Jul 10
21
Free Falling From 13,000 ft
View of Airlie Beach at 4000 ft
It’s just another day in the Whitsundays, the sky is clear, the sun is shining, and we’re about to jump out of a plane at 13,000 ft above sea level. How the heck did I get here? I ask myself as I look down at the houses and roads that keep getting smaller and smaller below me as the tiny Cessna airplane creeps higher into the atmosphere. Before coming to Australia I would have never have even imagined jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft, never mind choosing it as a birthday present for myself. After about 15 minutes of climbing we reach our maximum altitude and the pilot signals to the tandem masters that we are good to go.
Seconds before the jump
I have decided to jump first, as I think that seeing Andrew fall out of the plane would add even more fear to my already over burdened nervous system. Within seconds the door of the plane is opened, and before I can even count to three we are free falling to the ground below us. And while I expected the “rollercoaster” stomach feeling to be overwhelming, surprisingly, there is none. Just the wind rushing past your face and a huge adrenaline rush surging through your body. After 50 seconds of plummeting to the ground, the parachute opens and I can finally catch my breath and let out the scream that’s been stuck in my throat the whole time.
So how did a girl like me who once had a panic attack climbing to the nose bleeds section at the Toronto Skydome willingly jump out of a plane smiling the whole way down?
Free Falling and loving it!
After traveling for 10 months, and testing myself and my abilities in dozens of other areas, I have learned there is nothing that you can’t do if you put your mind to it. Travel has opened my mind to new possibilities, and made me face some of my biggest fears – in this case head on. And while I would have never even thought of sky diving as something to do back at home, it seems to be a “must do” activity on all travelers lists here in Australia. I’ve learned that in most cases, the anticipation of the event is scarier that the actual experience. A big thanks to Skydive Whitsunday’s for taking us on the ride of our lives today. As lululemon would say, we should do one thing a day that scares us -- as for tomorrow, I’m not sure how we’ll top sky diving, but we will definitely be keeping our eyes open for the next adventure.
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With time ticking away here on Hayman we’ve started planning the next phase of our journey. The past two and a half months here have been great, but it’s now time to start looking forward to being on the road again. Phase one of our next journey will take us from Airlie Beach up to Cairns and Port Douglas by car. Then we fly over to Perth for a few weeks on the west coast, rent another car there and do the south-western tip of Australia. We will have about a month left on our visa to complete this journey before it’s time to fly out and head off to Asia.
Australian Journey
For the next leg of our journey, we have started to budget our time and look at how many places we can comfortably squeeze into the 2.5 months we have before returning to Canada for Christmas. It seems the more people we talk to, the more ideas we get about amazing places to visit. It is definitely going to be a busy few months trying to fit everything in, while still taking some time out for some rest and relaxation.
Map of our journey in Asia
Our first stop will definitely be Indonesia, both due to our desire to do some surfing in Bali, and its close proximity to Australia. We are then considering stopping over in Malaysia for about a week on our way to Thailand since it’s literally on the way. Thailand will make up the biggest chunk of our southeast Asia tour, as we will likely spend our entire 30 day visa there visiting both the north and south of Thailand. Next it’s a quick dip into Laos for 15 days (due to visa requirements), and possibly a week or two in Cambodia before flying out of Bangkok to Canada. Of course, I do predict lots of last minute changes once we arrive in Asia and get a feel for places we would like to spend more or less time in. And to think we started on our journey, intent on only travelling around Australia! We’re now up to 7 countries and counting on the itinerary!
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Jul 10
1
Canada Day Down Under
Our Canadian Family in Oz
It’s 7:30 am on July 1st and Andrew and I are about to embark on a Cruise Whitsunday boat trip out to the Great Barrier Reef to celebrate Canada Day – Australia style. Ourselves along with 5 other Canadians, and one brave Australian, have planned an epic day to celebrate Canada and it’s 143 years of independence. With a large Canadian flag hoisted about our heads we board the boat and head out on 2 hour boat ride to the Knuckle Reef Pontoon. The excitement begins before we even arrive at the pontoon with a whale sighting about 200 meters off the starboard side of the boat. We get a few good breaches of the whale, but I’m not quick enough on the camera to get a decent shot.
Canadian Girls
We finally arrive at the pontoon, and jump directly into the water for our first certified scuba dive. Within about 10 minutes we are suited up and under the water. The sights are breath taking. Everywhere you look there is another intricate coral formation with hundreds of fish feeding off the algae. We spend almost an hour under the water and along the way swim with a sea turtle, spot a reef shark, and see a giant moral eel hiding under the coral. Back on the boat again it’s time for lunch and a suntan before heading back out for a snorkel and some photo opportunities under the water. You could spend all day out here floating around just staring at the diversity of the sea life below. Before we know it, our 4 hours at the pontoon is up and we’re getting back on the boat for our journey home. But not before we get some great “family” shots of our group.
Love the Matching Gear!
Back on Hayman again, we shower, and take a quick nap before heading out to the bar to continue the celebrations. Andrew and I are both sporting our matching Canadian Olympic gear (thanks Gloria!) and the flag is out as well. All of the Australians are totally into Canada Day right along with us and it makes for a great night at the bar. Even though I’m 15,000 kilometres away from home, Canada Day could not have been any better.
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While traveling and saving money may seem like polar opposites, this may not always be the case depending on the kind of travel you do. At the end of 15 months of travel and only 7 months of working part-time hospitality jobs, it looks like we should come home with nearly as much money as we left with. How is it possible to work less, see the world, and not put a large dent in your savings account? Spend less. When you cut ties to your bills and belongings while on the road, you can put that money towards your travels.
New job and new sights to take in
When we were prepping for our 15 month journey, the first thing we did was start to sell off things that we hadn’t used in ages, both to save storage space and to make some cash. It’s amazing how fast things pile up after a few years of settling in one place. Not only were we able to get rid of junk we were no longer using, we easily made over $500 just off things that were collecting dust in our closets. While letting go of your “stuff” may seem scary at first, it gets easier with each item that you sell. Knowing that it’s going to get some use again in its new home is a great feeling. The next step; cutting all our bills. With no car insurance, gym membership, electricity, hydro, internet, or cable bills, it’s amazing how far your money can go.
Being able to work while traveling has provided the rest of our travel fund. The opportunity to save money while working overseas outweighs what you can do at home in most circumstances. Why? Because when you are constantly on the move, it’s amazing what you learn to live without. All those things that you desperately need to buy at home – new clothes, make-up, home furnishings, etc. just aren’t as important when you’re travelling. After living out of a backpack for 9 months now, it’s amazing that I still have clothes that I don’t often wear, and how much I have left behind at various places. Traveling to countries where your currency is worth more is also another way to stretch your dollar. While the Australian currency is close to the Canadian dollar, our 3 months in Asia will cost us next to nothing in comparison. So if you’re looking to start or add to your savings account, working overseas for 6 months to a year may be a great way to get started. Not only will you grow your bank account, you’ll get to see a new part of the world, work somewhere completely different than your current job, and make all your friends back home jealous of your great adventures.
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My Face in Print!
After a long day of cleaning rooms, on the first day of rain here on Hayman Island, I checked my email and saw a line that turned my day around, “You’re in TNT Magazine!” After submitting my article on the pros and cons of living and working on a remote island about a month ago, I received the email I have been waiting for weeks to receive. Not only is my article in print, I received a $300 voucher for any Oz Experience Pass. My smile is so big my face hurts! A big thank you to the TNT Travel Down Under Magazine staff for publishing my first article. The magazine can be found at most backpacker hostels for free or online at http://www.tntdownunder.com/
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Jun 10
11
Scuba: My First Breaths Underwater
Getting our Gear Ready
It’s our second day of training on our open water PADI scuba dive course, and we are heading into the ocean straight away. After our two confined water dives in the pool and half a day of theory, we have the basics covered and are ready to get our feet wet, literally. Our first dive location is Blue Pearl Bay II, one of the best dive spots in the Whitsundays, and located conveniently on the back side of Hayman Island, only a quick five minute boat ride to the beach. After going over all of our equipment set up and buddy checks, it’s into the ocean. Within minutes of going under the surface we are surrounded by fish and stunning colourful coral. Our dive instructor has brought some fish food with her, and the fish begin to swim in from all directions, knowing that food awaits then if they are lucky. When the food is released it becomes a feeding frenzy, the water so full of fish that you can’t see past them. There are dozens of different fish species, from angel fish, butterfly fish, gropers, Napolean wrasse, barracudas, cloudfish, lion fish, “Finding Nemo” fish, and many others that I can’t recall.
Diving in for the first time
We swim deeper into the ocean, trying to maintain neutral buoyancy; staying off the bottom to protect the precious coral, and not floating to high towards the surface. It’s surprisingly quite easy to breath underwater and with all of the action going on around us, worrying about breathing is the last thing on your mind. At 12 meters depth, our max for today, it’s an amazing feeling looking up at the surface of the water from down below. The whole world above is blocked out, and a serene sense of quiet surrounds you. Everywhere you look there is another giant coral structure teeming with life.
It’s estimated that 3/4 of the world covered by water, and after 25 years spent on land I feel like there is a lot of catching up to do exploring the wonders of the ocean world. After watching numerous episodes of Blue Planet by BBC, we finally got to experience what it’s like first hand. I am definitely looking forward to next week when we will become Open Water certified with PADI and get to explore more of the Great Barrier Reef.
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Whether its 6 months backpacking Europe or a few weeks holiday in a tropical location, travel has many intangible benefits beyond just rest and relaxation. Here are my top 5 reasons why everyone should travel, feel free to add yours in the comments below:
- Learn about other cultures – when you travel to other countries with a different way of life, it opens your eyes and makes you realize that not everyone lives like you do. Try the food, pick up a new article of clothing and meet the local people. The world is smaller than you think and no matter where you work today, having an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of other cultures is bound to be an asset.
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Where to Next?
Learn about yourself – you may have a hidden talent you discover while travelling overseas. Or maybe it’s time to conquer your fear of heights by skydiving, or walking over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Taking time away from your normal routine gives you the opportunity to branch out and try things that you usually wouldn’t.
- Learn how to budget both time and money – there’s nothing like an upcoming vacation to force you to re-examine your spending habits. How you plan to save for the trip and then how much you actually spend while away are great lessons to learn earlier in life than later. I have seen a lot of sad faces of backpackers going home halfway through their trip because they’re not quite sure where all their money went (hint: you probably drank it all away). As for time, if you only have the opportunity to travel for a few weeks at a time, and want to cover a lot of ground, you’ll need to plan ahead. Try and pick your must see’s for each location and leave extra time for things that come up along the way.
- Adventure and exploration – since the beginning of time, people have explored the world in search for new place, new ideas and adventure. It’s in our genes to get out there and explore. Watching a National Geographic documentary on India, is not the same as actually going to India. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new, you may even discover that you like it. It’s not called the “Travel Bug” for nothing.
- Appreciation for home – there’s no place like home, especially after being away for an extended period of time. As beautiful and diverse as your holiday might be, there’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed, with your own favourite brand of tea or coffee. Depending on where you travel, you are bound to run into poverty ridden areas. Reminding yourself that most of the world lives on only a few dollars a day will (hopefully) make you thankful and inspire you to give back in whatever way you can.
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After 8 months in Australia, we find ourselves heading to Hamilton Island – the location of the “Best Job in the World” and our reason for packing up our lives and deciding to travel. Andrew and I both applied,(video featured above) and when we weren’t selected as the winners we thought, “What’s stopping us from going anyways?”
Enjoying the sun at Hamilton Island
We spent the day taking in the beautiful beaches and enjoying being back in “civilization” again. Compared to Hayman, this place is a city. It’s the land of golf carts, with people zipping to and fro down the streets, and a buggy parked in each driveway. The island has a number of resorts to choose from as well as numerous multi-million dollar holiday homes for sale. We enjoyed a little shopping and a meal at a restaurant other than the staff diner, which after 30 days of staff meals was amazing.
Hanging with the Koalas
One of the highlights of the day was going to the small wildlife center they have there for free as a Hayman staff member. We were able to get up close and personal with the dingo’s and koala bears – a first for us on our trip after all this time.
It was great to see where we might have ended up with The Best Job in the World, but as we traveled back to Hayman Island on a yacht, watching the sunset and returning to our 5 star luxury resort hotel, I think we still did pretty well for ourselves.
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How to keep the smiles
No matter how long you’ve been together, travelling with your partner is always a test of your relationship, especially if it is for the first time. I am sure we’ve all heard stories like, “Jake and Samantha were going out for such a long time, then they went traveling together and broke up within a few weeks”. To avoid relationship disaster, especially on extended travel, here are a few guidelines to help keep you happy and in love:
- Clear objectives – before you spend any money, decide on what it is you want out of the trip. If one person is looking forward to getting some rest and relaxation on the beach, while the other is thinking a trip means hitting up all the museums and art galleries in town, you are bound to hit a few snags. Don’t be shy to voice your opinions, it’s better to be certain you are on the same page before you get on a plane for 10 hours.
- Compromise – following closely behind clear objectives is compromise. There are bound to be elements of the trip you feel differently about, but hear your partner out. List your most important goals or places you want to see, and come up with a plan to make sure you both accomplish the top items on your list – even if it means sacrificing a few lesser important items.
- Budget – money is always a hot topic in relationships, and even more so if you have joint finances for the trip. Set an amount that you both feel comfortable with for the trip overall, as well as the amount you wish to spend on categories such as flights, accommodation, food, entertainment etc. This will help you to get a clearer picture of how you agree to spend your money while abroad.
- Space – if you are planning to travel for more than a few weeks, taking some time away from each other to be alone with your thoughts becomes very important. When you are spending every waking moment with your partner, you are bound to become frustrated at times. Taking a long walk alone, or doing some solo shopping, can give you the space you need to recollect your thoughts and indulge in some of the activities that you really enjoy that your partner may not.
- Benefit of the doubt – you’ve just spent 12 hours on a plane, 2 hours collecting your luggage and getting through immigration, and another 45 minutes getting a train to your hotel. Your jet-lagged, tired, hungry and probably feeling pretty crappy. And who’s the one person there you want to take it out on? Your partner. More than ever during travel, it’s essential to let things go, and forgive easily. There are bound to be times you are both feeling on edge after long days on the road, and it’s easy to start an argument when you are both tired and irritable. Take some deep breaths, put on some good music, and remember why you decided to take this journey together in the first place. There are always going to be good days in bad in any relationship, just don’t let the few bad ones spoil the whole trip.
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Graduation
Does this life story sound familiar? In grade school we are often asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and most of us respond with jobs that are easy to grasp at the age of 7 or 8, doctor, fireman, lawyer, police man. Then by grade 10 you are already deciding your program for university or college. After high school you went directly into a 3 or 4 year program, graduated, and went straight into a job in your field, with maybe a few weeks off in between. From there you started saving for a condo/nice car/electronics/new furniture etc. started planning the wedding and picking out the names for your kids. Don’t get me wrong, this picture isn’t all bad but it certainly doesn’t leave much room for adventure and exploration outside the box. For most of us from the time we are born, we are following a “set” path that includes getting a good education, so we can get good jobs, buy nice homes and raise good families ourselves. Deviation from this path is usually met with scepticism from others and self induced guilt. Who was it that decided long ago that we must make all of these responsible life choices? What if we decide to not decide our lives until the moment is right, and take time to discover what is truly important to us?
The view from my office
On one of my days off last week, I spent the day on island not far from Hayman, tanning, snorkeling, and watching the sea turtles float by. I thought to myself, where would I rather be? Sitting behind a desk for 8 to 10 hours a day, or here? I think it goes without saying. The decision to travel gets easier each passing day. When you break out of your comfort zone and start meeting other people who have also chosen a different path, you realize you are not alone, and there are options out there. You can live outside the box, even if it is only for a short period of time. By re-evaluating some of your life choices, and setting personal goals, you may even discover a talent or ambition that has never had time to shine. As it says in the “Sunscreen” graduation song, “Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what to do with your life, the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.”
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