Day 38: Friday, October 19th
Checked out of the hostel and killed time until Rachel, Ellie, and I took the bus to the ferry to the Greyhound to get to Cairns, my last stop on the east coast! Crazy to think I’ll be flying to Melbourne in just five days (fingers crossed I can actually fit everything into my bags). I got to my hostel pretty late so I met up with Anja and we went to Australia’s version of Chipotle to catch up since last saw each other. I went to bed early to prepare for my dive the next day.
Day 39: Saturday, October 20th
Today was my day out on the Great Barrier Reef! I had a little time to snorkel before my intro scuba dive! It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done, I am going to get certified soon. After my first dive, which was about 30 minutes, I signed up to do the second dive later that day. I saw two sharks, a really rare fish, and some beautiful coral. As bright and fascinating the reef was, I was shocked at how much was dead. It really showed just how significant climate change impacts the ocean. For my second dive, I was the last person out of the water because I was able to breath less and therefore have enough air to last me an extra ten minutes. After the boat trip, I finally got my phone fixed and picked up cream that fixed my foot! Turns out I had somehow ended up with a phone number belonging to a man in China. That evening, I met up with Rachel, Ellie, Ben, and Anja to go to an Indian restaurant and check out the popular backpacker bar in Cairns. We had a blast talking about our east coast trips.
Day 40: Sunday, October 21st
Ran into my friend Alistair who I’ve run into at almost every stop along the way. Anja and I went to a spot for waffles for breakfast and then laid by the lagoon. The ocean is too dangerous (crocodiles, jellyfish, sharks, strong currents…etc.) in Cairns so the lagoon exists so people can still swim. I wandered around the shops a bit before going to the pool at the hostel to swim and relax for a few hours. Alistair and I met an American girl from New York so we went to the Indian restaurant again and met up with Charlie (Charlotte from Fraser). After, we headed back to the popular backpacker hangout and met Anja and two of her friends who I’ve met a few times now. It was Anja’s last night and really sad to say goodbye to her because she’d become one of my closest friends in Australia. We’ve made plans to visit each other in a few years!
Day 41: Monday, October 22nd
Headed out early in the morning for a tour of four waterfalls near Cairns. One was a place where over 30 people have died upstream (where we were prohibited from going other than the lookout point), one of the waterfalls had a natural slide that we could go down, another was a FREEZING waterfall but made for awesome pictures (one of the most photographed waterfalls in the world), and the last spot was a lake that has a crocodile named Dave living in it (sadly, we didn’t get to see Dave). I was again impressed with the vegan food on my tour. After I got back to my hostel that evening, I changed and went down to the pool area where Alistair and Ylva were hanging out. My plan had been to go to bed early, but they convinced me to hang out with them for the evening. It ended up being lots of fun!
Day 42: Tuesday, October 23rd
My last day in Cairns and my last day on the East Coast part of my travels! I slept in, went to the gym (so amazing to use actual weights again), FaceTimed Mackenzie, went to the grocery store, did laundry, and fought with my bag to fit everything. Later in the day, I met up with Will, Alistair, and a girl named Kristina who I met in Airlie Beach. We went to the Indian restaurant yet AGAIN, thank goodness they have an amazing samosa or I’d be so over this place. We went out to the popular backpacker bar again to celebrate the end of our east coast journeys, as we were all finishing up in the next few days. It was sad to say goodbye to the close friends I’ve made, but hopefully I’ll see them again soon.
Day 43: Wednesday, October 24th
Headed to the airport in the morning for my flight to Melbourne! I have five nights booked, but plan to extend and stay about ten days. Security was the fastest I’ve ever experienced, they don’t even have liquid limits on domestic flights so I was able to keep my water bottle full and bring my full size shower products. When I arrived in Melbourne, I took a shuttle to a train station where I was supposed to be able to take a free tram to my hostel. Instead, I got on the wrong one going the complete opposite direction. I then ordered an Uber which cancelled on me! When I ordered my second Uber, it was the SAME driver who had cancelled on me. Awkward. Eventually, I made it to my hostel, dropped my stuff, and went to one of the most popular vegan restaurants around called Vegie Bar. I ordered the Big Mac and an appetizer. WOW, the food was fantastic! I went next door and got chocolate hazelnut gelato in a waffle cone for dessert. I haven’t felt so full in a long time but it was so worth it! I have a fat list of restaurants to try in Melbourne, which is known for its coffee and vegan foods.
Day 44: Thursday, October 25th
I started my day at the hostel’s gym before going to the Queen Victoria Markets. It was weird how much the market reminded me of Pike Place. I made my way to the University of Melbourne to explore the campus and check out some of their art galleries. It was a beautiful campus that happened to include a normal bathroom with a squatting toilet. One of the strangest things I’ve ever seen, yet not the first time I’ve seen one in this country. The University had an exhibit talking about Perfection and the lengths that people go to meet it (aka surgery and Photoshop). After I explored the exhibit, I went to an art gallery on campus. By this point, I was starving so I walked to Fitzroy where most of the vegan restaurants are and got an insanely amazing “Chicken Parm” sandwich. Seriously one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The deli was also filled with vegan snacks, so I went a little crazy and bought a bunch of chocolates you can only find in Australia. I’m going to have to pace myself eating everything! I walked to the free City Circle tram to see where I ended up. I hopped off near the Emporium, a huge mall that spans multiple blocks in the Central Business District (CBD). I ran into India, who I met in Cairns. We decided to spend the next day together so went to bed early that evening!
Day 45: Friday, October 26th
It’s honestly bizarre how much Melbourne reminds me of Seattle; from the weather to the parks to the buildings, it’s all so similar. India and I began the morning at the Melbourne Museum for three hours. It was an amazing museum. My favorite exhibit was about the mind and body and talked about personality, the history of treating mental health, and creepy tactics that people used to think were effective, such as lobotomies. Then we went to Vegie Bar for lunch and I had the BEST nachos of my entire life. I’ve been searching for good vegan nachos for months (I went to 4 places in Seattle in the last two weeks I was there) and nothing has come even close to these. We walked around Fitzroy more and then hopped on the free tram to go check out some of the street art that Melbourne is famous for. We walked around a few different alleys and saw so much incredible creativity. We even got to watch a satire piece of Trump being painted. That evening, we watched a movie in the hostel’s cinema room and went to bed early. It’s a nice relief actually getting to sleep after weeks of having so much to do.
Day 46: Saturday, October 27th
I slept in and focused my day on figuring out what to do with my life. I made some tentative plans of where to go work and applied for a job. I walked to the State Library but most of it was closed off to the public so I didn’t get to see the areas that the library is famous for. I went to the Australia Center for the Moving Picture but discovered it was mostly focused on video games so I took an Uber to a vegan pizza place in Fitzroy and worked on my resume and cover letter for another job. I saw some interesting art on the way, too! It was India’s second-to-last night, so we went to a rooftop bar to celebrate.
Day 47: Sunday, October 28th
Slept in again! I worked out, worked on my resume more, and went to a vegan Vietnamese place for lunch. I also got to talk to my grandma on the phone for a few hours. I booked a two-day tour that leaves tomorrow, partially to postpone making a real decision about what to do next.
Day 48: Monday, October 29th
I left for my two-day tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park at 7am. My day was spent on a bus with a tour guide and a bunch of other travelers. We went to all of the amazing (popular) destinations on the Great Ocean Road and did a few mini hikes, took pictures, and appreciated the scenery. One of our stops included the best ice cream shop in Australia, which had a vegan chocolate ice cream that was easily the best I’ve ever tasted! We were touring until 10pm that night. Once it was dark out, the driver had to keep an eye out for kangaroos to make sure he didn’t hit any. I was shocked at how many just hopped in front of the bus, forcing our driver to slam on the breaks the entire way to the hostel. Only in Australia!
Day 49: Tuesday, October 30th
It’s officially been 7 weeks! Spent the morning hiking Grampians National Park. We did three hikes, one of which involved climbing up rocks to an amazing viewpoint! It was a lot more fun than a regular hike because we weren’t just following a dirt path, we were climbing over rocks and mini creeks. Around lunchtime, I got a call for a job interview! Fingers crossed it works out. The place we stopped for lunch had a little café with a vegan burger. It’s still crazy to me how even the smallest of towns in Australia seem to have loads of vegan food. When I got back to Melbourne, I switched hostels to a more social place in St. Kilda. Within one hour, I had met more people than five nights at my previous hostel. I went to part of the trivia event that evening, but went to bed early to prepare for my job trial the next day.
Day 50: Wednesday, October 31st
Happy Halloween! I had a job trial/interview for a job as a travel agent up in Cairns. Most businesses in Australia do trials instead of the typical interview so that they can see you in action. I honestly had so much fun during the trial! I’m hopeful I get the position, but either way I’m glad I had my first trial here so I know what to expect in the future. After the trial, I wandered around, worked on my blog, and then made dinner. At dinner, I was talking to a girl named Charlie and we decided to go find a cheap costume for the hostel’s even that evening. We decided to dress up as candy and filled clear plastic bags with colorful balloons. It was the cheapest, low-effort costume I’ve ever worn and it was a complete hit!
Checked out of the hostel and killed time until Rachel, Ellie, and I took the bus to the ferry to the Greyhound to get to Cairns, my last stop on the east coast! Crazy to think I’ll be flying to Melbourne in just five days (fingers crossed I can actually fit everything into my bags). I got to my hostel pretty late so I met up with Anja and we went to Australia’s version of Chipotle to catch up since last saw each other. I went to bed early to prepare for my dive the next day.
Day 39: Saturday, October 20th
Today was my day out on the Great Barrier Reef! I had a little time to snorkel before my intro scuba dive! It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done, I am going to get certified soon. After my first dive, which was about 30 minutes, I signed up to do the second dive later that day. I saw two sharks, a really rare fish, and some beautiful coral. As bright and fascinating the reef was, I was shocked at how much was dead. It really showed just how significant climate change impacts the ocean. For my second dive, I was the last person out of the water because I was able to breath less and therefore have enough air to last me an extra ten minutes. After the boat trip, I finally got my phone fixed and picked up cream that fixed my foot! Turns out I had somehow ended up with a phone number belonging to a man in China. That evening, I met up with Rachel, Ellie, Ben, and Anja to go to an Indian restaurant and check out the popular backpacker bar in Cairns. We had a blast talking about our east coast trips.
Day 40: Sunday, October 21st
Ran into my friend Alistair who I’ve run into at almost every stop along the way. Anja and I went to a spot for waffles for breakfast and then laid by the lagoon. The ocean is too dangerous (crocodiles, jellyfish, sharks, strong currents…etc.) in Cairns so the lagoon exists so people can still swim. I wandered around the shops a bit before going to the pool at the hostel to swim and relax for a few hours. Alistair and I met an American girl from New York so we went to the Indian restaurant again and met up with Charlie (Charlotte from Fraser). After, we headed back to the popular backpacker hangout and met Anja and two of her friends who I’ve met a few times now. It was Anja’s last night and really sad to say goodbye to her because she’d become one of my closest friends in Australia. We’ve made plans to visit each other in a few years!
Day 41: Monday, October 22nd
Headed out early in the morning for a tour of four waterfalls near Cairns. One was a place where over 30 people have died upstream (where we were prohibited from going other than the lookout point), one of the waterfalls had a natural slide that we could go down, another was a FREEZING waterfall but made for awesome pictures (one of the most photographed waterfalls in the world), and the last spot was a lake that has a crocodile named Dave living in it (sadly, we didn’t get to see Dave). I was again impressed with the vegan food on my tour. After I got back to my hostel that evening, I changed and went down to the pool area where Alistair and Ylva were hanging out. My plan had been to go to bed early, but they convinced me to hang out with them for the evening. It ended up being lots of fun!
Day 42: Tuesday, October 23rd
My last day in Cairns and my last day on the East Coast part of my travels! I slept in, went to the gym (so amazing to use actual weights again), FaceTimed Mackenzie, went to the grocery store, did laundry, and fought with my bag to fit everything. Later in the day, I met up with Will, Alistair, and a girl named Kristina who I met in Airlie Beach. We went to the Indian restaurant yet AGAIN, thank goodness they have an amazing samosa or I’d be so over this place. We went out to the popular backpacker bar again to celebrate the end of our east coast journeys, as we were all finishing up in the next few days. It was sad to say goodbye to the close friends I’ve made, but hopefully I’ll see them again soon.
Day 43: Wednesday, October 24th
Headed to the airport in the morning for my flight to Melbourne! I have five nights booked, but plan to extend and stay about ten days. Security was the fastest I’ve ever experienced, they don’t even have liquid limits on domestic flights so I was able to keep my water bottle full and bring my full size shower products. When I arrived in Melbourne, I took a shuttle to a train station where I was supposed to be able to take a free tram to my hostel. Instead, I got on the wrong one going the complete opposite direction. I then ordered an Uber which cancelled on me! When I ordered my second Uber, it was the SAME driver who had cancelled on me. Awkward. Eventually, I made it to my hostel, dropped my stuff, and went to one of the most popular vegan restaurants around called Vegie Bar. I ordered the Big Mac and an appetizer. WOW, the food was fantastic! I went next door and got chocolate hazelnut gelato in a waffle cone for dessert. I haven’t felt so full in a long time but it was so worth it! I have a fat list of restaurants to try in Melbourne, which is known for its coffee and vegan foods.
Day 44: Thursday, October 25th
I started my day at the hostel’s gym before going to the Queen Victoria Markets. It was weird how much the market reminded me of Pike Place. I made my way to the University of Melbourne to explore the campus and check out some of their art galleries. It was a beautiful campus that happened to include a normal bathroom with a squatting toilet. One of the strangest things I’ve ever seen, yet not the first time I’ve seen one in this country. The University had an exhibit talking about Perfection and the lengths that people go to meet it (aka surgery and Photoshop). After I explored the exhibit, I went to an art gallery on campus. By this point, I was starving so I walked to Fitzroy where most of the vegan restaurants are and got an insanely amazing “Chicken Parm” sandwich. Seriously one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The deli was also filled with vegan snacks, so I went a little crazy and bought a bunch of chocolates you can only find in Australia. I’m going to have to pace myself eating everything! I walked to the free City Circle tram to see where I ended up. I hopped off near the Emporium, a huge mall that spans multiple blocks in the Central Business District (CBD). I ran into India, who I met in Cairns. We decided to spend the next day together so went to bed early that evening!
Day 45: Friday, October 26th
It’s honestly bizarre how much Melbourne reminds me of Seattle; from the weather to the parks to the buildings, it’s all so similar. India and I began the morning at the Melbourne Museum for three hours. It was an amazing museum. My favorite exhibit was about the mind and body and talked about personality, the history of treating mental health, and creepy tactics that people used to think were effective, such as lobotomies. Then we went to Vegie Bar for lunch and I had the BEST nachos of my entire life. I’ve been searching for good vegan nachos for months (I went to 4 places in Seattle in the last two weeks I was there) and nothing has come even close to these. We walked around Fitzroy more and then hopped on the free tram to go check out some of the street art that Melbourne is famous for. We walked around a few different alleys and saw so much incredible creativity. We even got to watch a satire piece of Trump being painted. That evening, we watched a movie in the hostel’s cinema room and went to bed early. It’s a nice relief actually getting to sleep after weeks of having so much to do.
Day 46: Saturday, October 27th
I slept in and focused my day on figuring out what to do with my life. I made some tentative plans of where to go work and applied for a job. I walked to the State Library but most of it was closed off to the public so I didn’t get to see the areas that the library is famous for. I went to the Australia Center for the Moving Picture but discovered it was mostly focused on video games so I took an Uber to a vegan pizza place in Fitzroy and worked on my resume and cover letter for another job. I saw some interesting art on the way, too! It was India’s second-to-last night, so we went to a rooftop bar to celebrate.
Day 47: Sunday, October 28th
Slept in again! I worked out, worked on my resume more, and went to a vegan Vietnamese place for lunch. I also got to talk to my grandma on the phone for a few hours. I booked a two-day tour that leaves tomorrow, partially to postpone making a real decision about what to do next.
Day 48: Monday, October 29th
I left for my two-day tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park at 7am. My day was spent on a bus with a tour guide and a bunch of other travelers. We went to all of the amazing (popular) destinations on the Great Ocean Road and did a few mini hikes, took pictures, and appreciated the scenery. One of our stops included the best ice cream shop in Australia, which had a vegan chocolate ice cream that was easily the best I’ve ever tasted! We were touring until 10pm that night. Once it was dark out, the driver had to keep an eye out for kangaroos to make sure he didn’t hit any. I was shocked at how many just hopped in front of the bus, forcing our driver to slam on the breaks the entire way to the hostel. Only in Australia!
Day 49: Tuesday, October 30th
It’s officially been 7 weeks! Spent the morning hiking Grampians National Park. We did three hikes, one of which involved climbing up rocks to an amazing viewpoint! It was a lot more fun than a regular hike because we weren’t just following a dirt path, we were climbing over rocks and mini creeks. Around lunchtime, I got a call for a job interview! Fingers crossed it works out. The place we stopped for lunch had a little café with a vegan burger. It’s still crazy to me how even the smallest of towns in Australia seem to have loads of vegan food. When I got back to Melbourne, I switched hostels to a more social place in St. Kilda. Within one hour, I had met more people than five nights at my previous hostel. I went to part of the trivia event that evening, but went to bed early to prepare for my job trial the next day.
Day 50: Wednesday, October 31st
Happy Halloween! I had a job trial/interview for a job as a travel agent up in Cairns. Most businesses in Australia do trials instead of the typical interview so that they can see you in action. I honestly had so much fun during the trial! I’m hopeful I get the position, but either way I’m glad I had my first trial here so I know what to expect in the future. After the trial, I wandered around, worked on my blog, and then made dinner. At dinner, I was talking to a girl named Charlie and we decided to go find a cheap costume for the hostel’s even that evening. We decided to dress up as candy and filled clear plastic bags with colorful balloons. It was the cheapest, low-effort costume I’ve ever worn and it was a complete hit!