Passport

I have learned something living in Australia (well I've probably learned lots of things, but I have learned this!). Australians love to travel. They travel far. And they travel for a long time. A one week holiday? There's no such thing. A two week holiday means a quick trip down to Margaret River. Try 4 weeks to Europe. Six months driving around Australia. A year in a camper van in the US. It's not surprising when you're in one of the most isolated cities in the world and the closest "Road trip" is over 2,600 kilometers to Adelaide.

Before moving around the world, I had very limited (I now know) international travel. I spent 4 months studying abroad in Ireland, during which I traveled around Ireland and a quick trip to London and Edinburgh. I'd been to Canada (does that really count as internationally?) But it was only a quick conference in Toronto and crossing the border to the other side of Niagra Falls. I've been to Texas, but never Mexico. I've been to Puerto Rico, no passport required.

 Since my move to Australia, I have added 4 continents to my travel, for a total of 6. 

Australia & New Zealand, Oceania 

(try telling a New Zealander they're on the continent of Australia)!

On a side note, when I was a kid we played this game called Passport, and I still remember the way the electronic lady said, "Ocean-YA"

(it's hard to make out, but it's my first of a few entry stamps)

Brazil, South America 

South Africa, Africa

And my most recent trip to...

 

Thailand, Asia

(the Dubai airport doesn't count)

Yes, it was relaxing and lovely.

But there's one continent that will always be home...

I've been a lucky girl to have the opportunities to see some beautiful places. But the more places I go, the more places I want to go.

Antarctica, lucky number 7, here I come...!

Just Now, Now

As I was wandering around Cape Town, South Africa, a friend asked me, "Shouldn't you be taking pictures for your blog?" 

"I need to wait to be inspired by a theme. I've taken some beautiful pictures."

"Can't beautiful Cape Town be the theme?"

Well yes, yes I think it can.

There's a reason why Cape Town is one of the World's top destinations.

The center of Cape Town is Table Mountain

But the 12 Apostles are right behind.

To the morning Misty Cliffs...

And the Cape of Good Hope.

It was a perfect winter day for a walk.

The windy Chapman's Peak Drive was stunning in the "magic hour" light

And Hout Bay disappeared into the distance.

The wineries weren't too bad either... More pinotage please!

But in all this beauty, it's important not to forget that South Africa is still struggling for peace. The poverty and racial lines are still part of every day life, but Nobel Square is a reminder of the four Nobel peace prize winners from South Africa who have made a difference: Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk, and Nelson Mandela.

From the early morning view from the Rhodes Memorial, we couldn't hide from the #RhodesMustFall that started only a year ago.

But I can't wait to visit again and see the progress that's been made. Don't worry, change is coming just now, now.

Run for a Reason

Some of you who I met in South Carolina might have known that I caught a bit of a running bug. I'll admit it, I like to run. I always thought it was silly to run for no purpose, but there's something about a long, slow Saturday morning trail run that is my happy time. Thanks to my friend "crazy Katie" I've done some longer endurance challenges that prior to 2009 I would have thought to be ridiculous.

When I moved to Australia, I decided that I wasn't going to train for anything. Training for a marathon or a half-ironman takes a lot of time.

It's a lot of quiet Friday nights going to bed early and Saturday mornings are consumed. I didn't want to feel guilty about deciding to go to the pub on Friday night with some new Aussie mates, or leaving early Saturday morning for a weekend trek out to the bush. So I ran when I had time and when I wanted to.

I finally decided that I was going to see how an Australian race compared. August 2015 I was going to run a full marathon. I started getting back into my training regime in April. I remember my 14 mile run in the rain before a Dockers Saturday night footy match. I ran through Subiaco, Kings Park, onto the campus of University of Western Australia and back to the city via the foreshore. I was splashing through puddles and felt good. Countless weeks of not running, three physios, a torn meniscus & cyclops lesion, a knee surgery later, and almost two years later I had still yet to run in an Australian road race. (I may have walked 100 km, but that's different)

I knew it was going to be ugly. I knew it would be my slowest half marathon race yet. But I knew I had to do it and get it out of the way. My training was sparse (I still have some sightseeing to do! Plus I'm missing part of my meniscus (think cushion between your bones), so I tried to take it easy.

The race of choice? One of Perth's biggest, HBF Run for a Reason. 30,000 participants taking on the 4 km, 12 km, or half marathon. And I can walk to the start and finish lines. Not to mention my dearest friend (not a runner) was in town, so I signed her up for the 4 km too, and everyone else I know.

I pinned my race bib on before dawn and thought. "This is the least prepared I've been for a race."

And how does an Australian race compare?

Well, the course music was a little different. I think I hear a cold chisel song. But I also heard Sweet Home Alabama running through the freeway tunnel. It's the same as any other race I've done. It was a beautiful, and relatively flat course, with no race clocks. I didn't wear a watch so I had no idea of my pace. After a bout of flu two weeks prior (no, not the man flu, the real flu), I ditched any goals I had and just ran my "happy pace". But I was happy when I crossed the finish line. And as we were corralled from the finish line, some 70 year old man told me "You're a great runner". I wanted to say "oh, this is the worst race I've ran" or "I'm usually a lot faster". But my laid back Aussie attitude was content with finishing, pleasantly surprised by my time, and just happy to be running again.

Happy trails everyone. Whether you're running, walking, or cheering on a friend. Be thankful.

Some proof that I actually did run and finish.