Virgin America!
So Jon and I boarded the plane separately and barely saw each other during the whole flight. I watched the first few episodes of House of Cards (pretty entertaining - I semi-get the obsession now) and otherwise just tried to stay awake after not sleeping for so long!!
When we arrived in New York I got another surprise - Gabriel Iglesias - the famous comedian - had been on our flight! After getting off the plane I went up to him to tell him that I liked his stand-up and he asked if I wanted to take a picture - always!
How fun! Our next stop was baggage claim before heading outside to find Jon's dad in the FREEZING COLD New York March (and nearly midnight) weather! He drove us to my parent's house where we were greeted with open arms and lots of smiles and hugs (and food!!) We stayed up for about an hour sharing stories from our travels.
All exciting stuff but it is DEFINITELY time for bed after an actually-super-long-for-real day.
Jess' highlight of the day: our final morning in Fiji
Jon's highlight of the day: the boat ride to Nadi
We woke up this morning, March 22, 2016, in the Octopus Resort in Fiji. After eating breakfast, we packed up the rest of our things and checked out of our room. From the office we headed to the beach where we were able to enjoy a BEAUTIFUL morning on the island. We had wanted to go snorkeling but unfortunately the tide was too low (the coral was all peaking out from the ocean that's how low it was!) Instead, we relaxed on the beach and in the pool before eating our last meal at the resort and taking a walk down the beach to check out the massive lava rocks at the end of it. The rocks were beautiful and full of tiny seaside creatures from hermit crabs to guppies. There were also these crazy slimy-looking lizard-like animals that jumped back and forth between the wet rocks. They almost looked like tadpoles - would love to find out what they were - it was fascinating watching them! We also saw TONS of crabs (there have been hermit crabs all over the beach here) and hung out at the rocks before heading back to the resort to get ready for our loooooonnnnngg day.
We were able to take showers (which was fantastic - a perk of the shared bathroom situation) before getting ready to catch our boat to Nadi/the mainland. We had been told to get ready by 2:30, so of course we were out there at 2:17. We played cards and hung out on a hammock on the beach while we waited for our boat to arrive. The boat was supposed to get to Octopus at 3 pm...and yet at 4 we were still sitting on the hammock waiting to leave. Finally at 4:06 they herded those of us who were leaving onto a motorboat and took us to meet the Yasawa Flyer, the larger boat we'd be taking the 2 1/2 hours to Nadi.
I had been a bit nervous about getting sick on the boat since recently I've been experiencing sea sickness more than I usually do. Luckily, the boat ride was smooth sailing - hooray! The sun had slipped behind the clouds so it was a bit cool outside, but other than that, the rain held off and it was a really beautiful ride through the Fiji Islands (the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands) back to the mainland - a fairly perfect way to end our time in Fiji.
We arrived at the mainland around 6 pm and were told there were free shuttles to the airport - awesome! We caught a free shuttle and arrived at the airport around 6:30 - perfect timing for our 9:40 pm flight. After WAAYYY too much difficulty (involving the airline not being able to find our reservation...), we were finally able to check in for our flight to Los Angeles. We hung out at the airport for a while, ate dinner, bought our final magnet, exchanged our money back to US dollars, and played cards before boarding our plane.
So why is this post called "The Longest Day Ever"? While in actuality it should only take us 18 hours to travel from Nadi to New York, during this trip, we crossed over the international date line. Meaning that when we took off at 9:40 pm, we had already spent 21 hours and 40 minutes in March 22. But by crossing over the international dateline, we actually went BACK in time to the beginning of March 22.
Due to crossing the international date line, flights, layovers, and time changes, we spent a total of 40 hours on March 22, 2016.
SUPER CRAZY!!
So! Our flight to LA was fairly uneventful, although there was quite a bit of turbulence (and I may have been clutching Jon's hand more than a little. Quite bumpy.) We watched the last Hunger Games movie together (since neither of us had seen it) and then I fell asleep for a long time while Jon watched another movie. We arrived in LA around 11:30 am ON MARCH 22, picked up our bags, cleared customs, and were once again on American soil. Pretty weird. Especially considering it was actually our first time in America in 2016, making it country #14 of our travels!
As soon as we arrived in LA we were PUMPED to be able to use our phones and access unrestricted internet again! We hadn't had internet access in about 4 days (since getting to Fiji) so it was nice to check in with family and friends and actually be able to use our phones. We bought sandwiches for lunch and waited for our flight, which was already delayed by about an hour.
Our flight to New York marks our 20th flight in the past three months (including every leg of our journeys, 21 if you include our skydiving flight). Yet when you come to the end of your travels, it seems like nothing moves at the pace you want it to. Our flights were delayed, we weren't given seats when we checked in, the airport was kind of a nightmare with WAY too many people and not enough space, there were 3 flights trying to board basically at the same gate so it was overcrowded and there was pushing, AND when we were finally given our seat assignments, we realized that we were not seated next to each other. Thanks for the super great experience, Virgin America!
So Jon and I boarded the plane separately and barely saw each other during the whole flight. I watched the first few episodes of House of Cards (pretty entertaining - I semi-get the obsession now) and otherwise just tried to stay awake after not sleeping for so long!!
When we arrived in New York I got another surprise - Gabriel Iglesias - the famous comedian - had been on our flight! After getting off the plane I went up to him to tell him that I liked his stand-up and he asked if I wanted to take a picture - always!
How fun! Our next stop was baggage claim before heading outside to find Jon's dad in the FREEZING COLD New York March (and nearly midnight) weather! He drove us to my parent's house where we were greeted with open arms and lots of smiles and hugs (and food!!) We stayed up for about an hour sharing stories from our travels.
All exciting stuff but it is DEFINITELY time for bed after an actually-super-long-for-real day.
Jess' highlight of the day: our final morning in Fiji
Jon's highlight of the day: the boat ride to Nadi
Going Home
I can't honestly say it's hit me that we're going home. I've been really sad thinking about it. While there are so many new and exciting experiences that will be coming our way once we get home, there's so much more I want to see and do.
I think it always feels that way when you travel, or at least for me it does. You always wish you had one more day. One more hour. You wish you'd scheduled another day to relax or to grab a cup of tea. There's always more to do. More people to talk to. More places to go.
But there will always be more, won't there? I think it's part of what makes me excited to plan our next trip (which is, of course, already in the works ;-) I can't rest on my laurels!)
I simultaneously love that there is always more to see, and can't stand the fact that I will never be able to see it all.
I guess I'll just have to keep going until my wanderlust is satiated.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA :)
Right then,
I guess I'll just have to keep going.
I think it always feels that way when you travel, or at least for me it does. You always wish you had one more day. One more hour. You wish you'd scheduled another day to relax or to grab a cup of tea. There's always more to do. More people to talk to. More places to go.
But there will always be more, won't there? I think it's part of what makes me excited to plan our next trip (which is, of course, already in the works ;-) I can't rest on my laurels!)
I simultaneously love that there is always more to see, and can't stand the fact that I will never be able to see it all.
I guess I'll just have to keep going until my wanderlust is satiated.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA :)
Right then,
I guess I'll just have to keep going.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Rainy Day
Today we weren't so lucky with the weather. As I mentioned, we had checked the weather before arriving in Fiji and were pretty bummed to find out it was supposed to rain every day. That said, we knew it was rainy season when we booked our flights to Fiji. Sooooooo we'd pretty much been expecting it while crossing our fingers that the weather would be fine (especially since we'd already had such luck with the beautiful weather in other places it was supposed to be rainy like Kenya and Bali.)
So today the weather was less than stellar. It started out fairly gray in the morning and continued to get worse until around 11 am when it started downpouring! Fortunately, we were able to run to the cover provided by the restaurant/bar area with our deck of cards and hang out for the next two hours while it rained. We played cards for a while, reveling in the fact that despite the rain it was still nice and warm and the breeze was beautiful. So yes, lots of rain, but we were still happy to be able to enjoy the outdoors :).
After playing cards it cleared up slightly and we were able to relax out by the pool and on the beach. Fortunately, the sun came out right around 2 pm - perfect time for a walk to town!
Octopus Resport has a great selection of activities that visitors can take part in. Unfortunately some of them (such as the 7:30 am mountain hike that I had wanted to go on) were cancelled. However, we were very lucky that the sun came out so we could head off into town for a tour! About 20 of us went over the mountainside with our guide, Lye, an older gentleman who works at Octopus Resort and lives in the town of Nalauwaki. Lye led us the 20 minutes from our side of the island to the other, stopping for some scenic vistas along the way.
The way to town was a dirt path through a mountainside rife with...pigs! They were everywhere and quite cute (albeit a little stinky :-p). Lye led us through town, stopping to say "bula" (hello!) to everyone we met along the way, arriving at their kindergarten school...or at least what remained of it after the cyclone that came through the Fiji Islands two weeks ago. Fortunately, everyone in their village was safe after the cyclone and nearly all the houses and buildings survived intact. The only exceptions were the kindergarten school and the teacher's housing, both of which had been semi-permanent structures originally, and which were basically wiped clean.
Lye mentioned that they were collecting money to rebuild their school. It felt REALLY good to be able to provide aid to a community and know that it was going directly to building a school back in that exact spot. Hoping we can come back in a few years and see their progress!
After wandering all the way to the school we went back to the town center where we sat underneath a tin roof for a cava welcoming ceremony...which we were not ready for at all...
It is customary in Fiji to greet guests with a cava ceremony. Cava is a drink made from water and the crushed roots of the pepper plant. Basically it looks like muddy water. When guests enter a space, the host will prepare the mixture and everyone sits in a circle. The host will then offer each person the cava in turn. Before you take the bowl, you clap once and say "BULA", wherein everyone responds "bula" while clapping three times. You then drink the cava, hand back the bowl and clap three times, after which the bowl is passed to the next person. It is customary to finish the entire prepared bowl of cava, and so the ceremony continues until the cava is gone.
Well...that is all well and good...when you have a stomach of steel. But when you have a stomach like mine, and have just been sicker than you've been in YEARS the previous day, and saw them taking the water they used from their local tap, and yet you don't want to be rude...what do you do?
You drink the Cava.
So the ceremony began and the bowl was passed around the circle. And so Jon drank. And then I drank. And it tasted like mud water. And made our tongues numb. Don't worry, it's supposed to do that. I don't know if that makes it better or not.
The cava went around the circle once and EVERYONE drank it. I was shocked that everyone participated! Lye then asked our "chief" aka the first man who had taken a sip, if we should do another round. And (I think under duress from Lye) he said YES! AHHHH! But this time Lye said he was glad we'd all tried it and we were free to pass the bowl if we did not want to drink it.
WHEW.
So the cava came around again. And Jon drank it. AGAIN! I couldn't believe it! When it was my turn all I could think about was how sick I had been yesterday and I passed. After which half the circle decided to pass. I was so glad I wasn't the only one! Regardless, it was one of those moments where I was glad that I had been given the opportunity to try something new. I'm just still hoping I'm not sick as a dog later today!!
After the cava ceremony we sat under the tin roof waiting for some of the villagers to give a presentation. Lye told us that the ENTIRE village has a population of 437.
CAN YOU IMAGINE??? Living on an island your whole life and your entire village has a population of 437!!! Just crazy!!
As we were waiting under the tin roof, it suddenly began to POUR. SO HARD! And it sounded SO much louder under the roof! After about 15 minutes it began to let up just enough for us to quickly put our shoes back on and head to the town meeting room. When we got there, we sat in a semi-circle and some of the villagers presented native Fijian songs and dances for us. It was pretty magical, especially the way the sound echoed in the big room!
We then got the opportunity to participate in the dancing. It took me and Jon a few minutes to get the hang of it but we finally got it towards the end :-p.
After the dancing, some of the women set out goods for sale and I was able to buy my FINAL bracelet! (I have been collecting bracelets in each country we've gone to. Sometimes it's been hard to find a bracelet for sale (like in Zambia where I bought one at the border crossing into Zimbabwe!) - other times there have been millions to choose from (Thailand/Cambodia). This was the first time since being in Fiji we'd been able to purchase goods and I was quite excited to find a shell bracelet and also a bowl with turtles carved into it for our house (ya know, when we have one...).
After the market we slowly made our way back to Octopus. MUCH slower, in fact, because the rains had made our original path VERY muddy so we had to be quite cautious so as not to slip. We got back to the resort around 5 and fortunately the weather held for the rest of the day, albeit at a slightly cooler temperature (ya know, like 72. BRRRR!) There, we ate dinner, relaxed, and came back to our room early...all the while hoping that neither of us gets sick before our big travel day tomorrow... oy.
Jess' highlight of the day: our village visit!
Jon's highlight of the day: drinking the cava...
So today the weather was less than stellar. It started out fairly gray in the morning and continued to get worse until around 11 am when it started downpouring! Fortunately, we were able to run to the cover provided by the restaurant/bar area with our deck of cards and hang out for the next two hours while it rained. We played cards for a while, reveling in the fact that despite the rain it was still nice and warm and the breeze was beautiful. So yes, lots of rain, but we were still happy to be able to enjoy the outdoors :).
After playing cards it cleared up slightly and we were able to relax out by the pool and on the beach. Fortunately, the sun came out right around 2 pm - perfect time for a walk to town!
Octopus Resport has a great selection of activities that visitors can take part in. Unfortunately some of them (such as the 7:30 am mountain hike that I had wanted to go on) were cancelled. However, we were very lucky that the sun came out so we could head off into town for a tour! About 20 of us went over the mountainside with our guide, Lye, an older gentleman who works at Octopus Resort and lives in the town of Nalauwaki. Lye led us the 20 minutes from our side of the island to the other, stopping for some scenic vistas along the way.
The way to town was a dirt path through a mountainside rife with...pigs! They were everywhere and quite cute (albeit a little stinky :-p). Lye led us through town, stopping to say "bula" (hello!) to everyone we met along the way, arriving at their kindergarten school...or at least what remained of it after the cyclone that came through the Fiji Islands two weeks ago. Fortunately, everyone in their village was safe after the cyclone and nearly all the houses and buildings survived intact. The only exceptions were the kindergarten school and the teacher's housing, both of which had been semi-permanent structures originally, and which were basically wiped clean.
Lye mentioned that they were collecting money to rebuild their school. It felt REALLY good to be able to provide aid to a community and know that it was going directly to building a school back in that exact spot. Hoping we can come back in a few years and see their progress!
After wandering all the way to the school we went back to the town center where we sat underneath a tin roof for a cava welcoming ceremony...which we were not ready for at all...
It is customary in Fiji to greet guests with a cava ceremony. Cava is a drink made from water and the crushed roots of the pepper plant. Basically it looks like muddy water. When guests enter a space, the host will prepare the mixture and everyone sits in a circle. The host will then offer each person the cava in turn. Before you take the bowl, you clap once and say "BULA", wherein everyone responds "bula" while clapping three times. You then drink the cava, hand back the bowl and clap three times, after which the bowl is passed to the next person. It is customary to finish the entire prepared bowl of cava, and so the ceremony continues until the cava is gone.
Well...that is all well and good...when you have a stomach of steel. But when you have a stomach like mine, and have just been sicker than you've been in YEARS the previous day, and saw them taking the water they used from their local tap, and yet you don't want to be rude...what do you do?
You drink the Cava.
So the ceremony began and the bowl was passed around the circle. And so Jon drank. And then I drank. And it tasted like mud water. And made our tongues numb. Don't worry, it's supposed to do that. I don't know if that makes it better or not.
The cava went around the circle once and EVERYONE drank it. I was shocked that everyone participated! Lye then asked our "chief" aka the first man who had taken a sip, if we should do another round. And (I think under duress from Lye) he said YES! AHHHH! But this time Lye said he was glad we'd all tried it and we were free to pass the bowl if we did not want to drink it.
WHEW.
So the cava came around again. And Jon drank it. AGAIN! I couldn't believe it! When it was my turn all I could think about was how sick I had been yesterday and I passed. After which half the circle decided to pass. I was so glad I wasn't the only one! Regardless, it was one of those moments where I was glad that I had been given the opportunity to try something new. I'm just still hoping I'm not sick as a dog later today!!
After the cava ceremony we sat under the tin roof waiting for some of the villagers to give a presentation. Lye told us that the ENTIRE village has a population of 437.
CAN YOU IMAGINE??? Living on an island your whole life and your entire village has a population of 437!!! Just crazy!!
As we were waiting under the tin roof, it suddenly began to POUR. SO HARD! And it sounded SO much louder under the roof! After about 15 minutes it began to let up just enough for us to quickly put our shoes back on and head to the town meeting room. When we got there, we sat in a semi-circle and some of the villagers presented native Fijian songs and dances for us. It was pretty magical, especially the way the sound echoed in the big room!
We then got the opportunity to participate in the dancing. It took me and Jon a few minutes to get the hang of it but we finally got it towards the end :-p.
After the dancing, some of the women set out goods for sale and I was able to buy my FINAL bracelet! (I have been collecting bracelets in each country we've gone to. Sometimes it's been hard to find a bracelet for sale (like in Zambia where I bought one at the border crossing into Zimbabwe!) - other times there have been millions to choose from (Thailand/Cambodia). This was the first time since being in Fiji we'd been able to purchase goods and I was quite excited to find a shell bracelet and also a bowl with turtles carved into it for our house (ya know, when we have one...).
After the market we slowly made our way back to Octopus. MUCH slower, in fact, because the rains had made our original path VERY muddy so we had to be quite cautious so as not to slip. We got back to the resort around 5 and fortunately the weather held for the rest of the day, albeit at a slightly cooler temperature (ya know, like 72. BRRRR!) There, we ate dinner, relaxed, and came back to our room early...all the while hoping that neither of us gets sick before our big travel day tomorrow... oy.
Jess' highlight of the day: our village visit!
Jon's highlight of the day: drinking the cava...
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Ruh Roh
Last night I woke around 4 am with the WORST stomachache like I hadn't felt since living in Guatemala. Awesome. I proceeded to be sick for the next 2 hours (not fun when you're using a shared bathroom which is not attached to your room...) until I was finally able to keep down some medicine. I'm guessing I must have either eaten something bad or accidentally drank some water at some point. Either way, it was seriously the sickest I've been in YEARS and all I could think was "Fingers crossed it's not parasites!!!!!!!" After falling back asleep for a little bit, Jon and I woke up around 8. While I still wasn't feeling great, I did feel MUCH better than I had, so I'm hoping that the medicine keeps working and it's just something I ate/drank. Ugh.
At breakfast I was able to eat about half a piece of toast and some tea. Better than nothing.
We spent the day today doing much of the same as yesterday - relaxing, reading, listening to music, swimming, and sleeping, only without the incredible weather from yesterday. But we were QUITE ok with the overcast day with sporadic showers since before coming to the island the forecast had said 80% chance of rain every day all day. A few sprinkles and no sun? I'LL TAKE IT. We were just grateful to be able to actually spend the whole day outside since we had been expecting to be cooped up all day with the rain!
We were also able to go snorkeling again which was nice, except with the change in weather and stronger winds the current was MUCH stronger, so much so that it made me feel a little queasy and I didn't last too long in the open water!
We enjoyed the day, made more friends at lunch and dinner (which, thankfully, I was able to eat without issues) and headed back for another early night. (I know, we're old.)
Crossing our fingers that the weather holds out again tomorrow!!!
Jess' highlight of the day: feeling better
Jon's highlight of the day: chilling by the pool and snorkeling
At breakfast I was able to eat about half a piece of toast and some tea. Better than nothing.
We spent the day today doing much of the same as yesterday - relaxing, reading, listening to music, swimming, and sleeping, only without the incredible weather from yesterday. But we were QUITE ok with the overcast day with sporadic showers since before coming to the island the forecast had said 80% chance of rain every day all day. A few sprinkles and no sun? I'LL TAKE IT. We were just grateful to be able to actually spend the whole day outside since we had been expecting to be cooped up all day with the rain!
We enjoyed the day, made more friends at lunch and dinner (which, thankfully, I was able to eat without issues) and headed back for another early night. (I know, we're old.)
Crossing our fingers that the weather holds out again tomorrow!!!
Jess' highlight of the day: feeling better
Jon's highlight of the day: chilling by the pool and snorkeling
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