SO. After a harrowing few days of moving out of my apartment and getting ready to move around the world, I managed to get all my stuff in two backpacks and a large suitcase. Everything I need in my life I can shuffle around the airport by myself. It seems crazy. I left Miami around four on Monday evening. I got in to Cairns around noon on Wednesday... It took a 5 hour flight, then a 13 hour flight and another 5 hour flight.

After nearly missing the first flight because Miami Airport has literally the slowest security line EVER, I was sure that I had gotten all the weird flight juju out of the way. Nope. My first flight runs out of WATER. They come in halfway through the flight to tell us that if we want to go to the bathroom, they'll provide hand sanitizer since they neglected to fill the water tank before the plane took off. How does that happen? The good news is that after that hiccup, everything went great. On a related note, I would just like to throw it out there that I think Air New Zealand might be my new favorite airline. If you ever have a reason to fly with them, I encourage it. Their safety video is really funny (youtube it!) and they fed me like six times. It doesn't take much to win me over ;)

Probably about 9 hours into the 13 hour flight, I just couldn't sleep anymore and found myself sitting in the dark and asking, "What in the world am I doing?" I had a moment of panic when I realized that all this was actually happening and I was on a plane en route to New Zealand. No turning back now, that's for sure. When it started to get light out, and the clouds began to clear and I could see my stopover destination, things were looking good again. I wish I could have spent a more time in New Zealand. It just looks way to beautiful not to return to. Gorgeous shorelines, rolling green hills... I'm going try and find my way back there at some point.

A few hours later I found further undeniable confirmation that I'm doing the right thing. I saw the Great Barrier Reef from my plane window. Any doubts I had were gone.

I got to Cairns, got through customs without a hiccup and headed to my hotel. I'm staying in a hotel for the first two days so I can get my feet underneath me and figure out the time change without having to worry about the other variables like roommates, unpacking and all that. I'm agreeing with this decision, except that I'd really love to get rid of this giant, overweight suitcase.

I got into the hotel and came to a horrible realization that most travelers probably figure out BEFORE they leave. My computer, cell phone, hair dryer... none of them are going to fit in the plugs! Australia has different outlets! So I was set out on an adventure to find a voltage converter thingy. Now, normally the mall would not be the first place I would set out to explore in a new place, but that's where the closest electronic store was, so there you go. It was actually kind of fun and probably a good exercise since that's where a grocery store and a currency exchange are.

I spent the rest of the day getting hopelessly lost in Cairns. I found the docks, a lot of the shopping and dining areas, I found the ocean, the swimming area...

Sometimes, walking around, it reminded me of Miami. Other times, Honolulu. But then I would look up and see something so completely different, there would be no doubt that this was Australia. Like street signs in kilometers, flying foxes (a kind of bat) in the trees, cars coming down the wrong side of the street, kangaroo burgers...

So day one was a success! Good introduction to this new crazy place! Stay tuned for more adventures in Oz!