I arrived in Melbourne around midafternoon and headed to the hostel that I had booked.The hostel looked amazing on the website….the reality was it was currently one big construction site, which they had failed to mention when I booked.The rooms themselves were good; it was more the kitchen and lounge areas that were pretty much nonexistent!I also had high expectations about Melbourne itself as everyone I had met who had been there said it was amazing.To be honest I preferred Sydney!It is one of those cities that you just walk around the different areas but don't actually see anything specifically.Although one recommendation would be the Immigration Museum, which was really interesting.Other than that I did a river cruise and the commentator was so dull that majority of the boat fell asleep on the 1 hour trip! Hardly a great advertisement to those tourists walking along the riverside watching us!

One really strange thing about Melbourne is in the city because of the tramlines when turning right you have to get in the left hand lane…wait in this little box until the lights go red and then turn.It took a bit of getting used to in the hire car. Mainly because not every right hand turn is like that so you have to look out for the relevant signs to know which lane you have to be in…whilst also trying not to stall a car you're not used to driving!

I hired a car to take a trip down the Great Ocean Road which starts about 70 km west of Melbourne city Centre.The drive itself was ok but very very windy and sharp corners, which just meant you, could never quite go as far as you thought you might get to each day.I stayed in Apollo Bay at the Eco Retreat YHA and I have to say this hostel was amazing.The rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and lounge were all really nice.I could easily have stayed there a week as it was so relaxing…especially after the twisty windy drive!Unfortunately the weather was not good to us and ended up seeing a lot of the key features of the great ocean road in freezing cold wet windy weather…could have been Wales had it not been for the colour of the ocean and not a sheep in sight!

I had 3 nights there all together before heading back to Melbourne and in the evening I went to the Penguin Parade.This happens on Phillip Island about 90 min drive from central Melbourne.This is where the smallest penguins in the world come ashore every night to their burrows in the sand dunes.We had one hell of a journey to the place and took us nearly 3 hours in rush hour traffic.We finally got there and waited 1.5 hours for the penguins to show up.They wait till it is almost dark then come out of the water in groups.Some of the groups are fairly large with up to 30 penguins.Sometime they get startled and run back to the water for safety, which is quite funny to watch.We watched them for about 1 hour and then decided to make our journey back to Melbs hoping it wouldn't take 3 hours to get home….luckily only 2!Although they were very cute I don't think I would go back!

It was quite sad to leave Australia and to fly to New Zealand.I couldn't quite believe that I had been in Oz 9 month and had seen more of the country than most Australians had.It is truly an amazing country but you need time to see it properly….and a lot of money as well!

Some of my favorite moments would have to be working with the dolphins at Monkey Mia, swimming with the Whale Sharks, snorkeling at the Whitsunday Islands, NYE at Sydney Opera House and seeing Uluru at sunrise!I might have left but I am sure I will go back one day as there is still so much I have not seen!

Currently in Wellington and going through the dull phase of job hunting.I will be here for about 6 month so hopefully will get a bit more of an exciting job other than reception cover.Wellington is beautiful although very windy so loving NZ so far.Will keep you posted on my progress!

Love Rhian xx