The Countdown Begins

Well the end is in sight and I don't like it. It has gone by so fast. I have just under two weeks left. After leaving Barwon Heads I drove the Great Ocean Road, which was amazing. It's a bit difficult when you're the driver and you really don't want to pay attention to the road — but, I managed, without killing or crashing into anything. Ten points for me.

After that I continued the drive onto Adelaide, stopping along the way. In Adelaide I took a day trip to the Barossa Valley for a wine tour. It was great because I got to meet some other people, and of course, drink wine. For lunch that day I tried kangaroo. It was actually pretty good — glad I tried it and can mark that off my list. The next day I went to a cricket match. It was Australia vs. New Zealand. I managed to sit through about 2 sessions. I went along with someone who explained the game to me. I still don't like the idea of watching all day long and still not knowing who wins. That's not because I didn't know what was happening — it was a three day test.

I just got into Sydney today.

left side — left side — LEFT SIDE!

Well I left the comfort of my house sitting home today. But, before I left, I sure went out with a bang. Last night was my first night out in Melbourne. I went out with family members of family members. Anyway, the first place we went to was a temporary bar that is completely recyclable. (www.greenhousebyjoost.com). There were walls that were strawberry plants, bushes and plants on the roof, and the beer glasses were from old bottles. The furniture was sweet too. There was really only one style of furniture, which could be used as a table, bar stool, or chair. People were flipping them around depending on how they wanted to use them. I believe it's only around for two months or so and then everything is recycled. From there, we went to two other great bars and drank way too much. It was a ton of fun, and I met a lot of cool people.

Today, I got dropped off to get my car. I really wasn't feeling it. I was hurting pretty bad, it might have been the mixture of beer and red wine, but why point fingers. John dropped the three of us off at Hertz, and it was the wrong Hertz. So, we marched over to the right place and there was a giant padlock on the gate. I was getting pretty pissed. My pick up time was noon and they closed at noon. How convenient. Now we had to wait in the freezing cold rain for Georgie and Em's dad to pick us up. [And by waiting, I mean swearing left and right.] After a bit, a van pulls up and it's a person that works for the company that came into work for some reason. I didn't really care, I was just happy I was able to get my car.

Driving on the left side will take a bit to get used to, but so far I've managed decently. I have a lovely Toyota Corolla. I drived a short distance today because Judy and Gary, Katrina's parents, let me stay in their holiday house for the first night, which is awesome! It is right across from the ocean. I don't think I'll find a hostel with this kind of view. Anyway, I'm super excited to be on my own and driving. [I have truly missed singing horribly in my car.]

Oh and PS. If you see any creepy mustaches in my photos it's Mo-vember here in Australia. It's huge over here, everyone's sporting a mustache. It's quite hilarious.

Goodbye, farewell . . . at least for a little bit

Well, I can't believe it, but the people I'm house sitting for are back this Thursday. Time has gone by extremely fast. I've been busy figuring out what I'm going to do for a week and a half by myself before my cousin comes. Since I'm not an amazing decision maker, this process has taken longer than necessary. Finally, today I booked a car and then booked a flight to Sydney. I'm a bit intimidated to drive on the left side of the road, but we'll see how that works out for me.

My plan, as of now, is to drive the Great Ocean Road and then go on to Adelaide, and from Adelaide, fly to Sydney. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for good weather.

I haven't been doing too much lately. I've been laying low just enjoying my vacation. Sunday I did go to Torquay, which is a big surf city. I went with some of my adoptive Australian family. We shopped mostly, but they did want to make sure I had proper fish and chips. I have to say - not too shabby.

Anyway, my plan is to leave this Saturday, so if you don't hear from me, don't fret, I'll be on the road.

Did I mention I was a klutz?

I was the reason behind the orange tape.

So yesterday when I was posting my blog, I was thinking about not having anything too interesting to tell you without boring you. Then my klutziness kicked into high gear.

Today was my day to go swimming with the dolphins and the seals. On my way to get on the boat I managed to get my foot stuck in a hole and land in wet cement. Please notice the square metal thing in the picture. My foot goes straight through it. I struggle to get it out and no one comes to help me and there are three guys to my left. Finally a man came to see if I was ok after I had pried my foot out of the hole. Then he told me I landed in wet cement, so he moved my bag and helped me stand up. It wasn't super fresh, but my legs were covered in gray cement and blood. I kept apologizing for stepping in the hole like a moron. He just kept saying, "We should probably mark that." He really didn't think I was ok, but I was worried I was going to miss my boat for the trip, so I high tailed it out of there. All in all I ended up with a scraped and bruised hand and nasty cuts on my knee. Luckily the water we swam in was ice cold, so I'm sure it helped the swelling :)

It would have been sweet if the cement was fresh and I happened to land backwards. I would have been able to leave my mark in Australia, a giant ass print.

The trip was pretty good. It was great swimming with the seals. We didn't see any dolphins under the water which was crap because that's what I went for, but apparently 'they're wild and we shouldn't disturb them if they don't want to be disturbed.' Bullshit, I know the dolphins are getting a cut of my money. Watch your back dolphins, I'm getting my money back.

And so it goes . . .

So I've been pretty busy lately. This girl has tons to do — I have less than a week and a half left in this area. Last Thursday I went to Melbourne for the first time. It was pretty sweet — that's why I've been two more times since then. I think I might try to go at least one more time. There's just so much to do and see.

I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens today, which I was told was #6 in the world . . . that could be out of 7 for all I know. Before I actually went into the gardens I stumbled across a ceremony. Today, Nov. 11th, is Australia's Remembrance Day. I would compare it to Veteran's Day. There were a ton of people — it was pretty good to watch. Then I spent most of the morning at the Gardens, which was then followed by a prison, Old Melbourne Gaol. That was a bit creepy. They started out with pretending to arrest us. Then they lined us up and put us in a cell, shut the door and turned off the lights . . . creepy. Then we were free to roam around the old cells. There were a bunch of stories about the prisoners along with their death masks, which apparently were made after the prisoner was hung — their head was chopped off and then a mold was made from their face. It was a bit unsettling.

Here are a few photos from today. I'll have to catch up with some of the other days.

"Qu'est que sup"

Sunday I was invited to a barbeque at a family member's farm. I think I've pretty much met the whole family by now. It was a good time. We ended up playing some mini soccer . . . tiny field + tiny ball = mini soccer. They were quite brutal, so I fit right in. I had no problem with kicking the shins of the weak [anyone under ten]. The creativity meter was off the charts — our teams were the high-pants vs. the low-pants. I was lucky enough to be on the high-pants team because, like myself, ethics were lacking. In the end, there were only two injuries. I escaped unscathed.


Monday, I ventured into the lovely land of Sorrento. I walked to the bus stop, took the bus stop to the ferry, and the ferry to Sorrento. I didn't really go over with a plan, so I just walked around with my camera, went into some shops, and went to a movie. I saw the movie Young @ Heart. The documentary about the old people in a choir singing rock/punk songs. I highly recommend it. [I don't recommend Burn After Reading — I want those two hours of my life back.] I did manage to buy a pair of souvenir shoes, but not before I looked like a moron in front of the sales lady. So remember when I told you I played soccer on a farm? Well I wore the same shoes. When I took my shoe off to try the new one on, tons of grass and dirt fell out. I was hoping she didn't see it, but I'm sure she did. It went all over the dark purple carpet. Then she was like, "The strap goes over the foot not around the back." Oh, that would make sense, wouldn't it. I'm sure she was wondering who let me out in public.

On the way back home I took the ferry to the bus stop, hitch hiked to the post office and then walked home. Well, the initial plan was the bus, and I was standing at the bus stop, [in the freezing cold] when a car backed up and asked if I needed a ride. It was a family of four . . . very threatening, so I hopped in. They were great and asked me if I would be interested in babysitting. So in the end, who was the bigger idiot: the person who got in the car, or the family who asks the stranger to babysit? It's a toss up.

Never a Dull Moment

So let's see. Last Saturday I decided to explore the city of Geelong. I went to the Ford Discovery Center, the Wool Museum and the Geelong Art Gallery. The Wool Museum was just as exciting as it sounds . . . snore. I do have to admit it was cool to see a ginormous loom, but that was about it.

There were a lot of people out and about, and that means lunch was busy. And, it also means that a restaurant will seat a party of one and then forget about them. So, after waiting entirely too long, I left and was too mad to try and eat anywhere else. I'm sure my starvation totally rubbed their faces in my pissed off point.

On Sunday, Katrina's parents drove me to Lorne again — the scenery is gorgeous. They were very intent on my seeing kangaroos in the wild, so we drove around a golf course. I know, very wild. We did find one in a sand trap, but that was about it. The fact that they tried so hard was impressive.

Last night was my first Wednesday night dinner with the family. We all sat down to eat, but before I could get my fork to my mouth, Katrina's mom was like, 'Oh wait, Jess might like to say grace.' What?!?! I was completely caught off guard. So, I graciously declined to say grace. Can that be done? Well if you think so or not, I did it anyway. [Grace was not said, they were just being considerate to the foreigner] On the way home Katrina's brother said, "Man, I thought you were going to have to recite the Lord's prayer before dinner." I was like, "I know!!" They have all been super nice the whole time I've been here. I just felt like a total heathen.

Below are some pics of the animals and of my day in Geelong. The first cat is named Ash and the other one is name Charcoal Charlie of the Night. Yes, that is his whole name. I was a little too nice to him actually. He had just been shaved a couple of weeks ago, he's a bit embarrassed by the whole matter. Kizzy the dog, was scared of the camera, so this was the best I could get.

Hold Your Horses

So yesterday was spent at the horse tracks. My parents should be so proud — I've become quite the gambler. And — all modesty aside, I am pretty darn proud of myself for going. Let me just tell you why.

The Geelong Cup was yesterday. It's treated as a national holiday in Geelong, with many places closing for the day. It's apparently quite a big deal and a formal affair. I had to ask numerous people if it was okay that I didn't dress up. Every answer was, "No you'll be fine, they'll be all sorts." Just what I wanted to be, at the bottom of 'all sorts.' 

In order to get there I had to take a bus into Geelong and then walk 3 miles. Not bad. I only started feeling a little uneasy when I saw busloads of people in formal wear, feathers and hats. It was such a big occasion, all the ladies [and I use the term loosely] went to go get their hair done. It was probably just my paranoia, but I was feeling a bit out of place. I probably only saw ten people [out of thousands] in jeans. Halfway through, I realized I did bring dresses with me. I was better off anyway. It was windy as hell and I wasn't walking 3 miles in a dress. 

Anyway, I was there and I wasn't going back. First thing I saw was Fashion on the Fairway. Anybody could get a number and walk down the runway. The hats and feathers were crazy/ridiculous. I think the prize was a grand or so if they won. After the show I immediately headed towards the bar and got a beer for each hand, thus feeling much more comfortable. I somehow managed to plant myself on the grass right by the finish line. I watched a few races and also watched tons of people make idiots out of themselves, which made it totally worth it. 

I decided I had had enough and was ready to trek back, but on my way out somebody stopped me and asked me to take their picture. I didn't know what to say, so I just went with it and took the picture. It took her a minute, but then she said, "Did I just ask a random person to take our picture?" 

"Ummm, yeah, you did."

Anyway, we started talking and then I hung out with them the rest of the day. They were fun and I was glad I ran into them. 

I think in the end, my betting landed me in the red, but from my previous winnings, I believe I'm about even. So my life as a gambler lives on. Next is the Melbourne Cup, 'the celebration that stops a nation.' I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it, but I'll have to definitely consider.  

I Will Walk 500 Miles . . .

I do believe the cats I'm watching are conspiring against me. The smug looks on their faces just scream 'we're up to no good.' One of the cats winked at me the other day. She was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, clearly winked at me, and then ran up the stairs. Oh it happened all right — I speak the truth. 

Anyway, the past few days I've been walking around quite a bit — pretty much walking my legs off. I tried to tire Kizzy out one day, but I can't break her, she's a ball of energy. 

Yesterday, I decided to go by myself and take my camera. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I kept taking photos and taking photos, and I still don't think I'll be able to capture how gorgeous the scenery really is. I'm not that good of a photographer :) The bluff was amazing. I eventually made it to the other side, which has to be my favorite spot so far. 

So the one negative to traveling alone is having no one to take your picture, so I'm going to have to work my way around it. At least this way I don't have to worry about looking like an ass in front of my self timer.

And lastly, this evening the satellite isn't working for the TV — so now I have the pleasure of watching the first three seasons of Magnum P.I. Awesome.

A Day in Lorne

So yesterday Ian and Katrina drove me along some of the Great Ocean Road. We were headed to her parents holiday house. The drive was amazing and her family was great. Did I mention, I love the water? I was invited to Wednesday night family dinners, a bit Gilmore Girlish, but I don't mind. :)

Today, I roamed around the park and the river. I have to admit they have the biggest birds I've ever seen. I know it's sad, but at times, I'd rather see them behind cages and fences. Birds scare me. I probably should wear a helmet, so I don't have to worry about them pecking the crap out of my head. 

Tonight was my last dinner with Ian and Katrina before they leave for their vacation. We went to the local pub, which had some pokies (slot machines) in one of the rooms. I won $23.00. I think I found my day job.

Champagne, Caviar, and Hot Towels

There are a few things I want you to realize before you start judging my blog. Numero 1, I'm not a writer. Numero 2, I've grown a liking for cuss words. And, numero 3, I'm sarcastic [and rad] as hell.

So as most of you know I am in Australia. Pretty crazy, I can't believe it myself. The fourteen hour  flight wasn't too bad from LA. It might be due to the fact that I got to fly business class the whole way. (I would like to take a brief moment to give a shout out to a certain Uncle Denny — [If Sarah Palin can do it, so can I]). This was my first time experiencing hot towels on an airplane, which I, at one point, thought was a myth. Of course being the classy lady that I am, I had to look at what other people were doing first before I humiliated myself and got kicked out of business class. I did, however, start off the flight with a glass of champagne and a few glasses of wine. (Sorry about the misleading title, but there was no caviar. I just needed to get hold of your attention.) 

I pretty much slept a good portion of the flight (that could have something to do with the wine), so I was in Australia before I knew it. The people I'm house sitting for were there to pick me up, Ian and Katrina. They are quite funny — but I do have to stop them every once in a while because I don't understand some of their words. I know that makes me sound like an idiot being that they speak English, but hey, you knew that before I left for this trip. I'm sure you know what jangles, dongles, and dunas are. 

Anyway, jet lag really wasn't a problem for me. I basically stared jet lag in the face and then kicked it in the junk. 

Their house is pretty sweet and it's a 15 minute walk to the water, which is great. I won't get tired of that. Ian's been a bit funny about what I have to eat. Since I have never had lamb before that's what we ate last night. It was in fact, pretty good. Then this morning he wanted me to try vegimite (yeast extract) because everyone loves it down here. They eat it on toast. He made me smell it first, which was a mistake, because it smelled like shit. But, I did try it and it wasn't half bad. If peanut butter and vegimite were in a fight though, peanut butter would definitely win. The other food item Ian wanted me to try was their meat pies. He made it very clear it wasn't anything like a chicken pot pie. They were quite good as well. The meat pies are big down here apparently. He still wants me to try kangaroo (katrina thinks it's horrible to eat the national animal, so she won't have any part in it) and goat (katrina doesn't know where he got that from because she knows no one that eats goat down here). 

Yesterday, we went to the butcher shop and they loaded up on meat, which I thought was strange since they are leaving in about 2 days. I figured they would probably freeze most of it. I was completely wrong. They cooked all of it for tonight's dinner. I think they were a bit disappointed that I couldn't eat sausage, a full steak, and a full giant chicken breast. I hate to disappoint, but it was damn near impossible for me to consume that much meat in one sitting. They laughed when I asked for a sampler platter. 

It's only day number 2 and I already got to pet a koala—be jealous. ha jk. They live about 10 minutes away from a wildlife sanctuary, so I'll definitely be going back. 

Oh yeah, and I am watching three of their pets: a mutt named Kizzy, a cat named Ash and another cat named Charcoal Charlie Rules the World (he just got shaved today and is in hiding). All is well so far, and hopefully I'll be able to start posting pictures. 

I do have skype by the way, so if you want to talk to me for free, download it and my name is jessieknuth.