Last week was pretty much relaxed, just a bit of working between 1 – 1,5 hours in the morning. The rest of the day hanging out at the beach, walking around, visiting Blackbutt Reserve (australian animal sight-seeing) and a bit handing out of my resumees. The weather was mixed now and then sun and one rainy day, but not day on Australia Day or my (our) Birthday!

Yesterday evening was an amazing firework at the Wharf, but when I decided to watch it from a better place it stopped. Oh well, the next one is coming soon.

Just before I started my dinner cooking, I got a call from Stephanie who invited me for a birthday breakfast. I was so surprised and enjoyed it so much. Thank you very much, Steffi! After the breakfast and my cleaning we went to the Wharf to the Maritim Festival. We got a great shoulder massage for free and watched the waterski race, jet show and boat show.

Steffi is also the one, who told me about ‘The Magical Flute’ at the Sydney Opera House in February. I’ve never been to an opera before and thought that’s the maybe the last opportunity. So I made myself a birthday present and bought a ticket yesterday. I’m so curious now and can’t await it.

What’s going on tonight? I don’t know yet, but I already bought some beers and found some company. Two french guys, who stayed here last week. They came back and we’ll probably catch up later.

Well, that’s it so far from me. The first month from 2012 is already over, guys!

Love
Kat

Now, since three days I’m in Newcastle and looking for a job. Made my decision to look here and not in Sydney. The train ticket from here to Sydney is just eight bugs. Means it doesn’t matter when my traveller pass from Greyhound expire in February. It’s not much loss, as it would have been from Mount Tamborine.

So, cross your fingers for me, that i’ll have a job till end of this week. The good thing is, that i’ve started working (two hours) for free accommodation yesterday.

Best greetings from windy Newcastle

Kat

I caught the train in Nerang to Beenleigh, where the Greyhound bus picked me up. The first time that Greyhound was in time. It also appear in beautiful new design! Well, I don’t think it’s a new design, but it looked different. Though, the bus was brand new, I didn’t like the seats at all. Got a stiff neck, anyhow. The route, which the bus took, was quite nice, now and then a bit green and loads of beaches with surfers. In Byron Bay, which is in New South Wales (NSW), where i now have daylight saving. Short, sunset is around 08:00 pm instead of 07:00 pm and one hour less sleep for one night. Actually, it doesn’t bother me and I’ve never had a jetlag yet.
We’re talking here about big jetlags, like 10 hours or more time differences. Incredible, one hour change made me sleepless. Actually, ridiculous! At 02:30 am, I started watching another serie from
Dexter (US crime serie) to fall asleep. Didn’t work really, I only remember that I woke up at 08:00 am this morning and didn’t feel tired at all. How weird can a day start!?!

I’ve been having knee problems since two or even more years now! I thought time for a change. Change, can mean anything. For example, change in moving, no sports at all or even change in dietary.
You may think what – food!? Yes, after I talked to Barbara and read a lot online, how important nutritions for your body are, I made an afterwards resolution for 2012. Ok, it’s not that,
that I didn’t know how important food is. But it can help to recover your body, if you eat what your body needs. Though, I’ve never been a big fan of resolutions, this year I make an exception. My resolution is “become a vegan”! It may sounds weird, but I’ll start or better I’ve already started to turn into a vegatarian. I didn’t want to make a hugh change at once. So, I’ll wait for Barbara and then we’ll make the final change. I’m optimistic that’ll work out for us. Right, that’s enough about resolutions and nutritions.

Back to Byron Bay and my first sunburn. Well, after a short night and a good breakfast, I went shopping. I’ve been looking for longsleeves for three weeks already. I didn’t find anything in Brisbane last year, which I could have bought. This morning I bought the whole shop, that’s my feeling. Well, my backpack has limited volume, means sth has to find the way out. I don’t throw my clothes away anymore, except if they are useless. I rather donate them to an
Op shop now. On my way back to the main street, I dropped my exchange clothes off in the shop and went to the beach. Honestly, I couldn’t stay longer than 60 min, which was apparently enough to get sunburnt. But it’s not that bad as in Coral Bay a year ago. Guess day temperature was about 33 degree celsius in the shade.

After a good vegetarian lunch I started my walk to the eastermost point and the lighthouse. It was a hot walk along the beach first and after that it got steep. Many steps up and down along the coast brought me to the far top. There it was the lighthouse with an amazing view around the easternmost point and a cold sprite!

Back at the hostel I “cooked” my dinner (fresh salad with cucumber, tomatos, tofu & avocado) and went again for a short walk. Actually, I wanted to catch some nice pics from the sunset, but the cinema and some trees didn’t allow me to take some.

Tomorrow is fruit & Veg market time. Before I gonna catch the bus to Coffs Harbour, I’ll definately have a look around. It’s always worth it, as they are often much cheapier than in Wooli’s or Coles (supermarket).

With the longest update ever, I’ll remain with sunny

greetings

Kat

PS: pictures are following soon.

2012, it’s already been a long time ago, when I started my travelling.
So far so good! But guess what, it’s getting more interesting in 12 weeks. The reason is my sister, she’s gonna join my for my travelling to New Zealand and maybe a bit further.

I’m still in the mountains and had some nice, but also rainy days up here. I like my work in the retreat and every day is a different day. I’m busy and “doing a great job”, according to my host. The team who I work with, is also nice, even Carolynn from the reception. After meeting her the first time, I didn’t expect that I would like her one day. She’s a special person, though. The last day 2011 and the first day of 2012 were as good as a play. I had off! Cruising through the mountains on a hop off and hop on tour was just the beginning.
While I was going from one tasting to another, I got drunk before midnight. Well, before I started “drinking”, I did
a Skywalk in the rainforest, so I saw at least sth. The cheese factory and the MT Brewery were my next stopp. Beer wasn’t that good, but who cares if you’re in good company. So, we went
together to our first winery, tasted a few wines and went to the next one. The whole afternoon was gone, when I returned to the retreat. Tired from drinking “everything” together, I went to sleep. Penny, a friend, picked me up an hour later. Originally, we wanted to go to a pool party, but I went again straight to bed. Around 9:00 pm I woke up and found out that Penny had also some drinks and weren’t able to go to the neighbour. We stayed at her place and watched the fireworks
from Sydney on TV. What a nice NYE! I didn’t regret it.

My days are counted here and I gonna miss it already.

New adventures are coming soon, so I’m not too sad!

Many greetings from the mountain

Kat

My bus trip to Brisbane took two and a half hour. The little roll hand luggage was worth it to buy, but I have to sort sth out anyways. Brisbane is the capital of QLD and therefor the biggest city. It became my favourite town here in Australia, as it’s so perfect. Close to the River, nice people, beautiful surroundings, stunning buildings – em – great! Steffi and me spent the most time together. Unfortunately our free botanical garden tour and the Tai Chi lesson were called off. They stopped this offer during christmas time. Walking in and around the CBD made us tired, but just before dinner
time we found the best place for a BBQ! Spontanously we bought some food and met again later after getting the rest stuff from our hostels. We didn’t stay in the same, so it’s been always a bit complicated where to meet and do sth. Kangaroo Steak and Salad for me and kind of hamburger in wraps and salad for Steffi. It couldn’t be better. On my last whole day we (Steffi, her friend Catalina and me)
took the bus to Mt Cootha where actually a good view over Brisbane is. The cloudy and rainy weather didn’t give us the expected view
and the next bus to town was an hour later. So we stayed at the restaurant with having a cappuccino, tea and a choclate. Our last evening was supposed to be our going out evening. A XXX for me and
a sparkling wine for Steffi in one of the harbour bars was the beginning of a nice farewell eve. The choice between ice cream and cake for a desert wasn’t easy, but we made it. Sharing a choclate mud cake and a raspberry white choclate muffin at a late time. Delicious! My last half day I used for shopping, but didn’t find anything I fall in love with. Anyhow it saved at least some money. Three days before Christmas I left Brisbane and took the train to Mt Tamborine.

Now I’m staying with a nice and busy family in a five star eco retreat over christmas and NYE.
More from here next week.

Merry Christmas
Kat