So you’ve made it to Australia. You’ve found yourself a job. You’re beyond ecstatic at the thought of that sweet sweet minimum wage (HELLO $21 an hour). But wait. How the hell am I supposed to fill out these employment forms? Am I a resident for [...]
I am not the same person as I was before I started travelling. I am still awkward, a bit shy, pretty quiet before you get to know me. But before I went backpacking for the first time, I was scared of ringing up the hairdressers to [...]
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about Australia since I arrived, it’s that it is bloody enormous. I knew it was big, of course. Bigger than the UK, sure. Bigger than several UK’s, I imagined. As it turns out, this doesn’t even cover it. Australia is [...]
No great backpacking adventure would be complete without a good road trip. And when you're travelling Australia, it's practically a rite of passage. It can seem daunting to the inexperienced. Australia is a big place (huge, actually); there's a lot of distance to cover. Depending on [...]
Australia is a country that people cannot help but picture in the sun. Beaches, surf, sand, sunbathing. When I first arrived here, straight into the tropical north in springtime, I couldn’t imagine ever being cold again. Actually, on some days, I couldn’t imagine anything better than [...]
The end of the Australian tax year is here, and backpackers everywhere are panicking. Facebook groups are exploding with questions: how do I claim my tax back? How much will I get? Do I have to do a tax return if X, Y or Z? Well, [...]
I’ve just begun the epic struggle for my second working holiday visa in Australia. The days are long, the work is monotonous, and the pay ain’t all that great. But it’s worth it, if I want to stay in this beautiful country another year. (I do.) [...]
Hostels are fantastic. Pick the right one and you’ve got a great place to meet people, a cosy spot to relax after a full day’s sightseeing, and a place to stay that’s a heck of a lot cheaper than any hotel you care to name. However, [...]
It was a Wednesday. Our road trip had taken us all the way across the never-ending Nullaboor Plain and out the other side. Hour after hour, all that could be seen was dry desert and scrub, red earth and cerulean sky. Full days of driving, endless [...]
I’m writing from next to a campfire today. We’ve gone proper girl scout for the days we’ve spent north of Adelaide: campsites with no shower, a long drop toilet, and fire pits. As it turns out, there isn’t much demand for camp spots off the backpacker [...]
