Alexis Down Under

So where have I been the past two months while I was missing in action? Melbourne to Perth to Albany to Brisbane and now Magnetic Island. If you look on a map of Australia the order of the locations I've travelled to is as orderly as a bouncy ball chucked at a wall and bouncing around the room. But that is life, we go into something with one plan (which was landing in Melbs and finding a job), and then suddenly everything is out the window. 

Melbourne, Victoria

I was here for two weeks and on the days it wasn't raining (which was few) I was laying in the sun in the park. I kept hearing what a cool city it was but I didn't really appreciate it at the time because I was horribly bitter about coming from the sun and warmth of Bali, and all I wanted to do was go back. 

Perth, Western Australia

Perth was a two day layover on my way to Albany. I only went to Kings Park which was massive, but I didn't find anything else too charming there. I've been told that I just wasn't in the right place and that there are some "epic" spots there. 

Albany, Western Australia

If you venture off the main road, Albany during winter is like a ghost town. There are houses everywhere but you have no idea where the people are that occupy them. I was working for accomodation at a lovely place that felt more like a home than a hostel. You definitely need a car here though to go see anything. 

Brisbane, Queensland 

I've heard a lot of people say they don't like Brisbane but I actually liked it. Granted I barely ventured out of the CBD (Central Business District), but the overall vibe of people was very relaxed which I liked. 

Magnetic Island, Queensland

Where I am now! I've only been here a couple of days so far, but I can't say the view is bad to wake up to. I'll be here for another week until heading back to Brisbane again. For now I have this pup CC to keep me company. 

Family

A common getting to know you question people ask when you're travelling is, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" And my response is that no, not only am I an only child, im a lonely child, as I do not have any brothers or sisters, I do not have a single cousin either. That's right, enter my family and welcome to the hen house. My grandmother had three girls and out of three girls only one girl was born. My uncle has been the only male brave enough to handle us all and has been around since I started having memories. It's easy to see though how my family could have been very overprotective over the years, and why over my teens and 20s I sometimes got overwhelmed and shut them out. 

It was the worry about them being overprotective and the guilt that I may be disappointing them by not having the typical all American girl lifestyle, that prevented from regularly keeping in contact with them. I had already worked myself up that they disapproved of my nomad life and that I did not want to talk to anyone unsupportive. And like most people my age and younger, it turns out I had underestimated them. Yesterday for the first time in a long time I finally reached reached out to them and thanks to modern technology we did it via video chat. I waited for the judgements to roll in, and instead all I got was love and support. After all this time and all of my concerns about them, it turned out that all I needed to do to make them happy was for them to know that I was happy. 

Now that's not very hard at all is it?

End Of The Journey

Hey hey hey. Sorry I've been out of commission for awhile. You see, family and friends, I'm in love. And the problem is when you're in love you forget about everything else.

I'm in love with a place, and that place is Bali/Gili Islands.

I have had the most amazing for month, and if my last day for entrance for my working holiday visa for Australia wasn't tomorrow, I most likely would not fly out of here. Ever. 

Almost everything has been perfect about being here. The positive moments and the way I felt here outweighed any negative moments, which have long been forgotten. I can't express what I feel in my heart about this place, but only know it's my goal to come back. 

So goodbye my love. See you soon. 

Xx Alexis

Bangkok and Beyond

*I originally started this post a few weeks ago and forgot to post it. I am currently in Indonesia, but let's get caught up on thailand first:

My 30 day journey throughout Thailand is nearly at its end. Right now my days are spent at the beach with my primary concern being which type of fresh fruit smoothie to eat. My home for the remainder of my trip is Ton Sai beach, a 10 minute long tail boat ride from Krabi. I'm at the end of Ton Sai as it's known, as soon they will be developing a major resort on the beach front as a result of overdevelopment and tourism. 

Our journey last week from Koh Phangan to Bangkok last week consisted of train, plane, automobiles and boats. My friends and I took an overnight ferry from Koh Phangan to Suratthani. When I originally heard very, I assumed we would be in a normal ferry and sprawled across seats for the 7 hour duration. Instead I found out it was more like this:

Needless to say it was a bit cosy. 

When we arrived at the airport there was literally no one else there. Do you know how surreal it is to just rock up to an airport and there is not a single worker in sight and not a noise other than you and your friends walking in with your backpacks?

After arriving in Bangkok we had to hop on a bus, two trains, and finally arrived at our hostel hot and sweaty. We rode boats and went to the market, and the next day we climbed up an abandoned building. Beware! The locals will charge you, and there are rusty nails everywhere.

My return to Ton Sai a little bit easier. I did have to hop on two trains, a bus, then a taxi when I missed my bus stop, but after my flight and then shuttle bus I was back in Krabi for the night and then took a long tail to Ton Sai in the morning.

My simple little home with no hot water, electricity only between 6pm-12am. The lack of a fan in the morning assisted me with waking up every morning in time to do yoga and then grab breakfast at the famous Mama's Chicken.

The rest of my day would be spent climbing across the hill to Railay Beach for a swim and then bonfires at the beach at night.

It was a simple life, a good life, and I even had a job at a bar my last night. I probably could/would have stayed forever, but then I couldn't have moved onto my next adventure.

Where's Alexis?

Greetings from the other side of the world!! I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I last wrote and that I've been away from home this long. Wifi around the world is spotty, so today I've invested 80 baht into using the internet at a café for two hours.

I'm currently in Koh Phangan, recovering from the all night into the day, dance fest that is the Full Moon Party. Although the Full Moon Party is an experience, I'm quite glad to be leaving Koh Phangan this evening as everything is overpriced, and the never ending partying is proving to be quite exhausting.

The nearly 4 weeks since I left home, have been a blur. I flew into Frankfurt on the 8th of February, then was off to Munich two days later, and then to Stuttgart a few days after that, and then I was off to Bangkok on the 16th. From Bankok I went to Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Ton Sai, Koh Phangan, and now tonight a few friends and I will once again pack up our backpacks and head back to Bangkok.

In the past 3 weeks in Thailand, the majority of the people I've met were journeying to the Full Moon Party. It's been fun that we've all been on the same trek direction wise, so I've continuously been meeting up and running into people that I've met before on other islands.

Travel time works different than real world time. The majority of us never know what the date or day of the week is. Days are endless. You become instantly close with someone and it feels like you've known them for years, when in reality you've only been travelling together for a few days. It's also a bit sad that you get accustomed to certain people and places, and then you split up to go your separate ways.

Well that's all for now folks. Just a little update that I am alive and well, and as soon as I have access to a memory card reader I can give you a sneak peak of my rough island life.

Until then!


XOXO

Auf Wiedersehen North America

My mama and I have a ritual at the airport. No matter how old I get, or how mature I say I am in other aspects of my life, I make her come into the airport whether I'm coming and going.

Anytime I leave she stands there and watches me until I've passed security , when we sign "I love you," to each other, and she doesn't leave until I left her view on my way to the gate.

This trip for some reason is harder than the others. As I did my normal walk through security, I found it hard to control my tears every time I looked back and my mama was standing there. Part of me wanted to turn back around and just stay. Maybe because in Canada I knew I was only a 3 hour flight away and now my journey back will be 17+ hours. 

I also know it's more emotional for my family this time because I'm going further away than I ever have. It's scary and exciting, but in the end please don't worry about me. Whatever happens was meant to happen. My life so far has been beautiful and full of amazing adventures and most importantly I've had an amazing family, especially my mama, the best, most inspirational, loving woman I know. 

But anyways enough of the emotional stuff, I'll speak to you on the other side of the sea!

Good Bye Banff

Time is cruel. It makes the worst moments, the worst days, drag on, painful minute by painful minute, and the best days and times slip through your fingers all too quickly. Although there were so many points during my time at Banff I was ready to leave, when the moment came two days ago it seemed like too much too soon. 1 year and 6 months, I spent in that small mountain town waking up surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. It's hard when you've made a home and a place for yourself somewhere, not to leave part of your heart behind.

So here I sit on my bed, with part of my heart broken, but packing to go off on my next adventure. In one month I will have travelled to Vancouver, Whistler, Banff, Las Vegas, and Frankfurt. I'm spoiled, it's not a bad life, I can't deny that. January 13-17 I went to Whistler and Vancouver. Then the 21st was my last day of work (!), on the 22nd I was back home on a visa run since I found out last minute I had to switch over to visitor status since my work visa ended. Back to Banff on the 25th for one last week of snowboarding, except Banff decided to have summer and all the snow melted, and back to Las Vegas on February 3, and finally, off to Frankfurt on the 8th....and then to Bangkok on the 16th.

So if you haven't managed to keep up with that, I'll summarize: I am a very busy little girl.

But expect updates, because I have some lengthy travel times ahead which I will be hopefully using to update everyone on my whereabouts. On that note, for one last time, here is one final photo of Banff. My home, my heart. 2013-2015. Thank you for everything you gave to me, and all you taught me about myself.

Good Night Banff- 31 December 2014