Before I kick off my blog about Fraser Island I want to take a moment to just say how lucky I am to have met two great girls who I have been travelling with. This morning Pihla and I carried on our journey from Airlie Beach to Townsville, leaving Mia, who is heading straight to Cairns. It’s funny how people you didn’t even know two months ago can become such close friends. You share your experiences and adventures with them, your highs and also your lowest moments. We have laughed together and we have cried together. Oh, and we have even jumped out of a plane together!! People say that the friends you meet travelling will be friends for life and I can be certain of this – can’t wait for a trip to Essex when I’m back in the UK. ♥️

So, Fraser. A MUST if you are travelling the East Coast of Australia. It is the world’s largest sand island scattered with beautiful lakes. To get around the island you will need a 4 wheel drive, trust me on this one. I booked a 3 day, 2 night tagalong tour with ‘Dingos’ which I could not recommend more. The three days were packed full and with 5am starts, I was a complete zombie by Sunday evening when the ferry dropped me back to reality. I have given a lowdown of the itinerary below…

Friday

Eli Creek (a natural lazy river)

Maheno shipwreck

Stargazing on the beach and spotting plankton glowing in the sand

Saturday

5:37 Sunrise

Lake garawonga (tea tree lake)

Lake allum (home to turtles)

Champagne pools (pools of bubbling water caused by the sea crashing over volcanic rocks)

Indian head look out

Cathedral beach

Sunday

The final day was spend exploring and swimming in freshwater lakes:

Lake Mckenzie (the famous one!)

Lake Wabby

Lake Birrabeen

Between each destination we were driving pink 4x4s along the beach (also the island’s main highway) and off-road through the rainforest. I felt like I was in some kind of action movie, it was incredible!

The island is still home to some indigenous people and we soon found this out. Being a blonde, pale Brit I made sure to slap on the factor 50 because ‘the Australian sun is strong’. I also basically bathed in insect repellent as the bugs on Fraser are like something from Jurassic Park. The flies are all horseflies on steroids and you do NOT want a bite from one of them. (I even spray my face now as I had one bite my forehead and I looked like I was growing horns). We were not advised by the tour company that we should not apply suncream, in fact it was recommended. On day 2, at Lake Allum, we were greeted by a very hostile woman screaming that we were poisoning the lakes on the island and should go to the beach if we wanted to go swimming. She then continued to begin chanting and put a curse on us. Well. I hate confrontation and did not want to be disrespectful so stayed clear of the water. I understand the premise that suncream in the lakes is a pollutant but you can also not swim in the sea around the island, without special suits, due to it being stinger season. This is the case for most of Queensland bordering the Great Barrier Reef October to May. The following day, on an island measuring 76 by 14 miles we bumped into her again- what were the chances?! This time we were head to head on a narrow rainforest track. Even though we were a convoy of three cars to her one she began screaming, effing and geoffing (we could hear her from the back car) that she had right of way. We, therefore, had to reverse and try and squeeze off the track (which proved difficult as there was a sheer drop to the side and she refused to ‘squeeze past’ unless there was enough room to park a bus). Finally, we were out of her way and she drove past slowly whilst shouting and laughing ‘backpackers who can’t even go backwards’. And I thought Australia was meant to be one of the friendliest countries…

As well as the angry indigenous lady, the dingos which inhabit the island are also less than friendly. To look at you may think ‘oh hey look at that cute dog’ but noooooo. They can are wild and we were assured that they will go for you if you get too close. This meant we had to always stay in groups of at least two and take sticks with us if we were going to the beach at night. Thinking back, I don’t know that if it came down to it a stick would cut it. Luckily I didn’t find out.

Apart from those encounters, staying on the island was an amazing experience. I got to explore natural wonders which are beyond anything I had seen before. I also learnt that even if you don’t shower for 3 days, the tea tree lakes are great at conditioning your hair!

From roughing it – Bear Grylls style – on an island to cruising around the islands on the Whitsundays next!

Annabel x

I have been hesitant to post this as it’s something I try and hide because I don’t want people to look at me and think that I’m weak or make assumptions. Having travelled with this condition I now believe it is important as it may help others who suffer from UC and who are scared to travel or even leave the house as a result.

Last year I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, or UC, as it’s commonly referred to. At the time I was pretty in the dark about the illness but coincidentally my childhood best friend had been diagnosed a couple of months before, after falling ill whilst we were on holiday together. Talking to her and others also suffering has helped no ends and I am coming to terms with something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life.

Anyhooo, I won’t go into the gory details but for those who do not know what ulcerative colitis is, it is an inflammatory disease of the digestive tract which causes ulcers to cover the lining of the intestines. During a flare, these ulcers can bleed causing extreme pain, bleeding, fatigue and weight loss. I lost over a stone in less than 2 weeks when I was first diagnosed – if you’re trying to lose weight then get yourself a chronic disease! Jokes aside, a chronic disease basically means that it cannot be cured, only managed, with correct treatment. Unfortunately for me, my body did not respond to the first two stages of treatment (anti inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants) and I have completed three courses of corticosteroids meaning the next stage was biologics. This was a problem as I had already booked my flights to Australia and against the advice of my consultant I would need to put my treatment on hold. I felt as though the illness had already consumed so much of my life: stopping me from completing university courses, stopping me drinking on my 21st, leaving me in bed over Christmas, etc. that I didn’t want it to stop me from doing something I had wanted to do for so long .

So here I am. It hasn’t been smooth sailing. Firstly, even getting into the country was a task. I had to make sure that I had enough medication to cover me and with over 1000 tablets I had to also provide a Doctors note to show upon arrival into Australia. Feeling sketchy even though I was being totally legal, I made it into the country without anyone even blinking an eyelid.

Since being here there has been days when I’ve been in agony and all I’ve wanted was to be curled up in bed at home with a hot water bottle. It’s a million times worse when you have a flare and you’re thousands of miles from home. I have been on a constant supply of pain killers but I tell myself that the good days outweigh the bad. It has stopped me doing things here but at the end of the day at least I am actually here. If I start the next stage of biologics then it will mean regular infusions or injections so this may be my only chance to travel for this amount of time.

I take every day as it comes and to be honest I have probably been overdoing it and should take some time out for some R&R. I’m half way through my adventure and time really is flying so slowing down might not be a bad thing after all. My advice for those who are worried about travelling due to illness would be to not let it consume your life. Prepare well enough so that you know what to do if you are unwell. Australia has a particularly good health care system, but check out wherever you’re planning on going. Also invest in some good travel insurance. You may think it’s expensive but it won’t compare to what the bill would be without it!

If anyone has any advice for me I’d love to hear it as I feel as though I’m such a rookie when it comes to UC and even just what to do when you get ill whilst travelling.

Thanks for reading,

Annabel x

3 days. 3 stops. No time for lie ins or days off here, we meant business.

Firstly Noosa. It lies a couple of hours north of Brisbane and is a world away. It’s a quaint seaside town with a small high street and everything you’d expect from the beach beach- ice cream shops, surf shops, cafes, beachfront restaurants. It was a really ‘holiday’ vibe. After the disastrous cyclone surfing in the Gold Coast, we grabbed some free surfboards from the hostel and decided to give it another go. This time the waves were too small though… maybe surfing isn’t my thing after all. It was such a warm day so we decided to leave the hike to the famous Noosa fairy pools until mid afternoon, when it was cooler. It didn’t get cooler. The hour long walk each way felt like days and I sweated from places I didn’t even know that I could. Finally we arrived but the waves were too strong to be in the pools safely. My travel mate Pihla risked it to get a pic for the gram but I wanted to make it to Fraser Island so for the first time since arriving in Australia I was the sensible one. The walk was actually beautiful, through the National Park, and we saw dolphins swimming in the ocean along the way! After our mammoth trek we treated ourself to dinner out before heading back to the hostel for what I can only describe as THE WORST night’s sleep of my life. There was no air con for starters so I was hot and bothered. I worked myself up so much that I went to shower at 2:30am. On leaving the room there was a homeless woman outside our bedroom door, asleep on the veranda (the outer doors to the hostel didn’t lock and it was all open aired anyway). She kept turning the veranda light on so I’d go and turn it off, only for her to turn it back on. This passive war went on for about 20 minutes before she finally gave in – I could’ve gone on all night as there was no way I could get to sleep in that stuffy room. When I finally got back in bed I felt something on me. Trying to stay calm I picked it off… and… it bit me!!! Cheeky little b***er!!! Turning the light on, to my horror I saw a massive cockroach-beetle-thing had decided to join me in bed for the night. Throwing all my bedding outside onto the veranda with the homeless woman, I went to shower again before lying awake for what seemed like days.

I could not wait to leave and get to Rainbow Beach the following day. Smaller than Noosa, it literally consists of only the essential shops you would find in a village back in England. This said, I enjoyed it. It was peaceful and the beach was virtually empty. The hostel was only 5 minutes from the beach and also had a couple of pools. We spent our time here between the beach and the pools and of course, visited the rainbow steps! I also sand-surfed! (I was 10x better at this than actual surfing). The walk to the top of the sand blows was tough and the sandflies were viscous but the experience and views was definitely worth it. Thoroughly worn out we crashed here for the night before heading to Hervey Bay for some rest before we stared our trip to Fraser Island!

Annabel x

From one air bnb to another, because, well why the hell not. If I’m gonna travel then let’s do it in style.

Brisbane brought the sunshine and with it, the heat. It didn’t drop below 30 which called for a pool day and valuable tanning time. It also meant that you couldn’t walk for more than 3 minutes without sweating from every pore in your body. Brisbane’s CBD (city centre) is set away from the beach but they do have something else… a manmade beach in the middle of the city! We wandered down here along the South Bank but it was absolutely heaving – probably because it was a Sunday! It was such a contrast to the near on deserted beaches I was used to. Apparently if you go during the week it gets busy around lunchtime with businessmen in their suits changing into their trunks for a quick dip before heading back to the office – I’d love to be able to do this on my lunch break!

From Brisbane, you can get a bus to Australia Zoo (the famous Steve Irwin one) about an hour away. If you are thinking of going then stop thinking and go! It was incredible. It was hands down the best zoo I’ve ever visited. Set in over 100 acres, its main message encourages wildlife conservation and protection; next door to the zoo is an animal hospital where you can go and see the hard work in action. I was able to see baby kanagaroos and koalas having their checks and it was actually pretty heartbreaking. In fact, the whole day was quite emotional. The famous crocodile show in the Crocoseum begins with a tribute to Steve Irwin, whilst there is an area dedicated to his life story, lined with photographs of him and his family. Many of you will remember his death and for me, growing up watching him, I felt myself constantly getting goosebumps throughout the day. The highlight for me though had to be cuddling a koala, I can now tick this off my bucket list! Best $30 dollars I’ve ever spent.

From the zoo to the rainforests. Lamington National Park, also known as the Green Mountains lies west of the Gold Coast. We trekked for 3 hours, reaching a waterfall which looked like it was straight out of a Herbal Essences advert- of course I got some pics! It wasn’t all beautiful waterfalls and gentle walks though- we actually had to sign a waiver before we left. The list of things that could result in death was as long as my arm (it’s true, in Australia, anything can kill you) but I happily signed my life away. Someone made a comment to me which I now understand – they said that I was scared but fearless. I will scream until I have no air left if I see a spider and could probably break Usain Bolts 100m record if a crocodile came at me (then two things terrify me). Yet, I will still jump off cliffs into waterfalls, hold a snake and swim in the creek where crocodiles live. In reality, these things won’t actually hurt me. The likelihood of me getting eaten by a shark or bitten by one of the deadly snakes is minimal. And it wasn’t until I was spread-eagle across some rocks, with the waterfall rushing below me that I realised it might not be the bugs that are the end of me… For Mia it was- she got latched on to by a leech – full on I’m A Celeb style!

After climbing back to the top of the rainforest we did a treetop walk and saw some spectacular views, before heading to another beautiful spot. We had lunch at a view point with panoramic views of the mountains. It was utterly breathtaking. The photos just couldn’t do it justice so this was a moment I put the camera away and just took screenshots in my mind, taking in the beauty of the country I am exploring.

By the time we got back the sun was setting but Pihla and I wanted to go and check out the Botanic Gardens before we left the following morning. So we grabbed some electric scooters and whizzed across the river. I love how many Botanic gardens there are in Australia; a little piece of green tranquility set against a backdrop of skyscrapers. The contrast is refreshing. It was getting dark but that meant we were also lucky enough to experience the beautiful lights. Fairy lights illuminated the trees which allowed for some great pictures. It also, however, meant we got bitten to death by millions of midgies and I then spent $20 on bite cream after having a reaction to them. (FYI don’t go into a chemist and ask for something to take away itching because they will direct you to the thrush section).

So $50 down but with a picture of me holding a koala and an overpriced tube of bite cream I feel as though Brisbane was a success. I can see why so many Brits choose to live there! I’ll be out of big cities for a while now as I complete my whistle-stop tour of Noosa, Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay before my three day excursion to Fraser Island (eeek!!). Stay tuned!

Annabel x

I hope you sung the title to the tune of Coolio..

Anyway, Surfers Paradise – wow, what a difference from the quirky little lanes of Byron Bay. High rises line the seafront, shopping and fashion take priority and the city never sleeps (even from the 17th floor of our air bnb we could hear the music pumping from the bars and clubs below).

That’s right, air bnb. After roughing it in hostels it was only right that we treated ourselves to some peace and quiet. A movie night has never been such a novelty, let me tell you! Surfers Paradise is on the Gold Coast and is known for its high rises, so it was only fitting that we stayed in one. And this one just so happened to have a bath tub in the middle of the room with panoramic views of the city, the use of 2 swimming pools, a hot tub on the roof and was located on the buzzing street of Cavill Avenue. Backpacking is a tough life right!

The day we arrived we wandered around the shops and went and got our nails done – I may possibly be the most non-backpacker backpacker there is but staying in hostels will do that to you. I don’t believe anyone that says they actually enjoy sharing a humid, cramped room with snoring, sweaty strangers. Plus, splitting the cost between the three of us meant it worked out the same as a bed in a hostel – no brainer if you ask me.

Unfortunately, however, we brought the weather from Byron with us and the next two days were relentless. The name ‘Paradise’ became questionable when we were sat looking out from our balcony at grey skies and torrential downpours. We had booked dinner at the Skypoint Bar, of which the 77th floor was hidden in the mist and fog. We had also planned to go to ‘Splash Planet’ (if you know you know) but had to cancel as the rain turned out to be a cyclone. We still managed to get up Skypoint and the views were unbelievable, despite the weather. We got dressed up and had dinner and drinks which was really lovely; a nice change from the beans on toast which have become my staple food.

So, as I said, the weather was not great. We had also booked a surfing lesson for the following day (I couldn’t go to Surfer’s Paradise and not surf!) but with the view of the beach from our balcony, we could see waves the size of buildings and were skeptical about whether or not it would go ahead. ‘Yeah why not’ was the reply of the surfer in Cheyne Horan’s surf school and so we set off to a beach down the coast (the beaches in and around Surfers Paradise were closed off because of the cyclone). Now, if you haven’t already, head over to my blog post ‘Surfin AUS’ to find out how we got on. I think we were the only three people in the ocean in the whole of the Gold Coast that day!

After an exhausting afternoon surfing we retired to the hot tub on the roof – hard life I know. Despite the weather, I fell in love with this city by the sea and would definitely like to return with some sunshine next time!

From one city to the next, Brisbane is the next stop!

Annabel x

…Way too much.

That’s the bottom line of it and I know I was told multiple times before I came out ‘you will just wear the same outfit over and over again’ but I didn’t believe it. I don’t say this often but I was wrong. I overpacked and regretted this almost immediately.

Firstly I definitely did not need two hoodies and two jackets. Australia is blaady hot and I could have known this by checking the forecast before I left. It hasn’t dropped below 20 since I arrived and as I’m travelling north it’s only going to get warmer. I have only worn one hoodie to travel in and the oversized one which seems to have expanded even more in the heat is still in my bag where I packed it, taking up valuable room I don’t have.

Dresses- I packed a few ‘dressy’ dresses (overestimating how much I would actually go out) but in reality, after spending the days exploring, you’re in bed by 10 and these dresses won’t see the light of day/night.

Bikinis- here I am glad I overpacked because I these are practically being worn daily. I would recommend saving room for at least 5-8 pairs (plus you can always mix and match)!

Shoes- I think I did okay with this one. Two pairs of trainers – one for exercise and hiking and the other as casual, going out trainers. A pair of going out sandals (which have been used once so far), a pair of Birkenstock’s (a travelling must) and then some thongs. If I had to leave one pair at home I’d choose the sandals as everyone here lives in thongs, whether that’s on the beach or in the club.

Toiletries – it’s true, you can buy shampoo and other essentials in Australia. In fact, it’s actually cheaper so you can save the added weight for until you arrive.

Makeup – you will honestly only wear it once a month or on special occasions. And even then, you will probably sweat it all off within half an hour so it’s pointless anyway. I would have left most of my makeup at home in hindsight – all I’ve used is a bit of bronzer and an eyebrow pencil!

So, with that said, my packing essentials would include:

⁃ A couple of pairs of shorts (denim and loose ones)

⁃ Pants and socks (can easily be washed in the sink)

⁃ T shirts/ vest tops/ cami tops

⁃ Trainers and flip flops

⁃ Loose (chuck on) playsuits and dresses

⁃ PJs (one pair and an oversized T for rotation)

⁃ Jeans (one pair just in case it gets chilly at night)

⁃ Bikinis, bikinis, bikinis

⁃ 2 towels (one for the beach and one for the shower)

⁃ A hairdryer (not essential but hostels do not usually provide these)

⁃ Sunglasses (a few cheap pairs because they will get broken at some point – I’ve sat on 2 pairs of mine already)

⁃ A sun hat/ cap (as I’ve said many times, the sun is strongggg)

⁃ An eye mask and ear plugs (if you value your sleep)

If you are thinking of travelling I would also suggest getting some packing cubes, they are like mini, magic tardises where you can separate your clothes. Also, the roll not fold method has changed my life (even though my clothes may now all need an iron).

One last thing… bear in mind that the shopping and fashion in Australia is too good to resist and you will end up adding to your wardrobe. I came with a large and a small backpack and will be leaving with the addition of a suitcase and 2 tote bags full! Ooops.

Annabel x

When you think of surfing in Australia, you think of gorgeous sunshine and perfect waves rolling onto white sand. Now imagine the complete opposite. Rain, wind, thunder and lightening. Big choppy waves bringing onto shore parts of fallen trees and a drag that goes out for 50m. My instructor said it was the worst conditions he had ever taught in… in 33 years… brilliant.

Today I had my first surf lesson… in a cyclone. All the beaches around the Surfer’s Paradise area were closed (ironic really) and I was sure the lesson would be cancelled but nope, we drove 30 minutes south to Palm Beach and I surfed in a cyclone swell.

Mia and I had never surfed before. Pihla, the pro, had taken lessons in Bali but we were all clueless as we stood on the beach looking at waves which could only be described as ‘dirty’ by a passerby. They were bigger than me and the fact there was nobody else in the sea (or even the beach) was a bit disconcerting.

Apparently, surfing is a sport for short people so being only 5ft I thought I was in with a chance of not being totally pants. And I actually wasn’t too bad. I managed to catch wave after wave and stood up for what felt like ages but in reality was probably only a few seconds. The hardest part was getting out far enough to catch the wave; because the waves were so big and choppy this meant that the drag was extreme. It was definitely a workout and after 2 hours I was exhausted and ready for some dinner. So leaving with a bikini full of sand and salty hair (I felt like a proper surfer) we dragged our surfboards back to the van. All in all it was a success and I will definitely be hiring a board to practice more as I travel!

Annabel x

Coffs Harbour

After another overnight coach trip and a combined total of 2 hours sleep (but I’m saving money on hostels right- who needs sleep anyway?) I arrived in the sleepy town of Coffs Harbour. After the hustle and bustle of Sydney the contrast was a bit of a shock. I had to walk more than 50m to get to the nearest supermarket, everyone knew everyone and the hostel itself was very old school. I’m talking a sizeable shack. It’s the type of place I imagine my mum stayed in when she travelled Australia 30 years ago. But it was pleasant nonetheless and run by a couple who put on trips out to local highlights in their little minibus.

I was only here 2 days which, if I’m honest, was enough to experience everything the little town had to offer. Everyone else I met in the hostel were living there whilst doing farm work (it wasn’t a tourist hotspot let’s say). However, despite the lack of tripadvisor things to do and the changeable weather (the heavens had opened) I still made the most of being somewhere new. I climbed to the furthest-most point of Muttonbird island (normally you can see dolphins and whales in the waters around but I didn’t get so lucky) and then had a wander along the harbour. Because it was a grey day, I did feel a bit like I was in England (minus storm Ciara!). The next day was brighter so I grabbed a kayak from the hostel and headed down to Coffs Creek. From here you can paddle to the sea but I decided to go in the opposite direction towards the Botanic Gardens. The kayaking made me glad I actually stopped off in Coffs, as it’s something I wouldn’t have done elsewhere, where surfing or paddle-boarding in the sea takes preference. After exploring the area by water, I then packed up a lunch and decided to wander back to the gardens on foot this time. They were beautiful and had little sections for different areas of Australia, as well as other places around the world. What I wasn’t prepared for though was the mozzies. After the rain they apparently come out in abundance… which I didn’t realise. One of the rangers must have noticed my blotchy red skin, along with the excessive itching and took pity on me by offering some repellant – definitely a tourist!

That evening was the highlight of Coffs for me though- seeing Kangaroos in the wild. I signed up to one of the hostel minibus tours to Emerald Beach in the hope I’d be able to spot some kangaroos… and there were hundreds. I can now tell the different between a kangaroo and a wallaby and learnt that wild kangaroos are actually friendlier than those kept in captivity!

Byron Bay

After a whistle stop trip to Coffs Harbour it was on to my next stop where I found out that the rain in Australia falls mainly in… Byron Bay apparently. And let me tell you, it did not just rain but it rained and rained … and rained. From the moment me and the girls arrived we had to grab ponchos and after constantly checking the weather app and just seeing rain and thundercloud symbols I realised it was going to become my everyday outfit. Surprisingly, walking around looking like a bit of an idiot is easier in Australia than it is England – goodness knows why. Ponchos on and not letting the rain stop us, we went straight out that morning and hiked 3 hours to the lighthouse and the easternmost point of Australia – we even finally spotted some dolphins making the soaking (almost) worth it! That afternoon we booked a glowworms and waterfalls tour.

Byron Bay is all about the alternative ‘hippy’ lifestyle. It is all about giving and living at one with nature. This couldn’t be more true than of the place we visited – ‘The Rainbow Temple’. Just outside of Byron a man started building this treehouse-like community 39 years ago. He is yet to finish it but people come and go all the time and help add to the building in some way (one woman lived there for a year creating artwork for the walls). Underneath the temple was the real attraction – a hand-carved cave filled with glowworms. I must admit, being led into a tiny cave, chiselled by hand and filled with bats, by a man who was probably high did put me on edge a little. Once inside the cave we were encouraged to close our eyes and exercise our breath using ‘ommmm’ whilst said man played a flute. It was just the most bizarre experience of my life. I have no other words for it. Fun fact though – glow worms don’t actually glow, but it’s their poop that does!

After this, we travelled to a waterfall where we swam and cliff jumped (again – was it safe? Who knows) and then to another waterfall lookout point where we had a guided meditation session and then a vegan meal. I left feeling very zen and peaceful. That was soon shattered when we went to The Railway Bar that evening – Friday nights are live music night and it was a blast!

The next few days the rain was off the scale – apparently the worst flooding Byron had experienced in over 50 years! This made it hard to explore the beaches (or anything to be honest) so instead I taught the girls numerous card games and we wandered around some of the cute and quirky little boutiques and trinket shops. We booked a tour to Nimbin- famous as Australia’s hippy (and drug) capital – but again it just rained and rained. Luckily the street is only 100m so we walked up and down in our ponchos in about 10 minutes and then took shelter in a cafe before having a lovely Ozzie BBQ in the pouring rain – how British!

The day before we left, the sunshine finally came out and I was out there sunbathing quicker than you could say kangaroo, topping up the tan and talking a dip in the pool. The weather app kept saying that it was going to rain but it lied and we finally made it to the beach in the afternoon, 5 days after we arrived in Byron Bay…

My overall impression of Byron Bay was that everyone there is so laid back they are practically lying down. Anything goes and hippies and surfers both live a carefree lifestyle. I felt out of place because I was shaven and wearing shoes but in honesty I don’t know if I could live the casual lifestyle they live. I like that family, community and the environment are their central values and financial gain is not of importance. This is such a change from the big cities and is actually quite a breath of fresh air. Saying that, I’d also be quite happy if I don’t hear anymore Bob Marley during my time in Oz.

I’m currently en route to the next stop, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, where we are taking a break from hostels and having a little bit of luxury… stay tuned.

Annabel x

Aside from dodging spiders and sunburn, here are 15 things I’ve learnt from living in Australia for the past month.

⁃ You can’t buy alcohol from the supermarkets. You have to go to special bottle shops.

⁃ McDonald’s is called Maccas and the menu is so much better than in the UK.

⁃ Woolworths cookies are the OG.

⁃ Walking around bare foot is acceptable and even the norm in some places – even in shops and supermarkets!?

⁃ There is a shop for everything. And I mean e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. I was walking down the high street in Melbourne and there was a shop just for hoovers next to a shop just selling suncream.

⁃ Everyone is so happy because everywhere (literally every single bar/ pub/ club) has a happy hour every day of the week.

⁃ The bugs here are 20x the size of those in the UK (and could probably kill you).

⁃ Thongs are things you wear on your feet and not as underwear.

⁃ Kangaroos are as common as cows.

⁃ The ‘Aussie salute’ will become part of your daily routine to swat away the flies.

⁃ Australians like to add ‘y/ie’ onto the end of words to make them sound cooler – e.g. choccie biccie, ciggy, footie, tinny, mozzies…

⁃ Sunday’s are not a day of rest. Instead, they are a day of drinking, otherwise known as ‘the Sunday sesh’.

⁃ You have ‘the outback’ and ‘the bush’. The former is more remote.

⁃ Australia is BIG. I underestimated how big but you can literally travel for 6 hours and it’s as though you haven’t moved on the map.

⁃ Calorie counting goes out the window as everything is in KJ / grams. Nowadays I see eating a timtam as the equivalent of eating a salad because there’s no way to measure it – oh well!

Let’s see what I can add to the list next month and the month after…

Annabel x

‘Oh don’t be silly, I’ll take the top bunk, I actually prefer it’. ‘This WiFi is soooo fast’. ‘I haven’t worn this outfit yet’. ‘I’ll carry that as my backpack is so light’. Things said by a backpacker… never. This gave me the idea for this blog: the clichés of being a backpacker.

⁃ Firstly the backpack. I have realised this is non-essential and have since bought a suitcase but, still, all the hardcore ‘gap yar’ backpackers carry theirs around with a smug pride.

⁃ Pasta. This will make up 90% of your diet. The other 10% will probably be made up of other beige carbs and the odd can of beans.

⁃ An anklet. This is compulsory or people will look at you in horror as if your whole foot is missing. The most popular style here in Oz seems to be the shell anklet, of which I proudly model just to prove I am backpacking the East Coast and have taken 1 surfing lesson.

⁃ Tote bag from Cotton On. Cotton On is like Primark, where I have stocked up on essentials like flip flops, vest tops and a beach shirt. For a $2 donation to the bush fires you get a cute tote bag, so it was a no brainer really.

⁃ You wear the same clothes even though you brought a whole bag full. They become like a second skin and you can always get ‘one more wear’ out of them before they need a wash (which can be done in the sink).

⁃ You pose with a kangaroo / koala / quokka. I have completed 1 out of 3 so far… there is still time.

⁃ Your daily outfit will be shorts, a vest and a pair of flip flops. Nothing screams backpacker more than a pair of ‘thongs’ teamed with your favourite oversized souvenir shirt and a pair of denim frayed shorts.

⁃ Wake up at the crack of dawn to catch the sunrise for the gram to show everyone back home what they are missing. *I tried to do this in Bondi but it was too cloudy so all I achieved was seeing the sky turn from dark to light and spent the rest of the day feeling tired because of the 5am start.*

⁃ You choose to take the overnight bus to save money on a hostel but then spend the next 3 days catching up sleep because the bus was too hot/ too cold/ too loud/ too uncomfortable.

⁃ Goon is your pre-drinks drink. This cheap, warm wine-in-a-box takes up most of the space in any hostel fridge and doesn’t taste any better the more you have. Why are G&Ts not a big thing over here?!

⁃ Guys have longer hair than you. After all, it’s proof that they have been travelling ageeees and when you’re in Australia there are obviously no hairdressers. Dreads, braids or beachy waves are the fashion for those surfer backpacker ‘dudes’.

⁃ You accept the fact that there are many things that could kill you. I no longer check under the bed/ covers/ toilet seat for snakes and spiders and have instead willingly signed up to do a sky dive.

– You get a deep and meaningful tattoo of a koala or a palm tree or something else that is a permanent reminder that you went travelling. (Sorry Mum but…)

⁃ Finding yourself. I am yet to complete this one. Just wondering but how long does it take? And where will I be most likely to find said self? I will keep you all updated on this one.

Annabel x