Moving Abroad : Which Australian City Suits Your Your Lifestyle?

Australia is a huge country, it can fit into Europe or North America on a map, with so much choice or where to go and what to see. But what if you want to settle somewhere for a little while? Australia's state capitals are always a good starting point and with each one being so varied from the next how do you know which one is best for you? Today I am breaking down my experience of 5 of the big cities to get you an idea of which is best for your lifestyle.

Australia : See You Soon

687 days. That's how long it has been. 687 days since I changed my life. Since I boarded that first flight bound for uncertainty, for a life that I had never know. For life. That's what Australia gave me, life, or at least a new perspective on it. I never knew when I boarded that first flight how much one person could change in such a small amount of time, but I did. I can barely believe my time here is over however a new adventure calls.

Noosa - Learn to Surf

One of the many items on any travellers Australian bucket list is a surf lesson, I was no exception. So when I got the time and opportunity in Noosa I booked myself into a morning session at 'Learn to Surf'. Founded by an ex champion surfer and teaching for over 20 years the company has steadily grown.

Noosa - Sunset River Cruise

On recommendation from my friend we took a sunset cruise around the Noosa river. Picking up at Noosaville Jetty and The Sheraton in Noosa Heads the cruise takes 90 minutes with some time pre sunset and post sunset floating happily along the Noosa River and some of her inlets.

Brisbane Coffee - Bonsai Botanika

While in Brisbane I decided to try my first cafè out to see how Brisbane's coffee matched up to Melbourne, possibly an unfair comparison, and after a little research decided to try Bonsai Botanika on Elizabeth Street.

Instagrams :: April '15

Brisbane - Mini Break

This weekend I raced up to queensland to visit my friend Kim for her 30th Birthday Bash and it all started at a real pace. With panic I would miss my flight after finishing work late and having to catch an Uber only to make check in by 5minutes and having a mad dash through security, where I nearly left my phone, followed by the heart reaching reality of finding no working public transport to get me into Brisbane at the other end it all started a little crazy. So after $100 worth of taxis and a short but welcomed stay in a private hostel room the weekend was underway. 

Instagram - Queensland Part 2 #ThisisQueensland

Today I am showcasing my second set of Instagrams from Queensland (you can find the first post here). Featured in this post is Rainbow Beach, Fraser Island and Brisbane.

Instagram - Queensland Part 1 #ThisIsQueensland

Because I took so many Instagrams in Queensland I have had to split the IG diaries up so they are not too photo heavy. Today's features images from Airlie Beach and Agnes Waters/1770. Enjoy!

Surfers Paradise - Job Hunting, New Friends and Nights Out

On our second day in Surfers Paradise reality was starting to settle in a bit for me, for my group is is just a holiday but for me I know I need to find a job and acommodation for the summer and decide where I am heading to, it's quite nerve wracking really and so I woke up with an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Despite all of this I was determined to get out and do some chores and sees bit more of the city before heading back to the hostel to hammer the wifi on my job search.

Surfers Paradise - Skypoint

As I said back when I first came to Australia I love a good view and when I found Surfers Paradise had a 360 degree viewing deck it was automatically on my list of must dos for while I was visiting. I headed off early to make sure I got there pre-sunset so I could take in the city during the day, at sunset and at night again like I did with Eureka Skydeck in Melbourne.

Rainbow Beach

Sorry I am only just getting around to posting about Rainbow Beach now, finding time to post on the road became a bit hectic this last week from moving around and exhaustion because of noisy room mates and hostel guests causing lack of sleep.

We arrived in Rainbow Beach lunchtime last Sunday after an early bus in from Agnes Waters and after settling into our accomodation across from the bus stop headed out to explore the beach. Weather was warm but there was a strong wind on the beach which meant you couldn't really sit down as you became covered in layers of sand but we did take a walk down the beach toward the Rainbow cliffs that the Beach now gets it's name from. The sands in Rainbow change colour from white, yellow, red, black and orange, hence the name of the beach, and you can see this colour change in the tall sand cliffs and dunes along the beach.

For myself I didn't get to see much more of Rainbow Beach than this as I fell asleep for sunset and went to Fraser Island on our second day but my travel companions tell me the sand blows at sunset were a brilliant sight so I would like to go back and see it if I ever get the opportunity. 

Surfers Paradise - Time on the Gold Coast

We left for the Gold Coast early on Sunday morning off to the coast again for a few days at Surfers Paradise. Arriving at the city for 8.30am and straight to leave belongings in the hostel, Budds in Surfers, though we couldn't check in until 2pm they took our bags and stored them for us so it was off to catch some z's on the beach.

Tom and I took to the sea for a little while jumping the strong waves and getting truly drenched in the wonderfully cold sea, a great contrast to the strength of the sun. Queensland's sun seems to fell stronger than anywhere I have travelled so far and I have felt the need to seek out shade a lot of the time to avoid burning my skin.

Surfers Paradise isn't huge, but it isn't small either with most of it being only a few blocks back from the beachfront and stretching for miles along the coastline. The atmosphere was fantastic and I think this was only aided by the V8 super cars being in town to race through the streets, you could hear the roar of the engines from the hostel and beach. 

The town is easy to walk around but the traffic lights and crossings in Australia still get me a little as you have to wait for the green man or be fined for J-walking but they take so long to change sometimes I think I could have crossed the road 6 times while waiting and no cars have passed.

Brisbane - Time Out In The Suburbs

After a rough night with horribly disrespectful room mates and getting about 3 hours sleep all night I was so grateful to be headed out into the suburbs of Brisbane to see my friend Kim and catch up with her. She had extended me the offer to stay with her and I am incredibly thankful for her kindness.

Instagram Diary - Tropical North Queensland #exploreTNQ

 

Brisbane - In the City Again

Back in the city again, this time Brisbane. I can't tell you how excited I was to be back in a city again with its tall architecture, beautiful bridges and hundreds of people milling about. I have really missed the buzz of a  metropolis, beaches start to look the same after a while and there is only so many times you can sit on the sands and watch the waves before you get bored but cities are forever changing. 

Fraser Island with Fraser Explorer Tours

So yesterday I had the time of my life on the photographers paradise of Fraser Island. Fraser Island is a world heritage listed site and the largest sand Island in the world located just off the Queensland Coast and somewhere I wanted to tick off while on the east coast and now I just want to go back and see more. I woke early to catch my bus at 7.30am for the ferry crossing from Rainbow Beach to the Island and was a little excited when a big bus with 4x4 power and wheels came rolling up to the bus stop.

Review : Nomads Southern Cross - Agnes Waters / 1770

Nomads Southern Cross is the second Nomads I have stayed in since arriving in Australia and so far I am impressed with the brand.

Agnes Water / The Town of 1770

We arrived into Agnes Water after a rather gruelling overnight Greyhound bus from Airlie with a particully grumpy driver, who more than once had been rude to most of the passengers on board, not an experience with them I had had before and not one I appreciated after being awake since 6am the morning of catching our midnight bus.

Review : Jackaroos Hostel - Mission Beach

Jackaroos hostel in Mission Beach is a slice of paradise for a fraction of the price of what larger corporations charge you and I found it to be a wonderful experience. Jackaroos is based out of Mission Beach at Bingil Bay really an so when you are dropped at the bus depot a shuttle bus is waiting to take you to the Accomodation.  As you pull up you feel a little removed from the normal again and walking. Down the pathway to reception you could mistake yourself to walking into a tropical hotel.