September 19th is when I entered Australia last year and it has been quite a whirlwind. I had a lot of ups and downs over the year but obviously so happy that I had the opportunity to come here on and enjoy my working holiday visa. Being in a totally new place with very few connections and very few friends made me push myself to find work, a house, and a little group of friends. Not to mention a few expeensive mishaps and a very pricey start to my job. I would not have pushed through my time in Melbourne if it weren't for Ultimate Frisbee Friends that I have made here. They are the best so welcoming, and now have helped me to find a wonderful wonderful man.... Sooo what is next?
After returning from an incredible holiday in Hawaii with my family, Melbourne had lots of visa stress in store for me. Joel and I started planning a while back about figuring out a way for me to stay in Melbourne one more year, if I couldn't stay, it would be a complicated year apart. We were determined there was a way for me to stay here. It was a big step for me, the girl who always likes to leap off into the blind on the next adventure and kind of leave everything behind... but something told me that I shouldn't let go of this one. One week ago I applied defacto on Joel's visa. Which means that as his partner, I have unlimited working rights, and the ability to work, study, and stay in the country as long as his visa is valid. While we had to do many many things in order to prepare for the application, and spend lots of money, and ended up hiring an migration agent to ensure the process goes smoothly. The application not be approved for at least another 12 to 14 weeks, or sometimes longer. However, in the mean time I am granted what is called a bridging visa which grants me my current working rights until a decision is made about my visa. The migration agent we are using has a policy in which he will refund the money if our case is not successful, so we don't think there will be any problems but have to keep our fingers crossed!
I have applied for a second type of bridging visa which allows me to travel as well. I have booked my flights to Portugal and returning from Italy via a night in Singapore for September 8th until October 13th I return. Joel and I will play in a frisbee tournament on the beach, travel around the country, meet his family, and attend a friends wedding. I am super excited for the trip but feel like I just got back from Hawaii!
HAWAII... was soooo great. I had the most amazing time and it was the perfect place to meet the family for some awesome, and hilarious, as always adventures. I started the trip a few days before the family arrived. I had arranged to couch surf for those nights and my couch surfing host, Kevin said that it would be advisable to rent a scooter so I could get around easier and faster than taking the bus. I took the bus to the scooter place where I (and five other backpackers) were welcomed onto the island with the true aloha spirit when none of us had small change for the bus ticket, the driver just told us to hop on for free this time. As I had a ATM machine mishap the morning of my flight in melbs and had only a 20$ from home I was hoping I wouldn't be in a pickle due to the lack of cash. Arrived at the scooter place, and just a little later scooted on out to my couch surfing hosts house in Eastern Honolulu. He was really friendly and had two other guests from Austria there. They were doing a round the world trip. Made me have a little itch for a bigggg trip! After that I headed out on the scoot to do the scenic highway! Enjoying the warm sun on my pasty white skin!! I swam for hours on the beach, slept off a little jet lag, got lost tons of times because I didnt have a cell phone plan, I was just using google maps with GPS and it would only ring but not give me directions when I needed to turn.. But that is part of what life is about. Going on adventures with no end point and just enjoying the journey. I was sooo happy I rented the scooter. The next day I did the Diamond Head Crater hike which I had done 4 years earlier when I was in Hawaii on the way to Korea for year 2. I think it took me wayyy longer, but I should have started a little earlier in the morning. My face was bright red at the top but the view was just as amazing and maybe a little clearer than the time I did it. After that just returned to the beach for more swims, and relaxation time!
The third day I had my scuba diving booked. It was really close to the house, so that was great. I was a little bit disappointed with the deep ship wreck dive. It was called LCU, or Landing Craft Unit which was sunk accidentally upside down. They have a bunch of ships around Oahu sunken on purpose to try and simulate coral growth and such. Which the visibility was really great, there was not a ton to see. One thing I was intrigued by were these triton star fish, which apparently are a pest and super poisonous! There were some schools of fish around and a sting ray, but that was it. The second dive was a lot better. It was called Spitting Caves. Apparently when the tides are right, people jump in between the caves! It was a drift dive along a wall filled with much more life. We were lucky to spot a bunch of turtles and white tip reef sharks, an eel, tons of trumpet fish, and lots of coral life. Everyone else on the boat opted for the nitrox tanks however, I opted out because 125 dollars for two dives was already more than enough, money.. I found it silly because we all had to go up together and I still had plenty of air when we did go up. I dove with Island Divers and they were really great, however being American they dont want to be liable for anything.. The Dive masters speech before was very very sure to make you feel as though he was not going to help you if something happened because they are not liable and we are all certified divers responsible for ourselves and our own actions. When I dive, I already know I am taking risks, but don't need that extra bit rubbed in.. that is what we sign waivers for right?
After the dives I headed straight over to get my stuff and go and meet my family as after the dives were finished they had already landed and were on the way to the beach house on the opposite side of the island.This journey took me a long while as I couldnt drive on the freeway and still only had the dings to go by. The airbnb beach house at Ewa Beach was super cute and literally across the street from the beach. The neighbors were all super friendly. In fact once I finally arrived really close, I couldnºt find the exact house numbers, and these two guys who were also riding around on their scooters googled it and took me to the doorstep! We had a great time there at the house and visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial however there were no tickets to get to the actual memorial spot but enjoyed the museums, and the Bowfin Submarine tour. Cody, Brian, and Lorna were all pokemon go-ing during this and it was funny watching them wander around reading signs but also catching pokemon.
After 3 days in Ewa beach we packed up and headed to our home for the next week, The Spirit of America Cruise Ship. Brian and I were lucky enough to have a handicap room which meant huge bathroom, and tons of space and a great location not far from all the food and other action on the boat.
The first stop was Maui. Our first day in Maui was a little wet! We went on a hike with a "waterfall" at the end.. This was no where to be found, but a little trickle coming from the cliff. After we squeezed back into the car, we headed for the dry side of the island and what google and yelp told us to be a black sand beach... One review even had a photo of the black sand apparently at that beach.. sooooo soo wrong! haha It was a beautiful beach but maybe only 10 % black sand! Well, we lived for the adventure anyways and had a great time. The water was soo calm and a perfect temperature.
The next day in Maui was a much more successful hike along a ridge line with a beautiful view.
Next island was the Big Island. We docked in Hilo for the first night. There we visited the Kileau Volcano National Park. As the volcano is still currently active and was a bit more active than usual some of the roads we wanted to visit were closed. It was super windy but you really cool lava rocks and wind that literally blew you away!
The second stop on the big island was Kona. There we headed to a beach for some snorkeling where there was tons of marine life. Beautiful corals, tons of fish, and some were not camera shy at all. We just took a taxi to the snorkeling spot, and enjoyed the beach and snorkeling and a huge Hawaiian shaved ice to share!
As we sailed away from the Big Island we had the opportunity to sail by Kileau volcano erupting into the sea. That was a very neat thing to see.
In Kauai we booked a last minute kayaking trip on the Waimea River and to the "secret" waterfalls. It was a perfect amount of kayaking for me and an awesome hike to the falls. On the way back we saw a beautiful duck, and a sweet little turtle! The next day we visited Waimea Canyon State Park which was really pretty and worth the morning trip. Then found a free botanical garden and a pretty Kauai beach. The boat sailed a complete circle around Kauai and in the afternoon we were able to have a close up view of the Napali Coastline which was stunning.
When we docked back in Honolulu, Joel was landed from his flight and waiting for me at the ferry terminal. We headed to our Airbnb house on the North Shore for the last 5 days. It was absolutely stunning. We had beach cruisers, and tons of beach days, snorkeling, and did a stroll to Waimea Falls one day. I wanted to do lots of other hikes but, the first afternoon, Joel and I were throwing frisbee together and I tripped over a lop and snapped off my toenail! OUCH, it was super painful to walk for a bit or for anything to touch it. But we wrapped it up really good everyday and I still made it to the beach! We also visited the Polynesian Cultural Center for a laua and the chance to learn more about the different islands. Hawaiian Islands were truly beautiful and it was so much fun to go on a good old family vacation with everyone. I cant wait for our next reunion!
Lots of love!
xoxo
After returning from an incredible holiday in Hawaii with my family, Melbourne had lots of visa stress in store for me. Joel and I started planning a while back about figuring out a way for me to stay in Melbourne one more year, if I couldn't stay, it would be a complicated year apart. We were determined there was a way for me to stay here. It was a big step for me, the girl who always likes to leap off into the blind on the next adventure and kind of leave everything behind... but something told me that I shouldn't let go of this one. One week ago I applied defacto on Joel's visa. Which means that as his partner, I have unlimited working rights, and the ability to work, study, and stay in the country as long as his visa is valid. While we had to do many many things in order to prepare for the application, and spend lots of money, and ended up hiring an migration agent to ensure the process goes smoothly. The application not be approved for at least another 12 to 14 weeks, or sometimes longer. However, in the mean time I am granted what is called a bridging visa which grants me my current working rights until a decision is made about my visa. The migration agent we are using has a policy in which he will refund the money if our case is not successful, so we don't think there will be any problems but have to keep our fingers crossed!
I have applied for a second type of bridging visa which allows me to travel as well. I have booked my flights to Portugal and returning from Italy via a night in Singapore for September 8th until October 13th I return. Joel and I will play in a frisbee tournament on the beach, travel around the country, meet his family, and attend a friends wedding. I am super excited for the trip but feel like I just got back from Hawaii!
HAWAII... was soooo great. I had the most amazing time and it was the perfect place to meet the family for some awesome, and hilarious, as always adventures. I started the trip a few days before the family arrived. I had arranged to couch surf for those nights and my couch surfing host, Kevin said that it would be advisable to rent a scooter so I could get around easier and faster than taking the bus. I took the bus to the scooter place where I (and five other backpackers) were welcomed onto the island with the true aloha spirit when none of us had small change for the bus ticket, the driver just told us to hop on for free this time. As I had a ATM machine mishap the morning of my flight in melbs and had only a 20$ from home I was hoping I wouldn't be in a pickle due to the lack of cash. Arrived at the scooter place, and just a little later scooted on out to my couch surfing hosts house in Eastern Honolulu. He was really friendly and had two other guests from Austria there. They were doing a round the world trip. Made me have a little itch for a bigggg trip! After that I headed out on the scoot to do the scenic highway! Enjoying the warm sun on my pasty white skin!! I swam for hours on the beach, slept off a little jet lag, got lost tons of times because I didnt have a cell phone plan, I was just using google maps with GPS and it would only ring but not give me directions when I needed to turn.. But that is part of what life is about. Going on adventures with no end point and just enjoying the journey. I was sooo happy I rented the scooter. The next day I did the Diamond Head Crater hike which I had done 4 years earlier when I was in Hawaii on the way to Korea for year 2. I think it took me wayyy longer, but I should have started a little earlier in the morning. My face was bright red at the top but the view was just as amazing and maybe a little clearer than the time I did it. After that just returned to the beach for more swims, and relaxation time!
The third day I had my scuba diving booked. It was really close to the house, so that was great. I was a little bit disappointed with the deep ship wreck dive. It was called LCU, or Landing Craft Unit which was sunk accidentally upside down. They have a bunch of ships around Oahu sunken on purpose to try and simulate coral growth and such. Which the visibility was really great, there was not a ton to see. One thing I was intrigued by were these triton star fish, which apparently are a pest and super poisonous! There were some schools of fish around and a sting ray, but that was it. The second dive was a lot better. It was called Spitting Caves. Apparently when the tides are right, people jump in between the caves! It was a drift dive along a wall filled with much more life. We were lucky to spot a bunch of turtles and white tip reef sharks, an eel, tons of trumpet fish, and lots of coral life. Everyone else on the boat opted for the nitrox tanks however, I opted out because 125 dollars for two dives was already more than enough, money.. I found it silly because we all had to go up together and I still had plenty of air when we did go up. I dove with Island Divers and they were really great, however being American they dont want to be liable for anything.. The Dive masters speech before was very very sure to make you feel as though he was not going to help you if something happened because they are not liable and we are all certified divers responsible for ourselves and our own actions. When I dive, I already know I am taking risks, but don't need that extra bit rubbed in.. that is what we sign waivers for right?After the dives I headed straight over to get my stuff and go and meet my family as after the dives were finished they had already landed and were on the way to the beach house on the opposite side of the island.This journey took me a long while as I couldnt drive on the freeway and still only had the dings to go by. The airbnb beach house at Ewa Beach was super cute and literally across the street from the beach. The neighbors were all super friendly. In fact once I finally arrived really close, I couldnºt find the exact house numbers, and these two guys who were also riding around on their scooters googled it and took me to the doorstep! We had a great time there at the house and visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial however there were no tickets to get to the actual memorial spot but enjoyed the museums, and the Bowfin Submarine tour. Cody, Brian, and Lorna were all pokemon go-ing during this and it was funny watching them wander around reading signs but also catching pokemon.
After 3 days in Ewa beach we packed up and headed to our home for the next week, The Spirit of America Cruise Ship. Brian and I were lucky enough to have a handicap room which meant huge bathroom, and tons of space and a great location not far from all the food and other action on the boat.
The first stop was Maui. Our first day in Maui was a little wet! We went on a hike with a "waterfall" at the end.. This was no where to be found, but a little trickle coming from the cliff. After we squeezed back into the car, we headed for the dry side of the island and what google and yelp told us to be a black sand beach... One review even had a photo of the black sand apparently at that beach.. sooooo soo wrong! haha It was a beautiful beach but maybe only 10 % black sand! Well, we lived for the adventure anyways and had a great time. The water was soo calm and a perfect temperature.
The next day in Maui was a much more successful hike along a ridge line with a beautiful view.
As we sailed away from the Big Island we had the opportunity to sail by Kileau volcano erupting into the sea. That was a very neat thing to see.
In Kauai we booked a last minute kayaking trip on the Waimea River and to the "secret" waterfalls. It was a perfect amount of kayaking for me and an awesome hike to the falls. On the way back we saw a beautiful duck, and a sweet little turtle! The next day we visited Waimea Canyon State Park which was really pretty and worth the morning trip. Then found a free botanical garden and a pretty Kauai beach. The boat sailed a complete circle around Kauai and in the afternoon we were able to have a close up view of the Napali Coastline which was stunning.When we docked back in Honolulu, Joel was landed from his flight and waiting for me at the ferry terminal. We headed to our Airbnb house on the North Shore for the last 5 days. It was absolutely stunning. We had beach cruisers, and tons of beach days, snorkeling, and did a stroll to Waimea Falls one day. I wanted to do lots of other hikes but, the first afternoon, Joel and I were throwing frisbee together and I tripped over a lop and snapped off my toenail! OUCH, it was super painful to walk for a bit or for anything to touch it. But we wrapped it up really good everyday and I still made it to the beach! We also visited the Polynesian Cultural Center for a laua and the chance to learn more about the different islands. Hawaiian Islands were truly beautiful and it was so much fun to go on a good old family vacation with everyone. I cant wait for our next reunion!
Lots of love!
xoxo
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