The Loveliness of the Modern World.

Chris is in Budapest today.

 He shared this photo.

His i-phone to my e-mail.

So he can be far but very close at the same time.

The loveliness of the modern world.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

"And this too was Greece.."

First day in Byron Bay, Australia.
February 2012.

I love connecting travel to art and poetry.  Both powerful forms of expression harness how a new destination touches the mind, body, and spirit...how an unfamiliar environment invigorates the senses...how the intellect is stimulated and the heart transformed.

Another Island

by May Sarton

And this too was Greece: 

Water so clear

A jellyfish looked opaque;

Silence so transparent

A voice could scratch it

Like a pane of glass;

A long crescent of white sand

Where we found

Not a broken hand of Aphrodite

Nor a silver coin,

But small pink shells,

The rockrose

White as foam

Under the dark pines--

And across the translucent sea

Another island

Floating on a dark blue line.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community! 

The Trail to the Lighthouse

{Australia Challenge Day 7}

Two and half hours later, I returned to my hotel room. My feet sloshed around in my sneakers as droplets of water hit the floor from my clothing. I grabbed my towel hanging in the closet and wrapped it around me for warmth. I plopped on the bed and kicked off my sneakers to rest my feet.

"How was the hike," my roommate asked in a concerned but curious voice.

Smiling I replied, "Great!"

 I had just completed the popular trail to the historic Cape Byron Lighthouse. A midday storm hit the seaside town during the descent of my hike. But the trail's scenic complexities play to the senses, easily distracting hikers from physical discomfort felt from weather fluctuations and the steep uphill climb. 

Below are few pre-storm photos from my time on the trail. Enjoy!

The Truth of Our Choices.

Atlantic Byron Bay
@Byron Bay, Australia February 2012

"It is our choices, Harry, that shows us what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

{Australia Challenge Day 5}

Travel at its core is a person or group of people making a lot of choices.

Choosing destinations. Choosing lodging. Choosing modes of transportation.

{trains, planes, automobiles}

Choosing w/whom your travels will be spent.

Choosing urban versus rural. Choosing souvenirs. Choosing guide books.

{Lonely Planet =)}

Choosing clothes to be stuffed in your pack. Choosing shoes to comfort your feet.

{as they pick up particles of life on every road you take}

---

  Analyzing the choices I made in Australia has been an interesting process. The choices I made are concrete evidence of my preferences and biases. If I want to understand who I am and what makes me come alive, I cannot hide from these choices.

One choice I've reflected upon was my decision to avoid "party" hostels.

During the first week of my travels I stayed in Melbourne, and crashed with friends. While traveling alone outside of Melbourne, I chose {subjective to my ideals} cozier accommodations. 

One example would be my stay at Atlantic Byron Bay. This hotel sells a few shared rooms for the same rate as hostels, but is adorable and quiet. No late night disruptions. And my roomies were women just a bit older than myself. One from China studying yoga in the area. One from Germany on a two week vacation mostly involving reading. I absolutely loved this arrangement.

The choice on the surface seems simple. I either wanted to party or I didn't. Right? But I am also a person who enjoys recommendations and getting the inside scoop from those who have gone before me. This led me to discover opinions mostly pointing to one essential component of visiting Byron Bay; party hostels. 

I mauled over the decision for a few days. I scoured the internet reading hostel reviews. I asked more people's opinions. 

"Why am I struggling so much with this decision?" I asked myself. I was struggling because I wanted to go against the dominant advice. My being wanted nothing to do with the "party" hostel. My being wanted quiet. It wanted the beach, the sun, and the ocean. It wanted a massage. It wanted a novel and pen to paper. It wanted trail running, and flora and fauna.

My being wanted a glass of wine {or two} coupled with live music at the end of each relaxing day. For the record, I am not inherently opposed to evenings of debauchery. {Just ask my friends.} But for me on that trip at that moment; it wasn't the experience I was looking for. 

So I chose what I yearn to do more often. I honored my inner voice. I discovered a piece of myself. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

I Did Not See Kangaroos in Australia...

{Australia Challenge Day 4}

...but I did fall in love with several animals. The photos below are from my Willing Workers On Organic Farmers (WOOF) experience. In future posts, I will discuss WOOFing in depth. But for now, enjoy photos of some adorable furry friends.

Barney!! My favorite animal friend of my entire Australia experience.

Unfortunately when I think of cows, I think of factory farms. Seeing them grazing in this beautiful setting filled me with joy!

 In love with this cat's memorizing deep yellow eyes.

Alpacas!!!
{enough said}

How crazy are those ram's horns?? I was delighted to have a fence between him and I.

Snack time!!! This adorable pup was lucky to have a pear drop from a tree.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

A Media Must Have...

{Australia Challenge Day 3}

In high school, despite my social tendencies, one could typically find me secluded in my room. Bedroom door shut, stereo on, and a stack of magazines at my side. Glamour and Rolling Stone were among my favorites. 

 When I went away to college my magazine stacks slowly disappeared.  My academic classes urged me to think critically about the world.  And I soon felt disillusioned about the way in which the media presented "information" and portrayed women.

Within the past year, magazines have made a resurgence in my life. My ottoman yields stacks of The Atlantic, Runner's World, and Yoga Journal.

And after my Australia travels, I've added one more magazine to the decor of my ottoman; Frankie Magazine. The narratives, art work, photography and cultural insights are fresh, fun, and original. If you've never had the pleasure of flipping through this publication check out the website, or try to find a local store selling this Aussie gem. 

What magazines are sitting on your ottoman these days? What magazines did you read as an adolescent? I would love to read your thoughts! Please leave your lovely comments below.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community! 

A Creative Block & Solving Problems.

Chinese Museum, Melbourne.
January 2012.

{Day 1}

I am three weeks removed from my Australian adventure. And with the passing days, my current case of writer's block only seems to intensify. To break myself free of my struggles to contribute to the written word, I am giving myself a blogging challenge. Hooray!

The Challenge:

For 26 days {the length of my travels}, I will continuously post reflections, photos, and insights from my trip on Underlined and Bold. With a little outside accountability, I hope to regain my sense of creativity with words, and rekindle my love of snapping photos. 

Do you ever experience writer's block? What strategies do you use to break away from it?

  I would love to hear your thoughts, so leave 

comments below!

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

Twenty-Five.

My lovely Chicago friends who came out to celebrate! Thank you ladies!

I turned twenty-five while traveling in Australia. I celebrated. It was awesome.

My friends, a little over a week after my return, generously threw me another bash at one of my Chicago favorites. It was also awesome. 

And just what I needed. 

-

Confession Time: 

I feel as if I shouldn't complain, considering I've just come home from an amazing trip, but I'm going to do it anyway. My transition back home has been a bit rough. My sleeping patterns are completely out of whack (4 hours of sleep at night, long naps during the day or immediately after work), the figurative off button to my inner monologue is broken, and focus is fleeting. I have not pinpointed the exact causation for this difficult juncture, but it is here occupying my attention for the moment. 

 I know I will find my rhythm again soon. But I cannot resist feeling incredibly impatient, letting my inner critic win. Allowing pessimism and futile thoughts run rampant.

Then again, it maybe good that I am unable to find my old rhythm. What good is a trip to the other side of the world, if it doesn't shake you up a bit?

Today, I leave you with a quote I've been contemplating.

"Life should be lived on the edge of life. You have to exercise rebellion: to refuse to tape yourself to rules, to refuse your own success, to refuse to repeat yourself, to see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge- and then you are going to live your life on a tightrope."

-Philippe Petit in Man on Wire

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

A Weekend in Sorrento

The second weekend of my Australia travels was just for the ladies. My friend Ali {who I was visiting in Melbourne} was invited to her friend Biffy's family beach house in Sorrento. Lucky me, I was able to tag along. Ninety-degree heat, swimsuits, sun tan lotion, sand castles, my first proper fish and chips experience, bunk beds, giggles, a sunset among the rocks, and an evening of reliving my childhood via a viewing of Clueless {RIP Brittany Murphy} defined my time in this slow paced seaside town.

Below is a little glimpse of my time there. Enjoy!

Me, Ali, Laura, and Biffy
{left to right}

More photos and reflections from my time down under to come! So be sure to visit Underlined and Bold again soon.

If you missed my travel photos from my first week in Melbourne, Australia, click here.

map image via.

Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

Bitter Sweet

Sydney Harbor near the Opera House.
February 2012

My body feels like a semi-truck ran over it. A nagging exhaustion forces me to yawn every ten minutes. The  constant fluttering of my eyelids urges me to lay down for a nap. But I avoid the temptation as it would only add to the confusion of my body clock. I know jet-lag has mercilessly taken hold of my body.

I'm back in Chicago, adjusting to the rhythms of the American city dweller. My mood, beyond my blood shot eyes, is bitter sweet. It was hard to board the plane to depart Australia. It was hard to leave a place where summer weather prevails, indulgence was a constant theme, creating memories with an old college friend was without question, and intercultural exchanges were a daily occurrence. 

 On the flip side of the coin, coming home has its perks. It means sleeping in my own bed, real life cuddles from my boyfriend {instead of managing time zone sensitive Skype dates}, and planning meet-ups with friends I left behind in the windy city. It also means working towards new goals-- as my resolutions list for 2012 still remains lengthy.

As I adjust back to the central time zone, Underlined and Bold will begin to swell with photos and reflections about Australia. I will also go back to posting about running, my Chicago shenanigans, and "Picks to Ponder". So if any of  those topics are of interest to you, you're in luck!

 But for now I lay in bed, pinching my cheeks in disbelief of my good fortune; the fortune to travel, and the fortune to have a wonderful place to call home. 

Cheers!

-Abigail


Enjoy Underlined and Bold?
Click here to subscribe and become a follower.
I would love for you to become a part of the community!

Scrapbook: Melbourne, Australia

St. Kilda Beach Pier

St. Kilda Beach

Flinders Street Station

Parliament Gardens

Hotel Esplanade in the near suburb of St. Kilda

Bike shop @ Rose Market in the near suburb of Fitzroy

Lawn Bowling @ North Fitzroy Bowls (in Fitzroy)

Lawn Bowling Celebration Dance

Central Business District (CBD) of Melbourne

Footbridge linking the CBD and the Southbank

Footbridge linking the CBD and the Southbank.
{The photo is taken from the restaurant Pony Fish Island that is on an open platform underneath the bridge}

St. Kilda Beach

Luna Park in St. Kilda

Famous St. Kilda cakes and desserts

Esplanade Market in St. Kilda

Parliament Gardens

Esplanade Hotel in St. Kilda

the Rose Street Market in Fitzroy 

Me w/ Greg Mann {a jewelry maker @ the Rose Street Market}
I bought my first Australia souvenir from him! {The big ring on my pointer finger} 

Near suburb - Fitzroy

Federation Square - Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria Australia

Public Toliet in the CBD

Melbourne Laneway - CBD

Near Suburb - Fitzroy

Federation Square

Pony Fish Island {Restaurant on the Yarra River}

Flinders Street Train Station

Departing Melbourne this afternoon to go WWOOF on a alpaca farm approximately 2.5 hours outside the city. Be in touch in one week.

Sincerely Yours,

Abigail