Last night in Bondi

Hey all,

Sorry I have been slacking on my posting, but it's very hot here and the computer is the last place I want to be (no offence to you cold suckers!)

Tonight is my last night at Mike and Eva's place at Bondi Beach. Tomorrow I begin my 16 day Contiki tour of the East Coast. I'm not sure if I will have access to the intertubes, but if I do I will try to keep you all updated.

The tour clearly begins in Sydney and ends in Cairns (check it out if you have time on a map). I have found a new love in maps lately. You don't really appreciate a map until you look around and have no idea where you are. You start giving a shit when you can't point out North from South..trust me.

Went for a nice dinner with the family last night, and tried my luck at a dish called chicken schnitzel. It was delicious, and the bottle of wine complimented it nicely haha.

Anyways, not much to report. It's windy and cool today ( I know none of you feel sorry for me, but it was worth a shot). I went in the ocean yesterday for a swim, and it was a lot of fun. The waves are fairly overwhelming though. I can see the need for 10 lifeguards after my experience. Good thing my swimming is top notch. Thanks for keeping me in swimming lessons mom, I can always doggy paddle myself out of any situation haha.

Ok back to the future for me cheers,

Lauren~

Aus..Aus...Australia!

Dear friends,

As some of you may have seen, I went downtown Sydney yesterday. It's kind of hard to explain, but you know when you see things in pictures and on tv over and over and expect something to be like that? Well it was way better in person! The Sydney bridge was to my left and the Opera house was to my right, and they were both pretty amazing. I chose not to climb across the Sydney bridge, because well I'm a wimp..there, I said it!

In other news, the food is pretty much the same. Except burgers, if you order a burger here they fry an egg and put it on top of the patty. My sister is probably screaming "WHY DIDN"T I THINK OF THAT?" and running for her frying pan haha.

I've mentioned this before, but coffee is expensive and weird here. You have to know what to order. They are called Short black or tall white (a bit racist, but I didn't name them!)
I believe it's around 5 dollars a cup and they are tiny cups, so I was none to impressed.
Knowone likes a quiter, so I went to the corner store and bought instant coffee. It's actually not too bad, and now you can all be rest assured that my addiction is back in full force. Yay!

I haven't seen anyone famous, except my reflection. I heard Paris Hilton was staying at a nearby hotel, but she's not in the tabloids a lot so I don't really know what she looks like haha.

I spent today at the beach listening to music and reading the scratch DJ academy guide (thank you sister). There was a 2k swim setup in the ocean that I watched, and wow it was pretty nuts. People can swim! That's what I've learned. Other than that, I've had a pretty quiet Sunday.

There was a homeless man living in one of the rocks on bondi beach, but he recently got charged with assult (which they think was made up) and was forced to relocate (jail). He lived in the rock for years and years apparently, so this is a lesson to all of you. Don't give up your dream!

Back to the future for me,

Lauren~

I am on a 24 hour sleepless diet, I don't encourage you to try it. Flight was good, but very long. Actually I spent my time watching movies (funny people, This is it, Harry Potter and the something, and Post Grad). A friendly Aussie girl was sitting next to me, so we had a few drinks and she was telling me a lot of great stuff about Sydney.

Not a lot of plane stories actually. Oh wait, I do have something to say. Katie Ischkin thank you for suggesting me to make my meals veggy, because when everyone got delish scrambled eggs and bacon. I got a plate full of blended up spinach and potatoes, YUM. I could just picture you laughing at me while I was being served this. I gave you a fist shake and cursed your name somewhere near hawaii.

Arrived in Sydney and decided to take the train to my cousins apartment in Bondi. Amazing so far. My aunt and uncle brought me for a tour of the area, and it truely is beautiful. The air smells like fresh ocean water, and the sand is so white it looks like snow. A lot of surfers, so hopefully I can get on a board this week.

The coffee is weird though, I asked for a large coffee with milk and they gave me funny options. They steam the milk and then put it in with the coffee, and they call it something different. Who knows, I probably didn't even order coffee. It is 12pm, so I am trying to stay up as long as I can today!

Other than that, I am off to the beach!

Lauren~

LAX

LAX (land of the angry)

Hey quick post from the Alaska lounge. LA people= Rude. Asked a lady if she knew what time it was and she told me to get a watch. (probably not a bad suggestion though..)

Flight from Minneapolis to LA was good. Sat beside a man that loved college football and wanted to tell me all about it. Man on plane also wanted to know if I knew his friend Ted so and so from Canada. Sadly I didn't know Ted so and so from Montreal, but I'm sure it was my loss.

Arrived in sunny LA (saw the Hollywood sign, but not LC). Crazy man in streets asked me if I liked Kanye West (of course I said yes). He then handed me a bible and started telling me about his religion. I politely declined his invitation to "turn my life around."

Standing in line to checkin luggage in the international area. Apparently aussies love R. Kelly. Step in the name of love was pumping (I didn't want to make a bad impression, so clearly I stepped, stepped side to side..and sang along.)

I'm drinking now, which is probably not one of my better ideas. Free vodka pineapples (haven't picked the drink of 2010 yet) who could resist? Nerves for my flight are starting to set in, but I saw a lot of rich, important looking people (they are too important to go through a bad flight..I'm sure of it). At least I will tell myself that.

I miss January 7th completely, so let me know what happens. I never liked the number 7 anyway.

Wishing you all well, and I will talk to you soon!

Lauren~

Packing: Ain't that a B!

Hey all,

First meltdown pre-flight! Packing is a bitch. I have a large back pack to fit all my stuff. After packing, unpacking, repacking, pacing and swearing, and then getting my brother Zack to sit on my pack, so I could shut it. I've realized that my 3 pile strategy (Needs it, Wants it, Maybe) wasn't the best way to cut things out.

Finally, after much debate and bedroom fashion shows, I am packed (Lindsay Craig you should feel like a proud mom...I listened to your 3 shorts rule!)