Magic

So I just spent the last two days in Disneyland, the happiest place on earth. Let me paint a picture for you shall I? 

You arrive early for magic hour (Where only a few select people get to enjoy Disney before it opens to the general public). The crowd goes wild with excitement and anticipation as they count down the seconds till the gates to Disney open. From outside you can vaguely see the inside of Disney. It's big, it's beautiful, it's everything you imagined and more. When the crowd counts down to zero, the gates open and the workers shout, "Let the magic begin." And so it does. You enter the gates, and immediately your senses are overwhelmed. It's humongous. It doesn't look that big on the map. Children are screaming with excitement. Parents are running around wildly after there kids. And there's you. Right in the midst of it all. Yes that's right, you're in Disneyland.

You look at the map trying to gather your bearings and plan out where to start but then you tuck your map away and start walking. Your not sure where but something pulls you. All of a sudden your a kid again. Your looking up in amazement and pointing in all different directions. Your laughing with pure joy at all the Disney characters surrounding you. Your high fiving the worker wearing the Micky Mouse glove and your scaling the stairs of sleeping beauty's castle. All your child hood fantasies have come true and you couldn't feel more alive.

Disneyland was an amazing experience. From riding in submarines to reliving all my favourite childhood movies, it was an extremely moving experience. To see families having the time of their lives (minus that child who has been to Disney one too many times) and witness the utter and pure joy on every child's face is truly beautiful. After my experience during my first night in Anaheim, it really restored my faith in humanity. I watched as some actors did a performance of how Disneyland was created and it all started with one man and his dream. Well that's all it takes folks. One person and their dream. That's where I begun and look where I am now. Nearing the end of a 4 and a half month journey on the other side of the world. We should never underestimate how powerful a dream can be. Take Martin Luther King for example. Your dream may just possibly be the start of a brighter future. 

Breaking point

Today was an absolutely horrifying experience. I made my way to Anaheim via the Greyhound bus but things did not go to plan. The Greyhound was running 45 minutes late meaning I missed the next two buses I had organised to transport me to my hotel. When I arrived in Anaheim I made my way to the bus stop where I waited for half an hour for my first bus. As I waited it begun to become clear that I was not in a safe neighbourhood. A man approached me and told me that he had been watching me earlier. He insisted that I hop in his car and he would show me the way. I however continued to inform him that I knew exactly where I was going and I did not need his help. Much to his discrepancy he eventually left, leaving me with the daunting reality that I was not safe. The truth is, I was lost. Lost and scared.

As I sat there waiting for my bus, people were looking at me from every angle like they knew exactly what I was thinking. When the bus finally arrived I was filled with relief but a feeling of dread soon followed as I realised that I was still yet to catch another bus. When I reached my next stop there were people at the bus stop so I felt a lot safer. The bus arrived about 45 minutes later and by this time it was getting very late and I was wishing I had just bitten the bullet and got a taxi. When I informed the bus driver of where I had to go he told me that he knew exactly where that was and he'd shout at when we arrived. Half an hour later, staring at my map in confusion it had become very clear that I had gone way too far. 4 miles too far to be exact. The bus driver apolagised as he had misunderstood my location but there was nothing I could do. I had to get off the bus and by this time there was no more buses running. 

Thinking back to it now, I can think of so many things I should have done but at the time I was sick and it was extremely difficult to get out a clear thought. All I knew was that I needed a taxi and I needed it now. Trembling with fear I tried to contain myself as I walked into a store to ask the number for a taxi. Five stores later I had been yelled at and verbally abused by every shop keeper as they all refused to tell me the number of a taxi company. Stressed out and exhausted both physically and mentally I made my way to a super market in the distance walking past a large group of guys on the way. Let's recount shall we? I'm alone, I'm lost, I stand out like a sore thumb, I'm sick and I'm trembling with fear. And to make things worse, just a few hours ago I had read an article about a girl who was raped and murdered while walking home alone. You can't possibly imagine what it feels like to be in a situation like that unless you have experienced it yourself. Every one seems suspicious and you begin to question who you can trust. What if the security guard is dodgy? What if the police officers are just as bad. Thank God for me, I was on the phone to Adam the whole time who talked me through things and helped me through the whole situation. Eventually I made it to the supermarket where I was able to get a taxi to my hotel.  I guess though, that's what life is all about. Making mistakes and enduring crazy experiences so that you can learn from them. I have certainly learnt from mine.

Thank God I am safe. 

A girl just needs her mummy

sick sick sick, what a horrible miserable thing. If I wasn't sick I'd be running a muck but I'm sick, sick, sick. So I was up all night hallucinating and I feel like I swallowed a blender. Why body could you not have waited? At times like this a girl just needs her mummy.

San Francisco

San Francisco is amazing! The first day we arrived we were blessed enough to see a very rare site; the golden gate bridge on a day where it’s not hidden by fog. The day was so clear that we could see the moon. It was truly magnificent. After that we headed down to Fisherman’s Warf and more specifically Pier 39 which is famous for its sea lion attraction. We then headed up to Lombard street, the steepest street in the world. San Francisco is amazing and there is so much to see. Since being in San Francisco I have finally discovered and decided that I am indeed capable of traveling alone. I have spent the last three days navigating around San Francisco with nothing but my legs and a map and I managed to see everything I want from Coit tower to Alcatraz to a Chinese Festival.

The Transition

You know that feeling I was telling you about? Well today I got to relive it all over again as we paid another visit to the magnificent Grand Canyon. A small group of us got up early and watched the sunrise. We sat in amazement as the golden sun gradually rose above the jagged rock face sending regal colours of red, yellow and orange through the sky. The dark outlines of the rock face, contrasted beautifully with the bright array of colours interspersed across the sky. For such an early time of the morning I couldn't have felt more alive. We even managed to spot some elk and two stellar blue J birds. After that we headed back to our hotel where I raced around like a maniac trying to locate some batteries for my upcoming helicopter ride through The Grand Canyon. When we arrived at the airport we were placed in our groups and taken to our helicopter. I was assigned a window seat in the back and was completely thrilled. The instant we left the ground we were filled with excitement. In unison we exclaimed "wow!" We then proceeded through the large forest and made our way to the Canyon. The transition from the forest to the Canyon was exhilarating. Yet again we all stared speechless at its sheer beauty. Most of the flight was silent as we each took in the spectacular view and attempted to capture the experience with videos and pictures.

When the helicopter ride finished, we walked back into the room, wide eyed and buzzing. It was then time to head to Las Vegas Nevada. Or should I say 'lost wages'. When we finally reached the welcome to Nevada sign, it was a hopeful symbol of how close we were to Vegas. I have now been two 18 of America's states and three of Canada's provinces.

On the way to Las Vegas we stopped at a beautiful little place by the Colorado river. When we turned off the main road we never imagined we would drive for about two miles through sheer mountain ranges. Just as we were about to give up we saw the glistening water in the distance and let out a mighty cheer. It was probably the coldest river I've ever swan in but its icy cold flow was a beautiful contrast to the scorching hot Arizonan sun. We then continued our journey to Las Vegas, driving past Lake Mead, the largest man made lake in the USA. 

When we arrived in Las Vegas I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous amount of wedding chapels and more specifically the drive through wedding chapel. We settled into our hotel 'The Stratosphere' and at 6:30pm we made our way to the roof to watch the sunset over Vegas and see the lights. Being in the tallest building in Nevada (107 floors high) we could see the whole of Las Vegas right up to the mountains.

At 9:30pm the fun really began. We waited out the front for what we assumed would be your average black Limo but it was far from that. We watched as the longest limo I have ever seen rolled out the front. It was called 'The Batmobile'. As we saw it we chuckled to ourselves and said "Imagine if that was ours and Derick (our tour guide) just rolls down the window". Well we spoke to soon because at that very second Derick rolled down his window and we all screamed with delight. The limo ride was exhilarating. It was big enough for 30 people and we had it all to ourselves. We danced, we sang, we drank, we laughed and we had a whole lot of fun. I may or may not be married...

Viva Los Vegas!

That Feeling

Wow! How do you describe a day like today? I don't even know where to start but I guess like any story, I should start from the beginning. 

We started off the day bight and early in order to get to the Grand Canyon with plenty of time to spare. We drove along route 66, America's first cross country road. The route was a whole lot of nothing and yet, it was really something. However, suddenly there was a whole lot of traffic and we eventually came to a halt. We waited around for about an hour and a half and once we got through we saw the damage. It was absolutely shocking. Two cars were almost completely squashed. It must been a head on. There was helicopters, ambulances, cop cars, tow trucks and fire engines. I felt sick to the stomach as we drove by and couldn't help but thank God for keeping us safe.

After we got away from the crash we continued down route 66 where we stopped at an old place called Hackbury. It was really cool! It had heaps of old cars and the bathrooms were a laugh. The girls bathroom had two puppets just staring at you and the boys bathroom was completely covered with loads of dirty pictures. After that we stopped in Seligmen at a wacky burger joint and boy was it wacky. We all had a good laugh as they continued to fool us with practical jokes. Things like putting the door handle on the wrong side, giving us straw when we ask for a straw, pretending to squirt mustard on us, changing our names and changing the signs on the bathrooms. We then consumed some delicious burgers and got on the road and continued on to the Grand Canyon. When we arrived we were completely blown away. I wish someone captured the looks on our faces. Looks of utter amazement. All speechless. When I said that capturing a photo of the falls would do it no justice I never imagined the Grand Canyon would be even more.. well grand. I almost didn't take photos simply because I knew I just couldn't capture the moment but don't worry I still took photos anyway. I was trying to think of a word to describe the Canyon and all I could come up with was majestic. But then I realised there isn't one. Its about the moment. You will never truly see the Grand Canyon until you have experienced the smell, felt the fresh breeze, witnessed the array of contrasting colours and layered jagged edges, felt the hot sun beaming down, heard the sound of mother nature at its best, and experienced that feeling in your stomach as you stand right near the edge. Its sheer and pure beauty is overwhelming. It draws you in wide eyed and buzzing. From the moment you arrive your senses are overloaded and your filled with this feeling I can't quite explain. All I know is I hope everyone gets a chance to experience that feeling at least once in their life. 

In the Canyon we made our way to Yaki Point where Miki and I climbed and explored the magnificent look out and soon after we headed back to see the sunset. Worried we were going to miss out, we Sprinted back accidentally leaving Carol behind. We watched the sunset and it was absolutely breath taking, however we didn't have time to dwell on it as we now had to find Carol. The search had begun! I waited at the bus stop in case she showed up and before I knew it, it was cold, pitch black and the Canyon.. Completely isolated... Scared, I begun to look through my camera trying to remind myself that just a few minutes ago, the Canyon was a beautiful and accommodating place. At night however the Canyon is daunting and unpredictable. I was there for a good twenty minutes until the bus finally turned up again. They had found Carol, thank God!

I will never forget the beauty of the Grand Canyon. It's given me a new appreciation for life. Since I have been in America I have slowly discovered and unveiled a new sense of life. Each second is a gift and I never want to waste it. I want to make the most of life from now on and I vow to do just that.







I still haven't caught my breath and I hope I never do.

The hottest place on earth.

So since my last two entries were extremely long (can you blame me?) I decided to keep this one short and... uh short. Today we stopped in Death Valley, the lowest and driest location in North America and the hottest location in the world with the highest recorded temperature being 56.7°C. It was extremely hot and yet I couldn't help but yearn to explore the magnificent dried up, salt covered valley. When we left I suddenly realised I left my camera case behind and inside that case was my sisters camera. (I'm sorry Symon, I swear I have looked after it really well). When we went back to get the case it was no where to be seen. we then decided to go  to the visitors center to see if anyone had dropped it off. Freaking out I began to pray to God and beg him to please ensure that I get it back. Half an hour later we were still driving to the visitors center and I began to worry as I realised it would be a miracle if someone actually drove that far just to return a complete strangers belongings. Well Symon, thank God I got my miracle.. No really, thanks to Mrs. GODbold, my camera case and your camera are safe and sound... Again, I am so blessed..

After that, we headed towards Bakersfield and 5 hours later we are still in the van. I am going insane! I have named my pillow squishy and drawn a face on him. Need land now. Resisting urge to destroy van..

AHHHHH

Simply Fantastic

Today was simply fantastic. Once of the benefits of being in hotels is that you have so much more time and all the preparation feels so much more relaxed. We started the tour off by taking a look at Rodeo Drive, the posh street that featured in Pretty Woman. We didn’t spend a lot of time there because let’s be honest, who wants to spend a lot of time in a place they simply cannot afford. After Rodeo, we headed to Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills was exactly what I imagined. Everything was perfect. All the tree’s lined up perfectly, and were the perfect shade of green as was the grass which was perfect too. The houses were all humungous and each looked quite similar to the other. After Beverly Hills we went beyond the tree’s to Hollywood. I was able to see the Hollywood walk of fame and even managed to get a good photo of the Hollywood sign. We then headed to Santa Monica which was absolutely beautiful. We strolled along the beach, had some delicious Thai food and we were then ready for our next stop.. Yepp that’s right, the day goes on. Our next stop was Calico, a famous ghost town and it was phenomenal. It was so hot yet so beautiful. From the moment the tour guide said go, I practically sprinted up the mountain. The view was amazing and well worth it. Carol and I then payed $2 to do an old mining tour which really tied the bow on a fantastic day. We then headed to our Hotel in Laughlin called ‘The Golden Nugget’ where I saw wild racoons for the first time. I keep thinking it doesn’t get any better than this but it just keeps getting better.

Western Express Northbound

Today my tour begun and what a funny day it has been. I arrived at the ‘La Quenta’ where I met my roommate named Carol. Carol is in her 70’s and has an amazing ability to complain about absolutely everything! I quote, “Oh you hitchhikers, you pack so little because you look good in everything.”

Anyway Carol and I then made our way to the lobby for the welcome meeting. I explained to the tour guide what our trip was and he informed me that we were in the right place. Immediately I started to introduce myself to everyone and they were awesome. They were all so young and I got along with them really well. Until.. I was unformed that I was actually in the wrong group. Turns out that, that was the camping tour I originally wanted to go on but there was no more space. Sigh.. I then made my way over to my actual tour group.. About 80% of them couldn’t speak English and the rest were fairly old. I barely got a chance to introduce myself thought because the second I arrived we were in the van on our way to Venice Beach. Seeing Venice Beach got me excited for what was to come. It was the most beautiful sunset I had seen since I had been in America.. I can’t imagine what the Grand Canyon will be like!

 

Mutiny

Today was a very.. interesting day to say the least. I decided to do some shopping because I realised I'm in America and should probably be a normal girl for once and buy clothes. I Also decided I should see the new Batman movie and let's be honest, that's the real reason I went out. 

So the story begins Here. I arrived at the shops (probably a good place to start right?) and I walked into a store where I found myself being hit on by the shop keeper who made it very clear that he wanted to show me around LA. When I left that store I entered another where one of the workers said, "You have really pretty hair". When I responded with a, "Thank you" he picked up my accent and imposed "I would so move to Australia for you." Feeling both awkward and amused I left that store and made my way outside.. I entered into another store relieved to see a girl worker, made a quick purchase and then went outside. Assuming the coast was clear I started to walk and the next thing I knew, some guy was was tapping me on the shoulder, asking me my name and proposing that we should get to know each other. I then let him down gently by telling him that I was off to see a movie. After that I made my way to the ticket counter where the guy responded with, "Just one ticket?". I responded sharply with a "Yes" and he said "Well if I wasn't working I'd accompany you" and closed with a wink. By this stage I had begun to wonder if it was some practical joke. 4 guys in less than ten minutes? What is going on! 

After I purchased my ticket I went back outside as I still had a few minutes to spare. Of course yet another guy approached. He asked me if I liked hip hop and when I responded with a "No" he said, "Oh that's okay, I was going to ask if you wanted to buy my CD but you can just give me your number instead." By this point I was no longer amused  but rather frustrated. I then made my way to the movie and just happened to be the only person in the whole cinema. That was until half an hour later when a random guy came in and sat right behind me. Feeling scared, I shifted my body so I could see him in the corner of my eye just in case he tried something. Luckily he didn't try anything however he did disappear not long after. When the movie finished ( and it was a pretty dam good movie) I dropped my phone and out of no where, the same guy pops out and says "Looking for something". Yep this day couldn't have been any weirder.

Chapter three: The final Chapter

So today I embarked on the next chapter of my journey... The final chapter. Dun dun dun!

It feels so strange to say that after being here for so long. I must be getting used to traveling because the plane trip flew by so quickly. Hahah get it, flew by.. I'm so funny :P

When I think back on my trip I realise how blessed I have been. I always seem to meet people who really look out for me and help me in immeasurable ways. Whether it be Vanessa who helped me book my flights when my card wasn't working, Adam who stayed on the phone with me while I was lost in Anaheim late at night, the random stranger who bought me a meal on the plane or Maria who took me into her house and fed me every day, I have always had someone looking out for me. 

Again, I am extremely blessed.

Wicked

Its so surreal being in NY on the anniversary of September 11. As I was watching the memorial I felt very disheartened as young kids spoke gallantly about the parents they lost and parents trembled as they remembered their children. As Hannah and I walked through New York there was a definite tension over the whole city and a strong sense of heartbreak and loss. My thoughts go out to those who were affected.

The day seemed to carry on though as Hannah and I made our way through multiple tourist attractions and escaped the grasp of advertising people trying to interest us in their products. Around 6pm we headed to a Broadway restaurant for dinner and it was hilarious. When Hannah went to the bathroom two men started serenading me and proceeded sticking straws in my hair. It was extremely awkward but I couldn't help but laugh. We then received our meals and when we caught a glimpse of the time we freaked out. "Its almost time for wicked!" We grabbed our meals and sprinted for the theater and before we knew it we were there in the theater  It was simply phenomenal! The characters were so good especially Galinda or should I say 'Glinda.' Each scene continued to build growing more and more phenomenal each time. The characters had fantastic voices and it was inspirational to watch. I'm definitely going to see more shows from now on. It's so worth it!

Running a muck

Today started off as a very frustrating day. I tried to book my flight to LA but it just wasn't working and each time it failed the flight got fuller and fuller. Not happy Jan! Luckily for me, Vanessa my roommate helped me out and all was well. 

After that I said my final farewell to Vanessa and Indi then headed to Times Square where I was to meet Hannah and Maria. I told them to follow the sound of the angry protest and eventually we found each other. We then carried on like children for the rest of the day as we ran around causing trouble in both ToysR"us and the Disney store. When we were inside the Disney store the elevator stopped working meaning no one could get up. Before we knew it we were the only people in the whole store and boy did we make the most of it. We sang and danced to all our favourite Disney songs, got plenty of crazy photos and climbed the little towers. After we got kicked out we went to a famous Chinese restaurant called 'Wo Horp and it was absolutely delicious. I then closed the night by having a very long shower and I haven't felt that clean in so long.

Its so nice to be in an actual home again.

It doesn't get any better than this.

Today was probably one of the best days of my life. We started off the morning by heading down to the beach where we took loads of awesome photos. The water was so nice and I realised I was swimming in the Atlantic which I thought was pretty cool. We then headed to camp to get ready for whale watching. Woo!

It cost $40 and took an hour to reach the whales and I may or may not  have fallen asleep on the way but it was well worth it. It started off quiet as we all pointed to whales in the distance and tried to take photos but as the boat reached closer and closer the excitement grew. Kate begun to do whale calls and we laughed but I think they secretly worked. There was a whale in the distance that appeared to be waving us over. He was continuously lifting his fin in the air and slapping it in the water so we made our way over and the next thing we knew he was gone. We then searched the horizon for other whales and the next thing we knew, up popped the whale right in front of the boat. He swam right up to my side of the boat sprayed us and then swam right underneath us. It was such an amazing sight!

After that we saw two whales in the distance jumping out of the water. As we made our way towards them it became clear that it was a mother and baby. It was truly magnificent to watch two such amazing creatures in their natural environment. They carried on as if no one was watching and as if they didn't have a care in the world. As the giant mammals jumped put of the deep blue ocean it seemed like the world slowed down. They were so graceful and every tiny move looked deliberate and perfect. When they hit the water they hit it with a powerful force. You could hear the sound of the splash and see of from a mile away. It was truly breathtaking.

Unfortunately soon after we  had to head back to the dock. From there we headed to a place where we bought some lobsters , 2 dead and one alive of whom we named Laurence. We then headed back to camp where we had a feast. I'm talking fish, potatoes, rock melon salad and lobster. Talk about 5 star camping. We then tied the bow on a perfect day by sleeping outside under the stars and listening to the sound of the beach in the distance. It honestly doesn't get any better than that...

Or does it?

Next stop?

Today we crossed the border into Canada. I was so excited when I saw the flags and received a big blue stamp. That's right Symon, my passport is going to be sexy too! I have now officially been to two countries this year! 

The moment you arrive in Canada, you can see the mist from the Niagara falls as it fades into the extravagant blue sky and whispers "Welcome to Canada." After we settled into camp we went into Niagara where we took a ‘Maid of the Mist’ cruise. Unfortunately both my cameras died as I got on the boat but the beauty of Niagara isn’t something you can capture in a photo. You have to see it in person to really appreciate it.. If I could describe the falls in one word it would be sublime. Its fury undermines its beauty and vibrant atmosphere as the rushing water falls from 157 feet high. While on the boat we were completely soaked. I felt so alive yet so at peace. I know now that there is no way that this is my last trip. With a world full of so much beauty how can we be restricted to just one place? Yep that's right. I have officially been bitten by the travel bug. Next stop? .....