comparisons

I like how without even living your own city you can do all these comparisons between the cities. Potentially between your current city and the city you want to be in in the near future.
So yea I compared TO and Mel and well they're not that much different=)

so this is more statistical based and compares living costs which are updated pretty regularly
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp

and this one just compares some random facts that seem to be out of date in some points
still a fun read=)
http://www.versus.com/en/toronto-vs-melbourne

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Medicine infused week

I'm going in full-speed in preparation for THE trip. This week can get archived under folder - Medical checks.
On Monday I got lucky when called my family doctor in the morning: I got my appointment with her immediately on the same day. I told her about the trip and since she couldn't really provide any consultation regarding vaccinations I might need she directed me to 3 travel clinics and warned me that I have very little time for some vaccinations to take place and it's sometimes hard to get appt with a travel clinic doctor right away.
That got me immediately stressed so I sat down in the lobby of the clinic center and called the first travel clinic on the list right away. I guess it's the name of the doctor that played the charm here - it was Dr. Gamble=) ahaha! He later told me that he is not related to the Gamble of P&G =)
Anyway I got the appointment for the very next day which is today. After the consultation with the above mentioned doctor I was appointed to take booster tetanus/diphtheria/polio shots but no vaccinations.
He told me to use mosquito repellent to make sure I don't get malaria or dengue.... scary

He also made a funny note on my vaccination travel report:

Travel Details/Itinerary: Going to Australia but will also be travelling to Bali while in Australia and that is a good place because there is no malaria in the resort areas - day trips outside of the resort.

I guess Bali is a good place=)

On a side note: I learned that some vaccination shots are extremely expensive. E.g. Japanese encephalitis $230 per shot (series of 2), Rabies - $220 per shot (series of 3), Meningococcal Meningitis - $140 per shot, Yellow Fever - $130 per shot...
man.....

This clinic also has a very good site with vaccinations needs listed per country http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

And to end the story of this medical labeled week - on thur I have my dental cleaning and on monday 21st and 28th I have porcelain crown installation on my tooth that was broken a while back in Vancouver.

phew. and after all that is done I'll be ready to go as a new born human with new immunity and new clean teeth=)

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IT ARRIVED

IT ARRIVED!!!! Came home today to face a fat brown envelope, stuffed with my medical/travel insurance policy, tickets booking confirmation, an Australia magnet and Australia bookmark and a thank you card from my travel agent Ryan=)
IT IS HAPPENING!!!! ta-da-da-da!

Few words about the travel agency. At some point of my Oz research I found this website that connects you with country specilized travel agencies near you. If you pick TO there are only two agencies that are located here and specialize in Downunder. I contacted both, but the quote sent by Downunder Travel was considerably cheaper.

Here is the list of agencies I contacted and round trip fare offered to me with a one week stopover in LA:
Downunder Travel $1845.34 + $75 service fee + $250 fee for a date change on the return ticket*
Vision 2000 Travel Group $1756.94 + $25 ticketing fee + $425  fee for a date change on the return ticket
Aspire Downunder  $1753.43 +$300 fee for a date change on the return ticket
TravelCuts  $2196.51 (didn't even ask about the fees... too expensive as is)

*Note from the travel agent: Now since you are flying with Qantas and we have a great relationship with them there is a very good chance that we can get the $250.00 waived and you would only have to pay the $75.00 (plus any change in fare/upgrade).

So if I'm actually going to have the date change fee waived (all saved in emails and I'll fight for this!) then I got myself the cheapest possible option flying Quantas both ways!

And then there were of course all these amazing search engines:
Google Flights
Kayak
Skyscanner
Fly.com
and bazillion of others but I decided that it's just less stressful to organize all the tickets with the stopover via one agent and also easier that way to change the return date so it will be them working out all the connection routes for me.

Oh yeah, I also got medical insurance with the same travel agent. All of the above offered approximately same price for medical+travel insurance for a year - of about $700-750.

I feel very poor now

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Getting prepared....

so what have I been reading for the past few days? oh many interesting books. and all of them are about Australia, Oz, DownUnder=)
these travel guides are full of useful information. Most of them I took from the library. and one I borrowed from a good friend.
So here is what I am reading:
1.
Australia gap pack : all the facts and expert advice for gap working in Australia. 2006 
2.
Gap years for grown ups New ed., rev. & updated. 2006 by Susan Griffith
3.
Work your way around the world 15th ed. 2011 by Susan Griffith 
4.
Lonely Planet Guide: Australia 15th ed 2011
5.
Rough Guide Special: First time around the world

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Vancouver 2012

Vancouver 2012, a set on Flickr.

кратко описание поездки в ванкувер и викторию:

Мы ходили гуляли по городу в первый день моего приезда в Ванкувер в вскр а в понедельник умотали в Викторию. нас было 5 - Алекс, Надя, надин бф Филип, надин друг Дэн и я. на пароме мы переплили в Викторию где провели 3 дня у друзей дэна. эти 3 дня мы провели совершенно бестолково. тусили с новыми знакомыми, пили, гуляли по паркам и немножко по городу и спали. еще съездили на очень красивое озеро, где провели почти весь день.
Там же я нашла отличную беговую дорожку и одним утром устроила себе раннюю пробежку.

После этого сложились некоторые проблемы с каучсерфером в Ванкувере и поэтому планы поменялись, и мы поехали в рядом лежащую местность Сквашим. где мы с палатками провели 2 ночи в лесу с медвядями и озером. Там же устроили поход в гору с водопадами http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stawamus_Chief очень красивый вид и мой первый раз в настоящих горах (ну не считая гималаев которых я не помню). залазили мы на самую верхушку долго. останавливаясь для фотографий, ланча и купания в ледяной воде водопада.
спускались гораздо быстрее как горные козы вприпрыжку.

Через пару дней вернулись в ванкувер и жили у других друзей дэна все семером... или восьмером... нас было много.
От Ванкувера очень курортное ощущение и чувсвуется какая-то богатая жизнь. мне очень понравилось. а еще странное ощущение температурное: там при температуре +17+20 было так же тепло как здесь при +25 я не могла этого понять но зато нагулялась в платье и юбке и шортах=)

В последнии дни у меня была капоэйра. Воркшопы в пят. А в суб фестиваль. Там я сидела фотографировала конкурсные бои. Под конец вышли два парня которые кроме капоэйры еще и ММА занимаются. Им сказали чтобы не дрались очень жестко. Но они все равно дрались во всю силу. В итоге один вылетел прямо на меня . я закрыла лицо рукой, но все равно со всей силы ударила в зуб который раскрошился на 1\3... я испагулась. пошла в пункт скорой помощи. мне заклеили ранку на руке и сказали идти к дантисту. я себя в зеркале не видела т.ч. на ощущение казалось что зуба нет на 3\4... через полчаса пришли надя с алексом и филипом и сразу меня успокоили. оказывается у нади тоже такое было и потом еще два парня с капо подошли и такие же истории порассказывалаи и я успокоилась немного.
после этого я получила свой пояс и в вскр мы туда пришли тока на полчаса и больше я ничего не фотгографирговала.

Следующее в списке: починить зуб.

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germany trip YAY!

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how to get to listen to an adventurous travel story

huh... so I went to buy my climbing shoes.
who knew they are ALL made of leather? I hadn't... until I read that on the sticker attached to the shoes
so I went:
- Ooooooh... I can't climb!
the store clerck:
- what's that?
- they are all made of leather!
- ? mmmm why?
- I can't have leather shoes....
- vegan?
- uhum
- Oh never even thought about such a problem... well yeah they are all made of leather...
the other clerck:
- here are some vegan ones - pointing to 4 pairs
the first clerck (Adam)
- oh cool then=) Yeah my friend is vegetarian... it's very hard to be one
me:
- it is apparently for climbing
adam:
- not only. when he went to the south asia trip he had to start eating meat again cuz such countries as Laos don't serve vegetarian food or even if they do then the food is cooked in the same pan where meat was
- oh so you traveled too?
- yeah we spent 6 months in asia - great place...

and the story went on for 1hour until the store closed=)
the moral of the story: be vegitarian/vegan and it will make ppl tell you cool stories=)

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CUBA: super short summary

самое краткое изложение того, как мы отдохнули на кубе:

мы 3 раза сходили на пляж=)
мы ели еду с уличных лавок, в ресторанах, но самая лучшая еда была в ксах, где мы жили
мы выпили литры мохито=)
мы были подвержены атаке муравьев посреди ночи%0
мы передвигались по местности на местных автобусах за одно местное песо ($1=25pesos)
мы сделали сотни снимков=)
мы танцевали сальсу в Тринидаде
мы играли на баранабнах в Санфуегосе
мы плавились и загорали
мы спали на крыше замка в Санфуегосе
мы общались с тучей кубинцев=)
мы катались на лошадях
мы иногда были нелегалами, т.к. нас было 5 на 2 комнтаы, а должно быть 4
мы представляли собой весь мир (Италия+США, Франция, Германия+Канада+Вьетнам, Лаос+Австралия, Украина+Непал+Россия)
мы провели просто замечательный отпуск!!!=)



***
here is the shortest review possible about our trip to CUBA:

we went to beaches 3 times=)
we ate street food and we ate in restourants but the best food was the casa food=)
we drank litres and litres of mohitos=)
we were attacked by ants%0
we were travelling in the local buses for 1 national peso
we took loads of photos=)))
we danced salsa in Thrinidad
we played drums in Cienfuesgos
we were melting and suntuning=)
we slept on the roof of a castle in Cienfuegos
we spoke with hundreds of cubans=)
we rode horses
we were illegal sometimes cuz there were 5 of us per 2 rooms
we were representing whole world in our small group (Italy+USA, France, Germany+Canada+Vietnam, Laos+Australia, Ukraine+Nepal+Russia)
we had just an amazing vacation!!! =))))

***

german & spanish versions are to follow...
***
ah, hasta la isla de Cuba siempre!=)

more details on the Cuba trip in Nadja's blog

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Beaver Tails!!!=P

Just came back from Ottawa where I tried a delicious sweet - BEAVER TAILS (100% vegetarian) =))
And cuz I didn't bring any with me to Toronto, I found those beaver tails places in TO.

there are really very few places - Ontario Place&CNE, Toronto Zoo and Wild Water Kingdom...but at least I don't have to go back to Ottawa just to get one more beaver tail=)

p.s. also found a beaver tail recipe....though I don't think I'll ever cook that=)

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