So I have not posted in a while...
and I am not apologizing. First, I have met other travelers who have not posted
on their blogs in over 6 months (so like 6 weeks does not look soo bad) and
second, not posting means I have been having too much fun traveling (which
I have).
Where to begin...
Well one of the most surprising
parts of travel for me, has been the ease of meeting people. You
can meet people everywhere- at the hostel, on the bus, at the museum at
the coffee shop (it helps that people in both Australia and New Zealand are
super friendly). Here are a few friends I have met along the way:
Free Punt (I was corrected when I said gondola ride) with my friend Sarah, who I met at the Sustainable Living Festival and who just so happens to work at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Melbourne
My friend Naomi and I enjoying a night on the town in Melbourne
Naomi is from the Netherlands and we met at my first hostel
Meesha from India who just finished her Masters in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne and who I also met at the Sustainable Living Festival
Fun with Friends at White Night in Melbourne
Some more highlights from Melbourne...
More Art
Modern Depiction of Melbourne
Displayed at National Victoria Museum
Art Museum at Federation Square
More of Federation Square
And Still More...
My Favorite Art Piece of the Trip So Far
Bikes on Bikes on Bikes
While I was in Melbourne, it was Chinese New Year.
There were many decorations around the City for the Holiday.
Museums
Indoor Rainforest
Interesting Aboriginal Exhibit
Each Peg represents a Different Aboriginal Dialog Saying the Word Welcome
Super Impressive Animals from Every Continent Exhibit
This Picture is for you Danny :P
Look Amethyst, my Birthstone
A Circle of Beetles (for you Shahira)
Gardens
A Huge Magnolia Flower that is Reminiscent
of the Gigantic Magnolia at the Rutgers Gardens
The Tree I Called you from Mom and Dad!
Doesn't it Look Like the Garden is on Fire?
Tiny Tudor Village
This is an Amazing Environmental Center on the outskirts of Melbourne.
I heard about it while volunteering at the Sustainable Living Festival.
It reminded me of of a combination of
Greater Newark Conservancy's Outdoor Learning Center and Farms
A Border of Bike Spokes, my Type of Farm
And Sunflowers!
If you Look Closely you can see the Pomegranates Growing :)
Olive Trees, makes me nostalgic for Italy,
Outdoor Classroom, with a Board Full of Information about Worms and Composting.
Oh Conservancy How I Miss you in this Moment!
Chickens
Sea Pickles
The Succulent Volcano
Kapok Tree
I Could Not Resist
An Explorer in her Natural Element
Bamboo Forest, hello Rutgers Gardens again
Rain don't stop me! That's why I brought such a good rain coat (thanks Aunt Kathy!)
Children's Garden, it is Supposed to Feel like you are on the Ocean Floor
More Succulents (one of my favorites, up close and personal)
Beautiful Circular Rose Garden (above and below)
near the Fitzroy Gardens
The Roses are for you Lola
A Little Fun Leftover from White Night Melbourne,
King Kong Attacking the Council Building
The Beautiful Carlton Gardens Aglow for White Night
Carlton Gardens During the Day
You Know Everyone Brings their Pet Goat to the Park
Oh, Only in Australia
Beaches
The Many Views of St. Kilda Beach
Obligatory Traveling Solo Feet Picture
Penguin Team ready with their red flashlights
to help us tourists see some penguins
Who Needs Phillip Island,
Look at that Cute Tiny Penguin
Enjoying the Sunshine with Naomi
Famous Luna Park
Nice Bar with the Coolest Chairs by the Water
Mhmmm Strawberry Lime Cider,
I Will Miss Cider When I am Back in the States
Now Brighton Beach...
Colorful Beach Sheds
Selfie with the Rainbow One of Course
Australian Flag
Panorama
Starfish
Feet :)
Reminded Me of Maine, Nova Scotia, and Vigo, Spain.
Which Direction Shall you Choose?
I chose East and traveled to another great Australian City- Sydney... I visited with my cousin Kevin and was the first American Maguire cousin to meet his two twin seven year old daughters. I fell in love with his daughters instantly and only wished they lived closer to New Jersey so I could babysit them.
Exploring Sydney
Art
For Megan, what we missed in Buenos Aires
O-bar
I got dressed up in my nicest dress and made my way to the 47th floor of this office building. On that floor was a revolving restaurant, after $30 for an appetizer (most delicious duck rolls ever) and a cider... I got to enjoy the 360 degree view of the city from day into night. Thanks Free Tours of Sydney for the Insiders Tip.
Opera House
One of the seven modern wonders of the world, checked off the bucket list.
Ferries and Harbor
Words can't describe how much I loved the ferries. The wind in my face, I was in heaven. And did you know people commute to work by ferry, too cool.
Beaches and Coast
Sydney, I swear, has the most beautiful coastline
Sydney, I swear, has the most beautiful coastline
Oh and the sunsets in Sydney were impressive too
The Famous Manly Beach
Preparation for the Surf Competition Taking Place Later that Week
ALL Maguire's Make Drip Castles
Famous Bondi Beach
My Future House Along the Coast in Sydney
Gardens
And then I took a plane to Middle Earth...aka New Zealand
Queenstown
The Start of my 8-hour Hike...
Made it Up to the Top After Some
Encouragement from a Few German Tourists
Two Thumbs Up!
Sunset Over the Lake in Downtown Queenstown
My Bike Touring Friend from New York City,
Met her at the Top of the Ben Lomond Summit and
We Kept One Another Company on the Long Way Down
WWOOFING-Working for Food and Accommodation
Clinton
Why Yes, I think the Sign Says a Population of 401.
Now I Guess Like 415 With the WWOOFers.
My German weed picking friends
Rainbow Chard
Weeding Can Get a Little Dirty
Our Host/Farmer, Shaun
The Station, Where we Cooked our Meals Together
and I Slept in for the Week
Rugby Game Saturday Night in Dunedin
Rugby is Like a Combination of Soccer, Football, and Cheerleading.
I think it is my New Favorite Sport.
Marching Band
Bacon the Pig
He Ate All of Our Kitchen Scraps
Jersey, the cow
And the Bitch, I can't remember her actually name, that is what Shaun called her
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble made by me
Chloe, the sweetest, most cuddly dog EVER
Pea Picking Squad
Peas for Days
Pea Flower, Beautiful
Campfire One Night, With Marshmellows
What a Tough Life Bacon Leads
Homemade Ricotta Cheese,
Thanks Tessa for Teaching me How to Make it
All the Past WWOOFers Signatures inside The Station
Sunrise (had to get up at 4am) to go to the Dunedin Farmers Market with Shaun
I found my Dad in Dunedin
CREPES
Selling All the Veggies we Weeded and Picked
Last Dinner on the Farm,
Fresh Fish, Farm Fresh Salad, and Homemade Bread
Lumsden
The Second WWOOFing spot turned out not to be a farm but a hotel. It was nice to get a completely opposite experience from Clinton. And of course I got to work in the kitchen,
Outside
of Hotel
Wandering
Around Town,
Row
of Gum aka Eucalyptus Trees
Pizza
Dough!!!
Pizza
Dough Ready for Orders
Craft
Store where I bought string to make bracelets for my cousins
My
Future House
Mina
Street Lumsden
Fresh
and
Delicious
Pizza
Complete
with New Zealand's Best Beer, Tui
The Infamous Compost Bin
Woman
Power- Compost is Complete.
Silly
Selfies By the River With Celine
The
One Thing to do in Lumsden, is going to the River
Diane,
a Local Artist's Workshop
She is a Retired College Professor who Spends
Three Monthes Each Year in New Zealand
And
Her House and Garden
Oh Celine, remember the Butchers!
Experimenting with Dough, Mini Calzones
Easter
Brunch
Half
of Everybody
Left
to Right: Ivy
from China, Celine from France, Hotel Owners Janel and Tim Hanna, Tash the Cook
and Nick from Wales
Compost
System Set Up in the Kitchen
The
Artist with Her Signs
Blurry but had to include it...Check
Out the Apple and Pear Crumble
We
had Bags and Bags of Fruit and Needed to Put it to Good Use
Please meet Atakan Wanaka Maguire
Goodbye for Now, Will Post Again
Next Month!!!
