TILBA TILBA & BERMAGUI | PHOTO DIARY

We came off the Princes Highway onto a 'tourist drive', this took us through two villages of similar name, Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba. They were tiny in size but beautiful, surrounded by mountains and farmland.

On our way to Bermagui we passed a place called Wallaga Lake, and the road goes straight through the middle of the water which gives you an amazing view. Our view included pelicans sitting on a sand bank. 

We then made it to Bermagui and pulled over to take some photos and adjust the GoPro on the side of the campervan. There was a little port in the town as well. We then went to get a cold drink from a petrol station and the mad inside informed us about a natural pool which had been created through erosion. So we decided to check it out. 

We were expecting just a small little rock pool but the natural pool seemed to be a full size swimming pool situated at the bottom of the cliff surrounded by rocks. Quite spectacular and amazing how this place came to be. The sun was beaming down and i kind of wish we had enough time to stop for a swim. 

We spent a good amount of time here, mostly trying to rescue a hat that the wind had blown into the rock pool which you can see in the picture below. But finally we managed to get it without having to get wet. 

MOLLYMOOK & ULLADULLA | PHOTO DIARY

Mollymook is a tiny town with a big beach, and is quite unknown. But that's the beauty of it, there was hardly anyone around and no tourists! Well, apart from us...

Mollymook is about a minutes drive from Ulladulla, where we decided to stop for lunch after having to hunt down a supermarket. 

Ulladulla is a small port town, with a little bay which probably isn't the best for swimming in. Nevertheless, it was a lovely place. 

JERVIS BAY | PHOTO DIARY

Our first night in the campervan was spent in a small town called Huskisson, situated on Jervis Bay. When we arrived it was dark but we could work out a lake next to us, but when we awoke it was a white sand beach! The photo above is what was covered in water,  but look how pretty it is with the sun beaming through the clouds. I've also just decided that this photo looks severely photoshopped, i can assure you that i have done nothing to the initial photo.

We were also awoken to a kookaburra laughing from a tree above us. 

This is the view i woke up to. It's beautiful even with the rain clouds (which luckily just missed us)

All the sand was white and the beach curved around the length of the bay. The town we were in was right in the heart of it.

ROYAL NATIONAL PARK | PHOTO DIARY

Royal National Park is situated near Cronulla, about an hours drive from Sydney's CBD. It is also a national heritage park. The green colours of the many plant species stand out against the background of both the sea and the sky. This is what our first view on this roadtrip looked like!! 

The roads are very windy, and are hardly ever straight. 

So beautiful! All the blues and greens lining the coast.

SYDNEY HARBOUR | PHOTO DIARY

Being in Sydney you can't not go to the harbour! I've been a few times whilst here and it's always just as spectacular as the first time. This top picture was taking from just inside the Botanic Gardens. 

The Rocks in the foreground and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background. 

The Sydney Opera House is a gorgeous building and is much bigger in real life then what the photos suggest.

 As is the bridge! This is part of the view from standing by the Opera House.

And this is the view from standing by the bridge and looking towards the Opera House. 

I decided to take a leisurely stroll on my own past The Rocks and under the bridge. 

A few days later i took a walk onto the bridge itself to get a view of Port Jackson (as Sydney Harbour is properly called). Although it costs money to walk over the top of the Bridge, you can still walk across it, level with the road, for free! And if you want to see the harbour from higher up then you can purchase a ticket to the Pylon Lookout for $13 (Adult), which includes 3 levels of exhibits on the history of Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

As i'm a backpacker, i decided not to spend my money and just walked half way across for free. But i feel like the view was sufficient enough! 

I feel that Sydney Harbour is one of those places that will never grow old. You can visit it over and over again and still be in awe every time! 

WALKING, WALKING, WALKING!

After a long flight i finally made it to Sydney!

I arrived at almost 11pm which meant that i got a good nights sleep and, thankfully, haven't struggled with much jet lag.

The flight wasn't too bad, it was just very long. But i flew with Emirates and they are very friendly, have good on flight entertainment and good food which made the flight better. Also we were given silver cutlery to eat with? Is this just Emirates or is it new? Because all i remember from previous flights is the plastic cutlery that snaps when you use it.

On my first day here i did manage to get myself locked in the house and had to be rescued. I also went for a long dog walk and then headed into the city to get access to my Australian bank account. Which, let me just add, is very easy to do! I got to pick my pin number and then got my card there and then. No having to wait for it to be delivered!

Saturday i enjoyed very much. Two long dog walks, one along the sea. Followed by good food and good company. Drinking ciders outside and chatting/playing bananogram, where can you go wrong? Well, the only downside of the day was the rain but it didn't last too long.

Also i got my first taste of an Australian supermarket, which was located inside Westfield Mall here and it was humongous and much more cultured then those back in England. Alcohol isn't in the supermarket, it has its own shop. Also they pack your bags for you over here, meaning you just kind of stand at the end of the till waiting.

Sunday included yet another long dog walk. This time though, it was incredibly hot out. We did the long walk at Centennial Park is a good few kilometres long. Afterwards we stopped off at Seven Eleven to get Slurpee's (Slushies) and they're so much more fun then in the UK because you get to fill it yourself and it's practically D.I.Y, they also taste nicer. Too much pizza was then consumed.

In the evening we headed to the China Town area to watch the Chinese New Year Parade which i enjoyed thoroughly. It was extremely colourful and everyone seemed cheery, and perhaps very easily please by little things, for example those popping crackers that you throw on the floor and they explode.

Monday was my first day exploring on my own. But first of all a dog walk had to take place, of course! We headed to Sydney Park and then i got a couple of items from the shop before walking to the train station to go into the city.

I got off at Circular Quay, which has to be my favourite train stop because you get a view of the harbour. My first visit was the Opera House, which never fails to be beautiful. From here you get a great view of the Harbour Bridge in all its glory, a perfect spot for taking those must have photos. I then walked back past the ferries and stood facing towards the Opera House from The Rocks so that i could get a good photo of it. On my journey i came across the light up terracotta army and then proceeded to walk under the bridge and then circled my way back to the station.

The clouds where beginning too part so i decided to go to the world renowned Bondi Beach. Here i sat people watching for around 4-5 hours, although i did paddle from the South end to the North. I enjoyed watching the lifeguards drive up and down the beach, telling people not to swim where the dangerous current signs were and to move between the flags. But, people don't listen and in the end a lifeguard had to go and paddle out. Also i got extremely sunburnt.

So far Australia is better then i remember and i'm loving it, even if i'm too hot most of the time. Not that i should complain, i've had enough of the cold!

Anyway, another day of exploring awaits me so goodbye for now! xx 

THE NIGHT BEFORE

So it's the night before i fly and it's beginning to sink in that i won't see my family until next year, that includes my dog who i'm going to miss snuggling every day.

It's just the next few days i want to get over with because 1) I hate goodbyes, i'm a big sook. 2) I hate flying and i'm just trying to push it back into my head about how scared i actually am. 3) I get to see family and friends once i've arrived, and also contact those back in England which i won''t be able to do when i'm in the air.

Everything so far has been quite laid back, even the struggle that was fitting everything into my suitcase. But we did it! Well, i say we, it was pretty much my Dad with me passing items to him. I had to sacrifice a couple of tops and my tanned wedges, which then for some reason set my Mum off and she stood in the kitchen crying because i'm having to leave some stuff behind. For this reason i am dreading tomorrow because she is going to be a mess.

Last week i found myself crying at Dance Moms whilst she was crying about me leaving, and i haven't yet cried about leaving because i know how amazing it will be. It's just the goodbyes at the airport and saying goodbye to the dog who has no idea what's going on... poor thing!

I'm either feeling all the emotions - happy, excited, sad, anxious etc... or i'm feeling nothing. My plan once i'm on the plane is to just get stuck into a TV series because they seem to make time fly by. (PUN! *fist pumps*)

On my first flight i'm going to try and not sleep and then on the second leg of the journey i will try and get a few hours sleep. But i'm landing at night time in Australia so i want to make sure that i am tired and will sleep.

Anyway, i'm now off to have pancakes and cuddle with the family.

See you when i'm in Australia! Au revoir!

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"Not all those who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien