February was my favourite month in Australia. From making lifelong friends and exploring new beaches to finally meeting a quokka for the first time, I felt happy and at home. As usual, scroll for pictures!
Day 143: Friday, February 1st
I worked a few hours extra in the morning today. In the evening, I went to the hostel’s BBQ event and played a few rounds of beer pong. We get free drink vouchers at a nearby bar so my friend Sierra and I went there and then quickly came back to the hostel to go to sleep.
Day 144: Saturday, February 2nd
A day at the beach. I played touch rugby with a big group and I’m actually not that horrible at the game. We all went swimming after the game. In the evening, Side Bar had a big event and provided a bus for everyone from my hostel to get there. We had a few drinks on the rooftop before hopping on the bus to the city. Within the past week since moving out, I’ve been back at Wake Up nearly every day and at Side Bar twice. It is nice to see everyone there though.
Day 145: Sunday, February 3rd
A few weeks ago, Jen and I made reservations for an unlimited vegan brunch and cocktails at a rooftop restaurant called Untied. It was a six course meal and included some of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever eaten. We were served fried plantain balls with a chipotle sauce, a corn fritter, a mini jackfruit burrito, bread with a dipping sauce, a walnut meat taco (my favorite, I ordered a second one even though my stomach was already bursting), and fried banana spring rolls with ice cream. For the cocktails, I adored a lychee coconut drink with aquafaba foam and Jen liked their spin on a tequila sunrise with beet juice. We were both in pain from being so full and bloated, but it was worth it. We also had plans to go to a day party in North Sydney but were both so tired and full that we decided to first take a nap at her house. When we arrived, it was hot so we sat outside with a beer for a bit until her other friends arrived. We met some strange people who made up an elaborate story about their lives and couldn’t take the hint that we did not want to speak to them. Eventually, Jen’s friends arrived so we headed inside the building. It was an exhausting day, but the food was a major highlight of my Sydney experience.
Day 146: Monday, February 4th
Worked in the morning. Since I had to wake up at 5:15 to get to work, I saw a beautiful sunrise. After work, I met up with my old roommate Amber to say goodbye as she was leaving Australia the next day. We walked around the botanical gardens while she told me about her East Coast trip and I told her about my life in Bondi. In the evening, I hung out and, as usual with the long term group at my hostel, played cards in the corner of reception. I feel lucky to have found such a fantastic group of friends here.
Day 147: Tuesday, February 5th
Worked, did a workout on the roof, and watched a thriller/borderline horror movie about seven deadly sins.
Day 148: Wednesday, February 6th
Went to the personal training session in the morning. Two of the Nicks in my friend group at the hostel made the questionable decision to enter a 1 kilo schnitzel eating challenge, which is the equivalent of six chicken schnitzels and four sides, at the pub downstairs. Neither one could finish it all, but they were successful in eating three in 2 minutes. Both disgusting and impressive to watch. Went to the beach in the afternoon. Back at the hostel, Sierra tossed her phone on a cushion and it slipped behind to where she couldn’t reach it. We then spent the next 30 minutes using various kitchen tools to try and dig the phone out from behind a bench. The hostel had the wine & cheese event tonight so I attended that before going to Beach Road Hotel.
Day 149: Thursday, February 7th
Did my laundry and worked on a blog for Wake Up. I also got a pedicure today. In the evening, I went to a trivia event with a team of six. We won! My second trivia win in Australia, but I don’t think I actually knew a single answer to this game.
Day 150: Friday, February 8th
Worked in the morning and met up with my old roommate Aggy. She’s working on figuring out her life after her visa ends and I’m still trying to decide what to do about my traveling plans. We brought our laptops to Bondi and ate lunch while we talked about our options. After she headed out, I got ready and went to El Camino for happy hour to meet Danielle, the girl from New York who I’ve met up with throughout my time in Australia. It had been months since we last talked, so we had a lot to share. I ordered a frozen passionfruit margarita and it was the best margarita I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something. I also ran into Karli, a girl from ZTA who is also on a working holiday but who I haven’t seen yet in Australia. It unexpectedly started dumping rain. When I say dumping, I mean dumping. Nevertheless, I found the artist who I bought a painting of a wombat from months earlier and purchased a few additional artwork pieces to send home. Back at home, I went to the hostel’s BBQ and spent the evening playing cards.
Day 151: Saturday, February 9th
Worked out in the morning. I spent most of the day at the beach because the predicted storm didn’t arrive. For dinner, a huge group of guests bought food at Woolies and went to North Bondi to have a BBQ and go swimming. We took a picture with everyone before watching the sunset and heading back for a movie night.
Day 152: Sunday, February 10th
Didn’t do much at all today. I went to Bondi Markets with a few friends and bought a falafel wrap and ice cream.
Day 153: Monday, February 11th
Worked and then headed to Mona Vale to visit Averill and Yoie! Averill and I went for a swim, got coffee and vegan cookies, and went to a beautiful lookout with a peaceful view of the Palm Beach lighthouse. We stopped at her sister’s house on the way home. It was peaceful eating a homecooked meal with a glass of wine and sleep in a double bed at her home. I’m unbelievably thankful to have met them both in Hawaii last year.
Day 154: Tuesday, February 12th
Today marks 5 months in Australia! It was an early morning sunrise walk to the top of Palm Beach lighthouse. I realized I’ve never watched the sun peak out from above the ocean, it was stunning. We had coffee at The Boathouse nearby. My long black coffee (Americano) was served deconstructed, with a glass of ice water, a shot of espresso, and a pot of soymilk on the side. To me, that was about as hipster as it gets. I journaled in Averill’s backyard while she ran an errand. We swam at Mona Vale beach and got takeaway for lunch. Averill was nannying in the city and was kind enough to drive me all the way to Bondi Junction, making my journey back from Mona Vale significantly easier. As soon as I got back, I had to get ready for the kitchen staff party in the evening. Both Erik, another backpacker who had the same job as me, and I were leaving our jobs around the same time so this acted as a little farewell party, too. Since I work at 6am the next day, Wake Up was kind enough to let me stay at the hostel so I didn’t have to deal with commuting back and forth from Bondi. I arrived at Side Bar a bit early, but almost all of my Wake Up friends were there! From managers to bar staff and even Aggy, nearly everyone was around. After a few drinks at Side Bar with the kitchen staff, we went to a karaoke venue nearby. It was a dodgy location, but nice inside.
Day 155: Wednesday, February 13th
Worked from 6-3 and went to a shop to buy a bigger backpack because I was running out of room, even after everything I was planning on shipping home. I Facetimed Aggy and my mom. Back at the hostel, people joked about the fact I vastly overestimated my ability to pack light. It was a Valentine’s edition of the wine & cheese night. Sierra and I didn’t feel like going out but at the last minute, decided we’d go see what Beach Road Hotel looked like. After seeing the line wrap around the building, we turned right back around and hung out in my room for a while before going to bed.
Day 156: Thursday, February 14th
Attended the yoga session in the morning before finally going to the travel agent who booked my East Coast trip to see if she could beat the prices I found for my West Coast/Top End/Outback trip. She could, so I booked my trip! I fly to Perth on February 24th, spend 5 nights there, head up the West Coast with the WhyNot bus for two weeks, end in Broome for 3 nights, head to Darwin for 3 nights, do a 6 day tour of the National Parks around Darwin and heading down to Uluru, spend a night in Alice Springs, and finish with a 4 day tour of Uluru. On March 30th, I fly back to Sydney for a few weeks before I’ll head up to Cairns to work in tourism or hospitality to earn my second year visa in case I want to come back to Australia. I’m pumped for a new experience, especially one that will be vastly different from the East Coast. I’ll spend most of the time camping and oftentimes won’t have any phone reception, I can’t wait. It was Valentine’s day but I couldn’t be bothered to celebrate single’s day, so my friends and I played cards in reception.
Day 157: Friday, February 15th
At work today, I sliced my hand open while opening avocados. A few people thought I needed stiches, but I was determined to not need them. I met Dani and Aggy, both former roommates, at Roy’s Café after work. We decided to do the Bondi to Coogee walk. Aggy was also applying for a travel-related job and needed help filming a video so we assisted with her speech and filming along the way. I even found the vegan magnum ice cream bars at a shop when Aggy and Dani got ice cream. I blogged and watched a movie in the evening.
Day 158: Saturday, February 16th
Did a workout in the morning before going to the Bondi Farmers Market just down the street. Somehow, I didn’t even know the Farmers Market existed! I haven’t been in a such a food-focused environment since my internship ended in June. A group of us played cards and went to the beach. Erik was having his actual going away party tonight but so was another friend at my hostel. I went to Erik’s in Coogee for a while and saw the sunset. Went to a few bars in Bondi Beach for my friend Victoria’s last real night at the hostel.
Day 159: Sunday, February 17th
Went to my third Sydney Vegan Market, but this time I didn’t go alone! I bussed to Jen’s house and we bussed there together and met up with Sam, my friend who I met at Wake Up back in December. I ate fried mac & cheese balls which are still one of the most mind-blowing foods I’ve ever eaten, a Golden Gaytime cupcake, Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, and a fake chicken wrap that reminded me of the one I always order at Wayward in Seattle. I love that these markets exist and are so huge! The heat really exhausted me, so I had a relaxing day at the hostel. In the afternoon, I went for a walk in Bondi, played cards, and went swimming with an unfortunate sea urchin.
Day 160: Monday, February 18th
I had my final Monday shift with Matt and Na Resh at work. It was sad to say goodbye to them, they’ve been so great to work with. After my shift, I met with Jaimmi and Aggy at Roy’s for coffee and to chat. We ended up talking for nearly an hour about what Aggy could do next, now that her visa is ending. The hostel’s kitchen is out of order while they renovate the first floor. But, they’re having cheap meals upstairs and even include vegan options every night! Tonight was pasta and there was a vegan mince in one of the sauces. I was thoroughly impressed. I spent the evening catching up in my journal.
Day 161: Tuesday, February 19th
My last kitchen shift ever was from 6-3 with Bruce, another person I love working with. As exhausting as working in the kitchen can be, it was the perfect position to have for three months. I said goodbye to some of the Wake Up office staff and Dani, with promises to return and say hi when I get back to Sydney. Back in Bondi, I showered and hung out in the upstairs common area with my friend Mel as we waited for dinner. After dinner, we played cards in reception and Mel and I went to grab ice cream from a vegan ice cream spot in Bondi that I didn’t even know existed. I tried a lychee for the first time today. The texture was unlike anything I’ve experienced, but I liked it.
Day 162: Wednesday, February 20th
Went to the personal training session in the morning before wandering around Bondi with Mel and Sierra. We met Andrew from the Chainsmokers at an ice cream shop! She thought she saw him as we walked by so we turned around and pretended to be looking at the ice cream so she could scout out whether it really was him. With nothing to do until the wine & cheese night, Mel, Sierra, and I split the cost and shared a few drinks during the day at the hostel. We played cards and nicely harassed the receptionist with our song requests. A group quickly formed so a majority of my friend group spent the entire day together. We had free pizza at the wine & cheese event and played more games downstairs at reception. Everyone headed to Beach Road Hotel just before 10 pm, but I found it boring and didn’t stay long. Instead, I had late night coffee at one of the few places in Sydney that actually serves coffee past 6 pm.
Day 163: Thursday, February 21st
After a slow morning, I bussed to Jen’s house in Bondi Junction. We went for a walk, stopped at Coles for some snacks, and then watched Friends and Bondi Rescue at her house. A new guest at the hostel calls me Alyson now because he thinks I look like Alyson Stoner from Cheaper by the Dozen. Explored Clovelly Beach a bit in the evening with Jamie.
Day 164: Friday, February 22nd
Went to the personal training session in the morning. Backpackers have a way of making even the most tedious activities fun, including laundry. Mel, Paulina, and I got an Acai bowl and wandered around Bondi a bit while we waited for the dryers to finish. It began raining so we ran back to the laundromat. A few minutes later, we were in the middle of a full blown photo shoot. The employees must have been so confused, but we had a blast. It was the most fun I’ve ever had doing laundry. We all hung out upstairs in the afternoon. I watched the sunset at a beach near Watson’s Bay with takeaway Thai food. When I got back to the hostel, I went to the BBQ, briefly went to Hotel Bondi, and went to bed nice and early.
Day 165: Saturday, February 23rd
It took me an hour at the post office to fit everything I needed to ship home in the largest box that they can send internationally. In the end, I was successful. Since today was my last full day in Bondi, I went to a few little bars in Bondi in the afternoon with Sierra, Mel, one of the Nicks, and our friend Max. I had a fantastic margarita. I continued the afternoon upstairs at the hostel with all of my close friends just eating pizza, playing cards, and having a few beverages. After some back and forth debate amongst the group, we headed to the bar next door to dance. I borrowed one of Mel’s rompers to switch things up a bit from my limited wardrobe. We took countless pictures with the group and I ended the night at a nearby beach. The water was crashing onto the rocks so I couldn’t stay outside for long, but it was the perfect way to end an amazing day in Sydney.
Day 166: Sunday, February 24th
Sadly checked out of my room at 10 am. I’m so sad to leave the friends I’ve made at Bondi Backpackers, but thrilled to explore more of Australia! I was hoping to have one last swim but the waves and current were too intense. I talked to my grandma on the phone on my way to meet Jen for brunch. We shared a burger and pancakes but were too stuffed to finish either dish. Bondi Markets were open nearby so we went there before hugging goodbye at my hostel. I went for a walk through the nearby neighborhoods and Jamie introduced me to the best coffee I’ve had in Sydney. Too bad I learn about its existence, right around the corner from my hostel, on the day I leave. I spent my last few hours at the hostel playing cards upstairs with my close friends. Sierra waited while I got my luggage and then walked me to the bus stop. Leaving the people I’ve met through this hostel is one of the saddest things I’ve had to do in Australia. I felt at home here. I talked to my mom the entire time I was at the airport. My hostel in Perth triple upgraded me to a double room (aka no bunk bed!), which I was thankful for because I wasn’t in the mood to be social.
Day 167: Monday, February 25th
My first day in Perth. I woke up early because of the three hour time difference and my roommate getting up to head to work. I couldn’t be bothered to go buy groceries and make my own breakfast, so I found a nearby coffee shop with a vegan bagel sandwich and fantastic coffee. I made today a walking day to explore the city on foot. My journey took me through a few parks, the marina, a performing arts museum, a shop to buy a new swimsuit, and a street that was designed to look like it was from London. Coincidentally, I ran into a girl who I know from UW! We talked for about an hour about our experiences in Australia. I still wasn’t in the mood to make new friends at my hostel, so it was pleasant having someone I already know to talk to. I had a passionfruit cider in the evening before heading to bed early.
Day 168: Tuesday, February 26th
Day two in Western Australia. My entire motivation for exploring the West Coast was sparked by the discovery of a little island called Rottnest Island, which is home to 10,000 quokkas and is the only place they live in the wild. Today was my day to explore the island! My shuttle picked me up at 6 am and I arrived at the island at 9 am. My ticket included a bike and snorkel equipment hire. I hadn’t ridden a bike in probably close to 10 years, so I was nervous I wouldn’t remember how. Luckily, I can still ride a bike and I actually loved it. I spent the day biking from beach to beach, swimming, snorkeling, and tanning. It took a few hours before I found a quokka. When I finally did, there were six of them! The fluffiest, happiest little animals I’ve ever met. The signature thing to do is take a selfie with a quokka, and I took countless. After an hour just sitting and hanging out with the little guys, I was starving and biked back into town. Found a vegan falafel bowl and vegan chocolate ice cream. The small town was filled with quokkas, likely because they could eat the scraps that people dropped. Lunch with a quokka at my feet was a dream come true. In the afternoon, I biked to one of the best snorkel spots on the islands, where I was stung by my first jellyfish. The pain wasn’t too bad but I was confused at first as to what had even happened. After that, I stuck to land. Spent the evening catching up in my journal and went to bed early.
Day 169: Wednesday, February 27th
Crazy enough, one of my old roommates, Billy, from Wake Up! Sydney is also in Perth. I took the train to Fremantle where she was staying. She had just purchased a car, giving us the freedom to drive anywhere we wanted. We chose a small town called Point Peron. After eating brunch, we headed to the beach to swim. The Indian Ocean is beautiful because there are many colors of turquoise and blue. Within five minutes of swimming, I was stung by yet another jellyfish! This time, I had to peel each tentacle off of my skin. Such a weird experience to see the clear lines of jellyfish tentacles all over my right arm. I again chose to stay on land after that. Once we were bored with this beach, we drove to a lookout. There was a small path that we decided to follow. We walked along the edge of the beach and ran into some people who told us to walk through the water around a corner. It was a spectacular decision. The rocks were carved by the water and had almost created a cave below the edge of the cliff above. We spent nearly an hour looking at the rocks and shells along the small beach. Billy and I were thrilled with our discovery. In the early evening, we went to a park near her hostel in the early evening to hang out with some of her hostel friends. I wanted to get back to Perth before dark so I left Fremantle, cooked dinner, wrote about my final week in Bondi in my journal, and went to bed early again.
Day 170: Thursday, February 28th
After a little taste of Fremantle yesterday as Billy drove through, I just had to spend my last day in Perth exploring Fremantle. The area is filled with small streets lined with used books stores, artisan coffee shops, and local restaurants. The Fremantle Prison is a primary tourist spot that speaks of the convict history of Australia. I FaceTimed Mackenzie for a while outside of the prison before looking for a famous vegan restaurant. I ordered nachos which were good, but not worth the price. After, I took the free bus about a kilometer away to walk down a different street. Ate a vegan ice cream sandwich and ordered a cold brew coffee to-go, which came in an small glass jar that was about as hipster as you can get. I found a few stickers to add to my collection and bought Lonely Planet’s book, “How to be a Travel Writer.” At 4:30 pm, I went back to the Prison for a tour. I can’t recall ever being in a prison before and found the experience very informative. Before I left Sydney, a friend of mine raved about a brewery in Fremantle called Little Creatures. Even though I had no one to go with, I still wanted to see what it was like. So, for the first time ever, I went to a bar alone and ordered a cider. Luckily, the brewery was large so I grabbed a table in the back and finished catching up in my journal as I drank their signature cider. I stopped at Coles on the way back to grab a few snacks for my two week trip up the West Coast that departs tomorrow.
Day 143: Friday, February 1st
I worked a few hours extra in the morning today. In the evening, I went to the hostel’s BBQ event and played a few rounds of beer pong. We get free drink vouchers at a nearby bar so my friend Sierra and I went there and then quickly came back to the hostel to go to sleep.
Day 144: Saturday, February 2nd
A day at the beach. I played touch rugby with a big group and I’m actually not that horrible at the game. We all went swimming after the game. In the evening, Side Bar had a big event and provided a bus for everyone from my hostel to get there. We had a few drinks on the rooftop before hopping on the bus to the city. Within the past week since moving out, I’ve been back at Wake Up nearly every day and at Side Bar twice. It is nice to see everyone there though.
Day 145: Sunday, February 3rd
A few weeks ago, Jen and I made reservations for an unlimited vegan brunch and cocktails at a rooftop restaurant called Untied. It was a six course meal and included some of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever eaten. We were served fried plantain balls with a chipotle sauce, a corn fritter, a mini jackfruit burrito, bread with a dipping sauce, a walnut meat taco (my favorite, I ordered a second one even though my stomach was already bursting), and fried banana spring rolls with ice cream. For the cocktails, I adored a lychee coconut drink with aquafaba foam and Jen liked their spin on a tequila sunrise with beet juice. We were both in pain from being so full and bloated, but it was worth it. We also had plans to go to a day party in North Sydney but were both so tired and full that we decided to first take a nap at her house. When we arrived, it was hot so we sat outside with a beer for a bit until her other friends arrived. We met some strange people who made up an elaborate story about their lives and couldn’t take the hint that we did not want to speak to them. Eventually, Jen’s friends arrived so we headed inside the building. It was an exhausting day, but the food was a major highlight of my Sydney experience.
Day 146: Monday, February 4th
Worked in the morning. Since I had to wake up at 5:15 to get to work, I saw a beautiful sunrise. After work, I met up with my old roommate Amber to say goodbye as she was leaving Australia the next day. We walked around the botanical gardens while she told me about her East Coast trip and I told her about my life in Bondi. In the evening, I hung out and, as usual with the long term group at my hostel, played cards in the corner of reception. I feel lucky to have found such a fantastic group of friends here.
Day 147: Tuesday, February 5th
Worked, did a workout on the roof, and watched a thriller/borderline horror movie about seven deadly sins.
Day 148: Wednesday, February 6th
Went to the personal training session in the morning. Two of the Nicks in my friend group at the hostel made the questionable decision to enter a 1 kilo schnitzel eating challenge, which is the equivalent of six chicken schnitzels and four sides, at the pub downstairs. Neither one could finish it all, but they were successful in eating three in 2 minutes. Both disgusting and impressive to watch. Went to the beach in the afternoon. Back at the hostel, Sierra tossed her phone on a cushion and it slipped behind to where she couldn’t reach it. We then spent the next 30 minutes using various kitchen tools to try and dig the phone out from behind a bench. The hostel had the wine & cheese event tonight so I attended that before going to Beach Road Hotel.
Day 149: Thursday, February 7th
Did my laundry and worked on a blog for Wake Up. I also got a pedicure today. In the evening, I went to a trivia event with a team of six. We won! My second trivia win in Australia, but I don’t think I actually knew a single answer to this game.
Day 150: Friday, February 8th
Worked in the morning and met up with my old roommate Aggy. She’s working on figuring out her life after her visa ends and I’m still trying to decide what to do about my traveling plans. We brought our laptops to Bondi and ate lunch while we talked about our options. After she headed out, I got ready and went to El Camino for happy hour to meet Danielle, the girl from New York who I’ve met up with throughout my time in Australia. It had been months since we last talked, so we had a lot to share. I ordered a frozen passionfruit margarita and it was the best margarita I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something. I also ran into Karli, a girl from ZTA who is also on a working holiday but who I haven’t seen yet in Australia. It unexpectedly started dumping rain. When I say dumping, I mean dumping. Nevertheless, I found the artist who I bought a painting of a wombat from months earlier and purchased a few additional artwork pieces to send home. Back at home, I went to the hostel’s BBQ and spent the evening playing cards.
Day 151: Saturday, February 9th
Worked out in the morning. I spent most of the day at the beach because the predicted storm didn’t arrive. For dinner, a huge group of guests bought food at Woolies and went to North Bondi to have a BBQ and go swimming. We took a picture with everyone before watching the sunset and heading back for a movie night.
Day 152: Sunday, February 10th
Didn’t do much at all today. I went to Bondi Markets with a few friends and bought a falafel wrap and ice cream.
Day 153: Monday, February 11th
Worked and then headed to Mona Vale to visit Averill and Yoie! Averill and I went for a swim, got coffee and vegan cookies, and went to a beautiful lookout with a peaceful view of the Palm Beach lighthouse. We stopped at her sister’s house on the way home. It was peaceful eating a homecooked meal with a glass of wine and sleep in a double bed at her home. I’m unbelievably thankful to have met them both in Hawaii last year.
Day 154: Tuesday, February 12th
Today marks 5 months in Australia! It was an early morning sunrise walk to the top of Palm Beach lighthouse. I realized I’ve never watched the sun peak out from above the ocean, it was stunning. We had coffee at The Boathouse nearby. My long black coffee (Americano) was served deconstructed, with a glass of ice water, a shot of espresso, and a pot of soymilk on the side. To me, that was about as hipster as it gets. I journaled in Averill’s backyard while she ran an errand. We swam at Mona Vale beach and got takeaway for lunch. Averill was nannying in the city and was kind enough to drive me all the way to Bondi Junction, making my journey back from Mona Vale significantly easier. As soon as I got back, I had to get ready for the kitchen staff party in the evening. Both Erik, another backpacker who had the same job as me, and I were leaving our jobs around the same time so this acted as a little farewell party, too. Since I work at 6am the next day, Wake Up was kind enough to let me stay at the hostel so I didn’t have to deal with commuting back and forth from Bondi. I arrived at Side Bar a bit early, but almost all of my Wake Up friends were there! From managers to bar staff and even Aggy, nearly everyone was around. After a few drinks at Side Bar with the kitchen staff, we went to a karaoke venue nearby. It was a dodgy location, but nice inside.
Day 155: Wednesday, February 13th
Worked from 6-3 and went to a shop to buy a bigger backpack because I was running out of room, even after everything I was planning on shipping home. I Facetimed Aggy and my mom. Back at the hostel, people joked about the fact I vastly overestimated my ability to pack light. It was a Valentine’s edition of the wine & cheese night. Sierra and I didn’t feel like going out but at the last minute, decided we’d go see what Beach Road Hotel looked like. After seeing the line wrap around the building, we turned right back around and hung out in my room for a while before going to bed.
Day 156: Thursday, February 14th
Attended the yoga session in the morning before finally going to the travel agent who booked my East Coast trip to see if she could beat the prices I found for my West Coast/Top End/Outback trip. She could, so I booked my trip! I fly to Perth on February 24th, spend 5 nights there, head up the West Coast with the WhyNot bus for two weeks, end in Broome for 3 nights, head to Darwin for 3 nights, do a 6 day tour of the National Parks around Darwin and heading down to Uluru, spend a night in Alice Springs, and finish with a 4 day tour of Uluru. On March 30th, I fly back to Sydney for a few weeks before I’ll head up to Cairns to work in tourism or hospitality to earn my second year visa in case I want to come back to Australia. I’m pumped for a new experience, especially one that will be vastly different from the East Coast. I’ll spend most of the time camping and oftentimes won’t have any phone reception, I can’t wait. It was Valentine’s day but I couldn’t be bothered to celebrate single’s day, so my friends and I played cards in reception.
Day 157: Friday, February 15th
At work today, I sliced my hand open while opening avocados. A few people thought I needed stiches, but I was determined to not need them. I met Dani and Aggy, both former roommates, at Roy’s Café after work. We decided to do the Bondi to Coogee walk. Aggy was also applying for a travel-related job and needed help filming a video so we assisted with her speech and filming along the way. I even found the vegan magnum ice cream bars at a shop when Aggy and Dani got ice cream. I blogged and watched a movie in the evening.
Day 158: Saturday, February 16th
Did a workout in the morning before going to the Bondi Farmers Market just down the street. Somehow, I didn’t even know the Farmers Market existed! I haven’t been in a such a food-focused environment since my internship ended in June. A group of us played cards and went to the beach. Erik was having his actual going away party tonight but so was another friend at my hostel. I went to Erik’s in Coogee for a while and saw the sunset. Went to a few bars in Bondi Beach for my friend Victoria’s last real night at the hostel.
Day 159: Sunday, February 17th
Went to my third Sydney Vegan Market, but this time I didn’t go alone! I bussed to Jen’s house and we bussed there together and met up with Sam, my friend who I met at Wake Up back in December. I ate fried mac & cheese balls which are still one of the most mind-blowing foods I’ve ever eaten, a Golden Gaytime cupcake, Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, and a fake chicken wrap that reminded me of the one I always order at Wayward in Seattle. I love that these markets exist and are so huge! The heat really exhausted me, so I had a relaxing day at the hostel. In the afternoon, I went for a walk in Bondi, played cards, and went swimming with an unfortunate sea urchin.
Day 160: Monday, February 18th
I had my final Monday shift with Matt and Na Resh at work. It was sad to say goodbye to them, they’ve been so great to work with. After my shift, I met with Jaimmi and Aggy at Roy’s for coffee and to chat. We ended up talking for nearly an hour about what Aggy could do next, now that her visa is ending. The hostel’s kitchen is out of order while they renovate the first floor. But, they’re having cheap meals upstairs and even include vegan options every night! Tonight was pasta and there was a vegan mince in one of the sauces. I was thoroughly impressed. I spent the evening catching up in my journal.
Day 161: Tuesday, February 19th
My last kitchen shift ever was from 6-3 with Bruce, another person I love working with. As exhausting as working in the kitchen can be, it was the perfect position to have for three months. I said goodbye to some of the Wake Up office staff and Dani, with promises to return and say hi when I get back to Sydney. Back in Bondi, I showered and hung out in the upstairs common area with my friend Mel as we waited for dinner. After dinner, we played cards in reception and Mel and I went to grab ice cream from a vegan ice cream spot in Bondi that I didn’t even know existed. I tried a lychee for the first time today. The texture was unlike anything I’ve experienced, but I liked it.
Day 162: Wednesday, February 20th
Went to the personal training session in the morning before wandering around Bondi with Mel and Sierra. We met Andrew from the Chainsmokers at an ice cream shop! She thought she saw him as we walked by so we turned around and pretended to be looking at the ice cream so she could scout out whether it really was him. With nothing to do until the wine & cheese night, Mel, Sierra, and I split the cost and shared a few drinks during the day at the hostel. We played cards and nicely harassed the receptionist with our song requests. A group quickly formed so a majority of my friend group spent the entire day together. We had free pizza at the wine & cheese event and played more games downstairs at reception. Everyone headed to Beach Road Hotel just before 10 pm, but I found it boring and didn’t stay long. Instead, I had late night coffee at one of the few places in Sydney that actually serves coffee past 6 pm.
Day 163: Thursday, February 21st
After a slow morning, I bussed to Jen’s house in Bondi Junction. We went for a walk, stopped at Coles for some snacks, and then watched Friends and Bondi Rescue at her house. A new guest at the hostel calls me Alyson now because he thinks I look like Alyson Stoner from Cheaper by the Dozen. Explored Clovelly Beach a bit in the evening with Jamie.
Day 164: Friday, February 22nd
Went to the personal training session in the morning. Backpackers have a way of making even the most tedious activities fun, including laundry. Mel, Paulina, and I got an Acai bowl and wandered around Bondi a bit while we waited for the dryers to finish. It began raining so we ran back to the laundromat. A few minutes later, we were in the middle of a full blown photo shoot. The employees must have been so confused, but we had a blast. It was the most fun I’ve ever had doing laundry. We all hung out upstairs in the afternoon. I watched the sunset at a beach near Watson’s Bay with takeaway Thai food. When I got back to the hostel, I went to the BBQ, briefly went to Hotel Bondi, and went to bed nice and early.
Day 165: Saturday, February 23rd
It took me an hour at the post office to fit everything I needed to ship home in the largest box that they can send internationally. In the end, I was successful. Since today was my last full day in Bondi, I went to a few little bars in Bondi in the afternoon with Sierra, Mel, one of the Nicks, and our friend Max. I had a fantastic margarita. I continued the afternoon upstairs at the hostel with all of my close friends just eating pizza, playing cards, and having a few beverages. After some back and forth debate amongst the group, we headed to the bar next door to dance. I borrowed one of Mel’s rompers to switch things up a bit from my limited wardrobe. We took countless pictures with the group and I ended the night at a nearby beach. The water was crashing onto the rocks so I couldn’t stay outside for long, but it was the perfect way to end an amazing day in Sydney.
Day 166: Sunday, February 24th
Sadly checked out of my room at 10 am. I’m so sad to leave the friends I’ve made at Bondi Backpackers, but thrilled to explore more of Australia! I was hoping to have one last swim but the waves and current were too intense. I talked to my grandma on the phone on my way to meet Jen for brunch. We shared a burger and pancakes but were too stuffed to finish either dish. Bondi Markets were open nearby so we went there before hugging goodbye at my hostel. I went for a walk through the nearby neighborhoods and Jamie introduced me to the best coffee I’ve had in Sydney. Too bad I learn about its existence, right around the corner from my hostel, on the day I leave. I spent my last few hours at the hostel playing cards upstairs with my close friends. Sierra waited while I got my luggage and then walked me to the bus stop. Leaving the people I’ve met through this hostel is one of the saddest things I’ve had to do in Australia. I felt at home here. I talked to my mom the entire time I was at the airport. My hostel in Perth triple upgraded me to a double room (aka no bunk bed!), which I was thankful for because I wasn’t in the mood to be social.
Day 167: Monday, February 25th
My first day in Perth. I woke up early because of the three hour time difference and my roommate getting up to head to work. I couldn’t be bothered to go buy groceries and make my own breakfast, so I found a nearby coffee shop with a vegan bagel sandwich and fantastic coffee. I made today a walking day to explore the city on foot. My journey took me through a few parks, the marina, a performing arts museum, a shop to buy a new swimsuit, and a street that was designed to look like it was from London. Coincidentally, I ran into a girl who I know from UW! We talked for about an hour about our experiences in Australia. I still wasn’t in the mood to make new friends at my hostel, so it was pleasant having someone I already know to talk to. I had a passionfruit cider in the evening before heading to bed early.
Day 168: Tuesday, February 26th
Day two in Western Australia. My entire motivation for exploring the West Coast was sparked by the discovery of a little island called Rottnest Island, which is home to 10,000 quokkas and is the only place they live in the wild. Today was my day to explore the island! My shuttle picked me up at 6 am and I arrived at the island at 9 am. My ticket included a bike and snorkel equipment hire. I hadn’t ridden a bike in probably close to 10 years, so I was nervous I wouldn’t remember how. Luckily, I can still ride a bike and I actually loved it. I spent the day biking from beach to beach, swimming, snorkeling, and tanning. It took a few hours before I found a quokka. When I finally did, there were six of them! The fluffiest, happiest little animals I’ve ever met. The signature thing to do is take a selfie with a quokka, and I took countless. After an hour just sitting and hanging out with the little guys, I was starving and biked back into town. Found a vegan falafel bowl and vegan chocolate ice cream. The small town was filled with quokkas, likely because they could eat the scraps that people dropped. Lunch with a quokka at my feet was a dream come true. In the afternoon, I biked to one of the best snorkel spots on the islands, where I was stung by my first jellyfish. The pain wasn’t too bad but I was confused at first as to what had even happened. After that, I stuck to land. Spent the evening catching up in my journal and went to bed early.
Day 169: Wednesday, February 27th
Crazy enough, one of my old roommates, Billy, from Wake Up! Sydney is also in Perth. I took the train to Fremantle where she was staying. She had just purchased a car, giving us the freedom to drive anywhere we wanted. We chose a small town called Point Peron. After eating brunch, we headed to the beach to swim. The Indian Ocean is beautiful because there are many colors of turquoise and blue. Within five minutes of swimming, I was stung by yet another jellyfish! This time, I had to peel each tentacle off of my skin. Such a weird experience to see the clear lines of jellyfish tentacles all over my right arm. I again chose to stay on land after that. Once we were bored with this beach, we drove to a lookout. There was a small path that we decided to follow. We walked along the edge of the beach and ran into some people who told us to walk through the water around a corner. It was a spectacular decision. The rocks were carved by the water and had almost created a cave below the edge of the cliff above. We spent nearly an hour looking at the rocks and shells along the small beach. Billy and I were thrilled with our discovery. In the early evening, we went to a park near her hostel in the early evening to hang out with some of her hostel friends. I wanted to get back to Perth before dark so I left Fremantle, cooked dinner, wrote about my final week in Bondi in my journal, and went to bed early again.
Day 170: Thursday, February 28th
After a little taste of Fremantle yesterday as Billy drove through, I just had to spend my last day in Perth exploring Fremantle. The area is filled with small streets lined with used books stores, artisan coffee shops, and local restaurants. The Fremantle Prison is a primary tourist spot that speaks of the convict history of Australia. I FaceTimed Mackenzie for a while outside of the prison before looking for a famous vegan restaurant. I ordered nachos which were good, but not worth the price. After, I took the free bus about a kilometer away to walk down a different street. Ate a vegan ice cream sandwich and ordered a cold brew coffee to-go, which came in an small glass jar that was about as hipster as you can get. I found a few stickers to add to my collection and bought Lonely Planet’s book, “How to be a Travel Writer.” At 4:30 pm, I went back to the Prison for a tour. I can’t recall ever being in a prison before and found the experience very informative. Before I left Sydney, a friend of mine raved about a brewery in Fremantle called Little Creatures. Even though I had no one to go with, I still wanted to see what it was like. So, for the first time ever, I went to a bar alone and ordered a cider. Luckily, the brewery was large so I grabbed a table in the back and finished catching up in my journal as I drank their signature cider. I stopped at Coles on the way back to grab a few snacks for my two week trip up the West Coast that departs tomorrow.