Aussie is calling...

The first week in Australia was exciting for us, and especially for Michel. The impression we got of the Aussies in Vanuatu is evident in his roots here.

On November 17th, after a pleasant flight, we arrived at an Airbnb in Brisbane, New Farm. Our room was centrally located in one of the hipster neighborhoods of Australia's third largest city, with 2 million inhabitants. In the evening, despite the rain and travel fatigue, we walked to the city center, toasting our new adventure in pleasant 24° weather. Since we had booked for 2 nights, we were able to explore the city in more detail on Sunday... And then we noticed just how many people, skyscrapers, poshness, and glamour filled the city. The contrast was even more pronounced coming from Vanuatu, but even so, the majority of Aussies live in a beautiful, luxurious consumer world that sometimes leaves us shaking our heads. The prices for food and drink are enormous, the style of the people from A to Z extreme, and there are offerings for trendy cafes, lifestyle trends, as well as fast-food chains on every corner. However, the friendliness and openness of the Australians quickly make up for it :)
We took advantage of the free ferry and let it carry us across the Brisbane River. On a recommendation, we visited South Bank, a popular leisure and park area on the river, but we quickly left it behind and headed to the CBD (Central Business District) with its shopping malls and dining options. We could have easily skipped both. Luckily, we stumbled upon a girls' flea market, where we took a short break and Anni scored a new pair of jeans. We strolled through the Botanic Gardens, and locals sent us to West End for dinner, a hip and affordable neighborhood where we were rewarded with vegan restaurants, kebabs, and sushi at reasonable prices. On the way, we stopped at a small cute café cart on the bridge over the river and enjoyed the view of the city. As you may notice, Michel has now become a coffee drinker and sushi eater :) In the evenings, we listen to podcasts about zero waste and travel reports and try to make our travels as environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible (since we're already flying and driving so much ;)) Some things are easy to implement, like bringing a coffee cup and using tote bags for shopping, and we treated ourselves to bamboo toothbrushes and eco-friendly shampoo. Other things are less easy to implement, such as grocery shopping and takeaways, as well as modes of transportation, but the journey provides enough time and tranquility to delve into the subject and we are slowly easing into it.

However, to be as flexible as possible and keep up with Michel's parents, we decided to rent a camper. We set off early the next day to visit various rental companies. Heading towards the airport, we found Apollo, Cheapa Campa, Hippie Camper... All booked up. A bit frustrated, we walked to the next rental agency, Autobarn. No luck for less than 10 days. Even more frustrated, we were allowed to use the internet there and googled for more options. As we sat there, the friendly employee approached us and asked if we just wanted an empty van for free that needed to be taken to Sydney (relocation). We looked at each other, and the decision was clear. Within 10 minutes, everything was arranged, deposit paid, and processed. He even gave us 2 chairs, a sleeping bag, and pillows for free. Binga - as Michel would say. Now we just needed a mattress and some dishes. We dashed to the Salvation Army (Red Cross) and wanted to get everything second hand. We found cutlery and dishes, but we had to shop at the big discount store for the mattress and sheets. But then we had everything together, collected our backpacks in New Farm, and set off south.
It was already 3 o'clock, and we were relieved when we found a cool spot in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast an hour later to get our first glimpse of the sea and the coast. It was a dream. The endless beach, the high waves, many surfers, and the skyline of Surfers Paradise in the background. We liked it better than we thought, and we decided to stay the night there. We set up our sleeping area, had pizza for dinner, and enjoyed the evening atmosphere on the fancy and hip Gold Coast of Australia.
The sun woke us up, we jumped into the water, and got ourselves the best coffee of our trip. We planned to spend the second day in Byron Bay. This hippie town and globally known surf spot has changed in the last 10 years. Despite the crowds, a wide range of shops, and an expanding suburban area, we liked it a lot and would recommend a visit to everyone. We relaxed on the beach, had sushi for lunch, and in the evening, we walked to the easternmost point of Australia and the famous Cape Byron Lighthouse. After that, we had a beer on the beach and decided to catch up with Antje and Sebastian as soon as possible to camp together for the next 3 days. So we drove for 2.5 hours through the night, slept on the beach with a wonderful view in Mullaway Beach and headed to Nambucca Heads for breakfast around 10 o'clock. We were greeted with a huge smile and bread, eggs, ham, cheese, and coffee. We couldn't have asked for anything better. We spent the somewhat rainy day chatting and relaxing at the campground, and in the evening, we were recommended to try Australian cuisine. Not quite to our taste, but in the end, everyone was full and happy.
The next day, after a long swimming and sports session on the beach, we split up. We arranged to meet again in the afternoon at a campground in Hawks Nest. On the way, we crossed national parks and took a dip in the water now and then. We really enjoyed hanging out with Michel's parents and not having to plan everything ourselves. So we continued our journey along the east coast towards Sydney, where we arrived after one last night in Norah Heads. We dropped off all our stuff in Cronulla, where we will be staying in Trudy's house for the next week, and headed to the Travellers Autobarn rental shop. We arrived at the yard just in time and returned BigAtu in one piece. Happy and content, we spent the day in Sydney and ended the evening sitting on the steps of the Opera...
Now we are planning, considering, and weighing how our journey will continue! Perhaps quite differently than we thought!?