An apparently long-overdue update!

Hey hey you crazies! Here is an update! You're all so ridiculous. Haha. I'm back in Brisbane, and the Internet is eating my money like crazy. I see here that there is an option to pay by credit card, and since I have only $1 left in Aussie change, I might just do that so that I can update the blog for all of you adoring fans. Haha.

The Sunshine Coast was awesome! Emma and I had fun catching up, and the whole weekend was a blast, from giggling as we fumbled to set up the tent in the wind (which turned it into a huge and surprisingly powerful wind sail that insisted on throwing itself into the nicely pitched tents of our unsuspecting neighbours at the campground) to dancing at the Jambezi/Spankenhide concert at the J. We spent most of Sunday at Noosa beach where we took pictures, enjoyed the sun, and swam in the Pacific Ocean. It was super relaxing to float around and ride the waves with the sun on my face.... and, conversely, I gained a new level of respect for the power of the ocean when out of curiosity I let the waves hit me full on just to see if I could stay up (I couldn't). At the end of the day I had a sunburn on my left arm only (from hanging it out of the window on our road trip, I think), salty ocean hair, and sand in absolutely everything from my handbag to my rain jacket to my ears. Brilliant. It was an awesome weekend. :o) We did some shopping as well, and paused at 11:11am for a minute of silence to honour Remembrance Day - this was an amazing feat for 2 talkative twenty-somethings, but it was important to do it to honour those who fought for our freedom.

I spent yesterday at the Australia Zoo, which was a blast as well. I met up with my friend Julia from U of S Education (she was doing her internship in Geelong, AUS while I did mine in NZ), and we took the train into Beerwah with her German friend Vicki, then caught the shuttle to the zoo. While we were there I got to pet a wombat, feed kangaroos, and hold a little koala named Kramer. I paid $15 to have a professional picture taken of me and Kramer, so that will be a welcome addition to the scrapbook when I get home. :o) All of the money that they make from those pictures goes directly back into the conservation of the animals and their environment, so it was well worth it. I also paid $5 to have a few members of the zoo staff take my camera into the area with the tiger cubs to get a few good close-up shots. Again, well worth it for the photo memories, and also to make a contribution to the zoo. We also saw a "Wildlife Warriors 101" show at the Animal Planet Crocoseum, which was where the memorial service for Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter) was held after he was killed tragically in a freak accident in which a sting ray pierced him through the heart. The zoo is full of pictures of Steve Irwin, and big billboards of him holding various animals with his catch phrase "CRIKEY!" in huge letters. The people hosting the Wildlife Warriors show had the whole audience jump up and shout "CRIKEY!" in a tribute to Steve Irwin, which was pretty funny. That guy was such a character. Thursday is Steve Irwin Day, and so to celebrate, the zoo is having a bunch of special events including performances by Bindi Irwin (Steve's 9-year old daughter) and Olivia Newton-John.... too bad I will just miss it! It would be so cool to see the original crooner of my karaoke classic, "Hopelessly Devoted to You," in person. Alas, I will be in Vancouver.... but no complaints there!

I have had SUCH an amazing experience in NZ and Australia, but I think I am really getting ready to go home. I can't wait to see everyone again, and to get back into the normal routine of life in Canada. I will miss this Brisbane heat, but a white Christmas is just around the corner so I can't be too upset. :o) It will be great to make my stop in Vancouver on the way home as well - I'll be staying with Brent, and hopefully visiting a few friends whom I haven't seen in a while (Jon Horn, Tim Dotchin, Liam McLachlan, Chris Mirosovsky, Cheryl Tradewell, Rayne Beveridge, etc.). I'm only there for 4 days though so I'm hoping that we can arrange something so that everyone meets up for drinks one night or something, because I certainly won't have time or means to visit everyone myself. It will be great to catch up with at least a couple of them though.. and I'm really looking forward to being able to make music with Brent! So fun!

I really shouldn't spend too much more time on here today. I'm sure I'll be on the Internet in the Auckland airport, as I'm pretty sure I have a decent layover there (maybe 2 - 2.5 hours or so). I'm also going to try to get in contact with a couple of my mates from Auckland that I met on Kiwi Experience, just so I'll have some coffee company at the airport if they can make it there after work. :o)

Speaking of coffee, I don't drink the stuff, but MAN am I excited to get back on Canadian soil so that I can once again become a frequenter of Tim Horton's! It has been FAR too long. I miss iced capps and Tim Horton's soups and bagels like you have no idea. I'm also missing Saskatoon Asian Restaurant, so yes, mom and dad, I'd be delighted to go for curry chicken with vermicelli on Sunday night! And I'm looking forward to seeing you in Calgary, dad - let's get a Tim Horton's at the airport. :o)

Time to header. This might be the last update from the Australasian continent... it's crazy to think that I'll be back in a Canadian winter tomorrow!