Anxious for Africa!

Just a quick update from the last few days. Saturday, my last day in Cairns, was not only my friend's birthday, but the last night of the month-long Cairns Festival which celebrated the community and its people. There were small events happening around the city throughout the day, but the best bit was the huge parade and fireworks display that took place after the sun went down. The entire city was there...families lined the streets with their beach chairs and coolers full of goodies to keep the kids tame, while teenagers milled about and couples shared a meal in the curbside cafes. Any company, school, club, or group of people that shared similar interests was in the parade - floats of extreme sport advertisers, the local high school band, the cast of the local theater's last teen production, frequenters of the skating rink, dance troupes, percussion groups, a neighborhood garage band, and - the most classic of all - pole dancers. That's right... a float with a flat-bed, four poles, and six ladies just hanging every which way on them. Let's just say we had a good laugh over that one. To top it off, the fireworks display was beautifully done and took place right in the harbour, so the vibrant colors that exploded in the sky were duplicated as their reflection was cast in the waters below.

Sunday I flew out early in the morning to Sydney and spent the day exploring the Kings Cross area, wandering around the harbour, and reading my book (so exciting to read for FUN and read material that doesn't involve bodily functions). Also, there were 2 weddings that took place on the harbour - one was a beautiful Asian couple that rented a huge ferry-style boat and had their reception party floating in the Sydney Harbour (not too bad); the other was a FABULOUS Indian couple that I saw walking near the botanical gardens with their entourage of family and friends following close behind, dressed in the most intricate, colorful ghagra choli and saris I've ever seen. Best wishes to the new couples : )

On Monday, I was able to visit the beautiful Blue Mountains that lie in the western outskirts of the Sydney suburbs. There was a group of 14 representing Britain, Ireland, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. For the most part, of all the backpackers I've met while traveling in Australia, they fall within one of these nationalities (the only exceptions being the two French, one Bulgarian, and one Canadian on the Kakadu tour). We first stopped at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Park, which was nice to compare from what I remember seeing on television. Next was the entrance to the Blue Mountain National Park, where we spotted 3 kangaroos and quite a few yellow-tailed cockatoos flying about - it is much more exciting to see them in the wild than it is in a zoo or sanctuary. We then came to our first lookout over the Jamison Valley - a vast land covered with ferns, eucalyptus, and other families of trees whose solid color was occasionally broken up by the auburn-tan sandstone masses that were scattered throughout the panorama. We were able to hike down to a lookout that had a better angle of Wentworth Falls, a waterfall that was quite spectacular even during a drought period. The Three Sisters, three huge sandstone rock masses that form three identifiable peaks in the distance, provided us with the longest stop and most time to explore - four of us decided to use the hour we had to climb down to the base of the valley, where one could then take the rail or cable car back up to the top. The rail was closed for maintenance work that day, but I've never seen a railway so STEEP in my life... it was on a 52-degree angle!! Even if it were working, I am pretty sure I would not go on it! The four of us decided we'd rather climb back up the way we came...back up the 1000+ stairs we had so much fun going down. Whoo, talk about a workout - you know those stair-steppers in the gyms... not the ones that just go up and down, but the ones that is actually, in essence, a revolving staircase... that is what it felt like - never-ending stairs. Just as we crested a huge set of stairs, another beautiful set would make its way into view. At least it kept us warm in the strong winds that contributed to the 11 degree temperature. We were also very lucky that the climb back up was through the most beautiful forestry, as we walked under overhanging ferns and through very cave-like stone structures...all to the calming sound of water rushing down onto smoothed stone from the nearby Katoomba Falls. A fantastic day all around!

Today, I was able to have lunch with Katy's aunt and her husband, a lovely and welcoming couple from the North Ryde area. They took me to their local "club" for lunch and we just had the best time catching up and sharing stories. I am always fortunate to meet such wonderful people, so thank you to couple who made this day great! And, to speak of more great people, I am so thankful to be staying with the lovely family of Ashley, my fellow Peruvian volunteer, traveler, and savior. Her family is so warm and welcoming, and it is great to see each personality shine through. I love seeing how different families operate, so it is an absolute blessing that I have been able to spend time with this beautiful family. That said, I do miss my own family a whole LOT!

I am sooooo excited for Friday, when I depart for South Africa to see my friend KATY!!! The countdowns are becoming smaller and smaller, while the excitement level does nothing but climb!! So the next update will hopefully be from South Africa! Much love to my family and to all friends and families out there :)