On November 8th 2015, I set off on a month-long journey through the magnificent country of Australia, with a 13-hour stopover in Beijing on the way. The birthday party of Black Milk, my favourite clothing brand, which was being held in Brisbane in early December, was my main reason for booking the trip to Australia. But naturally, the wanderluster that I am couldn't just fly to the other side of the world, attend an event, and then go home. I knew that I had to see some more of the country, so I decided to take as much time off work as I could, which resulted in me spending a month down under. During that month, I saw something new and exciting everyday, and it made me fall in love with Australia, and I've promised myself that this trip was the first of many!
Victoria
My first 5 days in Australia were spent in the beautiful state of Victoria, which quickly became my favourite state with its lush forests, its cute villages, the best city in Australia and its temperate climate. I stayed with my two friends Katrine and Annemie in Katrine's friend Erik's idyllic farm on a mountain in Ferny Creek. We spent the days together exploring Melbourne, watching fairy penguins in St. Kilda Beach, exploring the hilly landscapes near Ferny Creek, hiking in the forests near Ferny Creek and roadtripping through Phillip Island.
South Australia
Originally, I hadn't planned on going to South Australia, but when I decided to add 10 more days to the itinerary, there was suddenly time for another area of Australia. I chose the city of Adelaide for my base of exploring South Australia for three days. I had a great couchsurfing experience in the beach-side suburb of Glenelg, spent an entire day on Kangaroo Island, one of my favourite places in Australia, where I saw sooo many different animals, including kangaroos, wallabys, koalas, sea lions, fur seals, dolphins and a black swan, and spent a day exploring Adelaide with a new friend.
New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory
Sydney, Sydney, Sydney! You can't go to Australia without visiting this megacity, so that's exactly what I decided to do for six days! I had my second couchsurfing experience here, which was also a great time. I spent the days strolling through the ginormous city, hanging out at my secret spot by the ocean, walking along the coastline from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach, hiking the National Pass trail in the Blue Mountains and going on a day trip to Canberra, the capital of Australia, a city that really surprised me in a positive way.
Queensland - Whitsundays
Oh, Whitsundays! This had been a dream destination of mine for quite a while - and snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef was something that I just had to do there! I spent three days partying and relaxing with Katrine and Annemie in Airlie Beach, and the other two days were spent on the ocean, sailing in between the islands, exploring the spectacular Whitehaven Beach, snorkelling amongst thousands of colourful fish and corals in the reef and partying on the ocean at night.
Queensland - Brisbane
My final destination in Australia was Brisbane, home of Black Milk Clothing, the main reason for me to even be in the country. I spent a week in the Brisbane area, where I stayed with my friends Elien and Liam at Liam's parents' house. I had a great week, and Elien and Liam showed me around Brisbane, Byron Bay, Springbrook National Park and other beautiful areas nearby. I experienced a tropical storm and saw snakes, glow worms, lizards and a koala in the wild - that was a crazy experience! On my last day in Australia, I attended the Black Milk birthday party in Brisbane - it was the perfect way to end a perfect month.
Conclusion
Travelling through Australia, although slightly rushed, was an amazing experience. I didn't get to see everything that's on my list for the country, but I covered in quite a bit of the South Coast and East Coast in the short amount of time that I was there. I met some lovely people, made friends for a lifetime and visited old friends. I saw soooo many different native animals, but thankfully no ginormous spiders! I saw the most breathtaking landscapes and went on some beautiful hikes and roadtrips. My heart is hungry for more, and next time I want need to explore Western Australia, the Outback and Tasmania!
