Ticket to the World Blog

If you haven’t heard about this already, it’s certainly time you knew all about it.

If the idea of spending 6 months on a beautiful island situated in the Whitsundays off the east coast of Australia AND being paid for it, takes your fancy, then you can understand why this has been dubbed the ‘Best Job in the World’.

Of course you do have to work a little. You can expect to feed the fish, deliver mail, explore the idyllic surroundings, write a weekly blog, and upload a photo and video diary reporting your adventures to the world. Not the type of work you would ever complain about doing!

Having visited the Whitsunday Islands (albeit when it was raining) I can assure you that this really must be the best job in the world. I couldn’t think of a more beautiful place to spend 6 months.

Almost anyone can apply. You just need to submit a 60 second video of yourself. All the information you need can be found on their website here:
www.islandreefjob.com

Good luck!

Before I get around to actually answering that question, it’s worth summarising other ways in which backpackers explore Australia.

It’s true to say that the majority of people either jump on a bus or book a tour and travel up or down the East Coast. This is by far the most popular option, and there are good reasons for it too. Not only are there beautiful beaches, fantastic scenery and a good network of like minded travellers, there are also bars and beers a plenty, tonnes of parties, and lots of tours and activities to keep you amused in the daylight hours.
So it’s true to say that the East coast of Australia is a backpacker’s haven. This is exactly what many of you want, but for the ones who want to experience Australia how nature intended it, it might be worth casting a wider net.

So… the solution.. gather your cash and find a half decent car or camper van which is fully equipped with all the camping gear you need, plan your journey and head off into the sunset!
If you’re thinking “I’d love to, but just haven’t got that kind of spare cash”, you must remember that if you shell out on a decent vehicle you’ll almost definitely be able to sell it once you have finished travelling as long as you give yourself enough time to do so.

We bought a Toyota Hi-Ace pop top camper van in Sydney from another backpacker in the Kings Cross Car Market for $4500. It was 24yrs old and had done approx. 300000kms at the time but looked in great condition. It also came with a huge mosquito tent, table, chairs, a barbeque and all cooking utensils, saucepans etc. There was a fridge and hob/grill inside the van and enough room for 2 people to sleep.

With our new purchase and all paper work sorted out, we drove all the way anti-clockwise around Australia. We stayed over in National Parks because they were cheap and more often than not pretty amazing places, and you encounter all sorts of weird and wonderful wildlife while staying there. Of course you can’t always stay in National Parks, so in the bigger towns and cities there are numerous caravan parks which will cater for your needs, and it will also give you the opportunity to have a proper shower. So if you don’t like slumming it too much then there are other options to suit you too.

Driving around Australia was an enlightening experience, we got to see everything, all sorts of cultures, from the urban / arty Melbournians to the remote and lonesome outback towns. The views were amazing, and driving the Nullabour was something I will never forget!

Driving 40 000 Kms around Australia was a true adventure, and one I will never forget! The best thing about it - we sold our camper for £4250 losing only $250! What a bargain.

Read more on buying and selling a vehicle in Australia »

If you’ve ever witnessed the New Year in Sydney harbour you’ll probably agree that no New Year celebration could ever match up to the spectacle you saw that day.

It’s probably the best way you could see in the New Year while on your travels in Australia. Before lunch on New Years Eve you make your way down to one of the vantage points around Sydney harbour, the best one probably being the Botanical Gardens. Find yourself a good spot, preferably in the shade, and while away the hours absorbing the atmosphere with hundreds of like minded people until darkness takes over and the celebrations reach their climax.

It’s an unforgettable experience (unless you end up drinking too much), and the best thing about it… it’s free… a backpacker’s dream!!

You can find more information on various vantage points and other celebrations on Sydney website

Granted, this is a subject you probably don’t expect to read about in a light-hearted backpacker’s blog. However the event should at least be acknowledged as it’s good to know a little about Australian current affairs before you visit.

In John Howard’s time as Prime Minister he appeared not unlike Tony Blair, in that he seemed to ‘kiss America’s butt’ and that he took his country to war in Iraq despite huge domestic opposition. However, he also took a tough stance against migrants (unlike our Tony), which gained him some more fans, but lost him others.
In the end though, Australia seemed to have enough of him and voted him out in favour of the Labour opposition leader Kevin Rudd.

Kevin Rudd, infamous for his New York strip club visit and drunken Manhattan debacle, managed to overturn John Howard with his promises of Kyoto agreements and the withdrawal of Australian troops in Iraq.

So the Australians obviously respect him, but will Bush hold the same flame for Rudd that he once had for Howard?

Only time will tell.

Australia is a land of icons. When we think of Australia, we picture deadly spiders, snakes, koalas, kangaroos, barbeques and fearsome crocodiles. So when you first arrive, you’re on high alert; skimming the ground for any signs of movement and checking the toilet bowl for burrowing funnel webs.

However the reality is somewhat different to this. Yes there are snakes and spiders etc etc but the chances of you actually encountering one of these, particularly of the poisonous variety is very slim. Let’s just say that after spending 4 months on the road camping in wild national parks, all we saw was a completely non-poisonous tree snake and a few St Andrew’s Cross spiders… which are also pretty harmless. To be truthful, after all the hype, we were a little disappointed!

However, when it comes to icons of the furry variety you’re bound to see loads. You’ll be able to spot Koalas sitting peacefully in Eucalyptus trees, Kangaroos hopping about in the bush and even a possum or two.

And if that isn’t enough for you, your favourite bouncing Aussie icon can be seen on sale in souvenir shops around the country. However it may not be quite what you imagine! So be prepared!

And if THAT isn’t enough for you… how about putting a kangaroo steak on the Barbie!! Yes… not only do they dissect and castrate the kangaroos… they even eat them!!

What else can be said for a country that eats their national icon!!?

…Well at least they have a sense of humour!

There are a million reasons why you should leave the UK behind you and head for sunnier and more diverse cultures. Unfortunately I haven’t got time to list them all right now, but I have managed to narrow it down to the top 5! Read and be inspired!

1 - There’s no better time to do it.

You’ve just spent most of your life in a public institution, confined within 4 walls whilst enduring hours upon hours of classes and lectures. The next logical step is to get stuck in the 9 to 5 rat race, buy a house and have a family…. or is it!? Give yourself a break…, you NEED to know that there’s more to life than 4 walls!
Seriously though, once you have finished your education whether it’s to A-level or degree level, there couldn’t be a better time for you to go travelling. At this point you’re still young, open minded, and full of life. You will benefit from travel discounts aimed at the under 30s plus you will still be able to use your student card which will save you money on all sorts of activities while abroad. Fresh out of schooling you’ll have no ties, and no responsibilities! Yes, you will have to leave family and friends behind but you’ll be able to entertain them with all your travel stories on your return.

2 - Meeting new people, making new friends.

It goes without saying that you’ll meet loads of new people on your adventures. Either travelling by yourself or with friends or a partner, the friends you make will help keep you sane! Heading off around the world gives you the perfect opportunity to start afresh. Nobody knows you so you should break free from your restrictive personal barriers and get out there and meet people. Most travellers are in the same situation as you, so it’s not hard to meet people.
These people are likely to have very different backgrounds to you, giving you the opportunity to really learn from them. It also goes without saying that meeting all these new people will undoubtedly boost your social skills and confidence in different situations. Invaluable skills for life.

3 - Experience a different way of life

This really is your chance to escape from your comfort zone and experience cultures very different to your own. This may sound daunting at first, especially if you are travelling by yourself, but you will be amazed at how quickly you are able to adapt to these situations. So venture into them with a completely open mind.
You are more likely to benefit if you visit developing and third world countries such as Thailand and India, as you will be entering into a world much different to your own. You will end up appreciating your life back home more, and find it much easier to adapt to difficult situations life may throw at you.

4- Ready you for full time employment

What? You can’t believe that you’ll actually be ready for full time employment!!? Well prepare to be surprised! It’s amazing what a year away from home can do.
Perhaps it’s all the fresh air, but you should return knowing exactly what you want to do with your life and you will have a determination to actually carry it out too! So when you get home, make sure you don’t forget your hopes and dreams, and keep that determination to follow up your aspirations.
In interviews, be sure you speak about your travels with passion and enthusiasm, but also reassuring them that you are happy to be back and ready to settle down (not likely to go travelling again any time soon!) it will reflect well.

5 - Memories for life.

No doubt you will return home with a whole pile of memories and just not enough places to store them! But when you’re feeling low, you’ll be able to remember the good times and how you felt. You’ll be able to tell your children, and your children’s children all about the time you spent travelling the world, so keep hold of those memories! It might be a good idea to keep a day to day diary so if you start forgetting things, you will always be able to refer back to it.

Join us in celebrating the birth of the brand new Ticket to the World Blog!! And also the brand new Ticket to the World site!!

For those of you who haven’t already figured out what the website is about, I will try to explain…

Basically it’s a site dedicated to backpackers and travellers wanting up to date and reliable information on the countries they’re visiting. The information provided will help prepare them for their adventures and also ease integration within the community. On the website you will find information on anything from visas, money and health care, to finding accommodation and transportation. We will even help you book your hostel. At the moment we have only covered Australia, but in time we will expand to incorporate other popular backpacker countries. It takes a lot of research so please be patient and keep checking back.

This site will be expanding constantly. We are in the process of implementing a job board, a discussion forum and much more. So make sure you sign up to our newsletter so we can keep you up to date with all the changes.

The blog will offer loads of country and backpacker-specific issues, it will be a great source of information and insight… so stay tuned in!

We definitely encourage everyone to leave comments regarding the blog, the site or anything at all that you feel like telling us about…!

Thanks