long layover plus cousins!

Though it is currently 4 AM in Wollongong, I am far from adapting, though I have adapted to California time on my fantastic two-day layover (self-designed). Let me be the first to express how glad I am that I did not attemt to travel Durham to Australia all in one day! I was so exausted by the end of yesterday that I almost didn't make it into my bed before I fell asleep! Okay, well that might not exactly be the case, but it was good to finally be able to sleep, and especially wonderful that I could sleep in a "new-to-me" bed so successfully.

As is usual out here, I was woken up shortly after the crack of dawn by Bennett, my youngest cousin, who wanted to play BEFORE going to a birthday party! Luckily, I had slept, and could manage to entertain the little ball of energy.

I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful family, both close AND far, with whom I can stay (and happily, at that) when I travel the world, or travel the neighborhood back at home. I am very appreciative of the day I've spent here so far, and am looking forward to the next 30 hours that I am here as well!

On tap for today: Surf Lessons with my uncle, followed by an afternoon party, followed by showing off my newly acquired (un-honed) skills on the longboard, a second party, and hopefully, a good long sleep. Tomorrow, I am hoping to get to visit Quail Gardens, a place where my uncle tends garden (volunteers?) and which I hear is quite beautiful. Then I'll be off to the airport to meet my group and board our 15 hour flight! Be thinking of me at 3 AM EST (haha, yeah, right) on Monday morning, because I'll have just left the U.S. of A!!!