Moments of 2015
2015 has witnessed the start of this blog and the start of my first year-long-travel journey. This past year I have said goodbye to my frist full-time job and went to the opposite of the globe to roam the land down under named Australia.
note: a week into the year and I am finally posting this "year in review" blog post. Just once again shows that life throws curve balls and you just have to roll with it. For more of my life excuses scroll to the bottom. I will also do my best to write posts regarding all the adventure in this past year and link it on here, so stay tuned!
Jan: Houston, Texas
Perks of working in Human Resources for a medium sized company growing national is the occasional travel involved. I was travelling to Houston, Texas with a coworker doing recruitment. The sad part is, I came down with influenza after the flight. Overall, Texas was still a blast( can't say no to the southern food)!
Feb: LA, California
Saying goodbye was tough. It was a cocktail of excitement, fear, hope, and insecurities. I am saying goodbye to a stable income to welcome something foreign and unknown. With how uncomfortable everything felt, I knew I was doing the right thing. We can only grow from pushing our boundaries to new limits.
Perks of working in Human Resources for a medium sized company growing national is the occasional travel involved. I was travelling to Houston, Texas with a coworker doing recruitment. The sad part is, I came down with influenza after the flight. Overall, Texas was still a blast( can't say no to the southern food)!
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| Houston we have landed |
Feb: LA, California
Saying goodbye was tough. It was a cocktail of excitement, fear, hope, and insecurities. I am saying goodbye to a stable income to welcome something foreign and unknown. With how uncomfortable everything felt, I knew I was doing the right thing. We can only grow from pushing our boundaries to new limits.
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| here's the cinnamon bun larger than my face my coworkers gave me as good bye gift. |
March: Melbourne, Victoria
We arrived in Australia in late February. March was filled with "firsts". We saw our first koalas, our firstt kangaroos and wallabies, our first time road tripping on the Great Ocean Road, our first time exploring Melbourne, our first encounter with leeches, our first time going to couch surfing parties, and our first time buying a car together and travelling in it.
April: Melbourne, Australia
We started staying at the first relatively long-term home in Point Cook, Victoria. We started our job search and we both got into the restaurant industry. We met some good friends and I even learned screen printing with local teens! ( I think she only took me in thinking I'm still in my teens)
May: Melbourne, Australia
We worked a bit and started house sitting for a friend. Lots of good food involved when you're working with catering events and people don't eat it all!
June: Cunnamulla, Queensland
We found work for the both of us in Cunnamulla, Queensland and decided to give it a try. The outback town took us two days to drive to and it was just an insane experience to say the least. Probably the lowest point of our Australia travels, but it definitely puts things into perspective. A post will be made for the full experience.
We arrived in Australia in late February. March was filled with "firsts". We saw our first koalas, our firstt kangaroos and wallabies, our first time road tripping on the Great Ocean Road, our first time exploring Melbourne, our first encounter with leeches, our first time going to couch surfing parties, and our first time buying a car together and travelling in it.
April: Melbourne, Australia
We started staying at the first relatively long-term home in Point Cook, Victoria. We started our job search and we both got into the restaurant industry. We met some good friends and I even learned screen printing with local teens! ( I think she only took me in thinking I'm still in my teens)
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| community workshop, learning how to screen print! |
May: Melbourne, Australia
We worked a bit and started house sitting for a friend. Lots of good food involved when you're working with catering events and people don't eat it all!
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| free food to take home! working perks! |
June: Cunnamulla, Queensland
We found work for the both of us in Cunnamulla, Queensland and decided to give it a try. The outback town took us two days to drive to and it was just an insane experience to say the least. Probably the lowest point of our Australia travels, but it definitely puts things into perspective. A post will be made for the full experience.
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| What became our home for two months. |
July: Yowah, Queensland
When we have saved up a decent amount, we departed and explored just a little bit more of the outback before heading back to the coast. We attended the Yowah Opal Festival and found many precious gems at the lowest price in Australia. The festival was filled with character! From the large bonfire to the people, everything played out under a canopy of stars. From there we experienced the drastically different weather and scenery Australia has to provide. It went from dry lands to luscious rainforest to beachy coasts.
When we have saved up a decent amount, we departed and explored just a little bit more of the outback before heading back to the coast. We attended the Yowah Opal Festival and found many precious gems at the lowest price in Australia. The festival was filled with character! From the large bonfire to the people, everything played out under a canopy of stars. From there we experienced the drastically different weather and scenery Australia has to provide. It went from dry lands to luscious rainforest to beachy coasts.
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| mini break on the road. |
August: Northern Queensland
We were passing the Tablelands when we decided that the beauty of this place calls for more time. The lakes, the waterfalls, the rainforest, and the wildlife all called out to us. After our exploration in the tablelands we ventured up north all the way past cook town and back. We visited Elim beach and traversed through Daintree national park, the only place in the world where two world heritage sites (Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef) meet.
We were passing the Tablelands when we decided that the beauty of this place calls for more time. The lakes, the waterfalls, the rainforest, and the wildlife all called out to us. After our exploration in the tablelands we ventured up north all the way past cook town and back. We visited Elim beach and traversed through Daintree national park, the only place in the world where two world heritage sites (Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef) meet.
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| rainforest canopy |
Sep: Magnetic Island, Queensland
The island life was free and beautiful. On Magnetic Island off of Townsville, Queensland, we have explored land and sea. There are some beautiful snorkelling trails as well as hiking trails on the island. We swam with colorful fishes and fed dozens of rock wallabies. We even caught our first fish on this island!
Oct: Cairns, Queensland
We worked a bit before and after Magnetic Island in the Tablelands and decided it was time to continue our exploration once complications arose at work. (again showing the not so glamous side of traveling) We spent some time in Cairns exploring the small city/ large town. The highlight was definitely our snorkeling trip out on the great barrier reef.
November: Brisbane, Queensland
We drove down to brisbane in search for our last leg of work. Aside from the public gardens and lagoon, we didn't enjoy the city too much. So instead we headed a little bit up north to the Sunshine Coast instead. I found work in retail while Chris in construction. In between work hours we explored a bit of Nossa as well as the beaches and farmers markets on the sunshine coast.
December: Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Well into the holiday season, we were experiencing lots of festivities. Our first Christmas in the summer with our toes in the sand. (check out our Aussie Christmas here) We then welcomed the new year at Maloolaba on the Sunshine Coast watching fireworks with friends, ending an adventurous year with the booming sounds of firework.
2015 was a very eventful year, a year of many treasured memories. As I'm writing this, we are actually preparing for our departure from Australia into South East Asia. We have received news that Chris's boss sold his company over the holidays just a couple of days ago. We decided that it is more cost efficient for us to leave earlier than we have planned. As we occupy ourselves with selling our vehicle and organizing the stuff we have accumulated, we are also very excited to feel "uncomfortable" again. We don't know what 2016 will bring us. Whatever it may be, I have a feeling it's going to be great! Happy New Year everybody!!!
How was your 2015? Any highlights, regrets, or things to be grateful about? Leave a comment down below!
The island life was free and beautiful. On Magnetic Island off of Townsville, Queensland, we have explored land and sea. There are some beautiful snorkelling trails as well as hiking trails on the island. We swam with colorful fishes and fed dozens of rock wallabies. We even caught our first fish on this island!
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| Sunset on Magnetic Island |
Oct: Cairns, Queensland
We worked a bit before and after Magnetic Island in the Tablelands and decided it was time to continue our exploration once complications arose at work. (again showing the not so glamous side of traveling) We spent some time in Cairns exploring the small city/ large town. The highlight was definitely our snorkeling trip out on the great barrier reef.
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| Meeting a turtle on the Great Barrier Reef |
November: Brisbane, Queensland
We drove down to brisbane in search for our last leg of work. Aside from the public gardens and lagoon, we didn't enjoy the city too much. So instead we headed a little bit up north to the Sunshine Coast instead. I found work in retail while Chris in construction. In between work hours we explored a bit of Nossa as well as the beaches and farmers markets on the sunshine coast.
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| Public Lagoon in Brisbane |
December: Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Well into the holiday season, we were experiencing lots of festivities. Our first Christmas in the summer with our toes in the sand. (check out our Aussie Christmas here) We then welcomed the new year at Maloolaba on the Sunshine Coast watching fireworks with friends, ending an adventurous year with the booming sounds of firework.
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| Dog beach in Sunshine Coast |
2015 was a very eventful year, a year of many treasured memories. As I'm writing this, we are actually preparing for our departure from Australia into South East Asia. We have received news that Chris's boss sold his company over the holidays just a couple of days ago. We decided that it is more cost efficient for us to leave earlier than we have planned. As we occupy ourselves with selling our vehicle and organizing the stuff we have accumulated, we are also very excited to feel "uncomfortable" again. We don't know what 2016 will bring us. Whatever it may be, I have a feeling it's going to be great! Happy New Year everybody!!!
How was your 2015? Any highlights, regrets, or things to be grateful about? Leave a comment down below!
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