It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Me!

After another veerrrry early morning at the airport (this seems to be a trend of my traveling adventures), Brooks, Mary, Courtney and I arrived in Queenstown, New Zealand. The last 10 minutes of the flight was a sight to see in itself as we flew over the Remarkables mountains. The airport is in the center of the mountain range, and is one of the hardest to fly in and out of in the world, according to a local at the market. We were giddy as we walked down the steps of the plane and smelled the clean air. Living in a city as big as Sydney has made me very aware of the quality of the air around me, and Queenstown was refreshingly pristine.

The shuttle ride to the hostel was another treat as we oogled out the windows at the beautiful scenery. I thought Australia was beautiful, but Queenstown in April, just as the leaves are starting to turn and the smell of fall is in the air, is enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Mary and I on one of the many walks we took 

Queenstown

Me, Courtney, Mary, and Brooks in Queenstown

We walked around for a bit and wondered into an India restaurant for an incredible dinner, and got to bed early, excited for our early day, full of adventure.

We stumbled out of bed and dressed as warmly as we could for our full day excursion to Milford Sound. Milford Sound is this beautiful body of water within the mountains which there are many boat excursions through to see the flawless views that only mother nature could produce.

On the bus ride to Milford Sound we stopped along the way for photo opportunities and food stops here and there. I tried so hard to stay awake the whole way there and back, but I have a horrible habit of falling asleep in any moving vehicle that I'm not operating.

Thankfully, I still got some amazing pictures, including some of the place where they scened some of the shots for the Hobbit. However, I don't remember which one's those are. Whoops!

We stopped at a freshwater stream and filled up our water bottles with some of the best water I've ever tasted.

 Another favorite stop of mine was at Mirror Lakes! I couldn't resist taking an OHIO picture :)

Milford Sound itself was exceptional. There is something about being surrounded by mountains wherever you go that humbles you.

They put you in your place, as you're reminded how small and insignificant you and your problems are in the grand scheme of things.

New Zealand is so clean, and unpolluted, and I think a big part of the reason is that the people living in it see every day how magnificent the world around them is, and they feel obligated to do their part in keeping it that way.

I constantly felt at peace. Nothing can truly be wrong when the world around you looks that beautiful. I wish the pictures could do it justice.

Friday was the first day of the rest of my life.

 I jumped out of a plane.
I've been wanting to skydive for a few years now, but it's always been an "far off in the distant future" bucket list item. Once skydiving was canceled in Cairns I realised how badly I wanted to jump, and I could not wait to book my jump in Queenstown.

My view as I waited. Rough life.

Mary and I had a couple of hours while we waited at the jump site until it was our turn to suit up, during which I took full advantage of the full wifi to check in on twitter and snapchat some of my besties back home. While I was on twitter, a fellow alum of my high school and drama program tweeted a quote from my former director

"...reminds us that when we make those leaps of faith, the best council to follow is that of our own hearts"

Kris always did have impeccable timing. I took those words to heart as I walked to the plane in order to take my own, very literal, leap of faith. I was feeling excited, talking my Irish tandem master Brian's ear off. We sat in two rows on the floor of a tiny plane, in between the legs of the person behind us, and before I knew it we were shutting the "door" and taking off.

Me and Brian, my Tandem Master

This is when the panic hit. If you've ever been on a roller coaster with me you know I like to scream and laugh the entire time. And the scarier the ride, the more the screaming, the less the laughing. This flight up was a lot of laughing and rapidly talking in an attempt to not scream while crammed into a tiny plane with 20 or so people. The moment the plane took off the ground I knew there was no going back. We were going to climb into the clouds, and I was going to jump out of that airplane, whether I was ready or not.

It was a seemingly long pep talk to myself as I felt the atmosphere changing and the blood rushing to my head. Everyone put the last of their gear on, and then a brief moment of calm passed over me as all the guys who worked there started fist bumping and high-fiving everyone in the plane as we were nearing altitude. I joined in and my smile grew. They were all up here together, giving one last gesture of love and camaraderie before they leaped into a mountain range. They jump many times a day, all week long, all year long, and yet this jump was still special. This jump was just as important as every other. And for that brief few minutes, I was a part of their band of brothers.

The red light switched to green, the door opened, and before I could blink Mary was hurling towards the earth. The second girl started screaming before she was on the edge of the plane, and tumbled out shortly after. My heart stopped and in what could've only been 5 seconds, but probably started a few minutes earlier, I somehow thought all of these thoughts:

this is it.
even if I don't want to go, he's going to push me out if I don't say anything.
keep your mouth shut and smile.
keep smiling.
maybe try to laugh a little.
It's going to be fine.
oh good, there's oxygen masks up here.
whatever happens happens. too late now!
I can't wait to call mom and dad when I land
keep smiling.
this is the most beautiful place I've ever been
I hope I get good pictures
I think my heart is going to fall out of my ass when I jump
I really hope I don't pass out
I'm sure they have people pass out all the time
omg that girl is already screaming
holy sh*t we're moving towards the exit
omg omg omg omg omg
it's so far down
I have absolutely no control
oh crap I'm not supposed to look down
Philip.
1, 2,

And then the loudest, most earth shattering scream I've ever had fell out of me as we tumbled out of the plane. Time stood still, my stabiliser went up, and I soared as the air pressed against me, rather than feeling like I was falling.

Terror does not describe it. Nor does bliss. Or euphoria. Or freedom. But they all come pretty damn close. My parachute opened and I had five minutes or so as I floated down to take in what surely is the most beautiful place in the world to skydive.

Brian and I chatted about all the jumps he's had, and he took me for a few "spins" as I oogled at the majestic mountains and beautiful blue lake. I did all I could to soak in every second before we finally came to a soft landing in the grass.

I left the earth knowing with all confidence who I was, and returned with a feeling of freedom I have never experienced before. Freedom to explore the world in any and every way I see fit. Freedom to understand all of my options and run for whichever one I desire. I could work in non profits all over the world and work my way up. If I wanted to I could leave Uni and travel the world with no map and no plan, stopping as I please and putting roots down in as many countries as I can fathom. That thought would not have been possible before the jump. But now I think, why not? Why not pursue every dream I can think up. I've already taken the most literal leap of faith I could imagine, there is nothing left to hold me back. There are no limits to my paths. I have no need to plan. This is the new me. And I am in love.

Right After, A New Woman.

Talking to the people who leave home and travel for months, with a basic outline of where they want to go, but no plans until they get there, I've come to appreciate the rest of the world for the value they see in traveling, in life experiences, and in so much more than a 9-5 job with a nice house in a decent part of town. That could be nice, one day, but for now I have an incessant urge to travel and live in new places. Living in Sydney has shown me that I can still be connected with my loved ones back home, even if I'm living in a different day, and that I have the sky as the limit, for now.

Saturday we went to the market in town, and did a bit of shopping. We had dinner at a nice restaurant on the water where I had delicious NZ lamb, went over to the Ice Bar where literally everything is made of ice, including your cups, and ended with tea pots at World Bar.

We were supposed to go paragliding on Saturday, but the whether wasn't good enough, so we postponed to Sunday. We didn't have any luck, yet again, so we decided to climb the mountain instead.  Courtney made it all the way up, I made it about half way, and Brooks and Mary took the gondola. Even though I didn't make it to the top, it was still a beautiful view, and a rewarding hike! Then we were on our way to Auckland for the last leg of our journey.

If you've made it all the way here, you must really love me!
Bethany

Time and Change Will Surely Show How Firm Thy Friendship OHIO

Vacation within a Vacation

Me, Emily, Connor, Courtney, Mary, and Brooks at Airlie Beach!

I have the incredible luck of getting a two week mid-semester break (what us American's call Spring Break) while at Macquarie. First stop? Airlie Beach to explore the Whitsunday Islands!

Courtney, Mary and I left early Thursday for Airlie Beach. We'd heard so much about how beautiful the Whitsundays were, but we had the misfortune of arriving during some bad weather. A lot of the boat trips were being cancelled, and most people were staying indoors.

Courtney and Mary,Braving the Rain

We tried to make the best of it and walked around the area, going for hikes and exploring as much as we could for the first few days. One day we tried to lay out outside and have a bit of a picnic, but it soon became a scene from Finding Nemo with all the seagulls crowding around me and my sandwich.

On Saturday, Brooks, Emily, and Connor joined us! They brought the sun with them, and we spent some time laying out in between the "lagoon" and the ocean, as well as strolling through the market.

Courtney and I by the Beach

The weather stayed beautiful for Sunday and we went out on an Ocean Rafting trip. The trip included snorkelling in a part of the reef and a lunch on the pristine Whitehaven Beach.

About to Jump!

On the boat I met two new friends from England who told me all about their adventures traveling. Everywhere we went there we met amazing people from all over the world who were exploring the world their own way on their own terms. It opened my eyes to all the different ways I could travel and helped me to think about how I want to continuing traveling for the rest of my life.

Courtney, Mary, Brooks and I

Snorkelling was a bit more foggy than it was in Cairns, due to the stormy weather they had been having, but we were close to the bottom, and much easier now that I'd had some practice. Whitehaven beach was extraordinary. It's made of silica and so it's supposed to be awesome for exfoliating your skin.

View from Our Lookout Point

The beach is literally white, and it reflects heat, so it's never too hot, but it means you can get burnt from the sun, water, and sand. Needless to say, I put a lot of sunscreen on that day!

Laying out on Whitehaven Beach

The boat we were on for the ocean rafting itself was a ton of fun. We were the few who got to sit on the edges of the boat and hold on to a special strap, we were flung all over the place and were sprayed by other boats, especially on the way back. The salt and wind tore my hair apart, but it was a blast!

The next day Mary, Emily, Brooks and I went on a jet skiing tour. Brooks and I rode one together, and I found out quickly how hard it was, especially on the ocean, to jet ski.

Me and Brooks! 

It was pretty rocky on the way out, and we were having a hard time keeping up with the ski directly in front of us while trying to stay on the actual jet ski. It was a rocky ride, but it was a ton of fun. When rode out to Daydream Island and enjoyed a nice lunch while chatting with the other people on the tour. While we were walking around I ran into a Wallaby!

What a cutie!

 We then went on a tour of the marine area of the Island where we got to feed massive fish, kiss and hold a shark, feed and pet stingrays, and hold a starfish.

We even saw Nemo and Dory! Brooks and I were flying on the way back, barley managing to keep up, and we returned with big smiles on our faces, exhausted after another awesome day, and ready for another dip in the lagoon!

Brooks and I after dinner

Tuesday we woke up to the news of the Boston marathon bombing. I had decided to block myself from facebook during my two week break, and I had limited wifi while traveling, so it was pretty nerve wracking to not know what was going on, and to be so far from home while disaster struck. I found out within a few hours that my family and friends in Boston were thankfully safe, and we tried to continue our trip, as positively as we could, even while the bad news kept streaming in. Soon news that someone I'd gone to high school with had passed away, there was an explosion in Texas, and a threat on OSU's campus all showed up on my twitter feed. I was thankful for the quick information of social media, but it was unsettling, to say the least. One of my greatest fears going abroad was that something would happen to someone I loved while I was away and I'd have to sit through the 30 hours of traveling in panic, or I wouldn't be able to come home at all. But this experience, like every day here, has been one of learning, and a reminder to tell my friends and family that I love them every chance I get.

We returned to Sydney to repack, and get a few hours of sleep before flying out to New Zealand. Although we didn't always get the best weather, I had a wonderful time exploring the Whitsundays and getting to laugh with my friends along the way!

Until Next Time!
Bethany

Time and Change Will Surely Show How Firm Thy Friendship OHIO

April Showers Bring... Fall.

Long time, no see! It'll take me a few posts to catch up, but bear with me :) Here goes April!

After Easter there were a lot of "feels" between missing family and trying to cram all of my work, cleaning, and packing in before leaving for break. The two weeks before break was a lot of locking myself in my room, trying my hardest to write papers, and ending up on facebook...surprise surprise, Oz isn't so different from home after all!

On April 2nd, I got the pleasant treat of meeting Courtney's parent's and getting to enjoy a night out of the village with them and a few friends. It was so nice to relax and live in "luxury" with our pizza night out. Thanks to the Werner's for an awesome time! They were too sweet to us. It's always great to have substitute parents for a night when you're far from home.

Mary, Courtney, Brooks and I!

Although I'm so far away, I'm always connected to OSU, and I was lucky enough to score an interview for an Office Assistant position for the fall. This is the same job I've had the last year and a half, but this interview was special because my best friend, and future roommate, Glenna, was helping conduct it! I could hardly contain my excitement when her face popped up on the screen! Snapchats come close, but there's nothing like talking face to face with the people who make my life so silly and wonderful! And, even better news, I got the job! Can't wait to be back to #oalife for a couple months this fall :)

Saturday night we had roommate night in the city! Tina, Wayne, Alex and I headed to China town for some savoury delights from the food court. I think ethnic cuisine food courts are my new favorite place to eat. They always give massive portions for a decent price and the food is exceptional. I love trying new things every time! We then went over to Luna Park!

Luna Park is the amusement park featured in Our Lips Are Sealed (aka, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen take Australia).

It's right on the water, fairly small, and apparently has a hard time staying open, but it's such a historical landmark to the city at this point that it manages to stay.

Although it kept trying to rain on us, we had a blast riding all the rides and screaming our heads off.

Wayne, Me, Alex, and Tina!

I ended my week going into the city with Maxine to attend a talk at the All About Women event happening at the Opera House. This time I got to go into the main theater! I was very excited about seeing the main theater, but a little disappointed  Since the theater is more modern than the ones I'm used to being in, it was very plain and stream lined, rather than the extravagant theaters of NYC, Cleveland, or Columbus. However, the speaker was outstanding and inspirational.

Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee spoke about the Power of Women and Girls. She encouraged us to believe in our own inner strength and to use our education to make an impact on our community. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to see such an amazing woman speak. Being abroad has opened up so many doors to me, mostly because I think of every opportunity that walks past me as my only chance, so I reach for as many as I can and take advantage of them all.

The next morning I Skyped my parents for my Mom's Birthday and I got the best news of all : My Dad surprised my Mom with a trip to Sydney to see me in my musical! I could not have been more excited!! It's been so fun thinking up all of the things I want to do with them when they get here. It's going to be awesome to show them the new life I've had here, but mostly I'm excited to know that the two people who love me most in the world will be in the audience for my first show in three years. Thanks Dad! This is just as much a present for me as it is for Mom!

Come back soon, the next few posts will be all about my adventures on mid-semester break!

Cheers!
Bethany

Time and Change Will Surely Show How Firm Thy Friendship OHIO