Bonkers for Honkers!

This post was written in New Zealand. Nevermind my location, let's talk about Hong Kong. What a city, err special administrative region! Admittedly I knew very little about Honky when I decided to tack it on to my itinerary but only heard great things from friends so decided "why not?". Great decision and thank you to those friends!

I only had 5 nights in Honky (as the expat Brits lovingly call it) and 5 nights was in fact the perfect amount of time to spend on the island. It is a packed and full speed city with eveyone on the go. The pace puts new York to shame and makes Sydney look like an old age home. The expat community is a bit pretentious but hey with their ambition that's how they ended up there right? A friend living there commented that you don't go anywhere without your business card.

I was fortunate enough to have a host family (thanks Shays!) and therefore got the all star treatment. This was definitely welcomed after 6 weeks of heat rash, too much rice, and despite my daily cold shower never really feeling clean.

Hong Kong is boasted as Asia's "world city" and that it is. It is extremely diverse due to it's geographic location, powerful banking presence and of course also due to its former commonwealth status. Everyday was packed with highlights and a few of them are:

1) riding the star ferry from Hong Kong island to Kowloon. The duelling skylines on both sides of you from Victoria harbour is staggering! You can just feel the power and strength the buildings exude.
2) the Hong Kong Museum of History. Honestly one of the best museums I have ever been to. The layout and chronology is so immaculate and well-done. I wouldn't consider myself a Cantonese expert by any means but it was very educational and fun to peruse.
3) attending a Cantonese opera. Of course we didn't understand a word but the performance was great and the costumes were old school chinese and gorgeous!
4) the glass bottom cable ride to the big Buddha. This was a big Sunday excursion and the ride itself to Pnong Ning was worth it!
5) the nightly skyline light show. It's the worlds largest synchronized light show where every night the famous skyline lights up to a different song for 15 minutes.
6) the food! Of course I gorged on western fare like fresh salad and bread (such a delicacy after six weeks of stir fry) but the dimsum was excellent! A few friends treated me to a vegetarian dim sum house and I was blown away.
7) lastly the public transport. I know, such a dorky thing to get excited about but seriously the city is so well-organized and has the subway down to a tee! Very clean, fast, and on time. I could even check my bags 24 hours before my flight in the city so I wouldn't have to deal with them until I arrived in Auckland. A huge plus for a backpacker.

Hk was a lovely breath of fresh air (smog or no smog) from my backpacking hey day. It allowed me to function as a normal person for a few days and prepared me for what NZ has to offer. More on New Zealand soon!

Cheers mates!

Goodbye SE Asia

This post will be brief as Bangkok has the tendency to easily exhaust its tourists.

Tonight is my last night in Thailand and alas my last night in Southeast Asia! A bittersweet goodbye. I had a great 5 weeks exploring and eating my way through Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, and Malaysia but it is surely time to move on to... Hong Kong! After 10 quarts of curry and 3 kilos of rice, I am definitely looking forward to Hong Kongs more diversified cuisine and sights.

The last week or really brought out the highlights of my time in Thailand overall. Mara was nice enough to spend her vacation days with me! We hit up all the must-sees in Bangkok (mostly temples, palaces and buddhas) and had the best half day learning how to cook thai cuisine with a firecracker of a lady.

We then took the overnight bus down south to check out Koh Phi Phi for some island action. While yes, Phi Phi was heavily touristy, it was for good reason! Gorgeous limestone jagged mountains jut out of the water to surround the island. The island was seriously hit by the Tsunami in 2005 but they have since recovered nicely and are constantly building and developing. After saying my goodbyes to Mara I headed north to the quiet national park of Khao Sok. Loved Khao Sok. It is a beautiful and massive lake which was also encompassed by limestone karsts. I was able to hike, cave spelunk and kayak in the area so that was good to get physical after laying on the beach for too long. Additionally, my lodging came in the form of a raft hut on the lake itself. I loved literally rolling out of bed and jumping into the freshwater. A definite recommendation for all your future travels!

My last stop in Thailand was Prachuap Khiri Khan to visit another buddy from college, C'pher. He teaches at the middle school there and leads quite the awesome life as one of the only white people in the small beach town. I was able to do some biking and hiking (and of course swimming) which was a great way to get to know the area. My first night there was the nation-wide Water Festival (Loi Kratong). All the locals come out to the water and light lanterns and kratongs and just have a lot of fun with fireworks, BBQ, and parades in order to pay respect to the water spirits.

So there you have it, no more Thai adventures to report on! Will update you from "Fragrant Harbor" aka Hong Kong!

Cambodia and Malaysia

Hey faithful readers!

Wow what an incredible few weeks to update on! I can't believe my trip is halfway complete...I don't want it to end. I left off with my time ending in Lao. After leaving the capital of Vientiane, I met my friend Ildi in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was quite a shock to every sense to arrive in the capital. The city was surely alive and active, especially since the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was in town visiting as well. (copycat!) However the poverty and aftermath of the 1975 Genocide was still alarmingly present.

Ildi and I spent most of the first day touring the remnants and exhibits dedicated to the memory of the victims and survivors of the genocide. We went to the killing fields, torture prisons, and witnessed the slums of outer Phnom Penh that are still underdeveloped due to the massacres. After that we definitely needed a drink! After a few days of touring the bustling city, we took a 5-hour bus ride to Siem Reap, the famed host to Angkor Wat.

Known to most as the 8th wonder of the world, Angkor Wat certainly lived up to expectations! The temple complex was built in the 12th century and is incredibly maintained. (perhaps due to the $20 entry fee??) We started at dawn to witness the hyped sunrise behind the main Angkor temple and we were not disappointed! The rest of the day was spent meandering through the vast expanse of ruins. The area was packed and we were told that it was the low season...whew!

From Sieam Reap we flew into Kuala Lumpur to begin our Malaysian adventures. KL is incredibly diverse, as is the rest of the country. It was incredible to just walk for 15 minutes and find ourselves go through Little India, China town, and then end at a hawker-stall complex full of Malay food. We always joked that we could never tell who was a tourist or a local due to all of the ethnicities that comprise Malaysian culture.

From KL we settled in Penang. NO, PANANG CURRY DOES NOT COME FROM PENANG. I know, we were disappointed too. Penang means betel nut, if that helps anyone. Despite the lack of panang curry, we were gastronomically pleased with the array of foods we could find and immediately devour. The island is famous for its lhaksa soup, rojak desserts, and Nonya secret cuisine. On the island we were able to hike, swim, motorbike, eat and sleep. Not a bad way to spend three days!

From Penang we took a 3-hour ferry to the remote island Pulau Langkawi. Langkawi is an underdeveloped island with great beaches and water sports galore. For my birthday Ildi and another friend Andres snorkeled with baby sharks! Very memorable. Sadly last night Ildi and I said goodbye as she headed south to Singapore and I head north to Bangkok to meet Mara.

From there we will tour the city for a few days and then holiday on one of the famed southern islands, most likely Koh Phi Phi. Can't wait to meet up with her, will keep you posted soon!

Cheers,
Aviva

Update from Thailand/Indochina!

Sawadee/Sabaidee/Sua s’dei/HELLO!!!

It has been quite some time since my last entry, but I am writing to you from the Kingdom of Cambodia. Almost 3 weeks ago I set sail from Sydney to begin my southeast Asian adventure. It is quite an overwhelming task to summarize the last 3 weeks and 3 countries but I'll give it a shot.

Thailand: I arrived in Bangkok in the middle of the night and the next day I took an overnight bus up to Chiang Mai, located in northern Thailand. After a few days of meandering and motorbiking around the city and the surrounding temples and sights, I bussed over to Pai with a new British friend I had made along the way. Pai is a small town 4 hours north of Chiang Mai with gorgeous mountains surrounding it. I almost lost my lunch on the ride over due to all the twists and turns and I think it isn't necessary to report that public buses in Thailand are a bit outdated!

7 kilometres outside of Pai my friend and I volunteered and slept at an organic farm called Tacomepai. It is a great community of hilltribe villagers and foreigners alike all gathered for the sake of sustainable farming/living. I learned quite a bit about permaculture and all the many uses of bamboo! It was definitely a great way to see the region without being clumped with all the hustling of the backpacker crowds. That was my main gripe about Thailand. It felt like the country was created for tourists, whereas Laos is an amazing country that exists and just happens to have tourists passing through. ON TO LAOS!

Laos: Called Lao in its own language, I was super impressed by what I was able to experience. My journey through the landlocked country began by crossing the border overland through Houay Xai in northern Lao. It was a pretty drama-free experience. Lots of Thai tourists which are always fun to just watch and observe. 4 hours later I "landed" in the rural almost cowboy town of Luang Nam Tha. The town has one main drag of restaurants, guest houses, and trekking companies. I really wanted to bike and kayak around the Nam Ha protected area and the Nam Tha river but since it was the low season I couldnt find enough people for a group discount. Instead, I befriended a Venezuelan guy who volunteered for one of the trekking companies and he showed me where to go on my own which was just as great (and almost free!)

After a few days of peace and quiet in Luang Nam Tha, I headed south to Luang Prabang, Lao's cultural capital situated on the Mekong River. So far that has been my highlight of the trip!

-Kuang Si waterfalls. 30 kms outside of Luang Prabang, these turquoise waters are PARADISAICAL! I met 3 German friends and we spent hours just swimming, rope swinging, and hiking around the reserve.
-River Festival. Marking the end of Buddhist Lent, the whole country goes crazy for "color war" games on the Mekong. Lots of boat races, fire works, dances, karaoke, and barbecues.
-Volunteering with Big Brother Mouse. This is a great organization that promotes literacy throughout Lao. I was able to donate money and do book drop offs in various villages and schools in every city I visited. Very rewarding to see such cute kids excited about receiving books!
-Teaching kids English in Vang Vieng. We were able to create our own curriculum (we taught 10 year olds about clothing and food) and they ate it up! (pun intended)

All in all I loved Lao (can you tell?) But alas it is time to move south to Cambodia. I am meeting up with my friend from college and we will move quickly through Phnom Penh (capital city) to Angkor Wat. From there we will hit eastern Malaysia for 10 days before saying goodbye. From there I will meet up with Mara for Bangkok and some island hopping in the south!

Whew! So far I have loved traveling alone but ready for some companionship. Looking forward to what is in store.

Lah gone, goodbye,
Aviva

Big Update!

Hey folks,

Shana tova to everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the slew of 3-day chags and are on the road to recovery. The high holidays for me were mostly lackluster as expected. Being away from family during this time is never desired, but what can ya do! I had to make do with great and warm families taking me in for most meals, while I was fortunate to host a bunch of friends for the pre-fast shabbat dinner.

Well on to the bigger highlights of this post. I ran my first timed half marathon two weeks ago! It for sure was not my personal best, but I can always blame it on the fact that Yom Kippur was the previous day, right? :) The course was a tourist's dream: starting on the harbour bridge, looping through the rocks (the first colonial settlement in Australia), peaking in Darling Harbour and finally finishing at the Sydney Opera house. I feel very accomplished but am certainly looking forward to the next challenge! (any ideas??)

I tried to keep this as quiet as possible but two weeks ago I completed my tenure here in Sydney with the Advisory Board. As 6 months was the intended amount of time to spend here for the company, I decided that half a year was not nearly enough and decided to quit, stay, and travel for a few months before figuring out my next step. The split was completely amicable and no bridges were burned- in fact my boss still calls me from time to time to discuss funny business stories since I have left. I have spent my free time tutoring, nannying, and volunteering for this great organization. One thing I have learned from this new found freedom is that I am quite restless. Who knew??! Good thing I have a big trip to prepare for!

My travels include the following loose itinerary. A good friend of mine will surely cringe at how oragnized I am trying to be (if she even reads this?!) but I am sure things are bound to change day by day. If you are in the neighborhood let's meet up!

Oct 10- Volunteering on an organic farm/school in northern Thailand
Oct 20- Laos
Oct 27- Meeting my friend Ildi in Cambodia
Nov 1- Touring eastern and central Malaysia with Ildi
Nov 10- Travel overland to southern Thailand to teach Thai kids English with my friend from GW
Nov 17- Reuniting with Mara and spending time in Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand
Nov 25- Off to Hong Kong and Shenzin, China
Nov 30- Travel New Zealand overland from north to south
Dec 11- Sydney!!
Dec 15- back to Atlanta :) :(

Again, happy new year. May this year be blessed with only happiness, success, and malaria-free mosquitoes!

Victorious in Victoria!

Happy September!

As most of you cringe at the thought of summer ending or heading back to school, things are really heating up here in Sydney. The shorts and surfboards are certainly out and the sun freckles are suddenly appearing!

My good friend and old room mate from DC Shari is here visiting and she is really doing Australia right! Last week we did the whole Sydney kit 'n kaboodle and on Wednesday headed west for our Victorian adventure starting in the cultural capital of Melbourne.

Thursday morning was spent perusing good old Queen Victoria Market where we were able to buy everything from cashmere peacoats to boomerang gifts and gluten free gourmet pizza. Following our spree, we explored the rest of the central business district and the famed Federation Square. Everytime I go to Melbourne I find myself in complete amazement of the modern architecture and the trendy folks. After eating lunch in a hidden gem of an alleyway full of paninis and soups, we bravely rented our car and hit the (Great Ocean) Road.

Shari was the first of us to attempt driving on the left and she was a pro! Once we got on the freeway it was smooth sailing. Our 3 day adventure out west consisted of the following highlights:

-driving on the Great Ocean Road of Victoria. Possibly one of the most scenic roads in the world, you have the ocean on your left with lush mountains and wild koalas on your right.
-stumbling upon some grazing kangaroos on a golfcourse in the town of Anglesea, population 400.
-finding the incredible Erskine Waterfalls
-hiking through the Maits Head rainforest
-cuddling by the fire in our AMAZING hostel in Apollo Bay. Seriously though- best hostel I've stayed in!!
-the pinnacle of the trip: witnessing the Twelve Apostles. They are amazing limestone rock formations in the middle of the ocean that exist due to thousands (millions??) of years of erosion from the arctic winds and waters.
-the drive back to Melbourne was great too! We passed hundreds of sheep and wineries and even stopped at a few!

Our most recent adventure was a day trip out to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains in New South Wales, just 90 minutes outside of Sydney. These mountains go on FOREVER! (really over one million hectares) They are called the Blue Mountains due to the fine mist of oil exuded by the eucalyptus leaves that inhabit the valleys and gorges. Just like the postcards, we got great views of the famed "Three Sisters" rock formations and Wentworth water falls. After an hour or so of hiking through, we took the steepest railway ride in the world (52 degree incline) down to the rain forest section and then promptly took the cable car option back up and slowly made our way home to Sydney.

I had such a great time with my second visitor and feel so honoured that these friends are choosing to spend their vacation days (and money) with me in this charmed country!

Cheers,
Aviva

Far North Queensland Holiday!

Hey Readers!

Can you believe we are almost in the throws of mid August? As your summer is winding down, I can feel spring is just around the corner here. The seasonal change still does not get old!

July was a fantastic month overall. Mostly thanks to the visit of my great friend Naomi from DC! We did EVERYTHING in Sydney plus 2 domestic excursions. For a long weekend we jetted up to Queensland to experience the Great Barrier Reef in the coastal towns of both Cairns and Port Douglas. The reef is one of the 7 wonders of the natural world, and boy they aren't kidding! It is larger than the Great Wall of China and is the only living thing that is visible from outer space! It is the most delicate and diverse ecosystem in the world and it was an absolute phenomenon to view.

Naomi and I took a cruise out to two reef sites to snorkel and SCUBA dive. It was our first time diving and I would say overall it went well! Though I don't think I need to do it again, it was the best way to see the reef. I found myself squealing with joy everytime I "found" Nemo or swam into a massive turtle. The colours of the reef are just so bright and vivid- I felt like I was on the set of Avatar! If you ever make it to this side of the world, seeing the reef is a must!

Other highlights of our holiday (vacation) include:
-walking through the Daintree Rainforest
-cruising on the Daintree river, spotting quite a few crocs
-relaxing on 4 mile Beach in Port Douglas
-holding a koala in the rainforest habitat (!!!)
-drinking in the restaurant Nautilus, an incredible restaurant set in the rain forest


We returned back to Sydney tanned and rested and ready to see more sites! I showed Naomi the Opera House, Watson's Bay, the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk, and more. We took a day trip to the Hunter Valley wine region in New South Wales which included 5 wineries and 2 cheese shops!

After 2 weeks spent together I definitely miss her and her companionship!

On our last day I ran the famed City2Surf 14 kilometre race from downtown to Bondi beach. With a record-breaking 80,000 runners, it is the worlds largest fun run. It was such a varied route with glorious weather and excited runners, spectators, and volunteers. EVERYONE runs the race. I saw everyting from strollers to wheelchairs to guys in gorilla suits. We ended the run with brunch on the beach and then moved to the popular Beach Road Hotel for beers at 11am with all the other stinky runners.

Only 2 weeks til my next guests come: Tali & Shari! We're doing all the fun Sydney sites plus Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road trip. Stay tuned!!

The Hills Are Alive!

Greetings, folks.

I write this blog entry with very bitter-sweet sentiment. As it turns out, I am moving apartments. With a heavy heart, I am leaving the wonderful neighbourhood of Surry Hills and moving to....BONDI BEACH! This post is an homage to my favourite things about my old stomping grounds of Surry Hills.

Surry Hills, sandwiched between Hyde Park of downtown and the chic shopping strip of Oxford street is a lovely area choc-a-block full of quaint cafes, boutiques, vintage stores (vinnies), and gourmet restos. I will sorely miss having all of these amazing options of entertainment available 24/7. This neighbourhood is so lively that my room mates call it "the resort" because we never have to go far for anything we want or need.

Some favourites:
-iCafe, my home away from home. They have free wireless here (a rarity in this odd country) so I often work from there. They know exactly what I like: a regular flat white and poached eggs on turkish toast.
-Shady Pines, a hidden gem of a pub: full of whisky and mastheads. Very reminiscent of an American saloon with fun beers on tap. (don't forget that we females shan't drink beer!)
-4 ate 5, located on the famed main artery of Crown Street. This restaurant is owned by my friends sister-in-law and serves DELICIOUS banana injected French toast
-SES fashion, a great ever-changing boutique store with affordable and stylish finds. Well who are we kidding...I don't have style!

So there you have it, my favourite places and memories of such a fun area of the inner-west suburbs. But alas, it's time to try something new and move to the beach. My new flat is a 10 minute stride to the most famous beach in the world and home to some of the best bars and restaurants. It will surely be a lifestyle change, but I am ready to be an "Eastie" as they say. I have been told that once you move east you never go back! We'll see....!

That Time of the Month!

Hello friends and Happy 4th of July to everyone!

Yes it is that time of the month: time to post a blog update on my life here in Sydney. Lots to write about due to the massive amount of great things occurring in the past 30 days!

First off, mazal tov to Michael Maze for snagging my sister as his fiancé! I was lucky enough to travel back to the States to help them celebrate their engagement in addition to seeing Shira graduate from high school with my 4 grandparents and all of my cousins save for Eitan. It was an amazing time home topped off with a quick trip to DC to see my friends and coworkers.

BUT I AM BACK AND HAPPIER THAN EVER!

Yes, it is still winter. And yes, the honeymoon phase has definitely passed here in Oz. Yet I am finding myself surrounded with great friends and even better adventures and stories that come with them. It's hard to believe I just passed my halfway mark here...but hey... things may change...

Unsurprisingly, this city is World Cup obsessed. Surprisingly, it is as not in-your-face as you would expect. Perhaps it's because the two game times are at outrageous hours due to our ungodly timezone (midnight and 4am). Even though the Socceroos left the tournament prematurely, everyone is still into it and happy to watch and put their lives on hold until July 11th (Hup Holland!). One guy in a bar even told me he'd call me after the games were over...! At least he was honest!

Winter now isn't as terrible as it was in early June. There were 2 solid weeks of rain which definitely didn't help things. What's nice about the Oz winter is that the sun still shines through despite the chilly temps. What is unfortunate about the weather here is that the Sydneysiders are totally unprepared for it and complain about it as though this is the first time they have experienced 55 degree weather. As an example, we experienced our coldest June day in 27 years. Everyone was freaking out about it...and rightfully so as there is no heat anywhere and the city is structured to be pedestrian-centric. (Again, I think the city planners forgot winter existed here).

Despite the weather, I have been out and about both in Sydney and in the New South Wales region. A few highlights from this month:

-My friends and I took a road trip to the Hunter Valley wine country in May. While there, we visited 3 vineyards and were able to taste the various bottled wines in the owners' boutique wineries. It was so fun and even educational. The awkward part was that we were the only ones who weren't spitting our wine once we got the "taste." I don't think our other, older tourmates appreciated our behavior by the end of the trip!

-Sydney is currently celebrating the 17th Biennale, which is in fact the fourth oldest in the world. It is Australia's largest and most exciting contemporary visual arts event. A highlight was my ferry trip to Cockatoo Island with friends to check out the sculptures and exhibits of over 50 artists. (note: this is not to be confused with a Biennial! When I was certain this was the biennial, I was dumbfounded to think that Sydney was only 34 years old. Don't worry, this confusion didn't last too long!)

-2 friends and I took a day trip to Watson's Bay. While there, we feasted on the ever-famous Fish n'Chips at Doyles and hiked up the cliffs to the Sydney Harbour National Park. This is a unique point in Sydney's many lookouts for you get a view of both waters: the harbour and the South Pacific.

-We had a pretty "bizarro" 4th of July celebration here. The Americans decided to celebrate Independence Day on Saturday the 3rd due to the fact that we have work/school on Monday. Whenever an Aussie would ask me what I would be doing on Saturday, I would reply "celebrating the July 4th." Now this is confusing on two levels: 1) it was the 3rd of July and 2) I always forget that the fourth day in July doesn't signify anything to anyone outside of the States. Full of singing, sparklers, American cookie cake and of course some burgers and dogs on the barbie, we had a great time on Coogee beach. Granted it was 50 degrees out, it was a gorgeous day nevertheless!

-Today I finally saw my first Sydney Opera House performance! It was a 90 minute-long dance performance put on by the troop Political Mother. I was expecting something along the lines of "Stomp" but got something a bit edgier instead. Overall it was pretty fascinating and definitely different.

-July is shaping up to be quite a hectic one! Lots of birthdays combined with going to New Zealand for a work conference plus Naomi is coming to visit! We will be going to the tropical northern city of Cairns to go diving in the Great Barrier Reef and ziplining through the rainforest. I can't wait for what this month has in store!

Til next time...

Domestic Australian Adventures... GoodOnYa!

Happy weekend friends!

Yes, it has been about a month since my last post and for those waiting with baited breath for this entry I apologize. There is always so much internal pressure to try to fit every happening and story into one of these posts so I end up putting it off for as long as I can!

Since my trip to Bali a lot of great things have happened. I was fortunate (and unfortunate) enough to get to travel a bit for work. Two weeks ago the Advisory Board hosted six regional meetings for all of our member hospital executives and directors. What this meant for me was an itinerary of this: airport > hotel > hospital/lecture hall > airport >next city. I went to Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne (twice!). The last time I traveled to Melbourne I extended my ticket for the weekend and LOVED IT. I will most definitely be back! (Adelaide and Brisbane, sorry folks...)

Melbourne is very reminiscent of a Victorian, European city BUT with amazing/funky/modern architecture sandwiched in between the older buildings and tram tracks. Aussies often compare Melbourne to NY while Sydney is more a coastal California city (but better in my opinion). If you like shopping and coffee shops, "Melbs" is your town!


I visited with my old and dear friend Deb who is a native Melburnian. She did an excellent job of showing me around. What I saw/did:
-spent Friday night at Shira Chadasha, a progressive egalitarian/traditional minyan similar to my alma mater of DC Minyan.
-perused Queen Victoria Market (excellent and cheap produce, wholesale UGG boots, gluten free pizza, souvenirs, etc)
-walked to Federation Square (a massive open area overlooking the Yarra river. That day happened to be Buddha's birthday celebration so it was covered with altars, golden Buddhas, and delicious Asian food)
-browsed Aclan street (lovely drag of shops and cafes where we ate lunch)
-walked through Chapel street (another, longer drag with terrific shopping!)

A few other highlights since last the posting:
-I joined a running club. It's called rePUBlic runners and we meet every Tuesday night downtown at a pub called the republic. The idea is that you donate $5 to the charity of the week, run a 5k, and then enjoy a free drink on the pub! What a lovely way to run, be philanthropic, drink and socialise! (look I am already spelling like an Aussie)
-Finally made it to the north shore of Sydney. Sydney proper is south of the harbour and the north is formally called Ku-ring-gai. I took a ferry to Manly beach to meet up with my friend Jan who lives in one of the two Jewish settlements, St. Ives in the North. (if anyone is interested in the North v. East Jewish rivalry please inquire... it's quite fascinating!)
-celebrating Shavuot with yummy desserts, good friends, and boring board games (did you know I hate games?)
-My little Aussie cousin turned one! We celebrated by lunching in Centennial Park on a gorgeous Sunday.
-I was able to show my friend from work Robin around Sydney this past week as she was the event planner for all of our previously mentioned regional meetings. We sent her off with a "benda" (all-nighter) out on the town. I hope she enjoyed her time here!


Passing my two-month-aversary here I really feel like this is reality. No more naive frolicking around the city marveling at how nice people are and how great the weather is...false! Yesterday a bus driver slammed the door on my leg because I was too late to hop on and a cab driver creepily touched my face because "I looked cold." The autumn is rapidly turning into a wet winter and I am most definitely settled into my work and social life. I am still loving it here but not as a tourist... as a Sydneysider!

Cheers!

Special Location Post: BALI!

Hi friends!

It has sadly been too long since my last post, but up until I left for Bali things were quite ordinary and I was just settling into my apartment and worklife in Surry Hills.


From April 9-19 I was fortunate enough to visit my best friend Alex in Bali, Indonesia. Alex has been travelling Asia and Africa this year and I needed to see her on this side of the world before she galavanted off to Kenya!

The week spent in Bali was nothing less than amazing. Alex was a great hostess and tour guide as she was a complete local in her town of Ubud. We rented motorbikes for the week and were able to see so much of the Indonesian island through this mode of transportation. Save for one nasty bike crash, driving the motorbike was so fun and exhilarating!



A few highlights of the week in Bali:
-spending the day on White Sandy beach (a small beach in eastern Bali that is "off the map")
-worshiping in the holy water of Temple Tirta Empul
-biking to Lake and Mount Batur, an incredibly scenic region in northeast Bali which includes an active volcano!
-summiting Mount Agung, Bali's highest mountain (another volcano) at 10,500 feet
-2 hour massage and spa for only $15!
-haggling in the markets and shops in Ubud
-experiencing Animist Hinduism everywhere we went in Bali
-watching a traditional religious Kecak dance where Balinese chant and dance to reenact scenes from the Ramayana
-being with Alex and her Balinese and expat friends of course!

Please feel free to check out my facebook album of Bali here!


I am happy to be back in Sydney (hot showers, air con, no fear of tropical diseases, etc) but am really missing the cheap great food and amazing Indonesian Rupiah and how far it took me.

Today is ANZAC Day, Australia and New Zealand's "Yom Hazikaron" or "Memorial Day." Today all Australians mourn the loss of their members of the armed forces but with a twist. They have a somber ceremony in the morning but then proceed to the pubs and get drunk while playing Two Up. Two Up is a gambling game which is prohibited 364 days of the year but today it is legal as it was the most popular game of Australian soldiers during WWI. Should be an interesting day of mourning to say the least...!

Again, apologies about the lack of blog posts. Lots of things are coming up here so more to come!

Week in Review

Good evening readers!

I hope this post finds you well and enjoying your springtime. Things are hot as ever here and the fall (if they even have one) is still months away. I wanted to use this post to update you on my first full week here and to fill you in on some funny Aussie stories.

The first week was pretty good! Some lows scattered with mostly high points. Biggest high: I have an address! On Thursday I am moving in with two great Aussie girls to a neighborhood called Surry Hills. (see it on the map) The area is fantastic. Close to Hyde Park (our Central Park), downtown, and the Opera House. It is a short bus ride away from the beach and near all the best bars and cafes. To help you visualize, Surry Hills is a cross of Sheinkin Street in Tel Aviv and SoHo in NYC. A little too trendy for me you may be thinking, but this flat is super as are the flatties! (roomies)

So a big check off my to-do list for the week. WHEW!

Other fun moments of the week included my other girl blind dates. All three were great successes and I can't wait to spend more time with all of them. One was such a success she is now my roommate! It's turning out to be the best way for me to meet people here so if you know of anyone...set me up!

In addition to my promiscuous friendship lifestyle, I went to synagogue for Friday night in the Bondi area. Bondi has a huge Jewish population (more on that later though.) The building was so beautiful as were the services. The services were mostly the same as the Rabbi is a chabad imported Rabbi from Brooklyn. I also stayed with one of my new girlfriends for dinner and mingling afterward. The dinner was a delicious 3-course meal which was followed by trivia and other games. There were about 60 other young professionals there so the meal was pretty intimate. No, I did not meet anyone! Oddly enough my friend and I managed to sit at a table full of couples. They were all very friendly and will surely meet up with them again.

The rest of that weekend consisted of sleeping, reading, and the BEACH! I finally made it down to the famous shore. Wow. Seriously there is no beach like this one! Yes there's south beach, Malibu, Herzl, and even the near to my heart Siesta Key but how could I be missing out on Bondi Beach for this long?? The boardwalk is littered with fantastic cafes and (mostly) beautiful people so I had nothing to complain about. To take a break from the sun, I explored the Bondi Market which is their weekly Sunday artisan market. I felt as if I was transported to Nachalat Binyamin on a Tuesday afternoon because it was 80% run by Israelis! They had some fun cheap stuff so I am sure I'll be back soon.

Sunday ended with the famed "Coastal Walk." I walked from Bondi beach (the northernmost beach on the eastern shore) to Bronte beach (you guessed it, the southernmost). Incredible views! It's crazy to think that this coast is so accessible and ordinary for Sydneysiders (a resident of Sydney). What a great thing to call part of your city.

So now the Oddities Section of my post. The below are just funny things I have picked up on from my week here:

• In the beginning of the Sydney Olympics, there were so many vehicular/pedestrian accidents they had to indicate which way pedestrians should look before crossing the street (Aussies drive on the left side). I still find it daunting as I am constantly looking both ways!


• capsicum is pepper
• 
  
  rocket is arugula
• 
  
  tasty cheese...still working on what that is... but it's everywhere
• 
  
  pumpkin is butternut squash
• 
  
  Subway foot-longs are not 5 dollars... they are 7!
• 
  
  which leads me to this: Sydney is so expensive! A subway ride is minimum $3, a tiny coffee (short black) is also $3 but there is no tipping here (which leads to...you guessed it... terrible service!)
• 
  
  boy/girlfriend, wife, husband, gay/lesbian whathaveyou all = partner (so progressive!)
• 
  
  non-Jews pronounce the letter "H" as hay'che while Jews say proper ayche (good way to filter love, eh?)
• 
  
  higher education is one of the top exports for Australia. The unis are predominantly Asian as they all come in for 3-5 years for university and then go back home. You are a minority on campus!
• 
  
  girls don't drink beer. It's not because they find it unlady-like but since they never had a true college experience (everyone lives at home until they mostly get married) girls never acquire the taste or can tolerate much of it. When people see me drink beer they almost immediately know I am a tourist! Though I am sure there are a few other giveaways...
• 
  
  80% of what exists in Australia does NOT exist anywhere else in this world. I am no horticulturalist but that fact is staggering! So many beautiful flowers, birds, and mammals you can't find anywhere else. Amazing!

• 
  
  Once again...the Australian people are SO nice! But then again, I would be pretty carefree if one of the more high profile crimes in my country is tree vandalism. They have a hotline!

That's all for now! Take care and keep me in touch!

Getting settled...

Happy Tuesday everyone! (or for all back in the States/Israel happy Monday night!)

I have slowly been settling down here which has been a big learning experience. After 4 trips to Telstra (Aussie AT&T), I have my own mobile number here! 0488 440 930 call me anytime! (just mind the 16-hour difference...)

After running around the city for two nights, I think I have found my apartment! At first I thought I wanted to live by the beach in Bondi with all the Jews and falafel stands, but after a long night of schlepping through with my cousin (thanks for the lift, Jason!) I decided that city life is way more suited for me. The beach is absolutely stunning; there is nothing quite like the shore here. Incredible cliffs, deep blue waters, and beautiful people. BUT, I think I need to be where the action is downtown. The beach will always be a quick bus ride away, and especially in the winter (in 2 months or so) living on the water isn't essential.

Last night I ran around Paddington/Surry Hills to hunt for a room. I found a great one! They are still showing the place to two more people tonight so hopefully I will hear good news....til then I won't say much about it just in case.

So the past two days have been quite productive:

-finally got to see the Opera House

-went to the New South Wales Wine Festival

-checked out Paddy's Market (a big flea/indoor bazaar with fruits/veggies as well)

-tonight I am going on my first of many "girl blind dates." I have a mutual friend with this girl Rachel who has reached out to me, so tonight we are getting dinner in town. Should be fun and hopefully only good things will come!

Typical to the other posts- I have to reiterate how nice and accommodating people are! A few Jewish people showed me their apartments these past 2 days and I got seder invites from all of them. Additionally, one guy was nice enough to pick me up from Surry Hills, show me his flat in Rose Bay, take me to Vaucluse to see another flat, and then drove me alllll the way home to Drommoyne. He saved me either an hour on the bus or 50 bucks from a taxi! Do you know any strangers in the states who would do that??

More to come soon- hopefully an update on my living situation and maybe some chronicling of my girl blind dates! Keep in touch!

So far so great!

Hello Mates!

Per my post below, I am now a blogger! (we'll see how long this lasts) The title of the blog mostly speaks for itself, but I found that I was laughing to myself when I was filling out my customs form upon arrival in Sydney. Never have I ever marked down "Reason for visit: Business." How silly! I am here to live in Sydney to work?! Funny thought, I know...

Let's go over a quick update on my first two days in this lovely city:

-after a 15-hour flight from Los Angeles, I landed in Sydney to warm weather and even warmer people at 9am on Friday. Everyone is so nice and helpful! Yes, you will run into a few jerks along the way but the overall demeanor here is so kind.

-I took a cab straight from the airport to my cousins house in the suburb of Drummoyne (google map it, people). They have a scrumptious 9-month old Benjamin, see pic!

-By 11am, my cousin taught me how to order a coffee (long black is a tall coffee...don't ask!) The coffee here is SUPER strong! I need to be cautious and not drink it too often or else my double tall skinny vanilla lattes at you-know-where won't be strong enough!

-By 11:30am I figured out the bus system and caught a bus into the city. $3.50 later (no joke) I was exploring downtown and trying to knock a few errands off my list.

-Downtown Sydney reminds me of Montreal while the eastern suburbs SCREAM Beverly Hills. It is also a very international city. On the bus I heard Spanish, Russian, and Thai.

-LOTS of Thai people...which means LOTS of Thai food! I am in gastro-heaven! They have all my favorites here! (sour candy, gorgonzola cheese, balsamic vinegar and avocados...no I swear I'm not pregnant!)

-By the end of yesterday I was exhausted. I ate dinner with my family and then promptly passed out at 10pm.

This morning was great!

-woke up at 9am and ran 5k around the bay the house is situated on

-we grabbed an early lunch on Watson's Bay in the Eastern Suburbs and were able to eat fish and chips in the park by the water

-we took a mini-hike around the Sydney National Harbour and they showed me Rose Bay, Vaucluse, and Double Bay. Quite impressive homes!

A few Aussie "isms:"

-mate

-cheers

-no worries (like you're welcome or no problem)

-everything has an "o" at the end: avocado = avo, brunch = bruncho, Aviva = Avivo (just kidding)

Tomorrow should be a packed day:

-unlocking my iphone

-"investigating" (as they say) some flats for rental

-hopefully meeting Mikey Berlin on the beach for some surfing tournament!

Maybe one day I'll fit in some work...?