Australia
After visiting Australia two years ago, I knew I had to go back.
After just chatting about it over brunch with my sister, laughing about how good it would be, soon turned into booking tickets and leaving for the airport after Christmas. Touching down in Brisbane again felt a little like deja-vu and what an exciting feeling it was!
So where do you start.. If you have never flew to Australia before then I guess it can be a little overwhelming considering the 24 hour (all in) flight time. However one thing you will soon come to realise is how wonderful Australia truly is (the people, atmosphere, food, destinations, even transport).
Time To Visit: Well.. Australian summer is during UK winter (December- February), which is perfect timing if you want to escape the minus cold temperatures of the UK. Although be aware the prices of flights are much more expensive at this time as it is their summer, but in all truths its definitely worth it. Australia's 'winter' is during June - August. In saying this, my visit to Australia in 2017 was during winter and it is still pretty warm around 18 degrees. You may just get chiller mornings and nights than usually in the summer.
Booking:
For most of my trips including Australia I book through STA Travel. One of the largest travel companies for students and young people (however you can still book any trip no matter what age). For the majority of my trip I like to have them planned and know my itinerary which STA can book and plan a trip best suited for your budget and time range.
If you are looking to do domestic flights whilst you are in Australia then you can easily book cheap flights either before or when you are over in Aus. You can book cheap internal flights through JetStar online, the Flight Centres or even the Au STA travel stores.
Therefore, when we arrived in Australia we got a Taxi straight from outside of the airport to our hostel in the city centre for the night. You can also arrange transport when booking your hostel online before you travel which will pick you up at the airport, usually in a mini bus type (to give you a little peace of mind).
Tip: Before leaving for Australia make sure you print all documents, travel itinerary, insurance, passport copies with you. This will help with address names, transport meeting points, tour information etc..
Getting around: Getting around Australia is much easier than you think. If you are planning to travel longer distances then there are Greyhound Coaches, where you can buy a pass online and get your own log in details for their website. You can then book onto coach journeys which depart from selected zones, all times and zones will be on the website for you to check or book whenever you need. Using these coaches can save lots of money on transport but just take longer than a flight would.
For getting around towns, for trip etc.. in the Queensland area you will need a GO card which are very similar to the London Oyster cards. You can pick up one of these from any travel agent or tourist information. The cards are free, you will then just need to top up the card starting from $10. You can use the GO cards on all buses, trains, trams and ferry.
If you are heading to New South Wales ( Sydney, Manly) you will need a Opal card which is the same as the GO card.
One of the first highlights of arriving in Australia in January was celebrating Australia Day like a true Aussie (I wish). The fulfilment of being around so many like minded people enjoying the day in the South Bank pools right in the centre of the city (crazy hey).
We got takeaway pizzas and sat on the grass barefoot as we watched the fireworks across the city as the music played. What a wonderful night and such an amazing way to start our adventure!
Stradbroke Island
For the first few days we spent our time exploring the sights of Brisbane city. Not forgetting our trip over to Stradbroke Island (straddie).
To get to this little island only takes 25 minutes on a water taxi from the Cleveland ferry dock. If your looking for a day out in the sun then I would definitely suggest visiting!Venturing around the island using buses, take the scenic walk around the edge of the island whilst being able to spot some wallabies, whales and maybe even turtles.
Places To Visit in Brisbane Queensland Area
Kangaroos and Koalas!!
If this isn't on your list, then make it. Whilst in Australia its a MUST to see a kangaroo and Koala. The best place I have visited so far is The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Here you can go up close with the kangaroos and feed them whilst they are free to move and explore in their own habituated area (important). The staff are very friendly and encourage you to get up close with them to stroke them.
The koalas are there to greet you as soon as you walk through the entrance gate hugging onto the tree branches. In the sanctuary you can also pay to hold and get a photo with a koala. THE BEST!
Movie World / Dream World
During my last visit I took a trip to Movie world with some friends, which if you like rides and theme parks you will love!
You can get your tickets online before you arrive or try group-on in Australia for any discounts for days out (including Currumbin Sanctuary). There are rides, live car shows, themed performances and of course the delicious food!
TreeTop Challenge
In Mount Tambourine you can take a fun day out to the treetop challenge where you get all harnessed up, taught how to use the ropes and clip on's, then your free to challenge yourself to different trials around the forest. Some are a lot smaller but there's also some rather high up (so maybe not if your afraid of heights).If you can, fit it in! This was a fun day to remember.
My Best Foodie Stops in Brisbane
. Grill'd Burgers (healthy burgers &fries, all kinds)
. Kiss The Berry (acai bowls, smoothies, raw treats, coffees)
. Raw Energy
. Coco Bliss
Hope this gave you some advice with planning your Australia trip or to even give you some inspiration to visit. If you do, I hope you enjoy the wonderful places Australia has to see.
Let me know if I can help you with any other advice.
More Australia posts coming soon
Keep watching!
Jess
