Moreton island Team X-Treme!!

Scuba T

Ferry ride back from Moreton Island

Team X-Treme:

Zoe, Emily, T & Christine

Moreton Island Shipwrecks

Me sandboarding

I finally got a chance to enjoy my holiday break, I mean I had enjoyed it but I was suppose to go a week long road trip with some friends up the North Queensland coast to the Great Barrier Reef but at the last minute those plans didn't work out so instead I just pretty much hung around the Gold Coast. Me, Emily, Zoe and Christine took at day trip to Moreton Island which is right off of Brisbane and you can only access it via boat or ferry and there are not "roads" just an island full of sand of which is 98 % national park. Feel free to google it and read up some more on it. There are shipwrecks in which you can snorkel around and see heaps of fish. Also on the island we got a chance to sand board, which is pretty much like sledding on sand instead of snow. Very fun but boy it was exhausting walking up the steep hills once you get to the bottom but it was sure fun!! It was one of the most beautiful places I have seen here in Australia. I wish we could have done an overnight trip but oh well we made the most of the day as Team X-Treme!!

I am currently living at a friends house for the meantime until I leave for a 2 1/2 week trip to New Zealand, I am going a tour for 18-35 years and they have planned sightseeing, food and hotels all booked so I don't have to worry about it and I can see as much of both the South and North Island in a short time. I am looking forward to getting another stamp on my passport and to exploring what NZ has to offer. Once I get back I will have about 10 days until the big my graduation, I look forward to it but at the same time once it happens it just means my journey in Australia will coming to an end. It will both a happy and sad time for me but I am so happy I got a chance to do it and I will remember this for life.

I am not sure if I will be able to post while on the move but once I get back I will give a brief of my trip along with pics.

Take care and enjoy my blog!!

Theresa

It's Whale Watching Season on the Gold Coast

Self-Pic

Two whale close by the boat

More whales

Breached Whale..

So I went whale watching during my junior year in high school in Washington and the only thing I could remember was that is was very cold outside and that I am pretty sure I saw whales but I am not 100% sure, this time I thought I would try it out in Australia where the weather was much warmer. When I meant warmer I meant the sun was out and it was nice when the boat wasn't moving but getting from one point to the other made it a little bit chilly. The tour took place in Southport right next to Seaworld and they offered a full refund shall we not see any whales, being that it was whale season I figured we would see some, which did happen but I didn't expect to see them so close to our boat as well as Dolphins, that was pure bonus. I went sea kayaking in Byron Bay in February and got sea sick so this time I was prepared with all the drugs I was able to take!! They work but I am not sure if it was the drugs that made my sick or if I was just tired? Overall it was a successful whale watching trip in which I captured a great pic of a whale in breach position and got the see them ride next the boat!!

Until next time!!

Cheers,

Theresa

Full House...but full of fun

It's me...

Me, Chuck and Chris @ End

of Semester Bash at Bond Uni

Byron Bay lighthouse

Christine, Chuck and Chris

CAL grads

Me at the Eastern Point of Australia

in Byron Bay

So at the end of the semester my apartment turned into a hotel minus the rooms and the room service. My friend Christine was suppose to move into her beach house in Broadbeach the last weekend of the semester at the same time she had two of her friends from Cali coming to visit. Well those plans fell through as far as the moving to the beach so lucky I still had my place on campus so Christine, Chuck, Chris and myself crashed at my place for a week until she was able to move into her beach house. So for the week in which I was going to clean, pack up and just chilled turned into a fun adventure at my apartment. Finally by the end of the week Christine was able to move all her stuff into her beach house so for two days I was all alone, in a way it was sort of strange, but that didn't last to long as my other friend Emily came back from spending a week in the Northern Territory with one of her friends, then it was out turn to move out of my place and into Christine's beach house until I jet off to NZ for 2 1/2 weeks. I was very glad I got the chance to hang out with Christine's friends Chuck and Chris and give them as well as Christine a place to stay and in return she is doing the same for me. Oh ya we did get the chance to do some fun things as well. Took a day trip down to Byron Bay on a really nice day, Byron Bay is about an hour from the Gold Coast in NSW but its one of my favorite places to hang out on the beach, I was also able to take Chuck and Chris to the end of the semester bash (on campus party at the on campus bar). We had fun enjoyed playing host to Christine's friends.

Up next read about my adventure in watching the whale off the Gold Coast!!

Cheers,

Theresa

End of Semester 102..

Well the end of the semester has come and gone, please feel free to start calling me Master Theresa, ha ha just kidding!! I can't believe that I have been in Australia for a whole year and that I actually finished my Masters degree. I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking to myself I can't believe I am in Australia, it has been one of the most amazing times in my life and I am so happy I got a chance to do it. As most of you know once I put my mind forward into doing something I do it and well I did it even though at one point I wasn't really sure if it was going to happen. I officially don't graduate until Oct. 9th so I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to start school up next week like the rest of the people. I am going to use this time to see some more of Australia and explore what New Zealand has to offer before having to reenter the real world and start paying back my 1 years worth of education and vacation.

I would like to thank all of my friends and family for the wonderful support I have received why I have been over here, I can't wait to come back and share all these wonderful memories with everyone, I am not looking forward to being cold and having to wear shoes and jacket!!

More adventures still to come...Will post again.

Cheers,

Theresa

EKKA and The Beautiful Girls Concert

Me with Mat, lead singer of The Beautiful Girls at the EKKA in Brissy

Mat rocking out!!

Motor bike stunts at the EKKA

Each August in Brisbane is this event called the EKKA, for those who live in Washington I would compare it to the Puyallup Fair except way bigger!! There is heaps of food, farm animals, monster trucks, concerts and showbags...So the first four sound normal but you may ask what the heck is a showbag, well lets just say they have a whole warehouse full of these things that range for $1 to $50 that include various items such as candy, magazines, t-shirts, toys etc. Pretty much people attend the EKKA just for the showbags, I myself was overwhelmed with showsbags that I had to walk around a couple of times before making my choice, I went with the candy bag because it was the best deal for my money and I got to eat lots of candy, ha ha!! Besides the showbags, the main reason for going to the EKKA was to see this very cool band called The Beautiful Girls, my friend Emily introduced them to me and after seeing them live, I download pretty much all of there stuff. If you are looking for new music google them, they are currently on tour in the USA playing some small venues. Pretty much a fun night in Brissy at the EKKA with showbags, The Beautiful Girls and Emily!!

Well until next time, Rock on!!

Theresa

All Black Game in Melbourne

Scrum feed

Action shot!!

Docklands

All Black Game!!

First trip of my last semester didn't come until almost the end of the semester but I was super busy with assignments. I went to Melbourne with my friend Christine to go watch the All Black (NZ Rugby Union) play the Wallabies (Australia Rugby Union) at Etihad Stadium, for any sports nut like myself living in the Southern Hemisphere you have to see an All Blacks game. So when I found out that they were playing in Australia I had to go even if it met pulling all nighters so I could turn in an assignment before I left for the weekend. The plan worked as I was able to finish up the assignment, do a presentation and catch a red to Melbourne for a weekend full of adventures. The All Blacks game was not until Saturday evening so we used our free time to explore around Melbourne, we checked out Luna Park in St. Kilda, Federation Square, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne Olympic Park to name a few. If I could live in any city it would be Melbourne, they are pretty much known for there sports with everything from AFL, Rugby League, Basketball, Tennis and Soccer just to name a few, the only draw back for me is that is that it get very cold during the winter months and they are not close to the beaches like the Gold Coast. Not to mention if Australia would let me work here I would do it in a heartbeat!! On to Saturday, The All Blacks game was in the only retractable stadium in the Southern Hemisphere so it wasn't as cold as it could have been which was really nice, we got really good seats in the "end zone" and were around a lot All Black fans which made the atmosphere even better. This was the first time I didn't cheer for Australia as I jumped on the bandwagon of the All Blacks. Well the weekend was nice but I was looking forward to coming back to the Gold Coast were it was much warmer. On a side note, I somehow managed to lose my camera so I had to purchase one just before the All Blacks game but good thing my friend Christine had hers cause I lost a lot of really good pics :(

More adventures to come!!

Cheers,

Theresa

Hoe Down...Gold Coast Style @ Bond Uni

Don't mess with me...ha ha

Sarah, Me and Jana

Andrew and Me

Ride'em Cowboy!!!

Country theme is Australia? Yep that is what happened...The Health Science & Medicine Association sponsored a country themed party called "Hoe Down". To me it was an excuse to dress up like a cowgirl and have a little fun with my fellow HSM students...Yes Sports Management falls under this...Don't understand why, it just does!!

Well back to the "Hoe Down", there was $2 beer or mixed drinks, mechanical bull, hay bales and country music...then they bussed us an after party in Broadbeach at EAST nightclub. My friends convinced me to take a ride on the mechanical bull...then I ran into some issue, first I was too short to get on myself so I need to assistance of the guy in charge of running the mechanical bull, second of all I lasted all of 8 seconds but it was super fun and I am glad I got a chance to do it. I will say I felt as if I was back in San Antonio when I put on my outfit but it was all part of the theme...I was able to score a sweet flannel shirt, a sheriff badge, handuffs and two play guns...I was a hit at the party...well me and friends were!! I had a blast with my friends, Sarah, Emily, Jana and Andrew....It was a nice break from school but its getting towards the end and I can't wait to be done!!

Up next I am taking a weekend trip with my friend Christine to Melbourne to watch the Wallabies (Australia's national rugby union team) vs The All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby union team) this is going to be the biggest sporting event I have ever attended..If you don't anything about The All Blacks please check out this link...http://www.allblacks.com/...they are know world wide and I am super pumped I get a chance to see them in person!! Don't worry I will take heaps of pictures and give you a full review once I get back.

On another note I want to say Happy 1st Birthday my nephew Benjamin Alan Griffin....He is my sister Erin's youngest boy. I hope you have a wonderful birthday at the park with all the entire family and I can't wait to see you when I get home in October. I love you!!

I will be officially done with classes on Friday, August 6th with a Sports Marketing final on Monday, August 9th, a International Sports Business paper and a Strategic Sports Management plan due on Friday, August 20th before I am officially done!! Then I am on an 8 week break to travel, enjoy what Australia and New Zealand has to offer before the big day arrives on Saturday, October 9th when I will attend graduation. I will say I never could have dreamed of this when I embarked on this journey last September but I will say I will remember it forever!!

Until next time...Enjoy and look out for more to come!!

Cheers!!

Theresa