2011: My Year in Review

How do I even begin to describe this year? I’m still processing it myself, so this post will serve as a Cliffs Notes version of my year, in case you missed it. I will be getting into what’s next for me in future notes, but for now, sit back, relax and relive my year Down Under!

January

I spent most of the month working and counting down the days until my departure. I celebrated my father’s 50th birthday with friends and family while also saying goodbye. I left on January 20th to spend a few days in Los Angeles before the long-haul flight to Australia. I spent my first night at USA Hostels in Hollywood before couchsurfing with a girl in La Brea.

In my few days there, I had a tweetup with Jade and Bob of Vagabond 3 and Rebecca of Travels at 88 MPH and took a film noir tour of the city with Esotouric Tours. I landed in Sydney on January 25th, overwhelmed by a new country and a new relationship.

I celebrated my first Australia Day nonchalantly, by lying in the pool all day to avoid the unbearable heat. I went to my first Travel Massive, where I met the people who would give me advice on adjusting to life in Australia. Tommy took me to the Blue Mountains to see the Three Sisters and get out of the city for the day.

February

Tommy and I left for a whirlwind tour of southeastern Australia. From Sydney, we stopped in Canberra for a few days to catch up with friends we met in Europe, soak up the capital and break up the long drive to Melbourne. I was excited about Melbourne, but our stay there was not what you could call pleasant after our hostel and car got flooded, stranding us without power and a way out of town for a week.

Thankfully, friends of Tommy let us stay with them until his car could be fixed, which meant we got to see more of Melbourne than originally planned.  Once the car situation was sorted out, we decided to continue on to the Great Ocean Road, which I heard was the best part of the country and I wasn’t disappointed.

Since we had come this far, we threw Adelaide into the itinerary and our visit coincided with the annual Fringe Festival, where we got the chance to see one of the performances. From there, we took a day trip to Kangaroo Island, where we didn’t actually see any kangaroos.

March

After too much time freeloading off Tommy and his dad, I started handing out resumes all over town and signed up for my RSA course, a requirement to work in bars and restaurants in Australia. Within an hour of getting my certificate, I had landed myself an interview at what would become my job for the next six months and where I would make some of my best friends. I witnessed the insanity of Sydney Mardi Gras. I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with my American expat mates. I also moved into my apartment in Marrickville with my two Aussie flatmates.

April

I settled into a routine, becoming a regular at cafes in Newtown and Marrickville and reading the travel sections in the newspaper over a cup of tea. I went on a day tour of the Hunter Valley, which covered Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park as well as a few vineyards in the valley.

Tommy took me to my first AFL game, Sydney Swans vs. Geelong Cats, and I still can’t say I fully understand the sport. I just barely survived working ANZAC Day, also known as Australia’s biggest drinking holiday.

May

We took a few day trips, including one to Palm Beach, the filming location for Home and Away. I came down with dysentery in a “developed” country, go figure. I saw my idol, Anthony Bourdain, at the Sydney Writers Festival.

June

I flew to Hawaii to meet up with my sisters and mom for my youngest sister’s sixteenth birthday trip. We spent two weeks catching up, eating, drinking, hiking and tanning all over Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai. Tommy and I took a day trip to the southern coastal town of Kiama, known for tasty fish and chips and the blowhole.

July

I celebrated American Independence Day with more American expats at a bar in the city, complete with Miller beers and authentic New Orleans-style gumbo. I celebrated my 23rd birthday by working for 12 hours and going for drinks with my coworkers. Christine and Joey, two of my best (and recently engaged!) friends visited me in Sydney for a few days and I got to show them around.

August

I spent time with my friend in Coogee, discovering new cafes in Erskineville and generally working entirely too much.

September

I worked an event for the Australian team in the Rugby World Cup, but I couldn’t tell you who any of the players were. I said goodbye to my job before I went traveling. I stayed with my friend in Coogee before I left for my Outback trip. My Groovy Grape tour took me from Alice Springs through Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon before looping down through Coober Pedy to Adelaide. After a week recovering in Sydney, I took the Greyhound bus to Newcastle and Port Macquarie.

October

What was supposed to be warm and sunny on the New South Wales coast was instead rainy and cold. Maybe that’s why I didn’t fall for Coffs Harbour, but I did have a great surf lesson there. Byron Bay and neighboring Nimbin were next, full of hippies. 

Surfers Paradise was not my idea of paradise, but might be if you’re into Jersey Shore/bachelor parties/spring break-style shenanigans. I felt at home in Brisbane and could have spent more than a week there. Noosa didn’t have quite as much to offer, nor did Rainbow Beach, but I enjoyed my time in both towns. 

Fraser Island was far from my favorite stop of the trip, as you already know, but that’s the way traveling goes. You’re not going to love everything. Agnes Water and the Town of 1770, however, were a pleasant surprise, with cheap surfing, nice beaches and the Scooteroo tours.

The night bus from Agnes Water to Airlie Beach nearly killed me, leaving at 9 p.m. and arriving at 7 a.m. I was finally in the tropical climate, leaving the hoodie I needed in New South Wales at the bottom of my backpack. The Whitsundays were surreal, with the most blue waters I’ve ever seen.

Every day was eat, drink, snorkel, sleep. Townsville wasn’t much to look at to an outsider, but I was lucky enough to have a local show me around and I had one of the craziest Halloweens of my life, which is saying a lot, considering the holiday is like a religion back home.

November

Magnetic Island was one of the only places I planned on going the entire trip. I knew I wanted to stay at the Bungalow Bay Koala Village and get to hold my spirit animal, which I did. I also scootered around the island and went for a few swims without getting stung by any jellyfish.

I stopped in Mission Beach on the way to Cairns because I sensed I wasn’t quite ready for the city’s party reputation. I spent three days in the hurricane-ravaged town cooking myself proper meals, catching up on blog posts and making a new feline friend. 

Cairns was even hotter than I expected and I stayed in quite possibly, the worst hostel I’ve ever seen. I got out of there as soon as I could with an overnight trip to Cape Tribulation, where it rained on and off the entire time. I did see crocodiles, kangaroos, emus and cassowaries up close, though.

Back in Cairns, I took a scuba diving course and went on the ill-fated pub crawl. The icing on the cake was bungy jumping on my final day in town. I got back to Sydney sunburnt, broke and exhausted. Thankfully, I still had time for a day at Cronulla, dinner with friends, a costume party with work mates, Christmas shopping, a trip to Cockatoo Island, one final Travel Massive, the Bridge Climb, a tour of the Sydney Opera House and a painful goodbye with Tommy.

December

I never thought I’d make it home but after two delayed flights and over 20 hours on a plane, I crashed in my newly painted room and slept for most of a day. I caught up with friends and family and started working part time the next week to save up for future travels. My family and I visited Boone, North Carolina for my sister’s college graduation. It feels like I was just in her position. I’m now trying to figure out what’s next for me.

So until I figure that out, enjoy this video, with even more photos from my year. You didn’t think this was it, right? :)