B's Newest Entry
So, it's been a while since you've heard from me... we've hit Australia and New Zealand and are now scheduled to be in Fiji.
We started Australia in Sydney, where we started out in a hostel where, though we requested an all-girls' dorm, our room included a drunk man passed out on the floor with no control of his bits 'n pieces hanging out of his boxers. It really wouldn't have been quite as annoying as the colony of roaches living in the same room, except that he snored all through the night.
We begged our way into a different hostel the next day and spent the rest of our time in Sydney exploring the Opera House and Powerhouse Museum, which were equally mesmerizing.
After a few days, we made our way up to Cairns, where we stayed at a beautiful hostel and snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef. Meg and I both thought the flora and fauna were amazing, though a woman who had been there twenty years previously said that it was now dull in comparison. In addition, our hostel hosted an "Aussie" bbq where we were able to sample both kangaroo and crocodile meat--delicious!
Meg and I then headed to Queenstown, New Zealand, where we were stopped at the Auckland airport, due to a positive drug scan of Meg's luggage for explosive-making parapharnilia. Though Meg and I, both daughters of a Christian minister, are used to being stopped at U.S. airports due to my Arabic language studies, Meg being the person-in-question was a new ordeal. I, pretending to be a travel journalist, found out that there are actually thirteen different chemicals for which the Australian goverment screens, and that on top of the seven airport security agents who were already screening us, two Australian Federal Agents were soon to appear.
To make a very, very long story short, Meg made it onto our flight hours later, where we then sat on the runway for two hours after our scheduled take-off time.
Finally arriving in Queenstown, New Zealand, we had to betray our parents' strict teaching that Sedona, Arizona is the most beautiful place in the world...
Meg and I went on a day's tour of Skipper's Canyon and spent another day riding the Queenstown Sky Gondola to the top of a mountain where we were able to sample two different luge tracks from the top for the rest of the afternoon.
We were on our way to Fiji when our parents sent us an advisory from the U.S. Department of State warning that any unnecessary travel to Fiji should be avoided due to a military coup. We already had previous knowledge of the coup but did not think it was that big of a deal until my mother stated that she had "bought fabulous presents for all those who would be attending their home for Christmas."
So, due to any danger to our well-being and (really) as an early Christmas present to our parents, Meg and I hopped an early flight home and are currently in Tucson, Arizona with our mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law.
So, yeah--surprise visit home and a wonderful holiday with our family. There are still a few thoughts to come, but I am enjoying myself far too much to get too serious, so plan on hearing from me later...
Feliz Navidad!
We started Australia in Sydney, where we started out in a hostel where, though we requested an all-girls' dorm, our room included a drunk man passed out on the floor with no control of his bits 'n pieces hanging out of his boxers. It really wouldn't have been quite as annoying as the colony of roaches living in the same room, except that he snored all through the night.
We begged our way into a different hostel the next day and spent the rest of our time in Sydney exploring the Opera House and Powerhouse Museum, which were equally mesmerizing.
After a few days, we made our way up to Cairns, where we stayed at a beautiful hostel and snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef. Meg and I both thought the flora and fauna were amazing, though a woman who had been there twenty years previously said that it was now dull in comparison. In addition, our hostel hosted an "Aussie" bbq where we were able to sample both kangaroo and crocodile meat--delicious!
Meg and I then headed to Queenstown, New Zealand, where we were stopped at the Auckland airport, due to a positive drug scan of Meg's luggage for explosive-making parapharnilia. Though Meg and I, both daughters of a Christian minister, are used to being stopped at U.S. airports due to my Arabic language studies, Meg being the person-in-question was a new ordeal. I, pretending to be a travel journalist, found out that there are actually thirteen different chemicals for which the Australian goverment screens, and that on top of the seven airport security agents who were already screening us, two Australian Federal Agents were soon to appear.
To make a very, very long story short, Meg made it onto our flight hours later, where we then sat on the runway for two hours after our scheduled take-off time.
Finally arriving in Queenstown, New Zealand, we had to betray our parents' strict teaching that Sedona, Arizona is the most beautiful place in the world...
Meg and I went on a day's tour of Skipper's Canyon and spent another day riding the Queenstown Sky Gondola to the top of a mountain where we were able to sample two different luge tracks from the top for the rest of the afternoon.
We were on our way to Fiji when our parents sent us an advisory from the U.S. Department of State warning that any unnecessary travel to Fiji should be avoided due to a military coup. We already had previous knowledge of the coup but did not think it was that big of a deal until my mother stated that she had "bought fabulous presents for all those who would be attending their home for Christmas."
So, due to any danger to our well-being and (really) as an early Christmas present to our parents, Meg and I hopped an early flight home and are currently in Tucson, Arizona with our mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law.
So, yeah--surprise visit home and a wonderful holiday with our family. There are still a few thoughts to come, but I am enjoying myself far too much to get too serious, so plan on hearing from me later...
Feliz Navidad!