The Great Aussie Adventure!!!

Just to give you all an idea of where I will be for the next year!  The Whitsundays are a group of 85 islands off the NE coast of Queensland, between Brisbane & Cairns.  This area is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.  If you're interested in reading more about the region, click here! 

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Merry Festivus, & HAPPY 2012!!!
(I realize this holiday greeting arrives a little late, but hey, when have you ever known me to be on time???)

2011 was quite a rollercoaster ride for me - in February, I was laid off from JSL after almost seven years.  I was fortunate to find a new home with one of my previous co-workers and started working at Carpet Couture in April.

During my time between jobs, I set off on an amazing two week scuba diving & fishing trip to beautiful and exotic Belize.  Some of my other travel highlights this past year included climbing ancient temple ruins and driving a Hummer through the jungles in Cancun, relaxing on the charming island of Isla Mujeres, exploring the picturesque streets of Old Montreal, and snuggling up to fuzzy alpacas at fiber festivals in both Maryland and Rhinebeck.
Outside of work & gallivanting around the world, I enjoyed weekly get-togethers through the year with both my knitting club, Girls Who Purl, and another group in the city, where I was lucky enough to meet a number of cool, fun girls who share my passion for fiber arts.
The other Big Event of the year for me was turning The Big Three Oh.  I was very nervous about the departure from my 20s, but my friend Maggy helped ease the transition with a girls’ weekend in Key West right before Halloween.  if you don’t know what Fantasy Fest is all about...I high recommend it!  Pretty sure we could have used a week of recovery when we arrived back home.
And now on to the new adventure that 2012 is bringing my way!!!  As some of you already know, I am headed off on an exciting new journey to the Land Down Under.  I have been granted a visa to work and travel in AUSTRALIA for up to a year!!!  I have given my notice at work and will be leaving NYC at the end of February, with a brief stopover in LA to visit friends, since it’s on the way.  I plan to continue my scuba training while I am overseas and working toward becoming a dive professional.  I will be making my home in the Whitsundays region, on the East coast of Queensland about halfway between Brisbane and Cairns.
If anyone is going to be in that part of the world, please let me know - I would love to have visitors!  Hopefully I will make a good local tour guide once I get settled in.  If you’re interested in following my (mis)adventures, I will be posting regular updates here!
I wish you & yours the happiest of new years & hope all is well in your lives!  :-)
XO
Ashley