Everyone always warns you about the depression that hits when you first go home after a long trip of traveling. I've experienced a bit of this before when I got home from Semester at Sea (3 months around the Mediterranean) but this time was different. Australia actually became my home and it felt like I was missing out by not being there. I craved interesting accents and lingo that I didn't initially understand (lift, rubbish, queue, boot, chips, cutlery, etc.). I just felt like my familiar setting couldn't compare to the fascinating world over in Australia. That being said, I absolutely loved being home and seeing my family and friends. Being gone that long and seeing people like nothing has changed is truly the best feeling. I'm so appreciative for my amazing friends and family I have back home. Also, it was SO NICE having some stability in my life! Traveling and constantly being on the road, carrying everything you own with you, makes you really appreciate the simple things like having the same bed to come back to every night. Home cooked meals. Not spending money on public transport and $15 burritos (my weakness). HAVING A ROOM TO MYSELF and not having to lock my bags every time I left the room. It was really hard leaving Michigan, but at the same time I couldn't wait to get back to Australia! I honestly love Australia as much as I love Dayton...and everyone knows how much I love UD haha.
Back in November I chose to buy a multi city flight ticket instead of a round trip from Australia to Detroit and back. I chose multi city because it was essentially the same price as what round trip would have been, and I got free trips to Hawaii and St. Maarten in the Caribbean. Honestly it is so beneficial to be flexible with your flights and do excessive research! Multi city is an amazing cheap option out there! So from the time I left Australia to the time I returned I took about 10 flights (including connections). It might sound crazy but I think it's totally worth it! Was able to see my friends in the Caribbean and New York with the layovers as well! Also ran into some luggage struggles..best thing I can recommend if you think your carry on is going to be stopped for being too big..don't automatically pay and check it! Bring it through security and then the gate attendants will make you check it, but won't charge you for it!
So what are my plans now? 6 weeks traveling in Australia, 10 weeks traveling Southeast Asia, and then moving to New Zealand in June to start my one year working holiday. I'm so grateful and loved every second of my past year working in Sydney and Ayers Rock..but it's time now to see more of this beautiful country! A year of constant work and now some time to enjoy life, travel, see beautiful places, and meet incredible people! For my Australia travel, I started off in Sydney for a week, catching up with all my English besties, and also getting my open water dive certification, and then flew up to Cairns. I'm doing my east coast trip by myself and so far it's been amazing. I'm traveling by bus all the way from Cairns in the north, down to Melbourne in the very south. Traveling alone isn't as scary as people seem to believe it is..it's a wonderful way to meet people you might not normally talk to! It pushes you to be responsible for yourself and make decisions, and also I can take advantage of the east coast and do everything I want to do without having to compromise or sacrifice. Some highlights of the trip are diving in the Great Barrier Reef, skydiving from 14,000 ft. over Mission Beach, sailing around the Whitsunday Islands, camping on the largest sand island in the world-Fraser Island, going to surf camp in Spot X, and checking out other amazing places like Magnetic Island, Airlie Beach, Brisbane, Noosa, Rainbow Beach, Byron Bay, Melbourne, Sydney, and Surfers Paradise.
I've already begun my east coast trip, so just a little review of everything so far!
Cairns: I've heard the most mixed reviews about Cairns and Brisbane. A lot of people don't like the smallness of the town and that you can't go swimming because of stinger season. Personally I LOVED Cairns!! I was only there a few days and was really busy with tours..but I felt like I could've stayed much, much, longer! My first day there I met up with a Yulara friend (best feeling seeing someone you once thought you may never see again!) and we went to the lagoon which is a giant swimming pool on the esplanade. Cairns might not have a beach but this certainly works for me! And the water was so warm! Then we got drinks and wedges at The Pier which was a great bar on the water. The next day was my Great Barrier Reef boating trip. I went with Ocean Freedom and I can't recommend them enough! There was so much room on the boat and they fed us SO WELL!! I was with the certified divers and honestly saw the most incredible coral and sea life. I was just in complete awe the whole time diving. It was so good we all had signed up for another dive (only $35 more, such a deal!). After the dives we were able to go snorkeling and take a ride on the glass bottom boat. The Great Barrier Reef literally has the most turquoise waters I've ever seen! We saw dolphins and turtles and star fish and Nemo and these amazing colored parrot fish. It was honestly such a perfect day!!!
I only had one night to try out Cairns nightlife and we went to the typical backpacker spots Gilligans and the Woolshed. I was amazed at how huge Gilligans was! And even so, they had great drink deals and it was a Saturday! Woolshed was a blast as well, so nothing but positive things to say!
The next couple days I went to the Atherton Tablelands, which is the rainforest area inland from Cairns. I went with On the Wallaby tour and they were fantastic. I was amazed at how much we actually got to see and experience in a day. I spent the night out in Atherton Tablelands and came back the next day to Cairns.
Mission Beach: I arrived early to Mission Beach to do my skydive! I've never gone skydiving before, but wasn't too nervous. In my mind I'm fine with sky diving, not so much okay with bungee jumping. With skydiving you're attached to a professional who will take care of everything and you get to float through the sky while taking in amazing views of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, and Mission Beach. Everything was great until I watched everyone in front of me literally just get thrown out of the plane. You don't have much time to think though and regardless you're going out the plane so it just happens! Everyone seems to love the 50 second free fall (no parachute, just hurling through the sky), but I was slightly freaking out during mine haha I had never felt something like that before! And it's not like you're in a ride at the carnival, you are literally falling through the open sky! Once the parachute was released I loved every second of it! It was the biggest thrill and the views were absolutely insane! And it felt like you were in an airplane because hell, 14,000 feet up, but you're actually completely exposed! Honestly the best thing I've ever done...would love to do it again somewhere but I'm not sure anywhere can top those views!
I spent the night in Jackaroo hostel in Mission Beach which was an actual treehouse. The rooms were all on stilts! Beautiful hostel, had a pool and hammocks and movie nights and free breakfast! Went the backpacker route and had dinner of 2 minute noodles and a can of tuna for $3. Really craving your Sloppy Joes mom!
Now I'm off to Magnetic Island for the next two days, then Airlie Beach, and then sailing on the Whitsunday Islands! I get a lot of messages asking how I'm able to do this, and my answer is always to come over for a year on a working holiday visa and work in Australia! The wages are insane over here, so it's easy to save money to travel with! The visa took a couple days to get approved and then boom you're here! It's so easy to get a job once you get here too..honestly can't recommend it enough, this country is so beautiful and has the friendliest people I've ever met!
That's it for now..will update more on my trip soon!! Love y'all
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