Back to Canada for a Few Months

So my working holiday visa is soon to be over and I am heading back to Canada for a few months. Shane's taking a few weeks holiday to come back to Canada with me so that should be fun! Looking forward to hitting the mountains for some snowboarding and catching up with all my friends!

I will be applying for the defacto/partner visa while I'm in Canada so I hope to return by August/September!

I am looking forward to spending the summer back home with friends and family! I've missed them so much!! That's means I get to miss the cold, winter months in Australia. Back to back summers hurray!

Harbour Cruise & Manly Weekend in Sydney

I went on a weekend trip to Sydney to visit Kristy and Simone (the girls I went to NZ with). On Friday evening, Kristy and I went on a cruise along the harbour, which was really awesome. A great and different perspective to view the sights on the harbour. I purchased a Groupon for the cruise months ago but just haven't had the time to do it. Originally it was bought for Shane and I to go, but it was near the expiration date and there weren't many weekends left before I have to go back to Canada in March. So I asked Kristy to come with.

It was an all you can eat and drink (wine, champagne, beer) so we tried to get our fill. The ship was one of the older ones left in almost original form. Quite and interesting ship but I can't quite remember the name of it. It was such a nice and relaxing cruise and I would totally recommend doing it. We did the twilight one so we get to see the harbour line at sunset. Just beautiful!

On Saturday, Kristy, Simone and I decided to have a day in Manly. I love Manly, which is in North Sydney. It's a pretty place, and has an awesome vibe to it. Sure it's a tourist destination, but the people are nice, beautiful beach and lots of places to eat/drink. So our day was filled with stand-up paddle boarding (mine and Simone's first time no photos though), some drinks and lunch at Manly Wharf, laid on the beach and then continued on drinking into the night and ending up at a karaoke bar! It was such a fun weekend filled with random bits and pieces.

Potoroo & Ellenborough Falls

Potoroo Falls

Shane and went on a little adventure to check out a couple of the falls near Old Bar. First we went to Potoroo Falls, which is in Tapin Tops National Park of the Manning Valley. Normally it's a really nice. calm creek and falls but because it had been raining so much for last few weeks, the water was quite high and moving pretty quick so we had to be more cautious.

It's really pretty, and only a short and easy 'hike' from where we parked. When we got to the falls, the water was just gushing down and it looked scary to me, so I didn't dare jump it, I couldn't even bring myself to jump off a rock into the water that was away from the falls. Shane went and jumped off though!

The beautiful Manning Valley

Shane jumping from the top of the falls. 

Then we walked back to the car and went to check out Ellenborough Falls, which is in the greater Taree area and is the second longest single drop waterfall in the southern hemisphere. At the car park, we came across a homeless man with a pet wallaby which was quite interesting! He was explaining to us how you can tell the difference between a kangaroo and a wallaby. I think he said it had to do with the ratio between the arms and legs? I can't remember now.

But the falls, were a sight! It looks like it goes on forever! So we took a few pics and it was getting dark so we didn't stay too long to explore the rest of the area and plus I didn't want to get bit by mosquitos (I get a really bad reaction to them).

My First Australia Day

My first Australia Day was full wet and rainy. The cricket was on and so was Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown (national radio station music countdown). We went to a friends house, in Wallabi for the party. Despite the rain lots of people came and everyone had great energy. The food was delicious. Lucky for us, the sun came out in the afternoon and the boys played cricket in the yard and I had my try at batting. So overall it was a pretty fun day!

Rach, the fantastic host, and Alana

Drinks, and cricket

Joel, prepping the lawn for their own cricket match

While the boys play cricket, the girls take over their spot under cover

Taronga Zoo, Sydney

I finally got a chance to visit the Taronga Zoo in Sydney! Kristy came along with me as well and it started as an overcast day but the sun came out in the afternoon. It's a beautiful zoo situated on the shores of the Sydney Harbour.

So we visited all the different sections of the zoo. We got to see penguins, a Komodo dragon, beautiful giraffes, a few African animals, koalas and kangaroos of course, seals, elephants, lions and tigers. My favourite experience was the lions and tigers. They have a beautifully set up habitat for them where viewers can see them through clear glass rather than cages and fencing. When we went to see the male tiger, he came right up close to the glass window to where all the visitors were standing. It was like he wanted to take a good look at us too. It was pretty incredible to be that close to a tiger with only glass separating us.

Well, I'll let the photos to the rest of the talking!

Komodo dragon

Tree kangaroo

One of my favourite photos at Taronga Zoo, wildlife against surrounded by a concrete jungle

Kristy and I waiting for the seal show to come on

just look at those majestic eyes

Our 'close' encounter with the male tiger!

There are more photos on my Facebook.