Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.

Yesterday was my day off and instead of sleeping in until 10, watching TV until 12, and then lounging on the beach until 5, I decided to be a productive tourist and went to the Blue Mountains with my friend Arron.

It's about a 2 hour journey outside of Sydney, through a small town called Katoomba. We walked from the train station to the mountains (about 30 min total), then proceeded to climb down the mountain for the next 5 hours. The views were gorgeous and even though the scenery resembles places back home, the palm trees thrown into the brush gave me a nice reminder that I wasn't just on some Tennessee mountainside.

The flies were there following us around the entire time, persistent as always. I saw a white cockatoo, large lizard and lots of butterflies. No Kangaroo though. Probably for the better, because I most definitely would have kidnapped it and sent it home to everyone I have promised a Kangaroo to.

Speaking of Kangaroo... the day ended with a nice steak burger made from its meat. Yes, they are cute, but they taste pretty delicious too.

While the rest of our friends went out on a Friday night, Arron and I were so exhausted from walking down and up a mountainside that we called it a night in. However, I was woken up to my roomie coming in, from going out in Kings Cross, at 5am and she baked me a crumpet. I say it was a good day!

I am at work today (8 to 5, although I showed up at 7:40...) and then I'm off tomorrow! I hope it's nice tomorrow so I can go to the beach! It's looking a little dreary and chilly outside right now, but usually that changes once afternoon hits.

I have had a pretty chill week (last two weeks have been very laid back, really)... I've just been working and going to bed early. I'm trying not to get sick, but failing miserably, and trying to save my money at the same time. Thus, I'm lame and going to bed at 9:30 every night.

On a side note, I've been doing interesting things to fill my time. Things have changed a bit since Monday, and I'm thinking that they've changed for the better. My mind is clearer and my heart isn't hurting as much. It's a complicated situation, but I chalk it up to being in Sydney and my life back home can wait. I didn't come here to be tied down to home... I came here to be free from a life that I wasn't sure was right for me anymore. Sitting at bus stops I play my iPod, as opposed to calling people from back home and when I'm bored I don't run to an Internet cafe to chat, I go sit by the beach or give a friend a call. Who knew such little changes can uplift someone's spirit so much. Really, I never knew how much it was dragging me down until Monday.

I guess it's gonna have to hurt,
I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved,
To get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down,
Like falling when you try to fly,
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye.

It doesn't mean I don't care or that I have forgotten... it just means I've realized I need to spend more time caring about myself and less about what people are doing back home. That's why I moved 8,000 miles away, right??

My goal for today is to get back into running. I've done it a few times since I've been here, but not enough to equal what I did back home. So, tonight I plan on going for a jog before hitting the town for the night... but, first, I must survive work. 2 hours down... 7 to go. (Yes, I really have had this blog page up for 2 hours...)

Cheers!

Michaela