The Beginning Of The Story
Many people have asked me why I want to go to Australia. My response always sounds silly and cheesy, but basically it comes down to Kangaroos. Since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to see a kangaroo in the wild and not confined in a zoo. Now that I’m an adult I think the reason I am drawn to Oz is because it is the only continent that contains all the different environments/climates that are found in different places all over the world. Oz has the Blue Mountains that separate the east from the west, where people can snowboard in the winter and rock climb in the summer. It has numerous rainforest’s including the famous Daintree Rainforest in the north, where I have read that they have discovered types of trees that are so rare they were thought to have been extinct. The east cost is home to many popular and beautiful white sand beaches and islands, including Fraser Island, which is made entirely from sand and is the only sand island in the world that is home to a rainforest. Ofcourse I can’t leave out the west side of the continent which is mostly desert. The great Australian Outback. There is so much about it that interests me, but it will have to be for another trip.
I have always wanted to travel, live or work in Australia and in my industry there are lots of oppourtunities to get a job in Oz. It was a goal on my list of things to do before I turned 25. But 25 has come and gone and my lifestyle of living/working in the expensive downtown Toronto has interfered with my goal.
Last year around Christmas time, my sister Crystal and I had some time together just the two of us and we spent a few hours chatting about our lives, what we have accomplished, what we haven’t, our dreams and aspirations and what we think the near future will hold. Basically all those things that are involved in a heart to heart conversation with a close sibling. During that conversation I had mentioned to Crystal that my goal to go to Australia had been moved on my checklist of things to do in life to the “just a dream” category. There are so many reasons why I thought I’d never get to see Australia that I won’t list them here. But I had given up and thought of it as a dream. I didn’t think much about that dream (as it’s somewhat depressing when it get’s downgraded to that category) until the day after our birthday this year.
One little disclaimer, my sister likes to do things in an extremely cheesy manner. It’s just how she is and we all love that she does it so you should expect cheesiness at all times and nothing less. Hence what happened next…
Thursday June 19th, the day after our birthday (we’re twins for those that don’t know), Crys and I met for lunch near my work at a favourite place of mine called Everest. After we ordered our lunch she hands me a smallish red plastic bag which visibly contained a book inside. She proclaimed that it wasn’t a birthday present since we had done our bday gift exchange the previous night. I removed the book from the bag and was a little confused. The book was Frommers Guide to Australia 2008. Knowing Crys and her cheesiness a thought that perhaps there were two plane tickets inside the book automatically went through my head. Because why else would she be giving me a book to a place I already had multiple books on? But I quickly remembered that in reality it costs approximately $2000 for one round trip ticket from Toronto to Australia, so that couldn’t be the reason for this book. I glanced at her with a confused look on my face and she told me to open the cover. Inside was a letter detailing the reason for the book. It reminded me of our conversation from Christmas last year and that she was sad to think that my dream to see Australia might never come true. It went on to say how she had been working multiple jobs since then to pay off her own bills, her car etc and that she had managed to save just enough money to pay for my flight to Australia as well as some hotel and spending money. Plus she had been in touch with two of my friends in Brisbane to inquire as the to best time of year for her to send me to visit. They suggested June or October. Since Crys needed until June to save up for the trip she decided to send me in October. After reading all of this I looked up at her to see she was tearing up and smiling. She knew how much her letter and what she had done meant to me. It was all I could do not to cry which I was trying to avoid since we were in a restaurant. Crys is the most amazingly beautiful and kind hearted person I’ve ever known and I’m so lucky to have her as my sister. I can never repay her for what she is doing for me, nor would she want anything for it. All she needed in return is to know is how much it means to me and that I love her.
That is how my dream to see Australia became a reality. I leave on October 11th 2008 and arrive in Sydney, Australia on October 13th 2008 to begin my journey. Sometimes when I can’t belive it’s really happening and feel like I need to pinch myself, I just look at the book she gave me and I know my dream has come true.
Keep an eye here after the 11th as I will try to keep you guys upto date while on my travels.
– Bonnie :)
