When It Rains, It Pours

I don't consider myself a sports enthusiast but I do consider myself one who knows what's going on most of the time in a particular sport. However, the game of cricket can take that consideration away from me because this weekend, I was utterly confused while attending. Not like, "Oh, I'll catch on after a little bit of time." It was more like (after an hour passes by), "Is there even two teams playing?", "Where's the ball?", "I think we need to cheer because everyone else around us is doing it." I dropped the ball when it came to preparing prior to the game. I don't know why I didn't read at least some of the rules of the game before going on Friday. But, we got a couple laughs out of the experience, don't regret going because when else would we be able to, and explored the city a little bit after leaving the game an hour and a half later.

I thought the day had provided me back with some good karma given my mishaps prior in the week. Earlier in the week, I went to turn on my dad's very nice camera to snap a couple pictures and was welcomed with a black screen. It turns on, goes to a black screen, makes a little funny noise and won't let me turn it off without taking the battery out. I didn't freak out at first because it did it once before but was fine after a minute. But after I let it rest for a day, fully charged the battery, and it was still in that state, I started to freak out. I asked anyone and everyone who I thought could tell me what's wrong with it and it was to no avail. I got the common answer of, "Take it to the camera store." Well, okay, so I called a camera store within walking distance of campus and after speaking to a customer service employee, I was told that by the explanation of my problem, it was going to be more expensive to fix than the actual camera. So, I asked about the warranty seeing as the camera isn't even a year old, and I was told no one in Australia would honor it because of the international purchase. A part of me cried inside. I began to question everything I did with the camera. Did I drop it? Did I get dirt/sand in it? Did I use it too much? It's all a part of my curse, I guess.

So, I stopped denying the inevitable and told my dad. Of course, he was fine with it (thanks, Dad!) but I still feel really bad about it (I can't help it!). I just hope nothing was my fault and it's able to get fixed without hassle when I'm home because he hasn't even used it!

Moving along, on the same day, when I was in between denial and acceptance stage of the broken camera, I tried to see if I could blow dry out any dirt/sand that maybe is causing the problem. I grabbed my roommate's blowdryer, that is American, and used an adapter to plug it in. I never saw her using this one, because she bought an Australian one, but I thought since it was out, I could use it. It was about two seconds from when I turned on the hairdryer to the spark that made my heart drop, and the hairdryer stop. I started to panic. I unplugged it, stepped out of the bathroom and went to where my computer was charging. It wasn't charging anymore. I franticly flipped the outlet on and off (here, you have to turn on/off each outlet with a switch). Nothing. I blew the electricity in our dorm room.

At this point, I couldn't even cry because I was just so flustered. A trip to the maintenance office was in order. I was worried about a fine. Or even, in my over-analytical mind, that I had really screwed up the electrical and they were going to have to re-wire the whole floor. Like, really Kaylie? They were going to send someone up since it was "an urgent situation." My roommate and I waited patiently as our computer batteries lowered. We laughed about it but deep down, I wasn't at that stage yet after everything that happened. I think about an hour passed and out of nowhere, I looked down to see my charger had lit up for my mac. It was back on without even a visit from maintenance! I guess they wouldn't have to re-wire the whole floor, after all.

Thursday night we went out and I was able to forget about the series of unfortunate events. Katie and I ventured alone to a bar called Melba's and honestly, we had the greatest time just her and I. We danced around and finally figured we should join the rest of our friends. Wasn't as fun, but alas, we stayed.

Friday was the cricket game and souvenir shopping. After we got back, my friends and I went to the Chocolate Bar and indulged in the most delicious foods. My mom would have been in Heaven!

Series of unfortunate events continue. I had purchased a really nice, handmade clay jar as a souvenir for someone that I waited for so long to find the perfect gift. This was it. As I was purchasing it, I said to myself, "I really need to be careful with this when I'm on the plane coming home." But my other ego spoke and said, "You're always careful." Ha. I think we all know where this story is going. I came back to campus just fine with the jar in tow. As soon as I got back, I put it in my suitcase that is full with all the other souvenirs I've bought. But, I needed to check in my suitcase for something a little bit later and so I reached to take the suitcase down from above my desk. I hadn't zipped it all close, and as my arms were lowering the suitcase, the clay jar was rolling out. There was never a point of return. I watched as the jar was air borne, then I heard the shattering. Into about ten pieces. Broken. Done. Unfixable.

Yeah...

It was one of those times you just can't believe is happening. And one of those times you wish you could just go back ten seconds before to alter the outcome. It was my fault but I didn't want it to be. I shuffled to Katie's room and wallowed in self pity. It really just wasn't my week. At one point, I closed my eyes and said to whoever was listening, "Whatever I did to deserve this bad karma, I'm sorry." Accidents happen, I know that, but I just didn't want them to happen to such good things. I'm better now, and hoping that I've reversed whatever karma that's from. That is, after I popped a button off my jeans yesterday. I'm not getting into that out of fear that I'll really breakdown.

But you know what I discovered that can really make you forget about things? Going to the casino. I've never been at home but now I want to go all the time. (Grandma Adams, can't wait to have dates with you there when I turn 21!) A couple friends and I went to Jupiter's Casino Saturday night and I think I've said once before in my life that I'll never gamble but I was open to the opportunity. I didn't lose much money, only $20, which is insignificant in the grand scheme of things I'd like to think, especially because we were there for four hours. And I didn't even get to play the slots so I think I'll have to go back. The whole night I played war, with a $10 minimum. I think a part of me just felt like playing that all night because it was the card game I used to play with my Grandma Benson before she passed away, nine years ago this week. She was rooting for me and helping me along for a lot of the night but I got a little swept away in the excitement of it all and kept going instead of cashing out with a $30 profit. I'm okay with it all though. I felt connected to my Grandma and still had such a fun night.

It rained the past two days here so maybe that adds to the "poor me" attitude I had but at the end of the day, I'm still in Australia, surrounded by a lot of great people, supported by a lot of great people at home, and having the time of my life. So, when it rains, it pours but I say we all need a little rain to appreciate the sunshine that much more.

Live Life Simply

One of the quotes I often think of is, "Live Life Simply." It all started with a backdoor rug my mom bought that bore those words and then it turned into her favorite quote, and then it turned into the words I think of often when I'm getting bogged down in detail or obsessive-compulsiveness. But I never really knew how elaborately I was still living until I came to Australia with two 40 lb. bags that were supposed to last me for four months, and have survived on just that. I wouldn't have guessed that I would be fine, nor would I have guessed that I could live even simpler. Until this weekend when I lived on an island for three days out of just a book bag.

Moreton Island is about an hour drive from campus and another hour and a half ferry ride. We left at 5:45am Friday morning with the idea that it was going to be somewhat of a Survivor weekend and we were going to have to hunt and gather for our livelihood. While it wasn't necessarily hunting and gathering, we had to do some major adaptations to the environment for the weekend. I've never been camping, let alone without electricity for more than a day but I was thrown onto this island with a tour guide (the same one from the rainforest tour I did a couple weeks ago) and fifteen other people and expected to have the time of my life. I'm happy to report that this weekend tops the charts.

The first day we took a tour around the Northern point of the island and experienced the first of many bumpy rides in our 4WD truck. The whole island is obviously all sand, including the tracks. Nev, our tour guide, told us that some people have too much air in their tires and it causes bumps and indents within the sand that is more than necessary; so that's why it was so jolty and hard to maneuver around. The video we took can give you probably only a minute sense of our adventure.

We reached the beach, had a swim, some lunch and then hiked up to Honeymoon Bay. Along the route, Nev would always point out specific edible plants and although I wasn't a participant, some of my friends were more than willing.

I saw these sights the whole weekend and it never got old. I took around 500 pictures and although more than half are of beaches, water, trees, I'm not going to delete any of them because I want to live this trip over and over again! We were onto our next adventure after Honeymoon Bay but experienced a little detour when we were driving down the road and Nev spotted an eagle on the side of the road. Once we drove past it, it didn't really move so we stopped, Nev got out and was able to catch it with a towel wrapped around it so that we could bring it to safety. The rangers were no where to be found so we brought it to the resort on the island and moved forward. Nev to the rescue!

Snorkeling was on the agenda but given the current and winds, it was too dangerous because the waves would have exceeded our snorkel height. Instead, Nev told us we could go kayaking and I was more than excited because I had never been. Why he thought that kayaking was safe in the conditions and not snorkeling, we'll never know. I was on the kayak for no more than two minutes and was capsized. I should have learned my lesson right then and there and swam back in. But I wanted to go more and so did everyone else. Before we knew it, the current had pulled us to what seemed like a mile away from our spot. I didn't start freaking out until it came time to try and get back into shore. I was paddling but I wasn't moving. And the longer I didn't move, the further I got away from shore and our camp spot. Then the longer I tried to paddle forward, the more energy I was losing. I was stuck out there with my friend Erica and both of us were in the same situation.  The guys moved right along and didn't even think twice about helping us. Even though there was nothing they really could have done, we're still bitter about it. When I didn't think it could get worse, my paddle fell out of my kayak and that's when I really started freaking out. I was literally up a creek without a paddle. My arms started flailing to the motion of fins to try and get my paddle, and it was with success. At that point I knew there was nothing more I could do except go full force. I paddled and paddled until my arms were jello and then I paddled some more. Finally, I made it to an acceptable distance to topple over and just dog-paddle my way to shore but let me tell you, that was not the best first impression of kayaking.

After that we headed in, changed into clothes and headed back out to watch the sunset. It was my first time really watching a sunset completely disappear into the distance and it was one of those times I'll never forget. A lot of us sat in reflection and amazement. I really just felt alive.

We were up bright and early again the next morning, after an almost sleepless night in the tent on my part due to the animal noises, Katie's snoring and my lack of a pillow. I'm really paying for the latter now with my neck pains. The current was weak and the wind wasn't much so we were able to snorkel through the ship wrecks on the island. They didn't really occur there, they were put there but it was still really neat to see and swim through the wrecks, as well as have the fish and coral below you. One of the most memorable things was a bird swimming right along side of us waiting to grab some fish for food since we had the bread in our hands. He or she danced around us and to our shock, scooped one fish right up and swallowed it! It was so gross watching the whole fish shape just move down the bird's mouth but it was interesting too.

Next on the agenda was the reason I signed up for this trip: sand boarding! I really didn't know what to expect, and I certainly didn't expect for it to feel like I was in the middle of the Sahara Desert. The name was all too suiting.

I'm still washing sand out of my clothes, and my body. But every grain of it was worth the absolute joy I had the whole time doing it. First was just laying on the board, then I upgraded to standing on the board, and mastered the two-person ride with Katie. At one point we were crying from the laugher and our cheeks hurt from smiling too much. No one needs therapy, just sand boarding.

I may have taken a couple tumbles but each one was worth it. Writing about all of it is making me want to go back right now!

After sweating our body weight off, we were refreshed to a trip to the Blue Lagoon of freshwater. It refreshed me both in cool water temperature and in replenishing my lack of water in my body because I was able to drink from it. When you first jump in, the water looks red but it is just like that because of the ti-tree oil that is infused within it. It leaves your skin and hair feeling so, so soft. It was nice to feel like that after not showering for two days.

We got back and since the current still wasn't strong, three of us decided to try kayaking one more time. It was so relaxing and peaceful to kayak through the ship wrecks and just have complete silence of the water. Kayaking has redeemed itself.

After another sunset, we cooked some dinner and all of us hung out by the fire, getting to know each other more and telling story after story.

After that, we prepared for the greatest night: sleeping right on the beach! We dragged our mattresses, sleeping bags and smiles and headed to the beach. We were lucky enough to have the clouds part way at some times and see all the stars. I've never seen so many stars in my life, nor ones so bright. I think star gazing is my new favorite thing to do. Almost all of us passed out within a half hour but two of my friends and I stayed up and talked to Nev until way into the night. We had no concept of time at any part of the weekend and I didn't want it any other way. Sometimes I felt like I was back on Kairos. Nev is declared the most interesting man ever and I wish I could see him again sometime. But, I appreciate those people the most, the ones who I only get to spend time with for a short time and then we each go our separate ways. I think we all have something to offer to each other.

We were pretending for the picture...

Good morning! And then there were six...

I fell asleep to the sound of the waves and woke up to them as well. The funniest part has to be the fact that it started raining really early in the morning and none of us left at first. We pulled our blankets over our heads and embraced it all. Then, we slowly started losing people to waking up early and it being too cold. Around 8am, there were six of us left and we smiled at what we had just done. Such happiness. 

Sunday was a tour of the highest vegetated sand dune in the world, Mt. Tempest. It gave us a view of the whole island to take our breath away. 

Lastly, we went to the best beach on the island, in my opinion. There we saw dolphins jumping, manatees swimming and sea turtles floating along their own way. We headed back to camp, packed up and got on the ferry to get back to campus. Probably the saddest I've ever been leaving a place but I know I'll make it back someday. 

This place made me appreciate the simplicity in life, and live off only what I need. I'll gladly trade anything for this weekend of: minimal sleep, no showering, no shoes, sand everywhere and limitless happiness. When I think of Australia, this weekend will be on the top of my mind. It sums it all up...

Just Keep Swimming

I've been trying to write this post for the last day and every time I try and start to write, I feel a sense of inadequacy given that there's no way I can put words to my experiences in Cairns. It was too indescribable, too surreal, too dream-like. Because in fact, it was a dream. It's on the Bucket List even before the "going to Australia" one. (My sophomoric self obviously didn't consider the "killing two birds with one stone" concept when I was writing it out.) And now, "Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef" earned its rightful, red cross-out and date mark on that Bucket List.

We landed in Cairns around 5pm Thursday and were bussed to our hostel, Gilligan's. We settled in and checked out the free dinner at the bar. It was an interesting meal that was called sausage and mashed potatoes but I don't know if I would call it that myself. I'm just going to tell myself that their sausage tastes really different than the meat I'm used to at home. Blah. Anyways, we told ourselves that since we had a huge day on Friday we wouldn't go out. That quickly changed when we realized just how fun our hostel was. Gilligan's is pretty much the staple party scene in Cairns and we wanted to savor every moment we could dancing away there and meeting the plenty other international and domestic people. Even if there were a couple crazies such as: the bald, 70ish year-old man dancing; middle-aged men that didn't belong and guys with eyes tattooed on their butt. I have no shame in the fact that I never changed out of my comfy, airport clothes and just stayed in them all night as others were dressed up cute. Totally fine with it.

Friday was the day I had waited for since I was little. A 6:45am wake-up call wasn't going to bother this night owl the slightest bit. We walked to the marina, checked in with our tour company and all 33 of us were en route to the Reef. I do like to praise myself for now deciding on Australia, and not Semester at Sea for studying abroad because my motion sickness doesn't play around when I'm on a boat for a long time. Sorry, body. After about an hour and half of boating and an introduction to diving lesson later, we arrived at our first diving spot. I really wasn't nervous up until the point where I was sitting on the edge of the boat with my feet dangling in the sea, respirator in and air tank buckled in, mask on, 45lb. weight strapped on me and one of the instructors saying, "Good luck down there."

We had to show them that we were able to clear the water out of our masks and the water out of our respirator if water happened to get in it when we were down there. My heart and stomach sunk to depths like never before when I was holding onto the bar proving to the instructor that I was able. It was scary, I won't lie and say that it was one of those moments when I was just ready to go. I second guessed myself and probably could have cried if it wasn't going to affect my mask getting all foggy. But, before I knew it, I was linked arms with three of my friends and our instructor and we were off into one of the seven natural wonders of the World.

Despite the pain I was in because of the pressure on my ears by not being able to really equalize them, those twenty minutes of scuba diving 35ft below in the Great Barrier Reef made everything in my life make sense. I thought of the lyrics in a song by Darius Rucker, "All the doors that I had to close. All the things I knew but I didn't know. Thank God for all I missed 'cause it led me here to this." Every thing in my life finally made sense. Like all the mistakes and accomplishments, thoughts and dreams I've ever had led me to the Great Barrier Reef, scuba diving. I flipped around, maintaining perfect breathing pattern, and gazed at the most beautiful things I'd ever seen.

A clam. If you put your hand in it, it will close. I didn't do it though!  

I give credit to my friend Jack on the pictures. He's a certified scuba diving instructor and can multi-task (like taking pictures, breathing, trying to take it all in, and still look graceful) down there. I haven't mastered that. Partly because my lack of equalizing on the ears distracted me and partly because I was just so enamored by the fish swimming along side of me and the coral just so intrinsically there. It was only after we came up that I found out Katie was doing the same thing I was: trying to get my attention at some point to do one of those "holy [bleep], we're in the Great Barrier Reef together" signals. Although we failed to meet each other's gaze at the same time, scuba diving down there with her made the experience that much more quintessential.

The pictures have a filter on them that allow for the color to come through. When we are down that deep, some colors just don't show up to the naked eye. I could see the colors of the fish down there but it was only after looking at Jack's pictures that I could really see them for all of their beauty.

We had only paid for one introductory dive and were given the option of paying for a second. I was just so satisfied with my first one, that I didn't need to do another one. Plus, you got to snorkel around as long as you wanted with no pressure on the ears! Snorkeling was just as cool because I got to really dissect into the coral, not touching it of course, and watch all the different schools of fish feeding on plenty of things. And I was swimming along with a barracuda. Whenever I would get a little scared I thought of my girl Eleanor Roosevelt and her quote, "Do one thing every day that scares you" that's featured in Kurt Vonnegut's commencement address at MIT in 1997. It calmed me.

We wrapped up the day with one of the crew members singing. I'm sure they have it down to a science because of their fitting, reflective song selections; I was so content with life in those sing-a-longs that I literally think I transcended reality into the clouds. Don't worry, be happy. Be well.

Saturday we enjoyed the pool at the hostel and then set off for another Bucket List item: white water rafting! We were brought to Barron Falls to a grade 3 experience; although I don't think it was much past a grade 2, I'm ignorant in that subject though. I was nervous for this too but more like the excited nervous, rather than the feeling-like-you're-going-to-die nervous. It was a scenic route that made me feel like I was in the Land Before Time movie or something. The mountains and rocks and sounds of the river brought me to simplistic mentality and to appreciating the slightest thing such as fish just randomly jumping in and out of the water, or the birds trying to catch those fish.

I was able to stay in the raft despite three of my friends being flown from it after experiencing some "surfing" in the undertow. We were able to float down the river out of the raft and I really think I enjoyed that more than the rafting. We slid through one of the rushing parts and I was spit right out at the other end, allowing the current to just drag me and float on by. "And we'll all float on okay."

You just can't not laugh at this. 

Given that this was the weekend before Halloween, Gilligan's had a Halloween bash planned for Saturday night and we weren't about to miss it. Although none of us brought costumes, we flaunted our everyday-ness and had the time of our lives dancing, singing, laughing, and making even more Australian friends. It was the perfect end to the best weekend of our lives. Hands down.

I hope the pictures posted here are able to justify just how amazing this experience was because I still feel as though my words have failed me, once again (or maybe you could just go watch Finding Nemo). I wish all of you could have the permanent images that are engrained in my mind of this place. I wish all of you the happiness and love I have of life right now.

Aerial view of some of the Reef. 

Happy Birthday!!

According to my mother's memory, my first couple months of high school were miserable and I wanted to transfer. I, of course, don't recall this whatsoever and some many even be dropping their mouths in shock right now as I did when she told me that one time. However, even though my much more youthful memory seems to seldom fail me, I don't believe my mom would make it up and this is just a classic case of me remembering the good and not the bad. And that maybe I should praise her for seeing through my "miserable months" and not allowing me to transfer to any other high school because if she had, I would have never met some of the greatest people in my life to date.

And I would have never been able to share this four-month, life-affirming journey with one of those great people, and one of my best friends, Katie. Or celebrate her 21st birthday here in Australia! We were homeroom buddies and ended up taking more classes than not with each other in high school. We went to SLU together and when I left there after a year, she didn't hold a grudge against me. I get her and she gets me. And when we're missing home over here, all we need to do to see each other and everything seems to fall back into place. A slice of home 9000 miles away.

I mean, there's not many people I would voluntarily go out on a Monday for. Especially with my class schedule on Tuesdays! But, to ring in her 21st birthday with her is something that I had the utmost pleasure in doing. Even if she doesn't really remember my invaluable gift of presence.

We just went to a low-key bar off campus and actually we were the only ones in the place but honestly, it couldn't have been better. Her best of friends here were there and we all just celebrated her, and might have given her a little too many celebratory drinks. No regrets. I couldn't help but remember our friendship through the years as I watched her laugh and just enjoy life all around. Whether it was the high school birthday dinners, locker decorations, lunch parties or even her visiting at Dayton for her birthday last year, I've got the birthday memories with her but it has been so much more than that. We've lead Kairos together, survived a tornado outside in St. Louis, and have a "you do it, I'll do it too" friendship mentality of eating sweets. We've sang our hearts out at a Sugarland concert and traveled halfway across the world. But the best part of it all? We have a picture of every one of our adventures, thanks to our tradition of always taking a picture whenever we're together.

So beyond lucky to have this girl by my side through all this but even more excited to see where our friendship takes us in life. Happy 21st Birthday Kates! The birthday thunder was all yours.

Through the years...

Earliest picture!

Latest picture!