I'm going to.....

And I'm so excited!!!  It all happened so fast, and out of no where!  So I've been thinking about my two week vacation, and Australia was one of the places I had in mind, but realistically it wasn't at the top of the list.

So on Sunday some adorable Aussie boys that were visiting New York were at my ward.  I got to chatting with them and casually mentioned that I was thinking of taking a trip down under this year.  We talked for a while and exchanged information and they said we'd have to meet up if I ended up going.  I didn't think too much of it.

Then yesterday morning I started looking up the price of tickets, you know, "just for fun."  Then I went on with my day.  At the end of the day I got a random email from my friend (and total travel hero) Karen.  She mentioned how she came across my post from a couple weeks ago where I brought up my two week trip, and invited me to join her on her two week trip to......Australia!  Are you kidding me??  That is so random that she would email me that same day!

I immediately responded telling her I was super interested and asked for more deets.  Of course, being the non-impulsive, must plan in advance, hate to commit person that I am my first thoughts were, Oh gosh, April??  Wow, that's way sooner than I'd planned on taking this trip.  Australia is seriously so far.  Is it worth it?  Am I really going to pull this off?  Then I got to chatting with some coworkers who'd been to/lived in Australia and it got me a little more interested.  

I came home and sent a message on facebook to my good friend and old college roommate Freya, who lives in Brisbane, to see if she'd be around.  Being the doll she is, she immediately responded insisting I stay with her and her soon to be husband (three weeks!) in their new condo.  Love love love her.

So there were still a few hurdles to cross.  I went to work and cleared the days with my boss, and then checked out flights.  I found a good deal, and then it was just a matter of booking it.  Talk about panic!  I finally pulled the trigger.  Karen and I were emailing all day, totally freaking out.  Seriously?!?!?  We're seriously going to Australia???????!!?!  I'm trippin.  I haven't left the country since my family went to Europe when I was 17.  I can't even believe we're doing this!

So we're meeting up in Sydney on April 13th (our flights land within 10 minutes of each other!) and then will be jet setting around the country for two weeks!  We'll be staying with Karen's friend in Sydney, and Freya in Brisbane, and who knows where else we'll end up!  Flights within Australia are super cheap, so we'll figure out the rest of the details in the coming months.

If anyone's been there I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Until then....Aussie!  Aussie!  Aussie!  Oy!  Oy!  Oy!