But wait! Where's Sydney?!

A stay in Australia just isn't complete without a trip to Sydney and that is exactly where my last adventure in Australia took me!  And lucky me I had a special visitor from the States flying literally around the world to share in the adventure!  Not so lucky for Jessie (or the both of us I should say!), however, was a delayed flight causing him to spend the night in LA before completing his journey.  As for me, I did my best to enjoy my day spent solo in Sydney while trying to ignore the main sights of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House until United Airlines could kick it in gear and get Jessie to Australia!...No worries! He did finally arrive! :)

Jessie and I at Manly Beach!

Sydney Town Hall

Sydney Harbor Bridge!

The Opera House by day...

And the Opera House by night!

At Sydney's other famous beach - Bondi!

Me changing up my pose - whale watching maybe?! 

...and Jessie changing up his!

We went to the zoo and made friends with this cute(ish) little Tassie Devil!

Out to dinner in Darling Harbor!

Kangaroo Steak! May have been the most delicious meal I had the entire time I was in Australia! Paired with peppercorn sauce, a glass of wine, and an $8 bottle of WATER, it was just delectable!  Or maybe I was so enthused because I had already had a bit to drink...either way try it if you ever visit Australia...and don't forget to specify TAP water or you may also have a surprise $8 bottle of purified water on your bill!

After our short stay in Sydney, Jessie and I flew back to Victoria where we had a very unique Thanksgiving dinner (see photo below), became pro surfers, ventured out on the left side of the road while driving the Great Ocean Road, and visited Melbourne (and for the Melbourne vs. Sydney rivalry - I personally prefer Melbourne, or "mel-bin" as they say)!

So obviously we didn't have turkey...but we did have a pretty good meal! The table was surrounded by Americans, Australians, Chileans, and a Canadian! We had ceviche (from South America), walnut and cranberry salad, my mom's cheesy corn bake that I made, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and a spring onion crepe filled with chicken in a soy sauce type marinade. Very interesting and tasty!

Our first photo after we turned pro! Ha! Maybe for Jessie but every time I would succeed in actually getting up on the board I would proceed with a victory dance that would then cause me to fall and my short lived surfer moment would be over!

The Great Ocean Road! (Fun Fact: The road is the largest war memorial in the world.  It was built by 3000 WWI Veterans to honor and remember their fellow soldiers that lost their lives in the war.)

Teddy's Lookout in Lorne, Victoria

The Cape Otway Lighthouse

A koala in the wild! We stopped along the side of the road and they were just everywhere in the trees!

We stopped at an animal park on the Great Ocean Road and I hadn't seen a cat in so long, I was so excited when this kitty decided to follow us around while we visited the kangaroos and wallabies!

The Twelve Apostles!

Port Campbell National Park

The "Razorback" in Port Campbell National Park

"Thunder Cave" in Port Campbell National Park

After surviving life on the left hand side of the road, we parked the car and caught the train into Melbourne where we stayed in an awesome apartment on the 26th floor (if you have never used airbnb.com, check it out for your next trip!) while exploring the city!  

The view of the city from our apartment!

The ice bar! Where everything including your shot glasses are made of ice!

The Eureka Building - where you can enjoy the views from the highest public viewing point in the Southern Hemisphere!

The view of Melbourne from the Eureka building - I love Melbourne!

Famous Luna Park in St. Kilda - where we rode the oldest hand operated rollercoaster in the world, "The Scenic Railway!"  It's 101 years old to be exact and by the name, and if you could see it, you might think it would be a fun peaceful ride with views of the city and the bay but it may have been the most teeth rattling ride I have ever been on!

After our jam packed fun filled week together, Jessie left on a Monday and it was time for me to begin packing my bags as well.  I'm so thankful for the time I spent living with my Aussie family and exploring Australia and I'm so happy that Jessie came to experience part of it with me!  I'm back in the USA, finally recovered from jet lag, and looking forward to the holidays!  Merry Christmas!!! :)