I was talking to my Dad yesterday morning, about how all of my uni friends are away at some amazing, exotic location, and how desperate I am to go somewhere interesting. And he said that we had some family & friends in Australia, particularly one of his closest friends, and so if I wanted to, I could just let him know and he'd ask them if one of them could put me up.
Skip to yesterday evening. I was talking to mum about this, and she said that if I wanted, I could have some money towards flights & hotels, as my 21st birthday present, next year. Flights cost in the region of £1,000 if I book in advance, but I have some money in a savings account anyway, if I wanted to.
It's totally frivolous and self-indulgent, and I would be far better saving money so that I can afford to do the Masters course that I want to do - but I am also planning to work for a year before I do that course, so I should save up some money from that, too.
But I am so stupidly excited about this. I think, from the looks of where we have family, I'll do an south-east-coast trip; start in Brisbane, and work my way down via Sydney to Melbourne - I'd love to go inland too, to Ayers Rock & Alice Springs (yes, all those tourist-y places), but I'll only be able to go for about a month, and would rather do a few places in depth rather than everything in a whirlwind tour.
I am so, so, so excited.
Any recommendations? Things to do? Places to see? Ways to travel? Obvious things that I'll need to know?
Come to Melbourne, Definitely. Go to fed square, go shopping, take some photos at photoplus and then take a delayed train from Flinders Street to Footscray Station and get some donuts from Olympic Donuts, they taste like sugar coated awesome.
Though you might not want to do that ^^
Do read up on slang though, People really do talk like that here.
;D
PM me if you want to know anything else, I've been to every bloody touristy landmark and I can tell you what Sydney smells like.
I'm curious - what does Sydney smell like?
& thanks for the help.
& thanks, too, Linda - part of me is feeling really guilty, as I say, for being so self-indulgent, but gosh, I'm so excited. I just needed some reassurance that it's ok, what I'm planning :P
I lived in Sydney for 8 years, it smells like most cities! lol! Depends on where you are :P If you go to sydney, go to Manly, Bondi (tourist central), and roam the city! It's actually a pretty cool place. :) But then it was my home for a very long time!
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
you're allowed to be self-indulgent sometimes (or all the time). you shouldn't feel guilty at all, especially since you're paying for it on your own / birthday money. also, i bet it would be amazingly super fun and how can you turn that down?
jo. goooooo. you have to.
take me with you?
i went to oz for 3 weeks, 3 years ago. best experience of my life :]
we went; melbourne - ayers rock - cairns - port douglas - cairns - hamilton island - sydney. AMAZING.
sydeny; you have to do the bridge climb.
ayers rock; the dinner under the stars & watch the sunset over ayers rock.
melbourne; great ocean road.
great barrier reef is a mustmustmust.
oh gosh, i'd go back there in a heartbeat. i loved loved loved it.
do it now, cos you probably won't ever get enough holiday when you start working. & yes, just go :) [i now have a massive urge to dig out ever oz photo i can find just to show you how amazing the places were!]
i agree you should go definitely. its a massive life experience so you owe it to yourself to do this!
i have no advice mainly because i have never been anywhere as exotic as that but just go and have lots of fun and take lots of photo's and bring me back a present. ha ha
Stay awaaaayyyyy!!!!
Go to Canada. Its like Australia, only with Canadians. And its less hot. And Canadians are more friendly. And it doesnt suck. Seriously, living here is awful.
Am I the only one who gave Australia a bad review?
Benji's Weekly Insight:
I have a Tonberry teddy called Grudge.
^ But you may think it's awful because you live there? I'd give Oxfordshire a slating review, but actually, it's probably quite a nice place for tourists. And I like hot :) I miss hot.
I don't know?
Why don't you like it, more importantly?
And it looks like I may be going to Vancouver next year, too, anyway (with my Dad & his girlfriend) - which'd be awesome, too. This makes me sound very exciting - I promise I'm not, it's just that after not leaving Europe since 2005, I'm suddenly seemingly possibly travelling around the world all in one year.
lol 
