Adventures with Laura

July 2009

But First, Mexico

What did I dream of when I was a little girl? I still clearly remember when I was student of the month in kindergarten and the teacher’s aid asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I just stared at her blankly. How was I supposed to know what I wanted to be when I didn’t even know what was coming tomorrow? She listed various careers and options, and as the teacher’s aid continued to give her suggestions, I finally said “yes” to becoming a mom because at age five I thought that was what all little girls would become at some point later in life. My life would lead me through a different path, but at the time I had no idea the life of adventure that was to come.

Truly, what I wanted to be was an explorer, though I didn’t know it yet. I wanted to see new places and see the marvels of our planet. I wanted to see the places I saw on the television with my own eyes.

I remember watching National Geographic Channel, Animal Planet, and other nature channels with my dad. I was fascinated. Specifically, I learned about the animals of Australia from Steve Irwin. I learned about the majesty of the Great Barrier reef from other nature shows we watched. My dad would watch these shows every night and I would watch with him. I was amazed at the world that existed beyond my little town of Quincy, Washington.

As time passed I had it set in my mind. I would one day visit the Great Barrier Reef. I didn’t know how I’d get there, but I was determined. 

Throughout my youth I traveled to California and Mexico to visit family. My parents tell me my first trip to Mexico was at five months old. The first visit I remember was when I was around age five. My first memory in another country is one of the core memories of my youth. My grandpa had a lime orchard and I was walking along it with my dad. With encouragement from my dad, I reached across the fence and picked a lime. Suddenly, he said to me, “Oh, here comes your grandpa!” I tried to hand the lime to my dad but my grandpa “caught” me. That is how I earned the nickname “raterilla” or “little thief” from my grandpa, a nickname he continued to call me for the rest of his life.

We took a couple of family trips to Mexico, mostly over the holidays. My cousins and I would spend time at the plaza, or burning fireworks on the street. We ate the street food, celebrated holidays, and shared many moments together.

The trips to visit family in Mexico and sometimes California continued, and with it so did my desire to explore. 

Then, when I was sixteen years old, an opportunity presented itself. I was invited to attend a meeting for a program called People to People. This program used to take young people to other countries as “student ambassadors.” If one really evaluates the program, it was basically a tour group for high school students with some added activities to offer school credit. This program was a great opportunity for young people to experience new places and see how other people live life around the world. Unfortunately, the program ceased operation in 2015.

I was so excited to receive my invitation. The program was going to AUSTRALIA. I HAD to go. However, finances were tight back in 2009. If I was going to go, I had to raise the money to pay for the trip, which was a challenge at sixteen years old. I held yard sales and even raffled off a cooking pot my mom gifted me. I was determined to make my dream come true. I’m forever grateful to my community and especially my parents for helping me achieve my goal and pave the way to what would become a lifelong of adventures. Somehow, by July 2013, I was on my way to Sydney, Australia. 

I had never been on a plane before. At age sixteen, I only dreamed of stepping foot on a plane in one town, and stepping off in a completely different place a few hours later. In fact, after our flight landed at LAX, I think it took me a while to process that I was actually traveling so quickly between places. While we waited for our flight to Sydney, someone asked us (we stood out as a group of students it our maroon shirts and khaki pants) where we were all from. I responded with only the name of my town, forgetting that I was in California and not Washington.

I got on the plane and got the dreaded middle seat for the long flight to Sydney, but I did not mind one bit. This was my first international flight and I took it all in. The tray table, the safety briefing, the meals, even the lavatory. It was all so new and exciting.  At the time, I did not know I would be taking many flights like this one later in my life.

Then the time came to disembark. I had finally set foot in Australia on July 15, 2009. We went through customs and immigration, got our passports stamped, and continued on our journey. We boarded yet another flight and this time and went north to Cairns, Australia. Finally, it was time to explore.

Day One

Time to take it all in. After breakfast at the hotel we went to a place called Rainforestation Nature Park and we got to meet kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. We also has the opportunity to meet the aboriginal people, the indigenous people of Australia. I think this was such an important part of the trip, as it allowed us to appreciate and understand the history and culture of the people of Australia. We even got the opportunity to throw a boomerang or play a didgeridoo. I demonstrated little talent in both.

I Broke My Foot!

After our time at the nature park, we had dinner and participated in Australian “bush dancing.” I was not much of a dancer, but wanted to participate in all of the activities. We learned the songs “Home Among the Gum Trees” and “Waltzing Matilda” as we shuffled around the dance floor.

During one of the songs, my dance partner and I went different ways and my foot rolled on its side. The pain was intense! However, as a teenager, I had my priorities a bit skewed and somehow the excitement of the day allowed me to continue dancing.

Once we arrived at the hotel and I could no longer fake a normal gait, I decided to tell one of the adults. When we took my shoe off in the hotel lobby, my foot was clearly injured. It was bruised and swollen.

The decision was made not to take me to a doctor. Someone wrapped my foot with gauze and I was given an ice pack. I took ibuprofen and went to bed.

Years later, while I was a college student, I opted to go see a doctor because my foot continued to hurt and my gait was still a bit abnormal. It was only then that I discovered that I had fractured my fifth metatarsal, yet somehow I had continued on my two week trip as if nothing happened.

I Went to the Great Barrier Reef With A Fear of Deep Water

Finally, the day had come. The Great Barrier Reef! Except there was a slight problem. I was terrified of deep water, especially if I couldn’t stand in it or see the bottom.

When I was a kid my aunt, uncle, and cousins came to visit us here in Washington. We went on a couple of outings, including a day trip to Lake Chelan. My two cousins, my uncle, and myself all went in the lake.

While in the lake we found an old lemon and decided to split into four corners and play catch with the lemon. I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t know how to swim, so I decided not to tell them, even when they asked me.

The water was deep for my size and ability. It was to my shoulders and one slip was all it took to lose my footing and panic. My uncle was next to me in seconds and pulled me up, but that was all it took for me to develop a fear of deep water.

Even when I taught myself how to swim, I would only swim in four feet of water or less. I had become capable, but afraid. While on a band trip years later to the same lake, all of my friends jumped off the dock while I stood there and watched.

At the reef, I decided I wasn’t going to go in the water. I had never learned to snorkel and this was the ocean! I had made my decision, but I was not happy with it.

As I thought more about my decision, I realized that this was it. This was my moment to let go of my fear and do the thing I so much wanted to do. After all, I had traveled all the way to Australia to have this experience and was one decision away from missing out.

I put on my gear, which to my relief included a life jacket, and followed the group towards the water. I finally experienced the reef and from that day forward, my fear of deep water and of the ocean vanished.

The reef was magical. Seeing the coral and the fish, I fulfilled my childhood dream and to this day I continue to have an appreciation for the life that lives bellow the surface of the ocean.

The Adventure Continues

The next day we flew to Brisbaine and explored areas in Brisbaine and the Sunshine Coast. We tried Tim Tams for the first time (a must!) and did some souvenir shopping. After a time in this area, we traveled to Fraser Island and visited Lake Mackenzie on the island.

Fraser Island Has Drop Bears

Somehow we were tricked into believing this story! Drop bears are basically rogue koalas and drop out of the trees attacking unsuspecting passerby. The only deterrent? Vegemite on the face. I took my chances and opted not to use the vegemite, but many others walked around with vegemite on their faces and we were all on high alert on the lookout for the drop bears. Little did we know it was all a prank and drop bears do not exist. I say this as a warning to any future travelers to Australia, as many foreigners fall victim to the legend of the drop bears.

Happy 17th Birthday to Me!

What a surprise it was to me when we had dinner on Fraser Island and out came a chocolate cake for my birthday! It really helped make my already special birthday abroad extra special. There were no photos of videos, but it made me happy to celebrate turning seventeen with the people I was traveling. I think the trip taught me I can travel without knowing anyone, and still have a great time. As the saying goes, it’s not about the places you see, but about the people you meet along the way.

Back to the Mainland..?

Is it the mainland when it’s also an island though? Once we arrived back from Fraser Island, we traveled from New South Wales to Queensland, a trip during which we were pranked once more! As we were arriving at the “border crossing,” one of the teachers yelled out, “Oh! I must have forgotten the passports on Fraser Island.” Now, nine of us were without passports.

We were told that we had to cross while hiding the students with the missing passports. They handed out the passports to those who had them and told us we had to hold them up to the window so that they could be scanned by the cameras. I’m not sure what the actual cameras were, looking back I imagine it may have been a weigh station or something similar. At the time though, my heart was racing at the thought of us getting caught.

As we passed the “crossing” with our friends ducking by our side, the teacher exclaimed, “Oh, here they are!” They proceeded to tell us a passport was not needed when traveling between Australian states. I look back now and laugh at the thought that a national program led by teachers would promote illegal immigration.

Homestay Experience with a Local Family

We ventured on to Tamworth, Australia. We were split into groups of two and matched with a family to spend two days with them. The family I was matched with was a husband, wife, and their two children.

They lived outside of the town, and it was nice to be out of the city for a few nights. The family gave us a tour of their home and we talked about our way of life and shared about our families. I soon learned there were a lot of similarities between our families even though we live oceans apart. We had home cooked meals, shared stories, and got the unique local living experience that goes above any hotel stay.

The second day of the homestay we got together as a big group with all of the students and families. We prepared lunch and played outdoor bowling which is very different than traditional ten pin bowling. It was such a fun gathering with locals and us students sharing a meal and games. We even tried cricket, a popular sport in Australia.

Final Stop, Sydney

After our homestay, we returned to Sydney by bus for the final part of our trip. We visited the Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Sky Tower. They were must do stops when visiting Sydney.

Abseiling Down a Cliff in the Blue Mountains

In between our time in Sydney we took one final day trip and traveled to the Blue Mountains to have an outdoor experience. The company (Full On) explained how the reticular activating system works in order to conquer what may at first seem impossible. We broke a board with our hands and then continued on to the biggest challenge, abseiling down a 200 foot cliff.

I had my gear on and watched the others go, but I was terrified. I had already conquered my fear of deep water, but this was a new challenge and I hadn’t mentally prepared for this one prior to this day.

I made my way to the edge after my harness was strapped in and I felt stuck. I wanted to be pulled back up, but with encouragement from others and by telling my own mind to let go of the fear, I made it down the cliff. It was such a rewarding experience, I think it was what planted the seed to seek out adventures in places I normally wouldn’t. Adventures that sometimes make me uncomfortable, but have a reward after facing that initial discomfort.

Back Home (For Now)

I think I knew from a young age that I would become a traveler. During my teenage years I felt like there were factors that limited my ability to leave my hometown. I made the decision that I would overcome any obstacles holding me back, and let the wanderlust lead me to unknown places. As I settled into the routine of home life, returned to school for my senior year, and thought about what my actual career would be (now that I was no longer five, I had a better idea), I knew one thing for certain. I would do everything in my power to see more of the world in the future.