The sun sets on my Australian adventure

I am actually struggling to know what to write in this final post from Australia. I have absolutely adored my time here. More than I ever thought I would and I am genuinely sad that the time has come to say goodbye.
Before I arrived here I imagined my trip around OZ would be a far different experience to what it has been. I imagined I would again be scooting from hostel to hostel in true traveller style.

Instead, everywhere I have visited has felt like home. In Broome where my adventure in Oz started I stayed with my wonderful friend Katherine for three weeks. 2 weeks longer than I had planned. Even if the rest of my trip had been poor from then on I would have still left Australia with a full heart. I absolutely loved my time there.

I went on to meet the most wonderful people as I travelled on The Ghan train, at the hostel in Alice Springs and on my tour group to the mighty Uluru.

I then arrived in Sydney where a girl called Vicki (photo 2-upper) who I had never met before gave me her beautiful apartment for two weeks whilst she went back to the UK. In that time I met lots of amazing people who became my friends. Holly (photo 2-lower), a British girl living in Australia who has not only become a good friend but has helped me endlessly by supporting 101 Things and arranging interviews and meetings with cancer charities as well as making Thing #32 on my list a reality which was to sing at the royal opera house.

When Vicki returned we found out we got on like a house on fire and we have had the best time together. I can’t remember a time when I have laughed so much. She has been so generous, organising a surprise birthday party for me, putting me up in her apartment for the best part of 5 weeks and giving me the best birthday present ever… A trip to swim with dolphins in New Zealand.! Incredible!

Friends for life have been made.

I then went to Noosa where I was reunited with Katherine again and met the wonderful Noosa Nanna before travelling to the Gold Coast where I stayed with Tom and Janice and then onto Brisbane to stay with the lovely Lynnette, Robert and their son Liam.
In each of the places I have visited I have been treated like family and family is one of the most important things in this world. As great as it has been ticking off things like the seeing the Kimberley, the Ghan, Uluru and singing at the opera house, it will be the people that I have met that I will always remember Australia for. These wonderful people have made this one of my most favourite countries I have visited so far.

There are places I haven’t visited on this trip like the Whitsunday Islands and Frazier Island. The reason for this is because I have already visited these wonderful places a number of years ago and my budget is such now that I can’t really afford to do these things again. They are both definitely worth adding to your list though. Melbourne, I promise I will visit you next time.

One thing I didn’t get to do which is on my list is to Dive at the Great Barrier Reef. I can’t explain why but I just didn’t have a burning desire to go there. I think a range of factors influenced this decision like cost, distance and time. I think the most interesting thing about this is that I’m not disappointed I didn’t go. Other than visit New Zealand there is nothing on my list now that I feel I must do. I am so content with my life and my achievements that everything I do from now on is just a bonus. If I tick it off great but I don’t think I will ever look at the things I have not done and have regrets. They can stay on my list as something to look forward to doing in the future.

I now travel to what I have described as my dream country to visit and the only country that I simply could not miss, New Zealand. I have waited so long to get there and now as I prepare to leave Australia I find myself feeling excited but also quite sad. Australia is the 14th country I have visited so far on this trip and like all the rest of the countries I have seen it is filled with good loving people. I can now see why so many people end up staying.

Thank you so much to everyone who has made my Australia trip possible. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity and the love and support you have shown me. I will definitely be back again one day but until then you are all invited to stay with me wherever I end up in the world! 🙂

Australia as a whole should definitely be one for your lists! It is just wonderful.

Next stop…Middle Earth!!:)

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