- Admiring the dead at Recoleta Cemetery
in Buenos Aires
I saw the new year, 2010, arrive in Rotorua, New Zealand, amid the stinky geo-thermal gases and with a somewhat chilly and of course jaw-dropping fireworks display on the lakeshore.
A big 6 week trip in April and May with my mother took me to Argentina to visit Emily and Pablo, Peru to marvel at Machu Picchu for a second time, Mexico to eat grasshoppers and visit ruins, Guatemala to see a Mayan Shaman and a quick stop in LA to meet my email penfriend of 4 years, the man who puts the A in LA.
On the domestic front, I’ve also managed to visit some thus far unexplored corners of Australia and revisit some favourites:
- Two weeks traversing the Kimberley from Broome to Darwin on a magnificent and indescribably beautiful camping tour
- Bunbury and Margaret River to see my friend Travieso who I met at Iguazu Falls 6 years ago
- Darwin to do some serious dancefloor carving
- Three trips to Sydney for a conference and shopping, a flight to Buenos Aires, some xoxo, and to see some German buddies from my Kimberley tour along with a good friend from school
- Gold Coast to visit my little bro and do big sisterly things like buy him kitchen utensils and shoes
- Thumbs up for making it up to Machu Picchu
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Melbourne goodness knows how many times to see friends, shop, go to parties, watch Mary Poppins the musical, go to exhibitions, meet my fellow LA adventurers and soak up that gorgeous city vibe
- Adelaide to see my friends, go to a baby shower and meet the new baby
- Falls Creek to ski with a friend, visit her family and catch up with other friends in Wodonga
So it’s been a pretty travelsome year. Especially when I list it all down like that. It’s a wonder I had any weekends at home!
New places always thrill me. I can’t wait to move to LA where I will no doubt get an overload of new experiences, places and people.
That said, the alternative to moving to LA was a year (or more) of travel. That’s a pretty big ‘sacrifice’ to make, but I’m confident I’m going to have one hell of a 2011, even if it isn’t living out of a backpack but rather out of a backpack, rolling duffel and suitcase with a brand new suite of Apple gadgets in my possession.
Even though the big travel adventure is but a former plan, can I please, please, puh-lease share with you my travel wishlist for 2011… I promise you can share yours via comments on this post!
- America, duh. Like, all over you know. I totally want to see it all.
- Europe – has remained elusive of my travel map thus far and if I REALLY have to select just a few places it would be Spain para hablar espanol (to speak Spanish), France and Germany to visit friends in each of those countries. I’d also like to add the Greek Islands, Italy, Russia and Croatia but that would just be greedy.
- My wicked backflip into Manning Gorge
in the Kimberley
- Shanghai – to visit my old housemate who’s also making a big overseas move in 2011. But only if she sends her driver to pick me up from the airport with a sign that says “Chickety China the Chinese chicken wants a little cameo” and is in the shape of a love heart with pink feathers on it.
- Australia – to visit the doctor and assure the family that I haven’t gained an American accent.
- Mexico – to cross the border to TJ and go to Cabo darhling. Though I think the Copper Canyon, San Miguel de Allende and a return visit to Taxco are more my scene.
- Canada – Vancouver anyone?
- Colombia – simply because if I didn’t have it on my list I would be LYING. Desperada, that’s what I am to get there. Hmmm, maybe I need to think up a good doco, TV show or film we can film on loco location in Colombia…
a little cameo 