A backpacker's guide to Australia

by Camilla Stadlinger (Austria)

I didn't expect to find Australia

Whenever you think of traveling to the beautiful continent of Australia on the other side of the world, where everybody is supposed to solely surf and enjoy life, you might want to read this before. I spent about two months traveling through Australia and here is what I didn't expect to find, hence made my stay inexplicably unique. Whenever you fly to Cairns, please assure you arrive when it’s the most humid and hot season. First-hand experience: End of January is great to relax. No one can move between 10.30 am and 7.30 pm due to temperature. Your only chance to enjoy is if you’re a Bikram-Yoga lover or have experience in fainting. In case you don't, you'll have a lot of time for yourself - contemplating about life in your iced hostel room. If you don't believe me and think you could always refresh yourself in the sea, you are out of your mind. Anything in there is going to kill you within seconds - promise! Are you planning to explore Byron Bay? Be prepared and educate yourself about the "universe", "ego", "divineness" and "universal love". If those words are not yet in your vocabulary, keep calm but don’t let anybody catch you. You can ask questions, but the answers you're looking for might not be given. In case you are an animal lover like me, be ready to meet Australia’s most common pet: Huntsman spiders. Most likely you will find them in your cozy towels after a shower or underneath your bed. It's quite comforting to know, that you'll never be alone! Addendum: If you ever find 30 Baby-Huntsmen in your bathroom, I would recommend getting the hell out. They will either eat you or your food - but as a traveller you got to be concerned about your budget right?! Renting a Campervan is a must. Just remember, always ask for a children’s seat, especially if you're only 1.60 meters tall like me. You kind of want to see the road you’re driving on, in case you manage to stay on the left side anyway. In Sydney, you will soon understand that all those travel cloths you bought yourself at home to explore the outdoors, were suitable anywhere else. Now you get confronted with real life fashion though. Get yourself something you'd normally were on a job-interview, but doesn't make you sweat. This one is tricky. Bondi Beach is a great opportunity to learn about the attractiveness of people in matters of physical appearance. Take a deep breath and wonder how long it would take you to adapt. After 30 seconds you're going to realize your visitor visa runs out in three months. Simply accept the fact that you will not have enough time. Still be kind to yourself and find the most amazing ice cream in the beach esplanade instead. Another thing to remember: Always and under any circumstances bring your passport as a foreigner in Australia. In any unforeseen event that could require a wine time-out for yourself, you gotta be able to identify yourself. No matter how old you are or may look like, Australians will always flatter you and insist on proving them you are over eighteen years old. Crying doesn’t help – seriously! If you're more the sight seeing type of person - enjoy tourist attractions mostly from the outside or distance. To get yourself inside or closer, can lead to severe dissatisfaction and a strong urge to get a higher drawing limit on your credit card. Sometimes you just have to change your perspective! It's worth it. Last but not least enjoy. Soak up all experiences you're making during your stay and know that Australia will most definitely blow you away if it hasn't already. Whatever you don't expect, know it's going to find you.