To all my lovely followers, people who randomly browse and for all the people I have met along the way, I just wanted to do a brief overview of my time travelling up the East Coast of Australia.
The first night that I was separate from my bestie and travel buddy Gee was a weird night. It felt like I had lost half of myself but then I met a girl called Xe, from Singapore. She explained that any free time off work or even on the weekends she would try and go somewhere new. Travel. Even in her own country or town. This really inspired me and proved to me that there were other people out there as desperate to learn and experience other cultures even if that meant they had to travel alone. Meeting Xe gave me the confidence to put myself out there in front of other people when I may not have done so before. You guys should check out her blog: koalatravelstheworld.wordpress.com
From that day on I relished in meeting new people and doing mad, new things with them. Some of the people I met whilst in Australia are genuinely some of the best I have ever met and funnily enough many of them come from my own country or Europe and I never would have met them if I hadn't done this journey.
Travelling the East coast of Australia is a classic backpacker trip and this means that many of you have the same mindset. You are here in the land of sun, sea, kangaroos and the Opera House and are going to take every opportunity by the horns and take the ride. This means that everyone is so honest with who they are and thus, you can really embrace people for their quirks and individual qualities. I think, in typical gap year style, that I really "found myself" on this journey and not because I didn't know who I was before but maybe because I didn't know how to embrace myself. I used to worry about being too fat or too thin, too smart or too slow, too loud or too quiet but now I don't worry because real friends and good people accept you for who you are no matter what as long as you are happy.
So now my little inspiration, life confirming rant is over. I think I should probably name some of my favourite moments from Australia, although in reality, I wouldn't change a second.
These are in no particular order:
1. The "It's a poem!" moment when some crazy girl in the dorm room in Cairns freaked out about Haikus. This is probably on par with the "I shield you" moment in the same room. Involving Laura Lynch, Kim Doyle, Chris Dick, Craig Sibley and some random crazy people. (Don't have a photo of this... I was laughing too much.)
2. Getting my "adventure diver" qualification out on the barrier reef with some of the coolest people I have ever met... Namely Ben Craig, Fred, Mikkel and Andus.
3. Getting up close and personal with a Koala who was carrying a joey at Australia Zoo - in fact, Australia Zoo in general with Noelle Porter and some Welsh guy.
4. Visiting the Whitsunday's - it wasn't the trip or even the mind blowing beauty of the islands... It was the people I met. Love you guys.
5. Partying in Bundeena with my Aussie family, Jake and Josh Smith. Thank you for introducing me to all your lovely friends and pitying me for my hangover when anyone else would have laughed in my face.
6. Seeing this in Melbourne
7. Standing on the edge of the world in Cape Byron
8. Being Mothered by my Aunt Debbie in her beautiful home in North Sydney after so long of being a backpacker - also got to meet Prince Will (score!)
9. Feeling at home in beautiful Noosa
So there you go, my little overview of my big trip.
Lots of Love,
Clementine x
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