Surf's Up Dude

Tomorrow I embark on another adventure as I participate in my 3^rd race in Perth. I will be running the 4km portion of the Cityto Surf with a friend from church. This race is incredible in the fact that it has grown immensely over the years and continues to bring newcomers each year. Participants come from all over Australia as well as all over the world. The total number of participants this year reaches well over 40,000. Should be a spectacular sight! *On a side note, as I was writing this, I thought that it would be quite amusing if they used this event to create a huge flash mob! :)* I initially was planning on running the 12km portion of this race, but I as I began training for the 12km my knee started acting up somewhat horribly. After that I kind of forgot about the idea of participating until I discovered a friend from church was training for the race. I soon found a running partner. :) City to Surf is huge not only in the numbers that it pulls in, but also for the fundraisers that it raises money for. As a participant you can choose to raise money and ask for sponsors and from there you can choose from dozens of different organizations to fundraise for. It’s a pretty phenomenal city event!

In the next few weeks, I have some pretty spectacular events happening. In addition to City to Surf this weekend, I’ve been invited to join a bunch of friends at a chocolate party (yes, there will be tons of chocolate because my friend won 10kg of chocolate!). In just under two weeks, I will be celebrating my birthday (the big 2-3! Haha) and thinking of my bro on his “unbirthday.” :) I’m bummed out that I will be missing out on my nephew’s upcoming birthday (he’s going to be 3!!), but there will be plenty more birthdays. *Nikki, I already call dibs on making the next two birthday cakes for Andrew and Sophie. :)* Then a few days after Andrew’s birthday, I will be participating in Light the Night.

Light the Night is a particularly special event to me as it a night supporting those that have blood cancer and continue their battle and remembering those that have lost their battle. The Leukemia Foundation sponsors this event and it is used as a fundraiser for the fight against all blood cancers. This year has been a time of growth for me, a time of loss, and a time of change. With that, I feel that this event will help me bring some closure regarding my grandma’s passing in May. Since I wasn’t able to go home for her funeral, I wanted to do something to remember her in my own way. So I started a team in her honor and now have a few friends to join me on that night. My choice to create the team was quite timely with some events going on at church as we lost a young mother recently to blood cancer. This event has been a way for me to connect with others in the church and hopefully bring awareness for the fight against leukemia, multiple myeloma, and all blood cancers. If you are in Australia and want to join me on September 21^st for this great event, please join my team. However, if you unable to join me please consider sponsoring me. Any donations are greatly appreciated and they certainly go to a great cause. Just visit my Light the Night page and it will direct you to the area for sponsorship.

As many of you know or have to come to find out, I moved to Australia for a year for a bit of soul searching and figuring out what I want for my life. These last 7.5 months have been amazing but by no means a breeze. I’ve had my fair share of trials and tribulations, heartache and sadness, frustrations and confusion, but I’ve realized that what I have learned this year far outweighs any of the bad that I may have come across. This year is the first time in my life where I’ve had to completely depend on myself 100% for getting things done and figuring out where to go next. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I’ve learned and grown so much from all the choices I’ve made and the things I have done. I have really come into my own while being here and I couldn’t be happier with the independence I have found and the growth that has happened in my life. I really feel like “me” here and it’s a great feeling. I’m not living for anyone else. My choices aren’t based on anyone else. I am completely me. In some ways it’s scary realizing the growth and change that has happened in my life, but it’s so amazing at the same time! The best feeling I have come across while being here is absolute contentment with my life. Though it is not always easy being away from my family, I am content with the life I have created for myself in Perth. Sometimes it’s difficult being a decision maker, but I’m content to have that responsibility completely and fully now. I still don’t know exactly where my life is headed, but I am more than content to put that all in God’s hands and trust him fully to lead me in the direction he sees fit for my life. By far one of the greatest things I have learned from all of my Aussie friends is to be flexible and not let the little things get you down. No worries, mate. She’ll be right. :) Such a blessing this journey has been for my life! Bring on the next 4.5 months – I cannot wait!

~A

Fantastic Food Frenzy

Finally my food tour update. I realize this should’ve happened a couple weeks ago, but I haven’t quite been in much of a journalistic mood. But here it is!

Throughout my trip to Kuala Lumpur, I experienced new and exciting foods. I had such a great adventure trying new tropical fruits and various vendor foods. Having the chance to experience local cuisine with locals was probably the best experience and the most educational. Here’s just a brief overview of the food tour I took at the end of my Malaysian journey.

The three hour tour started at an Indian restaurant. This restaurant is a bit different as it is actually located in a temple and there are no prices on the cuisine. No, this did not mean it was exorbitantly expensive, but rather it prices were based on what one could afford. In a sense it was a bit like a soup kitchen, but way more upscale as there was a specific dress code you had to abide by out of respect for the temple as well as keeping up the demeanor of the restaurant. Most Indian food in KL is of a very heavy Southern India influence. The flavors I tasted on that plate were incredible. What’s more amazing is that all the food is made by volunteers! Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of my drink, but it was a fabulous Mango Lassi – a very good accompaniment to the spice of the curry. :)

Onto Chinese food! What you see pictured is barbecued pork belly. This was so delicious! Crisp and sweet charred outside, followed by the silkiness of the fatty belly, ending with a very tender piece of meat. Yum! The drink pictured here is kind of like lemonade but not. It’s lime with sour plums. On such a hot day, this certainly served well to refresh the palate and keep one cool!

Now for some snacks….by this time I was getting very full, but I did not want to give up and miss out on such great food! At a little street vendor we had rojak which was quite spicy, but filled with such great such like veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and chicken. Along with the rojak, we had something that kind of looks like soup. However, it was cold and was more or less a bowl of shaved ice with milk and flavoring. Made a very good pairing for the spice of the rojak. Our last stop for the day was to pick up some traditional Malaysian treats. We had a parchment full of fried bananas and fried stack of tapioca, sweet potato, and a starchy sweet that turned all caramel-y when fried. This is probably one of my poorer descriptions of the treat, but it sure was yummy! We finished off the tour with my favorite drink of the whole trip – teh tarik. This is an Indian pulled tea which I closely relate to chair just because of the spice and sweetness. However, I sincerely think teh tarik is phenomenally better than chai (yes, I am going out on a limb here hehe). The bubbles of the tea are creates by the tea maker pouring the mixed tea from pitcher to pitcher a few times. It’s quite a sight to see as it almost looks as though the tea is suspended in air just for a split second.

I was stuffed by the end, but it was a great day indeed. I love food. :)

~A

An International Affair

I've had quite the multi-cultural experience while visiting Kuala Lumpur. Not only have I been immersed into a city filled with Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences, but I have spent my days with Norwegians, Germans, Australians, Dutch, Polish, and Italians (just to name a few). Staying in a hostel really opens one's eyes to the world. Similarities between travelers are inevitable, but finding friends is an even greater treat. :)

While visiting Melaka for a simple day trip over the weekend, I managed to find a travel buddy - a Norwegian/Californian. How nice it is to meet another single traveler to spend some time with! Chris and I met by happening to take the same boat cruise in Melaka. Since we were both traveling alone, we decided to venture around together. Melaka is a very clean little city about 2 1/2 hours south of KL. It's interesting wandering around because not only do you see Asian influences but also those of Dutch and Portuguese. Melaka is situated right by the water with a river running right through it to the sea. The Dutch and Portuguese used Melaka as a port city, so touring around you can see remnants or replicas of various buildings or ships. We had some very yummy food while walking around - some pork dumplings of sorts and crispy potato on a stick. I also picked up a pair of the most wicked pants ever! I love them. :)

Sunday was a day of relaxing with a little Starbucks treat and attempting some shopping. After some successful bargain hunting, Chris and I made our way back to the hostel to rest up for a bit. However on the way back we had a slight change of plans when we randomly made friends with some other travelers on the street. We all aren't exactly sure how we met, but it was fun hanging out with some new people. So with 2 Germans, a Norwegian, and an American, we made our way to Chinatown. After some haggling with shop keepers and my persuasive nagging to try some different foods, we made our way back to the hostels for a little R&R before heading out for the evening. Our goal was to see some live cultural dance that was within walking distance in the shopping district, but it was certainly a less than stellar event and we made our way to the bars. A few nice cold beers is a great way to end a hot day in Kl. :)

Malte, me, Chris, Andreas

After a short visit to Batu Caves with our new little group, we trained back to the city in search of Central Market. This market was originally a wet market used for trade, but was almost torn down in the 70s/80s. However, some local conservationists fought to save the building because of the character and integrity it brought to the city. It was saved from demolition and was turned into a market for shopping. I originally thought the market would be more like a flea market with vendors and stalls. However, I was quite mistaken as the whole building has been revamped and is completely air-conditioned. The market is set up more like a mall with proper stores and kiosks, but all have a very multi-cultural influence - everything from a Little India shop to a glass blower. The day concluded with some great fun and laughter with my new friends - even met an Aussie from Perth. haha :)

I'm amazed by all the wonderful people I've met while visiting KL and the stories they have to share. The world is such a big place, but even being in a completely foreign place by myself, I've come to start to feel at home. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly and I'm so thankful for the friends I've made along the way. Just this tiny taste of traveling alone and hearing stories from all these amazing people, I've really got an itch to get out there and experience even more of the world! :)

~A

Conquering My Fears

My adventures in Malaysia just seem to be getting bigger and better everyday. On Thursday I conquered a fear that once paralyzed me and kept me from doing things I always dreamed of. Very high heights have certainly been something I tend to stay clear from, but in the past few years I've tried going outside my comfort zone and venture to the unknown.

Climbing up the mountain side in Juneau, Alaska in a sky car was quite a trying experience, but it made me want to change how I let heights affect me. The next year while on a cruise in the Caribbean with some of my best girlfriends, I decided to try zip-lining (or flying fox as it is also commonly known). I didn't do so well at first, even freaking out on the tester platform. However, I got up the nerve to actually do all the different levels and loved it! What an experience flying through the jungle in Belize!! :)

So since I'm on holiday in Malaysia, I decided to venture out once again. Why not?! You only live once! :) I didn't do anything too crazy, but something that is certainly new and exciting to me. I happened upon some adventure tours while searching for things to do while in Kuala Lumpur and one company particularly peaked my interest with their trekking and camping adventures. They got me hooked when I read about waterfall abseiling (a.k.a. repelling). Repelling down a wall is one thing, but having to do it from 4 stories up while a waterfall comes down next to you and sometimes on top of you is quite the trick.

I can't believe I did it! What a rush! My first time ever repelling and I choose to do it in the Malaysian jungle next to a waterfall. The sights were unbelievably beautiful! Lush green trees, tiny yellow butterflies, gorgeous blue skies, frogs and lizards racing me down the wall - amazing! :) The area was so peaceful and relaxing even though the hike was a bit of a trek. We had to hike down the side of the hill, hanging onto vines, bamboo, and trees to help guide us to the beginning of the abseil. Harnesses on, helmets on, smiles on - ready? Let's do this! What a blast!!

I was able to do the abseil 3 different times and after each decent we trekked through the river for about 10 min and up the side of the hill, climbing rocks and roots to get back to the starting point. While hiking back to the starting point, we could even hear the faint call of gibbons (monkeys) in the jungle! After the abseil, we were able to swim in some of the pools at the top of the waterfall. One of them was deep enough to dive into and it even had a natural waterslide! So much fun!!!

My guides for this trek were absolutely fantastic beyond words! They arranged a solo trip especially for me and even managed to coerce a friend into coming along to help reduce the cost of the excursion for me. Amos and Kevin are best friends that started OpenSky Unlimited. Check out their website to view pics of other abseils and trekking adventures! In addition to the phenomenal waterfall experience, they helped me explore more traditional Malaysian cuisine from a typical Indian breakfast of a simple pulled dough served with dahl to a traditional Chinese meal for lunch which included tofu, watercress, sweet and sour pork, and produce from local farmers. On our trek they included a little lesson on a bean that was growing on a farm nearby. This bean is unique and has four points - when cut it looks like an "X". These beans were even included in our meal - tasty!

Between the history lessons, talks about durian, and all the great laughs, I had a fabulously unforgettable day! :)


~A


P.S. Photos to come courtesy of my awesome guide, Kevin! :)

Elephants, Monkeys, and Snakes - Oh, my!!

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday arvo was quite the shock. I knew it would be hot and humid, but I didn't realize how much! The heat is a nice change from the cooler, rainy weather in Perth. Although by midday I've been wishing for at least some air-con in my room. :) That's right people - no air-con! Oh well, at least I can duck into some public buildings or the trains to get some cooler air.

Before arriving in KL, I decided to stay at a small hostel near Chinatown. It's a quaint little place which such lovely staff and guests. I was even fortunate enough to make friends with some guests the first night and then spent the next day wandering around the city with them. I have a single room in the guesthouse that is probably no bigger than a closet - no joke! No worries though as I only need it for a place to sleep. The bathrooms are co-ed and communal, but at least there are private showers. :)

Sunday arvo and evening I spent much of the time walking around and getting my bearings where I would be staying the next week or so. And of course I had to go to Starbucks during my meandering. :) The city is a busy place with cars everywhere. Be careful, though, because cars do not stop for pedestrians and if you get hit, it's your fault. Good thing I usually try to cross in a group! hehe I had a fabulous dinner with some of my new friends at little place in Chinatown - delicious!

 Monday I spent the day with my two Italian friends, Stefania and Antonio. We leisurely made our way to the Batu Caves which houses a Hindu Temple. In addition to the temple itself, tourists are attracted to the caves because of the immense climb to the top - 274 stairs! There are also monkeys harassing passersby, so the climb is a bit humorous as well as frightening as you don't want to get attacked by a monkey! :) The caves are ginormous and absolutely breathtaking! From there we made our way to the Lake Gardens in search of the butterflies. We were very tired and hot by this time, but persevered and eventually found the butterflies with a little detour in the deer park. The Lake Gardens is a sunken garden of sorts with very steep declines to get into the park. Even though the sun was very hot, the sights were still quite beautiful! Check out the butterflies we got to see at the KL Butterfly Park! After a long day out we went for dinner and ventured through some markets before heading to bed for the night.

Durian

I had an adventure of a lifetime on Tuesday. My day was filled with driving through the countryside and stopping in small towns. I was able to try local fruits such as durian and jackfruit - both of which are like nothing I have ever tasted before. Durian has a very distinct odor, but has sweet flesh with almost a garlic taste - strange, huh? :) Jackfruit is very mild and has a more typical tropical taste. I also had a wonderful Southern Indian meal for lunch which was served on a banana leave. Such good curry! :)


Then it was off to visit animals while stopping off to learn about rubber trees and palm oil. First stop was Deerland where I was able to feed deer up close, hold a snake (yuck!), and pet a Malaysian Sun Bear. Yes, I touched a bear. :) Finally off to see the elephants! I was able to feed the elephants and take a short ride. The highlight of the day though was playing in the river with the elephants. :) After a quick shower it was off to visit monkeys and the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia that overlooks the Melaka Straight. Such a view! While visiting the lighthouse, I was able to feed Silver Leaf monkeys. So cute and friendly!! Before finishing off my day with millions of fireflies, I had a wonderful fresh seafood meal on the river - sweet and sour fish, fried rice, and some of the best prawns ever! It was finally dark enough for the firefly tour. I wish I was able to get some pictures or video, but I'm fairly certain I won't forget that sight. While silently cruising along the river, I saw what looked like flickering Christmas lights in the trees. But these were certainly not your typical Christmas lights! :) What a long day it was, but definitely well worth it!!

View from dinner :)

Best pancake ever!

Oh and I can certainly not forget about one of the best pancakes of my life! The sights and smells at this little roadside market were incredible and unforgettable! I must recreate this. :)


~A

Half a Year and Half a World Away

I thought I would try something new and update with a video. Hope you all enjoy!!  ~A

Winter Weather is Certainly Wetter

My head has kind of been playing games with me lately. It's now July, but it's not hot out. It's winter, but there's no snow. I don't know if I can keep up with the backwards seasons and weather patterns! Although, I must say it's kind of fun experiencing a different type of winter since I've been bombarded with snow and bitter cold my whole life. Rain has become a welcome daily occurrence for the past few weeks. However, I'm missing the constant sunshine like during the summer months.

This past week has been filled with lots of fun and much needed relaxation after a somewhat crazy previous week. After helping Paul move out of house, I learned that my car was in an accident. However, I was not even in the car nor was my car even moving. I had the luck of someone backing into my parked car. The issue has now become somewhat of a sore spot, but hopefully will be cleared up within the coming weeks. In addition to that, I learned that my good friend, Caitlin, would be leaving on July 8th. Kind of a bummer weekend it was, but all's well that ends. :) Luckily this week seemed to make up for all the downers.

Wednesday evening was a blast! I went out with a couple friends to listen to some live music. However, the bar was kind of a dive and the patrons were less than appealing! haha In spite of the seedy appearance of the bar, it was a fantastic evening and we had so much fun chatting and dancing! :) Thursday followed with an adventure day with the kiddos. We went to the natural history museum in the city to visit the dinosaurs and snakes! It was fun taking the kids around and seeing what fascinated them the most. There was a large butterfly exhibit that I'm sure we all could have spent hours just examining the thousands of different butterflies.

My much needed chill out day came to me on Friday. The day before, I had joined the Melville Rec. Center so I could go to the gym and such. So on Friday, I decided to go to yoga. :) Oh, how I've missed yoga! I'm certainly feeling the effects of the class even now two days later, but I'm so glad I went and I will most definitely be going back! To continue my chill out day, I went to the movies. I'm not usually much for going to movies alone, but it was so fun. I went to see Bridesmaids which evidently is set in Milwaukee. I didn't know this prior to seeing the movie, so when the opening credits came on, I got kind of teary eyed. I started seeing home - the Milwaukee Public Market, the Calatrava, Lake Michigan, and the Hoan Bridge. It was so strange seeing home again and remembering all the places I had been only 6 months ago. The images made me kind of homesick, but it just reminds how much where I come from means to me. (By the way - the movie was hilarious!! :))

My new hair :)

This weekend was a time to celebrate the friendship Caitlin and I have made and wish her well on her new venture in Sydney. And what better way to celebrate than to completely change my look and dye my hair?! I was quite nervous about it all, but Caitlin was a great stylist. :)

After a delightful weekend, I start another week. Tomorrow will be a little bit special for me though as I will be spending another 4th of July away from home and out of the country. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a wonderful life and allowing me to grow up in a country that is booming with freedom. Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve to keep that freedom alive! Happy Independence Day to all my lovely American friends and family! Enjoy the fireworks for me this year!! :)

That's all from my little corner of the world. Happy 4th everyone! Be safe, have fun, and I miss you all!!


~A