The journey not the destination

So this is it. After 9 months of travel through 14 countries, 3 continents, 16 overnight trips, 23 flights, 11 treks, 4314 photos, I made it back home in one piece. From the extreme cold to the extreme heat and from one end of the earth to the other, it really was one hell of a trip! Its hard to describe what its like to be home. I spent months, years really, fantasizing, thinking and planning this trip and now its over. How will I cope? Where will I find the courage to move on? I'll be honest, the second I landed on American soil, the only thing I wanted to do was turn around and get on the first flight out of there. Its funny how I think that going to grad school and having to find a real job to be more daunting than a year of traveling around the world on my own.

But it truly was an amazing experience. I'll always be able to look back on my experience (and my blog!) and say, that was me! I did that! I really hope that I remember the way it felt being out there on my own. Sometimes I would just get so giddy and do a little dance because it would hit me, I can't believe I'm out here doing this. I know it sounds cheesy but I also learned a ton about myself, which has given me self-confidence and an ability to keep the minor things in life in perspective. It really is about the journey and not the destination.

Anyway, enough of the squishy stuff. How can I best summarize my year? This will sort of be like superlatives in the yearbook or better yet, a reality tv award show:

Favorite place - This is the number one question I get and hands-down it was Patagonia. Maybe because it was the start of travels (after spending time in Buenos Aires) but the remoteness and the wildness were just breath-taking. The glaciers and mountains were also awe-inspiring and really puts life into perspective. Really, my issues seem pretty insignificant when compared to these mountains that have been here long before me and will continue to be here long after. Its such a harsh environment but that just adds to the beauty.

Tastiest food - Another easy one, China! I love Chinese food (and not the American fast-food versions) and I got to experience so many different foods and flavors. Everything from the peking duck in Beijing, the Muslim soup dumplings in Xian, the sichuan peppers in Chengdu, the hotpots in Yangshao to the curries in Dali, it was all SO GOOD! I would go back just to eat

Most "I can't believe I'm here" moment - This is a tough one. Honorable mentions will have to be the overnight bus trips in Bolivia, swimming with pink dolphins in the Amazon, arriving in Kathmandu during the political coup but I'll have to say it was traveling through Tibet and spending the night at Everest Base Camp. It was not only the most disgusting place I've ever stayed (at a Buddhist monastery no less) but the most painful. It was altitude sickness at its worse (almost 20,000 ft), I couldn't eat, sleep or function all with the worst headache I've ever had. It was worth it when we got to base camp and saw Everest but just barely. I've always wanted to do Kilimanjaro but no more. EBC was hard enough!

Best road less traveled - Its a showdown between traveling through Tibet and traveling down Northern Argentina but Argentina takes this one in overtime. Maybe it was the company but being able to hop from village to village with Argentinos really made for a truly authentic experience. I also think I learned more Spanish in the week I was with them than in the 2 months in Spanish class in BA. The villages were beautiful but I really felt like I was experiencing local life that not many people get to see.

Most "I went to school with no shoes, in the snow, 365 days a year, uphill both ways" place - The hardest countries to travel through were easily Bolivia and Tibet. Not surprising that both were kind of similar, barren, high altitudes, destitute and poor. I never felt unsafe (well, maybe in Bolivia) but without any infrastructure it was just hard to get anywhere or do anything. I also got sick a bunch no matter how careful I was trying to be. I loved going to both places but I'm glad I did it now rather than later in life.

Best beach - Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. It wasn't just the perfect sand, warm waters and best-in-class scuba but it had this great laid-back vibe. The place is definitely a time drain, you could spend weeks there and it would just fly by.

Biggest gross-out moment - I'm not really a queasy person though truthfully bugs aren't my favorite but I lost my sh*t when I saw that leech sucking on my ankle in Thailand. It was just so slimy and wiggly and I thought it was trying to burrow into my body (I know! Its just the head and it didn't even hurt). Thank god they got it off!

Most disgusting food - Its only fair since I put down the tastiest food that I put down the worst. I try to be culturally sensitive and try everything (surprisingly, most non-Americans find peanut butter and apples to be one of the strangest thing we eat) but my stomach can only taste so much. I have to say that vegemite in Australia is up there along with blood sausage from Argentina but anything yak-related definitely is the worst. Especially the tsampa in Tibet which is this smelly mush of barley and yak butter tea. SO GROSS.

Food I missed the most - Easily anything Korean (I was practically begging for rice in meat and potato heavy South America) and strangely hamburgers, especially with pickles. I think I tried every variety in every country but none compared to good ol' American burgers.

Cheapest beer - In China beer cost less than water at around 80 cents or so. Mind you it was terrible beer but it was cheap! And sanitary!

Most precious resource when traveling - Besides water, I would say toilet paper and soap. I would hoard these and steal them whenever I ended up at a real hotel room. I would also have to put two-ply as the most luxurious item. You really under-appreciate two-ply until you have the sandpaper some places pass for TP.

Luxury I refused to go without - Laundry. I know lots of people did this themselves in sinks and what not but I never did. I always paid to get it done and as often as I could. You really can't put a price on clean clothes.

I could go on and on but really that's what each of my posts have been about! I'm so glad for every one of my experiences in the last year and I never want to forget them - the beautiful places, amazing people, laughs over beers and even the times I wanted to tear my hear out, it was all worth it. I just hope I get more chances in the future for real travel and not just vacationing. Thanks everyone for following me along on my "modern day grand tour"! I'll leave one last photo that for me captures that feeling while on the road. Until next time!

Sydney and the end of the road

This is it. After all this time, all the countries, all the travel, I'm here in Sydney. And a few days later, I'm home. For Good. But I can't think about that now. I still have Sydney for my last hurrah! Sydney actually ended up being the perfect place to end my trip. Its a beautiful city that actually reminds me a lot of San Francisco. Also, I have a couple of people here who I've met in Argentina and China so it was really really good to see some familiar faces.

I got into Sydney late in the afternoon and I headed directly to my hostel, Wake Up. And I would like to say a few words about the hostels in Australia. Australia is sort of backpacker central and the hostel system here is the most complex I've ever seen. Its definitely a machine with necessary reservations, key cards, mega-bathrooms, and towells, sheets, cutlery and anything else for rent. Instead of intimate places where fellow travelers can meet and exchange stories, the hostels in Australia become total party zones where its a bit more intimidating to meet people. But the hostels in Sydney are in a class of their own. Checking into Wake Up was like being ... processed. They might as well as barcoded my forehead and put me on the assembly line. And they also have this what they would consider cheeky theme that in reality makes me want to throw up. The hostel is called Wake Up!, the sign above the public phone is Call Up!, the cafe is called Fed Up!, the bathrooms are Wash Up!, etc. It was like being in a Target ad where they idealized a college dormitory. Sigh. At least it was clean and the beds were comfy.

But I had little time to think about my hostel. I immediately left to meet with Stephen and Jamie, 2 of the 3 British guys I met in China. It turned out that we were all be in Sydney for a couple of days randomly so we had promised that we would keep in touch and meet up again in another continent. They had been in Sydney for a couple of weeks, staying with some of Stephen's family so they were willing to show me around a bit. We started at a pub right at the base of the Harbor Bridge, giving us beautiful views of the Opera House despite the rain. We had a great time, catching up and swapping travel stories since we were together in China. I would like to take a moment to say how great it was to see familiar faces and hang out like normal people. It was also great since I had such a great time with these guys in China. We ended up drinking quite a bit of beer and even went to one of their friend's place to drink some more, including some disgusting boxed wine, which Aussies charmingly call goon.

My first (ghostly) view of the opera house.

Goon - why does it always seem like a good idea at the time?

It was so good to see Stephen and Jamie!

Dancing the night away.

Though I only had a couple of days in Sydney, I found it imperative to spend the next morning lolling around the hostel, recuperating from quite a nasty hangover. Surprisingly, goon is not good for the constitution. But after plenty of fluids, I finally got myself out of the hostel and into the city. I was meeting Stephen and Jamie for a tour around the Opera House, apparently a sight that is absolutely not to be missed in Sydney. I was impressed that the guys made it as well considering the night we had but they were there, Mickey D's in hand (who says there's no good food in Australia?). The Opera House was pretty magnificent, I have to say. I also did a tour around the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and this was the complete opposite. A beautiful space but totally modern with interesting spaces, beautiful lighting and not a single piece of marble anywhere. The guys and I completed our quintissential visit with a walk to Mrs. Macquaire's Chair for the classic bridge and opera house view. We were able to also catch the sun setting over the whole scene - truly spectacular.

There she blows! The. Opera. House.

It really is that impressive. I was waiting to be disappointed but it truly is an architectural marvel.

The rumor is that these are meant to look like sails as to blend in with the harbor. True or false? Who cares! They were beautiful.

Not to be outdone - the Harbor Bridge! I've seen better bridges but its so iconic for Sydney.

The inside of the Opera House was just as impressive as the outside. I can really appreciate the architectural design of the place.

And its completely different from Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

The Opera House was definitely in commune with the harbor.

I was impressed that the guys made it out as well though a little worse for wear :).

The next day (after watching the season finale of the O.C. the night before - Marissa is so overrated), I met Stephen to go visit the Sydney fish markets. Not usually the top of everyone's list of things to see in Sydney but after all it is a harbor town and supposed to be renowned for their fish. Its no Pike's Market in Seattle or even Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco but there were a couple of small fish markets selling fresh fish, oysters and probably the best fish and chips this side of England. I'll be honest that I was there to get my fish grub on and we were definitely not disappointed. And after saying a very sad goodbye to Stephen, I decided to round out my fish-themed day at the aquarium. I would have liked to take a ferry across the harbor but with the nasty rainy weather (I've been sooo lucky with the weather in Australia!) the aquarium seemed fitting. I've been to some great aquariums in my young life but I have to say that the Sydney one was pretty amazing! It funny to think that I also saw so many of these fish up close and personal while scuba diving but it didn't make the experience any less beautiful. Ahhh, those gigantic sting rays... There were as big as my car!

The last person I had to see in Sydney was Dean, a guy that I met in Argentina all those months ago. We met in Spanish class and it turned out we were both investment bankers who quit our jobs to screw around on the other side of the world. We hit it off instantly. Anyway, Dean's back to being a big-time banker guy so he took me out to dinner with promises that if he ever comes to SF, I'll return the favor (seriously, Dean!!). We went out to get some sushi in one of the trendy, posh neighborhood. The fish was absolutely fantastic and it was great to actually go to a real restaurant and have some real conversation.

And that was it. I packed my bags, went to the airport and took a 13 hour flight back to San Francisco. Can you believe that?? I'm still in shock. It hasn't really hit me yet that my trip is over but there you have it. I'm sure once I settle in at home and start planning for school, I will feel better about being at home. But first, let's take a moment to commemorate this moment. Sigh, I can't believe I'm going home!!

As luck would have it!

Oh, Townsville, you sly mistress. You tease and you promise yet you leave me out in the cold. Literally. You don't hear much about Townsville outside of Australia. And even within, people look at me twice when I say that its at the top of my to-see list here. Its one of the largest cities in Queensland but not really a destination. But what they don't know is that there is one of the best diving sites in Australia a mere 4-hour boat ride from its coast. I had been dreaming about scuba diving around the Yongala, a ship that went down in the early 1910's. Its stayed pretty much intact and has attracted immense marine life, both in abundance and in size. Its apparently the one place you are guaranteed to see fish bigger than you are. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.

After my parents left for Sydney, I decided to move to Magnetic Island where I could go scuba dive around the Yongala and also chill out with the beaches and the koalas. I was really in the area just for the dive but what the hell, I would slip in some beach time as well. I called around to the different dive shops but because of the freakishly bad weather they had the week before, the currents were too strong though they were optimistic that they would be running the trips "tomorrow". So being optimistic about the imminent scuba dive, I headed to Magnetic Island to waste away my time on the beach and wait out the bad weather.

At least the weather on the surface was great. We had nothing but sunshine and little wind so it was perfect for some beach relaxation. And to add to the relaxation vibe, I picked this hostel called Bungalow Bay, which was situated a few minutes walk from Horseshoe Bay and on a nature preserve. It definitely had a great outdoorsy feel to it with wooded areas for camping and log cabins for dorm rooms. It was really the perfect place to chill out. With only a week (yikes!!) left in my trip, I wasn't really looking for a really social, high energy environment.

The beaches were really nice and I was even able to walk out to a couple of secluded bays, which in Australia is a beacon call for naked people. When most people (ahem, generally young men) think of nude beaches, images of frolicking, beautiful women cross their mind but let me tell you the reality is so much better! For some reason lots and lots and lots of old people like to frequent nude beaches. But the beach was nice regardless and made for a refreshing dip.

But the absolute best part of staying on Magnetic Island were the koalas! Magnetic Island is home to one of the largest population of wild koalas in Australia and you can see them chilling out in the trees on some of the hikes. I also visited the wildlife sanctuary where I got to hold all types of creepy reptiles, including alligators, lizards and even a snake. I know this stuff isn't too scary but you should have heard my heart RACE when I was holding the python. I seriously thought I was going to pass out. I got some pictures with my puny disposable camera (again, don't want to talk about it) so hopefully I can get some on the site to show you guys. But the grand finale of the wildlife visit was far and away my picture with the koala! They placed this 10lb creature in my arms and it was so cute. It was the size and weight of a baby and it just sat there, hanging onto me for dear life. That picture was definitely worth every penny. Though afterwards, I found out that koalas are actually pretty vicious creatures and will claw and bite like crazy. But they must have drugged that koala or something because it was the calmest thing. Thank god I got out unscathed!

Oh yeah, about that dive. After months of waiting to scuba the Yongala, it wasn't meant to be. The currents finally died down on Monday but that was the day of my flight to Sydney, which I couldn't change without paying something totally ridiculous. At least I saved myself quite a little bundle of cash. You wouldn't believe what these people will charge for a scuba dive. I say its better to wait until you get to SE Asia where a single dive will cost you around $20. Seriously!

Anyway, I'm now on my way to Sydney, my last port of call. I can't believe after all of this, I only have a few DAYS left. I can't even begin to contemplate what that means. I don't want to go back!

Peekaboo sunshine in the whitsundays

After the depressing weather in Alice Springs, my parents and I were really looking forward to some good beach weather on the East Coast. We were told that its summer all year around in Queensland and surely the bad weather in one part of the country would have no baring on the weather in another part, especially in a place as gigantic as Australia. Well, so the theory goes, right?

We left early the next morning since we had to connect through Cairns before landing in Townsville. The clouds were finally lifting in Alice Springs so we were hopeful it would last through the rest of our trip. Yeah right. We were pretty dismayed by the rain and dark clouds in Cairns and downright disappointed when we landed in Townsville. The locals who kept exclaiming how unusual rain was in winter wasn't helping either. But we soldiered on anyway, taking time to poke around town before getting on our bus to Airlie Beach the next morning. And yes, the rain decided to follow us there so we spent the day, couped up in our hotel room rather than soaking in the rays as we had hoped.

But something miraculous occured the next morning. Blue skies! At the right time! We could barely contain ourselves. We had only 2 days at the Whitsunday Islands and we were sure we would be having more of the bizarre Australian rain. We quickly hopped into our bathing suits and rushed out to the beach despite the wind and cold water. It was sunny! We would enjoy it, dammit!

Dad and I basking in the sunshine.

The ships were pretty impressive, glistening proudly in the sun.

Beaches are good. Why did I leave them for the end of my trip?

We lucked out the next day as well as if He Who Lives Upstairs decided to pity us after our Uluru trip. We had booked ourselves on a boat to the famous Whitehaven beach so we definitely needed the sun for the full white sand beach effect. But before we headed to the actual beach, we stopped to do some snorkeling, and if you wanted to pay a bit more, some scuba diving. Having just received my certification, I was pretty keen though the water was looking a bit chilly. To my absolute surprise, my mom was also interested! I couldn't believe it. But she put on a brave face and went under. There were a few moments of panic at the beginning but she dove like a pro. I was so proud of her and happy that we could do it together. I don't know if she'll ever do it again but she did it! Unfortunately, due to all the recent storms, the visibility wasn't that great and it was pretty cold though the coral was still spectacular.

Our glistening boat in the early morning sun (yet another EARLY morning!).

Ready to hit the water despite the wind and cold. It was the middle of winter afterall.

Giving the okay sign! My dad made fun of us but I didn't see him getting in the water!

Obviously pretty excited about getting in there. My mom looks a little less enthused.

We did it!

But we were really there for Whitehaven beach and it was unbelievable. The beach was made up of unbelievably fine, pure bone white silica sand. It was so fine that it actually squeaked when you walked on it. It was just amazing to be sitting on the sand and admiring the views. But the view of the beach was even better from above. We hiked up to the top of this hill to get a look of the beach inlet. Because of the incredibly clear water and fine white sand, the beach took on this surreal swirly aspect with the sand shimmering below the water. It was like nothing I've ever seen before! I've seen pictures but it does not compare to seeing the swirly sand in person. We could have sat up there for days, watching the sands below.

The water was pretty low by the time we got to Whitehaven Beach but it was still so beautiful. I've never seen a beach like this ever!!

We could have stayed for hours watching the water swirl around the sand.

We also got some time to relax at the beach. The water was so clear and pristine.

The sand was 99% silica though I don't know what that really means. The sand was unbelievably fine and it even squeaked when we walked on it!

Yeah for the beach!!

But it wasn't all fun and games in Airlie Beach. While at the beach, I think sand got into my digital camera and now it doesn't work! I don't really want to talk about it because its going to make me very upset but you have no idea how tragic this is. I mean, its my camera!! So after all these months, after all the pictures, I'm going to be reduced to using a disposable point-and-shoot until I get home. Can you imagine????? I also got this weird skin rash on my shoulders. I'm not sure where but its lovely. Great, just great.

And to top our time at Airlie Beach off, the rains descended once again but we didn't care since we were leaving. We were so lucky to get the sunshine for the 2 days that we were there. Its a great way to top the trip off since my parents are taking off after this to head to Sydney for a couple of days before heading home. I'm sticking around Townsville for a few more days in hopes of scuba diving the Yongala, a really famous shipwreck, and spying koalas on Magnetic Island.

Before I sign off, I just want to give my parents a very special THANK YOU! I'm so glad that they were actually able to come out and travel with me and to a place that was so foreign to them (thank god I booked us some hotel rooms with kitchens in them. They don't eat a lot of Western food and could barely find things to eat. But we were able to cook some rice so we were saved!). They were such troopers in the rain and camping outdoors and even scuba diving. We ended up having such a great time though the weather was less than perfect and in the end, I couldn't have wished for a better trip. Mom and Dad - I love you guys very much and I hope we remember this trip for a very long time! See you soon!

Uluru: the big brown rock

A few years ago, I had my first experience with an OMNIMAX movie, not be be confused with an IMAX movie. An OMNIMAX movie has an even bigger screen than the IMAX ones that fills your entire field of vision. Its sort of like going on the Star Wars ride at Disneyland where you actually feel like you're getting hurdled through the Death Star. Anyway, I saw a movie about one of Australia's most famous sites, Uluru (formerly known as Ayer's Rock). The movie dealt more with the weather patterns in the arid outback rather than the geological wonder that is Uluru but it whetted my appetite for Australia. I was spouting random facts about Australia for weeks after that movie.

Fast forward to the present day, the day that I arrived in Alice Springs to be exact. I was excited because of two things - one, the long-cherished memory of that OMNIMAX (does it have to be capped?) movie and two, my parents were arriving in Alice Springs to join me for 2 weeks down under. I was thrilled to see them since I haven't seen them since spring break and also since it meant I didn't have to live in hostels and I got to be the center of attention. We're all Daddy's girls at heart. My parents are also outdoor enthusiasts so I knew that they would really enjoy Australia.

To prolong the anticipation a bit as well as to give my parents some time to recover from jetlag, we spent a day wandering through town and seeing some of the McDonnell Ranges, which were right outside Alice Springs. In all the guidebooks, Alice Springs is described as the major outpost in the middle of the vast outback as well as tourism central for Uluru. But you always have to keep in mind the scale of Australia. Australia is 75% the size of China but holds only 30 million people compared to the 1 BILLION in China. The largest city in China, Chongqing, holds more people than the whole of Australia. So from being in a country where every single city held 1 million plus, I arrived in Alice Springs, the epicenter of the outback but with only 30,000. So needless to say, the town offered far less than I had expected and pretty much everything closed by 5 or 6pm. But it was nice nonetheless to spend the day relaxing and spotting wallabies in the McDonnell Ranges.

Some aboriginal music in the middle of Alice Springs. I also bought a very nice painting that made me feel very grown up.

Yup, we're pretty far from home!

The happy family back together. I can't tell you how happy I was to see them! I'm so proud of them for coming somewhere so far and so foreign (to them, at least!).

Us at Stanley Chasm. It is very tall and very narrow and very impressive. This was the beginning of an endless sea of red rocks but each one was special in its own right.

A very cautionary sign at the bank of this "river". Apparently, they are lucky if they flow 2 or 3 times a year!

Very very very early the next morning, my parents and I were picked up for our outback tour. We were waiting outside with a bunch of other people and one by one, they were all picked up in their huge and luxurious tour buses. I brushed them off, knowing that with those vehicles, they would be limited to the paved roads where we would be off in the wilderness. Until our truck showed up. Our itty, bitty truck. Our group consisted of 9 people not including our guide, all crammed into a pitiful pickup truck. We sat in the back on long benches, facing each other and trying to place our legs in non-cramping positions without becoming overly friendly with strangers and bumped along for about 4 hours. Now, I'm not usually the type to complain about accomodations and transportation, afterall I traveled in a similar vehicle while doing the jungle trek in Thailand and in other parts of SE Asia. But this was Australia for godssake!

But the car became the least of our worries. July in Australia, being in the Southern Hemisphere, is in the dead of winter. And since it was also in the middle of the desert, we expected dry, hot days and dry, cold nights. We brought fleeces, hats and gloves for the evenings and wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen for the day. But we got sooooooo lucky during our trip! The outback was in the middle of the biggest drought in 50 years and hadn't even seen a speck of rain in 6 months but the weekend that we decided to go on our tour, the skies opened up. I guess its good for the environment since everything was looking a bit parched but rain in winter doesn't really make for the best camping experience, especially since we were sleeping outside in contraptions called swags. To complete the picture, we had a guide who was like an entire cheer squad on speed. I have never met anyone who could be so bouncy and chirpy at 5am. Proposed singalongs, in the rain, before its even light out, in the most cramped vehicle, for 4 hours is not exactly what I pictured when I watched that OMNIMAX movie.

But the power of Uluru is not to be underestimated. Though we saw it under clouds full of rain, which cast the usually vibrant red rock into a mud brown color, the sheer wonder of its existence still shone through. Uluru is the single biggest piece of rock on the planet and it exists in the middle of nowhere. Its a mile and a half long and over 1,000 feet high but it doesn't even begin to describe what it looks like up close. Despite the rain, we opted to hike the 6 mile track around the rock, craning our necks every step of the way so it wouldn't escape our vision. Its hard to explain what it was like but despite all the hooplah, all the tourism photos, its really unbelievable to behold. The Aborigines hold Uluru as one of their most sacred sites and its no wonder. It should be sacred for everyone.

The peekaboo sun made the view pretty interesting to say the least! These pictures are an incredibly pale comparison to the actual thing.

The rain actually made the rock look very mystical and fantastical. You can really see why the Aboriginals hold it so sacred.

We got cramps in our necks while walking around Uluru! We were constantly craning our necks to take in the entire sight and not miss a single crevice.

The Aboriginals have all these creation stories about creation beings and how they shaped the world around us while also teaching them valuable life lessons. Its amazing to be able to hear the stories while also seeing them how the Aboriginals did on the face of Uluru. The picture above shows an area where one of the creation beings, a snake, slithered its way along the rock.

The next day, the weather was looking a bit better and we headed to Kata Tjuta, another unbelievable cluster of huge rock/mountain things. Kata Tjuta was also formed around the same time as Uluru and offered possibly better hikes than Uluru. Instead of walking around 1 monolith, we were snaking in between these huge boulders that towered above us. It really was the Valley of the Winds and you could feel the history and the culture of the Aborigines radiating throughout the place. Our guide was incredibly knowledgable about the scientific and cultural aspects of Uluru and Kata Tjuta so it was nice to understand and not just gawk at the sites in front of us.

Kata Tjuta was just as impressive as Uluru. It truly was an amazing trip.

Another bright and early morning for us! At least we were able to get a sunrise over Kata Tjuta. It was beautiful to see the morning rays light up those boulders.

Kata Tjuta (aka the Olgas) are a series of boulders that are incredibly important to the Aboriginal men in the nearby tribes.

Our unbelievably chipper leader. She was just like that guy Chip in Office Space who was way too into his flair. This girl definitely had flair!

But for me, the true highlight was King's Canyon. Its not on a particularly huge scale as, say, the Grand Canyon, but it was amazing nonetheless. We did a walk around the rim of the canyon, admiring the stratification of the rock, the wildlife and the spectacular views across the canyon. Every step brought you to something new and beautiful. My parents also really enjoyed the hikes though they were pretty long and not as easy on 50-year plus knees.

The canyon isn't very large (not like the one in Arizona if you know which one I mean) but the views were spectacular.

The top of the canyon was filled with these incredible layered rocks that we were hiking in and around.

Peering over the edge to get a good view!

This funny little bird had no fear of humans. If you stood real still, they would just come right up to you, popping along and pecking for food.

Even the car rides ended up being quite nice. We all got to know each other pretty well, crammed into that car, so we had some good laughs while we passed the time. And the scenery outside just took our breath away. There really is absolutely nothing out there but dust, rocks, spikey grass and dead-looking trees. Being out there makes you appreciate how resilient life can be and what mother nature can overcome to provide life. The barren extreme of the desert was also beautiful in its own right. You just have to respect the sheer wildness of it all.

Overall, our trip was everything I wanted it to be. I wanted to experience the outback and that we did - we were really at its mercy the entire time. We slept in swags, our faces vulnerable to the elements but it made us appreciate snuggling in their warmth that much more. And I've never been more proud of my parents! They were real troopers though I don't think they had any idea of what the trip would be like. It was freezing, it rained, we slept, cooked and dined outside but they never complained and had the time of their life. It was definitely one of the hardest trips I've done (Tibet holds that prize) but the fact that my parents and I did it together made it worth every second.

My parents in swags. I never thought I would see the day.

Out on the open road. Of course, as we were heading back into town we got sunshine.

Like mother like daughter!

Our broken down car. We actually pushed the car up to fit the jack under the axle. That's my dad under the car, lending a hand as always.

Wild camels!

You can't leave Australia without trying some of the local specialties like camel, crocodile, buffalo and kangaroo! Croc was by far my favorite. Yum!!

We never did get that fiery red sunset on Uluru but that's okay. It will just have to wait until the next time! In the meantime, my parents and I are on our way to the East Coast and the Whitsunday Islands where we are really really really hoping for some sun and beachtime!