Agnes Water & The Whitsunday Islands

Southern Cross Backpackers 

We stayed in Agnes Water for three nights, at what has to be the nicest hostel we’ve stayed in so far - only took me six weeks to find one I liked! Situated on sixteen acres of land, Southern Cross Backpackers was more like a tropical holiday resort than a place for weary and slightly dirty backpackers to lay their heads for a few nights. With it’s own lake, chilli patch, horse field and individual wooden cabins, all with ensuite bathrooms, we definitely felt like we had hit the jackpot. Wifi was free, along with breakfast every morning and tea and coffee all day long. There was a pool for relaxing next to, as well as hammocks located all over the grounds (on the off chance you needed to rest after actually doing something strenuous.) Whilst in Agnes we took part in the Scooter Roo Tours - $75 for four hours worth of motorcycling around the town and spotting wild kangaroos (made sure to tell my parents about it AFTER the ride.) Within the first five minutes we were applying our fake tattoos and donning our leather jackets, complete with flamed embroidery - obviously! The route took us all around Agnes Water and Town 1770, named after the year Captain Cook first discovered it, as well as down to the marina to watch the sunset. Admittedly, I was not the best rider, but that didn’t take away from the experience. Being able to see the wild kangaroos in their natural environment was one of the coolest things we’ve done so far, as well as being able to see this pretty incredible end to the day. 

One Month In - Surfers, Brisbane & Noosa

Brisbane's Man Made Lagoon 

So we’ve been in Australia for one month now, which is hard to believe as it feels like it should be so much longer. We’ve slept in a total of six different hostels and nine different rooms, experienced both city and town life, and done things I could have only imagined doing. We’ve met friends that’ll continue on with us, and friends that we’ve been sad to say goodbye to. Friends that have lasted a day, or some that have just been part of one evening. Sitting on the bottom bunk today, writing this with a fan directed solely at my head and desperately trying to stream the season finale of How I Met Your Mother, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve well and truly adjusted into the backpacking life. Since starting our Oz adventure on March 6th, we’ve visited Sydney, Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Brisbane and now Noosa. We’ve hiked mountains, visited Steve Irwin’s zoo and canoed around the Everglades - it’s pretty surreal to think this is actually my life, after what seems like years of saving up, planning and waiting. 

Byron Bay & A Very Wet Surfers Paradise

Byron Bay

We arrived in Byron Bay last Thursday morning, after a 14 hour Greyhound coach trip that can only be described as ‘less than comfortable.’ To be fair, the wifi and chargers were a great shout, but that didn’t do much towards my numb bum, cramped legs and sore side from having Jack constantly slumping over onto my side of the seat… We pulled in at 7:30am, and were instantly greeted with torrential rain and a group of very wet hostel workers barking at us to follow them if we needed transport. After about five minutes of blearily trying to find our luggage in the rain, feet soaked and freezing cold, we eventually made our way to Nomads, where we were able to shower, change and feel human again. Unable to check in until the afternoon, we took this as the perfect opportunity to bikini up (the sun was shining once again) and head to the beach. 
Byron Bay was completely different to Sydney, and for the first time in two weeks I actually began to feel like I was really in Australia. Instead of homeless people on every corner, there were street performers, and quirky boutiques with people walking around with surfboards under their arms - the atmosphere was so relaxed and laid back that I could see why most backpackers said that this was their favourite stop along the East Coast.