Hello travel bug

One of the reasons I didn't enjoy Asia (I've lost count of how many people have been left shocked by this) is because I wasn't really in the travel zone. I was really looking forward to Aus because, among other things, I would have the chance to settle, unpack my stuff, have my own space - and earn some money of course. I was getting fed up with packing my things every few days and travelling some place new, especially when I didn't particularly enjoy the cities I visited. I've been in Aus since mid-November and in my house since the beginning of January, so I've had a good couple of months with the privacy of my own room, the joy of not living out of a backpack and the chance to refresh my tattered wardrobe. It's been good - especially as I had a slight panic when I was last home that I should be thinking about settling down and being more of a grown up i.e. get a job/boyfriend/house otherwise I could very well get to 30 and not have a career, S.O. or my own place. With a few of my close friends leading 'proper' lives now (long term r'ships, buying houses etc) it freaked me out when I was home over the summer & catching up with everyone that I wasn't doing the same. 

Then I get back on the road and wonder what the hell I was thinking. I've been doing the settling down thing for 2 months now - as well as you can when you're a traveller anyway - and I'm getting restless. It's not that I don't like it here; I've got good friends, a great house and there's always heaps going on. But there's something missing...I don't feel like I'm abroad at all really now I'm back into a routine and super busy & stressed during the week. Maybe if I lived nearer the beach this would be different - or had a car to make the most of Melbourne's surroundings. Plus the job has thrown up a few issues that I'm not particularly happy with - won't go into details but it's been very stressful and I felt physically ill from exhaustion last week. 

I said in my interview I would stay until mid-May so I'll hold myself to that; stick it out and try to ignore the huge part of me that wants to go travelling again, and see the rest of the world. However. When it gets to May - or July (I'm allowed to work for TMG for 6 months on this visa) - all of that will change. I think. Like I say, if there's one thing I've learnt about myself it's that my plans always change. It's good to have some idea where things are going though, and on that basis here is draft 1 of my travel plans for 2015/16:

2015

July/August - east coast! Cairns (Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation, whales!), Airlie Beach & Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Byron Bay

Aug/Sept/Oct - New Zealand & Cook Islands...then back to Melbourne 

Oct/Nov - HOME!

Nov - Norway, Prague, Budapest

Dec - Home for Xmas :) :) :) apply for a new passport!

2016

Jan/Feb - Brazil! Then work my way through South & Central America to Canada :) might check in on Hawaii and Florida keys on route...

Making the most of Melbs

A few weeks ago I promised myself that I'd do one new thing or visit one new place every weekend to make the most of living in Melbourne. Here's how I've been passing the time:

Coastal walk - from St Kilda to South Melbourne, gorgeous secluded beaches

Botanic gardens - so peaceful and a nice escape from the city

Gin Palace - snazzy little bar with private booths

My two fave housies, Megan & Beth <3 

B.east - burger and live music bar across the street 

White Night - cultural Festival of Lights in the CBD running from 7pm to 7am

Pancake Parlour - to make up for missing Shrove Tuesday

Fox FM rooftop - "the world famous rooftop" VIP event with Jessica Mauboy, famous radio DJs & free food, drinks and music from 5-9, then an afterparty in St Kilda

Me with my best Melbourne buddy Anthony! Not my new fella - sorry to disappoint everyone who's asked!

Melbourne Storm (rugby team) season launch lunch at Crown Casino - corporate lunch with players, coaches, sponsors in Shane Warne's lounge bar Club 23

House party!! - our first one, so much fun!

Sydney Road street party - markets, live music, street performers and food

Next weekend we have another public holiday woohoo! So I'm planning on getting out of Melbourne for a couple of days. I'm feeling a bit too settled & if I'm honest I can feeling the travel bug stirring again...which isn't ideal as I need to stay in this job for a while longer yet...so the plan is to spent a few weekends over the next couple of months on the Great Ocean Road, in Mornington (coastal walk central, hot springs), at Wilson's Prom (national park territory with heaps of hiking routes, might need to get hold of a tent for that one) and the Grampians (mountains, hiking). 

But what I'm most looking forward to is July...see next post! This pesky travel bug is just never satisfied...