Don't get me wrong, we would love to have hung around longer, but the cost for backpackers has skyrocketed in the last few years (east coast especially, $50+ for a dorm bed anyone?). Cost of living is comparable to the UK and exchange rates are currently unfavourable; if you are not staying with friends and/or working then you are not staying in Australia long.
First up was a single full day and night back in Melbourne. Bex's foot was nearly healed, but Melbourne's near British climate meant that the chance to see and enjoy the city would elude us yet again.
Back to the airport (no Monday morning craziness this time) and in short order we were in Alice Springs in somewhat warmer and drier weather; clear skies and temperatures in the mid forties. Toasty.
We spent three nights watching old VHS through a 50" plasma, in between times visiting some really big famous rocks. It wasn't even a tenth as busy as you might expect and was totally worth the flight to the red centre, absolutely ace.
Barely adequate aircon and "effective" kangaroo bars...
First bunch of big rocks
Hidden delights at Uluru
Uluru by sunset... With booze and BBQ!
Job done, we flew northwest to crack out another big tourist attraction; the Great Barrier Reef via Cairns.
Cairns turned out to be awesome; maybe we just picked a great time to visit, but it was quiet, yet lively, welcoming and neither too touristy nor 'gap yeary'.
We crashed at a really chilled hostel which had loads of communal room and even a pool, then we headed out and about. We did a day trip round the tablelands hitting all the compulsory waterfalls and swimming spots, not only that but we saw musky rat kangaroos and platypus in the wild!!! Not bad for 40 bucks!!!
Pelicans at Cairns quay
Larking about in the tablelands
The next two days topped that, not only in experience but cost too...oops. Bring on the reefs.
The reefs will only continue to deteriorate as time passes and I suspect I'll not return any time soon, so we weren't afraid to splash the cash a little.
First up, a 45min flight in a tiny 6 seater Cessna C206, I rode shotgun and it was utterly epic. We did a classic boat trip out on the reefs the following day (snorkeling etc, even swimming with a couple of turtles), that was incredible too, but for me, seeing the vast expanses on the reef from the air was the stuff of dreams.
I've got this...
Reef by air... Unreal.
And below, not bad either!
We spent a final evening watching spectacled flying foxes filling the city's skies (Batman-esque and enthralling) and then it was time to move inexplicitly onwards to...
Brisbane. A comedian we'd met in Borneo was showing in town; we grabbed a hire car, "settled" into the most shoddy hostel thus far and trotted off to grab our guest passes and then pre-gig beers with the man himself.
Spectacled Flying foxes
Freebies.
Post gig beers resulted in a two day road trip down to Byron Bay and back again via every beach along the way. Bar bills across the eventual 3 nights (final night just outside Brisbane) were budget shattering, but we all had a cracking time!!
All that was left was to wake early and head back to the airport; our short (in the scheme of things) visit to Australia was at and end. Tasmania was the stand out highlight (and thankfully so, seeing as we spent half our time there!), but overall we'd had a really great time in Australia AND somehow kept to budget. If I can find a way to fund it, then I'll surely return to see the rest and revisit parts we hadn't fully experienced.
Check out the genius of Jon Bennett here:
http://www.jonbennettcomedy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jonbennettCOMEDY
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