So I'm kind of in Melbourne

Just a little update...
It's summer vacation...
And I'm kind of in Melbourne.

I have spent the last month living on Attila's couch and finishing stuff up for the end of semester. Before I left, I donated a lot of my clothes and threw away some stuff until I had nothing but one backpack of clothes. Of course I brought my foam roller. This is the wardrobe I'm going to live on for the next 9 months. 

I woke up on Monday, ready to catch my flight, only to find out that my flight had been cancelled. But after a quick phone call, I booked another flight and was out of the house within an hour.

It really sucks to be that girl whose luggage it too big to fit through the bus aisle. It's even worse when the handle of your suitcase breaks and you're forced to walk backwards dragging your suitcase behind. I was welcomed into the home of 4 complete strangers. We got acquainted over Mexican food, whisky, beer, and dancing around a no-fire fire pit. The police showed up. Apparently the neighbours weren't happy with our singing on a Monday night.

Look who I found!!

Melbourne Noodle Market

I celebrated my third Thanksgiving on Thursday with 3 Americans (and no, Niall, I didn't eat ham).

Broccoli casserole, beer mac and cheese, pumpkin feta rocket salad, Dr. Pepper ham 

Gertye, Me, Nick, Rodney, Mike, Melissa, Ruby

Last night I went to a CS meet-up at Fitzroy Beer Garden but ended up heading over to Naked for Satan after with a couple of people. A lift took us to the top and we saw the city. I always thought I was a city girl but shit, Melbourne is big. 

Not gonna lie, I haven't slept for the past 24 hours. There is so much alcohol going through my system. It's like I'm 21 or something.

Melissa Ray, American Olympian

Anyway, I'm back to living like a nomad again. Or maybe I'll be moving into a house with 6 other people. Or maybe I'll be moving to a small town in the middle of nowhere to be a Wild Animal Ranger in a zoo. I have no idea what's going to happen.

All I know is that if I don't satisfy my pancake craving some time this week, I am going to be sooooooo upset.

If you need me, I`ll be cleaning out my ears

Imagine opening an email telling you that in exactly one week, you'll be running a 20km obstacle course. This wouldn't have been so bad if I had not been spending the previous months eating cake and drinking full-cream cappuccinos. I had signed up for Tough Mudder when I was in Vancouver, six months prior to the event. Realizing that I had not trained at all, had no one to drive me there, and had no friends to do it with, I FREAKED.

Gunther, Me, (Jon), and Michael

But of course things always work out, especially when you're a couchsurfer. Michael picked me and my German couchsurfer, Gunther, up and we started driving to a farm in the middle of nowhere. I was running on 5 hours of sleep, having worked until 11:30pm the night before.

Hills, hills, and more hills

Taken by Gunther

 Being tiny has its benefits, especially when you have to fling yourself through some muddy water while trying to avoid the dangling wires charged with electricity. Climbing walls are a different story, but the comradery I witnessed there was amazing. Random strangers were pushing me up, pulling me over walls, high-fiving me. It really wasn't about our race time.

Gunther walking the plank

Friendly reminder

I didn't have any big problems with the obstacles until... we had to jump about 4 meters off a wall into a pool of water. Flashbacks to my 16th birthday, standing on the diving board in Watermania while my friends sat in the pool watching me and 7-year-olds were behind me coaxing me down. I fucking hate heights. But I had an ego, and I wasn't about to walk around a stupid obstacle. After a couple of minutes, I finally put my arms around Gunther and told him to jump and pull me with him. I screamed the entire way down but the important thing is I DID IT. In the final 2km, I heard a voice from a megaphone say "ice-cold beer" and I ran through the crowds yelling "FREEE BEEEERRR!!!!"

Two days after Tough Mudder, I couldn't walk. There was a scorching pain in my foot but the x-rays showed nothing. Will be going for a CT scan in a couple of weeks.
Also, I sincerely apologize to my friends, to whom I sent a picture of a dirty cotton swab. It took me days to get that mud out of there. Before I could finish getting the mud out...

The Color Run!

Attila doing his thing

 When Attila said he had yellow fever, I had no idea this was what he was referring to. <3

Stevan attack!

 Guess what happened next...

 So I guess pink eyelashes and red teeth aren't really my thing..

Vibrant Voyagers!

Jeff looking better than ever

Kids, I hate to sound hostile, but before I finish off this post, I just wanted to say something about me and my photos. If you are to share them, ask for my permission and if you are to use them, please acknowledge me. These photos convey my own memories and own experiences and are very personal to me. I get on the ground, I get dirty, I climb things, and sometimes I do slightly illegal things just to get the perfect shot. If you think I'm being unreasonable, maybe bring your own camera next time?

Thanks!

I fell in love with the ocean

Dear faithful readers from Canada, US, Oz, and Poland,
I know a couple of you guys are dying to get some photos from me, but it's end of semester and it's been CRAZY.

Yesterday I had one of the best days of my life.
My whole life I've been blessed with the ability to find joy in the worst situations and laugh at the most mundane statements. But yesterday I found a little more joy, and laughed a little bit harder.

Yesterday I fell in love with the ocean.

Niall hopping over some waves

We gathered at City Beach under some 33-degree sunshine for some fun in the water and on the barbie. It was the perfect place to wash off the explosion of colours that covered us from the Color Run. Unfortunately, this stuff is as permanent as they come. My nails are still purple.

"I caught a fish!", taken by Niall

We played frisbee in the water, jumped over waves, dove into waves, ran away from the waves and at times  just let the waves crash into us and knock us down. I don't believe there was a single person who got hit by the waves more often than Niall. There was also some man who lost his baby in the waves (but luckily found him!) I was constantly being caught in the breaks, tumbling, screaming, and trying to hold my bikini in place.  At one point, Anthony scooped me up in his arms and yelled "I caught a fish!" I could not stop laughing.

Sunset on the horizon

I don't remember ever spending 12 hours on a beach. We watched the sun set on the horizon while being carried by the ocean waves.

 It's just me and the Atlantic, taken by Anthony.

Attila and I

This is my new roommate. He's kinda cool. And maybe kinda sunburned too.

Niall and I

My favourite Irish guy, but probably my least favourite vegetarian after the past couple of days (just kidding <3).

The waves wrapped around us like a cool blanket. We played until the sun was gone and then some more. 

I've got more stories about Perth, kiddos. Stay tuned for my updates on Color Run, Tough Mudder, breaking into an abandoned building, being homeless once again, and my potentially fractured foot!