A Few Stops in Asia before Heading Down Under

As many of you know, I have made it back to the US after a few months of travel post-Rwanda.  It was sublime.  After leaving India, I make a quick stop in Hong Kong and then Singapore before heading to Australia and New Zealand for the last adventure before going home.  Man did it feel great to land in the USA after being gone nine months, the longest I've ever been away from my home culture!  Needless to say, I had a fabulous time and can hardly believe all of the places I was fortunate enough to see.

View of Hong Kong City from Kowloon (TST East)

The Breathtaking Hong Kong Skyline at Night

High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel

Found the Ropes & Gray Hong Kong Office!

Dim Sum, yummy!

Dim Sum at Royal Wedding Restaurant in one of HK's Many Malls

In Front of the HSBC Building

Hong Kong's Beautiful Botanical Gardens

Traditional Singaporean Breakfast

Hanging out with freshman roommate Brittany Fitschen and her husband Ben, 

who recently moved to Singapore

Dinner in Singapore at a Hawkers' Stand, including Sting Ray and other Pan-Asian dishes

Boat Casino

Singapore Flyer

Mer-Lion

Even ran into some Clemson grads!

After about a week in Asia, I made my way to Australia, a country I've always dreamed of visiting!  The next two weeks were divided between Sydney, the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef.  Not too shabby!

Climbing Sydney Harbor Bridge

Bondi Beach

Sydney Opera House

Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from the Royal Botanical Gardens

Uluru also known as "Ayers Rock" in the Northern Territory

Gum Trees in the Outback

Palm Cove Beach, north of Cairns in Queensland

Kangaroos

Holding a Koala named Diesel

Rainforest just North of Cairns

Great Barrier Reef

Snorkeled off a live-aboard Ship for 3 days, 2 nights

Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Waiheke is near Auckland, on the Northern Island of NZ

Such a beautiful Island, definitely want to go back in summer!

Traveled to the Winter Wonderland of the South Island

Saw a Blue Penguin Colony in Omaru

The penguins swam in from fishing, jumped up the rocks

 and waddled across to their nests to reunite with their mates

Queenstown, New Zealand

Night Skiing Mount Coronet for Independence Day

Never been more thankful to be an American!

Took a boat cruise on Doubtful Sound in the Fiordlands region

Saw sea lions and lots of other wildlife on Doubtful Sound

Hiking up to Franz Joseph Glacier

Ice Pick and Clamps for Boots

Walked through ice crevices and caves

Dense ice creates a blue glow

Auckland, NZ - last city before flying back to the US!