The Flashpack Princess

Not quite royalty, definitely not a backpacker. Just your typical bows and pearls and hiking boots girl. Following my newest adventure: Europe!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

Island Life

I've been in Guernsey for just over a week now, and it has been quite the adjustment. I honestly though living away from home, in another country, meeting loads of Brits, having a support system, etc would have prepared me for this. Quite frankly though, it hasn't. I've been dealing with the ups and downs of homesickness and adjusting to a very different way of life.

Up until now most of the people I've met in life have been big travellers, or at least really wanted to leave the nest even if just on holiday. And turns out a lot of Guernsey people don't want to leave the island or explore. There's nothing technically wrong with that but it does create a bit of a superiority complex that I've noticed. There seems to be a "I have everything right here on my little rock, nowhere else would be worth living in" mentality among some residents and I'm not a fan of close-mindedness.

However, on the flip side, most people have been lovely and very welcoming and eager to hear about my life and exploring as well which makes me feel a bit less like an outcast. I've been trying to slowly visit all the little tourist hot spots, but also spread them out enough that there are still things to see. One of the highlights was seeing the Guernsey air show display today which is something I've never had an opportunity to go to. There were lots of jets and stunts and aerial acrobatics and the weather was really lovely to sit outside and watch along the sea.

This weekend I'll be visiting the Hauteville House which was Victor Hugo's residence for most of his exile. As a massive Les Mis fan, I'm super excited and I'm hoping to get a copy of Toilers of the Sea to read at some point, as it's also about Guernsey. The weather has been unusually warm for September so I've been doing alright adjusting to my lack of Miami warmth, but we'll see how winter goes.

 As for travelling, in just 3 weeks time I'll be on my way to Dubrovnik to see the "pearl of the Adriatic" and embark on a two week exploration of Eastern Europe with Topdeck. I loved my last topdeck trip so I'm hoping this one can live up to my expectations. Should probably get around to booking those flights!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

Afternoon tea (and other britishisms)

Well I've made it to lovely sunny England! After a rather long layover in Iceland, caused by fifty knot winds closing the terminal after we landed, we made it here safe and sound AND managed to fit nine suitcases and four people in a teeny car. I'd also like to make a shout out to Icelandair for having the most wonderfully decorated planes with all the Icelandic vocabulary. I simply must get back ther some day, in the summer. We arrived around midday Sunday to London and drove out with the Guernsey Boy's mum and brother to Kent to stay with their family. So the past few days have been quite the experience! Their family is just gorgeous, so welcoming and made me feel quite at home. I've gotten to take a number of seaside walks and am loving being close to the water. I am definitely part mermaid. It's just like Miami except it isn't boiling and surprisingly it's actually rained less. Monday was spent in a cute seaside town, I think it was called whitstable? It was so quaint and I got to have fish and chips! Obviously my diet has been put on hold, indefinitely. Last night more family came around for dinner and then the lot of us younger ones went to the pub together. Today we visited even more family and I got to see the White Cliffs of Dover while eating in a gorgeous harbourside restaurant. Our last family stop in the UK was another auntie (they have a big family, lots of aunties and uncles and cousins!!) This one has an apple orchard and the most lovely apple juice I've ever tasted. They also had pigs who were both cute and mildly frightening, most as I didn't want my feet stepped on. In a few hours, the four of us will be on the way to the ferry headed toward Guernsey. I'm shocked by how long it takes to get to places. Not nearly as small of a country as I imagine, although guernsey is another story. Guernsey Boy is meant to take me out with his mates tomorrow night which I'm very excited about. Will be nice to meet some of his nice real friends, unlike the other awful acquaintances he had back at pilot training. Culturewise, they all remind me of just very polite Aussies, although I think they'd be offended by that (on both sides!) But I mean it in the best way! As a family though they're not particlarly reserved or shy and just have been lovely and really made me feel so happy to be here. I'm looking forward to seeing them all again while I'm over at Christmas again. Also, scones. They're definitely not biscuits but they are super yum! Off to bed now, to sleep for four hours before we have to depart for the ferry!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

The Final Countdown

Well I did that thing again where I forget to post for a while, mostly because my laptop has been buried in a bag for nearly two weeks. The Guernsey Boy and I made it back to New Jersey from Miami with relatively no issues. We had a relaxing train ride on the Auto Train, although I'm a bit peeved that they discontinued the free wine at dinner.

The past few weeks have been filled with day trips as our pseudo-vacation up North. We spent a fun hiking weekend visiting my old summer camp and staying in the luxury guest cabin. We've also made trips to theme parks, New York City, and run a million and a half errands. I'm always so shocked by how quickly time passes when you go somewhere. We have less than a week until we depart for Guernsey and I am bouncing with anticipation/fear.

I know I've done the whole "move to another country" thing before, but last time I had a job and a timeline when I departed. It's definitely nervewracking knowing that I'll be "funemployed" for the next few months. Luckily I'm doing a great job of thinking up adventures to embark on across Europe. I'm hoping to be doing a Topdeck trip in Eastern Europe at the beginning of autumn before it gets to cold to explore for a Miami girl like me.

Right now my biggest issue is, as always, packing. I haven't started but I've been doing a great job of purchasing new outfits that are hopefully warmer than my typical sundress and flip flops attire. A real winter is definitely going to be a shock to the system.

Other than that, I'm busy emailing uni over and over asking why they haven't posted my degree online yet. Super frustrating to think I'll be five hours time difference away if I need to keep sorting these things out if they don't hurry up. And now I'm off to the bank to move and transfer things all over and into other currencies to support my wanderlust.

See you soon Europe!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

The Best Part of Leaving is the Party!

With only a week left in Miami my life is in a mild state of chaos, between finishing my internship, taking my last final, and packing all of my life into suitcases. But I was able to take a bit of a break a relax from all of it on Saturday and throw a leaving do with all of my friends still down in SoFla!

We had an awesome time just getting together with friends, drinking, getting noise complaints from my apartment complex, etc! Even better, I was able to find some people to pass off some of my belongings to including a lamp and my fridge full of condiments. My old roommate came down from Ft. Lauderdale and brought me the sweetest scrapbook of memories from all of our crazy times together. It was such a lovely surprise and reminded me so much of how the best friends are the ones who you can go ages without seeing but as soon a you're reunited it's like nothing ever changed. 

So for my last week, I'm as busy as ever. Tomorrow I have my final for my cinema class, and of course I still have two movies to watch in like 24 hours before hand. Procrastination is a great motivator! Then Wednesday is my last day in my internship office which will be bittersweet as I've really enjoyed the opportunity to work with them. Hopefully I'll get to do a few more fun things before we depart Miami and then it's off to celebrate at Disney World!

Only 26 days left till I'm Brit Bound!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

Taking the Plunge!

I did it! I finally 100% committed to my European travels! I booked myself a one way flight to London for the end of August and I am both incredibly nervous and incredibly excited.

When it comes to travelling, I'm a dreamer through and through, but I always get a little apprehensive when it comes to booking things. I get so nervous that something might happen, and when you're a 20-something recent grad you don't have money for things to go wrong.

But now that the first step is done and dusted I can focus on the really fun part of travelling. I get to message all my UK friends and European friends to tell them I'll finally be on their side of the world for a change. Hopefully, some of them will be willing to share their couches so I can make my savings last further into this crazy journey.

I'm definitely most nervous about living with my boyfriend's family. They are the most wonderful people but it's always so hard to adjust to a new living situation. But I'm also so lucky knowing that even all the way across the ocean I have a place to come home to.

And while I have so many European adventures planned, I'm also really looking forward to exploring my new little island paradise, Guernsey. I've always been big into lively cities with millions of people so it will be really interesting to have a whole different experience. I'm also sort of obsessed with Victor Hugo, so I'm totally planning to walk on every inch of ground he walked on while I'm there.

Everything is coming together so fast that it feels almost surreal. I only have two and a half weeks of classes left, the Guernsey Boy and I are planning a leaving do, and then it'll be a quick few weeks back up North before I head off! So excitinggggggg!

43 days and counting!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

Packing (aka the tenth circle of hell)

Even though I'm not leaving for a good 7 weeks or so, I'm already playing the packing game as I move out of my little apartment in t-minus 33 days. And as always I've discovered, I OWN WAY TOO MUCH STUFF.

As I'll be visiting family in a few weeks I figured I could bring up a full suitcase to them and ease the amount of stuff I have when I do the I-95 drive north. But now I'm stuck deciding, "what can I live without for the next couple of weeks?" and "do I really need to bring this thing home at all?" Sometimes it just seems it would be easier to ditch my whole wardrobe and start anew!

Worse, I'm realising that 4 ish years of Florida humidity and sunshine have turned my wardrobe into a never ending summer. This does not bode well for moving to a country where it rarely tops 23 degrees! I have no idea how to decide what's worth bringing along, how many new pairs of pants and long sleeve shirts I should invest in, and mostly how I'm going to say goodbye to my unhealthy flip flop addiction. 

If anyone out there in internetland has any tips on packing when you're moving to a drastically different climate, feed me your wisdom!!! pleaseeee!

On a more exciting note, I've been looking through different transport options and tours to decide where to travel in Europe first! And my Guernsey Boy's dad has mentioned possibly sailing the Mediterranean next summer on a chartered boat, which is definitely right up my alley! So psyched to start another year of travelling and adventure! 

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

Deux ans après, New Adventures!

It's been nearly a year since I lasted posted in my fabulous blog, after finishing the most amazing au pair year in gorgeous Sydney, Australia! And it's been almost 2 years since I booked my flight and left for such an incredible journey. So much has changed but the travel bug is definitely still flowing through my veins!

Where am I now? Currently, I'm about 6 weeks away from finishing my uni degree in Ecosystem Science and Policy with a minor in Political Science! I'm living in Miami, going to class all summer, and also interning at an environmental non-profit and nannying part time. I have a new boyfriend since my last post after life turned some tables on me and The Australian. The boyfriend is The Guernsey Boy, from the Channel Islands and has a fab British accent and is sweet as can be. I'm ticking things off my Miami bucket list and spending time with Kappa sisters as I can't be sure when I'll be back.

Where am I going? When I finish classes in August, I'll be moving back all my stuff to New Jersey and spending some time catching up with family. Then from there it's an adventure!!! I'll be travelling to the UK and Guernsey to see my boyfriend's family and then living there while doing some travels around Europe. Right now I have a zillion travel ideas, including trips to Eastern Europe and hopefully a Greek Isles cruise when my mum visits!

What am I doing? I'm not quite sure! I'll be a recent college grad in a foreign country. I'm looking at work possibilities in Europe including another au pair run. It'll be a few months until I make an decision about that right now so I'll be enjoying seeing new places and new cultures and meeting new people. If any one who sees this blog has any job leads for me that would be super cool too!

Why am I on Tumblr again? I super loved blogging about my travels and everyday life in Australia so I want to keep my online journaling up again, for friends, strangers, and for me! I'll be changing my tumblr name to something more travely to complement my new adventure.

Hopefully, I'll have lots to share! Yours, The Flashpack Princess, Formerly Known As The Wonderful Au Pair of Oz

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On things that will be hard to live without

I've been home now for over a week so I think it's time I finally say goodbye. But I've been putting off this post so I could hold on to the last year just a little bit longer. It's hard to believe that nearly a year has gone by since I started this blog, but time always gets the best of us. There are no words for how grateful I am for this spectacular adventure and how lucky I have been to share it with some of the most amazing people in the world. So while this is the end, I know that something else is only beginning.  For the record, I started this post in May because I wanted to make sure that I didn't forget any of the things I've come to enjoy so much living in Sydney and Australia.

In no particular order:

TimTams and all of their different flavours

Watching Blinky Bill in the mornings

Panthers (and Wests, and the RSL, and basically every club I've ever entered)

Lipsyncing with my headphones on the train

Banana bread and cookie shakes at Max Brenner

The lack of snowfall

Spending my Friday nights watching the footy

Knowing my way around public transport

Taking the ferry and always getting a photo of the bridge and opera house

Rent free living

My Aussie TV shows (Rafters, Beauty and the Geek, MKR, XFactor)

Knowing that I can get a good drink and a cheap meal at any number of pubs

The cool flat escalator things they have so you can move your trolley between floors

Eating chips and scallops on rainy afternoons

Actually using my library card

Spending my days with adorable kids

Not having to cook unless I want to

Cotton On

Big W

Always having exciting adventures to take photos of

Blending my American accent with Aussie dialect

Having a reason to have a blog

The fireworks every Saturday in Darling Harbour

Large roundabouts

Learning about Aussie history

Lemonade being a sparkling sweet lemon soft drink

American things being unique and hard to find

Relatively mild winters

All of the lovely Sydney beaches (especially Manly)

Seeing Aussies from camp

Having a go at America with Aussies and Canadians

Slobbery baby kisses and cuddles from all of my little ones

No worries

Rocking thongs and sunnies

Coffee culture and little cafes

The immense amount of diversity in the culture

Working and working hard

Super cheap domestic flights

All the families that I have become a part of

Indulging my love for travel and adventure

Scoopon deals

Awesome friends in Australia, and around the world

Some of the most beautiful sights I've ever gotten to see

The Australian (and everything that comes with our relationship)

Knowing that I'm making myself a better person than I used to be, one day at a time

  "Did she ever come back?" "Not yet..."

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On my penultimate evening

I'm currently sitting in The Australian's bedroom, trying to very hard to come to terms with the idea that tomorrow is my last full day in this amazing year I've had the privilege of experiencing. In the past few days I've said so many more goodbyes, and they still never get any easier. It's helpful to know though that I've been so welcomed and cared for here and know that in the end it's just a "see you later." 

I've had so many ups and downs, twists and turns, and things that I could have never expected. I came to Australia with the intention of staying until May, having one host family experience, and continuing my relationship with my then boyfriend. While none of that happened, I am a serious believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason and all of those situations shaped me and my future. I am somehow both more independent and dependent at the same time, learning how to look out for myself but also when to lean on someone's shoulder. I've learned that there will never be enough time in a day or lifetime to do everything, but that just making the effort is what makes it all worthwhile.

My host families have both had their strengths and weaknesses, just like any family or person, and have made me realize how much I love mine no matter what. That being said, being away has also strengthened the fact that I don't need to be physically with someone to love them. I know that realization is going to drive my soon to be long distance relationship. 

Tomorrow morning I will head into the city for the last time of this trip. The Australian and I have a whole day planned together: finally going up in the Sydney Tower, taking the ferry over to Watson's Bay and getting a yummy Doyle's lunch, and then heading back to Darling Harbour and getting drinks at the same place we went to on our first date. While I have enjoyed and loved this entire year, I think its fairly obvious that The Australian has really made it special. I am going to miss him and his family soooooo much but am extremely excited that he has already planned his trip to America later this year!!

I am so grateful for all the friends I have gotten to know here in Australia, from his mates, to my old camp friends, to my amazing Canadian nanny bestie, to the greatest tour group ever. I consider myself to be very lucky to have gotten to enjoy my time here with all of these amazing people.

I am sure to be in a whirlwind of tears, hugs, and smiles over the next 36 hours before I really leave, but I definitely will have a final goodbye post in the near future. I just wanted to be able to express how thankful I am for absolutely every moment of this exhilarating and life changing journey and where it has brought me.

As for you America, you best get excited for my return!

Oh, P.S. here are a few shots from my holiday down south and in the outback!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On an unforgettable journey

Well here I am sitting in the qantas club at Alice springs. I am highly emotional and finding it very hard to process the last two weeks fully. The outback is so beautiful and every single day I saw something spectacular! We travelled through so many weird quirky towns and I've developed a real taste for a yummy roo steak haha! One of our best nights was an underground bunkhouse in coober pedy when we all stayed up together and chatted and sang and drank. Yesterday I did a gorgeous hike through kings canyon and only a few days ago I saw a gorgeous uluru sunset and sunrise. The trip did have sour moments like sleeping in a swag in -4 degrees weather in the middle of nowhere! But it was all part of a great experience. Crazy to think back that I was only in Melbourne 2 weeks ago. The best part though has been sharing the trip with 12 new amazing mates from all over the globe, including one who will be moving to Florida in 3 weeks! I'll be so happy to he someone to be all nostalgic with! But I am so so so happy to see the Australian in only a couple hours. I have missed him so terribly! Then I get ready for the end of this amazing year and fly back to the states. Prepare for a very sappy post in a few days!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On new friends and fine wines

Well I am currently driving through South Australia and having the time of my life. I had a wonderful two nights in Adelaide getting to know and partying with a great group of new friends. I could never write down all of the amazing things I've done over the past couple days but I do have a few favourites. On my full day in Radelaide I went on a lovely tour if the Barossa and bought a gorgeous bottle of moscato. I also spent an awesome night hitting the town with my new crazy mates and even rode a mechanical bull! I saw the Flinders ranges yesterday and got to yell at the top of my lungs on the top of a mountain. So strange to think that I'm really getting to the end though. :( Tonight is my last night in proper accommodation and then there is 3 nights of outback camping. Sort of afraid I'll freeze to death but hopefully I'll manage.

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On the road again

Alrighty, well Melbourne definitely grew on me after a few days and some gorgeous skyline pictures. I had a lovely time and will definitely be back again! Yesterday morning I began my Topdeck trip and while I was so nervous about travelling alone, my group is super friendly and quite diverse. We spent yesterday and this morning touring the great ocean road and have amazing photos from sunset at the twelve apostles. Today the weather took a slight turn for the worst but what can you expect from Victoria? Although most of our accommodation is hostels and camping, tonight we're at a motel and I'm loving private showers! We continue onto Adelaide tomorrow! Oh, and now that I have unlimited free wifi for the night I'll mention the Australian's birthday. He turned the big 23 on Friday and we had a lovely  dinner with his family at a yummy teppanyaki place. On the Saturday, his mates came over for a barbie and we all sat around the firepit chatting. I'm going to miss all of the amazing Aussies I know here. Finally on Sunday we visited his Pop and went for delicious afternoon tea, before seeing a late movie. And of course, he loved my presents. It was the best of last weekends I could have asked for. Anyway, off to bed. Can't believe I only have a fortnight left in this amazing country!!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On lonely travelling

So I made it to Melbourne! But I'm all alone. And I'm so not a hostel kind of person. It's like living in freshman year dorms again. But mostly, I just like having people to talk to and with less than 48 hours here that us fairly improbable. Other than that though, I am enjoying the lively capital of Victoria. While I think I'd be hard pressed to find it better than Sydney, it has gorgeous architecture and the street art is truly amazing. I went on a walking tour yesterday afternoon and walked up and down the  laneways. Currently, I'm sitting in the Queen Victoria markets enjoying a coffee and I'll spend the rest of the day exploring the old gaol and the mcg. Then tomorrow, I'll join my tour group for 11 days of Victoria, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. When I get access to a real computer I'll try to write a more detailed update and all about the Australian's amazing birthday weekend.

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On another round of goodbyes

After a great weekend, I started my last week of work on Monday. While I'm quite upset that this means my time here is definitely ending, I'm very excited to have a couple weeks of no work! Over the weekend, the Australian and I met a friend in the city for what was supposed to be ice skating. Well the World Square "rink" was little more than a 4x6 rectangle that could fit maybe like 20 kids. Such a disappointment. So instead we all got lunch, did a walk through the botanic gardens, and had a great afternoon at Max Brenner, instead. I also made my first trip to Rooty Hill RSL, the Vegas of the West! haha. I had a great time failing miserably at bowling and learning to play blackjack. Vegas better be prepared for my next visit!

Earlier this week I made my way all the way down to the Shire for dinner with my friend down there. We had a great dinner (and awesome mars bar cheesecake) in Cronulla, even though the weather was miserable. She even got me a cute little Australia charm necklace as a going away present! Too cute!

Last night, the Australian and I, met up with our friend that lives in Ashfield and we all went to the Ashfield hotel for trivia. We came in 4th place, and only lost by like 6 or so points so I think we did fairly well. I've actually never done pub trivia before so it was a good thing to knock off my bucket list! Since, I may not get a chance late, I also said goodbye to her. Definitely dragging out all my goodbyes...

I have less than two days of work as of now and I really need to start packing up my things. You'd think I'd be getting better at this by now, but not a chance. Tomorrow is the Australian's birthday and it will make for a great last weekend in Sydney!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On so little time

(Alright, yes, I did make another MK+A reference. Not sorry, they were definitely an influence in my very first desires to visit Australia.) But really, it's finally starting to hit me that there is just a small bit left of this amazing journey I've been on. In exactly four weeks, I'll be boarding my flight back to America. Back to "home." I think one's sense of home really changes when you've had eight addresses in less than four years. I'm definitely concerned about getting back into the swing of things when I head back, and then on to finish uni. And the reverse culture shock is going to be such a downer. However, I will be going whole hog with my dwindling days. I'm making every effort to see all of my Australian friends for dinner, drinks, anything. My two weeks travelling the south and centre of the country will also be a blast, I'm sure. But I'm most looking forward to celebrating the Australian's birthday next weekend! I went out last night into the city to start getting all of his presents and I'm just so so so excited. Can you tell I love birthdays?

Even though I've only been in Australia a relatively short time, compared to y'know Australians, I feel like so much has been happening here and I've seen so much. Just last weekend, the Sydney monorail did its last run. While I never rode it, it's strange not to hear it when I'm walking around the CBD. Also, they started introducing the new prepaid public transport system, which of course won't be of any use to me as if will be fully implemented once I'm gone. BUT, I can see if it's actually useful when I come back!

This weekend will be a fun one as usual. The Australian and I will be seeing some friends in the city to do ice skating at world square! I doubt it's as impressive as Rockefeller center, but nevertheless. On Sunday, I believe we'll be going to his Pop's place to teach me how to make caramel slice! So all my American friends, get ready for lots of yummy desserts!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On rainy days

The past two weeks have had the worst weather since I came to Sydney! It's been an awful rainy no good cold period and definitely not what I want for my last few weeks in Australia. Luckily, it has given the Australian and I lots of time to see a few movies. We've been to Monsters U, Man of Steel, and Despicable Me 2 in a bit over a week! All really great films, if you're thinking about them.

I've also been watching a lot of the footy this past week. Travelled out west to watch game 2 of State of Origin, only to see a virtual blowout by QLD. Luckily, there's still one more game left in the series and I'm confident my Blues will come out on top this year! Speaking of being at the top, my football club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs are still at the top of the ladder!! We went to their game on Friday night, in the rain, and watched them take down Canberra. A good ending to the last game I was able to see live before I leave.

Saturday, the Australian and I went to a send-off party for one of his mates who is joining the Army. It was a very bittersweet moment, as it was his first friend to really move away but we wish him nothing but the best. Hopefully, it will inspire the Australian to get serious about going where his next adventure takes him too.

And today, I had to say yet another goodbye, as the Australian's grandparents will go back this week. Despite their shortcomings, they really are lovely and they only had well-wishes for me. Even with all the endings and goodbyes around me, I'm not really ready for my own in only a few short weeks. Until then, I have so much to look forward to: ice skating, birthdays, travelling, and more, and I don't have the time to mope about just yet!

[theflashpackprincess-blog]

On Renovations

I moved into my new house last Sunday night to discover that there were still significant steps to be taken in the renovation. There was no flooring in the kitchen or lounge room, no one had curtains, the roof was missing in the one bathroom, and among other things there was no internet set up yet. I wouldn't say I'm addicted to technology but I've certainly come to depend on it, especially when I take care of a baby who naps and I have nothing to do. I've been bored and incredibly frustrated, as the noise of the builders tends to keep the baby from napping and I end up having to walk him around the neighbourhood for hours. Luckily the wifi should get turned on at some point today, so if this entry gets posted, you'll know I'm back online. The house is really coming along and it’s a bit sad that I'll probably be leaving just as everything gets finished. It’s definitely starting to set in that I'm really on the last couple weeks of my adventure. Last weekend, the Australian and I made our way out to the Blue Mountains for a day trip. It wasn't nearly as cold as we expected and the views are absolutely stunning. I definitely enjoyed the railway they have, which is the steepest incline one in the world. His grandparents are also up from Tassie for the next few weeks so they’re staying at his one the weekend. They’re not my favourite people, if I'm being honest, but they’re good for some laughs. My Canadian au pair friend flies home this week so I got to see her and co. for drinks out on Saturday night. While we haven’t hung out as much lately, with us both travelling and changing families, I'm still so grateful as she was the first real friend I made in Sydney; definitely very sad to see her go. The Australian and I also got a hotel room on Saturday in the city, foreseeably the last time we'll stay in one while I'm here. It was quite the swanky place and we enjoyed the free upgrade. We got massages in the health club and I'm happy to say that he enjoyed his very first spa experience! We’re pretty low key but we do like the finer things in life too. My time here is ticking away so quickly and there’s still so much to see and do here that I have been getting a bit emotional about things. But I've still got 7 weeks to have the time of my life and that’s just what I intend to do. I'm trying to cross things off my bucket list like one more footy game and another ferry ride.  And I'm sure I'll have lots to tell you!