Fresh start...

 8th July 2014...

So this is it. I'm currently sitting in Brisbane airport eating a yummy raisin Danish and flat white while I wait to board a new chapter of my life.
I can't help but think back over the past 10 months of my life and how it's shaped me as a person and think of all the wonderful people I've met along my journey. However much I enjoyed it I'm also looking forward to closing a few doors and starting fresh. That's the beauty of travelling though hey.

I also can't wait to see my beautiful best friend that I haven't seen for over 2 months. Which is the longest I've not seen her for  EVER!

New beginnings, new place, new people. Let's see what you've got to offer Port Douglas!!

Why do we do it?

A question gets asked among backpackers...what's your reason for going travelling in the first place?

For some it's a gap year before they go to uni, or a time to find themselves, others it's an escape, some it's purely just a desire to see the world.
For many there seems to be a common reason. Most of us seem to be running from something. Wether it's from the people we left behind, or just the place itself? Or is it the memories that it holds that haunt us. We all just want to get as far away as possible. Why is this?

I frequently ask myself why I decided to come travelling? What spurred the incentive to pack up my life and all (well some) of my things into a backpack and just leave? Other than the uppermost urge to travel and experience a new way of life.
But in all honestly I can't remember the exact reasoning of why, but I guess it was influenced by not having a freaking clue what I want to do with my life. The feeling of pressure and stress that came with trying to make that decision was just too much and I couldn't make the choice at that time. I wasn't entirely happy with the way things were going...So what better way to ignore everything and put off that decision for a year and to move half the way across the world to la-la land where none of your troubles exist...except you couldn't be more wrong...Troubles follow you wherever you go, they're always in the back of your mind niggling away. One thing I have learnt this year is that a place isn't going to make you happy, it's not got the magical powers to take all the crap away that you ran away from.

So embrace the time you have while you're away and don't forget to stop and look around at what you've achieved and what a truly beautiful country you've been blessed with the opportunity to be in.

Time...

How has 4 months gone by since I last wrote on here?

While travelling time just seems to vanish beneath you...You loose track of what day you're in and suddenly realise another month has just sailed past without you even noticing. I guess being in the middle of the Australian summer just adds to the confusion of it being february!

These past 4 months have been a lot of fun, met some incredible people along the way and have had to say goodbye, but I know that goodbyes aren't forever and I look forward to seeing all the lovely people again... wether it be in Australia, UK or in their hometowns.

I'll stop the jibber jabber and fill you in on the past 4 months...

Long overdue update...

So a fair bit has happened since I last posted...

We both managed to get jobs at the Sheraton, which is good that we managed to get jobs so quickly but it's such a chore to drag ourselves to work. They've not put us on the same shift pattern either due to experience and not working together has it's downfalls as we won't see each other some days :( but all in all it's good pay and fingers crossed it'll get better! To put the cherry ontop I've got this sexy uniform to wear...

A few plus sides to work is the stinking rich Aussies that come to the hotel like to tip very generously...$50 will do me nicely, thanks mate. And not complaining with the leftovers that I received the other night, just what I needed after a shift at work!!! 

We gained another family member this week....welcome Tagilicious! His name is actually Merrill and he's from Paris. But he looks like Tag (Rachael's toyboy boyfriend in friends) which we all found hilarious and he from that moment onwards he became one of the family and adapted the name Tag - and would actually respond to it too! (Top lad) 

On our first day off together, Cornelia, Tag, Rach, Jesse and I went to Melany which has a rope swing and waterfall area.

 Tag let me drive his banger of a car...which I'm not sure is legal but hey! Was a fun little road trip! 

Fair to say me being classic grumpy Lauren - I didn't want to get in the dirty lake water so I sat and watched Cornelia launch herself into the water! 

Seen as I have so many mornings off without Cornelia. Jesse and I decided to take a stroll to Alexandra Bay which is the nudist beach. Fair to say we didn't join in!!! And thankfully there wasn't too many old saggy men about but the ones that were about had a little modesty...

Alexandra Bay is in the middle of the costal walk on the edge of the national park but a beautiful and secluded beach.(probably why it attracts the nudies!!) so Jesse and I practically had the beach to ourselves which was so peaceful! 

Today we lost a family member...Tag had to go back to work so we had a Bon Voyage BBQ for him with everyone which was so sweet for all of us not to be working for once - so blessed to have genuinely met the most amazing people that have made this the start of our adventure incredible! Dread the day that we have to say goodbye to the family. 

Can't believe that come Wednesday we've been away for a month already!!! Time has actually flown by, Christmas is going to creep up on us soo quick and I can't wait!!! 

One week down...

As crazy as it seems, we've done one week here already! Feels like we've been here soooo much longer - it's nice to feel settled in one place. 

And who would complain with a lifestyle like this 

We experienced our first night out in Australia on Monday night... It started with a sophisticated cheese and wine night at the hostel, but when it ends with absinthe... We know it can't end well...or could it?!

In our case it really did! Cornelia won a dance contest at the local bar. And winning meant a 2-4-1 trip to WHITSUNDAYS BABY!!! We haven't decided when we're going but possibly for my birthday WOOP!

This is Cornelia and Levi one of the guys staying at the hostel with us - post absinthe...

We were told that we had to go to the national park while in Noosa, so today we went along the costal walk with our new friend Jesse from Canada, we walked from one beach through others to get to main beach. 

However one of the beaches we had to walk through was a nudist beach which was an experience to say the least...

But a little bit further round the coast we spotted some whales and dolphins which was soo amazing! Along with the whales I saw my first jellyfish! The views along the way were incredible, with such clear water and beaut blue skies I couldn't of think of a better way to spend my day. 

 

Then to top off the day we went to the highest point of Noosa and watched the sunset which was so cute. 

This post was very picture orientated but I love to take pictures so thought I would share all with you...enjoy 

Maroochydore

So we've arrived at the Sebel Maroochydore which we're staying in for 3 nights....

HELLO HEAVEN...made a great call getting a nice place for when we arrive so we can just crash! However, I don't think I'll be wanting to leave anytime soon! 

I must say waking up and looking out the window to see the sea and sun just instantly puts you in a great mood! On our second morning I woke up really early and must of just missed the sunrise but still got a pretty good view...

After a good nights rest we waked to a "near by" town called Mooloolaba (mah-loo-la-ba) the amount of times I've pronounced it wrong is ridiculous! But they had a whole strip of shops, restaurants and cafès and was really a really sweet area! 

Now off to Noosa to enjoy a week up there...

From luxury to slums...

After 3 glorious nights in 5* apartments we're being summoned to 7 nights in a hostel...

After being in a massive apartment for 3 nights that we had our own rooms, with en suits and a walk in wardrobe I think we have been thoroughly spoilt!

 But with a view like this... 

Who would complain?! 

And on top of amazing accommodation we had 3 mornings of beautiful breakfasts... 

I dread to think what the complimentary brekkys at the hostel will be - I should give a little credit to the hostel it's probably one of the nicest I've stayed in! The pool and outdoor area is big and the kitchen is cute and modern and is ranked 8th in Australia! So let's see what it has to offer over this next week! 

Touchdown

After a beefy flight which in all honesty wasn't too bad all thanks to Emirates! Managed to sleep a fair bit of the flight and every time I woke up I had food in front of me....perfection! 

Had the windows seat out of Dubai which meant I got the most amazing view of the city as we took off

And after a short minibus journey we made it to the Sebel in Maroochydore which was sooo lush after 26 hours travelling it was just what we needed! 

We explored the nearest beach and then the shopping centre to try and figure out our bearings! 

So we've got 3 nights here and then on to Noosa....

First stop

So that's us done our first leg of the flight from London to Dubai...wasn't too bad! Possibly helped with a glass of champs before we set off but that's just standard with me and Cornelia! Just felt like a short hall flight to Europe! 

Due to the time we flew in we caught the sunrise which was soo beaut! 

Now for the biggie to Brisbane. Not sure how we'll cope sitting still for 13 hours but hey...at the end of it we'll be in beautiful sunshine! 

So I'll see you on the other side...

The calm before the storm...or is it the other way around perhaps?!

So it's now 5 days till we leave and it's all getting super exciting/crazy. It's just remembering if i've done everything and having to pack...dear lordy don't get me started! I've gathered so much rubbish over the years of living in this room and now having to go through it all isn't much fun!


Our flights are so weird, we leave on a Monday and arrive on a Wednesday...SAY WHAAAAAT. We leave Monday 16th September at roughly 9pm and then fly to Dubai arrive in Dubai on Tuesday 10am local time, and are stuck in Dubai airport for 4 hours and then fly to Brisbane and arrive there at 6am on the Wednesday(?!?!?!) So we basically lose a day in the air which i'm not looking forward to whatsoever! But hey! By Wednesday we'll be in AUSTRALIA!! Then from Brisbane we are heading North to the Sunshine Coast!


I'm going to leave it there for now and then update more probably when I have another meltdown before we leave on Monday...

Where it all began..

So I guess I should start from the beginning of the thought process/decision making that now is Australia.

Originally I had thought about doing a gap year because I knew that if I was in England when all my friends were going off to uni I would see pictures of them all living their new lives, knowing full well I would be jealous and feel really crap about not going to uni ect ect. So going away in September was always in the back of my mind, doing what I hadn't quite figured out but hey!

So I can't even remember how the idea came about, but Cornelia (co-traveller) and I thought about going to Australia, knowing I had extended family pretty much all over the place and we did our research regarding jobs and whatnot and long story short a few weeks later around Easter time we had booked our flights and had applied for a working holiday visa!

Over the summer we travelled Europe giving us a little more of an insight into hostels (dear lord never again) and living abroad and budgeting and so on. However much "character building" the trip gave us it also set me back a fair few pennies but all part of learning.


So now we're just under a week away and it's all getting very real...