Stranded in Toowooooooomba

Well, it's been a week since we've embarked on this road trip, and we've found ourselves stuck in the city of Toowoomba, which is about an hour from Brisbane. We decided to follow the flood instead of the sun, haha. The weather seems to be letting up, but it's the integrity of the surrounding roads that is holding us back from moving forward with our adventures. But, since being here for 3 days now, we've had quite a few new experiences to tell our grandchildren.

We missed the thick of the flood by about 3hrs when we arrived. The city was just so completely eerie and deserted - big rigs were parked on the side of the road, street lights were out and we saw overturned cars!! Our first stop was, of course, McDonalds, for their free wifi and delicious treats. Since "living" in Toowoomba, we've gotten to know the place pretty well, making friends with the night staff of the mall and hanging out with some local police to get info on when we can get out of here. Christina and I have taken on "mall walking", which, I know is usually for senior citizens in velour track suits, but it has been our outlet to letting off energy of living in a camper van. We've also acquired these sweet 80s outfits from our many hours of perusing the aisles of Target and Big W (aka Walmart). Thank goodness the movie theaters opened up yesterday, and we were able to watch Tangled (a definite tear-jerker..someone dies at the end!! muahaha...) So, despite the national crisis, we've been able to keep warm, dry, fed, and entertained. It's amazing how quickly this town has pulled together in such a small amount of time. Yesterday, we went to a grammar school-turned-evacuation center to take showers. Dudes, never take showers for granted!! It was such a delight after 2 days of using baby wipes to prevent nappy rash. Everyone in Toowoomba has been absolutely helpful and welcoming and if anything, this is probably the best place to get caught in.

We were told today that we won't be able to get out of here for another 3-4 days, due to road conditions, so we're thinking of ways to pass time until then. Purchasing Toowoomba T-shirts and more mall walking are definitely on the top of the list. We've been visiting the mall everyday, to brush our teeth in the bathrooms and stay away from the rain. This internet cafe that I'm currently typing at has also been a frequented spot of ours. These gamers here are pretty intense, it's kinda difficult for me to concentrate above their dramatic cursing and communication via headsets. So, please send us all of your positive thoughts to get out of here soon because we're due to fly out to Perth on the 19th. But we need to get to Sydney in order to due so, which is about 4-5hrs drive away. We just want the sun, is that too much to ask for?? And yes, we are applying sunscreen religiously :)

So far on this trip, we've been able to see and do so many incredible things, and though this is a slight detour in our plans, we are still in high spirits and looking forward for what's to come. On our journey to Toowoomba, we were able to visit Grampians National Park. This was our first day out, while we were still in the state of Victoria. It's kinda like their version of the Grand Canyon, and it was absolutely beautiful! The pictures don't do it justice.

Along the way, we drove up the coast between Melbourne and Sydney - the scenery was so breath taking. We never get bored on these long drives because we are mesmerized by what we see, and we are also having fun trying to pronounce all of the names of the different cities. My favorite is still "Wollongong". Oh, and "Ulladulla"!! I know right? So much funner than "Fresno" or "Barstow" -- booooring, but no offense to anyone from there or has any connection to those places :) One day we went to a privately owned zoo and got to interact with the local wildlife. Koalas smell sooo good!! It's cuz they eat Eucalyptus, so we've found out (and maybe some really good smelling deoderant).

(you can click on the pictures to make them bigger)

Hopefully in the next coming days we'll have good news and can continue on the road trip. Perth, Cairns, New Zealand and Mama Kalemkeris' arrival are coming up too! Yay for 2011 so far :)

Dear Blog 2/12/10

What's Happening Blog? Yeah yeah, we've been busy too. Sorry we have been a little out of touch. Alot has happened since we last talked so here are some highlights!

* After Christina's birthday, Alyssa took her floral patterns and went home to miss us and macaroons and a gluttonous amount of chocolate from Max Brenners.

* Christina and Theresa continued the dream of daily treats.

* Marko quit his job bartending at Donnini's. Quite simply, it was a problem with contract negotiations and franchise direction. But that meant the job search continued again. This time I decided to seek out the job i wanted, and in parallel apply for EVERYTHING. I started operation "Runway Resume", a strenuous flurry of walking door to door on the motto that "Face Time will make me Shine". I initiated a rule, as I walk the streets, every business i come to I must apply if they are hiring, and if its a place that looks like i'ld enjoy working at, I would error my "face time" on the side of annoyingly persistent. That pretty much left only waxing and halal butcher shops to stay out of. Each day i took a new street or area of melbourne, and met with more businesses than the Tax Man. It was and is an experience worth trying for everyone...but try not to. My situation left my vulnerable and needy, and I had to disguise my state with confidence, personality, and awareness. I would say its similar to approaching "that cute girl[s] you always wanted to talk to but never got the courage to", and asking her out....You put your heart on the line, and hope with a furry. Unfortunately, it's a recipe for rejection, constant rejection. And you find yourself in a situation where you have so many trials of rejection, that you discover a new realm where you are free to brainstorm and experiment different approaches. You become an actor accentuating your different characteristics that might appeal to the interviewer during your 2 minutes of glory...err humbling. You keep trying, motivated by curiosity and fear. Battling the high price of living in melbourne, and high expectations for myself and my experience in australia, I felt trapped in a corner unable to enjoy myself, with a big scary monster slowly closing in on me that was my diminishing savings. My whole life, I've been fortunately enabled by the people around me to gain enough momentum to be able to do what I wanted. Finally, on an adventure of a lifetime in Australia, life scheduled me for the lesson of perseverance without any network of people or resources. As much as Christina and Theresa were always there to be helpful and uplifting, I felt very alone on my own trial of self discovery.

I wouldn't say I beat it, but I did make it through. The first ray of light shined by finding a job on Saturday's and Sunday's at a local Cafe as a barista. My coffee art improved and gone were the days of Picasso coffee shame. In time, i also got a job as a Chocolatier at Lindt & Sprugle. Finally, after that annoying persistence at every bike shop within a 10km radius, I got a job as a Bicycle mechanic. All at once, i had three jobs and had to choose now, which only justifies my metaphor with the cliche resemblance that "when it rains, it pours". But don't think about that metaphor now, because it contradicts my current ray of light/jobs metaphor. So with three jobs now, the "sun" was beginning to "shine" through,...and coincidentally, as it was now summer, it was quite literal as well.

so yeah two weeks after i got these two new jobs i desperately wanted and needed, we left for the Philippines....

* We went to the Philippines and discovered the filipino heritage. We were fortunate enough to be invited to Lola Zor and Lolo Benny's house with Mr. and Mrs. Suarez. It was here we studied the filipino food and desserts hoping to master our pacific island palate. We shocked our tastes with Lechon (pig), Balut(baby duck egg), Roasted Crickets, and many more things i prefer not to know what they were. As you know, goats will eat just about anything, and that should have made me question myself after I ate goat intestines soup. I've seen a goat savor concrete, lick rocks, and satisfy it's sweet tooth with blackberry thorned bush. What did i just expose my intestines to? 2 hours later, I realized only that whatever it was, it wasn't good for humans. I learned a lot of things about things i ate in the philippines "2 hours later "....i mean Lola Zor was always very informative and proud of filipino food.

The Sazon family and the Suarez family were host to our adventure, and each and everyone of them were so wonderful.

Chloe, Chanel, Stefi, and Andre (the kids) were very inclusive in their games, playtime, and laughter. They taught us a game, "Attention", that might replace the NFL as most beloved game...or at least cricket. The were a joy to be around!

Stefi and Andre's Mom, Tita Dina, took us all for her birthday on a medical volunteer outing to a filipino native community in the hills outside of Manila. The doctors and nurses gave their hearts to the village for the day, and the village needed it. We spent the morning and afternoon fulfilling Tita Dina's vision of how to make the world a better place. Tita Dina was so wonderful the whole trip and we had many many experiences with her, but this particular day was eye opening and such a unique experience.

Chloe and Chanel's Mom, Tita Robri, also celebrated her birthday with us, and our adventure with us was a long hike to a Crater Lake. It was an all day event that started with 9 strong participants, and ended with 6 determined, tired, beat up, yet successful participants and 3 hot spring spa rejuvenated quitters. I can't speak much on the hot spring, but the crater lake was magnificent. A 4 hour hike up to the crater through rivers and rocks and foliage. It was challenging, and made more difficult by a guide that didn't understand the translation of time and always quoted an ETA that was grossly off. (he said we would be there in 2 more minutes at least 20 minutes before, and before that he would say 5 more minutes). The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, at least from the back of the caravan. Ask Theresa and Christina what it was like from the front as there marathon legs were never challenged and they easily raced ahead.

more to come soon...

Goodnight...



...Goodmorning months later....

Another adventure in the Philippines was to El Nido, in Palawan. Palawan is that paradise that people are continually searching for. We are grateful for Tita Dina for putting this trip together for us, http://www.elnidoresorts.com/

We began by taking a chartered plane from Manila, almost private except for the creepy mass murderer with suspicious movement in the front by the cockpit. This plane flew us into to the Palawan islands, and then we took a private yacht for hobbits, aka a boat for normal humans, into EL Nido's private island. The trip began with sun and quickly went to Christina's favorite label, "torrential downpour". Luckily, the weather had ADD and didn't know what it wanted to be so everyday we were cooled off with the fresh rain and also had the clear blue skies to enjoy the beaches paradise. We ate like Kings and Queens here. And when we weren't eating, we were napping on the beach or living the tough and strenuous life of activity.

We ventured on a hike through the rain forrest with these very interesting worms, that instantaneously turned into large venomous snakes when Mrs. Suarez would find herself near them. By the end, I think she had these beasts on the BBQ and making her way from vine to vine on the tree tops. At the very end of the hike we found ourselves amongst the coolest plant i have seen in a long time. I dont remember it's Tagalog name, but it basically means "shy plant", and when it feels movement, it moves and retracts to safety. On the other side of these plants we were on a secluded beach with a shore break and three canoes to make our way back to the resort side of the island. Along the way we saw all sorts of fish and 200 foot cliffs with caves and dwellings with in. A great day activity that would require at least three naps and four meals within a two hour window to recover.

We took other adventures to near by islands. We saw snake island, Which is just a sand bar, we saw sunrises and sunsets and snorkeled in every area possible. We played games with the staff, volleyball and basketball. And we learned not to play billiards or table tennis with Mr. Suarez. I was basically smash practice for him and I knew it was coming because he would yell at me like Serena, but there was nothing I could do about it. And every day after my horrible defeat in table tennis, he would then suggest we play some billiards, which basically meant that I would just watch him hit all the balls in. I mean it was fun, but not competitive.

The most difficult part of the trip to El Nido was leaving. The staff all stars get together at the dock and sing the goodbye song and you realize just how much fun it was and how heart breaking it is to leave. Before we knew it we were back on the charter plane and in overcrowded Manilla.

We also were fortunate to experience the Filipino version of dia de el muerto, All Souls Day. It was a family reunion for the Suarez's and the Sazons and an amazing sight to witness. I have never seen a culture care for their lost loved ones like this before and it was quite the moment to experience. Everybody congregated in the graveyards and it was a celebration of their lives. Some of the wealthy had air condition structures built on their families graves. The kids played with the wax of the candles, and the adults caught up with their distant family.

Each day was a blessing to be in the Philippines with Theresa's family. When we weren't eating the most delicious food, and being serenaded by LoLo Bennie, Chanel, and Uncle Cons, on the piano, we were outside with our private tour guide, Uncle Cons, and among one of the nicest and happiest cultures I have ever experienced. To describe it as a wonderful time would not do it justice and the strength of its memory and the pull it now has on our hearts I think will last our entire life. To all our new friends and family in the Philippines and Mr. and Mrs Suarez, Thank you for your love and open hearts.

X's Birthday!!

Sorry its taken me so long to finish this.....so long in fact that the blogger website won't let me edit the pics, apparently there is a time limit on when you can move pics around, BOO!!! But here you go! :)

For my birthday weekend we decided to get out of the city with a little road trip up down the Great Ocean road to see the 12 Apostles, something that many of my patients and new found friends have repeatedly recommended for us. And needless to say we were not disappointed! :)

When we came back to the city we went out for a very nice dinner, drank some wine and had some AMAZING fish!! Thanks guys!! Unfortunately we had to call it an early night as Marko was feeling under the weather still, having caught Dengue Fever while in Bali, poor guy :(

On my actually birthday day, I awoke to find Marko, Theresa and Alyssa had made my birthday breakfast (banana pancakes!!!) complete with our new Justing Beiber poster wishing me a Happy Birthday!! SO GOOD!!! After becoming completely full, while Marko was still recuperating, the girls and I decided to go get some birthday cake at one of our favorite spots, Lindt, and explore some more of downtown (don't worry we tried to make it seem like Marko was with us by inserting his photo in some of our pics!). On the tram trip down, Theresa decided that because this was my 27th birthday, I should be required to do 27 random things that day, but due to time constraints (we had plans that night) she compromised for me to do just 9 (2+7=9), always the logical one, that one. So hence the crazy pics below, and of course while doing each of them, I had to hold the all important sign "Its my Birthday!"

So here goes the list, keep in mind we came up with all of them in a 15-20 min tram ride.
#1 Eat Macaroons (A must!)
#2 Take a pic with a street artist
#3 Try on a all floral outfit (I do NOT like floral outfits!)
#4 Pet an animal
#5 Find someone with the same birthday (we had to improvise on this one)
#6 Perform 9 jumping jacks in a public space
#7 Find an animal ring (Theresa had a turtle ring, and Alyssa had bought a dolphin ring in Bali)
#8 Shake hands with one of authority (this one I had to do twice as I only took a pic with one of authority the first time, no shaking of the hands)
#9 Something including a dolphin (excluding Alyssa's ring)(this was Alyssa's idea, apparently we all have to watch a show called The Cove)

So there you go, that should clear up some of the random pics of me!

My birthday night was summed up with an scrumptious dinner at my favorite Greek restaurant called "Jim's Greek Tavern" that reminds me of the Soup Nazi, but it has amazing food!! From there we went to see one of my favorite reggae bands from New Zealand called, "Katchafire" in Melbourne, Theresa and I had seen them in San Diego a year ago and here we are seeing them in Melbourne, Australia!! This was a great ending to a great birthday celebration weekend! Thanks Marko, Theresa and Alyssa for making it so great!!

Bali: Birthdays. Beaches. Booze. Bronze. Ballin'.

You'll never guess how our Bali trip ended...but before we get to that story, let us start at the beginning. Our dear friend Alyssa, from the motherland became our first (of many :-)) visitor. She arrived the day before we started our long awaited vacation, with Theresa and I working up until the very last day, having to leave from the hospital directly to the airport. We arrived at appoximately 11pm and from the very first step off the plane, the Balinese warmth relaxed us and put a smile on our faces, having been in winter for basically a year, something that would prove to be a great disadvantage as early as the next morning. Our first hotel was a villa at the Bali Dream Villas, and as you can see... we were ballin'. With our own pool complete with a happy Budha, and Indonesian cultural statues pouring our shower water, we were in heaven!!! We woke up on Marko's 30th birthday to a beautiful day, perfect for the beach, but not before the entire staff wished Marko a Happy Birthday, complete with a cake.

We went to Seminyak Beach, spending the whole day in the beautiful hot sun, complete with jumping pictures, paddle ball, and pretending to be sea lions in the ocean (something not uncommon for Marko in water). We met local Balinese people, and quickly learned how kind and genuine they can be. For the big birthday night, we headed over to Nusa Dua for a traditional Balinese dinner, complete with all the fixin's including a traditional Indonesian Cultural dance and presenting Marko with his birthday present, the birthday messages from all of his friends and family (thank you to all who responded!!!) To cap the night off we started our daily massage routine, one we were determined to stick by. This proved to be more relaxing for some then others, as the sun burns were beginning to rear they're ugly head.

The next day sadly was cloudy and raining, so we took this opportunity to visit Kuta, another beach town, which proved to be a small busy Australia, with Balinese people few and far between, needless to say, we were not impressed. Though we did manage to get our daily massages in. :) We then went back to the villa and had fun enjoying the pool with Marko doing his many tricks for us.

Next we ventured north to Ubad, known for its rice fields, and slower pace of life, BEAUTIFUL. While there we fulfilled our adventerous side by going out on a 2 1/2 hr rafting trip complete with a 13-15ft drop and many waterfalls. This was Alyssa's first rafting trip ever, not bad for a first experience..."Only in Bali!" We also went to the Balinese/Indonesian Cultural Center and watched a beautiful cultural show, much of it unfortunately went over our head, but it was pretty to watch.

After Ubad, we decided we wanted more beach, so we headed back to Seminyak, unfortunately we didn't have a hotel room yet, so we spent the next couple of hours searching for an available room which proved to be harder then expected because of the Muslim holiday that was in effect, bringing increased tourists to Bali. But we eventually found another villa which as you can see was AMAZING called Kamuela Bali Villas! That night we went over to Jimbaran, known for its incredible fresh fish with beach side seating perfect for sunsets. This was beautiful! The next morning we woke up to breakfast in the villa, complete with banana pancakes, fresh orange juice and coffee...yumm!!!

Unfortunately all of our batteries died the last day, so we weren't able to capture the last day at the beach or any of the last day's events which gets us to what you've all been waiting for...dun dun daaaaaaaa. Ok so in keeping with our goal to get daily massages and it being a holiday, we were quickly discovering that many of the spas around the main drag were full and we were on a time crunch to get on the plane. So we decided to grab a taxi and drive off the beaten path and simply look for a nice spa that could have availability. Well our taxi driver didn't speak much English and was having a hard time understanding our plan, but heard the word spa, so had his own place in mind in the middle of Kuta (which is crazy with traffic). We showed up to this kind of sketchy place but discovered that it had showers which was beneficial seeing how we'd spent the day at the beach and we getting on a 8hr plane ride, so we went for it. Now I'll tell you right now, we all had our own "special" experience, ranging from minor (having the worst massages ever!) to a little more sketchy (feeling like we needed a cold shower after). Once we all met up in the lobby after, we began to look around and discovered many guys entering the spa and lining up to look through this glass room where there were many beautiful ladies sitting. Theresa pointed out that they all were wearing stilletos with numbers on their chest. I turned to her and said "Isn't that where they do the pedicures?" and Theresa again pointed out, "They don't do pedicures here!" We then witnessed as these stilletoed, numbered beautiful ladies followed these men upstairs to give them their "massages". Thats right folks, we found ourselves in a "happy ending" spa!!!! What a great ending to an amazing trip!!!