A simple sentence

I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I only aim to touch, empower, and inspire you.

Why? Because I'm little!

I think we all get to that point in life where we feel too busy to even breathe. All my spare moments have been dedicated to yoga and I've been so caught up in my own life I haven't sat down to think outside my bubble lately. I can imagine the shocked look on your face if you know me - Usually it's hard to contain my thoughts to something realistic that fits InSidE that tiny little bubble...

But alas it has been a while so bare with me if I'm a bit scattered on this one.

So anyways this realization is where I got my inspiration for this post on one of my favorite feelings - being small. Not in the sense of being weak or belittled, rather in the context of the world at large.

I was watching Planet Earth the other day and up pops the Great Barrier Reef. All the stats, facts, and crystal clear video footage was right there in front of me. I was looking at it, listening to it... but I wasn't seeing it or hearing it. I had flashed back to my own experience at the reef, the things I saw, felt and heard. I remembered the bumpy boat ride out to the crystal blue waters, the tingling sensation of the sun as it kissed my skin. Even the suction of the goggles as I put them on my face. I could vividly see myself sitting with my legs off the edge of the boat, hesitant to jump in the cool waters.

Then it was if I didn't jump in to the water at all, but rather a black hole. What I saw once I hit this watery black hole was another world. Well... an intimidating looking white tip reef shark only feet away from me, AND another world :]

The excitement, the curiosity, the energy of adventure swept through my body even as I visited this place in my memory. Everything I had seen from the comfort of my couch was now right there in front of me. Television, books, videos, articles, magazines, pictures, do it absolutely no justice.

Looking at the reefs was like looking down on another planet. I felt a bit vulnerable out in the open water but mostly, I felt small.

It's so easy to get caught up in our own lives. The places we go, the people we see, the routes we take and even the little short cuts. We find comfort in our houses and in our own country. It's so easy to forget just how big the world is. I recall having this feeling on numerous occasions upon my arrival in Australia. I remember trying to explain it to friends and getting an ignorant response that I was an "America hater" and they never expected me to come back. So I'll make this clear right now - I'm not hating on America. It is my home, it always will be. I'll never find the comfort I find at home in any other country, it's just too different.

My point is, in America we are very focused on ourselves. We have a big country with lots going on. Yes we hear about Japan and Europe and China... but it's usually over issues that involve us. Keeping us connected and caught up in ourselves seems to help create a great sense of pride for our country. And possibly a great sense of ignorance for others. Most of what I believed of other countries I got from various movies and videos. But when you are living as a 'local' in another place...it's quite different from the stereotypes that are depicted.

THE WORLD IS DRASTICALLY, COPIOUSLY, EXTENSIVELY, PROFUSELY, UN EXCLUSIVELY, BOUNDLESSLY - I cant even find the words to express the multitude of just how much BIGGER IT IS THAN WE REALIZE.

and I love it, I absolutely love it.

Our comfort zones are like one single chamber in an ant colony of one little hill in one city of one state of one nation of one continent of one plate on the earths surface! and boy oh boy do I love leaving it.

Balance & the law of attraction

"There are no miracles or coincidences in life; Just that you attract them at some point in time."

I was recently speaking to a friend about the Law of Attraction. And it really got me wondering how many other people might over look

the little things that make our world go round. So here is my little two cents on the subject.

In simple terms the law of attraction basically states that I attract to me whatever I give my focus or energy to. It could be something I want, or something I don't want. The law is impartial, and impersonal.I believe that life is sustained by a constant balance within our universe. The simplest things formulate this

balance. In one of my situations I was constantly giving to others. Advice, food, energy, etc. And because of this law of attraction, I attracted other givers to me. I met some amazing people willing to take me in and give me surf lessons and a hell of a fun time. Why? Because the law of attraction threw us together. You transmit kindness to the universe and the universe balances that by sending kindness back.

So back to this friend I was speaking to.. We were having a conversation about all of his bad luck... and when I say bad luck I mean some atrociously lousy freaking luck. Seriously, I can't even fathom how it's possible to have so much go wrong in such a short period of time, but he accomplished it. If getting fucked over was an Olympic sport he'd have the gold medal! From my perspective what it came down to was his personality, his energy and actions that he put in to the universe. He is a fairly greedy and selfish fellow - and hey if you're reading this don't get mad YOU told me that's the type of person you are. And so you don't come strangle me, I'm leaving you anonymous...so no worries? I hope :D -

Anyways he is constantly transmitting these traits out in to the world, and by law of attraction it's exactly what he is receiving back. Constant greedy selfish people stealing his stuff and taking advantage of him for their own benefit. It's so amazing how quickly and obviously this law works out.

I'm always striving to attract positivity to myself. But let's face it..shit happens. I wish I was a guru or a monk or someone so super calm and tranquil at all times. But alas I am human... and I think it's easy to let the negative stuff rub off on us, and then from us to others...Keeping us in the vicious circle. Constantly sending out negativity, and thus receiving it back. The only way I have been able to break free of this cycle is through self awareness and realistically assessing the person I am.I've learned - especially while traveling - that a little good goes a long way. Things as small as helping someone carry their groceries through a door, giving a friendly smile and hello or even picking up rubbish from the street, all will come back to us for that balance. Typing this out actually sounds silly... I would hope that we were all raised to do these things on a normal basis anyways... but as we get old I feel - at least with myself - that some nice things I do reflexively, and others I couldn't be bothered to go out of my way to do. But it's those things - the ones that make you have to give a little bit extra - that will give a little bit extra back to you.

I could go on and on about this subject.. but don't take my words for it though..try it for yourself. Figure out what it is you want, and convince your mind that you have already received it. Visualize it. Be good!

Whatever you send out the universe will send back to you. It helps those who helps themselves. More importantly allow yourself to be open to the idea. You never know what could attract to yourself :]

My Family!

Family are the ones who will be there for you always. They are our best friends, our mentors, everything we hate, everything we love. Unfortunately we can't pick or choose them, and the ones we have we are stuck with for life. I think many of us take this special bond for granted sometimes. It's so easy to get comfortable with certain people and settings. I realized being away this year that expressing gratitude and thanks to those I love and care for is one of the biggest secrets to a happy lifestyle. Maybe that's why I enjoy

writing this blog. I enjoy YOU reading it because it's my way of giving something to you while I'm so far away. Quite frankly, I'm amazed you even take time out of your busy days to get on and follow the life of some girl, who really has no idea what she is doing.

As teens we take our parents for granite. Nobody wants a big fat kiss and a sack lunch from mum as she drops you off in front of the boy you've liked all year. In those days, our friends seemed to take priority and the role of family became simply an annoyance. Now after all the dramas of school wash away, what remains are a few close friends, and more importantly our family.

This trip with my mom and dad was amazing. Of course Marley and I still miss the hell out of Leslie....but we know we will see her in due time :] We traveled through two countries and did EVERYTHING. My mum planned this out so well. In the south island of New Zealand I don't think there was one thing that we missed. We started in Christchurch and made our way to

Queenstown, stopping off at the beautiful Mt. Cook along the way. Mt. Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand...it reminds me a bit of home once you get right up close to it. Anyways we spent a few days in Queenstown which was my favorite city! From here we ventured to Fiordlands, a place I have waited my entire life to see.. and boy was it worth the wait. Our travels through the National Park ended us at Milford Sound. Where enormous mountains cascade directly into the ocean all the way

out to the Tasman Sea. We took a cruise through the sound out to the

sea...saw some seals and enormous waterfalls. This place is like an absolute dream. By the time we had a free day to spare it was nice to just roam the city and stop off for some wine tasting. Our next stop was Franz Joseph Glacier. As everything in New Zealand it was a spectacular site. We hiked up as close as we could through the jaw dropping landscape. Our trip ended with a locomotive train ride up, over, around, between, across the rugged landscape of the Southern Alps....the viewing deck totally freaked me out...

Once we got to Melbourne my mom pampered us a bit. Let us get our hair cut and our eyebrows waxed. We haven't had anything like that since we left. It made me feel...human? again. haha! It's nice to get back some of the little things we take for granite - including REECES! which mommy brought a few packs of! - So anyways Dad was working hard, as always, so most of our days in Melbourne were spent wandering the fast paced artsy city. Our last night we spent at the Penguin Parade on Philip Island. It exceeded my expectations by a landslide. You sit in darkness and silence as you watch hundreds of penguins emerge from their fishing trips and make their way back to their homes. They are always moving in groups of twelve or more. There is even a board walk so if you are quiet you can walk them home from work :] Absolutely astonishing site to be able to sit in their natural habitat and see them in the wild. Not in a cage at the zoo of a scorching hot city like Houston. It's in my top 3 greatest things I've done in Australia.

Just as fast as the family came they left again. You would think after three weeks of spending every day and night with each other we would be ready...but we weren't. It wasn't settling in that we were so far away from home. Maybe it's because home is where you make it with the ones you love... I dont know for sure but what I do know is that I'm lucky to have a close family who is so supportive and caring. It's easy - okay..... not exactly EASY, but doable- to be away from my family because I know no matter what they will be here for me. Doesn't matter how far across the planet I travel, they will be around for support and a balanced meal every now and then. I know we are all in this together for life. And I couldn't be happier with the silly, diverse, funky, dramatic, blonde (MOM), sometimes irritable, lovable bunch that I've been given <3

Currently Marley and I are headed to Perth, all the way to the west of the country, to try our

luck at finding jobs and a place to live. I'm so excited to see my Miller family. I practically lived with them back in my early years of high school. The only thing it will be missing is my best friend Kristy <3

And so a new chapter in our journey begins...and it started in the lobby of the nicest hotel in Melbourne! haha

This video is just what I got in New Zealand. Enjoy the scenery and change the video to HD on the youtube link. I promise it's worth it :]

The Road Trip

1,077 Kilometers, 13 cities, 6 petrol stations, 5 campsites, 4 wrong turns, 3 awesome girls from 2 separate countries on 1 big adventure.

I have gotten really comfortable letting go of expectation in my yoga practice...however every day life has been a bit of a different story. Okay, it's not even a different story it's a different book of a different genre written in a different language all together. And quite frankly it's a difficult translation. I realize it's natural to develop expectations. Sometimes I do when I'm really excited and day dreaming about an upcoming adventure. Other times I create these expectations to help ease my worries and fears of the unknown. Every now and then I pretend that I'm sitting here on a high horse telling myself that I don't have expectations. After all, I plan everything so it will come together just perfectly!! However in the end I always manage to fall off that dumb horse, banging my head in to the same reality.

Nothing ever goes according to plan.

As much as this bang hurts I can appreciate the irony because for most of us, life seems to happen while we are busy making plans for it. Though

I'm proud of the balance I have managed to acquire thus far, I am as

we all are and always will be - a work in progress. And from the heart of this tangent comes the story of my road trip. A summarizing story, from a broad genre, in one simple language :]

Juicy van rental - $300 AUD

Petrol - $50 AUD

Ten days of rain on your road trip - $Priceless$

Okay so none of us expected over ten days straight of rain, but we got it any ways. Every city we entered we dragged the rain in on our bumper..every place we left in floods. But along with this endless rain and out of tune sing along songs came thousands of insides jokes and memories to last a lifetime. Who can complain about that?

I'm proud to say that out of 10 days living in a van, we managed to shower EVERY single day. So take that smelly euro backpackers! You have no excuse for your grungy, smelly, hippie exhibition.

Day 1-2

Surfers Paradise-- This place was a time warp back to the seventies surf scene. It's not exactly a "surfers paradise" now a days. The streets and beach are far too packed with tourists for any surfer to really have a good time there. The city seems to have become more of an 'image' for an Aussie surf town, rather than an actual Aussie surf town. However it's great for ladies and free drinks! The city life is bumping and you will never be left without something to do. We didn'

t pay for one drink at any bar our entire stay here - and it wasn't because men were buying them for us! We parked our little penthouse on the beach. (Our penthouse was the top of our van that popped up in to a bed) Parking was free for most of the evening so all we had to worry about through the night was the obnoxious drunk people running, screaming, laughing, some even crying past our van on their way home from the bars. Here we managed to successfully cook dinner from the boot of our van whilst on the side of the road in

camper chairs.

Coolangatta-- We didn't spend too much time here. It's a quiet little city just north of the boarder of New South Wales. It was one of the main places I wanted to see along the way, but it turned out to be fairly anti climatic. We had no desire to stay here long and quite frankly, that's all I even have to say about the place!

Tweeds Head-- Just across the boarder in New South Wales this was also a fairly quiet, but bigger city. Sadly it was quite boring. Due to rain we couldn't enjoy the beach and there really wasn't much else there for us. Instead of staying the night here as planned, we looped around and headed back up to Surfers Paradise so we could properly celebrate Australia Day.

Gold Coast Sea World-- Meh. Not as big as even the smallest Sea World back at home. The polar bear was being lazy, the penguins were tiny and Shamu was no where to be found! At least any time is a good time with the queen and Marley. We made the most of our time watching the phenomenal dolphin show and laughing at the sea lions. Oh and lets not forget all the dancing in our I <3 Aus shirts. - You'll see that in my video shortly.

Day 3-5

Byron Bay-- Where hippie is a fashion statement! This place is crawling with dread locks and hemp. However we couldn't help but love the laid back atmosphere and the tranquil view of the ocean and lighthouse. There is something calm, soothing, and quiet about this party town. Unfortunately we couldn't surf - or attempt to rather - while we were there due to the on going rain... But we did end up stumbling upon a lovely little cafe called Dip Coffee. Not only was it the best coffee in town but their mushrooms were so good we order a mocha with

a side of mushrooms, no joke. Any item on the menu is delicious and nothing beats the atmosphere. It's a very open cafe with plenty of art work and always some rockin' tunes. Somewhere between convincing a man to join the strip contest then swinging his clothes around our heads, and getting an $80 parking ticket - we learned to love this place.

Day 6-7

Lennox Head-- I loved this place. As Abbie's personal city, it's rather quiet for how loud she is =P Although in the short amount of time we spent there, it's hard to judge. This little town has an amazing beach - with hardly any people! After Abbie got her picture taken with every "Lennox" sign in the entire city we danced on the beach before continuing on our way.

Emerald Beach-- We went here in search of an Emerald Cave and the possibility of a "Goonies" style adventure. We left in disappointment.

Dorrego National Park-- What a gorgeous place to drive through. There weren't many turn outs for pictures but the sites were breath taking. It was awesome to see this side of Australia. Most people think of Oz for it's beach, kangaroo and outback. But it has an astounding chain of National Parks. Sadly, our campsite didn't exsist anymore....I drove for kilometers upon kilometers looking for it....Unfortunately passing by most of the waterfalls we wanted to see. It was just too creepy to stop

off in the pitch black while our petrol was running so low. We were luck not to hit any wallaby along the way. Though we did see a giant white owl. It flew from the side of the road right over our car....Biggest owl I have ever seen, then again all the animals in Australia are huge and/or deadly.

Day 8

Armidale-- When we arrived in this city I had no idea where or what it was. I had been riving for 9 hours and was convinced we were completely lost. But I didn't care. I wanted lights and a place to get out of the van - and never look at it again. Armidale turned out to be a great stop to get directions. The people here knew all about the surrounding parks and even recommended a more scenic route for us to take down south.

Dangar Falls-- We read and heard a lot about these falls in travel books and on the maps. They were absolutely breath taking and just what we needed to rekindle our (literally) soggy spirits. It was here that I finally realized how grateful I was for the rain. The light showers and overcast brought with it a beautiful string of clouds, sitting low just between the mountain tops tops. Creating a vibe and a certain energy the sun could never match.

Random Falls-- Don't remember the name of this one, which is a shame, they were the best.

This litte hidden jewel wasn't written about much anywhere. A man in Armidale recommended it to us. A thirty minute detour off the highway this was my favorite stop of the entire trip. Though I had to risk my life to save Marleys circular polarized, I'm glad I survived to tell the tale of this place's beauty. Here you can get much closer to the falls than at Danger. There are a few little platforms that hover right off the side of the mountain. Just don't drop your camera equipment off the edge!

After the falls we continued down the "Thunderbolt Highway" which really wasn't much of a highways at all. It was one of the most scenic, winding road through the mountains I have ever seen. It lead us through bright green pastures accented with grey sky and a line of white fog through the centers. There was fog laced between the trees and around the leaves and bushes. It was hands down the best stretch of road I have been on in Australia thus far. After driving through two towns - which should have had campsites - We drove past some... Camels?? Wait camels? Yes, camels. I flipped the van around and sure enough....4 camels are grazing in the pasture. We jumped out to snap a few pictures of these "Aussie llamas" as we decided they were. While walking back to the van we noticed a sign for a campsite, and an arrow down a dirt road. It's no where even on the map...but we go for it anyways, crossing our fingers there is something out there in the middle of no where. Sure enough there is. Quite a cute little site as well. The most luxurious camping we came across on our trip. You could rent fancy cabins, or just a few blades of grass to rest your tent/campa upon.

Here, in this very site, is where we had our spider experience. To summarize, Abbie noticed a giant spider inside our van once we had settled in. Of course our van door had a funky child lock so the door only opens half the time. This particular night no such luck was on our side, the door would not open. We were stuck in the van, with spider. After much panic, swearing and squirming we finally got out of the van. Marley ran to grab a neighbor to get it out for us. She returns with an Australian man... He took one look at the spider and said " aaaah it's just a little tranny!". When I asked him if he wanted a cup to catch it he replied " ah, I'm Australian!" and proceeded to get the spider out of our car. Needless to say none of us could fall asleep that night. If you want a real tear jerking, stomach aching, six minute long laugh... stay tuned for the full audio footage of this - Hilarious is an understatement.

Day 9-10

Newcastle-- This place is so ugly it's beautiful. There is lots of old school culture, it's what I picture parts of England to be like. There is a giant lake leading in to the sea..which was the only site we were able to see on our list due to the storms.

Sydney-- FINALLY. We couldn't have reached real beds soon enough at this point. Our cab was too small and we managed to pick the WORST hostel in town. But we were just glad to lay our heads down and sleep without having to move 8 pieces of luggage and spoon each other all night.

Alright that was my lazy summary of the trip. I'm too tired of typing to elaborate any more at this point and quite frankly if you are still reading this, I applaud you.

The videos always speak better than my words any ways so enjoy.....

Two weeks in 9 minutes of footage!

It's in HD so make sure you change the settings when you open it in youtube...

I didn't even know about that until 5 minutes ago. Stupid youtube.

First surf! - Burleigh Heads

n.spi.rat.ion.

Noun:

The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative

I'm often inspired by nature, books, philosophies, pictures, music, silence. It was my intuition that inspired me to move to Australia, and again to wander down the coast. More importantly, I've been fortunate enough to have two amazing sisters as inspiration. Each in their own unique ways have guided me through the curves and hurtles of life - even though sometimes they literally threw me in to said hurtles -

Although it lingers in faces and spaces all around us, sometimes it takes inspiration to see inspiration. Meeting the Smart brothers opened my eyes a bit wider to what, and who, really inspires me. Most travelers I have met are wandering and creating themselves as they go. Some are running from their roots, or a criminal record (just kidding mom!). Most are just trying to figure out who they are and what they stand for, others just to get a better understanding of where they come from.

It's exceedingly refreshing to meet genuinely good people.

Ones who aren't afraid of who they are and where they come from. The ones who embrace every thing that's ever happened, good and bad, because it's made them who they are today. We embrace bonds as siblings, friends, humans, all in a giant push to better, not change ourselves. The Smart brothers inspired me to be inspiring and if you are reading this, Thank You. It's not often I stumble upon other like minded individuals who are driven, down to earth and truly warm hearted.

Our time with these men should have been recorded for a television sitcom. Few things are as hilarious as two Americans stuck with three English people. I thought we all spoke the same language...until I was thrown into a room with all of them. Note to all: Fags are not homosexuals, slag is NOT a compliment, "taking a piss" isn't literally taking a piss at all, and the English people suck at monopoly - Big Time! - :]

I will give them this though; their native dishes are superb: Spag Ball (Spaghetti Bolognese), Beans and toast, Bangers and mash (sausage and mashed potatoes w/gravy). These were the fuel to our surfing endeavors.

Whilst in Burleigh we were able to catch part of the Billabong Junior Championship. Such talented young kids all confined to just one part of the ocean made for quite the spectacle. It made me itch to get more comfortable on the surf board and in the ocean.

Sam was patient enough to teach us all how to stand on the boards, and to catch a wave - he is like a man sized pair of training wheels! - His passion and enthusiasm reminds me of myself sometimes. Always stoked to teach others about what we love to do in hopes they will love it to. Anyways he got each of us standing in no time at all. In fact, the day after we learned Marley and I set out to the ocean on our own. Now that was an interesting experience. The waves were banging in multiple directions, the wind was rough, the surf board was ridiculously heavy. It took all of our energy just to get the damn thing in the water and the rest of our energy was spent skulling (chugging) sea water. Without Sam we were rubbish, but with him we felt like pros! He successfully started a spark in both of us.... now we are dying to get better!

As for Abbie, well surfing wasn't exactly her cup of tea...but damn she looks hot tanning on the beach! :] Our plan was to get her a body board but with all the rain, we haven't been able to step foot in the ocean our entire road trip. But! I'll leave that story for the next post.

Enjoy the video. Enjoy your life. Enjoy your friends, your experience.

Aspire to be inspiring!

Avit!

<3 :]

Brisbane

What an interesting city.. to say the least. We were always stumbling upon something whether it be museums, coffee shops, or in Abbie's case - the stairs! So much has happened to us in such a short amount of time. It's amazing how things just sort of work out. I'll admit before we left I was absolutely stressed about our plans, or lack there of rather. I didn't have enough time to map out the details so I may have been freaking out a little bit -- I can about imagine my mother laughing at this point. I was dragging her out to sea with my tidal wave of emotions. "MAY have been freaking out?" ...... Okay fine, in all honesty if my episode was the
equivalent of a natural disaster it would have been something along the lines of hurricane Katrina. Reflecting on it now, I guess these thoughts and emotions trickle back to my last post and continuous effort to let go. It's hard to close your eyes and jump in without knowing where you are, where you are going or how you'll get there.

But alas I ended up exhusting myself enough to just say screw it, we will figure it out in Brizzy. This was one of the best decisions I have made this entire trip. Sometimes we need to give life the space to push us in the right direction. Because lets face it, nothing ever goes exactly to plan. Things are never as I expect them to be. Why force some sort of direction if my point is simply to wander? Everything happens for a reason.

So anyways here is my quick tid bit on Brisbane:

I should have video taped us walking through the airport. The looks we got for carrying 3 bags of luggage were priceless. Five stumbles, two run away suitcases, one wrong turn, twelve

cheeky remarks, one train ride and hundreds of laughs later we arrived at our hostel. It was a fairly scary experience at first. The idea of sharing a room with 22 people of mixed age, nationality and gender wasn't sitting with me very well. The first day I was paranoid all the time about my stuff left in the room. After a while you just come to realize that everyone is here doing the same thing. We made friends from Ireland, Belgium, Scotland, England, Italy, France, New Zealand. All of us are here traveling, learning and experiencing this beautiful planet. It's amazing how you can be raised on the opposite side of the earth, and still have so much in common. I loved my experience at the hostel. The sleep isn't great and the showers suck, but staying in a hostel is an experience I think everyone must have at least once in their life. As for the city, I wouldn't want to spend too long here but it's fun to explore and definitely beautiful.

The river that runs through the city provides the community with public boat transportation. University students and business men alike use them for their daily commute. Depending on how far you go, you can get a ticket for about five dollars, valid for two hours. It's great for exploring the city. Southbank was my favorite area. They have a little lagoon for swimming and heaps of delicious places to eat and lounge. This district has the largest are museum in Australia, a giant ferris wheel and loads of open space to jus relax. There is a lot of culture here. It's easy to find little farm markets on the weekends, and there seems to be a lot of Irish people, and Irish influenced places. We went to an Irish pub one evening ( with our lovely Irish friends of course ). The place was filled with dark wood flooring, wooden tables and pillars, stone walls... a real

cozy pub atmosphere. I loved it. However, my two favorite places in Brisbane are the Cloudbar and the Chocolate Bar. I'll be making posts about these places individually later - they deserve their own page entirely! haha

Night two in Brizzy. I met a really wicked guy headed down the coast with his brother to do some surfing. Since we didn't map out the details and we really didn't have any plans, we are now headed down there to stay at a beach house for a few days. And of course, learn to surf from the pros!!

We will be back in the city in a few days to pick up our van, and continue on our journey. Because of our slight detour, we had to book our van for a few days later than we had originally predicted. Yet as if to reassure us of our actions life handed us another piece to our puzzle. Due to our travel dates, and the need for a specific van to be in a certain place at a certain time, we got it 50% off the price we had quoated. And well, that's that. We have our van ready to go, no plans where exactly to stop, just a few ideas, a camera and some music. Now if I can just manage to drive on the other side of the road...

Okay anyways time to begin the post on Burleigh Heads.... stay tuned, it's gunna be a good one!

The video for this one was just a quick something I put together in a matter of twenty minutes. It's not too good but at least you can catch a glimpse of the city as well as us girls in our.... 'brighter' moments :] Enjoy.

Love from Aus,

The stark sisters and the queen herself.

www.moohoodles.deviantart.com

Let go, let go and jump in

Letting Go:

It's something most of us will do often in our lifetime. So why is it so damn hard? I've had to let go heaps of times. To friends, houses, memories, schools, states, jobs, you name it. So why doesn't it get any easier? Surely some where between the 9 moves, 8 school changes and multiple years in a long distance relationship I may have learned SOMETHING. Whatever happened to the saying practice makes perfect? How long do I have to practice for!!

I guess to break it down the hardest part this time circulates are the word Goodbye. I hate this word and all it's variations. Auf Wiedersehen, Sayonara, Au revoir, Dasvidania, Arrivederci. Some doomed meaning all around. They all basically say "hey, thanks for the memories. I won't see you later. Goodbye"

Leaving home was much easier than leaving Cairns. When we left home all of our lovely friends and family from all over came to wish us off, it was quite the party from what I remember :] I never had to say goodbye to these people. I knew I would see them again. Leaving Cairns on the other hand.. I may never make it back here to this magical place. I probably won't see anyone that I have met here ever again - Except my favorite english girl Abbie, since she is traveling with us. I'm thankful for the memories; but the realization that it's all just become a memory, a small bleep of an existence in the illusion of time, makes my heart sink and my breath shorten. So many things left un done, so many words left un said. And oh so many people I would love to cramp in to my already excessively over sized luggage parade.

Still, my question is, how do we allow ourselves to keep on keeping on? Not just with travel but with life, with our relationships, our possessions, our journey.

Here is a quick few things I have learned in this moment, for this particular sitation, about letting go.

1. Cry. For me, holding it back only makes it worse. If sadness comes, I must express it as it comes or I just end up being a hot mess for the poor soul sitting next to me on the airplane.. Except that one time I met a pro skateboarder on the plane while I was bursting tears. He asked me if I was okay, great ice breaker ;) Anyways I'm exceedingly thankful for Marley at this point. It's nice to have someone who understands. Someone I can be a hot mess next to on the plane - and not be at all ashamed or embarassed.

2. Acceptance. Definitely easier said than done. Once I've given myself a few minutes - okay sometimes days - to dwell on the memories and what I'll miss, I accept. Accept the change, and push away the regret and worry as I slowly crawl back towards my baseline of emotions. The place I can feel balanced and stable again.

3. Glad Wrap. Wait whaaat? Glad wrap, wtf? Yes, glad wrap. You know, that annoying clear stuff that literally CLINGS to everything but your leftovers. - My brain is a bit fuzzy from the elevation of the plane and the drying of my tears so bear with me here as I try to relate this- It's the clinging that presents one of the biggest barriers for me. Refusing to accept, clinging on the memories that I don't want to die. In reality though, they never die, they are constantly a part of us and those who we shared them with. The universe has recorded these memories, and tehy are still in the present, some where - Assuming my white knuckle grip doesn't suffocate them first. It's a soothing reminder that my past is there for me when I need it, always.

4. Live in the moment. I'm beginning to think this may be the secret to life since it seems to solve so many of my issues. But in it's relation to 'letting go' it seems pretty self explanitory. Surfacing myself back to the now, I begin to remember the excitement this entire trip with holds! When it is time to move on it's time to move on. Stop glad wrapping for now, there will be something that clings on again as these moments in time progress. ( Like surfing!! ) Then we can rinse and repeat this whole process, yay! ..........

5. Melodic Healing. Biggest crutch for me is music. It has the ability to strengthen and hinder with one simple familiar melody. I realized while sitting here typing that my music was terribly slow and perhaps a little depressing. It kept my mind trapped babysitting my memories, make sure they are all still there and doing okay. So instead I decided to change the pace a little bit and handed Marley one of my headphones. Aaaaand just like that Another Night by Real Mccoy was blasting through my speakers. I dare you to try and be sad to that song! Hah! After 3:56 of everyone on the plane looking at us while we reenact Night at the Roxbury whilst singing with no regard to our tune or volume ((I'll spare you that video footage)), our moods have shifted, our spirits rise and well, the adventure continues.

Letting go isn't a destructive process nor is it about getting rid of or throwing away something. I'm merely just letting it rest where it belongs. Taking it for what it was, leaving it how it is. Opening space for all the new energy coming my way. In about an hour we will be in Brisbane. A new chapter started in a book that will forever exist' in us, in the universe....and apparently on the world wide web as well.

Living in the moment

The most recent adventures of the stark sisters, and the queen herself- Mrs. Abbie Lennox, have taken us to Green Island.

Just about 30k off the coast of Cairns, Green Island is a coral cay. Basically it was created from coral and skeletons accumulating together over time.

Anyways this spectacular island is a tropical paradise, rainforest on land and reef in the water. Although the reef here was damaged in 2011 by Cyclo

ne Yasi, it's still home to an array of exotic marine life.

These nifty and totally fashionable ninja suits we

are wearing are for the infamous stingers - or

jelly fish. If you have ever flipped past the Discovery Channel, or National Geographic you have probably heard a tid bit about the stingers in northern Australia. Now is the season that they take over the water, and as far as I'm concerned they are a force not to be reckoned

with.

That and pretending to be Charlie's Angels for a day was more invigorating than flaunting my red bikini.

Okay so I've sat with this little white box box

open for about 15 hours now, and I can not even formulate words to describe how beautiful this place truly is. So here is a video, shot and compiled by a girl who really has no idea what she is doing.

Hopefully these few pictures and video can speak for me on this one.

N Joy

P.S Thanks for the pictures Marley! http://moohoodles.deviantart.com

My favorite Australian Beach picture, thus far.

Tips for Travel

Just some advice and recommendations on travel from a girl who really has no idea what she is doing.

1. Just Do It! Lets face it, who doesn't want to travel? If you want it, put forth the conscious effort to do it! Looking at the big picture, the process can seem long, expensive, overwhelming. At the same time paradise awaits! So why do we open the flood gates of our mind to the millions of excuses we have been unconsciously clinging on to just for this moment. You know, the one when your mouse is hovering over the 'purchase' button at Delta.com and the fear of change and anxiety of costs settles in.... Okay maybe that was just me. But it took a few days in thought to realize, why am I making excuses to NOT do something that I want to do?? It was time to let go of the fear, embrace the change, validate myself, and rid myself of the materialistic mindset. Which leads me to my next point:

2. Money. No doubt it makes the world go round, but you don't need much to go around t he world. The most accessible options are usually the most expensive ones, but if you can convince yourself that you don't need to stay at a resort, or even a hotel for that matter, your travels will be cheaper. I read an article about a man who left the United States with $1,000.00... he has been traveling around the world for twelve years. This might be a bit too long to live the nomadic lifestyle, but my point is, traveling is cheaper than you think!

Just because we are traveling doesn't mean we have to be on a full fledged vacation. In Australia working and traveling usually go together. There are hundreds of harvesting jobs all around the country. Many backpackers travel as far as they can, and when they need money they stop off and harvest bananas, mangoes, flowers, sugar cane, you name it. Workers are always wanted in this field and although not many of us actually want to sit and pick mango all day, working for a week or two in this setting is a great way to allow yourself to continue on through the country.

3. Airfare. There are thousands of airline sites all offering "the best deal!". Honestly, I never use the direct sites of airline carriers. Delta.com offers some "last minute deals" which are cheap, maybe 10 percent of the time. Southwest.com also has deal calculator called 'Ding' this isn't a bad choice if you don't care where or when you travel to. Even sites like Expedia and travelocity are lacking in their ability to find the cheapest ticket (though that doesn't mean you shouldn't check them). Utilize all options! I search through at least 7 sites before I buy a ticket.

For international travel my first go to is Kayak.com. Kayak compares fares from all different carries to that area. If you are traveling internationally it will show you flights from the local airlines, which tend to cost less.

It will also show you costs of travel on a calendar so if your dates are flexible, you can be sure to get the best possible deal. Momondo, lastminutedeals, cheapoair, and studentflights are all wonderful options to check out. If your planning ahead of time, sign up for a few price alerts from them, they will email you when a cheaper ticket price has been posted.

I'm currently booking a flight to Brisbane. I found my ticket through Kayak and am flying on a local airline, Virgin Australia. This airline offers checked bags $12 for 23kg (~50lbs). However before you book your international flight it's important to check their baggage allowance. Most other countries will limit the number of bags you can check (if any at all).

4. Travel Light. Yeah, this one seems obvious. However to me, traveling 'light' is three suitcases (40-50lbs each) and a backpack. Ehm...this is just too much shit, even for a years travel. Less is more, and it's surprising how minimalistic I have become since my world was flipped upside down. Make sure you have all your favorite "essentials". For example Marley and I have considered buying out Costco of their Tampax Pearls and having them shipped to Australia... it's the things you don't expect to be awkward and different that ARE. Tampons may have topped our list for biggest culture shock thus far. Pack any specialty items that you have taken a liking to, they are worth the space. Among that we have really taken to the Aussie fashion, but we have no space in our suitcases to squeeze any more clothes. Anyways, remember that you need to bring your souvenirs home some how... and don't forget your tampons!

5. Google It! No, seriously. Google it. The internet allows us to unlock a world of knowledge if we just take the time to research it. If you are looking to drive while in a country there are a lot of cheap options for renting cars and campervans. Companies will offer relocation deals for as little as $5/day ... some are even FREE rental! This option isn't for everyone. You are limited in the amount of days you can have the vehicle and the availability is always fluctuating. Unfortunately this option won't work for Marley and I this time around. Most of the vehicles that need to be relocated are departing from Sydney, not going to Sydney. Still, it doesn't hurt to browse around. The site I used was http://www.standbyrelocs.com but there are heaps of others!

Another great way to save is through the local websites. In Australia, Gumtree.com.au is the best tool for traveling. They post job offers, trades, barters, rideshare, accommodation, skills/language swap, the list goes on and on. You can sometimes get a free ride to another city, as long as you help drive, or simply pitch for petrol.

Anyways now a days we have access to practically the same information as travel agents.

Next time instead of facebook stalking at 1am, put on some good music and plunge in to googles search engine. My latest research track has been Island by The xx

Enjoy :]

And so it begins..

Oi.. I finally got motivated to start a blog on the adventures of Marley and I whilst traveling through Australia.

We have been in Cairns since October and are finally headed to Brisbane on January 14. From there we are making our way (in a hippie van) down the eastern coast of Australia. I'll do my best to hack some internet so that we may share videos, pictures, quotes, tangents, and any random notable thoughts throughout our adventure! =)

Don't forget to follow Marley's deviant art page for all the breath taking photos along the way.

http://moohoodles.deviantart.com/

<3 the Starks