what i would do in 5 days in queensland

Meet Roo. He's the first boy I slept with. (Let me rephrase - the first boy with whom I slept.)

I've never been to Australia, and I’ve wanted to go most of my life. (Me: Mom, where do kangaroos come from? Mom: I knew we'd have this talk someday...)  

When I heard about a competition hosted by Johnny Jet (@johnnyjet) in conjunction with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Delta Vacations for one blogger to win a five day trip to Queensland, I -- well, I searched D.C. for Vegemite, bought a kid's snorkel, and made a total fool of myself on camera.

For my entry to win a trip down under, I've whittled my extensive must-do list in Queensland to a potential five day itinerary and created a shameless short video to complement the written portion.

Trek in the Outback 

Queensland's plentiful national parks (such as Lamington National Park), rainforests (such as Daintree), and open country are the things my daydreams are made of. I would spend a day bush walking, summiting a mountain, or trekking to the bottom of a gorge. As a dedicated TEQ blogger, my goal would be to learn and relay to my readers and followers the stories of the outback - the myths and legends, the reality of the landscapes, and what it's like to hike in Queensland.

Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

I've had the privilege and joy of snorkeling in caves in Okinawa and with whale sharks in Mozambique. I've seen beautiful things under water, but I haven't yet seen the Holy Grail of them all: the Great Barrier Reef. I would bring my underwater camera and instagram pictures from one of the 7 wonders of the world - inviting my friends, family, and followers to come with me and explore the world from under the sea.

Follow the Food and Wine Trail

I’m a firm believer that food and wine tell a story of a place. From vineyards you learn a history of agriculture and the land. From food you learn what pioneers foraged and how it became the basis of local staple dishes. Queensland is a quickly growing region on the world wine stage. I want to encourage potential visitors to experience Queensland through the lens of a glass of wine on a local food and winery tour.

Wildlife Ecotour

I would opt to take a guided or self-guided tour through a wildlife refuge or natural habitat that prioritizes preserving the land and the safety and well-being of the animals. I would use my social media channels to share photos I take tiptoeing through the forest to see a kangaroo (maybe he's throwing a punch - who knows!), crouching low to spot a crocodile or craning my neck to catch a glimpse of a parrot.

Exploring Fraser Island

I'd explore the world's largest sand island for hours - searching for shipwreck remnants, sidestepping my way into the mangrove forests, and looking out for dingoes. Unplanned adventures make for my favorite memories and best blog posts. I can always sleep on the plane back, right? 

What would you do if you had 5 days in Queensland? 

Follow the competition on twitter with the hashtag #5daysinQueensland. If you’re so inclined, please share my post so I can have the opportunity to share my trip with you!

friday photo | virginia wine

Virginia wine country looks and tastes and smells like home these days. @ Phillip Carter Winery 

Embracing Virginia's Terroir from Appalachian America

in the stacks | nonfiction reads

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Short synopsis
Cheryl Strayed's memoir of walking 100 days on the Pacific Coast Trail is a story of self-redemption and renewal. After experiencing the untimely death of her Mom in her early 20s, she loses sight of who she thought she was and indulges in heroine and extramarital affairs. She decides to hike the PCT without any knowledge of what she's doing or equipment she needs after signing divorce papers from a man she still loves dearly.

Quote 
"Uncertain as I was as I pushed forward, I felt right in my pushing, as if the effort itself meant something. That perhaps being amidst the undesecrated beauty of the wilderness meant I too could be undesecrated, regardless of the regrettable things I'd done to others or myself or the regrettable things that had been done to me. Of all the things I'd been skeptical about, I didn't feel skeptical about this: the wilderness had a clarity that included me.”

3-sentence review
The exposition reads as self-indulgent, as though Strayed needs validation and understanding from her readers. Somewhere around page 60 or so she loses that self-consciousness and writes like it doesn't matter, and that's when the book becomes a poignant, intense journey that's as much about you, the reader, as it is about Cheryl. Wild is beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and makes me want to pack a bag and hit the Appalachian or PCT alone for long enough that I can't tell the difference between the fresh air and my breath.

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

Short synopsis 
"NurtureShock" is a collection of essays debunking popular myths about children and teens from researchers and writers Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. Chapter/essay titles include, "Why Kids Lie," "The Sibling Effect," "The Science of Teen Rebellion," and "Why White Parents Don't Talk About Race." The authors compare research, studies, and results to offer new perspectives on parenting.

Quote 
"'Nurture shock' refers to the panic that the mythical fountain of knowledge is not magically kicking in at all."

3-sentence review 
NurtureShock isn't just a book about child rearing, it's a book that explores why we as children and teens did what we did, how we learned our behaviors, and how we can change them. The first chapter is on intelligence, and how kids who are told they are "smart" don't often try as hard or work as hard as kids who are told they showed "effort." It resonated with me, and I found myself analyzing my own behaviors. If I ever have kids, I'll read and re-read this book.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Short synopsis
Chris McCandless, also known as Alex Supertramp, graduates from college, sells all of his possessions, abandons his car, and lives as a hobo and tramp. He wanders into the Alaskan wild, determined to experience life stripped down to its most basic, raw components and never returns. His body is found frozen in an abandoned bus with journals and pictures from his long journey.

Quote 
"The core of mans' spirit comes from new experiences."

"I now walk into the wild."

3-sentence review 
In Jon Krakauer's introduction to the book, he says that some people think Chris McCandless was a foolhardy idiot who wandered unprepared into Alaska's wilderness, and others think he's a brave seeker and explorer who tried to fulfill his dreams. He asks the reader to decide for yourself. Chris McCandless was a seeker, a searcher, an incredibly intelligent man whose heart was light and dark, at once, and one whose story will forever keep me searching for a little piece of wilderness and solitude of my own.

recipe | matt's onion rings

I thoroughly enjoy watching my roommate and one of my closest friends, Matt, make dinner. He gets these intense cravings (like the rest of us), and he finds a way to make them happen. No matter how limited our ingredient selection may be, he finds a way - it puts a whole new spin on "where there's a will..." Last night he wanted chocolate chip cookies. We didn't have chocolate chips, and he didn't want to take the time to bake cookies. So he found a single serving recipe for cookie dough... that worked mostly fine without the chocolate. 

Last week he wanted onion rings one night something fierce. He opined the quintessential steakhouse "blooming onion" and the way diners perfect big, fat onion rings. He said all this as he tossed an onion from hand to hand, his mind working through the possibilities. I piped up and suggested an egg mixture and rolling it in flour. He nodded; he'd already gotten there. 10 minutes later, he set this heaping plate of lightly battered and fried thin onion rings in front of me, and I couldn't resist trying one... or two... or three. 

Damn him, now I'll be making onion rings on the regular. 

Matt's Onion Rings 

one medium-large onion cut into rings

1/2 cup flour 

a pinch of salt & pepper

a teaspoon Creole or Old Bay seasoning (or chili powder) 

1-2 eggs

2 cups canola oil (or oil of choice) 

1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs of choice (may use more or less)

saucepan 

how to make them

heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat - drop a bit of flour into it - if it sizzles, it's hot enough

crack your egg(s) into a wide bowl and beat well

mix together flour + seasonings (creole optional but yummm) and lay out on a large plate

on a second plate, lay out your bread crumbs

dredge your raw onion rings through the egg mixture, evenly coat with flour, and lightly bread with the crumbs

using a fork or tongs, place the coated rings into the saucepan (don't overcrowd but place as many as comfortably fits in at one time) 

cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown

drain excess oil on paper towels

enjoy!

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