My best excursion yet!

Yes, the posts are getting fewer and further in between. Super busy... but I'd rather write this than a paper I have due in a few days so here ya go!

Last weekend we finally had the chance to get out of Sydney and explore a bit. Since Kelli works at Outdoor Australia, she has the chance to sift through the magazine pages and be exposed to a lot of outdoorsy adventure-type activities. She found this abseiling program so we grabbed a couple of mates and headed to the Blue Mountains in Katoomba, Australia. It took exactly 2 hrs by train from the city. We booked in advance a random hotel which was conveniently right across the street from the train station. It was only 27 bucks a person.. and it was an old building that had a bar downstairs. We actually had to check in at the bar with the bartender...odd. We grabbed lunch and headed to the mtns to see the sights. The rain clouds came in and soaked the town for about 10 mins. We hopped a bus anyway. Once we got to the mounatins, the view was gorgeous! We heard about this deal where you go across the mountain by a lift.. then down a steep roller coaster type thing through the rainforest and then take a trolley back up the mtn to where you can then hike to this place called Echo point for 25 bucks. We were stoked, but it turns out it was a major tourist trap! The thing across the mtn was sweet, but the rainforest ride lasted all of about 5 seconds and it was SO dumb! The lift back up the mountain smelled like decaying bodies, and you couldn't see a thing.

The hike across the mtns was actually the best part. we found the waterfall and climbed up and played for awhile. As Kelli and I were climbing off the mtn, I slipped on a wet rock and busted it. My rumpus was soaked, but it was a humbling experience and it made us laugh. We got so caught up in all of this hiking fun that we lot track of time and missed the last bus to the hotel. So we had a long few miles of trekking back to the hotel. Conveniently, the rain gods decided to open up their clouds on us, and we got soaked. We chilled for a little while and then decided to grab dinner. We ate at this DELICIOUS thai place.. the first time I've had anything of the sort since Ive gotten here. Sweet and sour chicken stir fry, mmm!

We hit the hay relatively early since we had to rise and shine real early the next morning. I laid half awake/half asleep for awhile as the middle aged mountaineers raged on through the morning below us. I vaguely remember some dude freaking out about something and then a glass shattering across the sidewalk. Someone must have cut him off...

Next morning: headed to the abseiling company, got prepped and went to the mountain. It was a beautiful day so I didn't mind the monsoon the day before. They told us how to put on out harness and helmets and and had us abseil down a 20 ft cliff. They demonstrated how to walk down the cliff backwards (which is what abseiling is) and they said, keep feet shoulder width apart, knees straight, lead with your butt, or you could slip off and bash your face into the cliff or flip over backwards. What did I sign up for again?

We moved onto a larger cliff... after doing that once, I felt more at ease. We then went to a 100 foot cliff and that was terrifying! But it was my favorite cliff. Then came lunch time and afterwards we went to the main attraction... The 100 foot cliff with a waterfall! We canyoned through the rainforest, and it was awesome!!! We had to climb, crawl through crevices, jump off of cliff like rocks into water, slide down them, etc. It was really fun! Once we got to the waterfall, I was petrified. I immediately regretted my decision. I was the 4th one to go down and it was nuts! The water was intensely pouring all over me... it was so loud as it was pounding my helmet, and I thought I might drown. I edged down the cliff, the entire time fearing that my feet would slip off the rocks and I would fall upside down. The guides said that it happens alot. Well, it didn't and I made it down. Basically... it was one of the scariest situations I've put myself in, but SO worth it.

It was back to work on Monday. I got to go to an event for one of the girl magazines.. Australia's most eligible bachelors at Pitt Street mall. Sure didn't mind that... I got a pic with one of the blokes and a free clinique gift bag. Did I mention that I love my job?

I did a lot of fun stuff at work this week, like selecting winners for a promotion we did, went to an audio studio where they do voiceovers for this week's ZOO commercial, and I re-wrote the letter that they send out to subscribers, where I had to pretend like I was one of the cover girls named Rachel. She has a 30 HH breast size that are apparently au naturale...so that's what the boys like here.

On Tuesday I met a friend for a few drinks downtown for St. Pats.. went to some of the local pubs like Scruffy Murphys and what not.  They celebrate the holiday pretty hardcore here, which is probably why I didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning. Still made it to work the next morning though... thank you Starbucks. 

On Friday we got to go to the beach... it was a gorgeous day! They say the season is changing to Fall here, so there probably won't be a lot of beachin' it going on in the coming months :( 

We booked our Fall Break trip this week. We leave in about a month, and we're going to the East Coast of Australia for 9 days.. we start in Brisbane where the Steve Irwin zoo is, then head to the Great Barrier Reef and Frasier Island, and end in Cairns. Included in the trip is white water rafting, bungy jumping (although I really don't think I want to participate in that) sailing, etc. We also want to plan a sky diving excursion because we want to do it over the great barrier reef... I think the view would be phenomenal!

Today we had a picnic downtown at a park in a place called The Rocks. The park was set up really high and we had a full view of the harbour, and we also watched a wedding take place. It was cool. We also went to a weekend market where we got to sample lots of stuff.. my fave was the macadamian chocolate fudge. We also had bread with oil, tea, licorice, jam (disgusting), and some really good spicy salsa. 

Well... I'm sure I left out a lot, but it's time to hit the hay! Keep commenting... :)