A Week in Australia
- Eva Raye
- Apr 29
- 4 min read
Before flying to Singapore for my next semester abroad, I decided to visit my friend who is studying abroad in Australia. This semester I am focusing on fewer but higher quality trips. From my semester abroad in Germany, I learned that while I can travel to dozens of cities, the experience is not always the best when I am trying to save as much money as possible. I still have to be mindful of what I am spending and I am completely okay with backpacking, staying in hostels, and choosing cheaper options, but this time my mindset was different. I wanted to invest in the overall experience and make it feel more like a vacation rather than just survival.
It seems like every trip I go on I say it was the best trip of my life, but I think that is because with each new adventure I discover more about myself and what truly brings me joy when traveling.
Australia has been on my bucket list for a while ever since I binge watched an entire YouTube channel of an Australian health and fitness influencer. The lifestyle there always fascinated me and I was so excited to experience it in real life. I knew a week would not be enough time to see everything, so I prioritized Brisbane, the closest major city near Bond University where my friend goes to school, the Gold Coast where she lives, and Airlie Beach where the Great Barrier Reef is. After spending so much time exploring cities in Europe, I realized I was craving adventure, nature, and relaxation.
FLIGHT FROM CHARLOTTE, NC TO BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Fortunately, my travel experience from Charlotte to Brisbane was not the nightmare I had on my trip to Germany. There were no snowstorms, delays, lost wallets, or lost baggage. Everything went smoothly. I said goodbye to my dad at the airport and then flew from Charlotte to Dallas, Dallas to Fiji, and Fiji to Brisbane. I passed the time reading and listening to music. Funnily enough, to get my steps in at the Dallas airport, which was my first time in Texas, I walked around for about two hours while listening to Texas country music. I wish I had more crazy travel stories to share, but honestly everything went pretty smoothly.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
When I arrived in Brisbane I was shocked by the weather. Even though I am from South Carolina and used to the heat, it was February and I had just left winter. It actually snowed a few days before I left. My friend had class on the Gold Coast, so I explored Brisbane by myself on February 12th and stayed at Habitat Backpackers before meeting up with her the next day.
February 12th:
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Central Station
Habitat Backpackers
Gallery of Modern Art
Brisbane Sign
South Bank Parklands
Kangaroo Point Cliffs Lookout
City Botanic Gardens
Sky Deck
February 13th:
Habitat Backpackers
Brisbane Central Station where I met up with Keila
Queen Street Mall
GRECA Greek Restaurant
Brisbane Central Station
Brisbane Airport
Whitsunday Coast Airport
Kipara Tropical Rainforest Resort
AIRLIE BEACH, AUSTRALIA
My friend Keila and I spent the weekend exploring Airlie Beach, the Whitsunday Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. This was easily one of the highlights of the trip.
February 14th and 15th:
Sunrise walk from our hostel to our tour pickup location
Scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef
White water rafting, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, and lunch around the Whitsundays
Airlie Beach Sunday Market
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA
The next few days I spent doing some solo travel around the Gold Coast. I stayed at a hostel in Surfers Paradise but explored all along the coast.
February 16th:
Tequila Sunrise Podstel for breakfast
SkyPoint Observation Deck
Bond University for lunch
Pacific Fair Shopping Center
Surfers Paradise Beach
Tequila Sunrise Podstel for dinner
February 17th:
Tequila Sunrise Podstel for breakfast
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where I saw kangaroos and koalas
Burleigh Head National Park
Bond University for dinner and Bible study
February 18th:
Sunrise swim at Surfers Paradise Beach
Tequila Sunrise Podstel for breakfast
Brisbane Airport and flight to Singapore
Top 3 Meals from the Trip
GRECA Restaurant
The "Big Brekky" at an Airlie Beach cafe
Bond University lunch bowl
Overall, I had such an amazing time visiting my friend and doing some solo travel. One thing I have learned is that no trip is complete without something going wrong, so here is my funny not so funny story to end this. On my last morning, I woke up early to watch the sunrise and walked to the beach in my black Target flip flops, which I usually only wear in the shower. Since I was packing light for the week, I decided to bring them anyway. They were so uncomfortable. On the walk back, the tops of my feet were getting really blistered, so I decided to walk barefoot.
That was a terrible idea.
Right outside the hostel, I stepped on glass. I felt it in the moment but did not realize what it was. I was in a rush to shower, eat breakfast, and get to the airport, so I quickly tried to get whatever was in my foot out but did not pay much attention to it. The rest of the day my foot was hurting, but every time I looked at it I did not see anything, so I just ignored it and kept walking.
A few days later in Singapore, my foot turned black. I ended up going to the hospital and found out there was still glass stuck inside.
I will share that hospital story in another blog.
Until next time!
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