Crikey!

Okay, things have become a little messed up when it comes to my future plans... If you know me personally, you most likely know that my ultimate dream is to travel. More specifically, Australia. Down Under! I found a program I could travel through and everything! It's called Rustic Pathways and I could travel there for ten days and because of the program I had initially decided on, I would work at the Australia zoo as a volunteer. But since I have to go to summer school this July and most likely the following summer (when I wanted to embark on this trip) I won't be able to do it until probably the summer between my Senior year in high school and College. You're probably thinking, "Hey, at least you get to go." You have a point there, I'll give you that. Today's blog is just going to be my rantings about what I want to do there, how I plan to get there, etc... hopefully you won't get too bored!

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE???

A plane. I'm not totally sure which flight or where I'm going to have to change flights. That'll probably be something I look into closer to my trip, just in case things change for some reason. I mean, this is a couple years off. Anything could happen. But from what I looked at now, I'd probably get a connecting flight somewhere in the U.S. and from there to Fiji, and then to Australia.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THERE???

I looked at the Australia zoo website, and besides visiting there, I hope to volunteer there. I'm going to have to figure out just how to do that, but I put the Australia Zoo website in my favorites, and I'm also going to link it here for my reference and whoever else is reading this. I have asked their staff if they would be willing to hire someone for just a summer, so I'm excited and a little nervous to hear from them... apart from hopefully a job, I want to go to the Sydney Opera House, I want to go whale watching, a crapload of art museums as well as ones related to history... sight-seeing, I'd love to try snorkeling... that's probably not even it! What am I talking about? Of course that's not it!

HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE???

I want to spend sometime between one month and the entire summer over there. I guess it really depends on if I get a job and a temporary place to live. It'll really depend on how far I can stretch whatever money I save up.

HOW CAN WE CONTACT YOU/FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE UP TO???

Email, of course. Probably this blog if I don't get really lazy. I was thinking about vlogging by uploading YouTube videos and putting the links here or in my emails. I'll probably make an email list and send some snail-mail just because it's always fun to get stuff in the mail that isn't bills. Who knows? I may even set up a legitimate website that's sort of like Blogger, but with more freedom to it. When I write this, I have FreeWebs in mind, but I'll have to learn more about that before I actually do anything. If FreeWebs doesn't work out (in ways where you can't see pictures, videos, and journaling all in one place) I'll probably get a Flickr account and put pictures there and then put that link everywhere. Adding on to the snail-mail plot, if I do in fact have a temporary address in Australia, I'll put that in safe places and you could probably send letters to me (I love getting letters! They're so much more personal than emails!). I have plans, guys... don't worry, you'll be able to find/contact me.

WILL YOU BRING BACK SOUVENIRS FOR ME???

Sure. Just ask. I'll do my best.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GAIN FROM THIS TRIP???

Work experience, travel genius, a social butterfly, photos, stories, LOTS of postcards, music CD's, and more international friendships. Good list?

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PREPARE???

Save up. A lot. Summer jobs, odd-jobs for my neighbors and my family, birthday and Christmas, asking people for donations (especially if I'm volunteering!) research... hopefully it'll be enough. That's all I can ask for.

Okay, I think that just about wraps up that. That's my longest blog entry in a while! And really, it was fun to do! If you can think of something else I should do, leave a comment and I will consider! Thanks for reading!

--Jude