After living in Australia for five months I decided what better way to end my experience than to grab my new friends and back pack through the outback.

Important Facts:
- AUD = Australian Dollar (it’s water proof by the way)
- Vegemite = a staple spread for your bread, bitter and yeasty but delightful
- TimTam’s = Chocolatey cookies you can have with tea! Bite off both ends and use it as a straw in your hot drink! (a bit messy)
- Kangaroos are in excess in Australia so if you find yourself petting one at a zoo in the morning and eating it the same evening, don’t be too surprised. It is so delicious. Much more tender than beef and CHEAP (that’s always a bonus).
- DO NOT need to pay tip
- Tax is already included in the prices

Lingo:
- ‘How you goin?” = How are you? My mom answered this question with, “by car!” No they are not asking you how you are going to your next destination, they are asking how you are
- Mate = friend
- Yankee = term used to refer to Americans
- G’day = Hey!

Some essentials you’ll probably require:
- Something that can pick up internet/wifi (ie: ipad, laptop, smartphone, ipod touch, etc)
- A backpacking backpack that has comfortable back support because I warn you, that thing will be on your back for hours at a time sometimes. So, a little extra money put towards your backpack will go a long way.
- Like Vancouver, weather is a bit iffy throughout Australia, so depending on its season (theirs are opposite to Canadian seasons), keep water proof gear as well as water proof bags to place on top of your backpacking bag.
- More than one method of payment. Every week or two, HSBC ‘forgot’ I was in Australia and would block my credit card, so having debit or cash is definitely handy.
- Maps and lists of ‘must see’ destinations to see everywhere you go.
- Locks for your backpacks/suitcases

The Hostels:

Let’s start with accommodation. Being a backpacker you’re more than likely to be living in a hostel, versus a hotel. I don’t doubt that if it is a busy season (ie: Christmas/New Year) and you haven’t booked a hostel you may even end up spending a night on a bench. I’ve seen it happen before! So, depending on what you’re looking for, you can approach which hostel you’ll be staying in in different ways.

Personally, I had two requirements: Fairly low costs and the most sociable environment as possible. Some people prefer cheap and private, or they don’t care about the cost but they’re more concerned about the cleanliness and the social environment. So first off, think about what matters most to you!

Use a ‘lonely planet’ or a cheaper method (FREE), the internet and keep your requirements and needs in mind. The best tool I found was www.hostelworld.com and the best part was I had a phone so I downloaded their Hostel World Application and searched according to my price range and requirements and there I had it, a list of hostels available, the costs, the number of vacancies, as well as people’s feedback and comments on their experiences at these hostels.

In Australia, finding a hostel is pretty quick and easy. The two main hostel chains are YHA and BASE backpackers. Most often they cost a little more, but in all honesty they had amazing packages, clean environments, no bed bugs (trust me that’ll be a problem in some hostels), and 100% chance to make new international friends (as long as you are willing and make somewhat of an effort). I stayed in a BASE backpackers for one night by myself while I waited for friends to join me, and I became so close with the couple I was rooming with that they invited me to stay in their home in Germany! All of this in LESS THAN 24 HOURS!

It is good to trust people, but don’t be naive, either. Be a smart traveller and either inquire about a safe at your hostel or have locks for your backpacks. Remember, a stolen passport = a big bump in the road for your trip.

Internet:

Let’s be real. We’re backpacking but most of us still want to know what’s happening in the real world and it is highly unlikely that a local Tasmanian Times will tell us what’s happening on Facebook, Twitter, or the Canadian news. I was lucky because every McDonalds and Starbucks had free wifi, and most hostels had free or cheap internet. Side note: hanging around the internet locations in your hostel you are likely to even make friends with the internationals around you who too are missing home, or trying to catch up on their news.

Locations:

Melbourne:

Want to party or have a night out? St. Kilda is where the beach, amusement park, and chic coffee shops and bars are located, while Chapel Street is where you’ll find definite good eats and great clubs! Ruby Tuesdays was a favourite of mine with the cheap $10 pasta and glass of wine on Tuesdays. Lucky Coq was another favourite that we would hit up as poor University students ($5 AUD for a personal sized pizza = not bad!) Lucky Coq actually turned into a dance club at night on the weekends so a good cheap and fun location for sure!

In terms of shopping, you have some options. Chadstone Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere. At Queen Victoria Market you can buy fun and unique items, as well as cheap souvenirs. Be sure to bargain! Don’t look too desperate…

Getting around is pretty easy, too. There is a free tram that circles central Melbourne and you can hop on and off this to get a good view of tourist hot spots and see the only Costco in Australia as well.

If arts is your interest, check out the surrounding places around Flinders Train Station (it’s the central train station). There is a museum, a large outdoor talent location, as well as a theatre and art gallery with new shows on all the time.

For those Day/Weekend trips, Phillips Island with the A4 paper sized Penguins, and the Great Ocean Road where the 12 Apostles (beautiful rock formations in the water) are located. A great road trip for sure!

Tasmania:
Although a small and quaint location to visit, it opens the travellers eyes to the unique side of Australia. With its small town mentality and the quirkly Salamanca Market on the weekends you’ll have the opporunity to shop for cheap souvenirs and experience the street music and street food.

Tasmania is also well recognized as a great location to volunteer in conservation projects if you feel like meeting new people and giving back. This was an amazing way to meet new people and make life-long friends as well. We lived in a volunteer home together, cooked and worked together, and spent every waking moment TOGETHER. It was definitely cheap and ideal! CVA (www.conservationvolunteers.com.au).

Sydney:

Of course this is already a favourite for travellers from all around the world! The main locations to keep in mind when in the Sydney region are the Blue Mountains/Katoomba, the infamous Opera House, and of course Sydney Harbour Bridge.

You can book a day trip to the Blue Mountains but considering I spent my Christmas there I suggest giving it a couple nights. Katoomba, where the Blue Mountains are, is a train ride away to the outskirts of Sydney, but it’s a cute small town worth spending a day or two in. While you are there you can actually book a hop on hop off tourist bus ride through the blue mountains and the various majestic waterfalls and hiking routes in the surrounding areas. The rock formations called the three sisters are also a part of this and accompany a heart wrenching story of love and loss. Lastly, don’t forget to stop by the various antique stores…beware, you could end up spending a whole day in each store if you aren’t careful!

To take a tour of the Opera House is pricey, therefore I didn’t do it, but I also had no deep inclination to do it. If opera and theatre are your passion then go for it, otherwise the different views from outside and on the water are perfect picture opportunities.

The Harbour Bridge is infamous for its expensive $300 climb but something many fail to discover is the $9 half climb. You can walk up the pillars that hold the bridge together and get quite a beautiful view from the top for an extremely cheap price! Why not? PS-looking for an original way to propose to a loved one. The harbour bridge has already been used more than once! Romantic nonetheless!

Queensland (Where you will probably spend most of your money):

Although not a lot of time was spent here I can definitely say the essential is the Great Barrier Reef! I recommend not attempting to explore this on your own and rather booking a tour. It may cost a lot but if you’re near one of the wonders of the world, you should be willing to spend a little extra. If you manage to get a large group together it can be cheaper. Remember to keep in mind that there are tours that show you the reef, tours that allow you to scuba dive in it and snorkel, and then tours that only allow you to snorkel so figure out what you want to do while you’re there. Be sure to also check the weather for the days you are booking because a clear day means a better view of the reef.

If scuba diving is what you fancy be sure to not book this if you have sinus issues, a cold, or a heart problem without  a doctor’s note allowing you to dive.

Do you prefer to snorkel? I just snorkelled through the reef and dove in once in awhile and it was beautiful enough for me!
Be sure to have a water proof camera for this portion of your trip because you are going to see some beautiful fish and coral that you’ll never be able find the right words to describe; only photos will do the beauty justice.
The only word that can truly describe the Whitsundays is PARADISE. The water is clear blue and the sand is luminescent white. Be prepared with a good camera because every photo will turn out to look like a postcard. I was with a group of 50 for this so we got onto two motor boats and raced through the water to our very own private beach! It was well worth the money because it was all to ourselves for however long we wanted.

Cairns:
Let’s just say this is the adventure Location of all of Australia! Although slightly bias, look up Gilligans Hostel, and stay there! If you are looking for a great group of people, party times, nice clean rooms and person bathrooms, and a very central location, this place promises to please!

Now, since Cairns is known for its adventure don’t deny yourself of the fun! AJ Hackett has the Bungy jump location where you can do night time jumps into the water.  Mind you, there’s a bar located at the bottom of the jump for some ‘liquid courage’. Furthermore, if you feel like continuing that adrenaline rush, you can attempt to sky dive here too as it is a beautiful location but Cairns is known for its rainy weather so be prepared to have your dive cancelled on more than one occasion…mine was.

That’s all for Australia folks…mind you I didn’t travel to every location and I spent more time in some locations than others. So, don’t take this as your end all and be all for Australia but take it as a little guide to a lot of adventure!

Up next: Campervanning Mayham in New Zealand…few shower opportunities…many adventurous moments.