Australian Animals are the Coolest

When we landed I asked Caz, “What’s the first thing you want to do in Australia?” and before I finished the question she karate kicked me in the face and screamed, “SEE KANGAROOOOOOOOS!!!” So on Boxing Day, Uncle Tony took us to see some crazy Aussie animals.

	The Healesville Sanctuary, which focuses on breeding and release programs for endangered species, is located 65 kms from Melbourne. In an effort to create a natural environment for Australian bush animals, it boasts large enclosures filled with native flora. The Tasmanian Devil viewing area only has one Devil because, unless they’re mating or ferociously dining on a communal carcass, they like to be alone. The authentic setting makes the animals comfortable and the experience for people more genuine and personal, allowing guys like Uncle Tony to reach over a fence and stroke the neck of an emu. If you haven’t seen an emu, they’re five-foot tall birds with oily feathers, massive beaks, and crazy looking talons. Tony didn’t care, and the bird loved it. She got so into her massage that she sat down, almost fell over, and pooped everywhere. We also saw goannas (huge lizards), dingoes (“A dingo ate my baby!”), three of the most venomous snakes on earth (freakin Australia), platypussesesesses (no one can agree on a plural form of this super cute misfit), koalas (also wicked cute), echidnas (spiky, egg-laying mammal thing), wombats (super sleepy), and a “Birds of Prey” show featuring hawks, owls, and cockatoos that was surprisingly good. We even saw a boomerang show, where I purchased a left-handed boomerang. It comes back to me every now and then. The one let down was the kangaroo area. Kangaroos are most active during dawn and dusk because of the cooler temperatures. We arrived at 2:00 pm on a hot day, so the kangas were all taking a nap. A few of the bigger ones bounced around for a bit, but mostly they just sat there. We later realized the best time to see some action is during the scheduled “Keeper Talks”, when the keeper gives a short spiel about each animal and throws them some scooby snacks to wake em up.
All in all, it was a great way to see Australian wildlife and learn about some of the quirkiest animals in the world. Like did you know that platypuses have poisonous spurs on their feet that they can jab predators with? No, you didn’t. Thanks to the Healesville Sanctuary, you’ll never die trying to hug a platypus. You’re welcome.

Go to the Rooftop Cinema because we said so

Caz and I got heaps of tips and recommendations for our trip to Melbourne. It's great that everyone has something you "have to see," but when twenty people give you tips about where to eat or the best bar in a city, it quickly becomes white noise. That’s why it was so refreshing when everyone we talked to about Melbourne gave us the same tip for a great night out - the Rooftop Cinema.
	Situated on Swanston Street, this kitschy gem resides on the 6th floor rooftop of one of the many buildings that create the CBD skyline. Home to a lively happy hour crowd of both professionals and hipsters, we found ourselves transported to Brooklyn for the afternoon as we reclined on astroturf lawns with a cold beer amidst the skyscrapers of Melbourne. For anyone not interested in seeing a movie, either because you don’t like the selection (they only screen one film each night) or it’s sold out (tickets go fast), the bar is open and happenin' most of the afternoon. It closes for an hour at 7 pm to allow the staff to transform the hip beer garden into a romantic outdoor movie theater with incredibly chic and comfortable lawn chairs. Doors reopen at 8pm for the 9 o'clock screenings so arrive early for the best seats. The bar re-opens for pre-movie cocktails but the prices are dear ($9 beers and $10 cocktails), so maybe just enjoy the hot chocolate and coffees like we did (they're only $3). Once the sun goes down it gets wicked cold, so bring a blanket. If you forget, don't worry - they rent em for $5. Caz and I lucked into seeing Inception which is friggin awesome regardless, but when viewed on a rooftop set against the skyline as the sun sets on a clear summer night – fuhgeddaboudit. One of the pitfalls of traveling the way we do (staying in one place long enough to get jobs and really plug into the area) is that sometimes we get lax about venturing out and doing touristy things.
That’s why I’m stoked that we’ve already checked the rooftop cinema off our list. It was an amazing first experience in Melbourne, and will stick out in our minds as one of the best things we’ve done on our trip. P.S. It’s also an awesome place to take a date. Tickets cost $20, but chicks dig it.

Christmas Down Under

Spending Christmas alone is something that every long-term traveler has to accept. All the special days – birthdays, graduations, and the biggies like Christmas – aren’t spent eating your grandmother’s pie with your cousin Brad as your Dad sleeps in front of the TV. Nope. We travelers spend these holidays in a hostel common room drinking a bottle of €2 wine with SvÜrgen, the Viking dude in the bunk above you. And I’m here to say there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s awesome actually - everyone should spend at least one holiday with a Viking. So as a weathered traveler, it was strange yet awesome for me to head to Melbourne this Christmas to spend the holidays with my Uncle Tony, Aunt Angela, and cousins Mick and Pat. I was finally spending time with the fam. And traveling. Living the dream… Let’s just say it was sweet. We’ve never spent Christmas in such a different place. Instead of two-feet of snow (what up NY) we had 41 C heat (that’s 106 F America). Instead of deep-fried turkey (what up Tennessee) we had jumbo shrimp, salmon, and a lobster like shellfish called a Moreton Bay Bug. Needless to say, the food was amazing, but the craziest part was that CAZ ATE SEAFOOD. It was an Aussie Christmas miracle. The weather is different, the food is fresh, and the summer is just getting started. Honestly, I couldn’t think of a cooler way to end the holiday season than with the start of summer. And I’m pretty sure that all the reindeers down here have red-noses. You know…sunburn. Hey O.

We're back!

When we stopped updating the blog seven months ago, I never thought restarting it would take a freaking New Year’s resolution. I can’t believe we put off posting for that long.

But I’m writing to let everyone know that the blog is back. And it’s gonna be sweet.

We’ve just arrived in Melbourne, Australia for the second leg of what is hopefully turning into a world tour, and we’re picking up the posts from here to keep everyone updated on where we are in the present. But we’ve still got heaps of stories to tell from New Zealand so don’t be thrown off when we pepper in backdated posts from time to time.

Also, the blog is evolving to include more topics than just our quirky little trip, so we’ll be featuring guest bloggers, travel book and website reviews, video blogs of destinations and events, and a growing interactive role for you – the reader. We want you to send us recommendations of where to go, what to see, what to do – anything that you’ve done or hope to do on your travels. Guess what? We’ll probably do it. We’re here for a while and are looking for the best trip possible. That means taking advice, tips, and even ridiculous suggestions from anyone and everyone.

Pushpin Pilgrim is going to grow as our trip unfolds. We started 2010 in Fiji and we’re starting 2011 in Australia, so who knows where it’ll end? The answer could be up to you.

Thanks for reading, guys.

Sincerely super duper sorry about the lull in posts,
Shawn and Caz (that’s Carolyn’s new nickname...don’t worry it’ll grow on you.)