Hello…sorry it’s been a while! The fact of the matter is; there’s far too much to see on the east coast and I’ve just been taking it all in and enjoying myself.

After our pretty intense Christmas and New Year stint and the craziness of the summer holidays still present we decided to lay low for a few days before we headed to Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. The little break was very welcome and it was so lovely to not be rushing around and having to deal with really busy crowds even if only for three nights!

A lot of people seeing travelling as a ‘big holiday’ but it’s actually hard work and sometimes feels more like a chore! I’m glad to say though that this burdenous feeling has only hit me a couple of times and I’ve mostly loved the camper lifestyle!

This part of the east coast, like Sydney, has a few ocean pools and when the weather is scorching there genuinely isn’t a better place to be! Jump in, cool off and enjoy the crashing of the waves along the side gently showering you in salty water. They were great for camping as it meant we could free camp a bit longer as we were getting a swim and then a proper shower for free afterwards! Now that’s a savvy traveller tip for you!

Along the coast we drove to Coffs Harbour. As you guessed, a harbour! Full to the brim with yachts and boats, belonging to those with money trees in their gardens, simply bobbing away patiently awaiting their next outing. There’s a really gorgeous walk up the hill which overlooks the ocean, the harbour and the distant mountainous neighbours who are as plush as a tennis lawn! The walk can get quite steep but it really is gorgeous!

From Coffs Harbour we had a pit stop in Byron Bay. We planned to try and stay a couple of days but the volume of footfall meant it was super busy and expensive. The town itself is really chilled out and, aesthetically, has some of the most beautiful shops and restaurants and beaches but the beauty of this is was taken away by the mass of tourists and, mainly, backpackers. Sadly, this wasn’t for us so we decided to move further north. However, we did stop at the Cape Byron Lighthouse. What. A. Beauty!

Tall, naively elegant, bright against the vivid ocean blues and near the most easterly point of Australia. It’s not difficult to see why this place is so busy. It really is spectacular!

There’s a walk along to the Easterly point which takes you along the cliff edge looking down into the depths of the ocean. We were really lucky and managed to catch a glimpse of the ginormous sting rays just frolicking about. Those cheeky people pleasers!

Overall, I think I’d love Byron but crowds (on that scale) are simply not my cup of tea. Maybe we should try again out of the school holidays!

Those mountains I was talking about earlier? Well they hide away a completely different world; so vast from that of the coast. They offer shelter from the burning sun, plentiful walks for all abilities and also some of Queensland finest national parks. Some of them are quite famous, especially in the UK, as they are (one of) the host park(s) for I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! The park is superb there’s natural bridges, waterfalls a plenty and spectacular lookouts throughout. (The place where they do the shower scene? Well, I would not mind having to have a shower there!)

If the national park is not enough the drive to and out of it zig zags along the border of New South Wales and Queensland and offers lots of stop offs. My personal favourite on this drive and somewhere you should definitely visit is the ‘Best of All’ lookout. On a clear day the view stretches all the way to Byron Bay! Australia is full of sites like this which locals take for granted. They’re magic and they’re, almost, always free of charge. Some of the best things we’ve seen in Australia have been free and isn’t that just amazing!

After some awesome outback/rainforest adventures (and goats on the car) we were back on to the coast as we were approaching the Gold Coast. The place everybody raves about and tells you, you simply cannot miss! (Clue; That is a lie)

I’d just like to mention the best campsite we’ve come across on the East Coast; Hosanna Farm-stay. A religious campsite but views are not forced upon anyone. They have farm animals which they feed and let you help, a water slide and park for children. Most importantly; A DAM! A whole dam with kayaks and doughnuts to just have good fun! They even have a three metre diving board for children (and big kids) to practice their cannonballs on! Definitely check it out if you’re up this way!

Shortly before the Gold Coast though is a place called Burleigh Heads which has the famous snapper rocks, a gorgeous ocean pool and good surf. We sat on the bank soaking it all up whilst in Burleigh as it really was tremendously beautiful. As are the (almost unvisited) nearby areas; Fingal Head and Bogangar/Cabarita beach. The beach was a stop off to have a quick dip and watch some surfing! Excellent.

Fingal Head however, was one of my favourites spots to visit. It was breathtaking. This is the place which has its own version of Giants Causeway and is an ace place to spot some dolphins surfing the waves! There’s a lighthouse and a short walk but you could honestly sit up here for a couple of hours taking it all in! It really was magnificent.

So after all these beautiful places that nobody tells you about we were onto the Gold Coast which EVERYONE tells you about. We expected good things but honestly, we could have just driven through. We’d had some bad news that week and the tent was getting all too much so we decided to book into a fancy AirBnB and have three nights in the Gold Coast. The AirBnB was lovely, although quite an experience, (the host cast a spell on the car..) but the rest of the Gold Coast just wasn’t what I imagined and definitely didn’t feel right as a part of Australia. It was built up like places in Spain and it just felt really out of place. Surfers Paradise was wonderful to look at but, truthfully, I don’t think I’d recommend anybody come here for that; the beach is massive but you can only swim in certain areas and the water can get too rough so even surfers can’t go out! At the risk of sounding like a moaning Myrtle; the Gold Coast was the biggest disappointment in Australia.(Probably my only one…the mini golf is excellent though!)

Next up on our trip was a little island off of Brisbane called Russell Island. We ended up staying on Russell Island for two weeks with Sandy, Sarsha, Minx and Yolly the jack russel. Sandy was the sister to Wendy who we stayed with in Melbourne. We were once again, astonished by the kindness of some people and absolutely loved living with them in the most gorgeous wood house in an art community. Anybody who knows me knows that art is just not my thing. I don’t get it, I can appreciate beauty but other than aesthetics; it’s lost on me. However, being a part of a household with two artists I realised that actually art can be something just aesthetically pleasing and not all artists are awfully judgemental! We even went with their group to do some art work, ‘Mud Lines’. Mud lines is about using what’s around you; leaves, branches and clay and create whatever you want. Nick laughed at me but I was quite proud of my fairy and mushroom! (Albeit I cursed a lot at the clay)

It was a strange two weeks but one of those experiences that we will never forget. I think I’ve said this in every blog but just speak to people. It’s different in Australia. People have more trust and seem to be able to read people. If you’re kind, helpful or even just courteous; that could land you a stay in an Australian home and I promise you, you just won’t ever experience anything like it. It’s so unique. So far we’ve stayed in seven (SEVEN!!!) different houses and not one experience has been the same. We’ve got one more house to stay in near the end of our trip aswell. How lucky are we!

We also went on a couple of trips with Sandy and Sarsha and of course; Yolly. (My favourite dog in Australia.)

We visited an art exhibition in Brisbane which was really quite brilliant so much better than the pompous displays we saw in South Australia and MoMA. Then followed it up with a Vietnamese meal and swim in the Southbank pools. We ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhhed’ as to whether to go but it was brilliant!

Our other trip and definitely one of my highlights (we hadn’t even heard of this island) was our visit to North Stradbroke Island or as the Aussies call it ‘Stradie’. It was an absolute ball ache to get to and from Russell island but it would be a doddle if you stayed on the mainland. You simply hop on the ferry, enjoy the sites for half an hour and then hop on a bus to take you to see the good stuff! We walked along the boardwalk to get to the beach and it was breathtakingly beautiful the whole way along. The walk should only take about half an hour but when you stop every two minutes to take a photograph and then you see huge pods of dolphins, manta rays and turtles. It’s just magic that you don’t want to end! Honestly, it was beautiful and then you treat yourself after a dash along the excruciatingly hot sand with a dip in the sea as you jump into the waves. It just doesn’t get better than that. (Although fish and chips on the beach was an excellent addition!)

After two blissful weeks (although mosquito bites ruined the bliss. Russell island is a mosquito haven and if you’re allergic it’s not good. Take plenty of repellant, I use roll on as spray isn’t enough, and a first aid cream) we prepared for the new addition on the trip (no, not Yolly!) Nick’s brother Dave! He decided to fly out and do the last leg of the trip with us. We were meeting him in Brisbane and booked another Airbnb so we didn’t introduce him straight to the camping lifestyle after a twenty-four flight! The next part of the trip should be interesting as we’ve literally had no room in the car and now we’ve created space for one other person! It’s going to be strange going from two to three and it’s definitely going to be a welcome change in conversation. We’re going to have another voice! Haha!

Overall, this part of the East Coast was lovely. Exceptionally beautiful in parts and in others; it just didn’t compare to what we had seen earlier in our travels. I do think that the school holidays had some effect on us as we couldn’t enjoy anything as much without huge crowds. The places that were unheard of and quiet are the areas that will make me smile whenever I think of them! (Springbrook, Stradie and Fingal Head; here’s looking at you!)