Hello guys. How's going. Welcome to my backpacker Information round. My name is Jami Swan, am 19 years old and since 4 months as a backpacker in Australia traveling.
How did this happen?
I wanted to experience something I'll remember later, and so I got the idea as a backpacker exploring Australia after my graduation. Six months traveling, six months working.
I applied for my visa for a year abroad in Australia, which currently costs € 290, which one is entitled to travel and work, finished off an international health insurance for 30 € per month and booked my flight for the 1 October 2015th
Finally it was time my flight was launched in Frankfurt, made a stop in Shanghai and then flew across the ocean to Australia. After 33 hours I arrived in Sydney at 6.33 o´clock. After I had my things in my, from Germany booked, hostel, I began my first day with a coffee. The world's best coffee you get in Australia by a barista brewed, the master of Espresso Art. There I also met already the first backpackers, they suggested me to visit the Sydney Sea Live where you can get to know most of the animals that live in Australia. I must confess, the only thing I had planned was the hostel for four days. Otherwise, I wanted to let myself drift along the east coast.
After Sea Life I went to Good Food Month, Australia's Largest Food Festival, where I had arranged with my coffee backpackers.
The next three days I spent exploring the city and a variety of attractions such as the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. After these days I drive with my coffee backpackers, to Broken Bay.
At Broken Bay, I had wonderful 14 days. I took a diving and surf course and got my International diver's license. What a fantastic feeling to ride the waves and explore the underworld.
Do you know? At first I was worried that I find no connection in Australia. I never thought that all these people are so nice, helpful and courteous.
One evening on a Barbie, which named a barbecue party where everyone brings something eat and drink with itself, I met three backpackers who wanted to go to Barrington Tops National Park in the next few days. They asked me if I want to join them. So it happened, I drove at the 14 weekday from Broken Bay in an old caravan departed to Barrington Tops National Park.
We bathed in lakes, wandered through the wilderness and camped at a campsite with many others.
Luckily I bought in Sydney at a garage-sail, it is called the day where the residents in their garages selling prices items they no longer need for a small price, a tent which was very useful in these days.
On the 5th day I decided to travel further. But the question was how should I came out of here, cause the other wanted to stay there longer. Fortunately for me, a family with two children just grabbed and agreed to take me with them to Taree.
Now, the question remains, what should I do in Taree, there is nothing and backpackers only make shopping stop there. The father of the family told me. "Hey Jass, take the train, Six-Country Link trains arrive daily, three drive to Sydney and three drive in the north."
In Australia, you have the habit to shorten or extend names. For example, Rodney changes to Rod and John to Johnno. That’s strange, but typical for the Aussies.
I stayed one night in Taree in a hostel with 8 beds rooms. Luckily I was not invaded by debug as my bed neighbor.
But so we got to talking and decided together to take the train direction to Brisbane. In the train we decided to make for some days a stop in Coffs Harbour.
At Coffs, we visited the South Solitary Lighthouse, what a wonderful view of the coast, The Big Banana that´s the symbol of Coffs, many national parks and went every Sunday to the weekly market where you could buy everything cheaper. We lived by an elderly lady as Host. Host refers to people who allow backpackers to sleep at them for a small price or household help.
When we had both seen much, we decided to move on to Brisbane after 15 days.
There, our Host-Family laid us near, to take a view from the tower of City Hall or to take a ride in the Wheel of Brisbane. Most of our time we spent in South Bank Parklands because there is offers everything and you meet many other backpackers.
As my companion decided to stay in Brisbane even longer, I moved on alone. The fact that the bus was too expensive and too slow, I decided to come to Surfers Paradise as a Hitch-hiker.
At Surfers arrived, I was really hit from the city, now I can understand that it´s also often is called “the South Miami”. I surfed at the best beaches and visited the Sea World and Movie World. Surfers Paradise is breathtaking, it gives life.
After 18 days full of life and fun I continued to drive by bus to Byron Bay. In the morning I surf or dive with many others and the afternoon I visited a lot in nature, for example the secret waterfalls.
My Christmas I celebrated under a Palm tree in the shining sun by a Barbie and on December 28, I flew back down to Sydney for watching the New Year Eve with my bedbugs friend. When one should have made in the life, then to have witnessed the New Year Eve fire in the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney.
After New Year Eve I came across an ad for working in Stanthorpe as a farm assistant. In the next 3 months I will be working for supplement my travel budget. My thereafter remaining 2 months, I will re-discover travel to know even more of Australia.
My tip now for you
In Australia, the food is extremely expensive. Buy your thinks at the weekly market or in cheap shops like Woolworth or Aldi. Moreover, you can save a lot, if you purchases in the shops after 23 o´clock.
You can sign up “airbnb”, there you see all Host´s where you can make Couchsurfing, it´s almost free housing and look around for camp sites, there are often mobile homes where you can stay for little money, like me in Stanthorpe.
In addition, I would recommend to open an account in Australia and to request a tax identification number. You going to need it for working, firstly, and secondly, you somehow have to withdraw money, cause from Germans account costs a lot of fees.
Now my last tip, read travel guides and experiences of other backpackers before you departure. It has really helped me for my trip as not to leave entirely stand without a clue in Australia.
I hope you were able to get a glimpse of my life as a backpacker here in Down Under
Hooroo ma Mates (The Australian Goodbye)
