Well, what can I say? Australia, it has been incredible. I came out here knowing it was going to be good but all the while knowing that I'd miss people. The ultimate goal of this trip was to find out if I want to move over here. So the question is which would be greater?

How was it? The first couple of months, absolutely incredible. Within my first 12 hours I had met an amazing girl, watched a wet t-shirt contest, partied in the red light district of Sydney, visited a strip club, got lost on the way home and just about made it back by 7am. By the end of the first week I had seen Sydney inside out, met awesome people thanks to OzIntro and was set to travel. At the end of week 4 I had surfed Bondi and Manly Beach, bought a dead car, jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane, scuba dived the great barrier reef and organised a hostel for a drinks with a beach fire. This was nothing compared to the 2nd month; I got my scuba dive licence on Magnetic Island, Sailed the Whitsunday Islands, scuba dived in some of the most beautiful waters I have ever seen, dived at night listening to whales, and started to run out of money. I had to try helpx for the first time, working at a bird sanctuary for nothing more than food and accommodation, lasting only 5 days. This was when I jumped on the bus for the Fraser Island trip, the largest sand island in the world. Unfortunately that was the end of the fun, at the end of the 2nd month I had almost run completely out of money and it was time to find a job. And so began the low time, the most disappointed, self loathing lonliness I have ever felt. This lasted for about 10 days, not getting work, scouring what I still consider to be my 2nd favourite city in Australia. Brisbane was a great city, even though I felt so low. However, this was soon recified by my saviour, my godsend, the reason I had 8 more months in Australia; Thala Beach Lodge. The three months I spent at Thala were the best months I spent in Australia. After such low times, walking in to a luxury resort and living there, a 2 minute walk from the beach was incredible. Having the best backpacker job on the resort topped it off. For 3 months I drove a golf buggy around, eventually getting used to the climate. The job, albeit pretty awesome, was well paid, and that's what I needed, only spending my tips, which were also great. But all this is minimal compared to the downtime. The first 5 weeks were spent with a certain girl I met at Thala; Lloren. (I wanted to leave people I met for another section, but she deserves a special mention). The remaining 7 weeks I saw a solar eclipse, spent a night on a tropical beach alone where I made a fire, strangers joined me and I spent the night playing the ukulele and twirling a firestick. By the time I had left Thala Beach Lodge, I had made some great friends and the last week was spent with them, beach parties and day trips. It was then time to buy a surf board and surf the east coast on 10 day road trip in a campervan reaching Sydney in time for Christmas and New Year! But first, I had to face my biggest fear in the world; a Bungee Jump. A fantasticly terrifying and euphoric experience. The 2 weeks in Sydney again were phenominal, Christmas and likewise, New Year would have been nothing without the people. Being that far away from home at a time which is usually spent with family and friends was eased with new and old travel friends. This was the end of another chapter, 6 months down. I then decided to give up on the whole 'go with the flow', relaxed way of travelling and plan. I spent 2 months in Tasmania, doing things I would never get the oppertunity to do; Milk sheep, go spear fishing and ultimately get a huge chunk of my 2nd year visa done. After this, a well deserved break was in order and I flew to Melbourne for my Birthday week, a week where Selina was awesome enough to fly from Brisbane and miss vital lectures for. I know I broke the rule again, but come on, it was awesome. Mine and Lloren's paths crossed again and 5 days were more than enough to rekindle what we had. I got a tattoo on my birthday, a tattoo in a meaningful place with a meaningful design I had been working on since Brisbane. As I left Melboure towards Adelaide, a 3 day road trip along the Great Ocean Road gave me the best views and best road I have ever driven on. After Adelaide I bit the bullet and decided some farm work was in order to finish the collective 88 days needed for a 2nd year. It was awful. Working in a field in the blistering heat, but it wasn't without it's good times and was only for 3 short weeks. With the 2nd year visa in my back pocket, I made sure my last 2 weeks in Australia were memorable and awesome. I did a combination of 3 tours seeing Uluru, Litchfield and Kakadu, swimming in waterfalls, sitting around campfires, and seeing the outback. That was it. Australia done. But this, all of this, would have been nothing without the people. The people that have made this trip what it was, giving me the best 10 months of my life. I will do this in chronological order so there's no favouritism. There are people who I mention only once, but made appearances through many parts of this trip.

Ricky, Greg, Luke, James, Max, 'Scabby-knees' Natasha, Michelle and Rachel, Danielle & Nikki, Sabrina, Michelle, Juanita, Tom, Nigel, Loren, Amee, Lloren, Charlotte, Jo, Joey, Lisa, Laura, Ben, Anne, Mirium, Nicky, Ricky, Edo, Ciara & Tom, Apo & Axel, My dearest Selina, Sid, Charlotte, Saskia & Rapha, Estelle & Loulou, Eliane & Carla, Pete, Ashleigh, Tanja, Dennis, Reike, Andy, Heli, Gwenn.

(If I've missed you out, I apologise, don't take it to heart, I'm incredibly tired)

Although I have mentioned them in the list above, I feel special mentions are in order for a few people. First and foremost, the 2 people responsible for saving my trip. My 'little ray of Sunshine' - Junaita. I don't know if she know's how much she influenced my stay. If I hadn't have met her, if she hadn't have come to Brisbane and job searched that night, she wouldn't have shown me the advert for Thala and I would have gone home. I can't be greatful enough for her incredible haphazard timing and existance in my life at that precise moment. The second special mention goes to Nigel at Thala, for giving me the job. I have one moment etched into my memory of walking around Brisbane mentally preparing myself to fly back to the UK when I answered the phone to Nigel's chirpy Australian greating: "G'day Steve!" hearing this when I was feeling so low and being given the news that I had a job, and what later turned out to be the best job I've ever had, was something you can't even imagine. The final thanks is to Selina, the effort she made to make it down to Melbourne for my birthday and miss vital uni classes surpasses that any friend could ask for. Her input on my tattoo design will forever serve as a reminder of her awesomeness.

I'm sat on the plane as I write this, flying out of Australia, hopefully returning one day. But if I don't, if I can't, if, for whatever reason I never set foot on this amazing land again; It has truely been the best 10 months of my life. 10 months that I will never forget, thanks to the people I've met, the places I've been and most importantly, the things I've experienced. Thank you Australia, it's been a blast.