(On an aside, I'm trying to cut down the length of my posts so the few people who do read my blog, don't get tired....but in my defense, it's hard to summarize a one-month trip to 3 blog posts!).
Australia was also awesome. Again, I think I enjoyed it mostly because I went with people who were looking for the same kind of experience as me. Instead of trying to cover as much ground as possible in the little time we had, we spent a whole evening on the steps of the Opera House, just taking in Darling Harbor and the Harbor Bridge in the day, sunset, and through the night. I loved not having to worry about the time, and just sitting on the steps, absorbing my surroundings. It was beautiful. (I'll try to post some pics here). Sydney is a much bigger city than Auckland, so it was nice to be able to feel the buzz of city life again. For New Years, we camped out the ENTIRE 31st day on the steps of the Opera House. It was unbelievable. We got there about 9am to reserve our spot. And mind you, they barricade the region after some time, so it wasn't even like you could go out of your designated area and come back or after a certain time. But it was worth it. I for one, haven't really done much to celebrate NYE. Like ever! And so, it was really cool to be out. And the fireworks were (pardon the repetition) amazing. There really is a difference between seeing it in person and seeing it on TV! You feel like you are so much closer. One tiny disappointment though was the fact that the crowd wasn't nearly as loud or energetic as I had expected and hoped. I was imagining a energetic crowd whose energy would be contagious...but we started counting down only from 5. And there were private parties in the Opera House from where music was booming, and I really didn't appreciate that. I mean, I know they spend hundreds of dollars on tickets, but that doesn't mean you cause others discomfort.
Other than NYE fireworks, we went to Blue Mountains, which have a blue hue apparently because of the chemicals released by the thousands of acres of eucalyptus trees. We also went walking on the streets of Sydney, and wow, I fell in love with the city! Though I didn't get to interact with Aussies as much as I would've liked to because it was a holiday and there were hardly any stores open, I loved the vibe I got. It was a mix of old, colonial buildings and new, modern sky-scrapers. I loved the contrast...something I haven't seen much of here in the U.S. And I loved that there were so many landmarks, they were all preserved. Actually, now that I think about it, I still can't figure out what exactly about Sydney I liked so much....food for thought I guess. We also traveled on the commuter train, which if I may say so, was very rudimentary compared to what I had expected it to be! It was like Cal-Train, but rewound, decades ago.
Wrapping up, it was a great trip that came at a good time in my life. And the cherry on top was that I heard about my job offer during my trip, so I could relax a little about what would happen once I came home. More than anything, the trip confirmed my love for traveling, inspired me to be more adventurous at home and on vacations, and gave me a new perspective on issues that have been cropping up in my life recently, like my future: my further studies, personal life, etc. So yeah, not sure what to write here to sum it up, so I'll go with :D and cheesy as it may be <3
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Looking back, part two
What I ended up doing were outdoor adventures. I'm known in my family to be the coward when it comes to adventures and rides, so I was really surprised to hear myself say it. But I guess that's what a vacation allows you to do, it gives you the chance to go out of your comfort zone and try something new, something different, however cliched that might sound. And so we ended going snorkling, kayaking, on the cement luge, on a sky-lift and what not. I absolutely loved it. I loved the adventures, especially snorkling, which was scary at first. At a depth of around 20meters, the waters were 5X what I had expected them to be. But after a few minutes, I mustered up the courage and floated. And wow! I completely forgot the fact that I was snorkling, instead, it was like looking at a program on the Discovery channel...the waters were that clear! I loved the sense of adventure, I loved what I saw, and I loved being more daring and adventurous. I think from now on, I'm determined to step out of my comfort zone more often, and not just on vacations. I do want to try some stuff closer to home, like rock climbing, paint-balling and horse riding.
Other than the outdoorsy stuff, I also volunteered at my cousin's work-place. It was great because it gave me a chance to soak in the Kiwi culture. Living in my cousin's home, who is also the same ethnicity as me, I didn't get as much exposure to the Kiwi lifestyle as I had wanted but the work experience filled in that void. I was really impressed by the importance Kiwi's give to Maori culture and health. Maori culture is completely woven into the lifestyle there...from street names, to the law, to everyday life where there is an English and Maori name for everything. Though we do have laws to help Native Americans here, they are not nearly as prevalent as in NZ. What impressed me also was the fact that, as part of the Maori culture, they retained a spiritual aspect to life as well. For example, there was a 'Blessing' session where each of the posters to be put out were 'blessed' by prayer. I was really surprised and humbled by this. Here in the US, you often can't do that, as there will be people from many cultures and religions and you are obliged to stay neutral by taking a non-denominational stand. But I felt like the 'blessing' transcended religion. It was just asking for a simple blessing, irrelevant of who from. I feel like we sometimes get carried away with trying to ensure no one is feeling offended by being secular. Which of course, there is nothing wrong with, but I feel there is a difference between spirituality and religion. And in my humble opinion, spirituality is necessary for general well-being.
But I digress. Let's talk about the 'Land Down Under'.
Other than the outdoorsy stuff, I also volunteered at my cousin's work-place. It was great because it gave me a chance to soak in the Kiwi culture. Living in my cousin's home, who is also the same ethnicity as me, I didn't get as much exposure to the Kiwi lifestyle as I had wanted but the work experience filled in that void. I was really impressed by the importance Kiwi's give to Maori culture and health. Maori culture is completely woven into the lifestyle there...from street names, to the law, to everyday life where there is an English and Maori name for everything. Though we do have laws to help Native Americans here, they are not nearly as prevalent as in NZ. What impressed me also was the fact that, as part of the Maori culture, they retained a spiritual aspect to life as well. For example, there was a 'Blessing' session where each of the posters to be put out were 'blessed' by prayer. I was really surprised and humbled by this. Here in the US, you often can't do that, as there will be people from many cultures and religions and you are obliged to stay neutral by taking a non-denominational stand. But I felt like the 'blessing' transcended religion. It was just asking for a simple blessing, irrelevant of who from. I feel like we sometimes get carried away with trying to ensure no one is feeling offended by being secular. Which of course, there is nothing wrong with, but I feel there is a difference between spirituality and religion. And in my humble opinion, spirituality is necessary for general well-being.
But I digress. Let's talk about the 'Land Down Under'.
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