Day 133 (Tuesday January 1st)
New Years Day 2019 in Sydney! I had a ton of fun at Celebration but I ended up staying up way too late to avoid the crowds who all headed home after the fireworks. And so, I took it easy on January 1st. I also hung out with Cebil & Justin a bit more, we got some yummy dumplings for lunch, and we talked about me visiting them in Denver once I got back to the states. They were headed up to Cairns for their own scuba adventure before heading back to CO. I also found another picture of the fireworks that looked pretty spectacular and another rainbow.
Days 134-135 (Wed Jan 2nd and Thur Jan 3rd)
I did more GRE prep on Wednesday, some at my homebase and some at Starbucks. While at Starbucks, I ran into Jeff and Kayleigh, a Canadian couple who were on an extended honeymoon in OZ and NZ. They were planning to go to the Blue Mountains outside of Syndey on Friday, and they invited me to join them as I also wanted to experience the hikes there.
But first, I had to take my test. The GRE was on Thursday. I did manage get in a run as well later that day. Here are before and after photos of my run. I was tired. Remember, it was the middle of summer, so Sydney was pretty hot at this time.
The GRE wasn’t anything outside of my expectations. The practice tests that I had completed prepared me for the types of questions they would ask. I finished all sections in time and a couple of the reading comprehensive sections I had a few minutes to spare. I also thought I did well on the essay tests. It would be a few weeks before I would find out my scores.
Day 136 (Friday January 4th)
I spent the morning exploring the Anzac memorial with Alex before he headed back to Brisbane. As with all other war memorials down under, it was impressive.
Sydney Anzac Memorial 
Soil samples from areas of Australia
Next, I spent a little bit of time seeing some exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I arrived 30 minutes before they closed, so I only had a chance to see a few art pieces.
Goowoolem Gijam – Gija plants – Shirley Purdie 
Conflagrations from the end of time – Lindy Lee 
The 5th reincarnation of Sam Poo – Jason Phu
To end the day, my friends Becky & Stephen from Delaware were finishing up a NZ and OZ cruise with their family and so we met up (along with Stephen’s father) to do the Sydney Harbor Bridge Walk. We climbed up to the top of the bridge for the sunset before descending back down in twilight. I had a phenomenal time.
Day 137 (Saturday January 5th)
Off to the Blue Mountains with Jeff and Kayleigh! It was a little disappointing as it rained most of the day, but it was a light drizzle, and so it didn’t stop us from seeing several amazing waterfalls and vistas. I also enjoyed all the conversations we had throughout the day getting to know one another.
Days 138-142 (Sun Jan 6th – Thur Jan 10th)
Not many pictures from these days. The hike through the Blue Mountains certainly tired me out. January 7th and 9th I blogged about my time in Melbourne.
I also finished coloring a playlist cover for February, read some more of my recommendations, and did a few more runs in the botanical gardens. I also booked my stay in Tutukaka to dive the Poor Knights Islands back in Northern New Zealand at the end of January.
On Wednesday the 9th, I visited the Sydney Public Library, and was once again amazed at the art and architecture.
Day 143 (Friday Jan 10th)
I started off my Friday with a morning run through the botanical gardens and across the Syndey Harbor Bridge. The 6.31 mile run definitely taxed me, but I made good time.
Next, I caught a ferry to the Sydney Taronga Zoo. It is across the harbor from the CBD, so I caught some great views of the Opera house and the city from the ferry and as I walked around the zoo.
BIRDS!
BEASTS!
SPOOKY / SCALY / WEIRD!
DINOSAURS & ART!
The zoo had the animatronic dinosaurs set-up so you could learn more about them and how they related to the current animals at the zoo.
After I got home, I also updated my blog with another of My Recommendations.
Days 144-145 (Sat Jan 11th & Sun Jan 12th)
Saturday was another low-key day since my Friday was filled with zoo adventures, but I did log in and see that they had posted my GRE scores. I’m quite proud of my scores, and it certainly shows I’ve been focusing more on reading and writing rather than arithmetic. For me, it was another confirmation that a counseling career is a better career path for me instead of finance.
- 162/170 Verbal Reasoning (91st Percentile)
- 161/170 Quantitative Reasoning (77th Percentile)
- 5.0/6.0 Analytical Writing (92nd Percentile)
Sunday I was back at Pitt Street Uniting Church, my last service with them. I certainly appreciated having this community to worship in, and I even had coffee with one of the elders in the church named Jolyon before I left Sydney (I think on Tuesday) and we shared stories of growing up and coming out.
After church I blogged about using your phone for what it was intended.
Day 146 (Monday January 13th)
My return to the Blue Mountains. It was going to be a sunny day, and I wanted to retrace my steps to get photos at the same locations. It turned out to be a very fun project, and I met a new friend named Ben along the way. He teaches in China, but originally grew up in the States. Unfortunately, he didn’t want his picture taken, but he graciously took my photo in a few of the same locations at Jeff & Kayleigh did. How many rainbows can you spot?
Days 147-149 (Tue Jan 14th to Thur Jan 16th)
I got a few more recommendations done as my time in Sydney came to an end. January 16th I flew out of Sydney up to Cairns where I would depart on my week-long scuba trip in the Great Barrier Reef. Here was my recommendations post: the first time I couldn’t wholeheartedly recommend any of them, but I’m still glad I read them.
I stayed in an Airbnb called Parramatta Park in Cairns that hosted PADI scuba divers. I would stay the night before getting on the boat – The Spoilsport, to begin my week living at sea. I found plenty of other signs from God in the #3 for my room number, #33 for my house number, and in a rainbow on a sidewalk that helped me stay focused on my Creator – the God of Love, Grace, and Beauty.
Thanks for reading along. It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but I’m glad to finally be finishing the My Adventure and My Recommendation sections of the website. Stay tuned for more frequent content updates from….Denver, CO! Yup, that’s where I am for the next ten days!
As for the song that rewards you for reading this blogpost – it is from the April 2019 playlist called Fellowship. Today is April 17th, and so you get to discover the 17th song on the playlist – How Will I Know by Charming Horses. They are a trinity artist on this month’s playlist, having 3 songs in the 30 song playlist. Enjoy the tunes, the lyrics, and the dancing triangle!