Category Archives: Australia

I only spent one night in Hervey Bay, on Monday, April 30, because it’s best known for its whale-watching opportunities but this wasn’t the right season for them. I checked into Next Backpackers and the staff said at the moment, … Continue reading →

On Thursday, April 26, I went to Rainbow Beach and checked into Dingo’s, where I spent the night both before and after going to Fraser Island. There were only a few shops so the town didn’t take long to look around. … Continue reading →

I booked three nights in Noosa because everyone had been raving about it. On Monday, April 23, I checked into the YHA hostel Halse Lodge, which was close to the beach. The kitchen was too small for the number of … Continue reading →

I had a fantastic time in Brisbane, partly because I got to cross some things off my wish list such as cuddling a koala and going to an Aussie rules football match, and partly because I got to see some … Continue reading →

On Sunday, April 15, I headed to Surfers Paradise, at the heart of the Gold Coast, for a couple of nights. The problem with giving a place a name such as Surfers Paradise is that it creates unrealistically high expectations. I … Continue reading →

I’ve just spent five nights at the Holiday Village Backpackers in Byron Bay, a town full of hippies and surfers. The hostel was directly opposite the famous party bar Cheeky Monkeys, which meant it wasn’t far to stumble to bed … Continue reading →

I spent three nights over the Easter weekend at Spot X in Arrawarra (my favourite place name after Woolloomooloo in Sydney). Arrawarra was such a tiny place, it didn’t appear in my guidebook, but it was a half-hour bus journey north of Coffs … Continue reading →

On Thursday, April 5, I spent 10 hours travelling by Greyhound bus from Sydney to Coffs Harbour. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting to see out of the window, apart from a couple of small groups of kangaroos. The Aussitel hostel’s minibus … Continue reading →

Before I write about Australia I’d like to say thank you to Alina and her family for letting me stay on my last night in New Zealand. It was so good to catch up after such a long time and … Continue reading →