SOS

The Six Month Hiatus of Sarah

2011-08-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

Meh...Yes, it's been that long. Not intentional. Life just gets in the way sometimes... You know, things like work, family, friends, love, yoga, moving, traveling, reading, sleeping, eating, dating, studying, facebooking, shopping, volunteering, chasing dreams, and simply living.

Frankly, this blogging thing is difficult for me. Not that I don't have anything to say or to talk about (Dear Lord, that's never a problem!). Writing for me is tough - never my strong subject in school. I liked Math. Finite things. Things I could get results & definitive answers from. I was terrified to start this blog a year & a half ago before I went on my journey to travel the world. It was the very last thing I did before I walked out the door to the airport. I pushed it off to the last possible second - so afraid how it would be perceived. Then my friends & family began asking for more. I was flattered, but even as I traveled, there were long bouts of silence because the thought of sitting at a computer for hours, making sure my posts were perfect, was torturous. I even bought a netbook on my travels so that I would always have a notepad on hand; but I still fell behind, and then got shit from my travel buddies (That would be you, Erika & Charity! ;)) that my nose was stuck in my computer trying to "catch up" while we should have been relaxing on the beach. They were right. This should be easier for me. It should just flow - whatever is on my mind. Unfortunately, for me, it's still easier said than done...

A friend of mine recently started a blog and it got me thinking. What about my blog? I still have so much to talk about. Over the last 2 years I have had the most amazing adventures that I've learned and grown so much from. I have a list in the back of my journal of subjects I still want to write about - Self Realization, Speaking English, Sanskrit, Spirituality, Strength, Second Chance, Spain, Saints, etc., etc.... Some are more personal than others - those of which will probably never make my blog, but maybe my memoir someday - which at my rate, will take a lifetime..

Over the past 6 months, people have asked if I will continue to post, but the guilt of being so far behind has deterred me. The blog HAS been on my mind. And then 2 days ago I sent a letter to a friend, whom I respect a ton. I received positive feedback of how well of a writer I was. Really? Little did they know I had spent two hours reading, re-reading, formatting, deleting, copying, and pasting until it was just right. I guess that's just that little bit of Type A left in me... But I think I just needed that little spark of encouragement. Get over my fear of writing. I'm a talker. I have things to share. Who cares if someone wants to critique it - in my opinion, then they shouldn't be reading it. There are plenty of other blogs out there to enjoy. I may not have the best grammar, or be the best speller. I probably have a lot of run-on sentences, and use way too many commas (I heart commas, big time!). But it's me. It's raw. It should be as if it were coming straight out of my mouth, right?

So here I am. Ready to re-commit. Maybe as a challenge for myself, I will set a timer. Every time I post, I will aim for a minute shorter. Starting with my next post, of course...

The Stick Shift of Sarah

2011-02-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

Or “Manual”, as they call it here in South Africa (and most other parts of the world)…

After being in Cape Town for a week, I quickly realized how much a car would be beneficial. I found that an automatic car costs twice as much money to rent than a manual car and it has always been something I’ve wanted to learn. I looked into driving lessons and said “Sign me up!”

Prior to my first lesson, I understood the concept of driving stick. I got that the clutch needs to be pressed down when changing gears. I’ve heard the phrase, “If you can’t find it, grind it”. I knew there was a chance I could “kill the car”. I understood the car would roll backwards if the parking break wasn’t on. I had actually tried to drive stick a few times many years ago, but my “teacher” was easily frustrated and gave up on me…

Just a few minor differences when driving stick shift in Cape Town…

They drive on the left side of the road and sit on the right side of the car, which means the stick is on the left. Completely opposite to everything we do in Chicago! The roads aren’t exactly flat here. I live on one side of a pretty decent size mountain and have to go up and over the mountain to get anywhere, which equals lots of hills! Not to mention, the people here tend to drive a little crazy and there aren’t many “rules of the road”.

Now I have driven an automatic on the left side of the road on the right side of the car when I was in Australia and New Zealand, which was a challenge in and of itself; so as you can imagine, I was terrified for my first lesson. I kept trying to tell myself that so many people learn to do it, but for some reason, I didn’t have any confidence in myself. I had this feeling I would never pick it up.

Thankfully my instructor, Riyone, took me out of Camps Bay into town, where there is much less traffic and the roads are a bit more flat. During my first 2 hour session, I was sweating bullets. I didn’t take long for me to realize that I probably shouldn’t have worn flip flops for my first lesson because the bottom of the flop kept getting caught on the mat… And it took me a few times to realize what Riyone was referring to when he would tell me to turn at the Robot (the traffic light). Who knows where they came up with that term because the things don’t have arms and legs…But, this is Africa!

I felt like I was 15 again. Not only was I learning manual, but I was getting a refresh on drivers education, as a few of the bad driving habits I picked up over the years kept slipping out. For example, not leaving enough space between me and the car in front of me, not slowing down soon enough before the traffic lights, and taking my turns a bit too fast. Oopsy! But apparently completely stopping at a stop sign is not required in South Africa. My teacher even said so. I didn't ask questions… ;)

It took a few lessons to build up my ankle strength (lots of pedal pushing going on). After 6 hours of lessons and practice over the last couple of weeks, I’m not doing too bad…I’m still killing the car once in awhile and have a little bit of trouble knowing when to down shift…The roundabouts are not my favorite b/c I don’t like slowing down once I have momentum…and my professional Chicago parallel parking skills aren’t so professional in Cape Town…

Needless to say, I can get myself from point A to point B, and it may just take a little bit of time before I can drink my coffee, put my lipstick on in the mirror, and text on my phone, all while driving manual… ;) Kidding!

The Space of Sarah

2011-02-05T22:37:00.000-08:00

My new space in South Africa is starting to feel like home. When Juli told me the cottage was in a great location in Camps Bay, I had no clue how great it would really be. I am within 2 blocks walking distance to the ocean in Camps Bay. I wasn't really familiar with this area because we didn't spend much time at the beach when I was here before. It's one of the nicest areas of Cape Town with unbelievably beautiful houses overlooking the water and great shops and restaurants looking straight out to the beach. I'm actually sitting at a cafe typing this as I look straight out into the beautiful blue ocean. The weather is sunny, warm, and perfect everyday. Not too humid (most of the time) with a nice breeze during the day. It can get quite cool at night -carrying a jersey (sweater) or scarf is a must - as the wind is ferocious and cools the temperature down quite a bit. I have moved from one windy city to the next. Most days before I head to class, I wake up and go for a run along the water or study my yoga on the beach and stop at the cafe for my morning coffee on the way back; or head home to grab my computer to sit at the cafe, catching up on emails, people watching, and studying my poses. Camps bay is quite the tourist attraction, so there are always people out and about. Last week I even got to see camera crews filming a movie on the beach.

The cottage I'm staying in is quite old. I had been warned, but really had no idea. Unfortunately, maintaining the place is not really a priority for the owner and things are slowly falling apart. I have managed to spruce it up a bit and have quickly gotten used to it. After living out of boxes and suitcases for the last year, I was ready to have a "home" and tried to decorate my bedroom as cozy as I could. Again, this place is all about location, location, location and the rent I pay is peanuts compared to what I would be spending in Chicago!

This beautiful picturesque place new to me is just another new reason why I love Cape Town!

The Simon of Sarah

2011-01-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

No, it's not a typo. I meant Simon...

My first job after graduation was with Simon Marketing. It was my dream job - working on promotions for Kraft and McDonald's (How many people get to say they work on Happy Meal Toys!?). We worked in the coolest office with crazy artwork, toys and games everywhere. We had catered-in lunches, we got free Happy Meal Collectible Toys, we went to all sorts of fun work outings in the city. But most importantly, we worked with some of the greatest people I've ever met, many of who I still keep in touch with (and even work with) to this day, almost 11 years later.

There were 5 of us girls that started that summer in 2000. We were the pions, the new kids on the block. We stuck together, trying to figure out what this so called "real world" was all about. We looked up to our colleagues, wondering if we would ever get to where they were in life. From their knowledge and experience on the job, to seeing them get married and have babies. It's amazing how quickly a year and a half can go by and how much we seemed to learn. And not too long after that year and a half went by, we also learned what it was like to be laid off - all because of one rogue employee who decided to be greedy and steal the winning Monopoly game pieces - McDonald's fired Simon Marketing, which meant the end of us... And a few weeks later, September 11th happened. Where would we go? What would we do next? Our lives seemed over at the ripe old age of 22.

I went to dinner with those 4 girls last night. GNO (girls night out) is what we call it. A tradition we have kept up monthly (or so) since that dreadful day we were laid off in September 2001. Yes, 10 years later, we are still passing around the excel spreadsheet once a month with each of our availability, shading in the days we CANNOT make it (something that we have all tried to instill with other groups of friends, but for some reason no one else gets it...). We always rotate locations of restaurants and try to get together in each other's neighborhoods.

The tradition is we go around the table and each of us takes turns giving updates on what's new in our lives. Over the years, we have pretty much seen it all - loss of jobs, graduation, interviewing, new jobs, broken hearts, death, marriage, divorce, illnesses, babies. You name it. Last night I sat back and looked at these 4 amazing women and realized how incredibly different we all are, yet we all pretty much started out as that same scared young girl right out of college.

Today:

Christy is a Lawyer and lives with her boyfriend in the burbs.

Angela is married and is a working mother of two.

Vanessa is married and is a stay-at-home mother of 1.

Jen is working and married to her husband of 6 years.

And Me. I'm the single one, traveling the world (yet I was the only one who had a boyfriend when we all first met).

It's funny how things change. I'm so proud to say that we can still come together and learn and grow from each other's heartaches and happiness. We all take turns and have our ups and downs each month. We are all honest (I mean 100% honest) with each other. We respect each other and each other's opinions and decisions in life. And it all comes full circle. We will continue to change and grow and learn and support one another for another 10 years. And I can't wait to see where it takes us...

And I can't help but add that sometimes it's even the silly things that come full circle. One of the first times we all went out for a work lunch together back in 2000, the team took us to sushi - something we at 21 had never done. For some reason Vanessa decided to scoop a large hunk of wasabi into her mouth, claiming she thought it was Guacamole (Guacamole at Sushi restaurant?? Oh, Vanessa!). Needless to say, Vanessa learned quickly that day and was eating sushi like a pro last night. :)

Our days at Simon Marketing were short lived, but we learned that life does go on, up, down, and even sideways sometimes.

I wish I could say I had some older pictures to compare this new one to, but I don't think they made digital cameras back in 2000, did they girls??? ;) The only one I could find below was from a couple of years ago...Personally, I think we look the same as we did when we were 21!!

The Studying of Sarah

2010-11-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

I never knew how much studying I would have to do for Yoga Teacher Training. It's pretty intense and can't imagine working full time and going to graduate school. Kudos to those of you who do! Between working, my social calendar, my fitness routine, I barely had a free second. I forgot what it was like to have homework and deadlines. Thankfully, the material I was covering was something I have a true passion for and really enjoy. Of course, in true Sarah fashion, I procrastinated. For some reason I work way better under pressure. But get outta my way when I do... It took the full 5 weeks, but by week 5, everything sort of clicked for me. I started understanding the body and why we we do the poses and moves in Yoga Sculpt. Understanding all of this really helps teach it and explain it. The hardest part is getting it out of my mouth - saying all I have to say. But I completed my program and passed my test this Sunday. I am officially a certified Yoga Instructor!! I'm going to try to teach a few free classes in the area and at my work gym before I leave for South Africa - just to get some practice. And then off to Cape Town in January to continue my studies - 200 more hours to go!

The Sculpt of Sarah

2010-10-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. The union occurs between the mind, body and the spirit. As many of you have heard me preach - Yoga has changed my body and my life!! It's the one thing I can always go back to. It grounds me, it allows me to focus, it relaxes me and brings self awareness. Yes, I love to run and do all sorts of different workouts, but the difference is that I'm usually thinking about something else during those times like my day, the things I still have to get done, the music I'm listening to at the moment. With Yoga, I have no choice but to spend the 60-90 minutes to myself, where I am only focusing on my body, my postures, and my balance (which is VERY IMPORTANT for the clutz in me so I don't fall over in the middle of the class).

In addition to going back to Cape Town, South Africa next January to get my full 200 hour Yoga Teaching Certification, I decided to get trained in a type of yoga here called Sculpt. So, I spent this past weekend in my first Corepower Yoga Sculpt teacher training sessions. Yoga Sculpt is an hour long class of all I love to do when I workout. It includes yoga, cardio (quick bursts of plyometrics to shock the body), weight lifting, intense heat (meaning I walk out of the room soaked in sweat, which cleanses and detoxes the body), all while listening to music! How fun is that??? I could go on and on about how good this class is for you. I am extremely passionate about it. Can you tell?

I have anxiously been waiting for this weekend and to officially begin "yoga school" and what will begin a new career in yoga instruction. 17 total hours down with 19 hours to go and I actually wish it were longer... Why, you ask? Because after this weekend, there is no way in hell I'm gonna be ready to teach!! I'm gonna need all the practice I can get!! Panic mode has set in...I've been taking it 3 days a week for the past 3 1/2 months. I can take a Yoga Sculpt class with my eyes closed, I know it like the back of my hand, know exactly what poses are coming next, but to teach is a whole different ball game. To have to stand up and instruct a group of 20-30 people, making sure the temperature of the room is just right, the music isn't too loud, fitting the planned workout into 60 mins without going over, ensuring my students are doing their poses correctly and no one is in danger, all while they are staring back at me, trusting in me to give them a great workout. It's a lot of pressure! I had this crazy idea in my head that we would spend the whole weekend practicing yoga, and I would get this great workout. Silly me...

We spent the majority of those 17 hours in discussion. Learning the anatomy of the body, going over health and fitness terms, reviewing exactly what is happening in the body during each of the poses, and beginning to learn how to instruct, to give cues on alignment and safety with the weights and of course, the most important element of yoga, TO BREATHE!

I need to start taking my own advice, because deep breathes are about the only thing that will get me through the stress I feel. I know I have the confidence, the loud voice, and the personality, but I feel like it is going to take forever until I get there. But regardless, I am extremely excited, and so happy I made the decision to pursue this, as I do envision myself one day bouncing around in front of the class getting people pumped and playing my Rihanna music!! I have a lot of reading to do, even homework, and a whole lot of practicing with friends and family. So if anyone wants some free yoga lessons, you know where to find me...

Namaste!

The So What's Next? of Sarah

2010-09-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

When I got back to the states I told myself I would relax for the month of July and wait until August to begin figuring out what in the world I was going to do next with my life. I didn’t want to stress about it, as I had already done so while in Cape Town with a month left to go on my trip; I began to panic, thinking I had to have something lined up before I went home. After all, my trip WAS supposed to be about “finding myself” and hoping something would just fall into my lap, wasn’t it?? Yes, I got some clarity on a lot of things, I changed quite a bit, I decided there were a few things I didn’t want in life, but I realized there was no point ruining the last month of my holiday stressing about what was to come. I would just let it go and hope that things would fall into place. And that they did…

Leaving Cape Town, I was pretty convinced I would be back. I wanted to come home and take some time, get over the travel “buzz”, and see how it felt to be in Chicago again. But I wasn’t home even a few weeks before I was yearning to return. The energy, the people, the culture, the mountains, the water, the beaches, the 25 children I left behind, and of course, Babalwa’s precious little face I promised I would see again.

I assumed I couldn’t go longer than a few months without having an income, so I would plan to go back in October or November. A little ambitious, I know… I quickly began making connections, researching organizations, sending out emails to friends and anyone who could provide me with information on immigrating to South Africa and how I could get an extension to a 3 months traveler’s visa. The amazing American couple I met in Cape Town, Dash & Pam, were extremely encouraging. A few years ago, they too had the urge to move to South Africa, so they quit their steady/good paying jobs, picked up their 3 kids, and moved from New Jersey to Cape Town. They took a leap of faith and they have been a great inspiration to me to follow my heart and my dreams. And so I planned to do just that.

But what would I do there and how would I afford to live? I knew I wanted to help out at my children’s home, Masigcine. After volunteering there for 8 weeks I had a lot of ideas, passion to grow the home and expand the organization, so I reached out to the manager and of course they are more than willing to allow me to help, but don’t have a paying position at the moment. I was just happy to be in touch and even got to speak to the kids on the phone, which completely had me over the moon and reinforced how much I miss all of them and can’t wait to see their smiling little faces again. <3 So I decided I would help part time, with hopes of a position opening up, but I would also have to begin looking elsewhere within other organizations.

While all of this was going on, I was getting back into my yoga practice, trekking downtown 3-4 days a week. My friend, Maria, introduced me to Corepower yoga, and specifically the Corepower Sculpt class. Not only is it Vinyasa yoga in a hot room, it includes arm weights, and the added bonus of music!! I was in heaven. And my idea of being a personal trainer on the side (something that came to me when I was on my meditation retreat) turned into an idea to teach yoga. Yoga has really changed my body and my mind since my friend Marisa introduced me to Bikram yoga a few years ago. I can’t explain how much more calm and grounded I feel when I practice a few times a week. It would be perfect! Of course, they aren’t offering a teacher training course until end of October, which would bring me to at least end of November and to top it off, it wouldn’t give me a full yoga teaching certification. So there I was, deciding if I could wait until December to go back, and at that point, I figured I might as well wait until after the holidays. This was throwing a little wrench in my plan, but I had this feeling I should pursue the class. The Yoga Sculpt class is not offered in many other places, especially South Africa, so I thought a few of the yoga studios I visited in Cape Town would be a perfect place to market this class. But I still had the issue of not being fully certified. Then the light bulb went off. Why not finish my yoga training in Cape Town? After some quick research, I found a teacher who will train me in whatever amount of time I need. So with a 3 months traveler’s visa guaranteed, I can go to Cape Town, get certified, all while helping out at Masigcine and look for a full-time job. If I can’t find something and/or get my visa extended after 3 months, I come home and at least I will be able to say I gave it a shot, I will come home with a yoga teaching certification, I will get to be in Cape Town during the summer (when it’s freezing in Chicago) and I will get to see the kids and all my friends again. Sounds like a perfect plan to me.

Oh and in the meantime, while shopping at my favorite yoga store, Lululemon, I was put in touch with a girl who studied for a year at the University of Cape Town , teaches yoga, and is moving back to Cape Town in January as well to start up an extension of The Africa Yoga project which was started in Kenya. Britt and I quickly had a connection and have so many plans when we are back there together.

And the icing on the cake is that a great friend of mine, Melissa, has generously extended an invite for me to stay with her in the city and I have a job until I plan to leave. A former co-worker of mine recently went on maternity leave and needed coverage while she’s gone. She had heard I was looking to make a little bit of money before I moved, and just like that, I am working back in my old role, but on the Gatorade brand. I never in a million years thought I would step foot back into that building as an employee, but it’s actually quite a sweet gig and learning a whole new brand is a great new challenge for me. And it just so happens she needs me until January, right when I plan to leave for Cape Town. I don’t really know what I did to deserve all of this, as I often have to stop and question why am I so lucky and when will it all come crashing down. But this all just reinforces my strong belief in Karma. What goes around comes around. Yes, I’m still a gypsy and I don’t know what is to come after my visa runs out in April next year, but I’m enjoying living for today and continuing to believe that good things come to those who wait.

The Since I've Been Home of Sarah

2010-09-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s old news that I’m home. I’ve been so lucky to have seen or spoken to many of you, my story has been told about 100 times, and most of you have heard what an amazing time I had on my 5 month journey traveling the world. I have wanted to blog the recap of my trip, but a lot of great questions have come up from friends and family, which have made me think a lot more and much deeper about things I hadn’t even thought about. I definitely plan to recap the trip at some point, but this blog will be about the last 10 weeks since I’ve been home, the adjustment being back in the US, the progress I’ve made on my next steps in life, and of course the planes, trains, automobiles, and boats that have taken me on a whole new 2 month adventure.

So what’s a girl to do with nothing but free time, perfect summer weather, a swimming pool in the backyard, parents who can’t get enough of seeing her, and the most fabulous and generous friends?

The first few weeks home in July were busy, as if I had never left. I think I had plans lined up for the first 3 weekends I was home before I even got here. I had a lot of catching up to do and spent a lot of time making the trek between the burbs, where I was staying with my parents, and the city, to see friends (Something my parents weren't too keen about. After 10 years living out of their house, I forgot what it feels like to be questioned where I'm going and what I'm doing). I got the "when will you be home?" and "well it's nice to see you!" (sarcastic tone of voice). I never knew doing my own thing at 31 years old would make me feel so guilty. Lol! But to their defense, I was once again living under their roof and they just wanted to know what I was up to and when I would be popping in. Some things just never change I guess... ;)

Although it was summer, a lot of social plans in the city revolve around eating and drinking. This didn’t help my plan to lose the 10 pounds I packed on on my trip, but thankfully my friend Maria had a different idea, so we would meet for yoga and brunch dates, which quickly got me back into a routine, realizing how much I truly missed my yoga practice. I have only enjoyed practicing Bikram yoga for the past 2 ½ years, but Maria introduced me to another form of hot yoga, which opened up a whole new world for me. But I’ll get back to that a little later…

Catching up with friends made me quickly realize I didn’t miss a whole lot while I was gone. Yes, some things had changed - A couple of friends got new jobs, a few got promoted, one graduated business school, there were a few engagements and babies born, a few moved in with their boyfriends, and a couple more found their sole mates. Exciting times for all of them, but it just reinforced for me how much more I felt “out of place”, or as my friend Deanna described me, “a fish out of water”. Not that anyone made me feel that way, or that I couldn’t still relate to any of these friends, but it just solidified what I realized when I was gone – there is nothing conventional about the way I’m currently living my life and it will probably remain that way for awhile. I’m still somewhat of a gypsy, bouncing around, traveling from place to place, packing and unpacking. Sometimes I would give anything to just have “my” bed, a place to call my own again, but I’m learning to live with the fact that this was my choice and I’m actually happier than I have ever been in life. The unknown is fun for me right now. Where will life take me, where will I be 5 years from now? As of right now, I have plans until mid April and after that, who knows? I’ll figure it out as I go, I’m living day by day, and it seems to be working just fine. Things are falling into place better than I could have ever imagined and I attribute it to my positive attitude and the energy I put towards taking risks and living life to the fullest.

Still, it didn’t take long for me to get wrapped back up into the American way of life. When traveling, everything was so simple. Here, I try to avoid the materialistic things, the gossip and the nonsense they call “news” these days, but it is everywhere and it’s so hard not to get consumed by it. Being single in Chicago for 2 years definitely took its toll on me and wore me out. Now I’m trying hard to focus my attention and time on things like volunteering, weekend trips away, yoga, concerts, etc. Taking my trip around the world opened my eyes to so much and just left me craving more.

Here is a list of some of the things I’ve done “Since I’ve Been Home”:

Spent lots of lazy hours laying by my parent’s pool, playing with the dogs and reading. I have learned to relax, leave my phone in the house, and just focus on myself.
Within the first couple of weeks home I only tried driving on the wrong side of the road twice and walked to the wrong side of the car once. But still to this day, about half the time I’m still walking on the left side of the sidewalk. When I’m alone, it’s ok, but the second someone else starts coming towards me, my mind can’t trigger it quick enough and default is to go left. I have much more patience now for people that get a little tangled up and seem a little confused. I know how it feels!!!
I've learned to space out the important things I need to do, such as pay bills, fixing my car, running errands, etc. I am so much better at managing my time, I’ve learned to take things slow, giving myself a few tasks a day and forgetting about the rest until tomorrow.
Bus ride with 25 friends to Ravinia to see Sting.
Rihanna concert with my sister.
Spent time on my family’s boat in Michigan City and shopping with my Mom.
Deck parties, Cubs games, rooftop pool days, boat parties, and street festivals in the city.
A weekend in New Buffalo with my besties, which started a tradition for many more years to come.
A last minute weekend trip to Minnesota with my friend, Julia, which opened my eyes to what goes on in a tiny little town of 600 people and also allowing me to make some really cool new friends.
Brunches and lunches with friends visiting from out of town.
Visiting Erin & Randy and their new baby boy.
Drank lots of wine, talking and catching up on life.
Pool Days at Bridget’s House with Nicki, Kristy, Amy, Taylor, and all the little rugrats. Can’t forget our friend Jeremiah…
Birthday dinner after birthday dinner.
Traveled for a week to New Orleans and volunteered with The St. Bernard Project, rebuilding a family’s home and helping out anywhere we could. All thanks to my new friend, Jenn, who is one of the smartest, kindest, giving persons I have ever met. A true inspiration for me!!
Spent a beautiful Labor Day weekend in Seaside, FL which included a lot of R&R, fun in the sun, fantastic dinners, and silly shenanigans I would have never expected. Melissa and Tim are the greatest hosts!
Took a quick overnight trip for Julia’s graduation party for Minnesota Madness Round 2 and a private plane ride home that allowed me to sit in the cockpit, listen, and watch the plane land.
Yoga, yoga and more yoga.

I can’t believe how long I’ve been home already. It’s almost starting to feel like a distant memory. But I don’t ever want to forget. This chapter in my life will probably be like that guy who just can’t let go of that one football game in High School 25 years ago where he was the star. Haha. I just have to keep going through the pictures and reminding myself of all the great memories I made and the amazing things I did and saw.

So you are probably wondering what I’m going to do next? I know I promised to share my next steps, but this post is already way too long. I do have a plan, I do have a job here in Chicago for the time being, I have a new place to stay, but I guess you will all just have to wait for my next post, "The So What’s Next? of Sarah"….

The Shift of Sarah

2010-08-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

My time at Masigcine Children's Home would have never been the same if it weren't for the wonderful girls I volunteered with over the course of those 10 weeks in Cape Town. I can't imagine life without having met Malene, Linda, Katie, Emma, Jen, and Ingrid. We got each other through some of those crazy, exhausting days with the kids. We worked so well together, splitting responsibilities, knowing when to step in and take over when we could tell someone had had enough, taking turns with the duties, not questioning each other when one of us needed a break, sharing new ways to do things, new ways to be patient, and of course, how to love more than I ever could have imagined possible. Not only were we so fortunate to have each other at work, but we were a hell of a lot of fun off the job as well! Never in a million years did I think I could connect with these girls the way I did. They were some of the most mature young women I have ever met and I learned something new from them everyday. We had so much fun talking, laughing, crying, loving, teasing, dancing, shopping, partying, and learning. I could probably go on and on forever with the amount of memories we made, but here is just a tidbit...

Learning Xhosa!! Practicing every night before bed, using it on and off shift when we could, asking the Si Sis to translate for us, singing the South African National Anthem, and reading the Xhosa Dictionary. Some of our faves were: Ndiyakuthanda (I Love You), Sithandwa Sam (My Love - "Oh, Ronel!") :) , Suka (Go Away), Bafana Bafana..my girls know the rest of this one..
Kate, Emma and the ladder incident
Jen and Na Kangaroo.
Introducing yet another person (or 4) to peanut butter & jelly.
Staying up making Fat Koek (source of probably 5 of the pounds I gained...) and chatting with the Si Sis.
The Bok Bus Weekend (Driving the jeeps, Ashley's pile of boxer shorts, campfires, forbidden flowers, mosquito nets, and Jen poking penquins)
Falling off the seat in the van.
Emma calling me "so charming" when I would lose/drop everything and have a trail behind me she would pick up.
Oh, those African Boys...
Partying and dancing on Long Street, Trenchtown and late nights at Stones. The stolen toast and Nutella, Emma and me getting followed back to the house, hiding from the creep calling over the wall "Emma, Emma, I love you!"
Removing the Akon Poster
Trips to/from Creche (the kids preschool).
Jen and me explaining "It's an expression!" to Emma.
Ingrid, Emma, and Me going nuts at Canal Walk and pushing around a shopping cart full of our goods. "I'm so glad I bought this shit!" - Ingrid
The breezer in the freezer
"Hey, Malene! Hey, Malene!"
Ingrid running into the glass sliding door on the infamous night we "stayed in"
All the fun expressions: "It's all about sharing, mate!", "Woop", "Eish", "Hilarious", "Pissin", "Good for you", "Who knows? Only God."
Small Big Mac meals
All of our text response discussions and the boy advice.
What do you call a fish with no eye? Fsshh (Good one, Ingrid!) ;)
Emma in La La Land. "Oh, Emma!"
Me, Malene and Linda running in the township and our backyard bootcamp
Painting our nails (and toenails)..
Emma and me sitting outside with boys when they came home from school
The Biscuit Mill, Wine Tours, Safaris, Sunsets, McDonalds, Shop Rite, Table Mountain, Moyo, SATC,
The Norwegians and their beautiful eyes
Emma sitting in Qamane's wet spot
The mini-bus rides
Finding Emma passed out with a bowl of pasta in bed
The birthday party upstairs for the girls
Ingrid and my crazy day/night at Fan Fest with Andisiwe. Bafana, Bafana...
P.S. Bars. "Have you ever thought about being a lesbian?"
The whistler...
Dressing up the kids in the silly costumes we found hidden in a closet
The uneventful sunset. I mean sunrise...
Tip Top Tommelopp
Malene and Linda dying their hair
My little pumpkin
Our late night talks
Music sharing
Movies, movies, and more movies.

I could go on and on...So many memories in such a short time together. I can only hope our paths will cross again; but for some reason, I'm really not that worried because we had a bond that cannot be broken or replicated and I just know we will make the effort to see each other again soon someday... Ndiyakuthanda, Si Sis!! Obokeka Gakoshe!

The Surprise of Sarah

2010-07-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

What better way to make return home from my 5 month trip then to surprise by Mom on her birthday?? I didn't book my return flight home until 5 weeks ago. I had been telling my Mom (and everyone else) that I would be home July 7th, while secretly my flight was booked for July 5th (my Mom and Brother's birthday). I actually didn't even want to tell my Brother I was coming home, but figuring my family had plans for the day, I knew there was no way I could coordinate where they would be and how I would get home. For the last 5 weeks my Mom has been asking over and over when exactly I was coming home and if I would send her my flight info. I kept giving her the run around, while secretly planning my arrival with my Brother and Sister.

Although I was reluctant to come back from my trip, as the plane began descending into Chicago I was extremely excited and nervous all at the same time - such a strange feeling... As my sister had promised, she arrived at O'Hare with a large Reese's Peanut Butter cup blizzard. :) It was delish! I was so happy to see Ashley and ironically enough, she was nervous as well. We debated back and forth whether Mom knew about my secret and wee plotted how I would walk make my grand entrance.

My mom was sitting on the back patio with her back to the door. I casually walked up behind her and just said, "Hey Mom! What's up?". She couldn't believe it! She immediately said that about an hour earlier at 12:30pm she had mentioned to my Dad that she hadn't heard from me in a few days and was wondering if I may show up early because when I left back in February, I had originally told her I would come home in July, most likely for her birthday. Ironically enough, 12:30pm is exactly when I touched ground in Chicago. Call it ESP or a mother's intuition, she felt my presence. Wild! Of course we had a great day catching up, relaxing in the sun, barbecuing, and eating cake (my sister even gave me a welcome home cookie). It felt so good to be back with my family again and I realized how much I truly missed them.

And for everyone else. I'm sorry I lied and said I wasn't going to be home until Wednesday. I needed a couple of days to spend with my family, ease in and slowly come back to reality, do a few errands, all without my phone blowing up. I guess you can say I'm sneaky like that... But I'm back!! So excited to have a summer off in Chicago, so excited to see everyone and catch up on the last 5 months. I will most likely continue to blog, as I still have so much to share. So keep checking back. You never know what sort of new adventures I have up my sleeve...

The Solitude of Sarah

2010-07-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

You know that saying, "That which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger"? True Story!
So what exactly is Vipassana meditation? According to my books, it is a straight-forward way to achieve peace of mind and lead a happy, useful life. Vipassana means "to see things as they really are" and it's a process of mental purification throught self-observation. We all experience frustration and misery from time to time and tend to distribute it to others, which isn't a proper way to live. Vipassana teaches us to observe this reality and gain insight to the causes of our misery and helps us dissolve the tensions and unravel the knots to lead a more positive, balanced and happy life. Although it was practiced and taught by Buddha, it is not involved with any specific sect or religion and can be practicied by anyone.
I was so nervous going into the 10 day course. 10 days without speaking (lord knows that's a huge task for me), without any contact with the outside world, without any distractions, including music, exercising, writing. Could I do it??
After a day, there was no chance I wasn't going to document what I was thinking and feeling. My mind was crazed and figured this was all part of my journey and I had to write down what I was experiencing.
Here are some of my notes verbatim from my journal:
First Night
- The ambience of the meditation hall and the chanting that began the course literally had me convinced I was joining a cult and that I would be locked up and brain washed.

- One woman leaves
Day 1
- For as flexible as I am, this sitting is killing my hips..
- Acute awareness today (thought people were crazy when they talked about this) - the grass, the mountains, the trees, the flowers, the moss on the ground, the dew on the logs, the crickets and birds chirping, the moon and the stars. Everything seems so clear.
- So hard to concentrate
Day 2
- Freaking out/monkey mind. Should I leave? Is everyone else feeling the same way?
- Saw a beautiful peacock and wanted to shout to everyone to come look, but couldn't! LOL!
- I'm totally cheating by writing down my thoughts..- I absolutely hate washing my dishes in the dirty water everyone else is using. ILL!

Day 3
- I'm dosing off. Is that a good thing?
- Wondering if there is more to this. The old students don't budge for 2 hours, but they don't walk away looking extremely happy either. WTF?
- Want to shout out "Are we all crazy?!"
- Million thoughts running throughout my head. More than ever...About people and things I could care less about. My mind is even making weird things up.
- What if I can't meditate? Be patient.. I guess this is a good thing considering I never sit down.
- I'm not a quiter, so will stick this out.
Day 4
- Loving the weather, so warm and sunny.
- I can't believe how many ideas I've had in my head. Realizing things I do want and don't want in life. When wouldever really sit and think about all this w/ no distractions?
- Another girl left (4 total now)- Crazy ideas. Convinced myself I have a tumor growing in my stomach.. (it's not the 5 months of no excersing and eating crap). LOL!

- Maybe my next calling is a team mascot [I'm peppy, I love motivating people, I have tons of energy]?? OMG! I LOL to myself on that one.
Day 5
- Why can't I just let things go? Mind still racing. I know there is a silver lining.. - I can only meditate for an hour max. I don't have the attention span...isn't that the reason I'm here? Duh!

- Deep thought - If I died today, I would die happy. :)

- Still just having an apple, a banana, and popcorn for dinner. I've given up thinking we will get anything else one of these nights..

- desires = cravings = clinging = misery
Day 6
- Now going nuts that I can't follow through with all the thoughts and ideas I've had over the last 6 days. I'm way more creative than I thought..
- Plan to sell a lot of my things when I get home... Realizing what I don't need in my life. Ebay, here I come!- Saw a huge bug next to the girl in front of me in the meditation hall and couldn't even tell her! Try meditating with one eye open. NOT EASY!
Day 7
- Understand the technique. Really now just up to me to practice, but I've slacked and sleep in every morning. But this is about me. I've never slept so good. Not going to beat myself up about it...- Starting to feel really good after a week of eating healthy/vegetarian

- Tears of joy during the evening session. Whoa! :)
Day 8
- I'm over it. 7 days would have been a perfect amount of time. The next 3 days are going to be a struggle.
Day 9
- Broke the silence with less than 24 hours to go. Couldn't take it. Was well worth it. The girls in my house are amazing!
Billie-Mae plays the African Drum in a band that I have seen at a local bar a few times. I knew she looked familiar!!
Joana is half Portugese and half Indian, but was born in Mozambique. 22 years old and has the most fascinating stories. Her mom and step-day (both doctors) just realased a book last week called "Sex at Dawn". Pretty sure they will be on Oprah soon.
Nosipho is a mother of a 3 year old and has come to figure out if she wants to divorce her husband. I gave her some encouraging words. :)
Day 10
- Trying very hard to be quiet and secretive about our broken silence, but are so giggly. Wish I had more time with these girls...

- Broken silence FINALLY! The 2 people that sat on either side of me in the hall told me I fell asleep and was snoring on the first day. HAHA!
All in all a wonderful experience. Could have been a little shorter for sure. Maybe I didn't meditate as much as I should have, but I think I gained what I wanted. I learned to meditate, I detoxed my body, I relaxed with no interuptions for 10 days straight, I had so much time to think and reflect on my life. At the end of the day, I just confirmed what I've known for awhile. I'm so blessed, I have the most amazing friends and family, I've been so lucky to go on this journey, I've had the most amazing experiences, I've grown in more ways than I ever imagined possible, and I have absolutely noregrets in life. Oooommmmm.......

The [Home] Sweet Home of Sarah

2010-07-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

Reluctantly, I will be heading home this week. I can't believe how quickly 5 months has come and gone. It's not that I don't miss Chicago - the Cubs & Sox games, North Ave. Beach, Shopping on Michigan Ave., the street fests, and of course I couldn't forget all of my friends and family... It's just that 5 months really wasn't much time and I feel like I could go another 5 months. Just two small problems:
1) I promised my parents I would be home early July (plus, I'm pretty sure they are over taking care of my business, dealing with my mail, maintaining Joan Jetta).
2) I'M BROKE! As in waaay over spent my budget... But I wouldn't take any of it back and it was worth every penny.
As the # of days here dwindle, I do get more and more excited to be home. Plus, I'm just telling myself it's going to be a quick visit back. ;)
So here are the Top 10 Reasons I can't wait to be back to Sweet Home Chicago:
10. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (I'm expecting my sister to have one of the giant sized ones, or better yet, a RBC blizzard waiting for me when she picks me up at the airport), Pizza (sorry, nothing compares to Chicago Pizza), Greek Yogurt & Blueberries, and Sushi (who's making the reservation at Coast? I'll bring the Wine!)
9. Staying put for awhile - although I'm sure I will be back and forth between the p's and the city...
8. Relaxing by the pool, reading the list of books I've made along my way, and reflecting on my travels
7. My clothes - will be like a brand new wardrobe again
6. Bikram Yoga
5. Figuring out what I'm going to do next in life (yes, I'm excited for this)
4. My bed
3. Summer in Chicago
2. My Iphone and being able to be in contact with anyone at anytime & always having internet access
All these things will be nice to have, but the #1 reason I'm excited to come back home:
1. Catching up with all my wonderful friends and family!
See you all soon! XOXO

The Soccer of Sarah

2010-06-16T03:18:00.000-07:00

So much excitement going on for the World Cup here in Cape Town. I wasn't even supposed to be here, and admit I was a little bit nervous that it would be a little crazy, but it has been so much fun. There is so much energy. Unfortunately I am not going to get a chance to go to a game, but I did manage to make it down to the Grand Parade to the FIFA Fan Fest for the South Africa/Mexico kickoff game on Friday. Ingrid and I made our way downtown and almost weren't let in b/c it was full . We patiently waited outside the gates. Everyone was chanted "let us in" and having such a good time. Luckily they let a big group of people in and Ingrid and I made the cut. We had such a good time cheering and celebrating with all the S.A. fans. Wearing green and yellow, supporting Bafana! Bafana! (which is what they call the team - it means "the boys" "the boys"). We later met up with one of the young Si Sis, Andisiwe, from Masi, which was a blast. I'm slowly learning about Soccer, which is actually a pretty exciting sport. Although I realized that I might know why the Americans don't follow it so much - the games can end in a draw so that no one wins...boring! Besides the fact I can barely hear anymore from all the Vuvuzelas (like a trumpet) - those things are loud and they keep us up at night too - it's been a great time and I'm so happy I was able to be a part of the games... Oh, and my friend Beth go to build a sculpture as well (like the cows, but Zebras). She is so talented (see it below). It's Ayoba time!!

The Si Si of Sarah

2010-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Agh! I can't believe I have been here for almost 8 weeks. Time has flown by and it really doesn't feel as though I'm on holiday anymore. It's been so nice to be settled and just "live". Me and the other volunteers spend 3 days living in Mfuleni township (townships are the areas that during the Apartheid were reserved for non-whites - black Africans and Coloureds) on shift from 7am to 7pm at Masigcine Children's Home (Masi). On our breaks and after 7pm, we spend our time reading, watching movies, chatting about our day with the kids, and planning the next day's activities. When we return for 3 days to Cape Town for our time off, we live in an area called Observatory. When off shift, we go to the internet cafe, relax, shop, climb mountains, go on tours, visit the markets, go to concerts (Akon baby!!), and of course let loose and party sometimes. :)

When I arrived the first week I met a ton of great girls to hang with but unfortunately they were just finishing their time here. Since they have left, I have been on the project with 6 different girls. Malene and Linda from Norway who were with me for about 4 weeks, Jen from Canada here 4 weeks, Emma from Norway here 6 weeks, Kate from England here 4 weeks, and Ingrid from Norway who just arrived 2 weeks ago. I have seen a lot of people leave, and it hasn't been easy. Living in close quarters with each other, learning about our differences, going through culture shock together, making preciou memories with the kids, and laughing harder than we've ever laughed before. I never in a million years thought I could connect with these girls on such a deep level (especially given they are all 19 and 20 years old), but there is a reason why we were all brought together and I am so thankful for sharing this part of my journey with them. <3

Si Si is a word for sister in the Xhosa language (one of 11 languages in S. Africa). Although most everyone can speak English as well, Si Si is what we call each other and what we call the women who are full time employees at the home. My first shift as a Si Si was rewarding, overwhelming, and exhausting all at the same time. I had to go alone b/c the other volunteers hadn't arrived yet, but thankfully Malene & Linda were staying at Masi full time. They had been at Masi for 3 months last year and came back to live at the house for 6 more weeks. They showed me the ropes, and if it weren't for them, I probably would have lost it. I spend most of the shift learning the lay of the land, learning 25 names (so challenging given a lot of them are African and difficult to pronounce), and just enjoying the kids and getting to know their personalities and backgrounds. They all stole my heart and I was so surprised to see how happy they are, always smiling and laughing. They are really well behaved (most of the time...) and know the system really well (sad, but true). The stories behind each child are heartbreaking. Some have parents who have chosen to neglect them b/c they drink too much, some whose parent's have died of Aids, some who have been left in a trash bin at birth. Some have been here for months or years, some are 10 years old and have been here since birth, and 5 have arrived since I've started. Some of their parents walk by w/o acknowledging their children are inside, some parents get visitation, trying to prove they are fit to bring them home again. It's so painful to see the kids when they come home from a weekend away b/c they are so happy to go home, but so sad to be torn away again. My first shift ended well, but I was completely exhausted and could not wait to get a break.

Shifts 2 and 3 were tough. The kids had a lot of activities and visitors those weeks, including parents visiting, past volunteers visiting, choir groups, hula hoop lady, baptisms, public holidays off school, special treats for dinner. It seems the more people that are around, the wilder they are. During these shifts I also started to question what is really best for these kids. Yes, our love and attention is desparately needed (the smiles on their faces when we give them just 20 minutes of one on one time to color or do a puzzle is priceless), but I began wondering if they would do better with more of a routine and with less people around. I began to feel guilty about coming into their lives for only 4 weeks and leaving them, just like everyone else has done before me. The only consistencies they have are the full time Si Sis, who have been at the home for years. They women are absolutely amazing and have the biggest hearts. They get paid close to nothing (equivalent to about $300 us dollars a month) yet come to work every day (some walking 1.5 hours to get to/from) with the biggest smiles on their faces, taking care and loving the children as if they were their own. And on their days off, they spend their time cooking, cleaning, and taking care of of their own children at home. Although these weeks were frustrating for me, I started realizing there was no way I could only stay 1 more week. I was just starting to get comfortable, I was becoming friends with the Si Sis, starting to learn and speak Xhosa, I wanted to understand the bigger picture on on what goes on withe these homes and the kids, and of course, I was falling in love with the children.

Shifts 4 and 5 were a turning point for me and here I am, going into my 8th shift tomorrow and just can't believe my time here is almost up. I chose to stay her for the rest of my travels b/c I just couldn't see myself going anywhere else. Yes, there are so many other places in the world that I want to see, but I have seen and done so much in the last 4 months and to be honest, the novelty of seeing and doing has sort of worn off for the time being. I figured why not stay here? When will I ever have this chance again? I feel comfortable here, I have made friends here, I feel like I have sort of a normal life - working a few days a week, etc. A few days ago I realized how a year or so ago I could never imagine myself doing what I'm doing, living in a "dorm", sleeping in bunkbeds, living w/o all my "stuff", but it's crazy how I've just adapted, w/o even thinking about it. I have gained a new appreciation for my friends with kids, although taking care of 1 or 2 kids sounds like a breeze to me at this point. :) Having 3 kids jumping on me, begging for my attention, crying, and waiting to be held, while another one is tugging on my sleeve needing to go to the toilet, is exhausting. Of course some days I have no energy and am not engaged. But the patience, the love, the understanding, the tolerance, and the greatfullness that I have learned is incredible. At the end of the day, I am blessed for every minute I get with the kids. Whether it be bathing, feeding, reading, painting, playing outside, doing their nails, singing and dancing, playing outside and taking them to the park, walking them to/from school, wiping their tears (and their snotty noses); every moment is priceless. My favorite part of the day is bath time at 5pm. They are refreshed from the day, clean and snuggly, smelling good in the their pjs. I just love it.

Of course, even though we are told not to do it, I found a favorite. After the first week or 2, I didn't think it was possible b/c they are all so cute and perfect in their own way, but after a couple of weeks, I couldn't help it. There is something so special about Babalwa. Before coming here I figured it would have been a baby, but Babalwa is 6. Maybe it started when I taught her to ride a bike, or when I tucked her in one night, or the first time she ran up to me and begged for a hug and kiss, calling me mama (which is what all the Si Sis are called by the kids), and saying "I love Sarah". She is absolutely beautiful, sensitive, loving, and shy and will always have a special place in my heart. And who knows, if I do come back here, I would for sure entertain the idea of taking her on the weekends and growing our relationship... There is a picture of her and me below. :)

This amazing experience would not be possible w/o my girls here. So many memories we've made, the trouble we've caused, the new things we have learned, and the silliness we have brought out in each other. Last night Ingrid, Emma and I had a blast just hanging out in the backyard talking and listening to music and found ourselves saying how we want to hang out with us. We have so much fun together and can entertain each other for hours. We are pretty sure everyone is jealous of us. Ha ha. :-p

I have watched Jen, Kate, Malene and Linda go and tonight is our last night with Emma before she returns back to Norway. It just won't be the same w/o her. :( Being a Si Si has been wonderful and my life will be forever changed b/c of the time I have spent here. All I can say is Enkosi (thank you), Si Sis!

The Stay of Sarah

2010-05-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

South Africa is amazing. I can't believe I've been here for a month and I was supposed to leave tomorrow. I don't have any plans on leaving just yet. The kids are great. I love my project. I'm learning a ton and there is no way 4 weeks was enough with them. I'm currently trying to network and make some connections to potentially move back here in the Fall. I have a busy week ahead with a Safari next weekend. I hope to write more soon. XOXO

The Silence of Sarah

2010-04-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Finally in Cape Town and it’s been amazing so far. Marisa & Stus friend, Dave, kindly picked me up from the airport and we went straight to his family bri (BBQ) in Hermanus. I couldn’t believe the beautiful house on the beach and breathtaking views o f the ocean and coast. The weather was sunny and perfect. I could finally wear a tank top and jeans without sweating to death. I could get used to this! Another country, another warm welcome from a family I’ve never met before. It was perfect, and as we all know, it’s the people part of my traveling that I truly enjoy the most. I think the bar has been set pretty high at this point with the lovely views and gracious welcomes I received. :) Dave was nice enough to cook dinner that evening – Spaghetti. Yum! The most perfect comfort food. He gave me a little bit of history, some recommendations, and I was beginning to feel pretty acclimated. Cape Town is fantastic. Very different than what I pictured. I feel very comfortable here. I moved into my dorm yesterday (ok – maybe not 100% comfortable). ;) But it’s fine, and I get to put my things out of my suitcase for more than 2 days – Yeah! One downfall is that it’s getting a little chilly here and I’m not really prepared. I sent a lot of stuff home because it was not being used up to this point. Sort of kicking myself now..

Unfortunately, I don’t start my project until Friday. I was pretty bummed, but I guess it gives me a few days to learn the lay of the land, get settled, so I have plenty of energy for the kids. Some of the girls who have already started confirmed how amazing the kids are and what a great experience it is, but they also said they are exhausted every day. My first thought was “Perfect, I’ll hopefully be able to start getting some sleep.” I can’t wait to meet them!!

I can’t believe this trip has flown by so fast, it’s halfway over and I’m already here. I considered calling this post “The Sigh of Relief of Sarah”, as that was what I was feeling on my flight here. I have had the most amazing 2 ½ months traveling, seeing the world, experiencing things I could have never imagined. I had a blast meeting new people and meeting up with friends, but to be honest, I’m exhausted. I have been nonstop and on the go the whole time, with a few days here and there to really do nothing. I’m ready for a break and to be in one place for awhile and have a “home”. It has been so much fun documenting my story and sharing it with everyone, but when I started calling it my “homework”, I knew something wasn’t right. I enjoy it, especially since it gives me an opportunity to get my memories down while they are fresh in my mind, but I was trying to squeeze it in any free chance I had. Often the internet connections are terrible as well, which makes it really frustrating.

So I’m going silent, at least while I’m in South Africa. I think it’s really time for me to focus on myself and the kids I will be helping. I want to get back into my nutrition and fitness routine and get back on track. If I feel inspired to write, I will pick up the computer for sure. I will still have access to email and I also have a cell phone again, so I can be contacted either of those ways. Feel free. I love to get little notes and texts by suprise.

Thank you all so much for encouraging me to write and update you! It is extremely flattering and I really do enjoy it. I just need a break and some quality Sarah time! I will be in touch soon!! XOXO

The Shenanigans of SarChaRika

2010-04-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Shenanigans of SarChaRika

Part of me wanted to name this the stupids of SarChaRika. For three really smart girls, we sure had our heads in the clouds quite a few times. But everything ended up ok and now we have quite a few funny stories to tell. Here is a recap of some of our sillier and stupid moments:

• Learning that raising your tone of voice with a little flirting will get you margaritas to go.

•You can use “Same Same but Different” for a whole lot of things.

• Me thinking I lost my passport in Luang Prabang and getting my Visa for Vietnam for 2 days after we were supposed to arrive. Oopsy. Thankfully they let me know 2 days early.

• “There goes the kitty”

• Riding our bikes like a bunch of 12 year old school girls.

• Getting sprayed with hoses by 10 year olds.

• Almost being “Taken” 3 times.

• Making friends on the beach.

• “Are you twins?” Nope. Same same, but different.

• Why did the rooster cross the road?

• Moon pies

• Me arguing with the snack lady in Halong Bay. I refused to pay $15 for 3 snacks. She wouldn’t give me my money back.

• The creepy bar pictures on night club row

• The voicemail I left for Charity – which I still need to listen to.

• Did we just take out $10,000 from the ATM?

• Mr. Tohm at the Indochina. He’s tall!

• How many accidents do you have here? No accidents in Vietnam (as a biker runs right into the door as he opens it).

• Frogger/Looking Traumatized/Being Hanoiyed with Hanoiying.

• Spending an hour to find Bobby Chins to find out it had moved.

• Our crazy cab ride from the airport with the American.

• Seeing the tourist push the Cyclo driver.

• “We have a pool table, but no pool.”

• Spiderman

• It’s pork, but not pork.

• Long Duc Dong

• Riding the luggage cart at the airport

• Slipping the “Do not disturb” sign on my toe.

• Deep Thoughts by Charity Gonzalez. “I always think I’m going to tan because I’m Mexican, but then I don’t”

• Charity in the Now

• Playing “Golf”

• The Lover

• Don’t be lazy, be crazy.

• Erika’s white bikini

• Charity giving up on golf and bolting to the pool cannonball style.

• Stupid human pool tricks.

• Bom Chika Wah Wah

• Sarah is like a bobble head – looking in every which direction.

• “Charity, are you itchy?”

• Myers Briggs and Charity’s rule defining

• Extra Special Friendly Person

• Perfecting our chopstick skills thanks to our teacher Erika. Charity refused to let go once she got it.

• Russians, South Africans, shots of tequila and rave music.

The Saigon of Sarah

2010-04-20T07:44:00.002-07:00

Good Morning, Vietnam! Despite the things I had heard, Saigon was actually pretty cool for a big city. MUCH BETTER than Hanoiying anyway…We had the whole day to explore until Erika had to head to the airport to catch her flight home. I actually was on a mission to take care of a few last errands before heading to Cape Town, one of them being to find a decent place to finally get my hair cut (after 2 ½ months in the sun and sand, I needed it big time).

We were up bright and early and went straight to the War Remnants Museum. Eeks! Talk about depressing and so rough to see. Originally called the War Crimes Museum, it’s a comprehensive collection of weapons, photos, planes, tanks, and documents of the Vietnam wars with the French and Americans. It was extremely eye opening (I vaguely remember much about what I had learned in school about the war), but also extremely controversial, giving a very skued side of the story and it’s funny; they call it the American War. I know there are two sides to all stories and Vietnam was far from innocent, but it was very hard to read all the articles and sickening to view all the photos of what our country and military were capable of. My main question was “why so much violence”? Even if we were getting attacked, there was still no need to use the force we did and the disgusting acts of torture. I can’t even fathom how it must feel for the thousands of Vietnam vets that visit it each year.

The rest of the day was nonstop for me. After the museum we had a nice lunch at this great little café Charity found in her travel book. We shared a few dishes, including a peanut butter, bacon, cheese, and tomato Panini. Sounds gross but it was to die for! I then headed to the nicest hotel in town, the Park Hyatt, to see if they had any hair appointments available. I was in luck because it was 2pm and they were able to take me at 3pm. Even better, the price was half what I would pay in Chicago! Having an hour to kill, one can only guess what I wanted to do. I headed to the concierge and asked if there were any shops in the area I could run to before my appointment. As I finished my sentence, this beautiful, fit, stylish woman came up to me and with her British accent, she offers to help me. She had been living with her husband (a high end furniture designer) in Saigon for 10 years. She was into fashion and personal styling and mentioned her clients included top executives. She told me how she knew what it was like for a young girl like me to want to be sent in the right direction when it comes to shopping. Her driver came and picked us up, dropped us a few blocks away and she showed me this great shop that I wouldn’t have recognized otherwise. All the clothes were hand embroidered and were gorgeous. She showed me a few pieces she just loved, gave me her contact info and directions to another one of her favorites, and she was off. Just like that. What are the chances? My own personal shopper in Saigon. Come to find out later that everyone knows Saigon Sally. Ha!

My hair turned out ok. They guy sort of went a little scissor happy on me. Let’s just say it hasn’t been this short in awhile. It’s growing on me (no pun intended), not the fact that it’s a couple of inches shorter, but more because it is so much healthier now. Message, nails, hair done all in the same week, I was all set to begin the next part of my journey.

Charity, Erika and I had one last drink that night to send Erika off. I can’t believe how fast the time went. It feels like just yesterday that Erika and I were planning for the trip and now she’s gone. Charity and I were ready to hit the town. We called the contact Duc from Hoi An had set us up with, we met him out at the Park Hyatt bar, which was so swank. We met some other people at the bar and headed dancing – something that I couldn’t wait to do one more time before I left. We had so much fun, but it didn’t make for a very nice 30 hours of traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a 12 hour layover and then another 10 hour flight to Cape Town. HEADACHE!

The Soleil of Sarah

2010-04-20T07:44:00.001-07:00

Not much to say about our next destination of Nha Trang (beach town further down the East coast), or should I say actually the Diamond Bay Beach Resort. We arrived to the resort and didn’t move until we left for the airport 3 days later. Our days consisted of this – Wake up, eat breakfast, maybe go for a run, lay by the pool, swim, read, perform stupid human tricks in the pool, nap, get sunburned, drink wine, play cards, eat, did I mention drink wine? Fantastic! A much needed period of relaxation – especially for me. I had a lot of time to think about blog titles. With the help of Erika and Charity, we came up with Soleil because it has a double entendre – Soleil for sunbathing and Cirque du Soleil for our acrobats and pool tricks. Three girls in our thirties taking pictures of each other doing cannonballs and handstands I’m sure made for quite the spectacle. 30 is the new 10? For 3 days, that seemed to be the case.

The So Charming of Sarah

2010-04-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

It was 90 degrees and sunny when we arrived in Hoi An. It was so great to finally be in the sun and we quickly determined that being Hanoiyed in Hanoi only made us appreciate getting to Hoi An even more. We pulled up to the Ha An Hotel and couldn’t believe our eyes. This by far was the cutest place I stayed in SE Asia. There were beach cruisers calling my name as we walked in. Hammocks and cute patio sets in the front lawn. We asked if there was a pool and the attendant quickly replied, “No pool, but we have a pool table.” and quickly pointed to the pool table in the corner. Too funny! Our rooms where tranquil like a spa, including fresh flowers and petals scattered about the room.

Hoi An is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It originated as a port and trading post, and today its big attraction is silk and tailor made clothing for dirt cheap. The town is so quaint and picturesque with its Chinese and Japanese influences. It quickly became another one of my favorite spots on the trip.

All we wanted to do was get some sun. My tan was starting to fade and Erika and Charity were determined to go home with a tan. We hopped on the beach cruisers and headed to the beach. It was quite a ride and much different than the quiet town of Luang Prabang. We made it safely and it was more beautiful than we had imagined. We relaxed, had a few drinks, fended off the beach vendors (You take a look? Looking free.”) and baked in the sun. That evening, we were all burnt to a crisp; we headed to Brothers Café for dinner. It was a great Vietnamese meal and the most beautiful setting on the river.

Day 2 landed us on the beach again. We were worried we weren’t going to get sun again so we figured we should take full advantage because the weather here was perfect – warm and sunny with a nice breeze to keep us cool. We road our bikes to the beach and Charity and I went for a nice run. We switched I-pods so each of us could have a bit more motivation to run. Afterwards, we went straight to the ocean in our workout clothes. We cooled off and did a little swap-a-roo into our bikinis right there in the water and then we sat in the sun and relaxed. Erika made some new friends, Sun Sun and Mimi, both beach vendors who were practicing their English and telling their life stories. Charity and I teased her for the rest of the trip about befriending randoms everywhere we went. I had joked around the day before that I was going to take the “Do Not Disturb” sign from our room and hang it around my toe so we wouldn’t be bothered and could get some relaxing time (See photo below. This was only for a photo opp. I didn't actually leave it on my toe). We headed back to the hotel for a few hours of pampering at the spa. Pretty much a standard in SE Asia, we were all in the same room getting our treatments. Charity started with a body wrap and Erika and I couldn’t stop laughing because I think she said she was itchy about 50 times. She quickly begged her way out of the wrap for a massage instead. It was so relaxing and much needed after our busy days on the beach. ;)

That evening we headed to town to do a little shopping. None of us really had anything in mind to have made and at that point we wouldn’t have had enough time because we were leaving the following morning – although a few shops did offer to make me some pants and drop them to my hotel first thing the following morning. We wondered around the streets of the Old Quarter, admiring all the shops and the adorable lanterns streamed above us.

My doctor in Chicago suggested we try a restaurant called Mango Mango and she gave me the name of the chef, Duc. I asked the hostess he was there that evening and he had actually been at a table sitting with a friend. I walked up and introduced myself. He was so kind, making sure we had drinks, providing his recommendation on the menu. I think you would call his cuisine a Vietnamese/Japanese/Latin America Fusion – very tasty! After dinner he came back to have a glass of wine with us and we picked his brain about his story and about Vietnam. He was actually a refugee that fled to America after the war. He spent his time dishwashing and working in the kitchen of many restaurants throughout the states and then finally went to culinary school and traveled the world as a chef. He eventually came back to his homeland to start his successful businesses. He told us about life in Vietnam, about his future house plans, about his time in the states. He highly recommended Saigon (what is now Ho Chi Minh City – but the locals still refer to it by its original name), provided us with a few spots for dinner/drinks and even gave a call to his friend to take us out on the town when we arrived. We had a great time chatting him up and learning all about him and the Vietnamese culture.

I wished we had another day or two to be able to really get some shopping done and possibly some clothes made, but I guess that’s for another trip back to Hoi An!

The Sensory Overload

2010-04-19T01:07:00.000-07:00

Next stop from Luang Prabang was Hanoi, Vietnam, where we would meet up with Charity. Charity was in sales and used to call on us at Quaker, which is how we became friends. We knew she had never traveled this far and were excited to get her reaction on her first day in Vietnam. As Erika and I were leaving the airport to find a taxi to the city, an American comes up to us and asks us to share a ride. This guy didn’t have a place to stay yet (not too uncommon for backpackers), but also asked us where we were staying and he had no luggage (just a small backpack that was barely filled yet when we asked him he claimed it had everything he needed). Let me just add that this wasn’t the first time or the last time this happened to us. No joke. Right out of the movie Taken. The first time it happened at the Luang Prabang airport, Erika kindly agreed and I immediately thought of this exact scenario in the movie and I went silent. Erika knew something was wrong. I had to give her a little signal that I wasn’t comfortable and she kindly declined the offer. In Vietnam, it was different. Maybe because he was American? It wasn’t until I was in the car that my stomach dropped. It was the taxi driver, the guy who negotiated our rate, the American, Erika and me and all I could think was they were all in on it, had just seen us take out several million Dong (Vietnamese currency. 2mm equals approx. $100), and they were going to kidnap us, steal our belongings, and sell us into slavery. I went into panic mode and my defense mechanisms went into full gear. I immediately spoke up and mentioned Charity and how she was expecting us at our hotel. I even called her (knowing she wouldn’t pick up) and faked speaking to her, telling her what time she should expect us. Obviously it all ended up being ok, but a definite wakeup call. The next time we might not get so lucky. It is a funny story to tell and I’m dying to hear myself on Charity’s voicemail.

If we weren’t going to die by being kidnapped and held for ransom, we were pretty sure it would be in a car accident or becoming road kill. I thought Bangkok was bad, but this place was nuts. I have never seen anything like it before. There are no driving lanes, few traffic lights, absolutely no signs anywhere. Drivers (mostly on motos) are coming from every which direction and all they do is honk their horns. Hundreds of their headlights clustered together about an inch away from each other and the cars around them. Charity appropriately described it as Frogger. It was utter chaos.

Erika and I went to our hotel to check in and Mr. Thom at the reception desk seemed to be pepped up on something. He was so happy, chatting us up and making us laugh within the first few minutes we arrived. Quite a different experience than what we’ve had at the quieter guest houses in Laos. I think he sort of wound us up because when Charity arrived we were all so giddy. We were so happy to be together and had so much to catch up each other up on. Wandering the crazy streets of Hanoi, searching for a restaurant called Bobby Chins (Charity as the navigator) it wasn’t until about 40 minutes later that we realized we were in the right, but Bobby Chinns had moved a few months prior. Our books weren’t up to date - we weren’t crazy after all!

The following morning was our trip and overnight stay in Halong Bay. To be honest, it’s not much to talk about. It’s supposed to be one of the best things to do in Vietnam, but unfortunately, the weather was misty and gloomy, just like it was when Amber and I were on our Milford Sound trip in NZ. The yucky weather makes for a depressing gloomy day. It was a beautiful place, but it is very disappointing for me when I can’t have pictures to justify it. The trip too and from was pretty miserable - packed like sardines in a 3 hour van ride. We did have a good time posing and trying to do my signature pose all in sync (after about 5 tries, the photo below is the best we did). Haha! I would only recommend anyone go here if the weather is nice.
Hanoi made for an overwhelming and slow start to our tour of Vietnam…we appropriately titled this part of the trip “Hanoiying”.

The Sabaidee of Sarah

2010-04-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

Sabaidee. Hello in Lao. Another UNESCO World Heritage site, Luang Prabang has probably been one of my favorites thus far. With its French colonial architecture, street side cafes, ancient temples, and the most laid back locals living a slow pace in Laos time. There is just something so magical about it. Every morning Erika and I would wake around 5am to the sound of the temple drums, which starts each new day followed by the sacred ritual procession of monks who walk the streets to make merit, receiving rice and fortune cookies from the townspeople to ensure they don’t go hungry in their next lifetime.

Erika and I had a great 3 days in LP. The first day we explored the city, figured out the lay of the land, did a little bit of shopping and just enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. I was in heaven when we rented beach cruisers and cruised around the town and along the Mekong River. I felt like such a kid again. The weather was perfect, with the wind whipping us in the face, flying down the hills, doing silly tricks, laughing and hoot and hollering. I was pretty sure we would be renting bikes every day from then on. We climbed Mount Phousi to watch the sunset, which gave us a really nice panoramic view of the entire town of LP. On the way up, women were selling flowers and incense to give gifts to Buddha in the temple at the top of Phousi. One woman was selling birds (you let them loose as gifts), and Erika got suckered into buying two. We felt so bad, these two baby birds inside this tiny cage. It was very nice to set them free, but we were convinced they would just fly back down to the woman who would feed them and lock them up again for the next customer.

The highlight of LP (and probably this portion of the trip) was our Mahout Elephant Trekking Experience. A Mahout is the caregiver of the elephant. I was determined to ride an elephant bareback. The Elephant Village’s mission is saving elephants. The camp was beautiful, housing 9 female elephants. We learned how to mount them (tugging on their ear as they lend you their leg to pull up) and control them. We took a tour through the swamps, fed them, and bathed them. The water wasn’t the cleanest in the world (apparently elephants love baths but they clearly don’t care they are bathing where they do their business sometimes too). When you gotta go, you gotta go, I guess...? I tried to ignore it as we were on the elephants brushing their heads, ears and backs (which I really just think is a nice massage for them vs. actually cleaning), until my Mahout was being a funny guy and made my elephant sit down in the water and slowly but surely I slipped in. Ewww! I scrambled so fast to get back up. We were all dieing laughing. It was so much fun, such a great learning experience and new found appreciation for the elephants. For sure something thing I would do a second time if I had the chance.

We were not looking forward to leaving Luang Prabang, We still felt like there were things to see and plus, we hadn’t found Jude Law & Sienna Miller yet!! We got word from a girl on our elephant trek that they were in town and she spotted them at three different times the day before. E & I were pretty sure we probably passed by them at least once given we were all over the place, but I think we were just too caught up in the town to notice. We woke up early to give merit to the monks, which was very overwhelming at first. We were bombarded by a woman who shoved rice and cookies in our hands without asking or telling us how much we should pay. It really made to a very irritating start of the day –especially at 5:30am. I was not happy. We finally got away from her and we were able to walk the streets and truly experience the ritual, as well as take some nice photos. These monks are amazing to me. They walk the streets, ride in Tuk Tuks, talk on cell phones, sit on their laptops outside the temple. We often see them doing chores around the temples like cutting down trees, painting, etc. There is something so mysterious about each one of them. I guess it’s just my fascination with their dedication to their religion and their unknown stories on why they became a monk (even if for only a week).

Since we were up so early, we did a little more sightseeing and visited a few more temples. We headed to the Kuangsi Waterfalls for a quick swim before we headed to the airport. The limestone rock and bluish green water was breathtaking; just like the scene out of a movie. There were people everywhere diving in, jumping off the waterfall, swinging from the tree ropes. I only wished we had more time to spend there. On the way back from the waterfall, we got a nice taste for the festivities that were beginning for the upcoming Lao New Year celebration. The kids in the streets spray hoses and toss buckets of water at each moto or Tuk Tuk going passed and boy, do they get a kick out of it. Little stinkers. Let’s just say we were happy to be getting out of town... Last but not least, I finally got a chance to mail the infamous Buddha statue home. Took about an hour, but the guy at the post office used his small machete to work his magic and custom create a box for me. Then I shipped it off on the slow boat. My Buddha statue is “on a boat” and it will probably arrive right around the time I’m getting home to Chicago. I hope it makes it. I’m just happy it’s off my hands.

To Erika – Kawp jai lai lai for experiencing this amazing part of my journey with me! We heart Luang Prabang!!

The Spider of Sarah

2010-04-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

I’m going to make this short and sweet as I’m sure you can only guess what this one is about. Erika and I arrived at what we thought was the most adorable little guest house, The Villa Senesouk, in Luang Prabang, Laos. We were required to leave our shoes at the door, giving us instant comfort that this place would be pretty clean. Our room was adorable and we were so happy we would have 3 full nights in one place. As we were getting settled, all of a sudden I heard Erika gasp. She was standing in front of the bathroom door; I immediately knew it had to be a bug. I asked her what it was and she told me to come see for myself. I stood there with a petrified look on my face telling her I really didn’t want to see what was possibly living in there. She told me I had to look so I finally peeked my head around the corner and there he was – the biggest spider I have ever seen in my life, his beady little eyes looking right at me. This thing had hairy 3 inch legs – I’m pretty sure it was a tarantula. Erika looked at me and said, “I can kill it”. My reply, “With what?” We both started cracking up – Erika thinking she could save the day. She ran downstairs to the front desk and she said they looked at her and laughed (mind you, she hadn’t told them the size of our little furry pest). She asked the guy at the front desk if he would kill or remove it as she wasn’t sure if killing bugs (or small creatures in this case) was appropriate in SE Asian cultures. He looked at her and said, “Oh, Spiderman.” He came upstairs and his eyeballs nearly popped out of his head. I was so squeamish and nervous that he wouldn’t catch it and it would come running out into our room that I closed the bathroom door to shut him in. For the next 10 minutes all we heard was Spiderman bouncing all over the bathroom. One minute we heard the water running, the next minute we heard a loud bang against the wall. Hilarious. The bathroom door opened and all we wondered was which one of them, the spider or Spiderman, was going to come out alive. Thankfully Spiderman won the battle, and we made sure he had that fuzzy little creature in hand to prove it. From then on, for the next 3 days, we called him Spidey. We are pretty sure he liked his new title.

The following day Erika found and captured a lizard on the wall in the bedroom and let him loose outside. Also, while sitting at the airport, she spotted a cockroach nearly about to crawl up my leg. At that point forward, she was given the job of Pest Control. Hmm, maybe a new career for her when she returns to Chicago…

As proof of really how big this thing was, compare him to the size of the shower drain on the right. Um, yeah! Gross!

The Souvenirs of Sarah

2010-04-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Boy was I excited for my warm hello and welcome by Erika when I arrived to Vientiane late Sunday night. I couldn’t get an earlier flight, so Erika had to spend the day alone exploring the city. It was so great to see her and I think the feeling was mutual. We were so excited to finally start the adventure we had been talking about for months. Erika worked with me at Quaker and knew about my little secret to quit and take this trip long before I gave notice. We secretly planned for her to come meet me and would have secret meetings and exchanges via instant messaging at work, planning out the trip. When I left in February it seemed like I wouldn’t see her for ages. Time has flown by so fast and here we were. Erika had our room all set up and on my bed she had displayed all of the essentials I asked her to bring from home (there are just some things from home I can’t live without), yummy Easter candy (I had forgotten it was even Easter), and a few gossip magazines. So sweet of her! A little slice of home. :)

Getting in late the first night only allowed us to grab a quick bite to eat. I was exhausted from traveling all day and she was starving. We got a great nights rest and woke up bright and early the next morning because we only had half a day in Vientiane before heading to Luang Prabang in northern Laos. Erika showed me a few shops she had stopped in the day before and wanted my opinion on a few things she had found. Of course, it’s impossible for me to go shopping without buying something. Plus, I can justify that my goal is to find a nice piece of art in each country, because someday when I have a home of my own again, I want the décor to reflect my travels. In Australia I picked up a real Aboriginal painting, in New Zealand a statue of a Koru (common NZ symbol meaning new life or beginning), in Thailand I found a painting made with real lotus leaves, and in Cambodia a statue of an Apsara dancer. What would I find in Laos? The first stop was to see these beautiful paintings of Buddha faces, monks, temples. I loved them and convinced her to buy the ones she was eyeing, but of course, I couldn’t resist buying a few for myself. At $2 a piece, I couldn’t afford not to buy them. The next shop she took me to had all sorts of antiques. Immediately upon walking into the store, I fell in love with a leaning Buddha statue. It was so unique and something I had yet to see anywhere else in my travels. It was only $50, so that wasn’t a big deal, but I immediately started contemplating how the heck I would carry it around with me. My suitcase already at its maximum weight, with 2 packages already on their way home with souvenirs and belongings I didn’t want to carry anymore. Would I find something else like it in Luang Prabang or even Vietnam? I was torn. Erika and I decided to take a look around town and come back before we left for the airport and to give me some time to think about it. We went to the market and visited a couple of Wats. Afterwards we headed back to our souvenir shop. To buy or not to buy? I didn’t know what to do. Could I manage to move a few things around in my luggage, give Erika a few things to carry, and ship it once I got to Luang Prabang? We had about 10 minutes before the cab driver was coming to take us to the airport. The store owner convinced me I wouldn’t find anything like it in Luang Prabang. Was he pulling my leg? I didn’t know. Erika herself ended up caving and purchasing a piece she had her eye on, but she only had 2 weeks to lug it around with her, which was worth it. At the last minute, I couldn’t pass it up. I typically don’t go shopping for a piece of art; it has to completely catch my eye and strike me. When I see it, I just know. This was it, the Buddha I had been searching for. It was so me. We had about 5 minutes, the store owner quickly wrapped up our new treasures and we were off. The most comical part was sitting at the airport with our suitcases in front of us, moving things around, re-arranging, tossing things out to make our purchases fit. People were just looking at us and laughing. We finally got situated and were both happy as can be.  It would just be a matter of finding what I was going to do with this thing once I got to Luang Prabang…

Vientiane was nice, but a day and half there was plenty. I think the most exciting part was our souvenir searching and both being lovers of souvenir shopping, realizing that we were going to be great travel buddies.

The Siem Reap of Sarah

2010-04-13T02:45:00.000-07:00

And I thought the people in Thailand were nice… Smiles upon smiles everywhere I turned. Cambodians are the most appreciative and kind people. I couldn’t have been more at peace or more relaxed. I arrived in Siem Reap with my personal Tuk Tuk driver, Kimchon, waiting for me. He was basically at my beck and call every minute I was there. The River Garden Guest House, recommended by Erika, was adorable. The cutest rooms, tranquil gardens, a beautiful swimming pool with a waterfall, and hammocks and lounge beds all around. I was in heaven. My first night I got a nice tour of the town, visited the Angkor Artesan Center, which is a professional Khmer Art training center for young Cambodians who are sent to school for 6 months and then employed to create local crafts, painting, carving, sanding, and chopping. They even let me participate in the woodcarving room. Such intricate detail, the amount of labor that goes into every piece is unbelievable.

After learning the lay of the land, getting the feel for the local markets, Kimchon took me to Angkor Wat for the sunset, which is supposed to be amazing. Unfortunately, it was sort of hazy, so there wasn’t much of a sunset, but I got a sneak peak of Angkor, took some great pictures of the monks hanging around, had a nice bottle of wine and some snacks that the River Garden had packed for me, and befriended a few local kids who were roaming around and appeared starved. I shared the rest of my snacks with them and tried to exchange a few words in English and Khmer (the local language). After the sunset, I went to a traditional Cambodian Dance Show (Apsara Dancers).

The next morning was my big Angkor Tour Day. Angkor What? Angkor was the capital of the ancient Khmer Empire. Located in the jungle of Siem Reap, it spans 77 sq. miles. Although the wooden houses and palaces were destroyed over the years, the stone temples still stand with over 70 temples, tombs and ancient ruins. The temple walls include intricate carvings, telling stories of warriors in combat, the Apsara dancers (celestial dancing girls), and everyday life of the locals. It is said that the temples were built by the King and the architecture was inspired and in honor of the Hindu Gods.

Angkor Wat is considered to be one of the wonders of the world and the most remarkable architecture of S.E. Asia. It was hidden by the jungle and rediscovered and restored until the Vietnam War and rise of Poi Pot’s Khmer Rouge in 1975 – a genocide that killed almost 2 million Cambodians. The collapse of the Khmer Rouge in the 90s and death of Poi Pot in 1998 allowed Siem Reap to mend and tourism has boosted the Cambodian economy since. It's amazing to me how much has taken place in this part of the world, yet we never really learned much about it in History class. It wasn't until Erika told me a few years ago what Angkor Wat that it sparked my interest. Still sort of a hidden gem, I’m glad I got to see it when I did, as I imagine it will only continue to become more of a tourist destination.

In addition to Angkor Wat, I visited the temples of Angkor Thom, including The Temple of Bayon, which was my favorite. There were carvings of Buddha facing in every direction (54 total towers, 200 total faces). We also visited the Terrace of Elephants and Ta Prohm, where Angelina Jolie’s movie, Tomb Raider, was filmed (when she adopted her first child – a Cambodian Son named Maddox).

The temples were all incredible. It’s amazing to me how much work was put into the temples. The detail, the size. To think they were able to accomplish this thousands of years ago… My personal tour guide, San Park, was great. He knew every detail of Angkor from top to bottom. Any question I had he could answer. He told me that he had just recently graduated from the tourism school that allowed him to be an official tour guide of Angkor. With a wife and 2 sons at home, he was so happy to be working, especially in their slow season and he told me he was saving up for a car. He became my buddy by the end of the day. He was a great guide and picture taker. :)

After my long day of sightseeing, I headed back to the River Garden for a swim and a nice nap in the hammock. It was perfect. For dinner I went into town and ate a few local Khmer dishes at Khmer Kitchen, did a little shopping, some gelato at Blue Pumpkin, and got a fish spa pedicure. I had heard about this, but had yet to try it. As I walked past, a little girl and her Dad were cracking up laughing with their feet in a fish tank, the little fish nibbling at their toes, convincing me to try it. Let me just say it was one of the weirdest things ever. So ticklish, so awkward, and such a spectable for the people passing by. I’m glad I tried it and have some funny pictures (and really soft feet) to show for it.

My last day in Siem Reap, I got up at 5:30am for the sunrise. Again, I was a little disappointed, especially because Kimchon took me to a different location rather than Angkor Wat and the sun just wasn’t completely shining that morning. Another thing that disappointed me at the sunrise and at the Angkor sites in general were the kids coming up begging me to buy something. It's one thing when I'm asked once or twice, but they continued and followed me until I had to ignore them completely. It broke my heart to turn them away, but it's just too difficult to help them all... After the sunrise, I went back to my pool and took a nap for a few hours before I went to my Cooks and Tuk Tuks cooking class. The chef took us to the local market where we got to see the locals purchase anything from spices, to milk, to fruits and veggies, to poultry, to fish. I did not enjoy walking through some of the stinky rows where women were sitting on their stools, skinning the scales and chopping the heads off the fish. Ick! There was a nice Canadian couple in my class and we got to make Amok, which is a coconut milk curry Khmer dish, banana flower salad, and a sweet potato, sago and coconut milk dessert with fresh hibiscus tea (the hibiscus flowers were picked right off the trees in the garden). Yum!

My original plans were to stay in and relax my last night in Siem Reap before heading to Laos the next day to meet Erika. One of the guys at the River Garden insisted I see the nightlife in Cambodia. I hesitantly agreed and waited for him to get off work at 10pm. All I could think was how I promised my Mom I would be extremely safe in Cambodia, it wouldn’t be a place I would “go out” anyway, and I would have my own personal driver everywhere. I felt so guilty, as if I were 16 breaking the rules. Lol! A little afraid, I jumped on the back of his motorbike and off we went to the local dance club. We had a couple of beers, I learned a little about his culture and background, and I got to do some great people watching. I was home safe and sound by midnight. A little risky, but like Audrey Hepburn once said, "If you don’t break the rules, you miss all the fun". Sorry, Mom!! :-/

As usual, I wished I had more time in Cambodia. Even though I saw so much in 3 days, I still felt relaxed. I got some good Sarah time in and it was outside of a crazy, bustling city. Next stop was Laos, where I would meet Erika in Vientiane. I knew she was just dying for her trip and I could not wait to see her.

The Silliness of SarAmber

2010-04-07T19:08:00.000-07:00

Where do I even begin?? The laughing, the crying, the singing, the dancing, the eating, the drinking, did I mention eating?, the driving, the decisions, the bickering, the one cat fight, the hugging, the snuggling (just when we had to share a double bed a few times), the running, the trekking. So much can happen in a matter of 4 weeks. I could go on and on…But this is more of a recap for Amber and me. I wanted something documented for the both of us so we never forget what an amazing experience we had together. Some of these stories I will explain, some of them are obvious, and the others, well, let’s just say you sort of had to be there and only Amber will know what I’m talking about….

• Scubar – Our first official night out. Crab racing, 18 year olds, Team Chicago, and late night roaming for food.
• Sleeping in bunk beds. Who would have thought I would be climbing up on those things at 31 years old?
•Drinking straight out of the wine bottle before we went out. When you need a drink, you need a drink!
• Tim Tams/Ice Cream/Caramel Brownies/Cookies. And those little Twix and Snicker things. I already can’t remember the name of those. Remind me, Amber!!

•The Booze Cruise

•Yoga Poses and our silly pictures on Bondi Beach

• Ferg Berger in NZ at 2:30am

• Playing scrabble with the cook and deck hand on the Milford Sound cruise.

• The mood setting channels at the Hotel So in Christchurch – where the heck were channels 2, 3, 7, 8. We want our money back!

• Running on E in New Zealand and finding gas in Amberly. What a sign!

• The awful road signs in NZ.

• Slap happy singing everything we wanted to say to each other since there was absolutely no music for 10 days straight.

• Singing “Row, row, row, your boat”. We are pretty good!!

• The NZ car we thought was going to fall apart the whole time. Can’t believe it made it back to Christchurch.

• Telling off the cop when I got a ticket. Mind you this was after I asked him how he managed to clock me while I was a mile away and he was in his car with someone else pulled over. His cocky response, “Like most men, I can multi-task.” That’s pretty much all he had to say to set me off. So then we asked him what happens if I don’t want to pay. He responded, “You can go to court. I’ve been to court twice and you can guess who won both times?” At that point Amber and I pretty much laughed in his face. And guess who still hasn’t paid their ticket… Let me explain that in NZ, their speed limits are ridiculous. A sign will be posted for a speed limit of 100 and no joke within 200 feet it changes to 35. That’s all I have to say about that.

• “What do you think a police offer does if the driver doesn’t speak English?”

• First week in NZ [with enthusiasm] “Sheep!!!!” By day 9 [no excitement] “Woo, sheep…”

• What do you think the difference is between a sheep and a lamb?

• Why don’t kiwis fly?

• Puzzle World. We obviously aren’t bright enough to figure out how to take those pictures. I mean… Duh!

• Staying in a Tepee, making shadow puppets and listening to forest ambiance to fall asleep.

• Making silly dolphin noises to get them to play with us.

• While driving in NZ we pulled over at this small little bar/restaurant for a restroom break. We had no clue what town it was. As we were walking in, Amber says, “This is the type of place you walk into and come out wasted.” And I replied, “Or get shot for asking if we can use their bathroom!” Ironically, the bar was called Puke for the town of Pukekura. It had a population of 2 (the owner and his wife). We used their restroom and had a beer. They were so nice. Had the cutest dog and the coziest little pub. Unfortunately, we couldn’t’ stay long b/c we had to get on the road for our next destination. Boo!

• Buying the stupid balloon pants on Khao San Road. My only excuse is that we were a little tipsy when we bought them. They were horrendous. What is even funnier is Amber hung on to them for a few days thinking she could find something to use them for...Hahaha!

• My obsession with Bananas.

• Trying to come up with every possible dish you can make with bananas. Banana cream pie, bananas foster, chocolate covered bananas, banana bread. There are tons!! Yummy!

• Our honeymoon suite with twin beds in Railay Beach.

• Our couples massage in Chiang Mai and the ridiculous “steam room”. We thought we were going to die in there.

• Amber’s ridiculous mosquito bites.

• Our cab tour of Bangkok the first night upon arrival.

• Almost going to Bali.

• Amber sticking her head out the window and cheering on the Red Shirts in Bangkok.

• Same Same (but different)

• Peta

• The creek that asked Amber to take his picture at the Grand Palace. I mean… WTF???

• All of Amber’s second thought every time she bought or ordered something.

• Our friendship bracelets. Yes, I have about 5 going up my arm right now. Awesome!

• My bright pink glittery nail polish. When else am I ever going to be able to wear it?? And the fact that my real nails are actually long, I had to celebrate somehow! Party on my nails!

• Ambers compulsive shopping for Beer Chiang T-shirts. My compulsive shopping for cheap sun dresses.

• Amber trying to set me up everywhere we went. Thanks, babers!!! ;)

• Feeling sooo safe while skydiving.

• Bob Marley

• The tire swing and teeter totter. Aghh to be kids again…

• Amber saying thanks 10 times b/c she wanted to be sure everyone knew they were appreciated.

• Trying to speak Thai. Chok Dee! Kaph Koon Kaaaaa! Sawadeeka!

I’m sure there are way more, but that is all I had written in the journal. I’m sure Amber could probably add. We had sooo much fun. Was a little crazy, but to think about how much we saw in so little time…What an amazing experience. Chok Dee to you, Amber! Thank you so much for joining me on my amazing adventure. You will always be a part of my story. I will never ever forget. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Love you and miss you tons already. See you when I’m home in July!! XOXO

The Solstice of Sarah

2010-04-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sun, sun, and more sun. That is all I was looking for. After Chiang Mai, we headed south to the beaches. It was hard to choose where we wanted to go and originally were going to try both coasts, but after traveling nonstop for 3 weeks, never sleeping in the same bed more than 2 nights in a row, we were ready to stay put and enjoy some sunshine and R&R. Afton & Mark (friends we met on our trek in Chiang Mai) were headed to Kho Phi Phi, so we figured we might as well go there first since we would have friends to hang with. Kho Phi Phi is where the 2004 Tsunami hit. While there, I read a book that one of the locals wrote, including details of the day of and following. It also told his friends and families accounts of the events that took place. Such a beautiful place destroyed, so many lives lost. It’s amazing how far the town has come since. It’s a relatively small island, and no motor vehicles are allowed, so we could walk everywhere. There were a lot of little winding roads with shops, restaurants, food stalls, and massage parlors. It was high 80s every day, the sun shining; the water was beautiful (although a bit too warm for my liking). Amber and I just enjoyed sitting on the beach in our lounge chairs and soaked it up. The tide is out during the day, so we could walk out pretty far and just hang out on the sand bars in the middle of the water. By night time Kho Phi Phi was insane. Definitely a big party island with a much younger crowd. We hung out on the beach and watched the flame throwers, the fire jump rope and limbo contests, and everybody dancing and having a good time. The first night Afton and Mark brought over some buckets of alcohol to start, so when we got to the beach, it didn’t take long for us to join in on the crazy festivities. The 4 of us had a blast. Kho Phi Phi was great, but I do have one regret in that I didn’t take the trip over to the other beach where you can see where Leonardo DiCaprio’s film “The Beach” was shot. I was being so lazy, I just didn’t care. I picked up the book the film was based on instead, which I’m currently reading, and hope to someday be back and make the effort. It’s supposed to be really beautiful…Any takers on going back with me???
After a few days in Kho Phi Phi, we moved to Railay beach, which is much more laid back. Getting to Railay was a bit of an adventure. We took a fairy to a longtail boat to the island. Because the tide was out when we arrived to Railay, we all had to jump out of the boat in knee deep water and walk to shore. Now imagine having a 50lb suitcase, plus 2 other bags. Yea! I wasn’t having that. Lol! Thankfully the boat driver carried my suitcase for me. It was quite comical. Our hotel was so nice and somehow we ended up in a private suite. It did have twin beds, but if felt like a honeymoon suite, so Amber and I kept joking the whole time about how we were honeymooners. Heehee. Amber and I thought our side of the beach was the only side with any action. Again, we chose to lie on the beach and get massages, lay by the pool and read, and not do much of anything else; therefore, we never made it to the other side of the beach where there is supposed to be a beautiful lagoon. Oops again. All I can say is that I was in major beach/sunshine/relax mode and was not in the mood to read my travel book and/or make sure we were hitting all the hot spots. Plus, I desperately needed a few days to work on my tan. Our last night in Railay was Amber’s last night because she ended up having to get an earlier flight home than originally planned. We met a guy from England and he showed us another part of the island where all the action was. We hung out a bar on the beach relaxing and listening to Bob Marley music with the locals. Good times.

The following morning Amber and I laid by the pool one last time to soak in the rays and see how bronzed we could possibly get (Amber was not about to go back to Chicago without a nice brown glow). We took a longtail boat to Krabi where she was heading to the airport and I was going to stay in the beach town of Ao Nang for 2 days before I had to head back to Bangkok for a night before my flight to Cambodia. It was so sad to see Amber go. It stinks that her trip got cut short. But we have soooooooo many stories and memories that will last a lifetime and I’m so grateful she was able to join me.

Ao Nang was completely chill for me. It was nice again not to have any plans. I went for a nice long jog on the beach, got another message, found some souvenirs, laid by the pool at my hotel, and caught up on some personal things (yes, I do still have outstanding things at home that need to be dealt with once in awhile, it’s not 100% fun and games). :-p

My last day in Bangkok was good. My hotel, the Villa Cha Cha, was adorable. I ended up seeing one more Wat that I was interested in seeing and then heading to the main shopping area. All I have to say is that I have never seen more shopping in my whole entire life. There were 5 huge buildings of malls. One bigger than the next. Everything is glowing with lights, over exaggerated, and completely over the top. As you can imagine, my head was spinning. Unfortunately, I do not have the room in my suitcase or the budget to buy anything besides $10 sundresses from the markets, so I chose to window shop (secretly crying inside) and just picked up a few odds and ends that I needed before heading to Cambodia.

I got really sad leaving Thailand. It’s such a great place with so much to do and so many options for everyone. I still feel like I have so much left to see, so I will definitely be going back someday soon!

The San Francisco of Sarah

2010-04-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

No, I’m not back in the states. Mark and Afton are the awesome couple from San Francisco who Amber and I met on our jungle trek in Chiang Mai. After a few drinks one night, I promised I would name a post after them. My word is my word, so here we are. Mark & Afton – this one’s for you!! Chok Dee!!! :)

In the North of Thailand, Chiang Mai is far less over the top as Bangkok. It’s much more quaint and quite. Amber found us the most charming guest house in a great spot within the old city walls. Upon arriving we decided we were ready for another massage. There was a buy one get one at one of the places nearby. “Cheap” is all we thought. Basically Amber and I ended up with a couple’s message. Hysterical! It was in a random little house, the steam “room” ended up being a wood box covered with canvas. We almost died of laughter when they left us in there for what felt like eternity. We were so nervous to find out what the rest of the services entailed. But it actually ended up being one of the best body scrubs and massages I have ever received. These girls were good! So good, I fell asleep. In most cases, you get what you pay for. In this case, I think it was a pretty fair deal…

Even though we pretty much had enough of the markets in Bangkok, we decided to give them a go here anyhow. We were quite impressed with the Sunday market, which was perfectly located right outside our guest house. It was much cleaner, more relaxed, as if at a festival. There were kids dancing and playing their instruments in the streets for donations for their school. There were so many more options than what we saw in Bangkok (i.e handmade crafts, etc.) Definitely worth it, even for just a nice Sunday evening stroll.

The following morning we were picked up bright and early for what was going to be a 12 hour day (we didn’t know this at the time) on our Jungle Trek in Chiang Mai. 8 of us were thrown in the back of an open truck (army style) and we were on our way. Amber and I quickly made friends with Mark and Afton from San Fran. Every now and again it’s comforting to be surrounded by people from our own country who can speak our language and who are just as in awe of these experiences as we are. Our first stop was Karen Long Neck Village. A ceremonial tradition where the girls and women wear brass braces around their necks. I got to try one on for size - man was it heavy! The village was so cute with little huts where women were weaving and taking care of their infants. The kids were smiling and playing with us – little hams posing for the camera. One little boy was running around with a pet rooster, flipping it around in his arms, chasing it and grabbing its tail. He was such a doll, cracking himself up the whole time, putting on a show for us; and the rooster was almost as big as him! We moseyed about, took pictures, walked through the rice paddy fields, listened to some guitar (or banjo) playing, and played with the wooden bow and arrows. A great way to start to the day!

Our next stop was a beautiful orchid farm and then we were off to elephant trekking. Amber and I ended up having the daddy of all elephants. He was the biggest and we could tell he was in charge because the others would get out of his way when he came through. He basically just did whatever he wanted to – sorta lazy too. Probably didn’t help that his trainer (or whatever you would call him) was just sitting on the top of his head reading a book while we road. We fed him bananas and boy was he greedy. He just kept sticking his trunk back to us begging for more and if we didn’t respond, we got a bunch of hot elephant air (sometimes with a little snot) blown in our face. Big Stinker! The best was the cutest baby elephant following around the elephant Mark & Afton were riding. I got some really good pics of it – especially the ones from behind, which are priceless. We also had the pleasure of seeing one of the elephants taking care of business (thankfully we were all high enough on our own elephants that we weren’t “exposed” to it). Our elephant kept stopping and sniffing for bananas in the trees and finally found some. With some effort, he ripped them out and scarfed up the whole bunch in one bite. He thought he found some more over a cliff and went for them. At that point, Amber and I basically saw our lives flash before our eyes. Headline “Two American Girls Found in Thailand Crushed By a Fat, Greedy Elephant.” We really did start to panic and had to finally yell at the trainer to make the elephant knock it off.

The next part of our day was a hike to a waterfall. It was an hour long hike each way, but the trail was pretty fun and it helped that our tour guide, Woody, was a big goofball. He kept hiding from us and scaring us, jumping out of his little secret hiding spots (he could walk that trail blindfold – he doesn’t even remember the last time he had a day off work). Yikes! The waterfall was small, but very pretty and relaxing. We cracked open a few Beer Chiang (Chiang means elephant, and it’s one of Thailand’s most popular), hung out, talked, and played some slingshots. I’m no good… There was another tour group at the waterfall and come to find out, two of the people will be famous in a few weeks in their home country. They were just out traveling before the show starts. Unfortunately, I’m sworn to secrecy on what it is, but I can confirm if they were from the US, let’s just say it would be a pretty big deal. As I said, my word is my word. Plus, the two were so nice and I may have another new place to visit... :)

Even though we all agreed it was the day that never ended, the last part of our trip rafting down the river was the best. Unfortunately, we don’t have any pictures to show for it because we were advised we would be getting 100% wet. Boy they were right. Amber, Mark, Afton and I got paired up and thank goodness because the other boat did not seem to be having nearly as much fun. Our boat guide, ironically named “Pest”, kept splashing us and trying to knock us off the boat. The white water rafting was probably a Stage .5 at best, but after a few beers, falling over laughing so hard, soaking wet, and slap happy because we were all just exhausted from the day, a .5 was probably all we could have handled anyway. We ended up coming to a little “village” where there was a long pier of bamboo huts. Basically it was like a forest preserve on the water for the Thai people. There were loads of families, the parents hanging out talking, cooking food and drinking Beer Chiang. The kids and even some adults swimming in their clothes, laughing and having the best time. We hopped off our raft to join them for a beer. I actually stubbed my toe and pretty much fell out of the boat and cracked my shin on some rocks and bamboo and nearly fainted because all I could see was white (thinking it was my bone) and how the heck was I going to get medical care in Thailand! After a few minutes and a Beer Chiang later, I was feeling alright. Now I just have a nice 3 inch souvenir that will be on my leg to remind me of that fun day forever. Add it to the rest of them. No scars, no stories to tell, I guess. Maybe that should be by new motto…

It was amazing to see how the people up in the villages of Chiang Mai lived in their huts up in the forests, raising their families, hunting their food and fishing with nets, very little water or electricity, making a living by selling tour groups water and beer every day. It totally made me realize even more how much we take for granted. We have all these gadgets and machines and things to do the work for us, yet these people are living, they are getting by, and they seem to be just as happy. They appreciate more and it’s obvious through the smiles on their faces, the kindness in their voices and gestures, and their laughter. Great day with great people and new friends.

The following night we ended up meeting up with Mark & Afton, playing some Uno for shots (not much goes on at night in the little town of Chiang Mai) and having a few more good laughs. They convinced us to go to Kho Phi Phi, as that is where they were headed next. Not only did we agree, but we booked the same hotel as them. Stalkers, right? All it really meant was one thing – Trouble!

The Siam of Sarah

2010-03-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Sa-wa-dee-ka! (Hello) Ahhh, Thailand! The wonderful food and fresh fruit on a stick. The $6 massages on the beach, the never ending markets and bargains. The sunshine, clear-blue water, white sandy beaches, happy people, and carefree way of life. The ancient palaces, breathtaking temples, and the monks. With all these wonderful things does come the language barrier and miscommunication, grime and stinky smells, mosquitoes, cold showers, humidity and sweating all day, con artists who try to convince you major tourist attractions are closed only to try to get you to pay them for a tour, the traffic and the tuk tuk drivers that won’t leave you alone after you’ve told them 5 times you don’t need a ride. Such a unique place and now I see why it’s visited by millions of people every year.

Siam? The original name until it was changed to Thailand (“Land of the Free”) in 1939. Population - 64 million. It’s about the same size as France and if you take a look at a map, it’s in the shape of an elephant head (ironic given elephants are one of its major symbols). The two main influences are spirituality and the Royal Family. Their King has reigned since 1946 and it’s evident they like him because this guy’s portrait is EVERYWHERE. I mean EVERYWHERE. And most of the pictures look like they were taken 60 years ago too. And it’s evident they are loyal because at 6pm every day everyone literally stands still as their national anthem is played over loud speakers, which was quite interesting for Amber and I as we were bargaining at a market and realized everyone around us was standing still facing in the same direction and paying tribute to their country…Oopsy! Ok, enough with the history, it’s just I realized after being here two weeks that I didn’t know much about Thailand before arriving and realized it was all such a mystery, so I actually read the front of my travel book to learn about this amazing country and it slowly started coming together for me. So much different from Australia and New Zealand, which I ignorantly didn’t care to learn much about because they are both so Western, just like the states.

The fact I’m even here and Amber and I made it in/out alive is incredible. Kidding! But I am sort of embarrassed to say that we almost went to Bali instead… Long story short, 2 days before flying here, news broke there were protests in Bangkok. The Red Shirts (large group unhappy with the current Prime Minister) were flooding the streets, supposedly bombing government housing (gotta love sensationalism) and throwing buckets of blood at the gates (ok, that part is true). Needless to say it was a bit overdramatized, but of course our parents were paying attention to the news on Thailand all of a sudden and we all kind of panicked. I reached out to my friend, Stu, who I knew would have insight and he told me it was nothing to worry about, these protests happen all the time but are pretty peaceful and that we should just be cautious. Thanks to Stu, we changed our mind and after 2 days Amber was yelling “Woohoo!” out the taxi window when the Red Shirt parade drove by and our taxi driver started waving his little red flag. Yes, there were barricades on some of the streets and police and guards everywhere, but for the most part, it’s pretty peaceful and not much to worry about.

Bangkok. Gosh, where do I even begin? It’s the city that never sleeps. Stimulating, yet exhausting. Amber and I spent our first 2 days here and got quickly acquainted with this crazy place. Bangkok has thousands of Wats (temples), but after a while, a Wat is a Wat is a Wat. We decided to just visit the main ones, which was plenty, because there was so much more to see and do here. The Wats are absolutely stunning with their mosaic tiles and gold paint. There are Buddha figures everywhere and monks wondering about reflecting. My favorite part was when we sat in a temple and “gave gifts” to Buddha (flowers, burning incense, and flecks of gold) and in return we received a fortune. Mine said I will have an enjoyable life and my long journeys will be undertaken safe and sound and my desires will be fulfilled. Not too bad! I believe it. :)

The Buddhism religion fascinates me (while here I re-read a book I had read a few years ago on Buddhism to better understand and appreciate the culture). To sum it up, Buddha was an Indian Prince who was sheltered in his kingdom his whole life and wasn’t until he was older and realized there was pain, suffering, and death in the world. He didn’t like this, so he left to find a way to free himself of the sorrow he felt now knowing of this suffering. One day he experienced enlightenment. From then on he was known as Buddha, which means “the awakened one”. Buddhism is about being awake, self aware, in the here and now. Plain and simple as that. Forget the past; it’s impossible to plan the future, just live for today. Pretty much how I try to live these days anyway. And it all makes sense why the people here are so kind and peaceful. I have never seen so many people smile or say thank you. Hands in prayer position, close to the chin, a slight bow of the head, with a smile and the generous blink of the eyes repeating “Khap-koon-ka” (meaning “Thank you”).

Amber and I also took to the exhausting markets. They were hot and sweaty, mazes and mazes of food, clothes, jewelry, and trinkets. Bargain after bargain. “Special for you! How much you pay?” To be honest, I don’t enjoy the haggling. I actually sort of feel like I’m stealing from these people. To try to get them down a dollar or two when everything only costs a few dollars is hard for me. An extra dollar for me is nothing (I say that now until I’m broke come July...), but to them, it means the world. Many would disagree, but just my opinion… Most disturbing of all was the Patpong night market which is right off a row of go-go bars including strip clubs, prostitutes, and the infamous ping pong shows. Curious? For sure. Would I ever in a million years support such a thing? No way. Basically human trafficking at its best. Not my favorite part of Bangkok, to say the least.

We wouldn’t really see Bangkok unless we visited Khao San Road. One word – Insane! Street vendors selling everything from fruit to noodles to salads to meat on a stick. Bar after bar with music blaring, people sitting outside with buckets of beer, dancing. Super overwhelming, but oh so entertaining.

So happy we decided to come here (laughing at ourselves for doubting it for one second). Our lives were more in danger riding in the tuk tuks, as there are barely any stoplights, there are absolutely no rules of the road, and there are people everywhere. I found myself chuckling at how crazy it is, how no one gets mad when cut off, and how the motorbikes just squeeze right through with a half an inch between them and the next car. Nuts, I tell you!

To come full circle, it’s Wednesday night and I’m actually sitting in my hotel room, back in Bangkok for a night before I head to Cambodia tomorrow. Amber ended up having to leave a couple of days early on Monday because she couldn’t get a buddy pass to fly out as originally planned. I was so sad to see her leave, but I still have tons of stories to tell of our journey. The next stops for Amber and I were Chiang Mai in the North and the beaches in the South. Thought I could get caught up and squeeze them in here, but I have way too much to say. So I’m still about a week and a half behind my blogging. Hopefully with some Sarah time in the next few days, I can get caught up before Erika meets me in Laos on Monday!!

The Scenery of Sarah

2010-03-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

The scenery in New Zealand is like nothing else. I have traveled to a lot of beautiful places, but here it’s different. It’s so much more surreal, almost fake. I’m not sure my words could ever describe it or my pictures will ever do it justice. From the rolling hills and mountains (they almost look 3D at times), to the waterfalls and lakes, and the sounds to the glaciers. NZ scenery is breathtaking and never ending.

Amber and I didn’t have one thing planned for this portion of the trip. All we knew was we were going to rent a car from the airport and drive; make plans and find accommodations as we traveled. We knew there would be a lot of driving involved, but until we rented a car and got some advice from an extremely friendly NZ couple on the plane and the car rental agent, we quickly realized 10 days was not going to be enough. There was so much to cover and we ended up being on the go and moving everyday, which took away from our hopes of a relaxing, chill trip.

First Stop (1 night) - Lake Tekapo (Tee-Ka-Poe)
We had hoped to arrive and enjoy a little bit of time in Lake Tekapo for our first night, but it took a little longer than expected. How we managed to get turned around when there is literally only one two lane road that pretty much runs to each major destination in the South Island, is beyond me; but we did. Amber’s first time driving on the left side of the road (she took it right out of the gate at the car rental agency, eager to give it a shot) and my re-adjusting, made up for part of the time and the rest of the time, I can honestly say was due to missed signs or poorly marked road direction changes. Signs in New Zealand are scarce. There is one in each town giving the highway number and the kilometers to the next town (Australia and NZ use kilometers vs. miles). That’s it. It’s rare there is even a sign on the road that details what road you are on. But I always like to see the brightside of things and our hiccups in the road (literally) ended up leaving us driving into the most beautiful sunset as we arrived into Lake Tekapo. It was definitely our first sign of many more beautiful things to come.

Lake Tekapo ended up being a quaint little town. We got to the backpackers (Note - Hostels are referred to as backpackers in Australia and NZ, which isn’t necessarily grammatically correct, but with the bad rap “hostel” gets, I prefer using “backpackers” over “hostel” these days as well) pretty late and there wasn’t much happening in this little town. We decided to finalize our plans for the week and get a good night’s rest for our busy day on Monday. We woke up the following morning and went on a nice run along the lake. We found a cute little park with a teeter tauter and thought “why the heck not”? We were giggling like little school girls – so fun! After our run, we went to Alpine Swim & Spa for a relaxing dip in the hot pools. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and the pools overlooked the beautiful lake. After the pools, we got on the road to Queenstown, with a quick stop in Twizel for lunch.

Second Stop (2 nights) – Queenstown
Queenstown was originally named because it was fit for a Queen (Queen Victoria), which is a little bit of a contrast to now, as it’s considered the action capital of the world. From bungy jumping to jet boating, 4WD adventures, hiking, and skydiving; they have just about everything. Amber and I preferred to lay low in Queenstown. In addition to it being an outdoor playground, it is the coziest little town and probably my second favorite after Bondi Beach in Australia. Queenstown’s city centre sits right on the lake. It’s cobble stone streets are filled with shops, cafes, and bars. We stayed in a nice little apartment that sat on the lake just up the road from the city center. The first night we had a ton of fun on a mini bar crawl throughout town. Amber decided to go missing for a little while and as I went to go find her, she popped up behind me. She had a smile from ear to ear. She had found Ferg Burger – which are world renowned in New Zealand. Once again we found ourselves laughing and eating and stumbling our way back home – well actually we took a cab, which we were not allowed to get into until we put the Ferg Burger away. Was the cleanest cab I’ve ever seen in my life. Lol!

The following morning we went for a nice long run along the lake and through the beautiful botanic gardens. We had a nice brunch at Joe’s Garage and did a little bit of shopping. We got ready and headed out to the wineries near Queenstown with a quick stop to watch some of the bungy jumpers at the first spot it was started. OMG! Those people are nuts. Amber and I were ready to skydive, but both of us agreed we could not bungy jump. The jumpers were terrified. As they plunged off the bridge, they were dunked into the river below them. Watching was terrifying enough for us. Next stop, Gibston Valley winery/cheesery, which was AMAZING! One of my favorite things in the world is to sit and relax with a glass of wine and nibble (or gorge in this instance) on different types of cheeses, nuts, breads, fruit and spreads. The sun was shining and the atmosphere couldn’t have been more perfect. Unfortunately due to export taxes, it’s extremely expensive to send wine home to the states, so we figured we would by a couple bottles and find a BYOB. That night we headed to town to an Indian restaurant where we enjoyed our bottle of Pinot Gris.

Third Stop (1 night) – Milford Sound
Once again, we got up early to drive several hours to get to the Milford Sound (A sound is a fjord – a long inlet with steep sides in a valley, created by glacial activity). There is one road in and one road out to get there, so we had to do the drive twice, but at least the drive wasn’t boring. Winding roads, waterfall after waterfall, and snow capped mountains. As we got closer to the sound, it got cooler and rainier. Many say the sound is actually much better to see when it’s raining because you see more waterfalls (hundreds). The cruise was nice, but a but underwhelming. This is supposed to be one of the top things to do in NZ, so we can’t quite figure out why were weren’t impressed. Maybe b/c it was raining and foggy and it was difficult to get a good picture of what the sound should look like? The people on our boat weren’t the most exciting either. We did a little kayaking (my first time), drank wine and played some scramble. We definitely agreed that a day trip to the sound would have sufficed.

Fourth Stop (1 night) – Wanaka (Won-a-ka)
The only plans we had for Wanaka were to skydive, but unfortunately, the weather was cloudy with a chance of rain, so they wouldn’t take us up. We were bummed. There really wasn’t much for us to do in Wanaka, so we decided to get on the road to the glaciers a little bit early in hopes to find a place to skydive when we got there.

Franz Joseph Glacier/Fox Glacier (1 night)
Franz Joseph was a town with 1 street of options for leisure. Amber and I found a cozy bar with outdoor heat lamps and finally some good food. Healthy food was quite hard to come by in NZ. All we craved were vegetables and salads, which we finally found here. We had a nice dinner and decided to turn in early for our big day. The following day we woke up early and went on a hike to the Frank Joseph Glacier. At 12km long, it is one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world. We got to put on spikes and climb pretty far to the top. It was an amazing experience. Our guide used his ice pick to pick away a trail for us as we climbed. There were some little coves that were cut out that we could walk through and get pictures taken. The ice in these spots were the most beautiful blue color. It was definitely a very unique experience.

After the hike, we headed to Fox Glacier to skydive. The weirdest thing was that we weren’t the least bit nervous, just excited that we were finally going to do it, as we both had this as our top priority for NZ. We pulled up and the skydive site was hilarious. Just a few little shack houses and trailers. Looked a bit sketchy to us… But the people were really great. Amber and I had to dive tandem (instructor strapped on our backs) b/c it was our first time, but we were able to fly up together. The pilot literally fit Amber and her tanduem, me and my tandem (all sitting on the floor of the plane) and our pilot. Tight squeeze! The views from the plane were amazing. You could see the glaciers, snow capped mountains. We were only at 3,000 feet and it felt so incredibly high, yet we had another 9,000 to go. We paid for 12,000 feet, but the pilot actually took us to 13,000. When they opened the door, is about the only time I got nervous for a slight second. Hanging out the plane looking out, all I could think was “Am I crazy?”. But it was absolutely the most unreal experience. The freefall was probably 50 seconds to 1 minute. The view over the water and glaciers and mountains were beautiful. Once we pulled the parachute, my tandum let me take out my camera. He got up real close to Amber and her tandem (parachutes almost touching) so we could say hi and take pics of one another. It was probably one of the coolest things I have ever done and can’t wait to do it again (although not sure anything can be as spectacular as skydiving over glaciers in NZ)….

Greymouth (1 night)
That night we drove to Greymouth just to stop and sleep for the night so we didn’t have to drive the full 7 hours to Nelson the next day. Pretty uneventful in Greymouth.

Nelson (1 night)
Nelson was a nice little town. Our main objective was to go to some of the wineries. We hit a few (none that were as exciting as in Queenstown) and headed back to our backpackers. We stayed in a tepee that night which as so fun. There were too mattresses on the floor. We told some ghost stories, made some shadow puppets on the wall and fell asleep to the forest ambiance music on my iphone.

Kaikoura
On our drive from Nelson to Christchurch, we stopped n Kaikoura which is known for whale watching and swimmnig with the dolphins. Amber and I chose to swim with the dolphins. As many of you know, groing up I was sort of a freak about the ocean, dolpins, and fish. Being a swimmer myself, I just loved the water. But still 31 years later, I had never swam with a dolphins (just fed and pet them at Sea World). This was my chance. We took a tour with about 20 people to a few different spots. The dolphins came out of nowhere. Hundreds and hundreds of them swimmnig along the boat, jumping out of the water, doing flips in the air. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. They dumped us off right in the middle of the ocean and we swam around, making the most ridiculous singing noises to get their attention. If I could make eye contact with them underwater and swim around in circles, they would swim around and around me until they wore me out. They were everywhere, just eager to play and tease us. Definitely a highlight of my trip.

Christchurch (2 nights)
The last 2 nights we spend in Christchuch. We were ready to just chill out since we had been on the go every day. Just excited to be in one spot for more than 1 night. I was under the weather with a bad cold, which was not fun. I found a Dr. in Christchurch (as I wanted to be sure I didn’t have anything crazy before heading to Asia). The Dr. in Christchurch was amusing. I won’t go into details. But basically I was in and out of there in about 10 mins. I just decided to relax. We had a nice dinner at Winnibegoes Pizza one night which was tasty and I got to Skype with my family finally!!

Next Stop. Thailand!!

The Summary of Sarah

2010-03-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

Highlights of Australia:

• Meeting and learning a ton from Ruth in Melbourne and having dinner at her family vineyard.
• Scuba Diving in Cairns and meeting my friend, Sayaka.
• Sailing the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach, and making new friends from England and S. Korea.
• Getting to hold a Koala at the Australian Zoo.
• Finally meeting up with Amber in Sydney.
• Bondi Beach, which is also at the top of my list so far on where to move. Cute beach town, tons to do in surrounding areas, 40 minute bus to Sydney, and the best mall ever! Enough said. ;)

Observations I made in Australia:

• Things move much sloooower in Australia which can sometimes be a good thing and sometimes not so much.
• There are few stop signs and people stop for nothing.
• No one really honks their horns, and it’s actually quite nice and peaceful.
• They don’t really use napkins anywhere and I have yet to figure out where people are wiping their hands.
• With regards to the above, I’m assuming it is b/c everyone in Australia is much more environmentally friendly. They have half flushes (you do the math) and recycling everywhere. It’s really nice to see.
• Shoes and Shirts are optional pretty much everywhere in Australia, including in restaurants, convenience stores, and even kids running across busy intersections.
• Dogs (or children for that matter) are not required to be on a leash, or at least most people could care less that their children are running around like wild animals and stepping on toes or their dogs might bite someone or get hit by a car. I think it may be due to the laid back, peaceful attitude everyone has here.
• The jury is still out whether I think Australians are some of the nicest people in the world – especially in Sydney. We got a lot of blank stares and smart ass replies when we weren’t using “proper” terms. (Nonfat is skim, Garbage is Rubbish, Restroom is Toilet). I have yet to get comfortable saying the word Toilet and only use it when I absolutely have to (basically after I’ve attempted 2 or 3 times to say restroom or bathroom).

Things I’ve learned or am learning along the way:

• I could definitely get used to living a simpler life. Don’t get me wrong, I still need a lot of “stuff”, but it’s so funny how I have no desire to get dressed up, put on heals, etc.
• I’m slowly learning a system for all the stuff I’m schlepping. I’m getting to be a better packer and not having to dig through every pocket of every bag every time I need something.
• Hostels are way easier to stay in than I thought. Shared rooms, mixed rooms, rooms w/o my own private bathroom. Nothing fazes me now.
• I'm still learning to walk on the left side of the sidewalk. Hard habit to break!
• I’ve learned that we Americans are not envied as much as we think we are. There is a lot of disrespect for our government and especially George W. Bush and they think we are all hillbillies or at least sound like hillbillies.
• What I heard was confirmed. When I asked what comes to mind when you think of “American Girls”, I pretty much received the same answer every time. Spring Break and Cancun. Lovely to know that having fun for one week when we are seniors in college pretty much defines us. Oh, and I’m sure those Girls Gone Wild videos don’t help us either. We have got to get it together, ladies!!
• I’m a lot messier than I thought. When I have the opportunity to spread my things out, I do.
• I sort of wish I didn’t have so much on my agenda or that I was staying put in one place for a longer period of time. I’m sort of tired of picking up and moving every day or two. I’m looking forward to S. Africa, where I will be for a solid month.

Terms used*:
• "How you going?" = How are you doing?

• "No worries" = You're welcome.
• "Cheers" = Thanks!
• "What are you after?" = What are you looking for?
• "Pub" = Bar ; "Pint" = Beer ; "Rubbish" = Garbage ; "Toilet" = Bathroom ; "Mate" = Friend
*I could go on and on for days...

Sarah's items that are now Australian property:
• Camera – Slipped off the boat on my sailing trip and is now somewhere at the bottom of the ocean in the Whitsunday Islands
• One sock – Must have lost it when I did laundry at Ruth’s
• A pair of pajamas – I’m thinking I left these at my hostel in Brisbane when I got up extremely early to catch my flight
• Makeup bag – After multiple intercontinental flights and barely getting checked at security, it completely slipped my mind to take out my liquids on my flight from Sydney to NZ. I was frantically doing it in the security line and am pretty sure I left it in one of those darn gray bins.

I cannot believe a month in Australia went by so quickly. I was so sad to leave, but Amber and I have a day and a half in Melbourne after NZ, before we head to Thailand, so it will be great to have one last hurrah in Oz. Plus, there is so still so much to see and do in Australia, I just know I will be back. For a country with only 20mm people, it still is the size of the US. I thought a month would be plenty, but I met so many travelers who were there for months and still hadn’t seen it all. So much to see, so little time…

The Sydney of Sarah

2010-03-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Finally, the day came when Amber arrived - a partner in crime! What would we get ourselves into over the next 4.5 weeks?? The weather in Sydney was supposed to be the nicest of all. Reminder – it was wet season in Queensland, but somehow I ended up with the most beautiful weather while I was there. Sydney was supposed to be warm, sunny, dry rather than humid; but when Amber and I arrived, it was chilly and gloomy – not exactly a great way to start our trip, as we quickly realized that both of us get a bit crabby when the sun isn’t shining. Thankfully we were staying in a swank little hotel the first couple of nights, so that in itself was something that put me in a good mood. After a few weeks in hostels and sailboats, I could finally get a great shower and a sleep in a nice comfy bed. I also loved the fact I could finally spread my stuff out, not have to dig through a suitcase, or lock up my valuables. Regardless of the weather, Amber and I quickly went out to explore. We visited Darling Harbour, tried to come up with a plan for the next week in Sydney, and had a few drinks. After that, we were both pretty beat.

Day 2 was still a bit gloomy. We woke up bright and early and took a nice run to/around the iconic Sydney Opera House. As we approached the Opera House, there was a camera crew filming a butt naked man sitting on the steps. What did we miss? Come to find out, Spencer Tunick (American photographer), had 5,200 volunteers pose in front of the Opera House for his nude art installation. We were 20 minutes late. Go figure. The story made news around the world. How much fun would it have been to get some of our first photos in Sydney of this exciting moment? Amber and I made our way inside the opera house to see if we could get tickets to a show later that week, and as we entered, all those naked people (who had gone inside to take more photos) came running down the stairs to gather their belongings and put their clothes back on. No tickets required for that one... Later that day we went to the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) and strolled around, followed by dinner at a cute little place in The Rocks area. We then made our way to a few pubs before heading out to Scubar (a backpacker bar which has Monday night crab racing). Unfortunately, my little guy didn’t win, but it only cost me $1 and it was so much fun! We finally made our way out of Scubar at the wee hours of the morning and found ourselves roaming the street for late night food – a habit we formed on night one. Not good!

Days 3-5 we moved to Bondi Beach in hopes of nicer weather. Our luck started to turn around and we finally got a few beautiful sunny days. We were all smiles. Amber experienced her first few nights in a hostel – which she described as like living in the dorms in college, but happy to say she quickly adjusted. I told her if I could do it, anyone could. :-D We had a great time relaxing at the beach (which was absolutely breathtaking – clear blue water, white sand, surfers catching waves), being silly taking pictures of our yoga poses, shopped a little (a great mall within walking distance), got a ton of exercise running along the ocean, and getting burnt to a crisp (oops). Bondi quickly became a place I told Amber I could definitely see myself living… On night 4 we saw a Cabaret show at the Opera House. Her name was Meow Meow and she was fabulous, sassy, crude, and hysterical. We couldn’t have been happier with the show we picked. On night 5 we were easily suckered into buying booze cruise tickets by a girl on the beach. We reluctantly went, and man was it a scene from Spring Break. We were definitely the oldest ones there by far. We ended up meeting a nice boy from France who kindly walked us to the bus after and offered to make us dinner at his hostel the next day. We were going to have to think about taking him up on his offer…

Day 6 we moved to The Rocks area, which is the oldest part of Sydney, filled with cobble street roads, old buildings and alleyways. Our hostel was brand new and even better than some hotels we’ve stayed at. It had a great rooftop with amazing views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. There was even a live webcam that Amber was able to stand in front of and wave hi to her boyfriend back in Chicago where he could see the bridge and opera house right behind her. I did the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb and climbed to the summit where I could see views of the city and suburbs for miles. Spectacular! That night we went back and forth on where to eat and ended up at The Pony. We had a swank little candlelight table on the outside porch. We shared a few yummy dishes (again, something we quickly discovered we both love –sharing) and ordered a bottle of Rose, my favorite.

Day 7 was our last day in Sydney. We didn’t want to leave! The beginning of our stay started out a little gloomy, but by week’s end we realized 7 days just wasn’t enough. There were so many things to see and do in Sydney and we barely skimmed the surface. On our last day we took the ferry boat through the beautiful Sydney Harbour to Manly Beach. It was another gorgeous day in a cute little beach town. We found a great little Mexican restaurant along the beach – we couldn’t pass up fajitas & margaritas. That night we got all dolled up for our last night out on the town. After a couple of glasses of wine, we realized we were tired and would much rather be hanging out somewhere in flip flops. The laid back life of a traveler will do that to you…

The Sunshine Coast of Sarah

2010-03-12T01:04:00.000-08:00

The Sunshine Coast

After my exciting 3 days in the Whitsunday Islands, I left Airlie Beach on Thursday morning to head to Brisbane (or Bris-Vegas, as some call it). I was scheduled to go out to the burbs where Sayaka, who I met in Cairns, was staying with her host family (when she was in college in Tokyo, she came to Brisbane to study English). After missing the bus to the ferry to the plane in Airlie Beach on Wednesday, transportation in Brisbane didn’t get much better – missed train stop, couldn’t find the bus stop. Ugh! I eventually made it about an hour and a half late. I guess I have to expect having days like those once in awhile… Sayaka made the most wonderful Japanese meal, including miso soup, and sushi rolls. I learned “Kanpai” (pronounced Con-Pie) means “Cheers!” in Japanese. Her host family (originally from Malaysia) were so open to my visit. Once again, here I was being taken in and fed a wonderful meal in a complete stranger’s house on the other side of the world. It was so nice to have another family gathering and home cooked meal after a week of nonstop traveling.

The next morning I got up early and took the train to The Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin’s Zoo). It ended up being a beautiful day. The zoo was really well kept. There were birds, lizards, and even kangaroos wondering about freely throughout the zoo. I couldn’t believe it. I ended up missing the 10am koala photo session (which was pretty much the main reason I went to the zoo –the state of Queensland, Australia is the only place which allows holding a koala). It required me to stay a few extra hours than expected, which was not really what I had planned, as a few hours at the zoo alone is more than enough time; but I ended up seeing every square inch of that zoo. From tigers to cheetahs, wombats to tasmanian devils (their names are quite perfect – the little bugger would hardly let me get a picture of him). I fed elephants and kangaroos (they hopped right up and ate out of my hand). I watched the sleepy koalas (they sleep 18-20 hours a day b/c their diet only includes eucalyptus, which doesn’t provide a ton of energy) and was even able to pet them while they were hanging out in the trees. I made sure I was an hour early to the 2pm koala photo session. There was no way I was missing this one. The koala was so soft and cuddly – just as I imagined it would be. I could tell he had done this a few times – just like a professional, he wrapped his arms around me and posed for the camera. He was so cute and definitely worth waiting for. That night I met Sayaka in Southbank for the night markets. Southbank was such a cute part of Brisbane – lots of shops, cafes. I wished I had longer in Brisbane, as I would have loved to see it during the day.

The following morning Sayaka and I rented a car and headed to Noosa in the sunshine coast (north of Brisbane). Because she requires an international drivers license, it was up to me to drive us there and back. OMG! First time driving on the right side of the car on the left side of the road was not easy. Everything is backwards – the seatbelt, the blinkers, the windshield wipers. Not to mention it was pouring rain for the majority of the trip. Thankfully Sayaka is used to driving on the left side of the road, so she kindly helped direct me. I scared her a bit by hugging the left side and running off the road a few times (oops), but we made it to Noosa in one piece. Noosa was a cute, trendy, posh surfing town. Unfortunately, it was raining, so we only got a chance to go out to the beach for about 30 mins. The rest of the day, we toured the shops and had a nice lunch. We didn’t get to hike the Noosa National Park either, which was a bummer. We decided to get back on the road back to Brisbane, where we stopped in Montville and hiked to some waterfalls. Sayaka and I were a muddy mess by the time we made it back to the car, so we got a kick out of washing up in the little sink outside the bathroom. Two girly girls, there was no way we were getting in that car wet and muddy to sit for a few hours’ drive. :) Thankfully I got us back to Brisbane safely. I dropped Sayaka off at her host family’s house. Minnie (Sayaka’s host mother) re-heat the evening’s meal (skewers with peanut sauce and rice) and my belly was happily fed once again.

I was sad I didn’t get to see more of the Sunshine Coast and the day spent in Noosa wasn’t all that sunny; but it was a wonderful few days of memories, especially those made with my new friend, Sayaka. She wrote down a few Japanese words for me (in English and in Japanese). The characters are so beautiful and I knew I could never re-write them as she did, so I taped that little piece of paper right in my journal, where it will always be safe. I was so sad to leave her, as I don’t know when I will get to see her again. She kindly offered her apartment in Tokyo if I ever want to visit. Japan might just be another stop on this journey. At this rate, I may never make it back to Chicago…

The Sailing of Sarah

2010-03-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

Warning! This is a long one, as it’s probably one of the highlights of my trip thus far.

I took an 11 hour overnight bus from Cairns to Airlie Beach, which I booked 2 days before (I’m totally learning to go with the flow). Airlie Beach is a cute little hippy town and one of the gateways to the Whitsunday Islands. I checked into the Airlie Beach YHA hostel (which was awful and not nearly as nice as the previous YHA hostel in Cairns). All I knew is that I needed to get out of there – one night would be all I could take. I had plans to do a sailing trip, but thought I could only handle a 2 day/1 night trip (thinking about being on a small sailboat out in the middle of the ocean with 14 people for 1 night was enough for me). Unfortunately, because I had decided to “go with the flow” and book the trip the day before I wanted to leave, there was almost nothing available. The last boat I tried was the Silent Night. It was a 2 day/2 night trip. Could I handle it? I didn’t really have a choice and it was what I came to Airlie to do. I booked it.

The following day I ran some errands in the morning and mailed out a package to home with some souvenirs and some clothes I was sick of schlepping around. I later came to find out after talking to fellow travelers that this is actually pretty normal. I’m not nuts after all…Nearly everyone I have talked to has shipped a package home with things they really didn’t need. As I was on the bus back into town, I noticed a guy that looked quite familiar. My friend, Lindsay, has some friends in Australia. She loves it here and has shared so many great stories. She told me to look up her two friends on Facebook and ended up putting me in touch with one of them. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that he would be in the same areas at the time I was traveling...bummer. The guy on the bus, looked like Lindsay’s other friend, who I was not in touch with but who I had seen pictures of on Lindsay’s Facebook. Could it be possible? No way. Halfway around the world, on a random bus?? I did a double take, a triple take, and then figured – what do I have to lose? I walked up to him as I was getting off the bus and asked him if his name was Grant. He looked at me like a crazy person, as he obviously didn’t know who I was, and he said “yes”. What are the chances? He had been working on one of the Whitsunday Islands and came into town to do a little shopping. It truly is a small world!

Back to the boat…

The crew included the solo American (yours truly), 2 girls and 3 guys from S. Korea, a lovely couple from England, 3 guys from England, the skipper, and the deck hand. The first few hours were a bit awkward, but after a lovely evening sail, a snorkel, some drinks in the confined space of a tent (we had to take cover, as it rained the first night) and sleeping in an open corridor, by morning we were BFFs. 

We shared stories of our travels (everyone was on a similar trip and path as me), we experienced the absolutely beautiful breathtaking views of the Whitsunday Islands (74 islands of breathtaking scenery and the most crystal clear blue water I have ever seen), we relaxed at the most beautiful beach in the world (Whitehaven beach – Uninhabited 7km of pure white silica sand and crystal blue water, where we saw sting rays and baby tiger sharks), at night we were mesmerized by the lightning fish that Claire called the “Stars of the Sea”, we were lucky enough to catch some dolphins swimming alongside the boat, we made up silly sayings, we learned what life was like growing up in S. Korea, the English and I made fun of each other for the different words we used for things (they call suspenders “braces” and garter belts “suspenders”), Claire trying to teach me to how to perfect my English accent “The rain from Spain falls mainly on the plain”, they all got a kick out of pulling my leg and telling me that they called dancing “boogieing” and that dancing in England meant the strip tease type dancing. It wasn’t until the next day that Claire had to come clean because she couldn’t see me suffer any longer. Hilarious!

Sitting on the beach, looking out into the ocean, all I could think about was how lucky we were. Who were we? 11 strangers from completely different backgrounds, yet we were fortunate enough to be sitting there, enjoying life, experiencing this together. Our passion for travel, and living life to the fullest allowed us to bond and create so many great memories together. 2 days/2 nights together and it was like a new little family.

As we headed back to the harbor, I knew I was booked to catch a bus to a ferry to a flight to Brisbane (this is where too much planning in advance can hurt you). I didn’t want to go. I went back and forth trying to decide if I should just stay, change all my arrangements, have another fun night with my new friends. It wouldn’t be the first time I stayed an extra day somewhere at the last minute… What was a couple hundred dollars when it meant an experience of a lifetime and memories that would last forever? I decided I shouldn’t do it. I didn’t feel like dealing with running around like crazy when I got back to shore trying to change everything (we were scheduled to get to port at 11am and I had an 11:45 bus to catch) and plus, I had just lost my little camera the night before (Yes, I lost another camera…It slipped of the boat the night, but thankfully only had a days worth of pictures on it). The decision was made. I was going to Brisbane. But we ended up getting back to port late. Claire and Gary were kind enough to drive me to my hostel to pic up my luggage. I had 10 mins to spare. Pressure was on. I went to get the key to luggage storage and it was missing. Someone had gotten their luggage and didn’t return the key. I was sweating bullets. I ended up missing my bus. How ironic, right? Yes, I probably could have just paid $30 to take a taxi to the ferry, but all I could think was, “this is what I wanted” – to stay. Thankfully the ferry company let me switch my pickup to the next day at no charge and I called the hostel in Brisbane to tell them I wouldn’t be arriving that night and come to find out I never booked my stay in the first place. Ha! The only thing it cost me was a $58 flight change for the next day. Perfect. I booked a room at the hostel down the road and met up with my friends. James, Sam, and Dave were staying until Friday anyway and Gary and Claire and decided to stay an extra night in Airlie as well. We had so much fun. Sharing pictures, drinking, taking pictures, dancing, playing Keno (my first time – only lost $10).

I have so many memories from those 3 days. I have more new friends around the world. And I knew there was a reason I didn’t book the Europe part of my trip. I may just be swinging by London in May. I’ve heard it’s changed a lot since I was there 10 years ago… ;)

Sail away, sail away, sail away…

The Sanctuary of Sarah

2010-03-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

My second day in Cairns was rainforest day. I had two options – Cape Tribulation or Kuranda. I chose Kuranda because it had a Butterfly Sanctuary. I have a very special place in my heart for butterflies. Not because I made the stupid mistake of getting a butterfly tattoo when I was 21 (which at the time, had no meaning whatsoever, besides the fact I thought it was “cute”), but b/c my best friend, Bianca, loved them. Bianca was a very spiritual person. When we were in high school, one of our favorite things to do when she “got the car” was go to a store called Sanctuary Crystals. It had all sorts of jewelry, candles, incense, books on tarot card reading, etc. We just loved to go and see what we could find next and spend our money on.

Years later, after we had lost a few loved ones, we were sitting by her pool and we saw a butterfly and she told me that when you see a butterfly, it signifies that your lost loved ones are nearby, watching over you. Bianca and I would share stories about seeing butterflies. Ever since that day, every time I see a butterfly, I smile. I think of that day she told me the meaning and I think about the stories we shared and how happy it made us.

Bianca passed away on August 2, 2009. To this day, I’m still numb about it. To lose a best friend...a piece of my heart is now missing. The one thing I know is that Bianca was a huge supporter of me taking this trip. Every time I saw her she would ask new questions about my plans and encourage me to go through with it. Like me, she wasn’t fearful, or nervous. She knew it would be the experience of a lifetime and that it was something I needed to do. Going to the butterfly sanctuary was a tribute to Bea. The moment I walked in, it took my breath away. The butterflies were everywhere, flying over my head and skimming past my nose. There were all kinds - big, small, red, yellow, blue, purple, polka dotted. It was amazing. They made me smile and gave me comfort of knowing that Bianca is with me every step of the way…

The Slowness of Sarah

2010-03-02T04:15:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've posted and I'm slow. I have tons to tell! It's been an amazing last week and a half. I have just been on the go go go trying to see as much as possible in the week and half I had after I left Melbourne and before I met Amber in Sydney this past Sunday. I made my way down the East coast of Australia, getting suggestions from people, meeting up with friends (ha - funny I can say that), etc. I just bought a netbook yesterday b/c I was sick of spending money and countless hours online downloading pics and blogging. Now I'm hoping I can type on my own time in Word and paste it online when I'm ready. Another thing to lug around, but I think it will be worth it. Should have listened to my Mom and bought one in the first place before I left...Mom's are always right... I'm just now getting all my pics up to date and organized on the netbook and I will be working on blogging. I should have a few posts up in the next couple of days. I hope...

The Schlepping of Sarah

2010-02-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

My bff, Mary, gave me these bright colored luggage tags that say "Schlep" really big on them. Yeah, yeah. I admit it. I brought too much shit. And I actually realized it as I was running out the door on the way to the airport almost 2 weeks ago. You should have seen me - a crazy woman - tossing things out left and right into a laundry basket. Told my Mom to just put it all in "my old bedroom". The darn suitcase weighed almost 48lbs. and I hadn't even gotten to buy any souvenirs!! My backpack was full to the max as well. Here we are 2 weeks later and I have a package to ship back to my Mom with a pair of jeans (the white jeans I HAD to bring) and some tops (dry clean only tops). What the hell was I thinking??? White stuff just gets dirty and I want to shop! But I have no room to fit anything.... Starting to simplify. Ok, I will admit I caved and bought a flat iron a few days ago. Haven't used it yet, as I'm assuming it will do no good in this humidity, but I am sending back a few tops which should cover the weight of the iron, right? Also just realizing that I just want to be comfortable. I can still look cute in cotten dresses... All I want right now are short shorts and loose tank tops and thin cotton dresses.. So that is what I'm on the hunt for. Anything to keep me a little less hot. The wife beater style tank tops are not cutting it. And I really don't want to do laundry every 3 days since that is the only number of shorts I brought. I'm realizing that I really don't need all that much stuff. Weird, I know. Cool and casual. That's my new style. I'm tired of packing and unpacking and rummaging through the 2500 pockets in my purse and backpack. I just want to dump it all in one bag at this point. I may end up ditching the suitcase and buying a backpack. My arms are getting stronger by the minute, though. :)

Oh and btw, I googled how to spell check and it told me to use the spell check button on my toolbar. I don't have one of those. So we are all just going to have to deal...Sorry!

Off to sail the Whitsunday Islands for 2 days/nights. Will have a report when I return, as long as I don't get lost out at sea.. A joke, Mom! :) Mwa!

The Scuba of Sarah

2010-02-20T02:14:00.000-08:00

Ok. I have waaaay more to talk about than scuba diving, but I liked the title, and figured it would intrigue you. :) Plus, it's probably been the highlight of my trip thus far. I must admit, it's really difficult to get to updating this thing. I'm busy. What else is new? I'm on a 5 month vaca and I still can't relax or sit still. Today was supposed to be my down day and here I am at 7:15pm (I was up for a morning run at 8am this morning) and still haven't just sat and watched the telly or tried reading a book. Oh yeah - I also need to apologize for my spelling and grammer (as my Mom pointed out to me); but like I said, I'm busy. Can't find the damn spell check on this blog (also spent about an hour trying to figure out how the heck you all can get an update via email everytime I post - but I've had no luck) and it costs me $5 an hour to use the internet - so as you can imagine, I'm racing, as usual...

As I mentioned before, I was really comfortable in Melbourne. Ruth was absolutely amazing. She took my on a duck crawl on my last night. Basically we went to a few different restaurants in Chinatown and wine tasted (winemarkers get up and talk about their wines being featured). The life, right? Below is a few pics of me and Ruth (at her vineyard and out on the town). I didn't know how else to thank her besides taking her to dinner and a movie and also bringing her a book on Chicago and a box of Frango mints to remind her of a few wonderful things about "my city" and hope she comes back to visit someday so I can return the favor and host her.

So almost 2 weeks down and I can't believe how fast it's gone by already. I have probably learned more in the last 2 weeks than I have in a few years combined. Really! I can't even believe this experience. I was going to title this post, The Sink of Sarah (as in the Kitchen Sink), b/c pretty much everything "S" has happened in the last 1.5 weeks. The Sickness of Sarah - Ruth had to pull over on the side of the road on the way to the airport - God help her (and I swear it was a bug and not the fact I was out drinking the night before..). The Stealing of Sarah - first night in my hostel and my food got broken into in the community fridge (jerks! but see more below on my first hostel experience), The Snorkeling and Scuba of Sarah (again, see below). I can go on and on... Way easier to come up with "S" words than I thought. I think of new ones every day, but I've been terrible w/ updating my journal as well, and as the days go by, I forget! I'll try a little harder (as I must try a little harder to relax anyway..).

So getting to Cairns (pronounced Cans) from Melbourne...Literally booked my flight and hostel 3 days before...Not like me at all, but I've realized it's so normal to just fly by the seat of my points. Before arriving here, I was notified it was "wet season", something I failed to research obvi... So I was basically panicking thinking I would never make it here. But when I landed, it was bright and Sunny. Perfect! But as I stepped off the plane, I immediately began to sweat bullets (The Sweating of Sarah). It is so hot and muggy here. Gross! But I can't complain, as most of you are freezing your asses off. Sorry! I arrived at the hostel and it was way better than expected. I can't believe how many people are just traveling alone, hanging out, etc.

Made me feel so much better and normal! It's clean. The people here are so friendy. The staff are so helpful - not only am I getting accomodations for like $30/nights, but it's like I have my own personal concierge service. They immediately helped me book my Scuba trip for the next day. I got to my room (thank goodness it was w/ a private bathroom, as I thought I had a shared), and I had 2 roommates. Ann from Germany (she is traveling for about a year) and Sayaka from Japan (she is on a few weeks vaca in between jobs). Sayaka and I immediately hit it off and were ironically on the same dive trip the next day. We also made friends with Vesa (from Finland) on the boat. The 3 of us went to dinner that night - to Outback Jacks of all places (almost identical to an Outback Steakhouse - haha) and Sayaka and I spent some time shopping and getting lunch today before she was off to Brisbane. I might meet up with Vessa this week on the islands and Sayaka at the end of the week in Brisbane. 2 weeks in and I already have friends literally all over the world.

Scuba diving was unreal! For those of you who knew me when I was in grade/high school - I was always obsessed with the ocean/fish/dolphins. Even being a swimmer for 10 years, for some reason I never had the huge desire to learn to scuba (just felt that all that equipment was too much work), but OMG, I don't know what the hell I was waiting for. And the fact my first trip was at the Great Barrier Reef is crazy (which by the way from the plane, the reef was literally glowing - like neon!). It is such another world down there. B/c I'm not certified, I had to go "assisted", which really doesn't mean much besides the instructor is swimming close by the whole time. The first dive was tough. I sort of panicked... But once you are down there I kind of like to think of it as "Fight or Flight". Sounds nuts, but when you don't have a choice, you breath through that darn thing and make it work! My second time down was so much easier. I got to take a underwater camera with me as well and just snapped away. I saw a sea turtle, sting ray, parrot fish, clams that opened/closed when I put my hand over them, these purple things that looked like those purple tissue paper like flowers that when I stuck my finger to them, they popped inside their home. I pet a sea cucumber (picture of one below), which is basically velvety/slimey, and those big orange fish (pic below) had huge teeth and swimming right up to us. The pics don't do it justice AT ALL, as I say so many different fish and the color of the corral was unbelievable, I could go on and on for days.. So needless to say, I will be getting certified at some point (when I am in one place for more than 3 days) and can't wait for my next dive.

I have so many more udpates, but now I'm off to relax before my 11 hour overnight bus to Airlie Beach, in which I am hoping to get some sleep (I swear I sleep better on moving vehicles). Hoping it doesn't get canceled, as it's been pouring here alllllllll day (perfect for me, b/c I just ran errands and sat on the computer all day). Until then....

The St. Valentines Day of Sarah

2010-02-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning by a text from my Mom telling me Happy Valentines Day. I have to remind you that it was Saturday, 2/13, for her when she sent it (but Sunday, 2/14 for me). It was so sweet and thoughful and I couldn't ask for a better Valentine this year. :) Love you, Mom!

I had an amazing time at Ruth's family vineyard on Saturday. Her families house is actually right in the middle of the winery. Her family was so welcoming and the family dinner was unreal - with food and drinks overflowing. The food consisted of biscuits (crackers) and dip and smoked salmon and mayo on bread to start, followed by lamb shanks, fresh zuchinni and squash from her Mom's garden, and potatoes for dinner. After dinner we had the most amazing cheese and bread, followed my birthday cake for Ruth's Dad and brother, and last but not least, chocolates. The drinks were never ending as well. Her family has a wine cellar consisting of about 2000-3000 bottles of alcohol. We started out with two bottle of Champagne, followed by 3 different bottles of red wine from the family vineyard (one of the bottles from 1980 - Ruth's birth year), a bottle of port with dessert, and finally a bottle of Cognac from 1976. I couldn't believe the flow of drinks. This is the part of traveling that I love the most -being submersed in the culture, listening to the family tell stories of how they acquired the 250 acres of land almost 30 years ago, the winemaking process, and stories of everyday life in Australia. I couldn't have been more happy and have felt more comfortable - enjoying a nice home cooked family dinner halfway around the world. Her family is some of the nicest people I have ever met. To top it off, I even got to see my first Kangaroos hopping around right in her backyard!

Valentines Day I spent the day at the St. Kilda Festival, which included live bands, tents for shopping, and food vendors from every country imaginable. I must admit hanging out at a festival by myself wasn't the most exciting, especially given it was Valentine's Day; but I did enjoy relaxing by the beach and getting my first sunburn of the trip! The sun actually drained me and I came home and took a 3 hour nap - I'll take the sleep when I can get it, but I think I keep screwing up my sleep schedule.
A few things I realized today:
1) Festivals are not fun alone and I probably should have just visited St. Kilda on a normal day to really experience the town. It was far too overwhelming with the festival going on.
2) Dry Festivals are not that exciting either (you could only drink in designated areas, which were basically the restaurants and bars).
3) There are a lot of Jersey Shore type people here. I heard they were looking for a warmer climate to film in, maybe they will consider Australia...?
4) My backpack is not going to cut for festivals and trips to the beach - it's too darn hot on my back.
5) I really miss my trendy clothes. Solid color pants and shirts everyday are BORING!!!

Ruth came home and we both looked at each other and said we were in dire need of a healthy meal of vegatables. It couldn't have been more perfect that the huge zuchinni I brought her from my wine tour was sitting right in front of us. We ended up making zuchinni soup, which was quite delicious. We sat and chatted while drinking tea, and Ruth gave me some pointers for my trip to the Great Barrier Reef area. I'm a little bummed that it's their rainy season, but hoping things hold out for me to get out to scuba dive. I booked a flight for Wednesday - 2 more days left in Melbourne for me! I'm actually looking forward to moving on to my next destination. I'm ready for some activity and action!

Want to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day from across the globe and a very Happy Birthday to my best friend, George, back home!! Mwa!

The Sipping of Sarah

2010-02-12T17:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my first official wine tour through the Mornington Peninsula. There was a group of 9 of us - a couple from New Zealand, a couple from Ireland, and a Mom and her three daughters from Sydney on a Hen Party (Bachelorette party). We visited T'Gallant, Tuck's Ridge, Pier 10 (where we stopped for lunch), and Boxs' Stallion. I liked reading the "quotes of the day" at each vineyard, which were written up on the chalkboards and I learned a ton of new things about the wine making process such as tannins, oak vs. stainless steel barrels, acidity levels, etc. I even tried Pate de Foie Gras (duck liver), which was actually quite tasty. Side Note - I'm sure many of you remember hearing stories that pate was actually banned in Chicago for a few years due to the crude methods used to force feed ducks and geese for this delicacy, but the ban was lifted in April 2008. Anywho, the tour was great fun! I quickly made friends with the girls from Sydney. When we arrived at Pier 10 for lunch, there was a barrel of gigantic organic grown zuchinis to take for free - the biggest things I've ever seen! Tegan, Jessica, and I each quickly adopted one and somehow we ended up craddling them and pretending they were babies (what 20 samplings of wine will do to you when on an empty stomach). When Jessica let her 'baby' roll off the seat in the van, we called her an unfit mother. We were being so silly. The last winery we ended at was Box Stallion, which used to be a horse stable about 10 years ago - the stables were set up that you can sit inside for tastings/lunch. I found it quite cool that many of the names of the horses were still above the stalls and several were from the US. We all passed out on the ride home. The girls asked me to come meet them out for drinks, which I graciously accepted. After going home for a quick nappy, I met the girls out. We ended up at a bar in the Fitzroy area where there was a 14 person band, including trombones, trumpets, accordians, bongos, etc. playing Balkans Music (music of Southeastern Europe). The Balkans is an area which runs from the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia. The music was quite delightful and you all know how much I love to dance. This music was perfect for just bopping around, and feeling the music. It was so great to meet the girls and I have plans to meet up with them when I am in Sydney in a few weeks. Already making mates (friends) around the globe...

I am quickly learning the culture and the Australian language. Obviously English is the first language, but the Australians use different words for different things and annunciate words differently. I'm already to the point where I am stressing my syllables in different places, as it is definitely rubbing off on me. I could sit and listen to Ruth talk all day. It's completely mesmorizing to me.

It's a bit chilly and rainy here today, requiring me to wear a jumper (sweater). This weather can't make up it's mind...One day it's hot and humid, the next day rainy and humid.... Tonight I am off to Ruth's families vineyard. Her mum invited me for dinner. I'm excited to meet her family and do a little more "sipping". Cheers!

The Settling in of Sarah

2010-02-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

Aggh! I made it safe and sound. Leaving on Monday was not easy. I sat in the security line and balled my eyes out. My family dropped me off at the airport and all I was thinking was "The Second Thoughts of Sarah". Am I crazy? What the hell was I thinking when I decided to take this journey. I was extremely nervous and wasn't sure if I had made the best decision. By the time I landed in LA, checked into my flight on V Australia and heard the amazing Australian accents, everything changed. I quickly began embracing my new surroundings. I got so excited and giddy and couldn't wait to get to Melbourne (or Mel-bun, as the Aussies say). I wanted an accent already and hadn't even gotten to Australia. Seeing a bunch of attractive Aussie men didn't hurt the situation either.... :) I could tell immediately who was Australian b/c they all were wearing flip flops. The best was seeing 3 older "Harley" looking dudes. They looked like badasses, mean, tough, in their all black dress attire, beards, tattooed arms. Two things about them just didn't seem to belong. 1) Their accents - an Australian accent just does not come off as "tough". 2) They were all wearing rubber flip flops (or thongs, as the Aussie's call them). I just had to chuckle to myself...

The flight over was great. I watched two movies, chatted with a couple interesting girls next to me and slept a solid 7 hours straight. After about 30 hours of traveling, I was finally in Australia. It was 90 degress and sunny when I stepped out of the airport and the sun was beaming. I could not believe I was here. Ruth picked me up from the airport. She has an amazing aparment (or flat) smack dead in the middle of the city. It couldn't be more perfect. I already feel at home here. She is so kind and generous. We got a quick bite to eat, she gave me some great pointers on the city and I was on my way (tired as hell, but her #1 suggestion was not to go to sleep until nightime). I quickly got a new phone and just began to explore Melbourne -figuring out the lay of the land. Everyone is so nice here. It's a much more diverse and bustling city than I imagined. I feel extremely safe. I am quickly learning Aussie terms and have had to adjust to walking on the left side of the road... In the evening we headed to the Victoria Night market where there are tons of vendors selling all sorts of trinkets and food booths with every type of food you can imagine. And for a Wedneseay night, it was hopping. Ruth introduced me to a few of her friends, Dave, Laura and Sid. Again, they are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Everyone just wants to take care of me. It's such a comforting feeling.
Ruth is such a fantastic and interesting person. She has traveled a ton and her family actually owns a vineyard outside of Melbourne called Hanging Rock, so she is extremely knowledgable on wine. I've learned a ton already. She has a connection who offers wine tours, so tomorrow I will be getting picked up around half past 9 to head out to the Morningtown Peninsula where I will explore the vineyards, hopefully make some new friends, buy a few bottles of wine, and probably get a little tipsy...
As for today... I woke up around 9:30 (slept like a baby last night for the first time in months) and felt like a million bucks. I went for a run through the beautiful Botanic Gardens and stopped for an iced coffee on my way back to the flat. I quickly learned that an iced coffee actually contains ice cream...It was an extremely yummy, refreshing treat, but it pretty much just canceled out the 40 min run I just went on. Oh well! Living and learning... I plan to just mosey about the city today. Melbourne is known for the food and shopping so I plan to visit Collins and Chapel streets. Probabaly not the best idea for me, as we all know how much I love to shop... But maybe I'll just find some great souvenirs. Haha. Yeah right! We shall see...

The Sayonara of Sarah

2010-02-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

This was supposed to go out Monday night before I left, but was having a few technical difficulties with my phone....

This is it! The day is finally here. I'm nervous, sad, relieved, and excited, all at the same time. A lot of people have asked me what I'm looking forward to most. I honestly can't say. It changes every day. I have so many exciting things and adventures to look forward to. I'm so excited to meet new friends along the way and see more things than I ever imagined. Everyone has been so extremely helpful, supportive, understanding, and patient with me. I can't think you all enough! Especially my family. I have basically been a huge neurotic ball of stress this past week trying to wrap everything up before I leave. They have been extremely patient and supportive. Mom, Dad, Kristopher, Ashley, I love you more than you will ever know and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You have made this transition so much easier for me. I couldn't have gotten it all done with you!! Will love you and miss you!

First stop. LA. Kidding! But I do have a flight to LAX with a 5 hour layover, and then my flight to Brisbane, Aus. is 18 hours (with a connection to Melbourne). Eeks! I know. But I'm actually looking forward to it. I finally get a chance to relax, watch movies, read, and SLEEP!!! I stayed up all night to try to start to get my body ahead of schedule for the time change and so I can sleep on the plane. I'm flying V Australia (which is an airline of Virgin Blue). I have flown Virgin Blue to London, and it was fantastic (goody bags, great food, own personal TV with remote control to change channels and play video games). I'm hoping V Australia is just the same. I'm scheduled to arrive in Melbourne on Wednesday at 11:30am. Australia is 17 hours ahead, so it will be 6:30pm Tuesday night in Chicago (I think I just did that math right...). I was put in touch with a friend of a friend, who has been so gracious over email. She has invited me to stay with her and show me around. I'm so excited to meet Ruth and see what her city is all about... So until then. So long. Farewell. Bonjour. Adios. Ciao. Hasta La Vista... I hope in 5 months I have learned a few more ways to say goodbye along the way, and even more ways to say hello! XOXO

The Spill of Sarah

2010-02-08T00:40:00.000-08:00

This is my unveiling. What a lot of you have been asking for. My blog. About me, my travels, and my adventures to come over the next 5 months.

It started in the Summer of 2008. I had just decided to leave my marriage of almost 4 years and my relationship of almost 15 years. I will spare you all the painful details, because this is supposed to be about my new beginnings, but let's just say it was the hardest time of my life and the hardest decision I have ever made. What would it be like to be single in Chicago? I didn't have many single friends, I had never been "alone". I had never dated. Where would I begin??

The inspiration for SOS?
Let me just say that summer was a whirlwind. As soon as I made a few new friends and started experiencing what my "new life" would be like, I decided it was going to be the "Summer of Sarah". All about me. Free. Living it up. Doing things I had never experienced. Going places I had never gone. Meeting tons of new people that I never could have imagined possible. And one day, when I briefly mentioned the Summer of Sarah out loud to my boss, she said something along the lines of "Yeah. It's SOS". It was perfect. It stuck. And boy what a SOS it was. Quickly the Summer of Sarah turned into the Seasons of Sarah, which turned into more of the Story of Sarah (because I wasn't quite ready for it all to end). And I'm still not done. I'm still having the time of my life, happier than I could have ever thought possible. I guess now I can say I'm embarking on the Sojourn of Sarah. Curing my wanderlust. Living my dream.

So I must give a huge shout out to Angela. One of my rocks through all of my pain, one who would make me laugh every day regardless of how I was feeling, an unbelievable mentor and friend, my inspiration for SOS, and of course, how could I forget, my wonderful boss too. ;) Thank you, A. Tay. I miss you every day already!!!

The inspiration to travel?
Who doesn't want to travel??? But for real... I have had an opportunity to start over. A "second chance", so to speak. The two years of my life prior to and during my divorce and the pain I went through changed me. It broke me down to the weakest person I though I could ever be. And boy, was it a learning experience. I realized that you never know what it's like until you've walked a day in someone else's shoes. I learned to forgive, forget, be less judgmental, not gossip. I learned my faults, my weaknesses, my 'issues'. And I came out of it all a better person than I could have ever imagined. So when I started thinking about my life and what I was going to do now that being a wife wasn't my #1 priority, I realized I wasn't happy in my career. I wasn't being challenged, wasn't motivated. I decided I wanted to care about my career, put more effort into it, be more of "career woman". But of course, the economy started taking a turn for the worse. And what did I even want to do? Did I want to stay in the same field? Did I want to move somewhere else? I still don't know the answers to those questions. So why not travel? I love to travel. The economy sucks and I probably wouldn't find a job anyway. I'm single. My family is healthy. Why not?? And to top it all off, one of my favorite couples in the world came back in May from their 6 month journey around the globe and their stories were all it took.

So my second shout out and thank you go to Stu and Marisa. Without them, this trip wouldn't be possible. They were the ones who pushed me to the side of the fence that said "Do it! You will never regret it!" And they have given me more advice and help with my planning that my thank yous could never be enough. And as Stu would say, "The world is your oyster. You can just put that little pearl in the palm of your hand..." And I will do just that! Love you guys!!!

The inspiration for "The S of Sarah"?
I'm sure you are wondering, "What exactly is The S of Sarah"? It can be anything. It can be what I'm feeling at that particular moment I am blogging. It can be something that describes where I am, what I'm up to, what I've been doing, what I'm about to do. And of course it will always have to start with the letter "S" - hence the "Spill" of Sarah... Spilling my heart out like an open book. Giving you a little piece of me. I'm not going to lie. Sometimes the S words may be lame, they may not seem to make sense, it may be difficult to come up with an S word that is fitting for the moment or experience. Try to bare with me. Try to embrace it. Try to laugh with me, not at me. :)

So I must give a big thank you to my BFF, Ann, for brainstorming with me and confirming for me what I knew all along should be the name of this blog. Using her creative brilliance to fine tweak it with me. Ann - you will always be under my Umbrella, ella, ella. Mwa!!

This is it. Everything I wanted to "Spill". A little long, probably. But if anyone knows me, I'm a talker... I just hope that I can inspire at least one person to be strong, realize that time does heal all wounds, and that it's ok to take risks, no matter what anyone else says. Be positive. Try to always look on the bright side. Live your dreams. And like Rihanna would say in one of my favorite songs of all times "Just live your life".