Gold Coast

Surfer's Paradise (Oct-Dec)

After being a nomad for 3 months, I found myself living the beach life on the Gold Coast.

Here is my picture book...

I live in the bottom right corner, next to the tall building

From hostel to resort style home

St. Anna's Greek Orthodox Church - Hidden in a Business community

Q1 building is the tallest building in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

Tropical Bird

Aussie-Greek-Indian friends and from a family of 9

9 Asians caught in a 5 passenger car

Skating barefoot

Sunrise

Adopted grandparents

One hour younger on the left QLD vs NSW

Burleigh Heads - renowned for its surf break

Griffith Uni students - CAN and USA

East Coast #2

Cairns
4 days
Dive, hike, jump and fly

Ocean Freedom Cruise
Scuba dive and Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef

 

 I met Karen (Middle, England) at Fraser Island and bumpt into her again in Cairns. We had the same scuba dive cruise booked.

Cape Tribulation
The only place where 2 World Heritage sites exist side by side: The Daintree Rainforest (Ancient) and The Great Barrier Reef.

 

I met Alina (Germany) during the Cape Tribulation day trip. She was on the Ocean Freedom cruise the day before with me, the next day same bungy jump time, and flight to Brisbane. We were both surprised by how similar our itineraries were.

 The great thing about traveling the East Coast is you are most likely to see friends you met in the last town again traveling in the same direction.

A native Australian explaining his lifestyle in the rainforest. He also showed us his tools made of trees and rocks.

Bungy Jump
A.J. Hackett
14 Floors
Ocean view
1 Breath taking jump

As I leaped forward, I had about 3 seconds of air time, floating in the sky until gravity pulled me down.

The scariest part was walking up the stairs and looking down. Jumping was easy, you just let the bungy cord do its job.

Advice: Don't look down and pretend you are going to dive in to a pool.

East Coast Travel

The past few months in Australia has been the most adventurous. I landed in Sydney with no plans or direction of where or what I was going to do in Australia. I traveled the entire East Coast of Australia and met the most wonderful people along the way!

Ice cold Polar dip!

Laura's Birthday

After two fun months in Noosa, I was ready for some more adventure! It was difficult to leave my hostel family, but my Greyhound Pass was soon to expire.
The next two weeks of my life were filled with unbelievable scenery, instant friendships, and breathe taking experiences that would last a life time!

 
East Coast 
North of Noosa

 Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. Together with a group of 30 travellers, we were split into groups where we drove our own 4W's on the beach, prepared our own meals, and visited a variety of beautiful landscapes. I was overwhelmed by the long and non uninterrupted white beaches (75miles). Fraser Island is the only place in the world where tall rainforests grow in sand dunes

 

Lake McKenzie

 The sands around the lake are composed of pure, white silica and the water in the lake is also so pure it is unsuitable for many species.

Driving on Fraser Island

Stopped to take pictures of wild life

SS Maheno Shipwreck (1935)

Next stop was a very small town called Agnes Waters next to 1770, where Captain James Cook "first" discovered Australia. The Southern Cross Nomads Hostel I stayed at was so safe that the doors did not have locks. While in Agnes Waters, I took advantage of the $17 surf lession for 3 hours where I caught my first real wave. After surfing, I rented an electric bike with a Scottish boy and jetted to 1770 to visit the famous historical site. 

 

 

The Greyhound bus departed from Agnes Waters in the late evening and arrived in Airlie Beach the next morning with only a few hours before departing for the Whitsunday Island adventure. Two days and two nights of snorkeling, games, white sand beach and taking in the beautiful ocean scenery.

When we returned to Airlie Beach, we celebrated with free pizza. I learned that this tall blonde Swedish stud that was staying in my hostel room with 7 other people was the #6 ranked DJ in the world, Avicii...he is 23 years old makes $20,000 a show.

Month #2

Completed the Sunshine Coast Half Marathon :)

Traveling with out plans or having the freedom to rearrange your itinerary makes up for quite the adventure. While touring the east coast of Australia, my 3 day stop over in Noosa has turned into 7 weeks. I have had the opportunity to work for my accommodation in the restaurant (free dinner) and as a bus driver.

Bus station-Picking up backpackers

A bus driver?? I thought my dream would never come true! Slight problem...I don't know how to drive a manual, on the left side of the road with up to 10 backpackers at one time. But I am over 21 years old which was the only requirement.Within 1 week, after driving on the left side of the road, stalling multiple times, and getting better at using round a bouts, I mastered the the roads of Australia!

Wendy and I at Noosa National Park

 While looking for a job, I met Wendy, a Health and Wellness coach who runs a Nutrition Club in Noosaville. I decided to join Wendy's team as a distributor which would allow me to promote high quality the nutrition of my future personal training clients. As well, enhance my athletic performance for running marathons.The results have been outstanding, I have lost 4lbs and 4% body fat in one month and feel more energized.

By knowing Wendy, I found a Hillsong Church located right across the street from my hostel, aka "Rock Band" church. Through the church, I met some awesome Aussies. Together we rock on at church on Sunday mornings, head to the beach, bbq, and party. I have been lucky to meet some amazing people through them and experience places outside the backpacker world with them. For example, Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort, where I got to visit a million dollar home on the golf course.

I met Tracey through Hillsong Church. Tracey is Australian and was raised by Italian and British parents. Like myself, she also did a Work 'n Holiday in England for 2 years where she worked as a Physiotherapy Assistant in Long Term Care. How cool is that? How did I find someone which such similar life experience and with a European background! Tracey has been such a great friend to me and welcoming to Australia, that one day I would like to do the same for her when she visits Canada. 

Laura, Hannah and Elise

Laura - Estonia

Hannah - Germany

My besties! Laura, Hannah and I have been living together for the past month. We sleep, eat, work for our accommodation, and party together. We have become so close as friends because we are in each others faces 24/7. Together we have found a common ground which we can feel a sense of self and care for one another. We experience all types of emotions together, the highs and the lows and help each other overcome obstacles and share our happiness. We entered the hostel as strangers and leave as family/friends truly. How cool is it that people from all over the world unite and want to experience the similar things or places?

Laura cutting Tracey's Hair for $5 and strawberries