100 Days Of Summer

If I had 1,000,000 Rp.

elizabethkfmurphy — Sun, 2 Mar 2014 14:14:00 GMT

It's been one week in Indonesia and my oh my how time has flown. It feels like only yesterday we were shivering in the Christchurch Airport pulling an all nighter. Now we are relaxing on a beach in the Gili Islands. Our time at the Christchurch airport went faster than expected. We arrived at 9pm and were greeted by sour looking security and many passengers settling in for the night. Most airports are slightly accommodating and provide ample space and chargers. I mean I would know right?

Christchurch had a problem a few years ago with people pitching tents, cooking on camping stoves, and making themselves far too comfortable for weeks on end. They closed their doors temporarily and when they reopened them there were new rules that were strictly monitored. We weren't allowed to sit or lie on the ground, we couldn't lie down in chairs, and we were corralled into a small waiting lounge until the airport officially opened. We checked in at 4 am and were all ready to get out of New Zealand! We loved it, don't get me wrong! But it was time to go! I was asleep before we even took off. We had a layover in Brisbane (woo hoo first trip to OZ) and flew out to Bali!

Getting off the plane in Bali was an adjustment! It was HOT! We shuttled to the terminal from the plane, cleared security, and attempted to use an ATM. Yes, I said attempted. Something about these airport ATMs! They never seem to work out. Luckily we both had extra American cash and we exchanged our mere $25 dollars into 285000 Rp. (We were rich!) It was amazing how far that $25 took us! We took a 30 minute taxi ride to Uluwatu, got a nice room for the night and even had dinner. The ride to Gong Accommodations was through long windy roads and we vowed to never drive in Asia! The driving made little sense and there were motorbikes everywhere. Some of their riders as young as 10, and some holding a family of 5 including a baby!

Uluwatu was relaxing, cheap and a little boring. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, so on occasion we forgot we were in Indonesia! We moved the next day to a more populated part of the Bukit Penninsula. With our heavy packs we hiked in the Indonesian heat, and quite honestly almost passed out! We finally found a place and even haggled for the price! Then drank A LOT of water and hung out on Padang Padang beach. It was there, in the waves, that my phone (Sir Ian McKellan) suffered a life threatening injury. As we hung out on the beach I thought he was doing okay and the water that dripped into my waterproof case (apparently it only works if you close it properly, whooda thunk?) but that night he flickered in and out of consciousness until he died all together. We left the Bukit Penninsula feeling a little disappointed. It was nice, but not quite what we thought. Our ride to Kuta brought us right into the heart of what we expected though.

Kuta is hustling and bustling! It is exactly what you picture when you picture a busy city in Indonesia. We stayed at this amazing hostel in Kuta Square. In New Zealand we met a lot of people that were living in hostels and we did not envy them. However, I could happily live in this hostel for a working holiday. We were in a 12 bed dorm, but there were only 5 people (including us), and each bed had it's own lockable cupboard and drawer. It also had a private outlet and light, as well as a privacy curtain for the bunk. It was all brand new, the bathrooms were lovely, and there was cheap beer and wifi in the lobby. We met Kelsey in Kuta that day. She's Danielle's friend from camp who I had met once and would be joining us for three weeks. We spent the day planning, chilling, and having the occasional Bintang. Our next day though was full of plans! We were scheduled for a surf lesson and were booking our trip to Gili Trawangan! I even got my phone fixed for a mere 500,000 Rp.!

Our surf lesson was absolutely hilarious. All three of us aren't very coordinated, but we figured there was a good chance at least one of us would be successful. As it turns out we all were! None of us will be extras in Blue Crush 2 or anything, but we held our own. We all successfully rode at least 5 waves (each)! However there are some things that they don't tell you about surfing.

Things that they cut out of Blue Crush:

How much salt water goes up your nose.

They don't wear those rash guards because they're cute! We were actually covered in several painful rashes! Imagine if we had just been in bikinis!

Reapply sunscreen! (Actually, Kate Bosworth was clearly burned so maybe we should have learned by example.)

How great it feels once you've succeeded is quickly diminished when you realize you have a 10 minute battle ahead of you to get back out there.

How many wedgies you get. (The surf instructor laughed pretty hard anytime we had to pick a wedgie, which was about every 5 minutes. That man has seen a lot of bum!)

Salt water really hurts your eyes (but apparently only dorks wear goggles).

All in all though we really enjoyed the lesson! It was a pretty good price and they provided us with so much. Including a "soft, safe board for beginners". Bali Sunshine Surf School! Check it out! We think later in the trip we are ready to rent boards and try again. If only we had done this before the Surf Highway right!?

The next day we took a fast boat to Gili Trawangan. There are three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, Gili Meno, Gili Air, and Gili Trawangan. All three of the islands have no motorcycles or cars, no police, and no dogs (tonnes of cats though!) Depending on who you talk to, different ones are "the party island". We chose Gili Trawangan because we had heard overall that it was good. Our first indicator that this might be "the party island" was the mulleted Australian man who greeted his friend on our boat. We were walking along the edge of the boat to jump off at the beach when he arrived with a large Bintang in hand. "This is the best place in the world man! I haven't had money in three days and I'm doing great!" With that encounter to set the tone we headed out to find a place to stay. Packs in tow on a hot Indonesian day.....again. We saw some places on the main strip and haggled a bit but were convinced we would see something better. We followed maps and signs for what felt like an hour until we saw a sign pointing inland saying "Oceano Resort" and "Indigenous Bungalows". Hoping for the best we followed it. We walked through the jungle/forest and found ourselves in a settlement that was clearly not for tourists. A man came out as we continued into the bush and said "Where are you going!?" We said we were looking for a place to stay and he left us to carry on. We continued on the path and came to a fork with no clue what to do. Another man came out and we asked "Where is Oceano Resort?" He looked very confused and said "Ocean?" And pointed toward the beach. After a very confusing back and forth we walked to the beach only to come through the back of a beach hotel. They were so confused as to where we appeared from and were in no mood to haggle so we moved on. Finally we found paradise.

In a small cluster of private bungalows with outdoor bathrooms, porches, a pool, and platform cabanas on a quiet beach we realized "this is the life". Without our heavy packs it was a mere 15 minute walk to the main strip where we enjoyed the night market, great food, and cheap drinks. Whenever we wanted though we just slipped back to paradise. Actually I'm writing this blog while I lie in the cabana having lunch. Soon we will be on our way to Komodo Island though, so I'm going to get back to paradise while I still can! Have fun in the snow!

Such Is Life In Campervan

elizabethkfmurphy — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 01:08:00 GMT

It's the last leg of my journey. Actually I'm sitting in the Christhurch Airport right now writing this blog. Next stop Indonesia! But back to New Zealand for a minute.

The last week Danielle and I have been driving all over! Actually, you should see my map of where we have driven. We heard such great things about the south that we really wanted to see it all. I think we have though. We drove out of Queenstown to Milford Sound and Te Anau. It was really beautiful out there and definitely the peak of what a dirty animal I have been on this trip. I forgot to mention that I ran out of shampoo in Nelson. I figured this would be a perfect time to do the whole "no 'poo method" so I've had my hair braided back for 10 days until I finally bought baking soda to wash my hair. I'm getting ahead of myself though.

We drove out to Te Anau and stayed at this really nice DOC campsite. It was lakefront and windy, but spacious. From Te Anau we did a day trip to Milford Sound. Milford Sound was cool. Danielle did a cruise of the sound and I did some hikes around the area. I think the coolest thing was the drive though. We reached this beautiful waterfall and a huge tunnel into the mountain that had a traffic light and countdown clock. When the clock hit 0 and the light turned green we drove through the heart of the mountain to reach the sound. It was so cool! On the other side was a huge descent and windy wooded roads. On the way back we were first in the queue of cars. There were also keas to greet us! A kea is a species of parrot native to New Zealand. They're huge! As are most birds native to New Zealand. All of New Zealand's native animals are crazy looking, huge, birds. They have possums and sheep too but so many birds!

From Milford Sound we decided to go to the Catlins to see penguins. Honestly we didn't see much. We didn't stay for long mind you, but I think at this point Danielle and I were all New Zealanded out. We tried to see all these cool nature things, and in the south island we definitely saw a lot! We weren't as successful with the animals, but we were okay with that. We swam with a penguin so we didn't absolutely need to see more.

Our failed attempts at nature watching we're not totally fruitless. We had an amazing time with Ol' Eggie. Living in that van for two weeks was an adventure in itself. We cooked amazing meals, and pretty gross meals. We drank beer and questionable milk. We went swimming in several lakes, but never showered. We went to bed early every night, and stunk up then van. Whenever something questionable happened we just shrugged and said "such is life in campervan." This included our limited contact with the outside world. I mean sure we texted and emailed when we could (most of the time on McDonald's or Pak N Save WiFi) but we had no idea what was going on in the outside world. We were walking to some waterfalls in the Catlins when a man stopped us and said "Canadians! You guys did great in curling, too as about hockey though!" We went wide eyed and said "What? What happened?" He told us that Canadian men lost to the US and got silver. When we finally got in contact with home we found out that the Canadian men hadn't even played the US yet.....and well you know how that story ends. But hey, such is life in campervan. Note to self: don't trust random people you meet in the woods!

We finally made it to Christchurch, the last stop on the first leg of our trip. Christchurch is both sad and inspiring. After the earthquake in 2011 there is still so much ruin all over the city. The famous Christchurch Cathedral is still in ruin and needs another $27 Million to fix it ($40 Million is covered by insurance). The shipping container mall is actually kind of hip and makes you forget that it was built out of necessity rather than progressive architecture. While in Cathedral Square today an elderly man sat down beside us who overheard us talking about what it would be like to live in a city that had suffered that way. He is from Scotland and has travelled "the whole world" (which I don't doubt, I just wanted to emphasize that those were his words) but now lives in Christchurch. He told us what it was like when the earthquake struck and pointed out the library he was in when it happened. He pointed out the ruins of several buildings around the square and described how booming the city had been before the earthquake. It's actually quite hard to picture seeing it now. As Danielle said when we were talking about it though, it's good to see everyone come together and fight to rebuild.

And here I am sitting in the airport. New Zealand wasn't what I expected, but it was absolutely stunning. I learned and saw more than I can describe. I climbed, tramped, swam and drove all over this country and can confidently say it was worth every minute and dollar. (Btw I'm broke)

Oh also, Danielle got bed bugs again! (I saw the bug in our bed but apparently I don't react to them like she does!) What a way to start and end New Zealand eh?

I Could Get Used To This Whole Lake And Mountain Thing

elizabethkfmurphy — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 21:05:00 GMT

While there may not be much to write I must start by telling you that Wanaka and Queenstown might be my favourite places in New Zealand. I know "don't be hasty master hobbit" but they were so nice! If I live anywhere in New Zealand ever it might be either of these two places!

We drove Eggie through the mountains to Wanaka. It's a small tone built around this huge lake! The region lies in a glacial basin near Mount Aspiring. The drive into Wanaka has been my favourite in all of New Zealand. It was just so beautiful! The site we stayed at in Wanaka was a lot nicer than the classic DOC sites we have been staying at and had an amazing view of Lake Wanaka. Our neighbors were so lovely as well. Danielle and I parked the van near them and kept trying to place their accents. Finally we just asked where they were from. Originally they are Canadian but have raised their children traveling all over the world (he mentioned Malaysia, Korea, Australia and soon the US). The youngest was a girl of four who befriended us. She took us searching for bunnies and gave us protection sticks. She brought us chocolate bars and even asked her mom if her new friends could come over to their campervan for dinner the next day! It was just so much fun! We woke up early the next day for a dip in Lake Wanaka. It was chilly, but the breathtaking view made us soon forget we were cold.

The town of Wanaka was also really nice. It has a beach front of the lake through the main strip and lots of restaurants and shops to browse through. They even had a craft market that day, so we ventured through and Danielle bought a beautiful Kiwi bird painting. We saw the line tree - a tree growing off shore in the lake and enjoyed the sunny day!

From there we headed to Queenstown and what an adventure that has been. First, just to set the tone for how much I enjoyed Queenstown, we set up camp at a DOC campsite called 12 Mile Delta. It also happens to be the filming location for Ithilian in Lord of the Rings! It's where Sam sees the Oliphant and cooks the rabbit stew while arguing with Smeagol about taters! That night I made Linda in the camper van! (Yes Linda in Ithilian! And for all you who don't know Linda, she's a real treat!) We went swimming again in beautiful Lake Wakatipu. Again a beautiful lake with mountains in the background! I love it and it is definitely a life I could get used to! Looking out the back window of the van the view was so beautiful I had one of those moments where you panic and think you're on the Truman Show because it's just too beautiful to be real.

Queenstown is a really cool town as well. It's got a lot of information and tourism but it built along the coast of Lake Wakatipu. It's hilly and colourful with a very small population. It's the home of Fergburger (this famous burger company that has the biggest crowd and even bigger burgers!) They were absolutely delicious and worth the wait!
It is also the home of bungy jumping. I decided not to go, partially because it's expensive and partially because Danielle told me that her friend did it and her eyes bulged out of her head slightly! I already have huge eyes, I don't need them popping out thank you!
I'll do it one day but today was not that day. Danielle did it though! We drove out of town and she checked in for her jump. I watched from the gallery as scared person after scared person kind of fell off the platform. Which baffles me! If you're scared you should jump! You'll have more fun and you won't hurt yourself because you go head first instead of feet first then flipping! Danielle was up though and that girl gave 'er! She dove..... literally! Her toes pointed and everything! I was so proud! (As were the crowds of people watching who congratulated her on her way back up!)

Well we are headed out of Queenstown now. Again, not much to write but definitely my favourite place so far. Not really sure how that worked out.

Swimming With Seals, Driving With Miley and Katy

elizabethkfmurphy — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 21:24:00 GMT

Well we have had the campervan for a couple of days, and what a couple of days it has been! Eggie (short for Ol'Egbert) is a late 90's Mitsubishi Delica with chipping paint and a tape deck. More importantly he has 2 beds, 1 stove, and 4 wheels! We stayed outside of Kaikoura beside the ocean. It was stunning but we encountered a new enemy: the sandfly. These little flies seem so harmless but when they bite you feel it! And they leave a mark, an itchy one at that!

A lot of people gush about the whale watching in Kaikoura, but Danielle found something better: seal swimming! Sure seeing whales is cool but swimming with seals is even better. It lived up to all our expectations. We went with a family run company called, go figure, Seal Swim Kaikoura. We donned our wetsuits (for those keeping a count that's the second wetsuit of the trip), masks, and snorkels and were ready to meet some seals! Much like the beaver in Canada, the fur seal population of New Zealand suffered during colonization because of the popularity of seal fur. The government put the species under protection and has since significantly rehabilitated their numbers all over the country. Seal Swim Kaikoura does not have a tank or set spot. They literally take you out in the ocean and look for seals. When you find some friendly ones you jump out if the boat and swim with wild seals! As risky or inconsistent as that may sound, it's not. They do have spots they know the seals like, and the guides are very knowledgable. They know where the seals like to feed and how to find the more relaxed, playful seals. It was absolutely incredible! We swam alongside them, and sometimes other seals joined in! At one point three seals came around us so curious about what we were doing! One swam up from the depths right under me and put it's fave right up at mine! It gave me a fright and I squeaked under water. I swear it laughed as it swam away! We also saw one eating an octopus. Our guide was so determined to get us out there with one "having a nice octopus snack" and he got his wish. The octopus apparently stick on to the seals' tails as they swim by. The seal then throws the octopus all around so it doesn't get too stuck, and to kill it, but it just looks like it's playing with it's food!

I could probably talk your ear off about the seals but I'll save that for the next time I see you! We left the seal swim and embarked on a long driving journey to the west coast and glaciers! The drive was unlike any road trip I've ever been on. I mean come on, we are driving a campervan on the left side of the road in New Zealand! But in all seriousness the drive was incredible. We headed across the country (literally) to an area called Arthur's Pass. It's this huge mountain road that goes up, down, in and out of to new of mountains! I swear you can't look around and not see mountains or ocean in this country. We drove through clouds and valleys and actual mountain passes. Ol' Eggie and I have a similar approach to the whole mountain climbing thing. We move slow, give it our all, don't stop, breathe heavily, but we alway make it (especially with Danielle cheering us on!)

He made it though and we saw the Fox Glacier today! It was cool....ha get it! Honestly, it was really cool to see the rock formations and glacier especially so close to a rainforest, but it was dirty. I know that sounds really weird and I'm trying not to diminish it. I liked the glacier I swear, but it was really dirty! I just wanted to clean it and make it look pretty!

Anyway, we are continuing through the west coast and a lot of crazy mountain roads. I love driving here! Especially with our new driving friends Miley and Katy! Yes you read that right. Danielle and I sometimes jam out to Drake, One Republic, Taylor Swift, etc. but we mostly listen to the new Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry albums! They're just so great! (You open a new tab right now and play 4x4 by Miley Cyrus on YouTube and try telling me it's not great! Go ahead, I'll wait! ………yeah that's what I thought!)

For all I know any song off either of those albums could be a huge hit right now but they will forever remind me of my roadtrip in the mountains of New Zealand.

Ferries, Busses, Kayaks, and Campervans

elizabethkfmurphy — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 08:43:00 GMT

I think that moving between islands in New Zealand should be done the classic way, by ferry. We didn't even look in to flights because why not take the ferry? (I'm sure there are many good reasons based on how you are planning your trip, but it worked for us and seems pretty classic! It's an experience right?)

So we booked our tickets in Wellington and $60 NZD later were on our way to the south island! We got on board and quickly settled into a quiet corner to read. (I have read so much on this trip! I love it! I'm on the 4th book in the Song of Ice and Fire series! I don't know what I'll do when I finish the 5th....but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.)
The ride was nice. Not much to say except that the boat was nice and I didn't get sick. (If you know me well you know that my motion sickness has always been.....an obstacle. I haven't gotten sick once on this trip! Other than ten minutes on the Fiji day cruise where I didn't feel so hot, but it passed. Let's keep it that way!)

We were now in Picton! So exciting because my family is from Picton.......Ontario! Ha I fooled you for a minute, you totally thought I was from New Zealand! Anyway, we stayed at this cute hostel called Tombstone (it was across from a cemetery) that had nice beds, free wifi and breakfast, a hot tub, a sauna, and nice people!
Picton really was pretty. There was a lot to do but we went for a "tramp", and enjoyed some meat pie on the beach. We really are embracing this Kiwi culture! From Picton we did a lot of planning. We made arrangements to get a campervan, kayak Abel Tasman, see as much of the south as we could, and even swim with seals! Booking busses in New Zealand has been awful though! They're so darned expensive and inconvenient to travel by. It's actually more worthwhile to get a campervan for price, convenience, and comfort. We didn't have one yet though so we bussed from Picton to Nelson.

We didn't see a lot of Nelson because of bad timing. We did a day trip to Abel Tasman though! Abel Tasman is a coastal national park in the south island. It is stunning and known for just that. It has the bluest water and most beautiful gold sand! There are a lot of trips you can do in Abel Tasman, and one day I want to come back and do more. Danielle and I agreed that for now a day trip would suffice. We kayaked out in a tandem sea kayak with a guide who pointed out seal colonies and stopped for hot chocolate. Then we left our kayaks with the guide and hiked back for 4 hours. We stopped at a few beaches and waterfall along the way. It was the most beautiful sunny day as well! I couldn't believe our luck!

From Nelson we had a full day bus journey to Christchurch where we were picking up the campervan! Have I mentioned that the bus drivers in New Zealand are very talkative? All our bus rides have included a commentary and history of the region, which is interesting to us tourists but I can't imagine how the bus regulars must feel listening to that over and over again. Well either way, we never have to ride a bus in New Zealand again because we have the campervan! His name is Eggie and he is old and squeaky. We are currently parked by the ocean near Kaikoura watching the sunset. I know, such a rough life!

The King In The North! (What, I'm leaving the north island and reading Game if Thrones)

elizabethkfmurphy — Sat, 8 Feb 2014 08:38:00 GMT

The north island of New Zealand was a lot more exciting than people give it credit for. Danielle and had some really amazing experiences that you have (hopefully) already read about. From Waitomo, to Hobbiton, Rotorua and Tongariro, it has definitely been an adventure. It's not quite over yet though.
From Ohakune (the sleepy adorable mountain town it was) we thought we should make our way to The Surf Highway. Picturing an amazing coastal drive we were sorely disappointed. The Surf Highway is amazing ....if you're a surfer, which we sadly are not. There were numerous access points to what we can imagine are some really beautiful beaches. We did stop and stay at the beach for a few days though. (When life gives you a beach make a sand castle right?) We stopped in Opunake on the west coast where we had a private beachside cabin for two and a half days and took a break from our vacation. We were super productive too! We work on our tans, read a lot, wished Emma a happy birthday from the other side of the world, and watched the surf rescuers do practice drills. (Surf life guarding is way different than good ol' Clear Lake!)After all our hard work.....haha kidding! After lounging around all day we packed up Hattie and continued down The Surf Highway to Wellington! After driving through the many back roads of the north island it was an adjustment driving in a big city!

Wellington is the beautiful capital of New Zealand and let me tell you it has many confusing, backward, upside down, one way streets! (Okay it's not that bad but we got stuck in this crazy roundabout thing for like an hour because we kept ending up in the Mount Victoria Tunnel.) Once in the city it was time to ditch Hattie. We loved her, but not enough to pay for parking. Thank you again friend for teaching us the ways of driving on the left side of the road and being so good on gas! Anyway, before arriving in Wellington we tried to book accommodation. For some inexplicable reason it was next to impossible! How is it that a city so large could possibly not have any room for two little Canadian girls? Well maybe if the Rugby World 7s weren't that weekend Wellington could have found some room for us! When we finally got a room (private room with ensuite bathroom for three nights....it cost us a king's ransom.....by poor student hostel living standards) we realized our mistake. Poor foresight on our part, but we were going to the south island around then anyway so no avoiding it.
Wellington was phenomenal though! It was full of life, art and colour! (Way better than Auckland.) We hung out on Cuba Street, the harbour, and even found out where the rugby teams were staying! We made a feeble attempt at stalking the Canadian team, but only ended up seeing the New Zealand team load into a van once. We were also there during Waitangi Day (a holiday remembering the treaty between the crown and Maori people). On Waitangi Day we also visited Te Paupa, the national museum. It was the coolest! There was so much to learn about the history of New Zealand, politically, geographically, culturally, and naturally. It really helped us understand a lot of New Zealand, and it's free! We also went to the Weta Cave which is the studio that did the technical work for Avatar, Tin Tin, The Chronicles of Narnia, a for course Lord of the Rings! It was cool but also kind of disappointing. I think I wish there was just more to see, but really enjoyed what I did see and learn.

After all that it was time to move south, and hope it would live up to the magic of the north island!

Tweets From Mordor

elizabethkfmurphy — Sun, 2 Feb 2014 17:45:00 GMT

I woke to my iPhone alarm proudly declaring "Wake Up! You Have To Take The Ring To Mordor!" It was the day we had been preparing for, we were doing the Tongariro Crossing. The night before we scrambled around the mountain town of Okahune getting food, warm clothes, and other neccessities for what we were warned was a long cold trip. Danielle and I had both laughed everyone off saying "We're Canadian! -2 and 50km winds are nothing!" but the truth was we were a little nervous. With our daypacks full of food and extra layers, our tummys full of a good breakfast we waited for the shuttle bus at 7am outside our hostel. I was already cold in my sweater, leggings, wool socks, and boots but I slept on the bus and next thing I knew it was 8:30 and we were ready to start the 19.4km trek!

Tongariro is the oldest national park in New Zealand and a world heritage site. It's made up of the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu and is internationally ranked as one of the best day treks in the world. The most recent eruption was in 2012 and those volcanic warning signs were not to be taken lightly! They filmed quite a bit of Lord of the Rings there as well. The 'baren wasteland' was the backdrop of Mordor and is home to Mount Doom! (without the CGI). With this in mind I had never felt more like a hobbit! The worst parts of the trek for me were 'the Devil's staircase' and the steepest climb known as 'red crater' that quickly took you up to 1900m. They were steep, long climbs, that I knew I would have to do! There was no turning back. It took me longer than I would have thought and I never want ascend anything again, but I made it! During the whole trek I had puns to keep me going, and a lot of water. The following is a list of puns that ran through my head as I climbed, and climbed, and climbed some more.

#TweetsFromMordor:

Now I get why Frodo wore the ring around his neck! This altitude is making my fingers swell, and I wouldn't want the One Ring stuck on my finger!

Up, Up, Up the Stairs Hobbits! (when I saw the Devil's Staircase)

If I think this is hard, Frodo and Sam did this barefoot!

What to Frodo and I have in common? We volunteered to go to Mordor. What do Frodo and I not have in common? When he got to the top the Eagles flew him home.

Lembas bread? No thank you, I have Tim Tams and trail mix!

And so these little jokes to myself went on, and on, and on some more. I really should have written them all down. When I finally got to the top it was definitely worth it! It was a sight to behold! We ate lunch beside the beautiful blue crater lakes, and had the most amazining view of mountains and volcanoes! The best part was that it was SO HOT! We were just about melting! It was a sunny day of 20 degrees with a wind of about 35km. Some people were wearing parkas, touques, and mittens but not us Canadian girls. We were in leggings and tank tops enjoying the hot sun and cool breeze from 2000m up! Actually no, the best part was that we finished the trek in 7 hours exactly! We finished just above the average. About 20 minutes behind us was a huge wave of people and we all congratulated each other! Mordor was absolutely beautiful....but I don't know if I'll be visiting again any time soon!

Rotorua: What Geokids' Dreams Are Made Of

elizabethkfmurphy — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 21:00:00 GMT

Rotorua was my favourite place in the North Island. I can say that easily and with a big ol' grin on my face! Rotorua is a big hub for a lot of activities we did (Hobbiton & Waitomo), but is also very cool on it's own. It is located on a volcanic plateau and in the Pacific ring of fire. It is home to a lot of geothermal activities and geothermal parks! (Yes geothermal parks are a thing and yes they're so cool).

While I was there the first thing I noticed was the smell! Sulphur! Rotorua was so cool that I soon forgot all about it. We stayed at Crash Palace which was definitely my favourite place so far! The staff were friendly, the place was big but not too big like the hostels in Auckland, and the rooms and bathrooms were clean and spacious. Definitely a nice change from The Cat's Pyjamas! Best of all it was the cheapest hostel I've seen in New Zealand! $22 a night! What a steal my friend!

Danielle and I walked around the town very quickly the first day, it was pretty easy, but quickly realized we were being followed! One of the guys from the hostel was, to put it nicely, very eager to make friends. He was American and traveling alone, which is fine. I like friends and I make them easily! He had such an attitude though! Everything in New Zealand seemed beneath him (and he was the expert because he had lived here a year so far) and a lot of it was "the same bullshit, different city". He also called Canadian Immigration a very crude name for not accepting his application for citizenship. Maybe they're a better judge of character than I'd realized!

Back to Rotorua! Rotorua has a lot of geothermal attractions, and is also a huge cultural hub for the Maori. We tried to figure out how to see both without blowing all out cash and lucked out with Te Puia! Te Puia is a geothermal park that also offers Maori educational opportunities. We went for the day and walked around on our own and on a guided tour. On our own we put our feet in a thermal stream (we probably weren't supposed to) saw mud pools, and a few dormant geysers. Then we joined the guided tour where we saw huge boiling mud pools, three geysers (we even saw one go off!) and kiwi birds! I've always wanted to see a kiwi bird ever since I did a wildlife management paper on them. They're so peculiar! They lay eggs one third their own body mass, have nostrils, are nocturnal, dig their noses into the ground for food, and can't fly! It's crazy! Their names were Kenny and Pakiki (which means Nosey in Maori because apparently he's a trouble maker! Ha!)

We got to see Maori carving and weaving schools, and learned about the tradition behind them. Apparently each carving tells a story and is how the Maori kept their history documented. We also got to go to a Maori cultural performance. It was insane! I loved it! They performed traditional songs and dances, many of which were happy and beautiful. They also performed the traditional war chant that the New Zealand All Blacks do before games. The purpose was to intimidate the other tribe and avoid a fight. They do this crazy eyed touché face too that is in a lot of carvings meant to intimidate unwelcome guests. One guy in the performance was so good at it I just kept thinking "I promise I won't attack! You're so intimidating! I'm going to run away now!" So I guess if you do it right it really works!

It is really cool to see the way New Zealand treated the Maori when I come from a country that did not treat the Aboriginal people well at all. Maori people create a significant portion of the population in New Zealand and while they still weren't treated as well as they should have been, I admire that Maori culture is integrated deeply in the development of New Zealand. It's important here and I wish that I could say the same of Aboriginal culture at home.

Well now we are in Taupo, but this is just a stop over on our way to Ohakune and the Tongariro Crossing! Hopefully we make it through Mordor and back!

"Glow Maggots" Doesn't Sell Well!

elizabethkfmurphy — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 21:27:00 GMT

Transportation in New Zealand had been robbing us, and there were a lot of day trips and moving around we had to do so we did our research and rented our dear "Hattie". (Her license plate was HAT etc. so we called her Hattie.) Hattie is a cute little white Toyota Corolla that is heaven on gas! We drove her out to Waitomo for caving, and Te Puia geothermal park, then have her until Wellington!

Driving on the other side of the road was something to behold. Danielle and I had toyed with the idea of renting a car every time we took an expensive bus ride, so we decided to sit close to the front and mentally practice: I think it helped!? We flipped to see who would go first and by luck of the draw.....it was me. The weirdest thing wasn't that we were on the other side of the road, but that the controls are on the other side of the car! At first whenever we tried a turn signal we'd accidentally hit the windshield wiper instead! Anyway, I made a lot of left turns at first because the idea of making a right hand turn into the far left lane intimidated me! I finally made my right turn, drove for two more minutes and said "Okay! You're next!" We did it though, and the best way to test our new skill was a day trip to Waitomo for some caving!

Waitomo has a lot of caving, black water rafting, and glow worm trips. We booked one that combined all three! It was a 4 hour trek through the cave with a group of about 20 people. First we had to suit up! We had three guides and were provided with wet suits, boots, helmets and head lights. Danielle and I went first as we walked in the blazing heat in our wet suits to the cave. I went down the hole first and Danielle followed close behind. We walked through the cave following the running water and got our first glimpse of glow worms! They're very small and a bright green/blue colour. We had to watch our heads and not disturb their dangling silks though because that's how they catch their food. We walked, climbed and crawled through different depths of mud and water, accompanied by the glow worms. At one point we all turned out our lights and walked through the water just looking at the worms bright lights. It was then that we learned more about them. They're actually the larva of a fungus gnat. After their metamorphosis though they have no mouths and die quickly, so they mate like crazy and create tones of glow maggots. Glow maggots sounds weird though so they call them worms! They were so bright that I could see them reflecting perfectly in the water. We then got to tubing! Each of us was given a large inner tube to float down the underground river in. We could either climb on to the tube or jump from the top of the cave into it - I jumped! With all our lights out we floated down the eel infested (not kidding) river. Then we went swimming in the water that didn't have eels in it! The wet suits made us float so we just kind of floated down the river some more instead of swam. We had a warm up break with hot orange juice (as gross as it sounds I promise) and chocolate. The group and our guides were a lot of fun! We even made a Canadian friend! Finally we said goodbye to the glow worms and trekked back to our lockers. It was one of the coolest things ever though!

The coolest part was when I realized "hey! I'm going to school for this! I could do this for a living!" Which just about blew me away! I could spend my whole working life guiding people through caves, rivers, and all kinds of adventures! Maybe I'll see I I can do my practicum in New Zealand!

Do You Remember The Shire Mr. Frodo?

elizabethkfmurphy — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:32:00 GMT

Kia Ora! Today was probably the best day ever. I think I was so overloaded with excitement I shut down a bit. I definitely needed a nap after because I was too excited....you know like when a little kid goes to Disney Land and they just crash after because it was so amazing?

So today I went to the Hobbiton movie set. It is in Mata Mata just outside of Rotorua. (We'll get to Rotorua later)

We woke up nice and early (6:45am I was up and attem) and got ready to board the bus at 8:15. The bus was green and had Hobbiton Tours written on the side and I had to keep myself from squealing when I saw it. The bus took us to Alexander Farms where The Shire was built and we drove through a road made by the New Zealand army just for the set. The farm is actually run by the family with one half a working sheep farm run by one brother, and the other half a movie set and tourism run by the other brother. We got there and honestly thinking about how cool it was makes my head spin a little. We walked through Gandlaf's pass (where he arrives in The Fellowship of the Ring) and saw where the children chase him for the fireworks. We toured all the hobbit holes and saw that they were built in different sizes for different characters. Some were built very small for Gandalf to been filmed in front of, and some were built much bigger for Frodo and the other hobbits to be filmed in front of. We learned a lot of cool facts about the movie that I can't think of right now, but if you ever watch Lord of the Rings with me from now on I promise you are in for a real treat! We toured all of Hobbiton including Bag End, the Party Tree, the tent where they have Bilbo's party, and The Green Dragon where we got a drink of choice! (We went for the Amber Ale, it was delightful).

After the Green Dragon we went to the gift shop, where I limited myself okay! I only got 3 postcards, 1 shirt (it's grey with a map of New Zealand and the film locations), and a guide book of all the filming locations in New Zealand. We are fully prepared to see MANY more filming locations! Muahahahahahahahaha.

It was maybe one of the most exciting things to ever happen to me. I want to get married there.

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem! Welcome to Whitanga!

elizabethkfmurphy — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 22:08:00 GMT

Kia Ora from Whitanga!

Danielle and I have been beaching it up in Coromandel Penninsula! The bus here was hilarious! We took a bus from Auckland to Thames, which was your classic coach bus. Then to Whitanga we took this lovely two toned island bus (that's the best I can use to describe it). It had the door wide open, huge windows, only 3-5 passengers, the bus driver chatted us up, and it drove on these crazy mountain roads! The roads were misty too so it was the coolest thing ever! It also dropped us of where we were staying, because eventually we were the only people on the bus.

In Whitanga we stayed at The Cat's Pyjamas hostel run by a nice couple. It was very small and very quirky. We spent a lot of time exploring the town and hanging out at the beach, which was beautiful. We even saw the most gorgeous rainbow this evening, but I don't think my pictures did it any justice. We also went to Hot Water Beach today! Hot Water Beach is this really cool beach where you can dig your own spa pool. The water under the sand it geothermally heated so you get this nice sand spa pool. The tide was too high when we got there though, so we buried ourselves in sand and sadness, then played in the waves. I got a sun burn on my calves, but a big smile on my face!!! (isn't that all that matters anyway?) Also, Danielle and I have noticed that a lot of people don't wear shoes in New Zealand. It's not just a small town thing either, there were people in Auckland without shoes. We've started a count and in one day alone we saw 21 people. Interesting eh?

We leave tomorrow for Rotorua, and Hobbiton, where there is a lot of geothermal activity, and Hobbiton, and we get to see geysers, and Hobbiton.

Oh did I mention I get to see Hobbiton in two day?

Auckland, the cleanest city in the world.

elizabethkfmurphy — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 11:55:00 GMT

Kia Ora!

Here I am after 3 days in Auckland, and what a city it is! Auckland is very clean and very calm. I know what you're thinking, if you ask anyone from New Zealand they say that it's very busy and commercial. I guess that puts the rest of New Zealand in perspective because honestly Auckland is lovely. There are street cleaners that wash the sidewalks every evening, it's not too crowded, and there is a lovely harbour and a mountain. It reminds me a bit of Toronto and Montreal. After my trip to New York it was a walk in the park.

What we did notice was that there was very little to do. It is most likely a lovely place to live but the tourist attractions are $$$

We did hike up Mount Eden and have a lovely picnic and view of the city, and take the time to orient ourselves to New Zealand. Danielle and I did a day trip to Waiheke Island which was really exciting. It was sort of like cottage country meets beach town. A lot of people on the ferry either lived there or have cottages out there. We went through the whole island, walking and bussing, and stopped in Onetangi for the beach, Onstend for the market, and Oneroa for the beach/ice cream/fish and chips!

Now we are taking a bus out to Coromandel Penninsula where we will visit Hot Water Beach, and stay in Whitanga for a few days!

I'll update you soon! Stay warm back home, I have a sunburn! :P

Hey I Played Volleyball With You In Fiji!

elizabethkfmurphy — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:45:00 GMT

So our schedule today was all funky and Cayla, Vanessa, and I were all up before 7! We just couldn't sleep! It's probably because we're so burned and went to bed early. We got dressed in bathing suits and sarongs for breakfast with Stacey. (Vanessa and Cayla wore real clothes over their bathing suits but it's my last day in Fiji so I just didn't bother). Then after a lovely beachside breakfast and chat I packed up and said goodbye to my friends. I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare (no more missed flights for me thank you!) and hopped a plane out of paradise.

I'm in New Zealand now with Danielle. Our hostel is huge and in downtown Auckland. I was walking with her to get some dinner and I saw a guy from the hostel in Fiji that I had been playing volleyball with a few days ago! We both stared and pointed and said hi. We both don't know each other's names. So funny though. Anyway, it really is beautiful and I'm so excited to explore New Zealand, but I'll always be on Fiji time ;)

WILSON!!

elizabethkfmurphy — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:36:00 GMT

Let me preface this post with the fact that Stacey and I have both never seen "Castaway" and should be teased relentlessly.

Today Vanessa, Cayla, Stacey and I woke up bright and early for a day cruise! We bussed to Port Denarau where we boarded a huge transfer boat that brings people to the small Mamanuca Islands. Then we got on a sailboat called the Seaspray which happens to be the oldest operating boat in the world! The Seaspray took us from Mana to the coast of an uninhabited island where they filmed Castaway.

We jumped off the boat and snorkeled into shore taking a million underwater pictures. Then we wandered up to the big "Help Me" in coconuts! We swam around for hours then had lunch on the boat with included drinks. The boat then sailed to Yanuya where we visited a village and had a Kava ceremony. We talked to the people that live there and played games with the most adorable kids! There was a baby sleeping in a hammock too!
We swam for a bit off the boat then headed back to Port Denarau. It was the most amazing day!

We talked to a lot of people and maintained the reputation of Canadian friendliness. There were these kids from Australia too that hung out with us all day and loved hearing about Canada and what we do there. They looked through all my pictures from home and tried to convince me to move to Australia!

Despite reapplying sunscreen multiple times we are all very burnt! My hands are awful! My hands of all places!

Tonight is my last night in Fiji and I'm pretty sad. I love it here and have had such an amazing time! We had dinner at Aquarius and turned in early. I packed to head out to New Zealand in the morning and meet Danielle.Don't get me wrong, I'm totally excited for the rest of my trip. Fiji was amazing though and I am definitely coming back.

Your Accents Get Stronger When You're Together

elizabethkfmurphy — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:40:00 GMT

Vanessa and Cayla got here this morning which was so exciting! They surprised me at my room as I was getting up. I moved all my stuff to Aquarius (a hotel next to the Bamboo hostel) and we checked in. Our room is so big, has air conditioning and a huge clean bathroom. We spent our day by the pool and in the ocean. Vanessa was so amazed that everything here is so cheap. It really is amazing. New Zealand will be a shock back to reality though.
We hung out with Stacey a lot too which is great! She's awesome. I'm going to send her care packages of Jolly Ranchers when I get home because she had never had them before and loved them.

We booked a really cool day cruise tomorrow that I'm super excited for, so just you wait for tomorrow's post! It's going to be great!

Hostel? You Mean People Live Here?!

elizabethkfmurphy — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 11:13:00 GMT

Day Two of Fiji was so much fun. Angela, Stacey and I had a market day. We took a bus into Nadi, which was really nice. The bus was pretty busted up but the roads are nicely paved so it's smooth and very open. Oh by the way Angela and Stacey are my dorm mates. Angela is from the Caribbean and lives in the UK, she's been traveling for 13 months! Stacey is Welsh and lives in England, she's been traveling for 2.

When we were in town we went to a fruit market, craft market and super market. The craft market was amazing. It was shaded by these huge trees that a girl was telling me are "Monkey Trees". She also told me all about her life and how she loves math, wants to go back to school (they're on holidays) and grow up to be an accountant. She was absolutely adorable. I can't get over how nice everyone in this country is. Back to the craft market, which was full of some beautiful carvings, art and jewelry. I bought something for someone there, but I'm not saying who!

We got back to the hostel and had dinner, which is so good and so cheap! The hostel is very relaxed a welcoming with a young staff always willing to entertain. Every night at the hostel I hang out at Kava Time. Kava is a traditional Fijian drink used in ceremonies and celebrations. It's made from the root of a pepper plant ground into powder and mixed with water. Before you drink from the bowl you clap once and say "Bula!" which means cheers/hello and when you're done you clap three times. It honestly tastes like puddle water, but Fijians love it and spend hours drinking Kava. If it's really strong it tingles your mouth and throat (the more you drink the more it tingles). I keep meeting interesting people at Kava Time so I keep going back. It also helps you sleep which is nice because it's so hot!

Vanessa and Cayla get here tomorrow which is really exciting! I can't wait to see them!

*All titles will be quotes from that day, so I will do my best to explain them in that post. This one is from a volunteer that was part of a visiting group. He came over from his group and joined Kava Time.

Bula! Welcome to Fiji! Apply Sunscreen Evenly and Often!

elizabethkfmurphy — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 23:04:00 GMT

Well friends I finally made it! Liz here, I'm on the main island of beautiful Fiji and it's amazing. Being here has made me forget the ordeal with LAX and given me an opportunity to relax.
I got in at 5am Nadi time, and it was daylight savings so it was 5am twice for a bit. The first thing I noticed about Fiji is that the birds sound so different. It's like listening to the soundtrack from the Rainforest Cafe, except you can see the birds because they're real! I got to Bamboo Backpackers and checked in, the staff are so nice and said "You've been through enough Elizabeth! Go sleep!"
I climbed up into my bunk in my dorm room and crashed for the "night". Waking up was tough, but I wasn't the only one adjusting to the time so we stuck together. It was a long day of relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, drinking kava, eating lovo, and meeting so many new people! Apparently I have a lovely accent!
Swimming in the ocean was a big deal! I was so surprised by how salty and warm it was! I felt like a McDonald's French fry! I also have the weirdest burn on my arm, and hairline. Apparently these are spots I missed. You notice theses things more when you're so close to the equator and burn like kindling! Tomorrow's a new day and tan line!
I'm headed to bed, but I'll do my best to post some pictures ASAP (on Fiji Time)

Fiji Airways: $15 For A Meal, $20 For Snacks and $650 For Freedom.

elizabethkfmurphy — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 09:04:00 GMT

Last night the suspense was killing us. My Aussie parents and our two new 'homeless by Fiji Airways' clubhouse members waited by the gate in anticipation. The manager told us that our chances were looking good, and that because they only overbooked by 3 people instead of the usual 25 we had a shot. We watched as the gate got more and more full. Instinctively my Aussie mother and I both started counting, knowing that there are 247 seats on that plane.

We waited three hours, which is nothing compared to living in the airport for three days and having to line up at 3pm for a 9:30pm flight everyday. By boarding time our chances looked slim, the gate was very full. I felt my eyes well up with tears knowing full well I was not getting on that plane. My Aussie father looked at me (well technically he's from Sri Lanka) and said "Tonight, we fight!"
They boarded the last few people of the plane, then approached my Aussie parents. They gave them two boarding passes, and got them on the place. They both turned to me and said "You're getting on too! We know it!" I gave then my email and wished them a great trip home, but they wouldn't leave me until I finally gave them a smile that held back my tears and said "see you soon!"
We had already lost a clubhouse member who was given a direct flight home to Aukland, so now we were two. (Along with 8 other stranded people but they weren't in the club.)

They came out and announced that there were no more seats on the flight and we would have to come back tomorrow. At this point I collapsed on the floor in tears. I don't give a shit that these people are watching my breakdown, I live in an airport! I was stripped of dignity and pride long ago. (I'm not really sure when I crossed that line, but it's safe to say it was around the time I got lost looking for puppies and security knew me by name.)
I waited and asked anyone and everyone working for the airline what I could possibly do, I had a flight to make on the 23rd to Auckland. I was offered (rather condescendingly) two choices: pay $3500 dollars to upgrade to business class whose seats they leave open, or take a business card to call Fiji Airways and see if they could help me get to New Zealand. I needed a phone, a bed, and a shower so I checked into a sketchy hotel (seriously there's a window into my room with a very sheer curtain and I can hear the person above me taking a bath).

Upon arrival into my room I dumped my stuff and called Fiji Airways, this was around 11:30 Pacific Time. My Dad was up in Toronto (2:30 Eastern) trying to make things work for me as well. I won't bore you with the details but I will tell you that I talked to 9 people from 6 different departments from both Fiji Airways and American Airlines. Each airline said it was the other ones fault and out of their hands.
Finally, around 2am my time and 5am at home (my Dad was still up calling and emailing anyone and everyone to help, including the high commissioner of New Zealand) I had one amazing woman from American Airlines listen to me tell my story and start to cry. I was waiting for the common reaction of "Miss there's nothing we can do it's *Insert Other Airline Here*'s fault and our hands are tied" but instead I got her thick southern accent saying "You've been living at the airport!?? Oh no you poor thing! This might take a while but I am getting you on a plane!" I was on hold for about ten minutes when she came back and told me she tried to get me something for free but could only get me on a flight tomorrow for a price. I expected this was the same as the previously mentioned option of $3500 for business class, so I asked the price. She said $200 plus the difference so about $650 after taxes.
WHAT!? After everything I've been through I could have chosen this option three days ago and nobody told me! Sold! Freedom for the sweet price of $650! I booked it on my mom's card (sorry Mom, I'll pay you back every cent plus interest) and was emailed my ticket. At 2:30am I finally went to sleep and instead of dreaming about missing my flight, I dreamt about walking into that airport today and rubbing my boarding pass all over that smug little manager's face! (Or as my Aussie mother would say "That stupid cow!")

And you can bet your buttons I'm writing a scathing, nasty review for Fiji Airways while I wait at the airport today. The only word to describe this experience is "un-fucking-believable".

Puppies, Police, and Perfume: Life at LAX

elizabethkfmurphy — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 13:40:00 GMT

Hey friends! Just sitting here airside at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX enjoying berries, terra chips and the amazing view! As you we'll know last night I slept in the terminal. My Australian parents went back through security and checked into a hotel, but before that they informed the airline I was sleeping here so they would keep my checked bag in storage. I'll meet my Aussie parents in a few hours landside to go through the whole standby process again.

For those who don't know what standby is, basically because I missed my flight I can either pay $2000 dollars for a new ticket or I can wait to see if someone misses their flight and there's an empty seat. A lot of people actually choose to fly like this because it can be cheaper, but they are usually flying with a larger airline that flies frequently throughout the day. In the meantime sleeping in the airport has become part of the adventure. Both my real parents and my Australian parents said I should watch "The Terminal" starring Tom Hanks because it's become my life and maybe I'll find it funny once I'm home in a few months. Despite being dumb enough to miss my flight, I was smart enough to keep a sleeping bag liner, earplugs, a sleep mask and my stuffed buddy Google in my carry-on. Last night I found a couch and spread out with all the equipment to comfortably block out the world. I even looked up what to do when stuck in an airport only to learn that LAX has therapy dogs! Excited for a new day I fell asleep but was abruptly woken up by a police officer poking my foot at 3:25am. Our conversation went something like this:

Officer: Miss, are you okay?

Me: Whaaa? Oh, yeah I guess, no, sure. I'm flying standby because I missed my flight and I can't afford a hotel so I'm staying here.

Officer: What airline are you flying?

Me: Fiji Airline, Airway? .....I'm going to Fiji

Officer: Doesn't that only fly once a day?

Me: Yeah

Officer: Oh

Then he left. I slept until 7am, but it was very very cold. At 7am I got up and started my day (changed out of pajamas, brushed my teeth and hair, washed my face etc.) , I even stopped by a Jo Malone counter and asked for a sample of my scent. They didn't have sample bottles, but she did let me spray myself with some Wild Bluebell. Rested, refreshed and ready for anything I set out on my mission to find some puppies, and maybe catch a flight to Fiji.

Homeless but hopeful: Day two of my mission to Fiji

elizabethkfmurphy — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 21:59:00 GMT

Many of you at home in Canada are sitting there with every part of your body crossed hoping I will eventually make it to Fiji, and for that you are the best. So here's the story, I got off my flight to Los Angeles ready to hop on one to Fiji. When I got there I saw my flight on a list without a gate listing. It was surrounded by 100 flights all in that terminal so I thought "Okay it will be posted soon". By 8pm I realized that I was wrong. Immediately I ran as fast as I could to my terminal in the desperate hope that 1 hour and 15 minutes was enough to get to my flight at 9:30.

Upon arrival to Tom Bradley International Terminal I was told to go to the south gate. When I got there the line was insane! I talked to the people around me and was comforted that they were all on my flight. As the terminal grew more and more crowded the patience of security wore thin. They sent me to the north end of the terminal and assured me I would make my flight. Running to the other end alongside a 67 year old woman (she was shouting "I'm 67 why are they making me do this!?") I got there only to be greeted by a slightly shorter line and less friendly security. My running buddy gave them her boarding pass and was waved through, I gave him my boarding pass and was told "I'm sorry Miss you need to check in on the south end." I tried desperately to reason with him but he turned his back on me. (Literally, he turned around and ignored me). I ran back to the south end only to be greeted by noone. No staff, security, or passengers, except for two lovely people I would later refer to as my Australian parents. I ran to the closest terminal staff who told me to jump the baggage scale an go behind the counter, which was pretty bad ass. The staff there greeted me and said my flight was closed and they gave away my seat.

From there I was consoled by my Australian parents, who were in the same boat as me, and given a hotel discount voucher. Sure it was a discount, but it was no $10 hostel in Fiji. Head hung I retreated to the hotel and got a bad night sleep. Today I woke up bright and early ready to be first in line for the standby list. I was at the airport at 3pm with my Australian parents in tow, all three of us determined to get on a flight. I cleared security and sat outside my gate until 9:30......when they closed the doors and told me, my Australian parents, and 8 other people that the flight was full. Not being able to afford another hotel, and in no mood to head to the hostel that I looked up just in case, I am now sitting on a couch in LAX that will be my home for tonight. Tomorrow is another day, there will be another flight and maybe I'll be on it.

I hopped off a plane at LAX with my dream and a cardigan

elizabethkfmurphy — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 20:00:00 GMT

"It's a dangerous business Frodo, going out your door. You step into the road and if you don't keep your feet there's no knowing where you might be swept off to" -JRR Tolkein (Gandalf)

Well stepping out my door I definitely got swept into an adventure, by my own choice though. Liz here, currently sitting in LAX. Things have already come so far considering how nervous I was this morning. Once I got through security and got some airport breakfast in me (banana, hard boiled egg, and a cheese slice. I swear I'm being healthy Mom) things looked brighter. It's been a long day of flights and airports as I flew from Toronto > Chicago > Los Angeles and next up Fiji! Definitely my best flying experience though. Probably because I've only had to do security once, never had to pick up my checked bag, and discovered liquid gel gravols!

There isn't much else to say unless you want the details of the trailmix I'm eating (it's really quite good) but I expect you don't. So whether you're worried for my safety, or just eager to hear about my trip, here's my first post! Let the games begin, and may the odds of my luggage showing up be ever in my favour!