Newcastle. Now I don't want to start off by saying it was boring howeverrrr because we had just spent the most action packed 9 days in Sydney it did feel a little on the quiet side. We also decided to try Air b'n'b, which is where homeowners either rent a room in their house/apartment or rent out the whole place. In this case we rented out a room. It actually works out cheaper for us as a couple, and it's very nice to feel home comforts again such as a clean non crowded kitchen and a TV. Though the downside of doing this is that you don't get the social aspect, in this case we feel if we had the social side then Newcastle may have had more to offer.
Newcastle is a very friendly, quiet quirky town however there is not much to see. We spent most of our days at the beach, (which I have to admit were lovely) sunbathing and attempting to surf. Adam managed to persuade a local hire place to rent us a surf board for 3 days for only $35 dollars, however after just 3 hours on the board he ended up going back to swap it for a body board. Surfing is one of those things I would love to be able to say I can do and enjoy, but the harsh reality is I am rubbish and it is hard. I also made a very rookie mistake of falling asleep in the sun and I have definitely learnt my lesson about applying sun cream on after not being able to sleep comfortably for a week.
After researching what we could do in Newcastle we came across Blackbut Nature Reserve, which was only a bus ride away. So we hopped on and upon arrival we did not have high hopes as the place seemed deserted, but as it it turned out we were just on the wrong side of the reserve. So once we actually made it there we were pleasantly surprised to see a lovely mixture of animals. It really is one of my highlights so far as it is where we saw our first cute cuddly koala and kangaroo!!
So after 4 nights in Newcastle we decided to move on to Port McQuarie, by taking our first greyhound bus! Newcastle for us was probably not somewhere we would visit it again, but I have to say it would make for a lovely day trip as the town is very friendly and unique.
Sumer x
Sunday, 11 May 2014
Back to the Beginning: Sydney
Going right back to the 5th of March we land in Sydney at around midnight. We had already had a disaster before we even had left the airport and that was lost luggage...great. This was down to our very swift change over at Dubai, where we only just made the flight. So our bags had no chance. Luckily the airport staff were amazing and our bags were put on the next flight to Sydney and were delivered to us the next evening.
We spent the first night their fighting jet lag, but the next morning we were up bright and early ready to see what Sydney had to offer! And we were not disappointed. I for one love Sydney and would jump at any opportunity to go back. There is a wide range of events, activities and places to go and see. Whether that is a free walking tour or deciding to jump on a ferry to see the world famous Manly Beach.
Our days were spent jammed packed sightseeing and exploring, we would leave our hostel at 8 in the morning with our packed lunches and arrive back late evening. Here is a quick breakdown of what we did:
- Boring admin, haha, such as bank accounts, medicare card. But very important to sort out early on or else you will never get around to doing it!
- Sightseeing...very obvious but so surreal to actually see Australia's most famous landmarks! This includes the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, then the famous beaches such as Manly Beach, Bondi Beach and the beautiful Bondi to Coogee beach walk.
- Exploring the local markets...in such for cheap food, and it did not disappoint. Paddy's Market for us was the best.
- Beach days! We both love the beach and there are many hidden gems surrounding Sydney, for me Watsons Bay was my favorite, (a ferry ride away). But the others included Cronulla, and the little hidden coves and beaches on the way to Coogee from Bondi.
- A day trip to the Blue Mountains. I only have one word to describe the Blue Mountains and that is WOW. It has to be one of the most, if not the most breathtaking views ever! The range just goes on for thousands of kilometers and it is the perfect back drop for some beautiful pictures. Whilst we were there we decided to take in the nature and go for a hike. So we took 800 steps down the rock face to actually be stood next to the Three Sisters. We stupidly thought we would not have to walk back up the stairs...and we didn't but if you go down you have to get back up somehow. And that somehow was an additional two hours hike, having to fight a very steep incline back up. So my top tip is when debating a bush walk and a sign says 'Strong Climbers Only' listen to the sign! It was an adventure but it definitely has changed my view on hiking haha.
- Nights out! Our hostel was in the heart of Kings Cross, and lets just say the area doesn't have the most sophisticated of reputations. The streets are lined with very drunk people, prostitutes, homeless people and strippers. But with those all mixed together it never gets boring, or quiet for that matter.
We had a lot of fun in Sydney, and it really will always be something I look back on with the best memories. The city itself is way more laid back than London, a lot cleaner and a lot 'friendlier'. The transport system they have works very well, with reliable and frequent trains/buses/ferries. Adam and I got a weekly ticket, which entitled us to go on all forms of transport within in Sydney (and some surrounding areas) for only $65, which is just under 40 pounds...bargain!
Whilst we were there we were each spending an average of around 38 pounds, which is about $68 dollars every day. This for a city is very good, considering we spent most of our days sightseeing and being active. The only way we could have been cheaper is by staying in a cheaper hostel...but we fell in love with Jackaroo and the lovely people there!
I really wish we could go back, and if the chance arises I will be off!
Sumer x
Saturday, 10 May 2014
Updates to come!
Over the next week or so I will really be trying to catch up with everything we have done over the past 9 weeks! It will take some time but it will be worth it ;) haha.
Thanks Sumer! x x
Thanks Sumer! x x
Pre Australia Preparations Part 2
So continuing on from Part 1. Once our flights had been booked the finer details could be made. So the next step we took was booking our first hostel. We had no idea on where to start to we just decided to pop onto hostelbookers.com and see what hostels were available in Sydney. We actually ended up at a hostel called Jackaroo, which wasn't our first choice, but decided on that because it was a much cheaper option of the two we were looking at! We had decided to stay in a private room, as we would have been travelling for '2 days' which obviously boosts the prices up, but I would definitely recommend doing so to get over the dreaded jet lag but also it slowly breaks you into hostel life. The booking of the hostel was very straight forward, and you get sent through a confirmation email too. Factors I would bear in mind when booking your first hostel are:
Prices: Even though it is the beginning of your trip, accommodation is the biggest expensive when you are travelling, and you might think you wont be staying long at any given hostel so paying the extra $20 a night is fine but you soon get sucked in by the hostel and the people there and I can honestly say you will want to stay longer, unless obviously the hostels is not nice haha.
Reviews: Look at the reviews if you want to know why the hostel is so cheap but please do not rely on them!
Distance from the Airport: This is quite important if your accommodation does not offer airport pick up, and there is no public transport, taxis soon add up!
Facilities at offer: This really is just seeing what else is an added bonus, I say (being an internet addict) that free wifi is always a must or else it really does start adding up, but be aware this is the section where they try to fool you most! Eg free wifi when you book on a tour.
Travel insurance is always one of things that just slips out of your mind until the very last minute (or maybe just mine). But luckily it is very very easy to do and set up. Look around for your best deals, check that the activities you want to participate in are included eg skydiving, surfing ect, as they really will try and trip you up. And then decide if you want basic, silver, gold or whatever options they give you, but I was told to always go one up from the bottom. Touch wood we will not need it but it really isn't wise to travel without it, you really don't want to risk it! Also here in Australia if you hold a UK passport (there are also other selected countries) you are entitled to limited free healthcare. If you need to go tot the hospital/doctors you will either be seen for free or charged and then credited back. Bonus!!
We also had the challenge of finding the 'right' backpack. To be honest you can go and try all the backpacks on in the world but you really will never know how good it is until you've crammed it packed and are jetting off. All you can do is go to an outdoor shop and see a specialist in order to know that the straps and belts are suited for your build. Also top tip you really don't need lots of litres, the more you have the more you will fill it, it is very true to say you will always have a jam packed bag.
Prices: Even though it is the beginning of your trip, accommodation is the biggest expensive when you are travelling, and you might think you wont be staying long at any given hostel so paying the extra $20 a night is fine but you soon get sucked in by the hostel and the people there and I can honestly say you will want to stay longer, unless obviously the hostels is not nice haha.
Reviews: Look at the reviews if you want to know why the hostel is so cheap but please do not rely on them!
Distance from the Airport: This is quite important if your accommodation does not offer airport pick up, and there is no public transport, taxis soon add up!
Facilities at offer: This really is just seeing what else is an added bonus, I say (being an internet addict) that free wifi is always a must or else it really does start adding up, but be aware this is the section where they try to fool you most! Eg free wifi when you book on a tour.
Travel insurance is always one of things that just slips out of your mind until the very last minute (or maybe just mine). But luckily it is very very easy to do and set up. Look around for your best deals, check that the activities you want to participate in are included eg skydiving, surfing ect, as they really will try and trip you up. And then decide if you want basic, silver, gold or whatever options they give you, but I was told to always go one up from the bottom. Touch wood we will not need it but it really isn't wise to travel without it, you really don't want to risk it! Also here in Australia if you hold a UK passport (there are also other selected countries) you are entitled to limited free healthcare. If you need to go tot the hospital/doctors you will either be seen for free or charged and then credited back. Bonus!!
We also had the challenge of finding the 'right' backpack. To be honest you can go and try all the backpacks on in the world but you really will never know how good it is until you've crammed it packed and are jetting off. All you can do is go to an outdoor shop and see a specialist in order to know that the straps and belts are suited for your build. Also top tip you really don't need lots of litres, the more you have the more you will fill it, it is very true to say you will always have a jam packed bag.
Pre Australia Preparations Part 1
Sooo I am going to rewind all the way back to last December when we started to make this trip become a reality. So it seemed pretty daunting to actually start making important decisions such as the Visa application, the flights, the travel insurance, the 'right' backpack and the many more other choices you have to make. But I have to admit it felt so good to finally start making them. It felt as if we were proving to all the people that thought our plan was just a dream wrong.
We firstly started off with sorting out our Holiday Working Visa. This entitles us to be in Australia for a whole year, whilst being able to work with one employer for up to 6 months. The application form is all online and all you need is your passport details. It took around 20 minutes and that was only because I kept double checking for mistakes, haha. But it really is simple. The cost in pounds was roughly 260, so yep it's pretty expensive. I too thought that it would take days for the email to come back saying whether we had been granted our visa, but it took not even 7 hours which was a amazing, as it really felt like the ball was rolling.
In order to be able to apply for a second year visa it is not as straight forward as an online application form. Whilst you're here on your first year Working Visa you have to complete 88 days (3 months) of pretty much very hard labour. The work you have to do is very labour intensive work, either that be farm work, mining, construction ect. It also varies from place to place on whether you get paid, or get free food and accommodation. Me and Adam have since thought of doing the work for our second year however the more people we speak to the more and more we are put off! We have met many people saying they last a day of what feels like hell however we have also met people that say it's a once in a lifetime experience and the friends you make there are the best you'll make anywhere. So for now its still an option.
The next thing on our to do list was the flights!! Which was by far the most exciting/scariest thing we had done so far! As not only is it a lot of money but it actually meant we were actually going to Australia. After a few days of looking at multiple sites we decided with STA travel, this is because we both have deferred places at uni which entitled us to students cards which meant DISCOUNT. After playing around with dates, airports and the amount of stop overs we found the cheapest deal...and to be fair probably the best option too! As we live in East Midlands it made perfect sense to leave from Birmingham Airport which is only over an hours drive away, amazing for our parents dropping us off! So the flight itinerary was as followed:
March 3rd 12.25 pm Birmingham to Dubai 10.25 pm March 3rd
11.30 pm March 3rd Dubai to Sydney 01.00am March 5th
We arrived in Sydney at midnight after '2days' of travelling So even though back at home it was daytime due to effect of travelling for a long period of time our body wanted to rest.
We firstly started off with sorting out our Holiday Working Visa. This entitles us to be in Australia for a whole year, whilst being able to work with one employer for up to 6 months. The application form is all online and all you need is your passport details. It took around 20 minutes and that was only because I kept double checking for mistakes, haha. But it really is simple. The cost in pounds was roughly 260, so yep it's pretty expensive. I too thought that it would take days for the email to come back saying whether we had been granted our visa, but it took not even 7 hours which was a amazing, as it really felt like the ball was rolling.
In order to be able to apply for a second year visa it is not as straight forward as an online application form. Whilst you're here on your first year Working Visa you have to complete 88 days (3 months) of pretty much very hard labour. The work you have to do is very labour intensive work, either that be farm work, mining, construction ect. It also varies from place to place on whether you get paid, or get free food and accommodation. Me and Adam have since thought of doing the work for our second year however the more people we speak to the more and more we are put off! We have met many people saying they last a day of what feels like hell however we have also met people that say it's a once in a lifetime experience and the friends you make there are the best you'll make anywhere. So for now its still an option.
The next thing on our to do list was the flights!! Which was by far the most exciting/scariest thing we had done so far! As not only is it a lot of money but it actually meant we were actually going to Australia. After a few days of looking at multiple sites we decided with STA travel, this is because we both have deferred places at uni which entitled us to students cards which meant DISCOUNT. After playing around with dates, airports and the amount of stop overs we found the cheapest deal...and to be fair probably the best option too! As we live in East Midlands it made perfect sense to leave from Birmingham Airport which is only over an hours drive away, amazing for our parents dropping us off! So the flight itinerary was as followed:
March 3rd 12.25 pm Birmingham to Dubai 10.25 pm March 3rd
11.30 pm March 3rd Dubai to Sydney 01.00am March 5th
We arrived in Sydney at midnight after '2days' of travelling So even though back at home it was daytime due to effect of travelling for a long period of time our body wanted to rest.
Wow!
What can I say! A lot has happened in this past year, I will try my best to catch up with all the key points.
Well the first exciting events that happened to us were that we both turned 18! Haha, it seems so insignificant now however for us in the UK you are officially classed as an adult to the public (maybe not to our families haha). And it was probably around this time when we started to think that there is so much more to see in the world if you just open your eyes up and not think that anything is impossible. The more your heart is set on an idea the more determined you become.
We too finished 6th form in June, and achieved the results we needed to get onto our courses at Uni for September 2014. I (Sumer) will be doing Physical Geography and Geology and Adam is doing Computing. (however I have to add it would seem very unlikely if this were to happen, as we've caught the travel bug!)
We then started the loooong slog of full time work! Our summer was dedicated by doing the most amount of work we could possible. I continued to work at my local Supermarket, and Adam also continued to work at a restaurant as a waiter and also took at second job at a Supermarket. The hours were long, and whilst all our friends were going off on holiday we stuck it out and just kept thinking of our time here! It worked and 8 months later we were off!
We did however get a bit distracted and decided last minute to treat ourselves to a holiday in the beginning of October and thinking back now it was just what we needed to keep us focused and motivated. Our first holiday together was in Tunisia, and it really did give us our first taster of travel, and a taster of travelling together. We have to admit we stayed in a beautiful resort just on the beach, however we made a point to go out and explore, we booked onto tours to get a taster of the real Tunisia, and we were taken to a market. It was a new experience to say the least. The locals love to entice you in at every opportunity and the way they do so has to be taken lightly or else you can begin to feel uncomfortable. Once we had an idea of the surroundings we were in we decided to venture off by ourselves, and it was a good thing to do as it set us up for independent travel.
We also had a massive change of plans during the year too, as originally we were planning on travelling around Europe the beginning of 2014. The idea of instead coming to Australia came down to many factors, one being the amount of time we could spend in one place to another. Europe would not necessary be more expensive however the time we wanted to go would have meant less to time to save, the weather was also cold and wet. And then on the other hand compared to Australia there isn't really a bad time to come, meaning we could save longer and have longer here knowing that the prices wont hike up during the summer months, as its technically winter here.
So that was a quick a recap of all the key points in our last year that have helped bring us to where we are today!
Sumer x
Well the first exciting events that happened to us were that we both turned 18! Haha, it seems so insignificant now however for us in the UK you are officially classed as an adult to the public (maybe not to our families haha). And it was probably around this time when we started to think that there is so much more to see in the world if you just open your eyes up and not think that anything is impossible. The more your heart is set on an idea the more determined you become.
We too finished 6th form in June, and achieved the results we needed to get onto our courses at Uni for September 2014. I (Sumer) will be doing Physical Geography and Geology and Adam is doing Computing. (however I have to add it would seem very unlikely if this were to happen, as we've caught the travel bug!)
We then started the loooong slog of full time work! Our summer was dedicated by doing the most amount of work we could possible. I continued to work at my local Supermarket, and Adam also continued to work at a restaurant as a waiter and also took at second job at a Supermarket. The hours were long, and whilst all our friends were going off on holiday we stuck it out and just kept thinking of our time here! It worked and 8 months later we were off!
We did however get a bit distracted and decided last minute to treat ourselves to a holiday in the beginning of October and thinking back now it was just what we needed to keep us focused and motivated. Our first holiday together was in Tunisia, and it really did give us our first taster of travel, and a taster of travelling together. We have to admit we stayed in a beautiful resort just on the beach, however we made a point to go out and explore, we booked onto tours to get a taster of the real Tunisia, and we were taken to a market. It was a new experience to say the least. The locals love to entice you in at every opportunity and the way they do so has to be taken lightly or else you can begin to feel uncomfortable. Once we had an idea of the surroundings we were in we decided to venture off by ourselves, and it was a good thing to do as it set us up for independent travel.
We also had a massive change of plans during the year too, as originally we were planning on travelling around Europe the beginning of 2014. The idea of instead coming to Australia came down to many factors, one being the amount of time we could spend in one place to another. Europe would not necessary be more expensive however the time we wanted to go would have meant less to time to save, the weather was also cold and wet. And then on the other hand compared to Australia there isn't really a bad time to come, meaning we could save longer and have longer here knowing that the prices wont hike up during the summer months, as its technically winter here.
So that was a quick a recap of all the key points in our last year that have helped bring us to where we are today!
Sumer x
Friday, 15 February 2013
London/Plymouth Trip - Part 1
It's safe to say both of us are writing this pretty worn out. Don't think we've ever realised how carrying a 70L rucksack around London and the tube, for 4 hours, is so tiring! Apart from our weak legs, we had an awesome day in London.
We arrived from Leicester at about 12.00 and headed straight to Camden Town for its famous markets and shops. Although we didn't buy anything, it was just nice to look around the hundreds of different market stalls.
After Camden we decided to have a walk from the London Eye across to Westminster, and then to Downing Street. You don't really realise the scale of things until you see them in real life, so it was nice to do that. After that our legs were about worn out enough so we decided to head over to the travel lodge we were staying at and check in those heavy bags.
After relaxing for a bit, at 6 we got the tube over to Piccadilly Circus where our theatre was and took in how amazing all the advertising boards are at night. It seems to have a different atmosphere at night, still as busy, just different. As it was valentines day, Samsung were taking photos of couples to go up on the big boards. We managed to get a photo taken and it was put up there which was pretty special! (Photo below).
The show started at 7.30 and finished at around 10. It was a great experience and our first time at the theatre together. After the show we decided to walk from Piccadilly Circus through Leicester Square to Covent Garden. Neither of us had ever done this at night so it was nice to do that. Finally we ended up back at the hotel at about 12, worn out and ready for bed.
More on the Plymouth part of the trip in part 2!
We arrived from Leicester at about 12.00 and headed straight to Camden Town for its famous markets and shops. Although we didn't buy anything, it was just nice to look around the hundreds of different market stalls.
After Camden we decided to have a walk from the London Eye across to Westminster, and then to Downing Street. You don't really realise the scale of things until you see them in real life, so it was nice to do that. After that our legs were about worn out enough so we decided to head over to the travel lodge we were staying at and check in those heavy bags.
After relaxing for a bit, at 6 we got the tube over to Piccadilly Circus where our theatre was and took in how amazing all the advertising boards are at night. It seems to have a different atmosphere at night, still as busy, just different. As it was valentines day, Samsung were taking photos of couples to go up on the big boards. We managed to get a photo taken and it was put up there which was pretty special! (Photo below).
The show started at 7.30 and finished at around 10. It was a great experience and our first time at the theatre together. After the show we decided to walk from Piccadilly Circus through Leicester Square to Covent Garden. Neither of us had ever done this at night so it was nice to do that. Finally we ended up back at the hotel at about 12, worn out and ready for bed.
More on the Plymouth part of the trip in part 2!
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