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  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Sailing the Whitsundays

    July 9, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Two days and two nights of sailing, going around and in between all the islands that make up the whitsundays. After a quick check in in the morning where I for upgraded from the Mandrake to the Avatar, I assembled my bags and headed of to the harbour. At around 11.30, we get to go on board. Not much later, the big trimaran is leaving the harbour with 27 guests and 3 staff members.
    I was allocated one of the pods in the side of the boat, together with Mary. The bed was a bit smaller then expected, but I slept quite well there, hearing the sea around us.
    2 amazing days and nights filled with 3 different snorkelling locations, a morning walk on the amazing soft white sand of Whitehaven beach, whales, dolphins, turtles, stingray, sunrises, sunsets, stargazing, delicious food, fun and games with lovely people. It couldn't have been a better birthday weekend.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Birthday

    July 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Celebraring my birthday started on the Avatar. The evening before we had a great night and toasted on me saying goodbye to my twenties. The next morning, it was time to head back to Airlie Beach. The skipper allowed me to drive/sail the boat back towards the harbour :-)
    Once back on land, it was time to relax. I had lunch by the beach and had a relaxed afternoon. In the evening, we all met for an afterparty. I had an amazing time! We played beer pong, met some more people and went dancing.
    Turning 30 in Australia feels quite good!    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Night bus

    July 13, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    My first greyhound night bus. We left Airlie Beach at 9pm and arrived at 6am. 9 hours of tossing and turning, hoping to find a somewhat comfortable position. Luckily, I was picked up from the bus and brought to the hostel straight away, where I got two hours of sleep in before starting the day.Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Town of 1770

    July 14, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    After a quiet morning, I met some people in the dorm and we visited the Town of 1770. A small little town, where captain cook landed in 1770 to discover Queensland.
    We had a beautiful walk, saw some dolphins and some beautiful butterflies, and finished just in time to avoid the rain.Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Surfing!

    July 15, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    So, today I went surfing, or at least I attempted surfing.
    I went to the surfing school at 10 am, paid only $17 and after getting on our wet suits and surf board, we headed to the beach. Due to the bad weather in NSW and Victoria, the wind and rain was picking up, as were the waves. Despite the rain, every surfer was out to enjoy the waves.
    For a beginner, this means hard work. One at the time we got ourselves positioned in front of a wave and started paddling away, trying to get up on the board once we got in the wave.
    I never got much further then sitting on my knees, but I'm still pretty pleased with that.

    Afterwords a nice hot shower and then a chill afternoon evening inside (rain rain rain).
    All nice and cuddled up, because it is cold weather (17-22°C).    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Relaxing in Bundaberg

    July 16, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    This weekend, I was lucky to stay at my friend Ben's place. I met him in London and he was nice enough to invite me into his home here in Bundaberg.
    For me, it was the perfect opportunity to take a small break from travelling. Just watching some series, hanging around on the couch and relaxing. And it was really nice!
    On top of the lazy days, I got invited to a birthday party and a Sunday dinner and met some really nice people there.
    Tomorrow, I continue my travels. Fraser Island and Noosa are already booked. Camping in nature! I'm looking forward to it.
    Luckily the weather has improved a lot today, so I should be able to enjoy some nice and sunny days (the last few days it has been cold and raining).    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Bundaberg to Hervey Bay

    July 19, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Tuesday morning, time to get on the bus to Hervey Bay.
    I arrived around lunchtime, and enjoyed a walk along the beach before we had a briefing for our Fraser Island trip the next day.
    I got to meet all my fellow travellers and we were split up in small groups. After a brief explanation, we were send of to buy food for the next few days with our little groups. After a lot of debating and searching, we puzzled everything into the big cooling boxes and went to bed early. The next morning we were in for an early start, so we might as well try to get a good night sleep.Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Fraser Island - Day 1

    July 20, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We have to get out of bed early today, so we can get to Fraser Island. We have to watch a video on safety and then puzzle ourselves into the 4x4's (8 people in each car). We drive to the ferry which brings us to the island quickly. Once arrived the real adventure start. Straight away we get onto the sand roads and after a wobbly short trip, we arrive at our first location, Lake Birrabeen. After a refreshing swim, we head to the central station for lunch. We enjoy our picnic and enjoy a short walk through the rain forest.
    After our walk, it is time to head towards the beach so we can get to our next location. The beach serves as the islands highway and allows us to move faster from one place to another (you can drive up to 80 km/h on the beach, while only 30 km/h on the inland roads). After enjoying the views and spotting some whales, we end up at the bottom of a beautiful sandblow filled with coloured sands. It is absolutely fascinating to see all the different colours of sand mixed together. Black, grey, white, beige, yellow, orange, red, ... Just a swipe of your foot reveals new colours every time.
    By this time, it's time to head to our campsite. A couple of tents, a barbecue, a gas cooker and some tables, all surrounded by an electric fence to keep the dingo's (wild dogs) out.
    After cooking and eating dinner, we head to the beach to enjoy the full moon.
    Nice ending to a great first day on the island.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Fraser Island - Day 2

    July 21, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Second day, time for some adventure. After a short delay, we head off and drive along the beach to our next location. Suddenly we stop by some small air planes and we are offered the opportunity to do a scenic flight over the island. Of course, I can't say no to such a good experience. We see some whales and dolphins as we fly over and also get to enjoy the beauty of the Island from the sky. Butterfly lake, the sandblows, Eli Creek, and so much more. The Island seems to stretch out for ever (120 km long, about 25 km wide).
    After landing safely back on the beach, we head off to our next destination, Eli Creek.
    We have a walk through the creek (it is a bit shallow and a bit cold to swim) and enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding it. Next stop is the SS Maheno ship wreck. Leftovers from a an ocean liner that washed ashore in 1935.
    We keep driving along the beach until we reach the champagne pools. Small rock pools on the shore which have waves crashing into them (when it's not low tide like it was when we were there). After a nice swim we headed towards Indian head. A rock formation that forms the most western point of the island.
    After enjoying the spectacular views, we head back towards the camp, but have a short stop at the Pinnacles. These are multicoloured sand formations close to the shore of the island.
    After that last stop, we head back to the campsite. We are greeted by some dingo's on the beach which start running along with our cars before we arrive back at the campsite.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Fraser Island - Day 3

    July 22, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Our last day on the Island. I get up extra early and get to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.
    After breakfast, we head up to Lake McKenzie. Probably the most famous lake on the Island. Once again, we head straight for the water. After a short swim, I relax and enjoy the sun on the beach.
    For lunch, we head towards an old boat docking point, used for shipping out wood.
    After that, it's time to leave the Island, so we head back to the ferry which brings us back to Hervey bay where we all enjoy a lovely shower and a good night sleep in a nice warm and comfortable bed!    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Hervey Bay - Noosa

    July 23, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Time to move from one adventure to the next. The greyhound bus takes me to Noosa where I'm being picked up by the people from the bush camp where I will be staying the next three nights. We stop at the supermarket, and get some time to sort out all our grocery shopping for the next few days, since the bush camp is half an hour away from the city.
    A short drive brings us to the camp. I get installed in one of the 'dorms'.
    In the afternoon, we just hang out around the campsite, enjoy the sun and I read a bit in my book. In the evening, we cook in the lovely outdoor kitchen and enjoy an evening by the campfire.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Noosa Everglades - Gagaju Bush Camp

    July 24, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Gagaju Bush Camp is located next to the Noosa river. The main activity in the camp is canoeing down the river.
    After a good night sleep in the hammock style bunk beds, I get ready for a short canoe trip (4-5 km). We go down the Noosa river to Lake Cooroibah. There, we go on a small island/sandbank and have a bit of a break and then pass the side of the lake before heading back to camp. The sides of the lake are very shallow and are breading grounds for stingray. As we are paddling along, we see several stingray swim away.
    Back in the camp, I enjoy a nice lunch and a relaxed afternoon.
    The next day, we have a bigger trip planned. We head the other way (against the tidal stream) and go to Lake Cootharaba. This is supposed to be a 14-18 km trip, but after our canoe tips over, me and the two girls in the canoe decide to head back so we can get a warm shower and dry up. Luckily none of us were hurt and with some help from the two other canoes, we managed to get back in the boat and paddle back. We had a good laugh about it afterwards :-)
    By the time we got back it was lunchtime, so after a nice warm shower, I had a nice lunch and joined the people that had arrived that day. We played some card games and enjoyed the campfire in the evening.
    After a rather cold night in the bunk beds, I headed back to the civilised world, to the city of Noosa.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Noosa

    July 26, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After all the camping, I need a few days to relax. I'm staying in a nice hostel in Noosa close to the sunshine beach. The weather is a bit colder than I would like (+-20°C during the day, only 10°C at night), but it is still nice and sunny most of the day, so I still get to enjoy the beauty of Noosa as much as I can.
    I spend some of my time walking through the national park, lying on the beach or doing the necessary research on the internet to try to find a job.
    On one of my walks, I did the coastal track around Noosa Heads and got to see several groups of dolphins as well as some whales and a koala. Absolutely fantastic to see these creatures up close! Not something you come across every day!    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Noosa to Brisbane

    July 29, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today I arrived in Brisbane, the first big city on my trip. Before I even get the chance to go and explore, I'm taking the bus to visit a potential au pair familly. I had a lovely afternoon with them, but there are still more families to meet before I can make a decision.
    In the hostel, I got to enjoy some amazing views over the river from the rooftop.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Brisbane

    July 30, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This weekend, I got to discover the city. I walked through the Botanical Garden and along South Bank. A beautiful area with beautiful bits of park and even a big stretched out pool in the middle. All this on the side of the river. I enjoyed walking around and found some quiet spots to read (I just got Harry Pottwr and the Cursed Child on my kindle, so I had some reading to do). I also had a look around in the science museum before heading into town and discovering the shopping centre. It was a nice weekend. Lovely and sunny during the day, although a bit cold at night.Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Mini farm experience

    August 1, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    I met a family that lived on a farm half an hour out of Toowoomba, two hours inland from Brisbane. They invited me to spend a couple of days with them, so I could get an idea what it was like there. This was one of the families I could potentially work for.
    I went there from Monday to Wednesday and had a great time. I got to drive around the fields to check if any cows where giving birth, got to meet their 4 lovely children and their busy school lives as well as enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the outdoors.
    A great couple of days and a lovely experience with some warm and welcoming people!    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Work!

    August 3, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    After all the facebook searched, emails, text and phonecalls, a decision is finally made.
    I will start au pairing with a lovely family in Hamilton, Brisbane. They have two little boys, 5 and 6 years old. I will help take care of the boys and do the housekeeping. In return I get to live in my own little house with bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room to myself. They also provide meals and generous pocket money.
    The house itself has been recently renovated and is absolutely beautiful (and comes with a pool, a gym, a cinema room and so much more). It also had some amazing views over the river and the city.
    I start working the 15th of August and will stay with them until the beginning of December. After that, I'll travel to Sydney and Melbourne.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Brisbane to Byron Bay

    August 4, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    I have some time left begore I start au pairing, so I might as well make the most of it. Therefore I decided to head towards Byron Bay. Every traveller I met was in love with this place, so I had to go check it out for myself.
    Unfortunatly, the weather isn't cooperating. It has been raining all day today, with some short sunny moments in between.
    Hopefully it will clear out so I can go and enjoy the beautiful beaches!    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Brisbane - Coffs Harbour

    December 10, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Time for a new adventure! I'm leaving Brisbane behind and I'm driving down to Sydney. I got a relocation van, so I'm driving myself! It is really weird in the beginning to sit on the wrong side of the car. Luckily I don't have to worry about the gears, as it's an automatic.
    A short stop in Byron bay for lunch gets me to Coffs Harbour in the late afternoon. All together about 6 hours driving, so that's not too bad.
    After all that driving, a nice relaxing walk along the beach is great, finished off with a lovely dinner and a good night sleep, so I can start driving again early in the morning to get to Sydney.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Coffs Harbour - Sydney

    December 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Another good 6 hours of driving brings me in the heart of Sydney. With the help of my phone, I manage to get to the hostel easily. The traffic in the city is crazy, with very narrow lanes all of a sudden (especially after driving on the motorway for so long), but everything goes well and I arrive safely at the hostel. I check in, drop of my luggage and then drive the car to the rental company to drop it off. I take the bus back into the city and go for a nice walk into the heart of Sydney. I'm ready for a week of being a tourist again!Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Sydney

    December 12, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    The Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, Darling Harbour, Bondi Beach, QVB, the Blue Mountains, ...
    Although the weather was a bit all over the place (scorching hot one day, rain all day the next), I got to see quite a few amazing places in and around this city.Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Sydney - Melbourne

    December 18, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After Sydney, it is time to move on to Melbourne. I've been waiting to visit this city ever since I got here, since I heard so many great things about it.
    This time a train instead of driving. A night train!
    Unfortunatly, Australia isn't the most modern when it comes to train networks. Instead of a hight speed train line, it is still a very slow and oldfashioned train line and it takes no less than 11 hours to get me to Melbourne.
    Getting a bed in the train was a bit too expensive, so I had to do with a normal chair. Comfortable, but not really a place to sleep. I got a few little naps in here and there, but didn't sleep much all together.
    In the morning, ariving bright and early, I am being picked up by my new host family. Sophie and Payton. A french single mum and her gorgious 4-year old daughter. I will stay with them for about two months, until the end of the summer holidays.    Read more

  • AustraliaAustraliaTraveler

    Christmas in Shepparton

    December 24, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    I am very lucky that I met some lovely Australian people when I was living in London. Krystal is one of them. She used to teach at the school I was working at.
    She's been kind enough to invite me to celebrate Christmas with her and her family in Shepparton. It is about two hours driving north of Melbourne.
    I spend a couple of days with her and her family, get to see the town, and even make a day trip to Echuca, where we have a ride on an old fashioned paddle steamer on the Yara river and have lunch at a winery.
    Christmas has all the traditions in it. It was very ozie as it involved barbecues, pavlova and a pool, but was also traditional (British), in the sense that there was roast turkey, roast ham and a plum pudding to finish it all off.
    I had an amazing time, and although I missed my family at home, being able to join another family celebration made it a lot better!    Read more

    Trip end
    December 24, 2016
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