Minimum Wage=Minimum Holiday

One of the things I do love about Vancouver is the mass number of Aussies I meet here. It's always good to reminisce about hot weather, good beaches, Vegemite, and how good the pay rate was! 

When looking at a prospective country to participate in a WHP, pay rate doesn't usually rank at the top of the list of priorities, when in fact it's very important. Most young adults can't save enough to sustain themselves for 12 months living/travelling, so working is usually inevitable. Put together living costs including rent, food, transit, etc, and try to save to travel, you're going to be looking to make a good dollar. Even virgin backpackers get the idea fairly quickly where you can cut costs to save the most money, but when you're only making minimum wage to begin with, it can be quite a challenge. 

Australian Minimum Wage: $16.87

Canada (Vancouver) Minimum Wage: $8.00

It doesn't take a lot of calculations to see what a difference that is. My personal experience saw my wages around $20/h, a significant hike from the usual $10 I've made in Canada. 

Don't be fooled at rumors you've heard about living costs in Australia either, they are practically the same here. Talking to other Australians coming to Canada agree with these facts. Coming back to Canada, while an exciting new experience is a struggle. I often wonder how I'll be able to save at all. 

My advice for backpackers of any nationality coming over to Canada to travel, is to do your sightseeing first, especially if you've got the funds right away. Sticking around in the city is only going to drain your bank account and the hard earned money you've spent so much time trying to save, that really, you won't get back in Canada.

Stay tuned for information on ways to get out of the city, save on accommodation, and do more travelling for less!

It's Called a WORKING Holiday for a Reason

Courtesy of...

Money doesn't grow on trees, and since I need a lot of it to keep travelling, I've sought out the best resources to find jobs until burying my $20 bill will work one day. Hey, advancements in genetic modification have come a long way, a girl can dream!

The internet has by far delivered me the best results, and where I've found 90% of my jobs. Especially if you haven't arrived to your destination yet, it's a good way to see what the market is like, or even secure a position before you get there.

Top Internet Sites for Australia

Gumtree- a division of Kijiji, Gumtree is a classifieds website like Craigslist organized by regions. Gumtree is used all over the world.

Harvest Trail- a government website indicating harvest work all over the country. Really good for backpackers looking to obtain their second year visa. But don't just rely on the wesbite, make sure to call for unlisted jobs.

The Job Shop (WA)- a great site dedicated to finding backpackers work in Western Australia. Sign up for free and they'll even do the work for you by sending you jobs that are fit for you.

Seek- A more professional website if you're looking for something in your field, but nonetheless, a great work site with many postings.

Top Internet Sites for Canada

Craigslist - The ultimate classifieds website. Hundreds of jobs listed each day. But don't get caught up in e-mailing resumes; get an address and show up in person!

Go2- a site specializing in tourism jobs; everything from a hotel housekeepers, to hotel manager, servers, and tour guides.

Extreme Jobs- a developing website posting jobs is several sectors.

The Backpacking Site- An informational website about the different fields of work ideal for a backpacker in Canada. Well worth the read!

Best Advice for Anywhere

Get out on the street with a hand full of resumes, look for those Help Wanted signs, and TALK to people! The best way to convince someone to hire you is to flash that beautiful smile and take advantage of your foreign accent. It does the trick every time!

These have just been a few suggestions, but hopefully it'll get you on the right path toward making money grow on trees, oh I mean, making the most out of your working holiday!

Tasmania

When you tell an Australian that you’re heading to Tasmania, you’ll either get a laugh or a response like “Why are you going there? To see the two headed people?” Native Aussies mostly think that Tasmania is full of inbreds and hicks, and generally not a place worth crossing the Bass Straights for. But ask a fellow traveler what it’s really like, and you’ll get the truth. A wonderful island removed from the mainland full of beautiful landscapes, untouched beaches, and picturesque mountains. Over the last ten days, I’ve had the chance to experience Tasmania for myself, and the latter explanation of this state is the correct one. I’m not sure that I’ve ever been to a more beautiful place in Australia yet.

The trip started in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, at Sophie’s nan’s house. I probably never would have made it here if it weren’t for Sophie and her family roots. From here, we rented a camper van care of Devil Campers (much better than a Wicked one) and began to drive. Luckily Tasmania is a very small island so the driving distances were short each day. Our travels brought us to Port Arthur on day one which is a historical site to experience Australia’s convict past. It’s host to old prisons, churches, cemeteries and barracks. Most of the buildings are in ruins, but some houses and prisons are in tact or restored. We took a ghost tour in the evening, hoping to get a scare, but were more delighted in the guide’s historical knowledge of the area.

Most of the trip was spent doing a lot of bush walks and hikes. Highlights were a walk to a lookout over wineglass bay at Freyichet National Park, and a hike around Dove Lake at the base of Cradle Mountain. The east coast ended up being quite rainy, but with brilliant bursts of sunshine we were graced with about ten rainbows a day, perfectly placed in the view of our photos.

The town to Launceston was beautiful, full of parks and historical buildings. Unfortunately we rocked up at the weekend the V8 car races were on and couldn’t get a seat at any restaurant in town. One unexpected gem we found along the way was a town called Penguin which hosted some of the best markets I’ve seen in Oz. But not better than the Salamanca markets held in Hobart every Saturday. If you ever make it to Tasmania, make sure to be in Hobart on a weekend!

Overall it was an amazing experience that I know not many backpackers get to experience, so I count myself lucky!

East Coast- In Detail!

Day 1- Thursday Surfers Paradise After packing up the Wicked Van, Julia and I set out on the road for our first destination of Surfer’s Paradise. Surfers is located on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane and is described as plastic and as fake as a cheap spray tan. The stigma was true on first glance at the so called Paradise, but a quick drive outside the city center proved it to be beyond paradise. With beaches as far as the eye can see, perfect waves for surfers, a nightlife like no other, and national parks just a short distance away, I’d say it lives up to it’s name. It had been about 5 weeks since I had seen a beach and layed in the sun, so naturally, that was the first thing we did. It was great to get back into the water; however, it had cooled considerably. The air started to cool as the sun set, so we headed to some of the shops to take a look around. We asked a couple locals and a fellow Canadian what is the thing to do on a Saturday night- apparently it’s ladies night at every club and we were entitled to drink for free- and free is what I like! We buzz back to the van which is parked outside a hostel and sneakily use their facilities before we go out. I have to say that I’m not much of a clubbing person, but the drinks were free! 3 hours and three clubs later, we find ourselves being “entertained” by some male dancers and it’s hard not to snicker under the influence of several complementry champagnes. Suddenly they announce something of actual interest to me; a woman is doing makeup…for FREE! Of course I couldn’t say no to that; and the male dancers weren’t very coordinated anyway! I sat down in front of the artist and closed my eyes- wait- open them back up. I’m getting a spinning sensation. Ok, I wanted my makeup done so I close my eyes again. The whole room was spinning and the second I get off the chair I beeline to the bathroom to throw up. It doesn’t happen, but that was the end of the road for me. We sleep in the van that night and discover that it get’s really cold in that tin can. I wonder if it was a good idea to take a van south when it’s turning cold! Day Two- Friday Surfers Paradise- Lamington National Park We had been coaxed by a charming Irishman to stay an extra day in Surfers to do a pub crawl, which meant we needed to find something to do for the day. The schedule said we were to be heading to Byron and I hadn’t planned anything. But such is roadtrip life- there’s no such thing as an itinerary. Luckily, Lamington National Park was close by, and as a destination on my checklist, not yet checked, I thought it’d be perfect for a day trip. The drive up was as beautiful as ever, winding up narrow mountain roads. The land was lush and green with trees canopying the road. It felt almost enchanted. At the top, we took a tree top walk that guides you 20m above the forest floor to see life in the trees. Next we took a hike to McLean’s Falls- words fail me at the moment to describe what it looked like, but breathtaking will do. We made sure to drive back down before the sun set, and to get back in time for our pub crawl. There’s really not much to say about that. Moderately fun you could say! Day Three- Saturday Byron Bay Finally we were on our way to Byron Bay. I had heard so much about it and almost every traveler I ran into recommended it. My friend Marianne had been there 4 years ago and when I asked her what she liked the best, she told me about The Arts Factory. For months, I’ve been eager to see this hostel, and when I laid my eyes upon it, I was not disappointed. This hostel is one of the oldest in Byron with accommodation, bar, restaurant, and spa. You can choose to stay in a dorm, in a teepee, in a hut on the water or camp. Even though we had a perfectly good van to sleep in, I knew I needed to stay at The Arts Factory. Before we checked in, we scoured the town and all of it’s backpacker friendly luxuries; ie. Free internet! As well as heaps of travel assistance, the town offers all the amenities to stay for longer than you expected. It’s boasts a beautiful beach great for surf and swim, nearby dive sites, and coastal walks. If you pop into town, they have the best alternative/ hippie lifestyle stores and cafes. Being here I felt very relaxed and at home. I never wanted to leave. After exploring, we headed back to the hostel to see what was happening…it was Saturday night after all! After some hmmm-ing and haaawww-ing, I was called by the sweet sound of a didgeridoo from my window. Across the way at the Budda Bar, a band called Loonaloop was playing a set. I quickly went over and was absolutely blown away by the show. It was mostly an all girl group with a trance, psychedelic sound accompanied by didgeridoo and electric violin. After dancing my heart out and snatching up a cd, I was ready for bed…at the Arts Factory! Day Four- Sunday Byron Bay- Nimbin Sunday is synonymous with Markets is Australia, so when it comes to that lazy weekend day, you know you have to drag yourself out of bed to drift through the markets. There was a particular town about an hour and a half away that is known not only for great alternative markets, but for it’s non conventional lifestyle. And by non conventional, I’ll be blunt. The town is called Nimbin and it’s the marijuana capital of Australia. After the Aquarius festival in the ‘70’s, the hippies just never left, and never grew out of the hippie lifestyle. 30 years later, the town is characterized by funky murals, colourful buildings and hand written signs. The people are much more colourful; permanently stoned, hair that hasn’t been cut in 3 decades, and skin that will probably smell of incense till they’re put in the ground where marijuana would probably sprout in 6 months! It was a great experience to see these people living somewhat harmoniously together in a constant state of pot hazed euphoria, but after we were offered to my pot by 4 different children, and weed cookies by a crazy old lady, it was good to get back in the van and have it only as a fun memory. From Nimbin, we headed on a scenic drive past Mnt Warning and up to Nightcap National Park where we viewed yet another beautiful waterfall. Since the sun was beginning to set, we headed back to Byron for a Sunday Session at some of the bars in town. I had been lucky enough to end up in Byron at the same time as a friend of a friend of mine; Chad and his brother Greg. We ended up hanging with them at their hostel, Aquarius, then popping out to a bar down the street. The bar seen, however, was getting a little old for me, so it wasn’t as enjoyable and the previous nights, but good to experience the Byron nightlife.

A Wicked World

So today IS the tomorrow I worried about yesterday, and guess what, everything turned out alright. I've begun my Wicked roadie with a German girl named Julie. We left Brisbane on Thurday morning and headed to Surfers Paradise to soak up some sun and enjoy the Gold Coast night life. After much convincing from the Wicked Pub Crawl crew we decided to stay an extra day in the area. We needed something to fill our time so we drove up to Lamington National Park. The drive up the mountian was absolutly beautiful and breathtaking. We did a tree top walk and a 2h hike to a magnificent waterfall. My pictures will never do it justice. We arrived back in Surfers to begin our night out...6 clubs, free drinks and some bowling was enough to give me a great big headache this morning, but not stop us from hitting the road again. We have just arrived in Byron Bay; hippie town NSW! We're going to go to the beach and then roam the streets and try to hook up with some more backpackers, but that won't be hard.
I'm so glad to be on the road and travelling. A month was the original allocated travelling time, but I think I'm going to extend it as long as I can!!

On the Road Again

Relax...ok, someone tell me to relax. I'm leaving...yeah I'm leaving, but not on a jet plane. In a Wicked Van...it's my dream and has been since that post you read months ago. Here it finally is. I love when things are so far away and then somehow end up on your doorstep awaiting you tomorrow. But today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday and it's all turned out fine. That's what my original van was supposed to say on the back. I was solely going to take it based on that saying, and because it has stars on the ceiling (read post back in December). But I didn't feel safe in it, so I have the one that says " Goddesses are just angels with big boobs"...which both my travel mate and I have, so good riddance.

Tomorrow begins the epic journey I have been looking forward to basically since I got to Australia. I'll be travelling for a bit shorter than a month and covering about a 1/4 of Australia. How cool is that! And just when I thought I would have absolutely no one to do it with, fate, and a cafe near work, brought me Juliane. She's a German girl, season world traveller, speaker of 3 languages, and needs to get out of Brisbane. She's keen on travelling but doesn't have a lot of dough, as per the greater population of backpackers. But she's awesome and I think we'll have a lot of fun.

I had dinner with my friends and roommates tonight just to say farewell. I'm excited to leave, but the feeling is bitter sweet. I'm so grateful for the many wonderful people into my life while here is Brisbane.

Now for some last minute packing...

See you on the Gold Coast!

I ♥ Quiksilver

If you ever come across Quiksilver the brand, no doubt Kelly Slater’s face will come along with it. Pro surfer from his teenage years, Kelly continues to be the poster-‘man’ for Quiksilver across the world. As I worked for Quiksilver back in Toronto, we’d loop several videos of surfing competitions or footage of Kelly catching a great wave. It was a hard thing to imagine when it was -25 outside, what it would be like to watch a pro do what he does best, but an impromptu trip with my best buddie and a Wicked Van had myself on Snapper Rocks beach in the VIP bar watching the best surfers, including Kelly of course, surf the 2009 Quiksilver Pro Comp.

Rewind…the weekend began as all my other weekends do; at the Wicked Campers Depot working my usual Saturday shift. This was my week to only work until noon, so I was in pretty high spirits for the day as it was. There had been talk with Carley the night before whether we should head down to the Gold Coast to catch the Quik Pro, but we just couldn’t decide how to get down there. Sam, who’s been working at the event all week was unfortunately working Saturday all day as wasn’t able to bring us down. The Wicked van idea came up and I was pretty sure I could swing us a deal. So to my ultimate satisfaction, I was granted a Wicked Van on Saturday at the “Awesome Employee” Rate! 12pm couldn’t come any slower, I was just so excited to get on the road and down the coast. Now I must remind you, I have always been an automatic driver, and since living here, I have the graces of patient people to teach me the stick. I’m pretty confident when it comes to my driving, but this was going to be my first time driving with no help, a full trip in a standard van. Needless to say, I was a little nervous. But only a few wrong turns ended up being the obstacles on the road, and the trip went seamlessly.

We arrived in Coolangatta late afternoon to catch the last couple heats of the men’s division. I was pretty much as excited at a 13 year old at a Hannah Montana concert. Going to a Quik Surf Comp has been my dream for so long, and to finally see it happening was truly overwhelming…especially when you run into a surfer as big as Dane Reynolds, which Carley and I did!

Fast forward to Sunday…after a cozy sleep in our Wicked Camper, Carley and I rose early to get back to the beach. Sunday morning was Roxy Pro, women’s division semi-finals and finals. It was really great to see some chicks ripping up the waves, and even better to see DOLPHINS! Yes, dolphins, just chillin’ in the water with the surfers. It was my first time seeing 1. Girls pro surf, and 2. Dolphins. But the day gets even better. We meet up with Sam who’s come down for the day and surprised us with VIP passes to the best bar/viewing area. All the Carona and Red Bull you could skull down, and a full view of Mr. Kelly Slater as he surfed his late afternoon heat.

Rewind…When I began working for Quiksilver in Sept 07, it was a dream come true for me. I’ve always been a Roxy girl at heart, so working for the company wasn’t like a job, it was just getting something I loved to do everyday. But it went beyond clothing for me, and probably most of the people there. Quiksilver has truly changed my life and brought be to places I only dreamed of, so it has a big soft spot on my heart, and if you look close enough, it’s probably shaped like Roxy!

So fast back forward to me watching Kelly surfing, and to say it was overwhelming is putting it lightly. A year ago I knew I’d be coming here, but nothing can prepare you for actually accomplishing it.

After the last waves were surfed, I got back in my van, by myself this time, and made my way back to Brissy. By far one of the best weekends of my time here.

Noosa

My Friend Florian

Last night was amazing. I finally feel like a traveler again. Loren and I quickly made friends with our German roommate named Florian. He’s been here for about 4 months now and will be staying 3 more weeks before he goes back home. His original plan was to stay 3 more months, but he finds work hard to come by and feels like he’s missing out on good opportunities while waiting for work. His band has been signed back in Germany to a label so he needs to go home anyway. I understand where Florian is coming from in the aspect of work, and his stories have given me some insight for what to do and what to avoid.

Some of you may or may not know, I was very interested in fruit picking here at some point, thinking I’d get the chance to work outside and save heaps of money, but it doesn’t seem that way since I’ve been talking to other backpackers. I guess the conditions aren’t that great, you don’t get paid well, or in some cases not at all, and if you need accommodation or transport, all the money you make ends up in that. So, I’ve definitely been rethinking that as something to do.

To tell you the truth, after the next 2 weeks, I have no idea where I’m living or what I’m doing. I have about a million ideas, but I’m trying to find the one that feels exactly right.

Last week I was in Brisbane for the Sunset Sounds music festival and from that I was 110% sure I was moving to Brisbane, so much so that I’ve spent all my time researching and applying for places to live and work. But now that I’m in beautiful Noosa on the coast, I wonder if this is somewhere I’d like to live instead. Or should I go all the way south and settle in Sydney, which is such a great hub for traveling from and meeting fellow backpackers. It’s been such a struggle to make a decision. One thing for sure is I must work pretty soon, I’ll run out of money before I can get too far.

I’ve also just been reminded that I am carrying all of my possessions in 3 large bags, which means it’s not that easy to travel with. I’d love to just get rid of all my clothes, but I’m my mother’s daughter and I don’t get rid of anything.

Anyways, things are great, I will post more when I don't have to pay for internet!

If sweating were a job, I'd be employee of the month

Day 5- Nadi and Tavewa Island
Arrived early into Fiji and began the slow transit to our resort on Tavewa Island, one of the northern most islands in Fiji. This consisted of a 5 hour ferry where I foolishly, nay, stupidly say on the deck the whole time and burnt myself to a crisp. By the time I realized what had happened, the damage was done. Let’s just say it wasn’t a good start to second leg of the trip. Finally got to the resort where we were greeted wish song, drinks and food. But I was anxious to see my good friend Sophie who came from Australia to meet us and her two friends Emily and Katie. When we did meet up we learned that Sophie was deathly ill from a night of partying, but we kept our spirits up. Went snorkeling just off the beach at the resort which wasn’t too bad. Some beautiful blue starfish, tropical fish and coral. However since I was in so much pain from my burn I just decided to stay out of sun as much as possible. Had dinner after sunset and went to bed fairly early.

Day 6- Coral View/ Blue Lagoon
We decide to check out the beach on the back side of the island. On the walk to the beach we followed a trail through the bush, coming across big burrow holes in the ground. Peering into them I discovered they were spider holes…spiders that were the size of chipmunks. Needless to say I didn’t mosey over the holes. Did some swimming and shell hunting but the sun was really hot so we head back to the resort. Sophie went back early and we learned she’d gotten so much worse. We all take turns trying to help her get better. By the afternoon we all have cabin fever. Katie, Emily and I decide to take a trip another island to do a snorkeling trip off of a good beach. The water literally feels like bath water it’s so warm. The reef is amazing. So much to look at. About 100m out the shallow coral drops off about 50 feet or more and it’s a good opportunity to dive. We get back to the resort to find that Carley has successfully nursed Sophie back to better health and we spend a bit of the afternoon taking pictures and laying in hammocks. I met a wonderful Canadian couple who were the only people over the age of 28 at the resort. They had a stopover in Fiji before they made their way to Australia to go to their daughters wedding. They warned me that I not get involved with any aussie blokes or I could end up like their daughter. I think I’ll take their advice!

Day 7- Caving/ Ferry back to Nadi
This was our final day at the Coral View resort. It rained all night and it hasn’t let up in the morning. I was curious if anyone would be going caving at all that morning but to my relief there was a whole group going, and I had somewhat convinced Emily to come with me. Because we booked that day instead of having a voucher already, Emily and I didn’t go with the rest of the group, instead we went with a few of the instructors on our own. The caves we about a 30min boat ride from our island and it was great opportunity to do some sight seeing. Since it was a little story the water was a little rough…especially when you’re in a “Lakair” style boat with a 30HP Yamaha. It was a bumpy excursion riding the waves! We were fortunate enough being separate from the group to stop off at a couple other islands to let some of the locals off and see the village (from the boat). Although I must admit, it did seem a little odd that we were separated from everyone else, it crossed my mind that we may mysteriously disappear and become tribal sacrifices. But we were with really nice and trusting guides, it just seemed so horror movie plot line! Anyways, we made it to the caves; it was a walk up a crumbling concrete stairway then down into the caves. Since we came ahead of the group, we only had a group of about 6 people, 4 from another resort. The entrance of the caves looked like a cathedral with a really high ceiling- one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. To enter the cave tunnels there is was a 3-second breath hold in a passage way, which I was afraid to do, but ended up being pretty fun. The tour itself was fairly short, but an experience that I treasure. It was the one thing that I wanted to do since I booked the trip. Our guide told us that if you didn’t come see the Limestone Caves of the Yasawas, you hadn’t seen the Yasawas at all. On the boat ride back we stopped again at one of the villages to pick up the fellow that we dropped off. He brought a basket of cooked cassava root and freshly grilled battered fish. They were so gracious to share their food with Emily and I, and it was the best memory that I have of Fiji. The locals were so nice and accommodating. Upon our arrival back to the resort we had enough time to eat lunch before it was back on the ferry to Nadi. We spent about half the time under deck where the Air-con was too cold, and then went up on deck to warm up. Since it was cloudy and a bit rainy, I wasn’t so worried about getting burnt again. That night we checked into our new dorm at the Nadi Bay Hotel and had a delicious dinner at the restaurant. I recommend the Pumping Cannelloni with coconut sauce if you ever go! Met a guy from Montreal who was traveling alone to Australia. It was nice to talk to another Canuck! We were all pretty tired, and Carley and I had an early flight, so it was to bed.

Day 8- Flight to Brisbane
Early flight to Brisbane this morning. Carley’s brother who has been living in Australia for a year and a half now was kind enough to come and pick us up from the airport. Carley’s going to be staying with him for the next couple months while I live with Sophie. Anyways, Sophie’s flight didn’t get in till 6pm and it was only 12pm. I needed to get myself to Sam’s place or find something to do for the next six hours. Luckily Sam was working at the Discount Factory Outlet mall near the airport and I was able to stash my things there until Sophie came in. So my first day was spent in a shopping center! Finally being in Australia is relieving yet so final. I feel like such an outsider here and I’m a little shy to speak. In the evening after picking up Sophie, we head to Sam’s to cook dinner and just relax for the night. Here, I don’t feel homesick!

Day 9/10- Brisbane and Melbourne Cup
The next day in Brisbane was quiet and was for running errands. I got a new cell phone and a calling card. Nothing much exciting going on. November the 4th was race day in Brisbane Horse racing is the biggest event in Australia and thousands of people get all dressed up, place their bets and drink all day! We began early in the morning with a champagne breakfast and a hospital visit. I accidently sliced my thumb open with a knife and had to go see if it needed stitches. Luckily it didn’t and I was back to the champagne before I knew it. Not a great start to the day, but the aussies are resilient. From there were took the City Cat to the race grounds. The City Cat is a boat that runs along the river in Brisbane like a bus. It’s a very nice way to see the city if you have a lot of time on your hands. It was blistering hot that day and the heels weren’t a wise choice, but it was so much fun otherwise. So these events have all lead me to my final destination, Rockhampton QLD. Nothing much going on here at the moment. Just looking for work and staying out of the heat. If sweating were a job, I’d be employee of the month.

Too much baggage, too much sun, too much fun!

Day 1- Flight to LA/ Hollywood

We had a very early morning flight to L.A. After a late night and too much wine it was a sad and teary goodbye to the parents and Carley and I departed on the first leg of our adventure. I planned on sleeping the whole way to L.A. but Air Canada has installed new personal screen to view and movie or television show you desire. So I stayed up watching movies of course! After we landed, we waited at the airport for our friend Devin to arrive. She’s been to L.A. twice this year already and was more than happy to not only come along, but plan the whole trip (thank you Devo!!) After we picked up our rental car and checked into hotel we attempted to take advantage of the nice weather and swim but the pool was ice cold. Who knew that LA pool water could be cold? We stayed in the heart of Hollywood, and spent the rest of the day on Hollywood Blvd walking around looking at the shops, Chinese Theater, Kodak Theater, etc. Hollywood was rather grungy and a bit run down. We returned to the hotel where we all crashed and napped. Wasn’t keen on going out to the bar but was forcefully convinced by Devin to spend Saturday night out on the town; turned out to be a good decision to do so. Went to a bar called Beauty Bar set up like a 50’s salon then over to a bar that was overpriced and had scummy people. But an overall fun night. Was glad I went out.

Day 2- L.A/ Dearly Departed Tour/ The Grove and Farmer’s Market

Slept in a bit this morning, slowly recovering from the night before. Headed out to the Grove which is an outdoor shopping area; very beautiful and a lot going on. Next to it was the Farmer’s Market which is home to infinite delicious food and more food! Set out on our Dearly Departed tour at 1pm. This tour takes you around Beverly Hills mostly and West LA to view where celebs have either died, or been murdered. Current celebrity homes and areas were also thrown in by our zealous tour guide. Beverly Hills was absolutely stunning. The houses and landscaping were immaculate. Most celeb homes weren’t visible due to strategically placed flora! After the tour was finished we did our own self guided tours up in the hills. Probably one of my favorite parts of LA was just driving around on our own. That night we succumb to the fatigue and went to bed early.

Day 3- LA/ Santa Monica and Venice Beach/ Beauty Bar and Big Wangs

The best day of the trip! Drove up to Venice beach and walked along the boardwalk looking at the shops and cheap souvenirs. We decided to rent bikes at Venice Beach and ride them all the way up to Santa Monica Pier. Had lunch and Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Restaurant…had the shrimp! Walked around the pier and rode the Ferris wheel. It was quite foggy so the view was dismal, but it was still fun. From there we rode up to the 3^rd St Promenade which is a closed off street for shopping. This is where we got wrapped up in a television show; ‘10 Years Younger’. So watch it in a couple months we’ll be on it! Rode back to Venice beach to return our bikes. I convinced Carley and Devin to come down to the ocean and dip our feet in…we ended up swimming next to some surfers as the sun set. Ate dinner at a sushi bar where we met some Norwegian girls whom we took out to Beauty Bar and Big Wangs sports bar. It was a good last night in LA.

Day 4- LA/ Universal City Walk/ Hollywood Sign/ Flight to Fiji

The last day of LA where we needed to cram in everything else! In the morning we checked out of our hotel and got Devin to her new hostel. Afterwards we went to few shops but were easily bored so we went to Universal Music to meet some of Devin’s coworkers and see the City Walk which is just a bunch of movie themed shops. I wasn’t feeling well that day so I was a bit of a bummer, but I perked up when we took a drive to see the Hollywood sign. You can’t get right up to it, but you can get a good close view on a narrow residential street in the hills. Last stop was Target of course and then a quick dinner at the Sizzler….so American! A hectic run through LAX and we were on our way to FIJI!

Stay tuned for Fiji…