Border Agent: Can I see your visa?
Me: We’re staying less than 30 days, we don’t have a visa.
Border Agent: … what?
Me: We have our flight out booked, I can show you that?
Border Agent: (looking at my phone) This is all?
Me: Should there be more?
Border Agent: A visa. You need a visa.
Note to reader, if you find yourselves heading to Australia, get a visa so you don’t end up in immigration. Fortunately the border guards were more frustrated with our airline for letting us board the plane (and seemed to take pity on us for being stupid) so we were able to stay in Australia. The land of all things poisonous!
Our first night in Sydney we spent with Harry and Chrystel. In my need to copy my parents trip seeing these two was a must. In ‘83 both couples had around the world plane tickets and accidental run-ins turned into planned meetups. Chrystel remembers first seeing my mom in a campground kitchen in Australia tapping away at her typewriter.
When I was 6 I briefly met them when they were visiting California before moving to Australia, but essentially we were strangers to each other. I’ll be honest, H and I didn’t know what to expect, but immediately we felt at home with them (and we had the best time!). They fed us, showed us around, took us snorkeling, and told us some unfiltered stories about traveling with my parents. We had a wonderful time. (Chrystel gave me the idea to start an animal sighting list. Check it out here.)
From there we stayed with H’s high school friend and for the first time EVER we stayed in one place for more than 2 nights. We swam—well I swam, H doesn’t believe in cold water—at the famous Bondi Beach salt water pool, Icebergs. We saw theater, we ate delicious food, we saw the Sydney Opera House lit up at night. We ate the yummiest sausage roll we’ve ever had. I questioned various Australians about all the things in Australia that are poisonous. Why a lot of beaches can’t be swam in, why everyone swims with stinger suits and more. We also were told we should checkout Tasmania, so we changed our plans, adding in Hobart and taking out Adelaide. I think we love Sydney?
From Sydney we went to Queensland.
Let me just say, Australia is huge and us trying to figure out where and what to see was tricky. We knew Australia would be on the pricier end so due to another Craig recommendation we started researching campervan rerouting trips. We really lucked out with this and ended up getting a van from Cairns to Brisbane for 8 days for $20 a day. Yes, gas was expensive and the car was a bit shitty but we could sleep in it at cheap campgrounds (and one rest stop), explore beaches, go snorkeling twice on the reef, and shut the doors to bugs at night. (I did see a Huntsman our first night camping but it was not in our van, and made me very glad we weren’t attempting to tent camp.)
We ended up driving up to Port Douglas and down to Byron Bay, 21+ hours driving in 8 days. We did break up this drive with some chiller days not driving and then some brutal days glued to our seats. The van didn’t have Bluetooth so we binged Australian radio and our ability to pick out Australian accents is much better.
We’re hoping to access some of our underwater photos soon that we took snorkeling. We saw two. Yes, TWO sea turtles.
10 days left in Australia before we head to the next country, where we don’t need a visa. Don’t worry we actually checked this time. :)
