Australia
Second half of our epic journey
Australia was one of the places that I’ve dreamed of traveling to ever since I was a child. Hawaii was the first to make the list followed closely by Australia. I vividly remember watching the movie Crocodile Dundee and I was hooked. I fantasized about going to a place where you could see kangaroo’s hopping about in the wild.
Like I said with New Zealand, getting to Australia is no small fete. If you travel down under, I would definitely visit both places in one trip. I wish we would have had the time and the money to visit Tasmania while we were there, but we did see and do as much as we could.
Australia is hot, hot, hot, much warmer than New Zealand. We didn’t even go to the places that are really known for their extreme temperatures. That is something to keep in mind, make sure you pack plenty of sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat. I would have worn a sombrero the entire time if I wouldn’t have looked like a complete weirdo.
When deciding what places to visit, we really paid attention to advice given to us by some Aussie’s we met while traveling in Scotland. They gave us a real play-by-play on what to see and what to skip. Australia is a really big country, much bigger than I realized. You can’t just hop in a car and arrive at a new destination every couple of hours. The big cities wrap around the coastline, and require many, many hours of driving or flying to get from one to another.
Following our new friends advice, we decided on two different spots to divide our time. We saw the city life in Sydney followed by a relaxing five nights on Hamilton Island. This was the perfect combination of touristy sights and time to kick back and relax.
We considered visiting Uluru in the beginning, but were warned that it’s in the middle of nowhere with the closest city, Alice Springs, being 450km away. That and the fact that the temperatures there are just unbearably hot, helped us to cross it off our list. If you have the time and the budget, you could easily spend a month exploring this beautiful and diverse country.
We picked a hotel that was within walking distance to the Sydney Opera House (20 min) and a variety of other downtown activities. It was overcast and rainy upon our arrival and we were worried that our plans might be impacted by the weather. Thankfully, as though on cue, the clouds disappeared the following morning and we were able to do everything we’d planned.
Sydney Hot Spots
The Sydney Opera House
Our first full day in Sydney was jam packed with activities. The skies were dark and cloudy but we took a gamble, hoping it would clear up by the time we finished our tour of the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House is iconic of course, but it was so much better than I imagined. It looks different from every angle and when you see it in person, you get such an appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that went into designing and constructing it.
Buy your tour tickets on-line ahead of time to avoid lengthy waits. The tour itself was super interesting. Like many historic buildings, it took a lot of work, collaboration and money to get the opera house constructed. Our tour guide shared tons of interesting stories and facts as we made our way through the massive complex. The buildings are beautiful both inside and out, and there is just so much to appreciate. If you have the time during your visit, you might be able to catch a performance in one of the many theaters.
It is one thing to see the opera house from the outside but I highly recommend you take the time to tour the inside as well. It is definitely worth seeing. There are also nightly music & light shows to enjoy from outside the opera house. Definitely check it out, you’ll be highly entertained by the colorful displays and energetic music. The sunsets from that area are very lovely as well, so you can enjoy that first, followed by the show for a really nice evening out.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge
An Incredible Climb
The massive Sydney Harbour Bridge opened back in 1932. It sits 134 meters above sea level and offers 360 degree views around Sydney. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of heights, so I was a bit worried about how the climb might go. There are different types of climbs and various times of the day and night you can go. We went during the afternoon, as we wanted to be able to take in all the sights from above. I understand the appeal of the night time climbs as well, the city lights would be quite beautiful.
You can expect to climb more than 1,000 steps to get to your destination at the summit. I felt quite secure once they got me strapped into my harness, so I was able to enjoy the climb without getting freaked out. You wear a jumpsuit and you aren’t allowed to bring anything with you, this includes phones and cameras. You can probably imagine some of the issues they might have with people trying to capture the perfect selfie. Your tour package includes a group photo at the top and they’ll also take other photos of you and your group that you can purchase separately.
Our tour guide was great, keeping us entertained with all sorts of stories about the bridge, its construction and lots of memorable things that have happened there. Make sure you wear sunscreen if you go up during the day and you’ll definitely want sunglasses. Our trip took about 3 hours from start to finish. The views from the top were amazing, making the climb totally worth it. Though a touristy stop, I would do it again should I ever find myself back in Sydney.
Taronga Zoo
Animal Adventures
The Taronga Zoo isn’t actually in Sydney, it sits across the harbour in Mosman. To get there you can take a taxi or just hop on a ferry from Sydney Harbour. You will walk right from the ferry to the zoo entrance. We took a taxi there then a ferry back to Sydney. This zoo is unlike any other zoo I’ve visited. They let you get right up close to the animals in open settings. I had a kangaroo literally brush right past me in one of the exhibits. It was awesome to be able to get so close to them.
This zoo also has a lot of animals that you typically won’t see unless you’re in Australia. A couple that stood out were the Tasmanian Devils, wombats, tree kangaroos, platypus and of course, koalas. Another fun aspect of the zoo is the opportunity to book private or group animal encounters. My husband and I decided to do the penguin encounter which allowed us to get in with the penguins and feed them. It was such a cool experience, albeit a little messy. Our hands were covered with fish blood and slime by the time we were finished, but we loved every minute of it. Having a penguin jump into your lap is pretty cool and unusual.
There are many different encounters to choose from and they vary in price. My hands down favorite animal to see was the Pygmy Hippopotamus. I’ve always loved the adorable hippo, but this small one was especially adorable. Make sure to get there early as the park definitely fills up later into the morning and afternoon. This is a great place to spend a morning enjoying nature and all the beautiful animals.
North Head Sanctuary
Ferry ride & Hike
Our next excursion also included a ferry ride. This one was a bit longer but quite enjoyable due to the sights we passed as we left Sydney Harbour. We spent an afternoon hiking at North Head Sanctuary. There are a variety of things to see and do in the sanctuary, including miles of hiking/walking trails, military relics and fortifications, and an old quarantine cemetery where 240 were buried from 1881-1919. The views from various points around the head are absolutely beautiful. You also get full views of Sydney Harbour.
One thing I would have changed about our day was the timing. We went right in the middle of the afternoon and it was so hot. There is very little shade on the trails. It would have been much more enjoyable had we gone early in the morning or much later when the sun was starting to go down. It’s definitely worth the trip, just plan your day wisely to avoid the blistering heat.
Coastal Walk
Bondi to Bronte
A perfect way to spend an evening is taking the 3km coastal walk from Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach. Like the name suggests, you walk a trail that has been carved into the cliffs that follow the coastline. The views are absolutely stunning. We did this walk later in the evening when the sun was beginning to go down and it was perfect. It was still plenty warm out but not stifling, and the sunset made everything have sort of an ethereal glow. It is good to know that there are some steps involved with the walk, it isn’t all flat trail.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but I looked forward to seeing Bondi Beach for the first time, and was slightly disappointed. I’ve just seen it mentioned in tons of travel magazines and was expecting more. If you’ve been to beaches in Florida, California or Hawaii, you probably won’t be blown away by it. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty but just not anything spectacular.
I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and we stopped often to take photos along the way. It was also a lot of fun to watch all the surfers riding the waves. When we finished in Bronte, we found a nice spot to sit down and enjoy a delicious dinner. Like North Head Sanctuary, you’ll probably want to avoid doing this walk mid-day as there is very little shade. All in all, a very memorable way to spend an evening.
G’day Hamilton Island
Breathtaking Paradise
Now that our city portion of the trip was complete, we took the 2.5 hour flight directly north to Hamilton Island. Hamilton Island is one of the Whitsunday Islands. To say that this place is beautiful would be a complete understatement, it is gorgeous. You see view after view that is so stunning that it looks fake. We were drawn to this island for several reasons, it’s small, it’s car-free and it put us right at the gateway to The Great Barrier Reef.
Accommodations here book out a long time in advance, especially during the holiday season. We were lucky that we stumbled upon it when we did, which was six months in advance. We were able to book a terrace suite at the Reef View Hotel.
Our suite was spectacular with floor to ceiling glass, a gigantic terrace, living room and kitchenette. But the very best thing about it was the views. The views would change from hour to hour as the tide came in and out. Even the elevator offered fantastic views out over the bay. We were also in a prime spot to be visited by the islands enormous population of cockatoo’s. We got to call this amazing place home for five glorious nights and we loved it. It was the perfect way to wrap up our 3+ week adventure down under.
Breakfast with the Animals
Koalas & Rainbow Lorikeets
During our first breakfast on the island, we got to share our meal with a couple unusual guests, koalas and Rainbow Lorikeets. Having these animals just hanging out table side was pretty awesome. The lorikeets are wild on the island so they just come and go as they please, along with a couple other types of bird.
The koalas are residents at Wild Life Hamilton Island. Wild Life offers all sorts of animal encounters, we enjoyed one that I’ll share with you in just a bit. You can do things like feed a crocodile or let a snake wrap itself around your shoulders. Very cool and something definitely new to try.
Whitehaven Beach
Scorching hike up to Hill Inlet
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing some beautiful beaches during my travels, but Whitehaven Beach is hands down the most stunning beach I’ve laid eyes on. It is no wonder that it has been named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This beach is right in the center of the Great Barrier Reef. You have to take a boat or seaplane to get there and people coming in and going out are closely monitored. They do this because they want to protect the area and keep it as pristine as possible.
This white sand beach is surrounded by varying shades of turquoise and green water. The views are constantly changing due to multiple inlets and outlets of water and the shifting clouds. It was at a very low tide when we arrived, so we actually had to walk a kilometer in to reach the beach, the water was only ten inches deep.
To really grasp how breathtaking Whitehaven Beach is, you must hike up Hill Inlet. This is not for the faint of heart if you go on a steaming hot day like we did. This was hands down the hottest hike I’ve ever been on. We were dripping with sweat and melted sunscreen by the time we reached the top. Luckily, the views made it totally worth it. The pictures we took were amazing but they don’t even do it justice. It is truly one of those things you have to see with your own eyes to understand just how beautiful it is.
Beach Time
Stylish Suits
After our climb up Hill Inlet, we came back to the 7km stretch of white sand where we would spend the rest of the afternoon. Our tour guides started barbecuing and we were lucky enough to grab one of the little sun tents. The heat in Australia is unlike any heat I’ve experienced anywhere else. The best word to describe it is scorching. Those tents were a necessity, especially for someone as fair skinned as me. In addition to the tents, we were introduced to Stinger Suits. They offered us protection from getting stung by jelly fish and sting rays, but also provided SPF 50 protection. They had hoods, feet covers and gloves all attached to the suit.
They were a Godsend. I was skeptical at first, thinking they would be uncomfortable and bulky, but I was wrong. They were super light weight and comfortable. That was the first time I played in the water and wasn’t worried the whole time about getting sunburned. With my big floppy hat, the only skin exposed was my face, which of course, I slathered with sunscreen. We had a really relaxing afternoon with a delicious lunch and plenty of time in the warm, crystal clear water.
Hanging out with Lola
Cuddle Fest
When we started planning our trip to Australia, I was determined to at some point hold a koala. We were disappointed when we learned that many places in Australia had stopped allowing it. Thankfully when we discovered Hamilton Island, we also discovered they have a large koala sanctuary where they still allow interaction between people and the koala. Koala’s are a lot like big babies. They pretty much sleep, eat and poop. Some of them sleep up to twenty hours a day.
When it was our time to meet Lola, our instructions were simple. We cupped our hands down near our waist, the animal handler would place Lola in our arms and she would latch on to us. That’s exactly the way it went and I’m excited to report that I got groped by a koala. My boobs were what she grabbed on to, so I just went with it. She looked at us curiously but seemed content to just rest easily in out arms. It was a neat experience, something I’d certainly never done before. I was really happy that we were able to interact with animals like we’d never been able to do before.
Wrapping up Australia
What an awesome adventure
We wrapped up our time on Hamilton Island with lots of relaxing, just enjoying the spectacular sunsets. Our trip was truly wonderful, filled with so much beauty and lots of super nice & friendly people. My husband and I have been asked by a lot of people which we liked better, Australia or New Zealand. It came out as a tie. I liked New Zealand better and he liked Australia more. Hands down one of our best trips to date. Both places are amazing, and I will be forever grateful that we got to explore the beauty of both.
Food in Australia
I think the best way to describe the food in Australia would be to say that it’s very similar to the food in America. Their cuisine is very global, meaning you see a little bit of everything (Italian, Asian, Spanish, etc.). I did manage to try a couple more Pavlova’s (New Zealand and Australia both claim the origin of this dessert). I think my favorite thing was the fresh seafood. I really enjoyed being able to order something that just came off a boat that morning. Overall, we had lots of good food on this trip, with few to no disappointments. Menu’s were straightforward and looked a lot like what you see here in the states. There were always lots of delicious choices to pick from.