[205/365] View as the Sun Sets, Oyster Island, Vanuatu

 Vanuatu is a beautiful country. We went on a day trip to Oyster Island, a small island just a short boat ride away from Espiritu Santo. We stayed there all day and left just after the sun was setting.

[204/365] Palm Tree Fields, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

 One of the many palm tree fields we drove by en route to the beach.

[203/365] View from the Chifley Suites, Auckland, New Zealand

This was the view from our hotel in Auckland. Looks like something out of a futuristic Sci Fi flick.

[202/365] The LAB Anti-Mall, UniqueOC Event, Costa Mesa, California, USA

Happy Tuesday! This was a building at the Lab in Costa Mesa, a small shopping center that the UniqueOC event was held at. Have a great day!

[201/365] Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, California, USA

Finally made it out to see Santa Monica Place! Nice decor, but mostly stores I only wish I could afford...

[200/365] Necklaces for Sale, UniqueOC Event, Costa Mesa, California, USA


I love fairs like this one! Booths lined up in the hot sun, all with designers displaying their own unique jewelry, clothes, pillows, bags, prints, etc. Yes, I did make a few purchases in the jewelry area... Just a few, even though I wanted to buy everything! In addition, besides the $5 admission fee, there was also a free photo booth (props included), free juices and teas, free beer (one bottle), and free chips. 

[199/365] Pier, Huntington Beach, California, USA

It's always nice to take a nap at the beach!

[198/365] OC Weekly's Decadence, Anaheim Garden Walk, Anaheim, California, USA

So, I think I was in food and drinks heaven! Or at least that's what it felt like for those few hours. Maybe I was just excited at the thought of free food AND free drinks, that everything seemed great. Decadence is an annual event that takes place at the Anaheim Garden Walk area. Cocktail attire is strictly enforced. Restaurants from throughout Orange County present tastings of everything from grilled shrimp, barbecue sauce meatballs, steak tacos, chicken skewers to kobe sliders. I was so full, even from just trying small portions of everything. In addition, there were performances and a DJ as well. This photo is of the decorations in the main quad area.

[197/365] Cloth Heart on Bench, Devonport, New Zealand

This is another from our walk through the suburb of Devonport, a short ferry ride from Auckland. This was the second bench we saw with these cloth hearts...

[196/365] Surrender Night Club, Encore, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Wow, what a beautiful club. I've been here during the day for Encore Beach and it was nice, but at night, the mixture of water and lights makes it even better. Oh, and it's pretty fun too!

[195/365] Light Drawings, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Light drawing of hearts in Melbourne! These lights are from the buildings across the water (see previous photo to get an idea of where the lights came from).

[194/365] Waterfront City, Melbourne Docklands, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

We took the last trolley going around the city centre, which took a slightly different route than I expected. We ended up getting off here and walking around. It was really cold, but there were great views of the city over the water.

[193/365] "Maxims of Behaviour", Royal Mail House, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia


A kinetic light show by Alexander Knox, "Maxims of Behaviour" is on the canvas of the building called the Royal Mail House. Throughout winter months, the show goes on with constantly changing patterns in vibrant colors to mimic the heart and life of the city of Melbourne. We passed this as we were walking down the street towards a large intersection, and I waited until I could get a snapshot with several different colors.

[192/365] Melbourne Ad, Melbourne Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

We flew out of Auckland in the evening and arrived in Melbourne in the evening, benefiting from a 2 hour time difference. I was a fan of the graphics of the city ads displayed on billboards in the airports. This one is of the free trolley that goes around the city centre of Melbourne. My name was everywhere here too since Melbourne is in the state of Victoria.

[191/365] Victoria Park Bus Stop, Auckland, New Zealand

It seems as if I saw my name everywhere in Auckland. There's a Victoria Park Market that we went to to look for souvenirs. Here's a photo of the bus stop right outside the market.

[190/365] View from Chifley Suites, Auckland, New Zealand

We were lucky to find a great deal on a hotel in Auckland. The room I was in was on the very top floor, and from the bed, views of downtown Auckland could be seen. It was a suite, with all kinds of amenities, even including a washer/dryer in the room! From the balcony, I walked outside and was able to take this photo of the streets below, along with the Sky Tower. The rainy day made for a hazy night sky.

[189/365] Rangitoto Island, New Zealand

Rangitoto Island is about 30 minutes from downtown Auckland and is a recently formed volcanic island. By recently formed, I mean that it is between 600 and 700 years old. We were dropped off by the ferry to a seemingly deserted island where we hiked to the top of the mountain, passing lava fields and lush greenery, and taking detours to explore caves in the area. We were lucky to have a day without rain to make the trek much easier. After we descended to the area where the ferry would pick us up, we rested and this is where I took this picture. The waters were so peaceful and such pretty colors. Islands could be seen in the distance, with lava deposits seen right there in the water.