It's hard to believe that our 3 month journey is coming to a end. We have made countless memories and life long friendships. We will never forget our 3 months in the South Pacific. We started our voyage in Wellington NZ and quickly bonded with each other as our excitement grew for the adventures ahead. Our first stop was the Blue Mountain Adventure Center where we grew as a group through physical and mental trails. Highlights included caving, white water rafting, and hiking Mt. Doom. We continued to absorb the beauty and culture of New Zealand by heading to a marae to learn about the Maori culture and way of life. We then experienced the WWOOFing lifestyle on an organic farm. Our contact, Lisa definitely showed is the importance of living a green and natural lifestyle. We wrapped up New Zealnd with Zorbing in Rotorua and one final night in Auckland.
The next stop was fiji. None of us can forget the hot, humid air hitting us like a brick walls soon as we stepped off the plane. we were greeted by the common Fijian hospitality, and we instantly knew we were in for an incredible experience.Our first stop was Nadi where we had a crash course in Fijian culture. we then started our free travel week and worked our way along the coral coast. our week included shark snorkeling, island trips, kayaking and jungle treks. We also learned how strong the Fijian sun can be and the importance of sunscreen. We ended our free travel week by watching Fiji destroy their opponents in a rugby match in Suva. The next morning we were boarding a ferry to participate in a homestay in the village of Nasolo on the island of Vata Levu. We were pretty nervous, not knowing what to expect, but as soon as we stepped into the village we were welcomed with countless "bulas!"and with open arms. While there we aided the village by helping build sidewalks. We enjoyed participating in Kava ceremonies, playing with the children and countless scones. The relationships we made with the villagers of Nasolo are connections we will cherish forever.
Before we knew it we were on a plane taking us from Nadi to Brisbane Australia. We began our adventure with a relaxing couple of days in the beach town of Noosa. At this point we realized that Australia has a lot to offer. We then headed to the Chenrezig Buddhist Institute to practice meditation and work on our spirituality. It was an unforgetable experience to learn from the monks and practice a buddhist way of life.One of the hardest parts of meditation is sitting still for 30 minutes with your eyes closed and not falling asleep; however, this happened on multiple occasions. Another difficult part of the week was the "no kill" policy.We had to fight the urge to swat at mosquitoes and avoid stepping on very large spiders. Again, this was easier said than done and consequently the rule was broken on several occaisions. The next stop on our journey was Cape Tribulation and the Daintree rain forest. We helped plant trees and remove invasive species in the only rainforst in all of Australia. By the end of our week in the Diantree, everything we owned was wet and we collectively smelled like wet dog and rotting animal carcasses. However, we did learn the importance of sustainability and Eco friendly lifestyles. Everyone can make a difference.
We then made our way back to Carins to start our scuba diving course. By the end of the training we were to experience the beauty of the ocean and the Great Barrier Reef first hand. Next thing we know we're on a plane to Alice Springs to see the Outback and sleep under the stars. We are now back in Alice Springs and smell worse than we did from the Daintree. That aside seeing the Outback was amazing. One of the highlights was watching the sunset over Uluru. We now have our bags packed, all ready to leave for Sydney tomorrow. It's a bittersweet ending, but we have so many experiences to share and stories to tell. We cannot wait to see family and friends.