Merry Christmas!

Alright, so we are here waiting in the Calgary airport waiting to complete our final leg back home. As we sit here, it is bitter sweet as we are completely overwhelmed with excitement to see our family and friends and celebrate Christmas with them but also a bit saddened that this 3 1/2 month experience is coming to an end. We all agree it will take years to fathom and truly appreciate what we have been so fortunate to see and do. The people we have met, the sights we have seen and the hurdles that we have overcome will not be forgotten and hope that they help shape us as people in years to come. We have been unbelievably blessed with the diversity of our travels- from vast, green lush rice fields to the whitest, finest sand beaches in the world to dormant volcanoes, from koala bears to whales and seals, kangaroos to wombats, 33 bus rides, 10 commercial planes, 2 skydiving planes, 1 helicopter to 15 boat transfers and 33 hostels, from the depths of Great Barrier Reef to 15,000 feet through the clouds, from Mount Kosciuszko to Mount Tongariro to the Franz Joseph Glacier, Crossing the 45th parallel to the place where the sun hits the earth first everyday, to the most easternly point in Australia, from the Tasman Sea to the Southern Sea, the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, from breathtaking temples to the most elaborate cathedrals, from surfing to skydiving, to scubadiving and snorkelling to bungy jumping, white-water rafting to rocksliding, sandboarding to abseiling, the hundreds of miles we walked together. And finally the most important, the time we have spent together, never leaving each others sides - more than 2400 hours. The trust, respect and loyalty that we have is like no other and can never be taken away from us. These times will always be cherished and will always bring a smile to our faces.

We also would like to thank each and every one of you for following our journey. You were our support and comfort at times and made us appreciate all our experiences. Thank you for letting us share it all with you. Looking forward to visiting with all of you and we will let you know when we have all of our pictures sorted out, we'll have a celebration with drinks and food for everyone!

This is the Tripod officially signing off....

Siestas are free and bats are nocturnal!

Hold on here….before you start…you can blame the category 3 tropical cyclone, Mick for this tardy blog..not us. Plus it’s Christmas..you can’t really be mad?!?! Anywho, we are currently on Mana Island living the REAL island dream- absolutely perfect just no internet to entertain all of you!! But because we feel that the blog has become our duty to you we are writing this offline and will post it as soon as we are on the mainland. To fill those in about this tropical cyclone which many of you won’t know about- so our 2nd day in Fiji, we were on the Yanuca Island when we woke up to an overcast and slightly breezy day with light showers, during breakfast one of the activities coordinators walked around the dining area with a megaphone announcing that all activities were suspended due to incoming weather…we ignored it…afterall, you never want to interrupt 3 backpackers at an all-you-can eat buffet!!! (Which was the BEST all-inclusive food we have ever had…for real…not just because our standards have dropped over the last 3 months!) Following breakfast we noticed that the mist had now turned to heavy rainfall…so we headed to our super-lush room to pamper ourselves. Shortly after, there was a knock on the door- an employee giving out our first weather bulletin stating that we were in line to be hit by Tropical Cyclone Mick- it instructed us to close all doors and drapes, keep all belongings off the floor because of flooding, and if walking outside, stay under shelter because of falling trees/branches. Our crucial hours were a couple hours prior to the eye of the storm hitting the area which was 5-8pm for us (our bulletin was given at approx 12 noon). A few hours later-visibility decreased as winds drastically picked up, canopies were ripping off, palm trees were swaying if not snapping off…our ocean view room no longer had an ocean view…it was a haze! The next bulletin now instructed us that NOBODY was allowed to leave their rooms for any circumstance until further notice. All meals were going to be delivered to our room and that if we had any questions to call the main desk. At this point, the power started to flicker and we didn’t know what to think…we all laughed because apparently mother nature had it out for us…2 earthquakes and a tropical cyclone?!?! As if we hadn’t spent enough time together, but now a lockdown for 18 hours in a room…and you can guess what happened there………………we sat and reminisced about our trip, even having a good laugh while watching videos from Briana’s well-thought out gift from her Mick-nugget - her video camera and then off to bed. We slept ridiculously soundly considering the big storm and awoke to sunny skies… with mayheim. The resort was trashed, nothing structural, but the haven we had arrived to the day prior was a different sight. Palm trees were snapped at the root, massive trees were uprooted, the ocean was a disaster with roots and trees hundreds of feet out, the pools were filled with debris and coconuts everywhere. The poor staff worked endlessly and tirelessly cleaning the resort. We had 2 more days at that resort, the weather was absolutely beautiful, so hot that a bottle of sunscreen was used in 2 days. Then we left to Mana Island on Dec.17th for 5 days. Wow, the ferry ride was a sight….crystal blue and green waters with islands and white sand beaches scattered as far as the eye could see. We even passed the island where the movie ‘Castaway’ was filmed….. “Wilson!!!!” Once on Mana Island we quickly realized that this island was definitely hit harder by the cyclone and we were thankful that we were not on it when it hit however, still amazingly breathtaking. So, to be quite honest, we have absolutely nothing to write about as we don’t do much here except soak up the sun. The weather has been phenomenal everyday. To sum it up, our day is based around 2 things: high and low tide for the best snorkelling and when we can eat again. Our only 2 complaints: burning our ass cheeks because we’ve been snorkelling everyday and the bats that house themselves in trees above our TIN roofed hut…they (after careful observation) pick the fruit off the tree to eat and then drop it (this fruit is the size and weight of a crabapple…on steroids…). I know, it doesn’t sound too bad but just try imagine for us…please…because it’s driving us nuts…. drifting asleep to lapping waves on the nearby shore and then all of sudden … BAM! A bat just dropped a grenade…beside your head!!!! How do you feel??!!! You fall back asleep then…BAM, BAM, BAM…3 this time and now you’re really pissed and ponder, is it worth going to back to sleep? Where’s Trevor Dalziel and his pellet gun? Oh well, just some more humour to end this trip with, afterall siestas on the beach are free and bats are nocturnal! Anyway, just to let you know…this is our second last blog…ever! We are writing on our last blog from the airport on our way home! Yay! 2 more things to quickly mention- It’s Taya’s b’day today…she’s old boobs!!!! And Brittany has a phobia of admitting she has a phobia….ask her for more details and if she denies…your question has been answered. See you all soon! Love, the Tripod

P.S. We are currently sitting in the L.A. airport waiting to catch our flight to Calgary...one step closer to home!!!

Bula! (Fijian Hello)

Kia Ora! ( Maori Hello/welcome)

Here goes yet another blog...soon coming to an end as we are nearing the finish line to our extreme adventures! Back about a week or so, as Tara so graciously informed us...it's good our P.R. manager is keeping us on track and grounded. Back to Franz Joseph-a cute and quaint town with a population of 200 permanent residents which grows to over 1000 people a day because of the major attraction---go figure, The Franz Joseph Glacier. Here we decided to take a full-day hike up and over the glacier. It began with a small walk through sub-tropical rainforest, where Taya quickly figured out that her wool socks and boots were absolute rubbish, into a canyon that was carved out by the receding glacier (already receded 2.5 km back-which we had to walk through to get to the base, we might add! Not to forget the torrential downpours we endured just to make it a little bit more extreme!) As we hit the base we strapped on our crampons (spikes) to our boots and realized that the many layers of gore-tex and base layers were far too much for us Canadians as we were sweating balls. Taya and Brittany were stripping off layers even before the big climb! The climb entailed steep inclines that required us to hold onto ropes...you know we were on solid ice...one goes -we all go, we also had to dig our spikes into the ice for traction, our guide had an ice pick to break trail for us to go up and over the ridges. Mel and Briana both were wee bit hesitant as Mel looked up at the height and Briana dreaded any small crevices that we may come across- both did remarkably well. Parts of the glacier were gorgeous, crystal clear, blue amplified by the rain washing away any sediment. Taya was cursing under breath as she scaled the ice because she felt like a big baby due to the agonizing pain from her feet. She felt a little better about whining so much when she discovered that the pain was legit when she took her boots off to discover the blood/burns/holes with wool stuck in them and the left over skin in her socks after the day---not to forgot, rented socks! Winner, winner, chicken dinner for the next recipient! GROSS!!! Ma & Pa Mark-the bruises on Mel's lower extremities are a souvenir from the glacier, not Taya's aggression or boomerang! From Franz Joseph we stopped for an overnight stay in a town called Wanaka-a large sheep farming industry surrounded by mountains and Lake Wanaka. We hope that the people really appreciate how clean and clear it is, also with depths of about 500m. Don't worry we are still rooting for Kenosee! Next to Queenstown -the adventure capital of NZ where the city itself brings in 30 million per year just off bungy jumping. This is where it first originated- to celebrate, Taya decided to donate to the 30 million dollar pot and PAID to jump off a pod suspended 134m. The cable car she had to ride out to the jump site was grates at the bottom and the floor of the pod was glass...impending doom below. Video and pictures and CERTIFICATE (maybe of stupidity) to come! No, Lindsay Dalziel, Taya will not pay you to tie a rope around her ankles and jump off the Kenosee free fall! The next day, we took a day trip to Milford Sound (on the advice of Pat Coffey), boy this was a beauty. A real wet one! In fact, over 150mm in an hour! Our guide said it was the wettest day he had ever seen-the mountains looked like they had veins running down them there were so many waterfalls! Next to Christchurch-a city-not much to say here besides we had to say goodbye to our quad-pod member- Melanie. All we have to say, sucks to be you-have fun at work tomorrow biatch! Now---ahhh.....FIJI!!!! Greeted at the airport by our transport, who adorned us with shell Lei's and a mercedes to drive us to our resort. Wow, they must have smelled us coming and realized we have been backpacking for 3 months and felt bad because we are spoiled! This resort is like no other and is to DIE for!!!! Our room---AMAZING! Ocean front with a king size bed and couch with a pullout (you guessed it, Taya & Brittany are sharing the king. Not because they want to, but more fear because they know how much Briana misses her Mick-Nugget! Gag!) The sheets are so crisp and white, we've showered and still scared to lay in the bed. Oooh! A fully stocked bathroom with robes, new toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner....even cotton buds! bahaha... aka cotton balls! And a fully stocked coffee/tea bar in our room, yup 4 different kinds of tea. To give you an idea, there's english breakfast, Japan Sencha, jasmine and camomile...oh yeah and free internet. Oh yeah, the best buffet meal any of us has had at an all-inclusive----Taya was in heaven....all you can eat SUSHI!!!! Briana even had a go seeing that she had nothing to lose! Tomorrow's plan- nothing....beach...food....beach...sunscreen....food...coffee....beach....sunset......maybe more food...sleep! We leave this island, (oh yeah, we have our own Island-109 acres! At Shangri-La Resort) in 4 days for another island to try out for size. Mana Island Resort (we think)Will update soon. Miss you and see you all soon!

P.S. It's so nice to hear all the christmas music playing, but weird at the same time because it's so tropical here. It makes us that much more excited to see all of you! 9 days!

Boo YAH!

P.S. please refer to the Mario Kart blog prior to reading the spell check blog. But please read THIS prior to reading the mario kart and spell check blogs. Thank you!

P.P.S. We would like to make an announcement...these 2 count... it's 32...not 30!!!!

Boo YAH!
- O.J. Poirier

Spell Check!

Okay folks...so we thought after 30 blogs.....that's right 30, if anyone missed that! That proofreading was not necessary..not the case...clarifying 2 of probably many mistakes on that last one:

1) "to get a feel for the death that we so meticulously placed ourselves on. " supposed to be death trap ( paragraph 1, line 12)

2)"that would progress into lush, rolling hills and pasture covered with the greenist crash while cheep and cattle graze. " (paragraph 2, line 5) BAHAHAHAAHAH...we snorted a rail apparently.... if you couldn't tell, it's supposed to be greenest grass while sheep...

P.S. for all the dedicated followers that have been with us from the beginning: remember Bali- Squig...squealing pig, New Zealand-cheep...cottony sheep ( yes, we know it's from a plant, but they are so soft and fluffy)....La,la,lan, lano, lanolin!!! Sheep's wool

The 6-pod vs. Mario Kart!!!

Alright folks….we can’t get anything out of you guys ( Tara B., your efforts are an exception!!! We love your enthusiasm )…we tried to bait you with our piss poor efforts in our last blog…no dice….so back to true form…here we go, Chapter 1:
Actually we are going to take you back to day 4 in NZ, yup, we are all mixed up here and can‘t get our shit together….we were reminiscing of our previous 6-pod and forgot to tell you about ‘The Bond’ of the 6-pod. It all began at approximately 3:30 p.m. on a rainy, foggy, misty afternoon when our boredom got the best of us and took us up to a asphalt ‘track’ on the side of a mountain. ( not to forget that we had to take the slowest cable car up to the summit!) That is where ‘The Bond’ blossomed. It all stemmed from the inner desire to out-do each other. It was the day we embarked on “THE LUGE”,- bom, bom, bom!!!!! To briefly explain, like luge on ice but for us, on pavement- of course, wet pavement- we have to take it to the extreme. So, skittishly our first run of 3 was on the ‘Beginner’ track, to get a feel for the death that we so meticulously placed ourselves on. We knew this track was too elementary as a small child flew by us and gave us the stink eye…we will not be outdone. So, we thought we would up they ante… next run-intermediate! Taya & Oneil decided the new rule on this one for them was- no brakes and chasing each other down…Mel & Chelsea had to prove their manoeuvring skills to the track marshalls before entering the run- both failing, we might add!!! Briana & Brittany watching like hawks from behind, pass with precision, speed and grace. The corners were so sharp, all we could hear is one another screaming, followed by nervous laughter. So…next run….can anyone guess? ADVANCED…obviously, intermediate was too intermediate…our driving skills were proved to be impeccable! Hmm…this one was a nail biter!!!! To sum it up…Mel decided to take the off-roading track and had to do the walk of shame back to the main track, shaking sand off her trousers and her cart…of course, Chelsea being cocky…went ripping by Mel heckling her, thinking she moved up a spot because of skill…in reality---it was default. Taya riding the curb side of her cart around a corner refusing to give the number one spot to a cop screaming as Oneil rode her ass. Brittany & Briana---winners of the most ridiculous use of their helmets. Briana’s swivelled 360 degrees on her lil peanut head as she looked back in terror as Brit chased her down, meanwhile, Brit- too cool for school refused to take her baseball hat off, thinking that the visor would make her a little more aerodynamic splitting the rain as she raced through it….but boy, was the back of her head protected….No basal skull fractures here!!! Oneil felt he needed to carry on his duties and show fellow ‘lugers’ the dangers of speed and reckless luging. He rose to the top, tattered jeans, ripped sweater with blood soaking through the elbow, a tuft of hair sticking straight up…mourning the loss of his 2”x1”x5/8” flap of skin….he gave the first aiders a run for their money that day! He was the true LUGER!
So, yesterday we had an amazing day driving the west coast along the southern alps. The views and scenery are truly unexplainable and the best we have seen so far in NZ. Looking to the east- steep, mountainous ranges with snow-covered peaks covered by lingering clouds that would progress into lush, rolling hills and pasture covered with the greenist crash while cheep and cattle graze. To the west- the vast, turquoise ocean and many islands surrounded by steep cliffs and drop-offs. To top it all off, at the end of our walk, we came across a seal colony. There were loads of seals lounging on the rocks and playing in the water. Amazing!!! From there we went to a shoreline that was lined with rock formations made of layers of granite and limestone called the Pancake Rocks (just imagine pancakes stacked on top of one another). Next was to our final stop of the day, a small hostel off the highway that featured the infamous, 84 y/o, witty and hilarious true Kiwi that has served the Kiwi Experience buses for the last 20 years, 362 days a year! He cooked us up a huge feast of salads, steak, potatoes and ….bambi! Yup, had venison stew and we loved it!!!! We decided that good ole Les and Vera would get along just great, they are both quite the cards and keep anyone entertained!!! Alright, today we are in Franz Joseph… a small town of only 200 people but is highly commercialized and developed because of the main attraction that brings over 1000 visitors per day…the Franz Joseph Glacier. Tomorrow we are set to go on a 7-8 hr adventure, hiking and scaling over the ice formations and crevasses of the glacier. Wish us luck and we will post shortly. See you all soon….17 days!!!!

Da Vinci's Code

So we thought we would give you all an early Christmas present…a short blog, since we‘ve gotten so many remarks about the length of our previous entries!!! Well, how do we prepare such an intriguing, intersesting, yet informative and insightful written masterpiece. Here it goes, bear with us:

• 6-pod - no longer, sad

• Geothermal pools - hot…but yet cold…weird

• Taya & Britany’s armpit hair growth - impressive but gross

• 700 seat movie theatre - old & big, movie - terrible

• Taya walking into assault in progress - awesome

• Te Papa Museum - 6 levels, informative, sore feet

• Impromptu tour of French Battleship - hot men, cool guns

• Ferry to South Island - sickening, 200mg of gravol divided by 4 ppl

• Abel Tasman - garbage bags for raincoats=winner,winner chicken dinner, 12 km hike, beautiful

Hope you enjoyed the new format. See you all in 20 days - sad, but happy!

" WHHHHAAAALE!"

Good morning! We are currently sitting in River Valley Lodge waiting to get on our last bus for the North Island….before the 6-pod breaks up….to be a quad-pod! So, many things to write about, we’ll try to keep it as brief as possible but we know how that goes. So back abit here, our last day in Rotorua we once again invaded Oneil’s ‘alone time’ and followed him on a white water rafting trip. We had an absolute blast riding out the grade 4-5 rapids for 5 hours with tons of laughs especially when our guide realized that we were all so comfortable and decided to have some fun with us. We knew it was going to be interesting as he yelled out to another guide “we’re surfing the next one!” So, that rapid required us to ramp off another boat shooting us behind a group of rocks that sucked us to an area where the only way we could get out was to be knocked out by another boat. Unfortnuately for us, nobody did that. So, we sat there to try and figure how we were going to get out and pondered the idea if anybody had to “take a 1”, now is the time. Our boat was stuck in the turbo wash setting. With Taya in the bottom of the drum holding on to Oneil’s leg. Long story short, we had to get another boat to tow us out while we helped by chanting in true Canadian fashion, “come on you pussies, put your back into it” (sorry, for the language we tried to sensor it!) To end the day perfectly ( for the Dalziel cubed and the lone Poirier ), the Marks were ejected into the frigid waters….who knew Asian eyes could be so big!!!! Priceless….to some! From there we went to a town called Waitomo where the Glow Worm Caves are located. That day we split into 2 groups with the Dalziel’s doing a 5-hour trip including abseiling down a 35 metre black hole, zip lining, climbing up waterfalls and tubing through the caves. To start off, poor Briana had no headlight in this black abyss having to put all of her trust into the guide. That was soon retracted once she heard the snap of the carabineer to the zipline that launched her deeper and faster into the unknown darkness- all that Chelsea and Britt could hear was a blood curdling scream, and a pause- apparently to refill her lungs to continue the screaming. Chelsea thought this was the end, especially after the guide thought it was entertaining to bang a tube on the wall to insinuate a crash landing at the end. The girls all agreed they felt like they were in the movie, The Goonies as they climbed up the falls. Mel, Oneil and Taya did a 3 hour version, floating through the caves, with a couple jumps down to lower water. Later on, following Oneil’s bush instincts we trespassed on some farmer’s land and climbed a mountain to the most breathtaking views of NZ yet. From there we headed on an extra 3-day , off the track tour. Can’t tell you much, cause we don’t know much! Our driver, REX---boy, hard to explain this one, most importantly, he was about 82--enough said! He doesn’t believe in speed limits nor braking or down-shifting while flying down the mountain sides and fish-hook corners,didn’t explain where or what we were doing, decided that if he had seen it a million times, that we must have too---often circling once passed to get a QUICK glance, and lastly, his LONG-WINDED, monotone, irrelevant answers or explanations…never quite reaching the destination. Oh well, made for a good laugh. Chelsea had her first moment---the highlight…we were about to enjoy our evening coffee while watching the sunset over the ocean when one of our fellow bus-mates yelled out whale. It wasn`t long before we dropped our coffee and we were sprinting down the beach after the orca`s frolicking in the waters. Later to find out that they were in fact, feeding on the stingrays. None of us knew that Chelsea could sprint like that and we have come to the conclusion whenever we need Chelsea to pick it up a notch, we shout ``WHALE!`` For example, `` Chelsea, there`s a whale in your bag…quick, pack it up!`` Dalziel cubed and Taya also went out into the ocean and fed wild stingrays-2 types. Yes, the one that took the Crocodile Hunter`s life…CRIKEY! They are big and pushy. The next morning, we split early- Taya & Oneil rising at 5 to hike up a mountain to watch the sunrise at a point where it hits first in the world everyday…they felt the deep burn in their legs and tasted blood from their lungs..but so worth it. The girls took off at 6 to go rock-sliding, basically boogie boarding down a natural rock waterslide.Only 1 injury- Brittany`s left shin took a beating as Brittany and Briana`s need to out-do one another got the best of them. To this day, Briana claims `That`s what you get for cheating!`` and it was payback for the tooth incident 13 years that is never forgotten. Hmm…skipping a few other things and now taking us to Taupo. Lots to do and see here….a beautiful town. It was about 20 minutes after arriving, Taya & Oneil were on a bus on their way to jump 15,000 ft from an airplane. Impressive seeing that Oneil was able to conquer his fear of heights, this boy takes the whole conquering quest to an extreme. Taya jumped first, immediately doing a summer sault into a oblivion of spins resembling the blades of helicopter. Oneil, jumped last. Once on the ground, it was very surreal that the pair of them had waited 7 years to dot this together and hurl themselves out of plane. Some may think this is an odd test of friendship, most share a friendly hug maybe a friendship bracelet…but no, these two need to cheat death. Taya was once again in heaven…Oneil well…not so much. He came down smiling from ear to ear, once asked what he thought…he took a minute to think about this. He looked like a cartoon character with his eyes wide open and his arms flailing-`I`m going to die…ENJOY THIS!…nope, I`m going to DIE….look at the sunset….I`m going to DIE…enjoy this!…mountains, beautiful…DEATH!!! UGHGGHHGHHH!!!, Taya said to enjoy this…right, it was beautiful…ugh quit spinning!` All the girls were in tears and on the floor laughing as Oneil re-enacted the moments leading up to his near-death experience. Taya asked him when they could do it again and got…give me another year or so! Sorry, guys..one more thing and then we are done. The next morning, Dalziel cubed & Taya rose at 5 to hike 19.4 km, up to 5000 ft through the clouds up to the summit of a volcano. Mount Tongarairo had the most recent eruption- Feb.19, 1975. This was amazing and was decided as the most challenging, rewarding and extreme climb we`ve done. Some of the highlights included; the fact that it wasn`t a groomed path and we had to break ground through large rocks with steep drop-offs on either side, the extreme weather changes- tank tops at the bottom to sleet and gail force winds gusting at plus or minus 90 kph at the summit, the descend so steep you had to dig your heels in and ride it out- 1 step for every 3 because you`d slide the equivalent, and having 2 climbs that signage warned if you weren`t fit enough to turn back- too stubborn, we figured, we ain`t turning back now! And lastly, the sheer fact that it was a 7-8 hour, 19.4 km hike- which we proudly accomplished in 5.5 hours! We`ll leave it at that, sorry it was so long- we even cut some things out. We are currently sitting here, listening to Kings of Leon feeling accomplished and very proud that the 3 of us have been by each other`s sides through so many important and memorable events. Every moment is appreciated and never taken for granted…we know the 3 of us will have a bond for life.

It's a Six-pod not a Sex-pod!!!!

Okay, okay people…no need to get aggressive here!!!! We are slacking big time…let’s just say we are truly living the chilled and laid back relaxed Kiwi life. Not to mention that we are still recovering from our 2 planned additions and the very unexpected third addition! So to begin…our flight from Melbourne to Auckland was delayed 2.5 hours getting us to our hostel at 1:30 am…basically leaving us in no mood for anything except saying a quick hello to Oneil and Mel and then hitting the hay. Much to our surprise we arrived to hostel, to find that the hostel had put another person into our pre-booked dorm for the 5 of us. We got our backs up immediately when he suggested that seperation of the tripod was necessary due to this other person. He kept saying that Mel, Oneil, Brittany and Briana were booked and that a Chelsea was the only other….hmmm…Taya and Brittany went immediately into fight mode…basically telling the poor guy ‘We don’t care who this Chelsea person is…we had booked for 5 with Taya…get her out of our room, and put us in it” Then we came to a conclusion saying we didn’t care who this person was as long as the 3 of us could be with Mel and Oneil. We trudged up to our room, disappointed that our planned invasion would have to be down played because of this Chelsea person. So, Taya entered first creeping around the corner to make sure that the light wasn’t pissing off this girl…Brittany and Briana confused why Taya froze and was creepily staring at our new dorm-mate…not saying a word. Taya was confused too because this person was so familiar but couldn’t put her finger on it….she continued to stand there dazed for 45 secs having a stare down with this new person…only to realize with enough squinting that it was in fact a Dalziel sister….CHELSEA!!!! Who would have knew that Chelsea was “Chelsea”… Brit and Taya made the walk of shame downstairs to apologize to the poor bloke at the front desk for our behaviour, apparently he was right, there was a Chelsea in our room!!! Wow…3-pod to a 6-pod… you can only imagine the change Our equilibrium was disrupted but we love it and are slowly finding a groove for everything. Okay, our first day out as the 6-pod we ventured out to Pahia where we saw amazing terrain, proper black sand beaches and a rainforest walk which led us to a massive waterfall…bahaha…that waterfall happened to emptyr into a body of water that was a crisp 8 degrees…Oneil, Briana and yup, Chelsea decided…”When in Rome”…and jumped in. Oddly enough, they all decided that their reproductive organs felt the repercussions of the frigid water and are still hoping that spawning will one day occur!!! The other 3 laughed…actually pissed themselves laughing while videoing all for your enjoyment. It didn’t take long for the new onlookers that haven’t witnessed Mel’s gag reflex to get a quick show….apparently a little sand on a ham sandwich will do it!!!! Next stop---Rotten-rura! Actually, Rotorura but my god, this place is so high in Sulphur content it smells like hot rotten eggs. They say the earth belches, releasing these pungent gases….they literally hit and stick to your face!!! Mmmm…eat that up!!! That night we went to a Traditional Maori village where we were able to experience the culture and tradition. Started off with Kia-ora (welcome) which is very intense…as there is no emotion, smile, crying or movement allowed while men come into a stadium where they perform a challenge dance. They are adorned with paint, and costumes carrying a form of a weapon screaming/grunting with bulging eyes and protruding tongue-traditionally intended for intimidation to the opposition…well, that was understatement! So much that after it was done, employees had to encourage smiling and laughter. We also were privileged to have an amazing meal. So, we currently sit in Taupo and head out tomorrow morning for another 4 day excursion. We honestly hope that we can stay on top of this too!!! ( it’s killing us right now trying to remember anything other than what we did this day, there’s so much!!!) A shout out to Tyler and Michelle Brady on their their new baby girl!!! Congratulations, hope all is well.
P.S. Please ‘you tube’ an ostrich emptying their bowels and bladder…we are still traumatized in so many ways…uggghhh

Long Live the Tripod!!!

Well, unbelievable, we are at the end of Australia and leaving for New Zealand tomorrow (Nov.12)! We are in Melbourne and have once again, overwhelmed ourselves with heaps of activities and sightseeing. We stayed in the St.Kilda district of Melbourne, which is just outside the city center. Our first day we walked down to the beach to soak up some of this ridiculous ‘spring’ weather- aka unreal heat, soaring at a scorching 34 degrees. We also toured up and down some of the streets in St.Kilda notoriously known for great food, cafes, and entertainment. We also discovered we are missing out on 3 things….Seal live in concert, The Australian Masters golf tournament---Tiger Woods and all, and Brittney Spears ( who of which we did not know was playing except that we had an impromptu paparazzi sighting outside of her hotel during one of our walks. Among the massive camera lenses were people chanting ‘Brittney’ ---To Brittany’s disappointment, they weren’t chanting for her!!! Someday though! The next day, was Sunday and we were able to catch the weekly market down at the Esplanade. There were lots of tents displaying a variety of the locals handicrafts. We then found refuge from the sun and ate lunch under a palm tree before hitting the beach once again. I know it really sounds like we have been doing nothing but lie on the beach, but it is absolutely necessary to cool down in the water…the pavement and sand reflects ridiculous amounts of heat! During our first cool down session in the water, it wasn’t long until Briana frantically tried climbing over Brittany and Taya towards shore, squealing not really articulating what was happening….leaving Taya and Brittany confused with their imaginations running wild. You can only imagine the possibilities seem endless in Australia’s open waters. Apparently, once she got onto shorenshe informed us that she had placed her hand on a giant jellyfish right beside us!!! And no, it didn’t sting her.The previous day, we had noticed another one beside us- these ones, apparently, aren’t deadly…just cause a lot of pain. This little scenario reminded us a lot of our stingray encounter in Mission Beach where Briana once again “warned us.” Now to our 3rd day- we took a 14 hour day trip along the Great Ocean Road---which is a great road running along the ocean….imagine that! But seriously, Australian’s are known for naming things as exactly what they are (ie. Squiggly gum tree- gum tree with squggles on it.) This drive was truly breathtaking and impossible to describe. Some of stops included the famous Bell’s Beach where the Ripcurl classic surfing competition is held, London Bridge-which actually collapsed), the 12 Apostles- it’s the only case where it’s not literal as there are 8 rock formations not 12, Koala spotting, and a short 1km walk through the rainforest where massive trees stand. Taya has been waiting for an opportunity to go for a helicopter ride, but prices have been too expensive. She broke down and decided to go over the 12 Apostles- where she was lucky enough to get upgraded from a $70 for 10 min to a $300 for half hour and down to water level ride for free! The next day, which brings us to yesterday- we ventured into the city center meeting our fellow wolf pack member-Megan. We toured the major highlights of Melbourne including Federation Square, Eureka Tower - which is the highest point in the Southern Hemisphere giving us a 360 degree of Melbourne, St.Paul’s Cathedral , and the botanical gardens. We watched the sun set over the city from the tower and then wandered down to the riverside where it is lined with fancy restaurants and romance lingers…gag!!! Along this walk there are many musicans varying from bagpipes, acoustic guitars to electric guitars. We thought wow, what a nice ending to Australia. However…the night wasn’t over…TRAMS!!! Bom, bom, bom!!!! Interesting story,…to make it short…3 trains, Briana crying, Brittany and Taya laughing hysterically at Briana …apparently tram doors close quicker than one would think and DO NOT have a motion sensor on them. Also, that Briana would be extremely upset if, by chance, Brittany got left behind while Taya and Briana rode it out on the train. After this incident, yet another rule….if you get left behind- stay calm…and stay where you are. if you need to cry…puff up, be big….hug a pole if necessary. Pretend that’s what was intended, be confident that the others will soon notice that you are no longer present. Anywho, bringing us to today- laundry and lounging, organizing packs/ transport and planning New Zealand. Prepping ‘The Tripod’ for the addition of 2 more members making us the ‘ The Quin-pod’ They will have to undergo rigorous testing and initiation to prove their loyalty and commitment…good luck Oneil and Mel….LONG LIVE THE TRIPOD!!!

Anyway, here’s goodbye to Australia and a new chapter in New Zealand…it’s been a blast so far with so many memories. 3 crazy ladies…2 countries down…2 more to go….surprised??? We are!!!
Cheers!

It wasn't a picnic!

WOW!!!! We are terrible…we’ll definitely give you that if you are cursing at us…it has been awhile now since we last wrote. Right now we are in Melbourne-our final stop in Australia before we fly out to New Zealand- Taya sobs daily , she doesn’t want to go home, Briana is excited that she made it this far and Brittany is floating along and loving life! We are going to throw out a quick warning as this blog may need an intermission for all you readers- there’s lots to cover! So, Sydney- unbelievably jam packed with activities so graciously planned by our new travel mates that we met in Bali! The first day that we arrived, did the usual-got sorted out and decided what we all wanted to see/do. The next morning we met up with our fellow Saskatchewan-ite, Megan- we did a lot of walking and touring around Sydney’s central areas including the Royal Botanical Gardens, Hyde Park, The Rocks, the famous Sydney Opera house and the Sydney harbour bridge. A lot of miles but worth every single step. That evening we stalked our friends C-Rad and Patty (guys, we know you love these nicknames!!! Don’t lie!) and had coffee in Hyde Park. The boys flipped a coin to see who had to take ‘the kids’ out that night--C-Rad lost …and the next day too…poor guy! He took us to the Famous Pie stop in Sydney- “Harry’s Pies” it’s notorious among the locals and obviously the tourists, not forget all the celebrities- Pamela Anderson, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe…you know the big leagues! One thing we’ve learned- the Aussie’s love their meatpies! The next day we took a train to meet C-Rad. That day he realized just how bad he lost out- I think he underestimated 3 Canadians for 14.5 hours, non-stop chatter…ahhh, we feel bad just thinking about it but what a trooper and we heart him and Patty for everything they have done for us! (tear) He took us basically from one side of Sydney to another starting off in the Blue Mountains- we went to the Three Sisters and walked down to some waterfalls, from there we had a ‘lunch’ (wink, wink) not a picnic. Even though we sat at a picnic table and ate food from an ‘Esky’ (cooler). Everything he bought was iconic of Australia or had Australia in mind, even the cups. We were lost for words as we felt very surprised and spoiled. From there we raced (literally) to a pub to partake in an Austalian Tradition- the Melbourne Cup. Everything seems to come to a halt while the race is on, the women dress in lavish dresses and headpieces/hats. We even put a bet down to get in the spirit, not knowing we picked the underdog- Spin Around…only $20 lost. Unlike the poor bloke who put $20,000 down on one horse! Moving on we drove to Coogee Beach where we walked for about 2 hours to the Famous Bondi Beach. We were fortunate enough to see the annual display ‘Sculptures by the Sea’….it was amazing to see how much work was put into each one. We then met up with Patrick, thinking they would be about ready to get rid of us, they spoiled us once again and took us out for supper. They kept reassuring us that it was on a running tab for when they come visit in Canada….we accept and raise you by 1 boys….surprise us…we have room!!! It was like Bali again- sad to say goodbye to them but worse this time because we know the time in between our next visit will be a lot longer. Haha! We are still trying to convince the boys to go home to Fiji for Christmas before Dec.23rd, forcing a reunion!!! After Sydney, we got on our last bus for Australia and headed towards Melbourne on a 3 day tour. We covered the Snowy Mountains, Wilson’s Promontory, and the Parliament House in Canberra ( the Capital) among other little stops. It was so incredibly odd to take a chair lift up Mount Kosciusko and find SNOW!!!! Yup, in Australia, who knew! It is spring here, so it was melting fast but cool to see that it was stained red from the massive sandstorms in late Sept. Also,odd that the day prior was a sweltering 38 degrees and then we were in 6 degree weather and scrambling for our jumpers! (hoodies) To make all of you proud we made snowmen, snow angels, had a snowball fight and shocked everyone on our tour that we were doing this in our t-shirts and mandals as we climatized sooner than we thought! Last big stop- our diver stopped in an old WWII landing strip where we spotted wild Kangaroos, emus and the red back spider-one of Australia’s most deadly. So, to today- Melbourne. We decided to take it easy today and plan our remaining time. We hit the beach, a nice spring day….above 30...this is ridic! We’re melting … funny how much Canadians perspire compared to these Aussie’s…god dang they love their heat! Our plans include, a tour of the Great Ocean Road, the Queen Victoria Park, Federation Square, the Eureka Tower etc….not exactly sure yet. All we know is that our days are limited and cannot believe we are almost done in Australia….quite sad actually. This trip is flying by. Well, gonna head to bed now…take care. Keep your stick on the ice.

P.S. We want to give a shout out and a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Cody and Sheena! Welcome baby Kendal…looking forward to meeting her!

P.P.S. THANK YOU AGAIN, Conrad and Patrick. We will miss you and can’t wait to see you again.

Damn pot smoking hippies!

Okay, okay…we know…we fell behind once again. We are currently on the bus to Sydney right now…Brit and Taya are watching Briana ugly sleep….oh how entertaining!!! Don’t worry we have a ton of photos to prove it!! Ongoing rule of this trip…as soon as the eyes close it’s fair game…poor sucker who falls first. Alright, so we just left the Amsterdam of Australia and no we did not indulge…al 3 of us still have a clean record! We stayed in Byron Bay at Nomad’s for 3 nights. We definitely lucked out in our room….it was massive, we were in the ‘round tower’ of what a castle would have ( just like Rapunzel!) We met up with one of the Canadian girls we met in Bali…Holla Megan!!! Our wolf pack grew by 1 and soon we were 4, for 2 days…then we were back to our tripod! Didn’t do too much, this town was one of our favourites- it is known for it’s laid back , ‘hippy’ style…it’s very difficult to have any worries there since everyone is so mellow. Partially , because the majority of them have just returned from Nimbin- a place notoriously known for pot smoking and growing opportunities, not to forget their yummy ‘baked goods’. For locals and tourists, it’s not frowned upon, it’s just illegal!! Haha! And supposedly a place to stock up if need be! However, the prime minister decided that marijuana was the least of their worries compared to other crime and harsher drugs-so it is accepted to grow 2 of your plants for your own recreational needs. Seriously!, Hmm…what else did we do besides people watch…one morning we walked up a million stairs in the blistering sun to Australia’s most easterlny point on the mainland and a lighthouse. After our relaxing walk, we thought we should rip it up, true Bryon Bay fashion being the surf capital of Australia and all. We ‘hired’ surf boards for the afternoon…and apparently the fiberglass Mal boards are a bit faster than the funboards- who knew!!! Yes, Lindsay we made a rule for this one….we all have bruises and tender spots ( aka war wounds) throughout our bodies. Taya counted 15 bruises from her toes to her hip…we lost count after that….Briana looks like she got roughed up by a kangaroo after stealing it’s Joey! Brittany’s xyphoid process is bruised and swollen- slightly bent like Taya’s tailbone! We were so determined to get revenge on the the PMS’ing , dirty tramp (aka the ocean) that dumped us on our asses and heads for that matter….we decided to have another go the next day. This time with instruction and appropriate boards…we owned it! We all surfed to shore a couple times…it was great and we were smiling from ear to ear!!! Anyway, that was in Surf camp…where we stayed last night and left this am at 0700 to get on the road for one of our longest journey’s yet- down to Sydney. We plan on partaking in the famous Opera house, Sydney harbour and Bridge walk. Also, meeting up with our pack member, Megan and hopefully with the 2 guys we met in Bali- Patrick and C-Rad, our 10-12 crew. Happy Halloween…we want to see all your pics on FB!!! Talk soon.

Clean Feet are overrated!

How ya goin??? We are doing a little bit better, we’re only 3 days behind versus a full week! So back to Noosa for a moment to explain a few things. First off, we definitely hit the backpackers jackpot! We decided to venture out of the hostel scene for abit, we researched on the internet and found a townshouse for $27 a night. It was fully serviced with a private bath (tub and shower, we’ll have you know…with a blowdryer….yup, you heard it!!! A blowdryer…almost forgot what one was!), washer/dryer, t.v, full kitchen (with a dishwasher!!!!), basically a dream come true. So exciting, that we felt that we should full out live the dream…we decided to give Martha Stewart a run for her money and whipped a few deadly meals. The first night we had taco salad and veggies, then red pepper, feta, mushroom and garlic stuffed chicken breasts with salad and baked potatoes,the next night and lastly, Brit/Briana concocted the Tammy Dalziel world famous pizza!!! Oh not mention every morning started with coffee, the news (on our t.v!!!) with fresh mangoes and French toast!!!! Yup, told ya….LTMFD! Second event in Noosa…well this one is a doozy and has to be told for the humour value. It has in fact inspired a new rule or 2 ( to add to Lindsay Cochran’s rule list!!!) So…apparently, having clean feet for a backpacker is rare and often sought out. Taya’s strong drive and determination to prove that theory wrong went drastically down hill (which is an understatement.) While Brit & Briana enjoyed their beds with fresh linens and the soothing music from their ipods, Taya’s mission was aborted abruptly…she scrubbed the shit out of one foot and thought to herself…hmm…“I’m gonna let that soak for a bit, let’s move onto the other”, so confidently, she started to scrub the other while standing on one foot (stork like if you will!). Suddenly, she could feel one foot start to slip very similar to Bambi on ice, Brittany’s calm, reassuring voice popped into her head,”stay calm” and before she knew a smooth recovery and a “Thank you God”. Moments later, Bambi fell through the ice…hard and not gracefully for that matter! Taya was down…all the Brit & Briana could hear was laughter and her yelling for them to come. Brit opened the door to find Taya hiding behind a towel with the left side of her body covered in blood! Briana laughed, Brit fetched the first aid kit but Briana’s laughter quickly subsided after becoming squeamish while Taya was cutting off a flap of skin from her finger. So…
Rule #10- All showers must occur with the bathroom door unlocked at all times, a helmet, mouth guard, an emergency whistle with a first aid kit in the hands of at least 2 bystanders sitting outside the shower area is mandatory. The bystanders must be fully trained and familiar with the “distress” whistle tone.
Okay, now with that over and done with…back to the present. We are currently in Brisbane, We found a awesome hostel in Central Brisbane-YHA. This one is uber modern and much like a hotel. We have very limited time here so we jumped right into things. Last night we rode around on the river taxi along the Brisbane River to check out as much of the city as we could. This place is beautiful, the architecture and bridges are very modern and unique. This am, we were up at 5:30 to eat “brekkie” and hop onto another guided tour of Moreton Island. It was another full day that included sights of more shipwrecks, the Blue Lagoon, and more amazing landscapes with ridiculously high sanddunes … that we may have “sand boarded” down!!! ( basically, tobogganing face first on a waxed piece of particle board) It was a lot of fun the walk back up was definitely the deciding factor on how many times you wanted to have a go. We felt like camels walking through “the Desert” ( actually called this)…the sand was searing hot! We are fully aware that there may be some anger and hard feelings towards us as we are complaining about burning the soles of our feet while you are fighting frostbite. Don’t think we aren’t counting our lucky stars daily and think of you guys. Tomorrow, we are heading Steve Irwin’s “ Australia Zoo”….Crikey!!! It should be a lot of fun. Alright mates, we’re out! Heading to bed! Keep the posts coming!!! xoxo

Dingos love pepper, they hate cinnamon!

Where to start?? We have some catching up to do! Camping for 3 days on Fraser Island was a blast…we did a 3 day/2 night self drive 4x4 jeep safari with 7 other people…we definitely lucked out as our group was very well matched coincidently. Everybody worked very well and efficiently together…there was a couple from Holland, another from Sweden and 3 from Denmark and us, the 3 Canadics (pronounced Canadicks!) or Canadasans Haha! It is seriously what people from Sweden call Canadians! The 3 from Denmark all happened to have Rasmussen as their last name!!!!Let’s talk about the driving aka sand bogging. “Roads” were comparable to the quading trails in Moose Mountain Provincial Park…we had a Land Cruiser with 10 of us in it plus a roof full of camping gear…ploughing through 2.5 feet of powdery sand. We became ridiculously stuck within the first 10 minutes…and without a question or thought about it, our Saskatchewan instincts kicked in…the 3 of us were out pushing away. The sand was so powdery as the driver spun out the “tyres”, we inhaled “heaps” of sand. It was hilarious to see the confusion and disbelief on our “camping mates” faces as the 3 girls (us, of course!)were no longer lady-like, we hiked up our skirts eager to prove that girls will in fact live if they get dirty. It was probably hilarious for the truck behind us to watch as we grunted with every push but we knew that the lone Saskatchewan guy we met from the other truck would identify and justify our actions to them haha! Our first night was entertaining as some girls from another truck obviously did not read the Dingo safety portion …as they left a whole cooked chicken in the corner of their tent…why? We are not quite sure…but within minutes…a dingo surfaced! Ripping a hole in the tent….he was soon rewarded with a whole meal of food!!! The dingoes ran around our campsite site like all the dogs on the reserve…seemed pretty harmless, but we didn’t mess with them and thought that we should probably take the granola bars out of our tent…afterall, they might need fiber too!The Island itself was stunning…actual sand “highways” on the beach which got us from place to place quite easily. We were very fortunate to have seen so many iconic places of Eastern Australia…here are a few: Lake McKenzie, Eli Creek, Maheno Shipwreck, Indian Head Point, Champagne Pools and Lake Wabby where there was massive sand dunes…every year they encroach 3m on Lake Wabby…which will be no longer someday. Through it all, we were very tired and in much need of a bed….it was a whirlwind of a tour but the last night made it for us…looking up through the window of our tent…a sky full of vibrant stars and in the morning a blissful sunrise with waves crashing on the white sand beach…ahhh! The next day, we were back on the mainland, Hervey Bay…apparently we get bored quick, because at 7:30am we were on our way to go whale watching. We had 6 humpback whales swimming right up beside our boat including a mom and a 3 week old calf which is apparently rare because of it’s age and the 4 ‘escort’ whales who are fighting for the attention of the female for the mating season. Supposedly, a calf will consume approximately 600 L of milk/day and the air/water travels at about 400 km/hr out of the blowhole. Also, kind of neat….the boat was able to put a aqua microphone into the water so that we could hear the males sing. All in all…a great experience. Before we knew it, we were on our way to Noosa, where we currently are. This place is astounding. It is very well established and very much appealing to families and perhaps a retirement setting. Beautiful homes along the Noosa river which drains into the ocean, where there are ‘loads’ of people kayaking, fishing, surfing, and sunbathing. Today, we hiked in the National Park to witness the magnificent coastline and was lucky enough to see a Koala snuggled up in a tree. Tomorrow, not sure what we will do..as we may go kayaking, surfing, camel riding or head to the Steve Irwin Zoo. So, until the next time…take care. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep up a little better! Love you all. xoxo


P.S. WE CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! Cherise Phillips won the challenge...congrats Gomo...your gift will be there in December!

Never squat with spurs!!!

Giddy up Canada!!! Yeehaw…we just got off a cattle station this morning….it was exactly what we needed. It gave us a new appreciation and reminded us that home is where the heart is. The terrain was very similar, but much drier and less colour, otherwise…great to see cattle, crops, sprayers, goats and the good old outback. The cattle station was very traditional in that this was once solely a running cattle station but when times slowed down the owners decided to invest in the tourist industry and open their home/land to visitors. All the buildings were made out of rough timber and materials found on their land…very rustic. Walker Texas Ranger included. We were very spoiled night with a 2 course homestyle meal cooked over the open fire- damp with beef stew to start, then 2 massive beef roasts, potates, beans, carrots and gravy and all you can drink coffee…we were happier than pigs in shit!! It made us miss our mommas and appreciate their cooking that much more….can’t wait for Christmas turkey (hint,hint..you better get on that!) So, like we mentioned in the last post, we are trying to participate and overachieve at as much as we can in the next 2.5 months. So , not going lie…we’re not really pirates or divemasters or surf pros (we did do all of them though ;) But please give us this one blog to pump up our tires. No word of a lie, your Saskatchewan girls kicked some serious ass on that ranch, placing in the top/finals in every event. Mechanical bull riding- final 2, limbo competition-top 3, talent show- top 5...goat rodeo..yup that’s right and it wasn’t even Gille Goat!!! So to briefly explain how the rodeo went down…a team of 3 were put in a pen, a circle was drawn in the middle of the ring ( only one member was allowed out of the ring at a time to to do their ‘task’ otherwise 5 secs was added to your score) There was 1 person to catch the goat and drag it to the circle, when another member grabbed the front and back leg picking the goat up and lying it on its side while the last member runs to grab a branding iron and must hold it on it’s rear for 3 secs. So, now that we’ve explained it….we’ll have you know they split up us Candian girls into different teams…Brit and Taya got to compete twice, being fillers together for the last team because no other girls would cowgirl up lol! Oh know those UK gals!!! In case you don’t…they were veggies, enough said! We took bronze, silver, and gold with the usual time of rookies being 30-45 seconds. Walker Texas Ranger said anything between 20 and 23 seconds is a good time….so….15 seconds it was!!!! We were so proud of each other. Among other things we learned how to crack a whip…Micky look out…Briana is a master!!! We also had the chance to rope and partake in the “Ring of fire.“ So, the group stood in a circle, held hands and spun a bottle to choose who was going to hold on to the end of a cattle prod to send the current to everyone….and the winner was….Taya! Half of the people backed out once they knew what was happening…of course we couldn’t back down now!!! Besides, we knew we could trust Walker with our lives!!! It’s unbelievable how many people have harassed us because we aren’t drinking, we’ve heard everything from how lame and boring we are to… us not ‘truly’ appreciating Australia because we haven’t partied with different people from different countries and thrown up on each other ( that was actually said to us…believe it or not!) So we have now taken another route, we now tell people that we don’t drink at all…some think it’s because of religion or that we are just lame as once mentioned….but we don’t mind…whatever keeps people off our backs! We just arrived in Hervey Bay, staying at the Palace hostel. No big plans here but some whale watching, relaxing and tomorrow we go on a 3 day/2 night self drive jeep camping/safari trip to Fraser Island. We touch base in three days and let you know how the camping went…we are very excited to have a bonfire on the beach!!! Anyway, ciao! Talk soon.

P.S. We have a new term to describe our travels and have made an acronym for it….LTMFD…whoever can send us the correct answer wins a dingo!!! But no, for real, we will make sure to bring back the winner a small token for their efforts!!! J

P.P.S. Briana wants to give a shout out to Cody & Sheena- Hope all is going well….I know the due date is fast approaching and that I am thinking of you. Miss you lots…can’t wait to see the little one. If there’s bets…I call baby boy Oct.29, 7lbs 2 oz, 18” (remember closest wins!!!)

Catalina Wine Mixer!

Argh matey!!!! So, we decided that in the 3.5 months that we are gone, we are going master everything we do in order to get a certificate!!! You will be in shock and awe with the stacks of ‘frameable’ certificates we will come back with. We have recently added one more to our previously acquired surfing,, scuba diving, and skydiving endorsements….piracy!!!! Argh!!! Oh yeah and not forgot that we were able to be the ‘deckies’ on the our racing sailboat- The British Defender! To recap quickly, we just got off our boat today that we were very fortunate enough to sail for 2 days , 2 nights around the WhitSundays. There was 24 fellow junior pirates and 4 ‘real’ ones that all aspiring to be one day. This boat was a racing sailboat…she was prime back in her day winning many races. With that being said, to enable manoeuvrability we definitely sacrificed some comfort and a whole lot of space. Brit and Taya were stuffed into coffin like quarters where rolling over was not an option. Claustrophobia got the best of Brit occasionally…but she persevered through it with the help of a port hole above her head….some would say perfect for star gazing, Brit would say just for basic breathing, perhaps for an emergency exit! All in all, the boat was amazing, very clean and the food was delicious.We did have a few mishaps because we couldn’t brush our hair or teeth below deck as per ‘Pirate’ Jessie’s rule because he didn’t want to have to deal with it haha! Fair enough, Taya can sympathize with him. Instead of doing the good old grass test to check wind direction, Briana thought that maybe a mouth full of minty, Crest whitening toothpaste foam would do it. Yup, it definitely was going south covering Tays’s left side of her body…mmm…so fresh and so clean !!! The sailing portion was bit of an eye opener. We quickly learned that it was imperative that we listen to EVERY command that the crew gave us. When they yelled to sit on the high side of the boat, we would quickly scurry to the appropriate side because it wouldn’t be long until the boat was perpendicular to the shark infested waters! We clamped our legs tightly around the edge of the boat to avoid the whole 'man overboard' thing! It was pretty cool , the crew taught us how to be “Grinders’ basically means 6 people working in pairs to raise the sails. There were 3 sets of ‘hand cranks’ that worked in the same fashion as bike pedals. We would simultaneously act based on the commands we received form our head ‘pirate’ Liam… the 4 commands were…’front of the boat’, back of the boat’, ‘hold’ and ‘ oh shit’ aka stop! Pretty sweet how they made us feel qualified sailors! All three of us were able to practice a couple times, with the last being caught on Briana’s video camera…so we can show you all! Included in our basic training we were able to have some downtime….we went to Whitehaven Beach, which is known as one of the ‘sexiest’ beaches in the world because of it’s gorgeous sand which is 98% silica ( NASA actually collects the sand to use because of its rarity) As for the ’sexy’ beach part….not so much! We lowered the standards with our, not so sexy stinger suits- full body, super tight, one piece, scuba Steve unitard! Amazing! HAD to be worn at all times because the jellyfish are abundant and lethal. To wrap this up…the WhitSundays consist of 74 islands with only 4 inhabited…we realize that are very fortunate, it is a rare and breathtaking spectacle. Tomorrow we head to Kroombit…where our next talent will be recognized….GOAT ROPING!!!!! Giddy up! Taya is currently whipping up her Velcro suit in preparation to show off her mad mutten bustin’ skills!Here’s us…signing off!
P.S. We thank every one of you for all the comments…you made our day!!!! Just making sure that y’all still keeping up with us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay people…not to be rude or anything, but this is getting to be a little ridiculous! 2 comments over the last post??? Are you kidding me? What else do we have to do…I mean Britt and Taya threw themselves out of a plane for god sakes… we just give, give, give and you just take, take, take! Anywho now that, that is out of our systems…we will let you know what we’ve been doing. So, after Mission Beach we hopped on our OZ BUS!!!! We actually did…we all growed up!! Lol. We are so happy that we are travelling this way as it was soon apparent after our driver immediately calling us ‘frozen americans’, that having fun wasn’t going to be a question. They are very helpful in booking and planning anything-accommodations, trips…basically whatever we need. Always keeping a close eye on the easily distracted Canadians…often hearing “come on Canada!” with a little tap on the shoulder!!! Our buses so far have been exactly those of Greyhound but bright yellow with music pumping…so we supposedly ‘cannot miss it’…but anything is possible!!! From mission Beach to Townsville ( about 2.5 hr drive), a large mining community that is very industrial and not much to look at quite frankly. But beyond a mountain lies Magnetic Island, which we immediately ferried over to. Only had 2 nights at Base backpackers, so not much time to do much. Upon our arrival, we were all greeted by a formidable scent that was too familiar- The moose head, The pump and perhaps, a perhaps a little splash of Sarcan!! But past the bar we were soon in awe of the little beachfront oasis. The dorms were actually huts along the beach lined with palm trees and huge boulders. This was definitely our most ‘party’ hostel but of course we separated ourselves…being poor and all!!! We would rather spend our money on activities than a mad hangover! We hiked Forte’s walk… a site that was used for battle and to watch for incoming enemies in WWII. It was up a mountain side in crazy heat..Taya was a little uneasy when the first sign on the trail was a picture and info about the poisonous snakes…wonderful!!! Briana and Brittany were a little on edge when they had to venture out when ‘nature called’ if you know what I mean!!!lol. It literally scares the piss out of you when you know there could be a poisonous snake lurking nearby! Taya, surprise, surprise…held it! We then went to scout out Koalas, upon arrival we saw $17/person…and we opted out…we figure we could just cuddle Shadow Lewis-Kondratoff ( Taunya’s dog). No really, we were excited but thought we would just see them at the Steve Irwin zoo, we need to mentally prepare…we heard they are vicious! J In summary…Magnetic Island…we waited 2 hrs 1st bus, ran after 2nd bus ( and missed…not the Ben Johnson start that we needed, hey Trevor?), waited another hour 3rd bus, 4th bus flew by us…apparently full…thanks for the heads up, waited another hour for 5th bus…good thing we bought the $6.50 day pass hey??? And finally, 6th bus the last day back to the ferry…right time, right bus…wrong side of the road!!! Damn it!! But once again the OZ Ex driver looked out for Canada. Jumped back on the Oz bus south towards Airlie Beach. We passed through Bowen, a town where the movie Australia was filmed…they even painted Bowenwood on the water tank! Lol. 3 hrs later we arrived in Airlie Beach, where the one and only Mathew McConaugh drank the pubs after filming Fool’s Gold here…in 2007...damn it 2 years too late! Beautiful sailing community..our favourite town yet! Can’t explain the beauty, we will take tons of pictures. Tomorrow get on “British Defender” to sail the WhitSundays for 2 days and 2 nights… can’t wait! Will update you when we get back. From there we head to Kroombit,there we get to make Saskatchewan proud…mechanical bull, goat rodeo and all....who knows maybe we will ride a kangaroo!!!! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving...we had rice and tuna...jerks! Love you all...PLEASE write...it is always nice to hear what's happening there! :)

Here Piggy, piggy, piggy!!!

Ladies & Gents…may we have your attention??!! We’re back…we are still in Mission Beach, Queensland for our last night. We leave tomorrow at 1300 to catch our bus…for real this time…and head south to Townsville/Magnetic Island. These last few days have been uneventful…been lounging on the beach daily working on our golden hues, learning about croc/stingray attacks haha! We were all were having our daily bath in the ocean, when Briana decided to get out early….she turned back and immediately yelled at us..”there’s 2 stingrays, there’s 2 stingrays” Unsurprisingly, Taya and Britt didn’t believe her again and was utterly shocked to see 2 lil baby ray’s probably the size of a dinner plate. She wasn’t crying wolf afterall! We immediately had a debriefing of the dangers of crying wolf in foreign countries with crazy killer sea animals. Last night, we ventured out on a walkabout which became very entertaining….we saw an ambulance…which Britt and Taya stalked down the street….long story short…we got a tour and talked to a medic that has been working for 15 years. In the event, any of you get attacked by a jellyfish/stingray…we can now help you out!!!hopefully! The last highlight of our walkabout was a kangaroo crossing the road right in front of us….he was so cautious it was as if he looked both ways to check for traffic lol! While making breakfast this morning, Brit and Briana spotted another unusual sight…OXBOW…Kyle Rudnitski aka Otis with a buddy from Pangman. Apparently, this world is far too small, but great to see a friendly/familiar face, we plan on meeting up with him in NZ! That brings us to the fun part…14,000 ft, 200km/hr, 60 sec freefall…Taya and Britt jumping out of perfectly maintenanced plane over the amazing Australian landscapes and great barrier reef during sunset. Definitely the highlight of Taya`s trip so far…most amazing feeling. Very odd how cool, calm and collected we remained as we joked around with our guides and in disbelief that it was happening! We hired a camera man to jump first and film it, so you all can watch us every inch of our skin `flap`` in the wind. Taya was a bit or a lot distracted by her guide`s good looks and the tight quarters we were in haha! Brittany, didn`t mind getting the older, hopefully more experienced guide. Brit jumped first with Taya shortly after…it was so peaceful and serene…we floated down beside each other talking about what was happening, while Briana, being a champ like she is, filmed us landing on the beach. UNREAL EXPERIENCE!!! Briana decided to wait it out until NZ…she`s got a bead out for a surfboard…hopefully surfers are included and Taya and Britt assured her that theywould take him off her hands lol! I guess we should be wrapping this up, but thought we should explain the title abit…you see the next building over, just happens to be a Queensland Community Health Office…where they are giving out FREE H1N1(aka Swine flu) vaccinations…jealous…poor Canada…I`m sure they will be getting it soon. See momma, we thought by doing one responsible thing, we could make up for it by hurdling ourselves out of plane!!! You know….you give a little…you get a little! No biggity! Alright, off to bed shortly, but we will check in as soon as possible! Take care…love ya all! Peace.

Ring those phones!

Okay folks....don't hate the player, hate the game!!! The waiting game that is, we realize it's been awhile but we just can't seem to find the time...you know, living the dream is rough!!!From the airport, we got on a shuttle to our hostel and met the Steve Irwin of shuttle buses...man, did he love his job...we've never gained so much knowledge in 20 mins! lol. Our hostel, Dreamtime Travellers Rest, was quiet and home-y with stained glass windows and worldly decorations that made it very comfortable. Hmmm....what to say about Cairns...it's a city, enjoyed it but really glad to get to 'down under!'. We caught up on sleep from our flights, hit the grocery store and took alot of pride that our supper costed only $1.50/person...that's right...Ichiban, 2 slices of bread (whole wheat of course!! haha) with 2 slices of ham= 3 satisifed backpackers!!! The next day, we had a full day and headed to the Lagoon-a salt water swimming hole in the heart of Cairns...good "city" beach day. I would like to mention Briana bought her 2nd phone of this trip since the 'unlocked' Indo phone was not 'unlocked' and could not be used in Aus!!Next day...3 dives..on the Great Barrier Reef...No big deal!!! Including yacht with sundeck with a full lunch and snacks, coffee & tea, wine accompanied by FANTASTIC cheese and crackers (that Britt just happened to sniff out!!) 3 dives...was great...3rd dive a little murky...still able to see beautiful coral, a moray eel, stingray, baracuda among thousands of other fish and nemos!! Thanks to Papa D...no sharks as we took his advice and painted a seal with a circle around it with a line through it...indicating a non-feeding zone! But the other group that went the opposite way than us did see a shark...jealous! Last night we sat at a pub and tried to follow the "super bowl" of Rugby between Melbourne and Brisbane...very entertaining! A few bumps trying to catch our first Oz experience bus...unable to catch it the day we wanted to. We found out we would have to spend 2 more days in the city..none of us wanted to have anything to do with that and because being as patient as we are....we were on a Greyhound bus 2 hours later to our next location where the Oz Ex bus will gather us!! Mission Beach...present! What can we say, just what we were looking for....reminds us alot of Kenosee Lake in that it is so quiet and quaint...only difference...the slough is now replaced with a ridiculously warm ocean surrounded by islands/mountains with sand that feels like flour. So nice, we figured that we should take the opportunity to finally exfoliate lol! So fresh...and so clean...!!!! Once again, hit a jackpot with our hostel and the grocery store...this budget thing is kind of fun...how low can you go??? Today, we splurged....$2.75 each! We are so inspired by the creativity of our 'flatmates' in our hostels that we decided to ramp it up and introduce....THEME NIGHTS!!!! bom,bom, bom!!!! Let's make Canada proud...we welcome any cheap/easy suggestions!!!! Booked another night so we can have 2 full, glorious beach days...don't worry Mama... the damn Dalziels are huge fans of the 88 SPF sunblock...it's like Casper sittin on the beach!!! No wrinkles here! Anywho, hope you all enjoyed...make sure to write...the more YOU slack, the more we slack! Remember that...only 4 comments on our last blog...that's bush league!!! lol Take care, love you long time!!
p.s. I would also like to note...Mission Beach...Briana... PHONE #3!!!! Where do we want to go....HIGHER!!!! Ring those phones, Ring those phones!!!

The Dingo ate my baby!

G'day Mate! So we officially made it to Australia...Darwin to be exact! ( the place where the movie, Australia was filmed!!!! No big deal...we thought saw lil creamy on a walk about when we were landing!!!) We are sitting in the airport for 3 hours before we catch our flight to Cairns. Our first experience consists of a beautifully, clean airport....with no smells! yay! but also comes with a fee...one that blows us away considering Indo is so cheap. The 3 of us just paid what we would have paid for 3 meals/day for 3 days for all us...just in a breakfast here- 3 cappucinos, and 3 breakfast muffins! We have all agreed that sacrificing meals in exchange for sightseeing and activities is obviously how we're gonna roll! This is RIDIC!!! Micky, keep an eye on Briana's account...your joint retirement fund is dwindling away as we speak. Don't blame us...we are incredibly entertained by the local "sights" that continuously seem to catch our eyes...weird! We have our own mission!!! lol. Another shocker, but a bit on the down side, but we feel like we need to mention it. We are so fortunate to be safe and protected from the tragedy that just struck Indonesia. Reality hit when we saw headlines on the Aus paper reading about the earthquake/tsunami that took the lives of so many people. Weird to think, we were in Indonesia for 18 days and 2 earthquakes along with one tsunami occurred....we are very thankful.
To recap very briefly, we travelled from Ubud to a northern beach town, Lovina. We stayed one night in a very Luxe ocean front cottage for $25 incl. breakfast. Indo has proven that not everything is perfect...close...but a 2" cockroach scurrying along the bed reminds us that nothing is perfect and always good for laugh...imagine Taya & Briana chasing it down with a cup while Britt gave herself a warm lil hug in the middle of the bed....with an awkward grin....trying to be team player!!!haha! Then headed back to Legian to our haven, The Island- our Bali family met us at the door with open arms and excitement seeing familiar faces! The amazing people that we have met along the way has made it incredibly difficult to leave Bali and gives us one more reason to re-visit. We want to give a shout out to Charlie, Rich, Neil, Amie and the rest of the crew for taking us under your wings and making us feel comfortable and at home...maybe a little too comfortable but we really do appreciate it...Canada is calling you!!!! And to our new besties- C-Rad & Patty...do you miss us??? We still have our bracelets, do you? Too soon? 10-12!!! haha. Can't wait to meet up in Sydney...get your game faces on, cause we comin' at ya like spider monkeys!!! Anywho...gonna go sleep on a bench, will talk soon. Please send money!
xoxo...for real....money, money,money.......lol! Talk soon.

The

D

WE ARE OKAY

We are so sorry everybody for worrying all of you and not contacting all of you sooner. We hadn't heard wind of this terrible disaster...or felt anything. We left Ubud yesterday and now back in Legian at our first hostel- The Island. We are leaving tonight for Australia...only 10 more hours until we fly out. So please do not worry! If anything changes we will keep in contact. We'll talk soon. We are thinking of the thousands of people here in Indonesia that are going through this terrible disaster.

Well, That was a BIGGIE! (in an British accent...)

Sept.24th -26th

So, where do we start? We are a couple days behind since we didn’t have a computer for awhile…we’ll try to catch everyone up and keep it short…but we all know that won’t happen, so grab some popcorn and enjoy…Starting off with Sept 24th- the day we were supposed to leave Gilles T. Thank the Wisnu God for knocking the prop off the boat we were to leave on… because illness struck…BAD! Taya came down with a 24 hr…trip to hell and back with a remarkable recovery that included Brittany and Briana quarantining her in a NON-air conditioned room with a NON-working fan and Taya’s paranoia of bed bugs got the best of her when she caught a bug scurrying across her arm…(IT WASN’T AN ANT BRIANA!!!) Anywho…it was terrible but glad it wasn’t contagious! On to the next day…caught our boat finally…BOY OH BOY! Did we ever! Again, thanks to the Wisnu god (aka god of water) but this time for rocking the shit of us…literally. Started off with a shuttle (an oversized wooden canoe) that ferried us to our “boat” since it couldn’t dock…which didn’t give us much confidence seeing that we smashed into our boat breaking chunks of wood. We then boarded our “boat” aka a blue Theodore Tug boat. Age-100 years, Feet-24, Seats-26, People-30, Exhaust levels Inside- Intoxicating, Functioning windows- 0, Entertaining British guys- PRICELESS! To take our minds off impending doom, here are a few quotes from our fellow Brits (keep in my mind the poise that a British accent holds): “Boy, that was a biggie!” after crashing through yet another 10 ft swell…no lies!, “I think I see Bali, only another 30 minutes…scream if you want to go faster” as we literally skipped across the Pacific ocean giving us all Whiplash, and lastly, after a wave knocked out their window drenching all of us, they looked up in fear at the 2 crew members rushing to their aid…“I thought you were driving the boat?” Needless to say we had a memorable trip to Padangbai where we caught transport to Ubud. Got to our hostel-Jati Home Stay, definitely our most “simple”…we then headed out for a nice, relaxing supper…ended up dining with a few large hamsters…we tell ourselves that for peace of mind! Following supper we took in a traditional Kecak fire dance at one of the nearby temples…very interesting and different from our culture…very enjoyable! So, bringing you all to today, Sept.26th. Busy, Busy, Busy. Started off at 830am with a driver that we hired for $40 to drive us around all day to 4 temples including the biggest Temple in Bali, a volcano, coffee plantation, rice fields/terraces, and a mountain top lunch. Basically, a jammed packed day of sights and learning of the Balinese culture. Too much to write about, but a few highlights…Briana christening some Italian tourists with Holy water as the sign instructed all to do, sampling of some of the best coffee we’ve ever tasted…but not brave enough to attempt the coffee made with the “Poo-Poo” of a local animal who eats the coffee beans, a hike through a jungle where we expected to see Tarzan and Jane, sorry folks, no luck…but we did hear a “squig” ( what Taya calls a squealing pig), that was being sacrified to the gods. You can only imagine the look of shear terror on Briana’s face…Taya and Brittany once again trying to play it down, “No, No Briana, it’s National Pig Day…it’s being honoured, we should celebrate!” and finally, the 80 yr old Balinese women that never break a sweat, carrying baskets full of dirt on their heads, climbing mountainous terrain in + 40 degree heat and humidity putting 3 Canadian girls to shame…that’s understatement…we drank 3L of water and perspired out 5! Tomorrow we have white water rafting on our plates, don’t worry Momma Dalziel…if we fall out, we can stand up…more just to see the landscapes. Until the next time..keep fit and have fun!!!!
- J&H McLeod
p.s. Briana wanted us to mention the extremely dusty, dirty, ratty, cobb-webbed lamp that lies next to our heads at night…sleep tight…pray the bed bugs don’t bite…FOR REAL!
p.p.s sorry this was so long…it’s hard to shorten when we can’t do it daily. Thanks for following us. Take care.
p.p.p.s- We are REALLY behind...now the 29th..In Lovina..will write tomorrow!

You for Scuba?

Hey y'all!!! Haha! Sorry we haven't written for the last couple days, we have been extremely busy becoming professional scuba divers...yup, that's right...not only are we pro surfers, but now after, studying, writing tests, pool time and 2 open water ocean dives...we are bonified scuba divers! Keep your eye out for the upcoming National Geographic...some of our newest discoveries and adventures under the sea will be featured...no big deal! lol. For real though, the last 2 days have all been about really hectic and jam packed. Day 1- we had amazing instructors that definately put us at ease in the pool...the wet suits on the other hand, not the most flattering..but with all the gear we thought we looked the part..but once we hit the pool...we realized it takes alot more than we thought to have the grace of Scuba Steve! Oddly enough not as comfortable as one would think...Briana's mask swallowed her face, Taya's grace was that of a bull in a china shop...all you could hear was the tank clanging on the walls, and Brittany's mask was so tight that we thought her eyeballs were going to be sucked right out of their sockets! Everything seemed to fall into place once we hit the open water, all the panic (by Taya), anxiety and excitement turned into the epitome of serenity and bliss. So hard to describe what it is like to be in a whole different world..all the bright coloured fish, coral, mooray eels, crabs and the peacefulness of the silence and the ability to be weightless ( graceful...for once!) was unreal! We enjoyed so much, we decided to get certified through PADI diving school..so more tests, pool time and our 2nd dive...which was even more beautiful than the first. Brittany, once again found herself on top of another turtle and tried to ride it again!! We had a photographer come down with us and capture ALL the amazing things we seemed to have missed! and all those candid shots of us...wetsuits, snorkels, goggles, tanks, flippers...the whole shibang! I saw the first sign of the Dalziel competition...where Briana pulled out a crazy sommersault and starfish...pissing Brit off...and soon after Brit was in the underwater version of Cirque du Soliel!!! Tonight is our last night...we have to say goodbye to Gilles, the Gilles Goat, our instructors and beautiful paradise...sob, sob! We head to Ubud for the next 4 days...we are hoping to get more minutes for Briana's cell and have better access/charging for our computer. Anyway, hope all is well in Canada...miss you all...talk soon.

LET'S GO RIDERS!!!!

Why hello our fellow followers!!! We are so glad you all seem to be enjoying this as we just love writing these...Brit and Taya have to because after 1 entry each in their journals, they aborted the mission and this will be printed off as a journal at the end!!! Slackers! Briana on the other hand, is nauseatingly faithful! So today is Sept.20, we are behind..so back to yesterday...apparently we are failing at this too! We came to the beach after a brilliant breakfast served to us on our porch...not bragging or anything...checked out the snorkelling...realized that it was going to be closed the next day due to Ramadan(sp.) holiday, so we ran to our room and 1 hr later we were on the boat to snorkel around the 3 Gilles Islands. Oddly enough, the 3 of us along with 3 other girls couldn't fit on the boat ( not because of our packs!!!) and we soon realized that their 'accent' was VERY similiar...so similar, it turns out that they are 3 nurses from Regina General! Quickly came, the Rider chant, slow clap and singing row, row, row your boat through massive swells on the ocean! haha..instantly friends and have been hanging out since. We stopped in 3 places for snorkelling...Taya quickly realized that her and Micky are alike in that we are built for land whereas those GD Dalziel girls have gills..bitches! P.S. Micky if you are reading this, your 1st snorkel episode in Mexico makes me feel a little bit better about myself! lol. Of course Taya had the floppy snorkel and the mask that wouldn't seal..making her little asian eyes burn like no other...and of course, a fit of rage to follow!!! Saw amazing sea life, with beautiful fish and Nemo's, Brittany tried to ride a turtle just like Serendipity...we were a foot away...chasing it like a fat kid chasing a smartie. Briana decided to break out in song after seeing Dori...just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! As you all heard, we experienced our first earthquake at about 6 am...funny actually. Brit and Taya laying in bed cursing at the Ala god to remove the 'blessid' roosters from our rooftop, pillow, closets, under our bed..actually only outside..gawd dang I thought Roosters only cock-a-doodle-dooed in the morning...once! Not the case! Anyway, back to the point here...Briana lost her mind when the room shook like someone put a quarter into it! Throwing herself straight up, eyes as big as the Gilles goat when he saw us approaching, screaming 'EARTHQUAAKKKKEEEE!' a little dramatic..Taya tried to play it down, thinking a truck hit the bldg, soon remembering that only goats lived here ...unsure what to do-quickly went downstairs to check damage...Brittany thought...REVENGE OF THE GILLES GOAT! It was all good...pretty sureal actually, glad that we could experience it together! Today, was overcast, found our fellow canucks and took a 2 hour stroll around the perimeter of the whole island. Not much else...scubadiving in the next couple days. We extended our stay here in heaven until the 24th where we then head to Ubud for 4 days. Talk soon...just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! Miss you all. Peace. xoxox

Long live the Gilles Goat!!!

Sorry, this is actually being posted Sat. Sept.19th...bad internet here...a little delayed...

Well, we are officially seeking employment and a Balinese visa….because we just found paradise like no other. Today is Fri, Sept 18 and we arrived at Gilles Trawuang this afternoon. Just to catch up, since we didn’t blog yesterday…yesterday was a very chill day. We walked down the beach to Kuta, did a bit of shopping but not much because it was far too busy and a bit pricey…$10 is out of or league for clothing as we have been spending about $40/day for all meals and lodgings. We then went back to our hostel to sit by the pool and get our free traditional Balinese massage! The massage was one of a kind…who knew that a 90 lb, sweet little lady could feel like 10 elephants on your back…in a good way?! This woman was unreal…the pressure was very unexpected. We were stretched, cracked, massaged…even punched 3 times on the bottom of our feet, not to forget the temple massage…so hard, our eyes felt like they were going to pop out! With all that being said, we all agree, she kicked the shit out of us in a good way! It was truly the most relaxing thing to experience…the tradition and the sounds of Balinese music from far away temples made it very surreal. From there, out to supper to a quaint restaurant all the locals go to…Wurang Asia….Amazing! Today, started off with a little bit of a shit show getting our bus to take us to the ferry to the Gilles Islands….about 2 hours later…we were on the boat. The boat ride out there was quite hilarious…Taya, unable to admit that she could have motion sickeness repeatedly said to Brittany…I don’t know what this feeling is, I have never felt this way before …then Taya was out cold( Brittany forced gravol down her throat!!), Briana, 50 minutes out from our destination…praying to the urinary gods for a milk jug or something because she had to go so bad she could taste it! Funny, the Balinese pee dance looks very similar to the Cdn version!, Brittany…damn it…she just sat there and watched Taya & Brianna ugly sleep, chuckling because she roufalined them!!!! Once again, she sat back and watched Taya & Briana ugly sleep, very reminiciscent of the Korea to Bali flight! THEN….PARADISE…it was all worth it. The bluest, turquoise waters, surrounded by mountains and white sand…breathtaking and reminded us of what we all came looking for. We were greeted by the goats that they call horses and the a buggy half the size of a smart car…of course…we had to partake!….so we loaded 150 lb of luggage, 3 of us, 2 drivers into this wagon. Needless to say, our goatès knees were buckling, tongue hanging out and possibley a bulged disc…good thing the cart was wooden, cause Gilles woulda been on fire! We definitely thought we would make Gilles history by having the first ever goat buggy rollover thanks to the Canadians and their light packing skills. The owners of our first hostel recommended their friends hostel to us- Martas- we lucked out a and have 2-story bungalow that has indescribable character. Every nook is filled with some kind of wood carving or intricate detail….that can only be appreciated in person. We had supper on the beach and had our first bitang (beer), lame- we are aware, but responsibility first!!!! The beer is good, reminds us of XXX beer in Mexico. After supper we strolled down the beach past shops, restaurants, and live bands…took it all in while enjoying a cappucinno before heading back to our place for the night. Tomorrow, we are planning on hitting the beach, look into snorkelling and scuba diving but not before we enquire about extending our stay here…Hope you enjoyed…stay tuned! Lots of love. xox

Where the jalong’s (streets) have no name!!!

Hey there again…just us…stopping in to say hello. Had another eventful and action packed day. Today, we hired a driver to take us around the southern part of Bali, where the nicest white sand beaches are. We started our day, whizzing through the crazy traffic, again on the wrong side of the road…gawd…it is ridic!!! We started in Seminyak and headed south through Legian to Kuta. From there we went to the Garuda Winsu Kencana (GWK) cultural park where there is a statue that stands 150 m tall with its wingspan 64 m across.This statue depicts Lord Winsu as the source of wisdom riding on the back of a mythical bird, Garuda. It’s absolutely amazing, the size of it is inexplainable…all hand carved copper that is so big, it has to be constructed in 7 pieces. Only 3 pieces are complete and has taken 70 years….pretty phenomenal.From there we travelled towards the monkey sanctuary and temple….conveniently for us….we came across a tucked away paradise perfect for surfing…white sand, crashing waves, beautiful turqoiuse ,blue water fully equipped with 2 tall, bronzed, rippling muscled surfing gods (built perfectly for Britt and Taya!)….no lies…we have pictures!!! We continued onto Uluwatu, where some of the best surfing happens in Bali. The size of the waves were insane…and seeing 60 or more surfers padlling out to catch the perfect wave was quite the sight….reminding us to pull our heads out of our asses…cause we ain’t that good!!! We travelled through Pecatu towards Nusa Dua where all the Aussie’s vacation in the posh resorts. The large amts of PDA (public displays of affection) reminds the single ladies of their status…not to mention any names or anything!! Cough,cough…Taya and Brittany…sigh! Ugh! The resorts and beaches were pristine and kicked the pants off Mexico and the DR…a must for everyone! Skipping a few things, cause my fingers are cramping…we then headed Jimbaran where we spoiled ourselves with a delicious, fresh seafood dinner on the beach, watching the sunset. Brit and Briana indulged in 2.4 lbs of lobster and Taya had king prawns the size of approximately 9.5 ladies shoe! (9.5 maybe a little big, but they were huge!) Breathtaking and memorable for sure. Then Headed back to hostel where you now find us, just chillaxing, taking it all in! Pretty big day, so tomorrow will be more relaxing with free massages and some shopping. All for now…talk soon…Love ya guys! P.s. Th hostel we are currently in is 'The Island" but we are going to Gilles Truong tomorrow 3-4 nights..This island is remote and doesn't even have cars on it...just horse and buggy...so not sure how the computer or Bri's phone will work...doubtful..but we will def...update if we can! Girls do rule Bev, bet Micky is shakin in his boots...xoxo Briana

Surf's Up!

Well ladies and gents...we Quiksilver officially signed us as their new surfers...we even have a certificate to prove it. Basically, we ripped it up! So, too start our day....we officially are on Balinese time and over the jet lag. Thank you hindu gods! We slept loads last night, so much we ached this morning. We woke up early, ate breakfast and took off to the beach by 0800...only a 5 minute walk down the good old 'gang' (alley) and we were there! Definately a shock from the beaches we are used to...garbage everywhere...a local said it ws from a storm the previous and came from some river...hope that's true because it was gross! We had a quick lunch on the beach where Brittany got shafted and got 6 ravioli and Briana, on the other hand, got a whole medium pizza to herself...with my stern voice and intervention, Brittany didn't go hungry Tammy! From there, we tanned for another hour before...............SURFING!! We paid $39 for 2.5 hr lesson from the Quiksilver boarding school with 2 amazing teachers....nope...these ones weren't keepers! They made surfing look too easy. Briana was the first one to catch a wave on her first try, Brit swore at the board and Taya ate alot of salt water and sand on their first attempt. Wasn't long after, Brit pretty much rocked the waves. Those Dalziels owned that ocean!!! Believe it not...I , Taya Mark, actually surfed. The first wave i caught...I danced....according to my instructors...in reality, fighting for my life while the girls cheered!!! No biggity! All in all, today was the best day and after all of us being able to stand on the board and ride the wave....we are all looking to make an investment purchase for surf boards. Yup, this is happening! Tomorrow, we are going on a day tour of the island to temples and to this beach to watch the sunset while we eat supper...hopefully spot some surfer's for dessert...jaykay, jaykay! So, talk soon....take care...thank you SO much for all the posts...love ya long time!!! P.s. Taya actually surfed ( this is Taya...i'm shocked!!! Haha)

First day out.....

So this morning we met one of the hostle workers, real nice girl from aus gave us lots of tips about what to do, where to go, who to avoid and where not to go. We started with the downpour, but soon after turned into paradise. The heat was scorching and humidity was unreal...we were dripping with sweat! Taya learned after about 2 hours that regardless of asian background that sunscreen was a must here! The employees here asked her this morning..."you half?" assuming that I wasn't albino like those DL's!!! haha! We toured around our hostel, checking out the rooftop where it is possible to see Bali in all directions. We may have also lounged by the pool and napped...but nobody's bragging or anything! Really neat culture, very quick paced and friendly. Hassling very similar to Mexico...but not as bad...most speak 2, if not 3 languages...so the barrier is pretty much non existent. We also learned that Bali is mainly composed of the Hindu culture, where Karma is very strongly believed in and flowers, statues and incense are everywhere. We ventured out downtown for a few hours...wasn't long until a quick reminder about the opposite traffic haha! The stores have beautiful things...can't wait to shop, money is different to get used to...as we are carrying multiples of 100,000 rupiah which is $10 cdn. The sidewalks...well...not really there! Trying to be but the 3 foot gaps are a strong reminder to keep our eyes open...on the GROUND, again...no eye contact! Despite all the apprehension, it is definately a misconception about the people and culture...it is very welcoming and friendly, very accomodating. Yes, it can still be overwhelming at times..so our guards are up....and the 3 of us are watching out for one another. It is 1900 here, our plan is to relax at te hostel tonight....try and sleep off the jet lag that is kicking our asses! Until tomorrow!....Love you all! thanks for the messages, we jump to the computer to see who's written...it helps not feeling home sick.

p.s. Briana bought a cell phone that we will be taking throughout our travels until Fiji...so we will be contacting ppl sooner than later... Good night for now!

Bali Adventures Day 1

Good Morning, it is the morning of the 14th at 730 am. We arrived late this am because of delays...everything went extremely smooth and we had an airport transfer waiting for us to take us to our hostel. So that was a huge relief. Our bags were untouched and in perfect condition :) We haven't got to explore much since we arrived at 430, but it appears to be beautiful. Our hostel is unreal with a rooftop garden, infinity pool, yoga studio and free massage!...all in all...great! Except for the torrential downpour that we are currently under...never seen rain like this. Our plan today is to get organized, sleep and eat our delicious FREE breakfast! :) Keep tuned...we have free wi-fi in this hostel for the next 3 days, (no phone...sorry!) but we will get you updated as much as possible.

From Taya- Hey ma & pa and the rest of the fam...especially you Mik...I'm doing well! Didn't sleep much on the first 2 flights but was pretty much unconscious for the last! haha! Momma, don't worry...things are good..I'm in good company!!! Haha...no need to worry like Africa. love you guys. Take Care. Love Taya p.s. Butterscotch I miss ya lots! :)

From Britt-Hey guys, so crazy wierd to be this far away from everyone! things are going really well, we didn't make eye contact or talk to anyone at the airport....I haven't really slept a whole lot so I am looking forward to a nap, especially because there isn't much to do with the rain. Taya and Briana were both completly dead to the world on our flight from Korea to Bali....both of them were sleeping before we even took off!!! Anywho, sorry we couldn't call, I know you were freaking out! We are fine. Lots of love, Brittany.


From Briana- hey everyone ..... so i actually got on the plane .... yeah i know i cant belive it eather ha ha i did sleep a bit as well so that was good having trouble thinking about much other than home and missing everyone mom dad linds and chels and expecially my micky thank god for your video tape i have watched it alot already and cant stop thinking about you just cant wait till i get a phone so i can call prob wont be till aus when i get one so mabey try call tommorow i hope i miss you all so so much. love you xoxoxo ...ps. da don da don ch ch da don da don ch ch..

Hey Everyone! We just wanted to check in on here since none of you would appreciate a 230 am phone call from any of us....We are currently sitting at Lente , coffee and bakery in the Inochen airport in South Korea. So, we left Regina at 0855 Sept.12 and arrived in Seoul at 1700 Sept.13...quite the time change, flight was great, mainly because the time was shortened by about 2 hours from 11 to 9!!! Needless to say, none of us have really slept in the last 24 hours...but are having a great time so far with many 'overtired' moments haha! Quite interesting coming into the airport here, as we stood in 2 lines waiting to hand in our H1N1 forms, we were then scanned behind the Left ear...thinking for fever, but more so cloning...obviously...canadians are a big D! haha. Anyway, talk soon...we are boarding in about 2 hours to Denpasar, Bali...that flight is another 7 hrs!!!! Take care and we are thinking of all of you...love your ladybirds! Looking forward to hearing from some people! (hint!hint!)
xoxo.