There's No Place Like Oz

Tasmania, Australia’s “Natural State”, is home to a handfull of national parks, with one covering a sizeable portion of the island in the south west. In addition to the major parks everyone visits, we visited a few other sites based on the recommendation of residents. Some offered butt-kicking hikes, most rewarded us with beautiful views, […]

I almost didn’t make it to Tasmania. I’m sure when most people plan a trip to Australia, they give the small island a miss. After all, it requires more time and money to venture off the mainland and explore Australia’s “natural state”. Before I arrived last year, however, I promised myself that I would visit […]

This is the 2nd post in the “Heather Eats Sydney” series and the 7th in the “my waist line is expanding while my bank account is decreasing” series. Heather + burgers I rarely crave a burger. When I do have one, it’s usually a buffalo/bison burger — more lean and without nasty growth hormones. Turkey […]

This is the first post in the “Heather Eats Sydney” series and the 6th in the “my waist line is expanding while my bank account is decreasing” series. For months I’ve tweeted about the restaurants, cafes, and bakeries I’ve visited during my time in Sydney. Some I stumbled upon during a walk, others I read […]

For nearly two months I’ve been sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting to kick off an Australian road trip with two of my best friends. And in these two months, I’ve learned a lot about the process of prepping for such a trip, especially when it comes to purchasing a campervan. 1) Tell […]

You may not guess it from reading my posts about macarons and other sweets, but I love eating healthfully. Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein make me smile, and I try to live gluten and dairy free as I’m sensitive to both. As much as I love healthy eats (and sweets…), I […]

This is the 4th post in the No Macaron Left Behind challenge series and 5th in the “my waist line is expanding while my bank account is decreasing” series. Quitting my job at the end of December was one of the best, albeit slightly unexpected, decisions I have made since arriving on Australian soil. I […]

There have been a few things in my life I’ve been paid to do: babysit, make cold calls about auto insurance, be a cashier in a department store and a grocery store, work as a psychology research assistant and lab coordinator, and coach and counsel students as an academic and career advisor. I can now […]

While I adore so many places in Australia, it’s fair to say that Sydney is my favorite. It was my introduction to Oz four years ago, and it’s where I kicked off my journey last May. Places speak (or don’t…) to people for different reasons, and Sydney just happens to have me under her spell. […]

I recently quit my job to travel. Sound familiar? You’re probably thinking of the time I transformed from career counselor to career breaker. On a Friday afternoon in March 2010, I met with my supervisor to offer my resignation and share the plan to move to Australia for a year. Well welcome to “Heather quits […]