I’ve made it to ‘Straya!

 

It’s hard to believe that I am already hitting my fourth country on this journey. After being on a guided tour for several weeks I was back to being on my own without a daily plan set for me. This was great because having flexibility to travel wherever I want with no predetermined plans has been exciting.

 

I started my journey with a few days in Sydney and then a bus to Byron Bay.

 

In Sydney I stayed at one of the nicest hostels I have ever been to. Since I decided to book a few things a bit too last minute, I also stayed at one of the worst. Overall, I have really adjusted to living in hostels.

 

Highlights of this leg of the journey include:

 

Sydney’s Opera Bar

I went to Sydney’s Opera Bar for drinks almost every night because the views are so spectacular. I also had a delicious dinner there as well. The vibe around this bar was opposite to the hostel drinking I have been getting used to. The venue was upscale and the perfect place for evening drinks for anyone who works downtown.

 

 

Sydney Tower, Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium

I purchased a package to be able to tour three Sydney attractions. The Sydney Tower tour allowed me to get 360 degree views of all of Sydney. There was also a celebration for the Chinese New Year where everyone posted wishes on the window of the tower. Given the opportunity to do it again I would have booked the Skywalk where you can walk around the outside of the tower.

 

 

 

The Wildlife Zoo was a great way to see a variety of animals that are native to Australia including kangaroos and koalas.  The Sydney Aquarium had all kinds of fish and sea creatures. I really enjoyed seeing these exhibits.

 

 

 

Blue Mountain Hike

Two hours west by train had me in the beautiful Blue Mountains region which has valleys, canyons and waterfalls. I hiked the Three Sisters walk and the Furber Steps Scenic Railway. If you plan to visit this region for hiking, it’s a good idea to go on a Sunday since the maximum you pay for travel on trains and buses on Sundays is $2.50. Since the hike went past a waterfall, and it was a very hot day, my hiking buddy and I decided to stop for a swim.

 

 

 

Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a great beach town on the coast of Australia. After sitting on an overnight (13 hour) bus, I arrived too early to check in. I decided to store my luggage at the hostel and hit the beach right away. The beach and water was fantastic. It was full of surfers and those learning to surf.

 

I spent my days in Byron on the beach with friends I made on the bus and in the hostel in Sydney. Lots of travelers were doing the same route. I also hiked to the lighthouse to get a great view of the beach below.

 

In the evening musicians performed near the water and backpackers sat around with cheap drinks relaxing and enjoying the performances.

 

 

I took the bus to Brisbane two days later. My next flight was from there so I spent the day wandering the city before heading to the airport. Next up, a relaxing week in the Cook Islands. I’ll be heading back to Australia after that to continue traveling up the coast to the Great Barrier Reef!