
Goodbye, Australia
After spending six months exploring and driving around the whole country of Australia, it was time to leave. I reflected on the differences between Australia and the U.S., and I spent my final day exploring Hobart, Tasmania.
After spending six months exploring and driving around the whole country of Australia, it was time to leave. I reflected on the differences between Australia and the U.S., and I spent my final day exploring Hobart, Tasmania.
Port Arthur was the location of the first juvenile detention center in the British Empire. The announcer on the boat explained that the kids were mixed with adults. At ten years old, they were legally responsible for their own actions. It was sad because most of them were just trying to survive the streets of London and were homeless.
I took a boat tour to Hell’s Gates and Sarah Island, aka, Devil’s Island. The convict history was fascinating and alarming. If the convicts survived, they could leave as skilled tradesman. Others were cannibalized.
As a solo traveler, I value the opportunities where I get to meet new people as well as meet up with old friends along my travels. Returning to Melbourne gave me the opportunity to reunite with a new friend that I met months earlier, and an old friend and co-worker from the U.S.
I was approaching Melbourne, which would close the loop. My drive around Australia was complete. After 6 months on the road, it felt surreal. It felt like I was coming home.
Sydney’s convict history is fascinating. My favorite story was about the ship, The Juliana, which transported female prostitutes. They would go on to become wives, mothers, and respected women.
The weather in Sydney was awful. I wandered into the Maritime Museum and walked through a fascinating exhibit about William Bligh. Each item and story presented the argument that he was a hero and one that showed he was a villain. We even got to vote at the end. Was he a hero or a villain? I also explored the inside of the Sydney Opera House.
I walked along the Sydney Harbor, enjoying the nice weather and beautiful views. As I sat on a concrete block with headphones on, a young man approached and asked me for directions. I ended up getting to know all about him and have stayed in touch with him. Talking with strangers is easier than talking with people we know because they don’t hold our past mistakes against us.
I drove to the beautiful and famous Bondi Beach near Sydney, but was overwhelmed with the amount of people there. Just as I contemplated living as a hermit in the woods, a few people brightened my day.
I finally arrived to Sydney! I spent the day climbing the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge overlooking the Sydney Opera House. That evening, I went on a bar tour, where I met people from around the world.
The fires in Australia started early and it was becoming clearer that this was going to be one of the worst fire seasons on record. I checked into a motel in Newcastle, Australia, and was treated so poorly by the man at the front, he even sent me a nasty email while I watched T.V. in my room.
I saw glowworms inside of a cave and then drove to the Gold Coast. I met some fellow travelers in the Australian outback and randomly ran into them a few times in the Northwest. While in the Gold Coast, I met up with them again – at the perfect time!
I met up with a couple who were house and pet sitting too. They were from London and had completed several sits in the U.K. and Australia. We went on a hike together, and enjoyed the beach town of Noosa.
I enjoyed the fancy resort at Airlie Beach and the infinity pool. Then I took a large boat from Airlie Beach to The Great Barrier Reef for some more diving. Airlie Beach is incredible and so is the reef! The underwater current was powerful though and swept me away!
I drove from Cairns to Airlie Beach, stopping at a sugar museum, Cardwell, Townsville (stayed the night) and then on to Airlie Beach. The scenery was beautiful and I instantly wanted to stay in Airlie Beach for a long time! I found a steal at an incredible resort.
I explored the northern area around Cairns and couldn’t help but notice all of the warning signs about crocodiles and box jellyfish. It didn’t help that I had a nightmare about a crocodile eating a man. I also went for a hike in the rainforest at Mossman Gorge. Then, I drove to Cape Tribulation.
I drove a campervan 2,000 miles from Darwin to Cairns, making a stop in Kakadu National Park. It wasn’t the easiest drive & I was exhausted. The road was only partial paved and then I drove up and down a mountain on a narrow road with 263 turns! I had to get the campervan back to the rental place by 3:00 pm, but would I make it with all of the slow turns?
I was back to traveling solo, but thankfully, I had my Airbnb hosts and a friend who was still in town. I also met some great people at the horse races who welcomed me into their groups without hesitation.
Throughout her wild 3-week journey backpacking 220+ miles in the California Sierra Mountains, Christy encountered freezing temperatures, pelting hail storms, and losing her way, but found trail family, incredible views, and experiences that would change her life forever. Hiking up and over ten different mountain passes gave Christy a lot of time to think about why her nine-year marriage was falling apart, gave her the chance to truly embody her individualism, time to make new friends, and the strength she would need on and off the trail. Her life could never again be the same.
This is one woman’s account of the three weeks she spent on the iconic trail.
From Readers Favorite: “... a compelling non-fiction adventure story of finding strength in the face of adversity and learning how to believe in yourself.”
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From Readers Favorite: “... a compelling non-fiction adventure story of finding strength in the face of adversity and learning how to believe in yourself.”