Author: Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Contemporary Romance writer, voracious reader, movie watcher, tattoo lover & enthusiastic traveler.

I – Itinerary

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

I have a pretty intense itinerary for my trip.  I always create an itinerary in order to make sure that I do everything I need to do.  I am a list maker at heart.  My day isn’t finished until I have marked everything off of my list.

Here is my itinerary:
Monday:
  • Arrive and check into hotel
  • Ferry ride to Watson’s bay – Lunch fish and chips
  • Dinner – Lord Dudley’s Pub
Tuesday:
  • Breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks (This place looks so good.)
  • Lunch and Golf at The Australian
  • Dinner w/Friends
Wednesday:
  • Harbor Bridge Climb
  • Dinner at Rock Poll Bar & Grill
Thursday:
  • Breakfast and Golf At St. Michaels
  • Golf At Camden Lakes
  • Dinner at Sydney Cafe
Friday:
  • All day tour of Hunter Valley Vineyards
Saturday:
  • Shopping & Spa
Sunday:
  • Leave for home

See, not to packed, right? All reservation have been made and all tickets have been purchased.

But, what if I just threw the itinerary out the window? What would happen if I went with no plan and no arrangements made?   Well, I have an idea what would happen.

Last October, with my family in town, we went to Beijing for a couple of days and once there, everyone suggested that we have to go to Xian to see the Terra Cotta soldiers.  So, I am thinking, great, absolutely.  Just catch the train and spend the day in Xian and come right back to Beijing that night.  Right?  Wrong.

It was a holiday in China that weekend and if I wanted to purchase a train ticket, I would have had to purchase it about 2 months prior.  Or, wait in this line for 4 days.  So, instead of spending the day in Xian, we spend the day in a our hotel in Beijing.  That is what happens when you fail to plan.

Creating an itinerary and following it makes for a exciting, laid back, and relaxing vacation to me.

What about you?  Do you plan your vacations or just go and see what happens?

G – Golf in Australia

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Australia is known for its beautiful golf courses and its mark on the world of golf in general.  I have been a part of the golf industry for over 6 years and in that time, I have seen and been exposed to just as much drama in this industry as there is on any day time television show.    Australian golf is right in the middle of it all.

Let me introduce you to Mr. Greg Norman.  Norman is the most successful Australian golfer.  His story book romance with tennis legend Chris Everett Lloyd is the stuff fairytales are made of.  If, your fairy tales involve adultery, betrayal, quickie marriage and an even quicker divorce.  Ah, romance.

Next I would like you to meet Mr. Adam Scott.  The most attractive man in professional golf.  He is a good player in his own right, but was involved in some controversy lately when he hired Tiger Wood’s former caddie.  Adam can also turn his upper torso 180 degrees.  Super flexible and oh so hot.

In China, we get a lot of golf tourist from Australia.  It is typical to see a new group of Australian men on their annual golf trip every week.  Why do they travel to China with all the beautiful courses in Australia?  Well, they come here for the golf and the amenities.  And, to have beautiful Chinese women fall all over them.  It may sound like a cliché but I have watched if for 5 years.  Chinese women are still trying to snag them a foreign husband.  It is a stereotype that just happens to be true.

On my Australian trip, my fantasy is that I meet a tall, gorgeous Australian who not only surfs, plays golfs, cooks, has beautiful tattoos and by the way, is a multi millionaire.  They are on every beach, right.  Well, if my memories serves me correct, the Australian men are how do I put this, ambitionally challenged.

I have had the opportunity to work with two Australians.  The guys were very sweet, but so different from American guys in every way.  They don’t lack confidence, that is for sure, but they are lazy and drink a lot of beer.   I had a great time partying with these guys, but they weren’t boyfriend or husband material.

Don’t get me wrong, I am open to any Aussie hottie who wants to try and change my mind.

Playing golf in Australia is going to be so much fun.  I usually play better while on vacation and when I haven’t played in awhile.  Last time I played golf was on December 25th, so I should be good to go by next week.  I have had a birdie in every country I have played golf in, so I hope to keep that streak alive.

F – Famous Australian Movie Stars

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Here are a few of my favorite famous Australians and the roles and quotes that featured their fabulousness.

  1. Cate Blanchett – Her oscar winning role in the Aviator as the amazing Katherine Hepburn.  Greatest line every, “Do your worst, Mr. Hughes.”
  2. Heath Ledger – William Thatcher in A Knight’s Tale, Ennis Del Mar in Broke Back Mountain.  All good choices, but I have to go with another Oscar winning performance; Joker in The Dark Knight.  Another great line, “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
  3. Hugh Jackman – Wolverine and the X-Men movies are good, but my absolute favorite movie of 2011 was Real Steel.  Totally shocker for me that a movie about robot was the most powerful, emotional, feel good and touching movie I have seen in a long time.  I actually cried.  Seriously, if you haven’t seen it.  Check it out.
  4. Russell Crowe – Begins and ends at Gladiator.  Oscar winning performance.  Absolute best line, “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius.  Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife.  And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”  

                

E – Emus

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

Now I know what you thinking.  Emus?  Really?  Sydney, you are just reaching for topics now.  And so early in the A to Z Challege, too.  So sad. 

Well, don’t pity me.  There is a point to this. 

Emus are the third largest bird in the world.  It is a flightless bird, but it can run really fast. Up to 36 mph.  So, this bring me to my point.   

I was attacked by an Emu when I was 9 years old.   Ok, not actually attacked, more liked chased.  

 When I was younger, my family would spend time at a family friends ranch in East Texas during the spring and summer.  This place was just beautiful. They had cows, and horses and chickens.  The property was spread out over several 100 acres of the finest land in Texas with a man made lake full of fish.  We would spend the day swimming, riding jet skis, eating bar b que and fishing.  

The first trip of the season when I was 9, there was some new additions to the ranch.  They had built an exotic animal refuge.  I can’t remember what other animals they had, but I do remember they had an Emu. 

The only other time I had even heard of an Emu was in the movie Protocol with Goldie Hawn.  Goldie’s character worked at a bar called the Safari Club where the waitresses dressed up in animal costumes.  Everyone avoid the Emu costume for obvious reasons.  One, it is not a very pretty animal and two, no one had even ever heard of an emu.  

So, seeing one in real life was exciting.  To my 9 year old mind, he looked friendly enough.  I was definitely more fearless back then, so I decide to climb over the fence and get a closer look at this strange creature. 

Big mistake.

Public Service Announcement! Emus are not nice birds.  In fact, they are rather mean.  And they run fast.  I mean really fast.  And when they run fast, they let out this insanely high pitch screeching sound.  As soon as my feet hit the ground, that bird took off towards me screaming like, well, like an emu.  I was utterly terrified.  Thankfully, before it could reach me, my dad literally pulled me out of the cage by my braids.  

I had forgotten or blocked out this entire incident until recently when I discovered, wait for it.  Emus are native to Australia. 

I am excited for the kangaroos.  I can’t wait to see the koalas, but as far as the emus go.  I think we can say I have covered that one.  Much respect for the Emu.