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Ben M

Ben M

traveled in 8 countries Read more
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    • AUS->NZ
      St Mary's Cathedral6'4" and full or muscleEven the hospitals here look coolRoyal Botanical Gardens1I wished for a real huf boardThere was an entire succulent section1122Emu/Kangaroo and Crocodile pizzasWorld class margaritas at Canteen OK1World class margaritas at Canteen OK!Phenomenal dessert at KOI Dessert Bar

      Sydney

      August 9, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

      Sight seeing in the morning, including Hyde Park, the Art Gallery of NSW, and the Royal Botanical Garden. The garden is right in the centre of the harbour and business district but is so large you can’t even hear any of the city noise when in the middle of it.

      Sydney Opera House - jaw-dropping and larger than it looks in pictures.

      Emu, kangaroo and crocodile pizzas for lunch. Food was good and didn’t taste overly gamey.

      Walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge and visited Luna Park.

      Took the ferry back and explored more of downtown Sydney. The transit system is incredible. Tap on and off on any train, ferry or bus with a credit card and they are fast, clean, and reliable. What a concept.

      Night cap at a hole-in-the-wall bar that has made several ‘best bars in the world’ lists. World class margaritas and other specialty cocktails.      Read more

    • AUS->NZ
      1Amy was very drawn to this guy
      Spice Alley1Ben sat at the emergency exit. Leg room galore!

      Chippendale

      August 8, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Flight from Honolulu to Sydney was a long one, although not complaining as the extra leg room was glorious.

      Half day in Chippendale, a neighbourhood of Sydney close to the university. Amy is already talking about how nice it’d be to study here … 🤔

      It was sunny and 16 when we landed. It’s funny seeing so many people in winter coats, as it’s technically their winter and this is considered cold for them.

      Settled in, explored a bit, and stopped for food at Spice Alley. A very cool outdoor eatery with several quick serve pan-Asian restaurants and bars.      Read more

    • AUS->NZ
      1Custard filled malasadas - amazing!Nu’uanu Pali lookoutByodo-In TemplePalm tree saplings at the macadamia nut farmStarting to get sick of Amy's 'why did the chicken cross the road' jokes1Bandit??Tractor has seen better daysJurassic ValleyOff on an expedition1The scene in 50 First Dates where Henry is trying to get Lucy to notice himProps from LostGodzilla's footprint

      Welcome to Jurassic Park

      August 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      Leonard’s Bakery - famous for their malasadas, similar to a doughnut but crispier and chewier, since 1952. Great way to start the day.

      Nu’uanu Pali lookout - stopped here on the drive North. More amazing views of the island. Apparently a war took place here, where the winning side pushed the defeated soldiers off the side of the cliff. Yikes.

      Byodo-In Temple - replica of the 950 year old temple in Uji, Japan created to commemorate the the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii in 1968.

      Macadamia Farm - stopped by this farm here to grab some snacks. Cinnamon and coffee coated macadamia nuts were the best.

      Kualoa Ranch - tour to view the sets and props of several shows and films, including the Jurassic Park/World series, Lost, Pearl Harbor, Jumanji, George of the Jungle, Kong Skull Island and Godzilla. So surreal and immediately places you in Jurassic Park.

      Finished the evening off at a few more beaches. Hurricane Dora is on the way but is projected to just miss Hawaii. We’re starting to feel the effects of it - much windier today and the waves are huge.

      Off to Sydney, Australia tomorrow! Hoping Dora doesn’t f with our flight.      Read more

    • AUS->NZ
      Manoa Falls
      This one should be self explanatoryUSS Arizona floating memorialOn the memorialThe very top of the sunken battleship visibleThe names of those who were on the ship, most of which who's bodies are still thereThe hike towards Manoa FallsAmazing pokéSunset at waikiki beachSunset at Diamond Head from the balcony

      Pearl Harbor and Poke

      August 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      Pearl Harbor - Started the day at Pearl Harbor. As part of the visit, we took a boat out to a memorial that floats directly above the sunken battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place for over 1000 US marines and sailors. Overall it was very informative and moving.

      Manoa Falls - Located in the rainforest Koolau mountains. The hike up to the falls wasn’t nearly as terrifying as yesterday’s but just as beautiful. It reminded both of us of the Cloud Forest in Ecuador. Amy and her rule-following nature didn’t let me swim in the lake where the falls emptied into like the other tourists. Classic Hufflepuff. After reading more about the falls, the reason this isn’t allowed is due to high risk of contracting leptospirosis. I guess that’s a good rule. Thanks, Amy.

      Food Festival on the Beach - Ended the night with more relaxation on the beach and enjoying a street festival. Our Lyft driver earlier in the day cursed the festivals and swore they made one up every weekend just to close roads. But he also gave us the tip of hitting up Da Bald Guy’s food truck. Apparently he’s been on a few Food Network shows and the food didn’t disappoint.

      Off to the North and East coasts tomorrow for our last full day in Hawaii.      Read more

    • AUS->NZ
      View from the airbnb in the morningCoffee at the airbnbThe pineapples are ginormous and deliciousWaikiki beachAmy at Waikiki beachThese chickens are running around all over the placeBottom of the Diamond Head hikeentering the craterMiddle of the craterI should've taken this as a hintAmy being cocky and flaunting her braveryBen thinking about flat groundHellView from the top of the hike11

      Waikiki - Beaches, Lē’ahi & Ahi

      August 4, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      One nice thing about still being on Ontario time is being able to enjoy this giant beach by ourselves at 6:30am.

      After the beach, we did a hike at Diamond Head, which is a crater formed 300,000 years ago and once served as a military station. The hike up to the peak was terrifying at times but worth it. At the top, the views of the island were spectacular.

      Diamond Head is Lē’ahi in Hawaiian, which means tuna ridge, given it resembles a fin. To cap off the night, we fittingly had delicious ahi tuna for dinner along with mai tais.      Read more

    • AUS->NZ
      Not sure what this is but we walked by it 10 times and it looked cool
      1It's been said Amy acts like Donald Duck when she's angry1My incredibly scenic window seat last flight

      Layover+

      August 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      A lot of long faces in Vancouver this evening. Can’t tell if it’s due to the multiple delays or the collective national grief over Justin and Sophie’s split. Prob a mix of both.

      Several walks around terminal E and a pit stop to the Canuck’s bar, and we’re off.Read more

    • AUS->NZ

      Hawaii Bound

      August 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Sus’ Amy got a personal search at security as always, despite claiming “I don’t understand! I do everything right!!”

      Amy also spent last night researching Boeing Max planes and their safety specs. I’m looking forward to her lulling me to sleep on the flight as she continues to explain all the details.

      Next stop Vancouver!      Read more

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