Why hello there!

Posers at the Sydney Opera House

I'm back. It's been awhile since I last blogged because the Hubs and I went on two of the most amazing trips of a lifetime - Australia and New Zealand, and Bonaire, N.A. Yea, we did that.

About a year ago, the Hubs decided he wanted to do a HUGE trip before he started residency. Australia has been on both our bucket lists, so we decided, "Ok, let's do Australia," and then I thought, "Well, while we're there, why don't we do New Zealand too." So, we began saving and saving and saving and some more saving. Seriously, we had no lives. I think I went out for lunch with a friend once and I brought my own lunch because I didn't want to spend money on food. Oh, the things you are willing to give up/do for a crazy  awesome trip.

The Hubs and I at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Harbor Bridge in the background.

After saving EVERYTHING for a year, the trip finally rolled around on February 18. We left the States for Australia, and started our journey in Sydney, Australia. We spent 3 days in Sydney in King's Cross district. The area was pretty central to Sydney. We walked EVERYWHERE! We took what was suppose to be a 3 hour walking day tour that turned into a 6 hour walking tour, but it was worth it...Hello, it was FREE! We saw and learned a lot of things we would have definitely missed out on had we not done the tour. And we loved it so much, we pretty much did an unguided tour again the next day!

Two bronze whalers below us scoping out the cage. Photos by Blake Corcoran Photography

The Big Guy, aka Bruce. Photos by Blake Corcoran Photography

Next stop was Port Lincoln, Australia where we were to go cage-diving with the mother of all sharks - the awesome Great White. The Hubs and I were the first in the cage, and probably stayed the longest in the cage too. I think we were down there for about 1.5 hours. Reason being, we saw bronze whalers for the first 45 minutes of the dive thinking they were Great Whites - how silly were we for thinking such a thing. Because, when you see a Great White, there is no "I think that is a Great White." There is only "Whoa. So that's a Great White." I spotted the awesomeness that is the Great White first. While we were bouncing around in the cage trying not to get motion sickness or hypothermia, I see the Great White come out of nowhere, and all I could do what to tap on the Hubs shoulders with my eyes open as wide as they've ever been. The Hubs notices my enlarged eyes, and turns around to stare the Great White in the face. It was awesome. It was AWESOME! HELLO! We dived with a Great White, and it even hit the cage with it tail as it went after food. We were in awe.

Our Dive Station off the back of our Dive Boat.

And we continued to stay in awe, as we traveled from Port Lincoln to Cairns, Australia where we headed to Lizard Island to begin our three-day diving expedition on the Great Barrier Reef. There are no words for how awesome the Great Barrier Reef is. The hubs and swam with a manta ray, potato cod, tons of sharks, and lots of little nemos (aka clown fish). It was beautiful beyond beautiful. I have a whole new appreciation for the ocean and the life that calls it home. 

Tarzan.

After the boat dive, we explored a rainforest and hung out at the Cairns Tropical Zoo where I held a koala and the Hubs hung out with some roos. Awesome.

Blake and a kangaroo.

Then, it was time to say good day to Australia and hello New Zealand! First stop in "Oz" was Queenstown, where we skydived. Yes, skydived. We jumped out of a plane at 12,000 feet and soared high above mountains. It was crazy and not scary at all. No fear.

Getting ready to jump out of a plane!

 After jumping out of a plane (no big deal), we then took a car trip to Te Anu where we took a bus to go kayak Milford Sound, which is actually a fiord land and not a sound. It rained early that morning so instead of seeing the usual 2 waterfalls, we saw more like 28 + waterfalls. And we saw a seal. Boom!

Kayaking Milford Sound.

Next, it was back to Queenstown where we chilled on the beach and fed some friendly ducks.

Final stop, Auckland, NZ. We didn't have much money left (haha) so we dined at a delicious French restaurant, visited a museum, and strolled around the city. 

It was such a fun, adventurous trip! I highly recommend doing it with your favorite loved one. I had the best time bonding, exploring and looking death in the face with my Hubs. He is my favorite person to travel with and my favorite person in general. Thanks for always encouraging me to do and try new things, and to not settle for average. I can now say that I have cage dived with a Great White, dived the Great Barrier Reef, skydived, kayaked a fiord land and explored the Land Down Under. 

God is good.