There is a lot to discover in Australia, but one of the areas you definitely can’t miss out on is Victoria. Here is some inspiration of the best Victoria photos, so you’ll know where where to go. Enjoy!

1. The Pinnacles – Mornington Peninsula

It was a windy evening on the Mornington Peninsula. So windy, that we weren’t even sure if we should hike to these fierce Pinnacles. We got out of the van anyway, thinking we could always turn back. You have to go a steep way down, so this isn’t for the faint at heart. I’m happy that I went all the way down, because… look at the location! One magical place for photography in Australia.

2. Loch Ard Gorge – Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean road is probably the most famous location in Victoria, Australia.  There is more than one beautiful location, so I’ll list a few. My favourite was Loch Ard Gorge, where the beach, waves and impressive rocks become one.

3. Great Ocean Road 

You get this view when you visit the Razorback along the Great Ocean Road. Just to be clear: this isn’t the Razorback on the picture. It’s some other very cool rocks nearby the Razorback! The walk to the Razorback lookout is btw closed until further notice while safety assessments are undertaken (updated April, 2018).

4. MacKenzie Falls – Grampians

The Grampians National Park is a park north of Melbourne. Again, with great views. Otherwise it wouldn’t make it in this list of Best Victoria photos of course! You can reach the Mackenzie Falls after a little hike down. Wear good shoes, as the rocks can be slippery! The day I visited Mackenzie Falls was a rainy day – yes it isn’t always hot in Australia! Not sure what to pack for a visit to Australia? Check out this packing list. 

5. Great Ocean Road 

A secret spot we found along the Great Ocean Road… The Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, is very popular. Meaning, you’ll bump into a bit of people. It helps to check out photo locations at sunrise or sunset, but even then you hardly will be by yourself. Solution: explore the coast by yourself, drive into some little roads, and who knows… You might find locations like this one!

6. Koala spotting – Kennett River

My first wild koala… ever! Kennett River is the place to be if you want to spot koala’s or the Australian king parrot. I promise you, you will have A LOT of fun – with parrots sitting on your head and koala’s sleeping in the trees.

7. Great Ocean Road

Here’s the secret spot again… It was a good one!

8. Twelve Apostles – Great Ocean Road

THE most famous photo location on the Great Ocean Road. We arrived very early in the morning, so there were hardly any people. If you go a bit later, or in the afternoon, you’ll be disappointed by the amount of people.

9. Great Ocean Road

Another beauty along the Great Ocean Road! This time I stayed for sunset. What a treat!

10. Boroka Lookout – Grampians

Yes, I was a little bit nervous sitting on that ledge!

There you go! Those were my best Victoria photo locations.

Looking for more places to discover in Victoria? Have a look at the tourism board website here, or read more about my road trip on the Great Ocean Road in a previous blogpost here. Do you want to discover more places in Australia? Check out these Australian landmarks. Australia is a gorgeous – and huge! – country, with more than enough cool locations to discover. Have fun on your Australia trip!

Do you know more photo locations in Victoria, Australia? Tell us!

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Worldwide 2016 hasn’t been the best year with terror attacks, Brexit, wars, Trump and the climate change, but I don’t want that to keep us down. There is so much beauty on this planet and we should strive to keep it that way. Get to know your region, country, state, continent and once you fall in love with it you will want to fight for it. In 2016 I’ve explored my new home country even more and fell in love (even more). But there is still so much left to discover!

Looking back at my photos, I realise how much I’ve done. So here is my 2016 highlights in photos.

1. Sunrise Roys Peak Walk – March 2016

I’ve done Roys Peak in Wanaka a few times, but when some friends visited me in March I got convinced to do it once more. Nico and I had only one condition: to do it for sunrise. We woke up at 3am and started walking. It was an unforgettable experience and it is amazing to discover a place you’ve been plenty of times before in a new light.

2. Weekend in Wellington – April 2016

I spent my 29th birthday in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. Such a lovely city and thanks to my boyfriend I got to discover all the cutest and quirkiest places!

3. Autumn in Otago – May 2016

The entire country changes when autumn kicks in. The colours just blew my mind. Here are a few of my favourite snaps: autumn in Otago.

4. Precious Belgium – June 2016

2016 was the year that New Zealand started feeling more and more like home, but it also made me miss my home country Belgium a bit more. Therefore in June I visited my amazing family and friends, went to a friend’s wedding in the Belgian countryside and enjoyed a lovely (and busy) time drinking beers, wine and talking. Those three weeks in Belgium were amazing, but definitely not enough – so I’ll have to go back in 2017.

5. Dunedin Wildlife – July 2016

New Zealand has a rich wildlife and I am falling more and more in love with it. This year I was able to be part of an amazing instameet in Dunedin. I profiled some of the nature organisations and made this little video: https://theworldisacircus.com/2016/07/video-wildlife-in-dunedin/

6. September 2016: Skippers Canyon

Nico and I try to get out exploring every weekend. One weekend we went to Queenstown to discover Skippers Canyon. I realised I am a wimp and scream very easily I end up doing (almost) everything, but with such a tiny heart! Nico made a little video with the drone of me climbing up one of the cliffs.

7. November 2016 – Grampians

As you can see, most of our travels have been in New Zealand – that’s the cool thing about this country. You can work and live here and still travel all the time. We did go on a little holiday to Australia – exploring the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians in Victoria. One word: MIND BLOWING.

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What a year! Let’s see what 2017 brings… I can promise you it will be very exciting!

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A few weeks ago I returned to that beautiful road along the Australian coast. This time with the boyfriend, a rental van and lots of camera gear. I was ready for my road trip on the Great Ocean Road and to see it with a different eye (and with my camera ready to capture it).

The Great Ocean Road is a beautiful road along the south coast of Victoria. It officially runs from Torquay and to Allansford, which is also the route we did. It is 243km long with lots of epic stops.

We spent three days in the area and were able to visit a lot. I was happily surprised that it wasn’t too crowded yet. It was the start of the season, the masses of tourists apparently still had to arrive and the weather was already nice. Win – win! It also helps of course that we mostly visit those places during sunrise and sunset.

Now, which spots should you visit on that 243km stretch while you’re there? It is quite a list as there is a lot to see!

12 Apostles

Lets get the most famous one out of the way first: The 12 Apostles. There are actually only eight left, the rest crumbled down due to erosion. The ninth one collapsed in 2005.

Three years ago I visited the Apostles for the first time. I have to admit that it was not pleasant. Tourists were pushing each other to get the best spot to take a picture – or a selfie. Going back to the 12 Apostles now I had no expectations. I wasn’t really eager to see them again, as in my eyes it was just one big tourist attraction. But am I happy that I went…

We arrived just before sunset and there weren’t a lot of people. My second time at the 12 Apostles I could finally enjoy the spot, and it’s very beautiful. The rocks are limestone stacks and vulnerable to the blasting winds and crashing waves. Don’t wait too long to visit, as they might go from eight to seven any time.

Secret location?

Yes, I’m jumping from the most famous location to a secret spot. We bumped into this place while exploring the area. It doesn’t have an official name (or I haven’t heard it yet) and it was SO cool. There were two long cliffs running into the ocean. You could stand on one cliff and take a picture of a person on the other side. We spent one sunset here – and were running around like headless chickens, because it was so pretty and we wanted to capture it all.

This is one huge advice I can give you: explore! Don’t follow the masses, but go your on way (after you’ve visited the main attractions of course, because they are pretty too). Drive into some gravel roads and see what is at the end, walk along the beach further than the last tourist and see what caves or views you might find. You’ll be surprised!

Kennett River

I am still a girl and yes I love fuzzy cute koalas. They are very easy to spot and photograph in Kennet River. They’re just sitting in the trees at the car park and they are adooorable! Victoria is a good place to spot koalas, having the largest koala population in Australia.

Grab a coffee, enjoy the weather, the koalas and… get annoyed by the King parrots around you. To be honest I wasn’t really annoyed, although they wanted to steal my muffin. The birds are beautiful, but have no boundaries and sit on your head, shoulders and muffin.

Loch Ard Gorge

I still remembered this place vividly from three years ago. It is a small hidden beach in between cliffs and only 3,5km from the 12 apostles. The sea is quite rough and history tells that Loch Ard Gorge was a place where many ships wrecked. Now it is a beautiful beach split in two by a big cliff. A staircase allows you to go down to the beach, jump in the water and explore some caves.

The Razorback

The Razorback is this huge Limestone rock formation that you can visit when going to Loch Ard Gorge. They are only a 5 minute walk apart. It is massive – as almost everything along that coast, but what I especially liked is that it looked calm and precious at the same time.

The Grotto

The Grotto is actually a sinkhole. Take a few steps down on a staircase and it will appear below you. Pretty cool view and easy accessible!

London Bridge

You want more? There is also Muttonbird Island, the Gibson Steps, the Arch, waterfalls inland and all the unexplored secret spots! Walk around where the mainstream of people don’t go and be amazed!

I hope this list helps you to plan a trip to the Great Ocean Road, or at least to get you excited and make you want to go! More information about the road you find here: http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/.

Have You Visited the Great Ocean Road? Let me know in the comments any tips you have or what you most want to see?

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Let me tell you one thing: I was surprised. I left New Zealand without many expectations, only with a plan to explore the coast (south-east side) around Melbourne and see what it has in store. There are multiple spots that will take your breath away. Let me list a few must do trips from Melbourne!

Picturesque Phillip Island

It takes about an hour to really leave the city behind you. And how much I love Melbourne, I was excited to explore outside of it. It was surprisingly busy and long to get out of the city or maybe I was just impatient to get out and see some nature. We drove about two hours from Melbourne to Phillip Island.

The first fun thing when arriving at Phillip Island is crossing the bridge. Phillip Island is a little island of about 100km2. The only way to reach it (if you don’t have a boat or helicopter) is crossing a lovely bridge.

Our arrival was accompanied with lots of wind. Not a nice ocean breeze, but strong wind gusts. Sand was flying everywhere, and painful when hitting your face. You can imagine, not really the best conditions to get out and explore.

The Pinnacles

We were sitting in the van at Cape Woolamai – which is the highest point on Phillip Island – and almost gave up on shooting (photos that is). It crossed our mind to go to the only cinema on the little island: in a retirement home. A few glasses of wine later we decided to give the walk a try and face those strong winds.

That turned out to be a great choice. With our boots on and wind jackets closely strapped on we were ready to face nature. An 30-minute walk later we arrived at the coastline with views on a massive rock formation: the Pinnacles.

The wild mix of wind, clouds and sun made it a great sunset. We couldn’t have been happier. Lesson learned: don’t go to the cinema when the weather is bad. Although I’m sure it would have been fun with those oldies.

Where? Start walking from the Cape Woolamai car park. You access the beach, walk about ten minutes and you will see stairs appearing on your left. Go up and follow the track! The walk is about 1-1.5h return.

Forrest Caves

The beaches on Phillip Island are perfect for some nice strolls. I highly recommend exploring the area around Surf Beach, because you’ll find some cool sea caves. They’re formed by erosion and that makes it into one big playground. Don’t forget to visit at low tide; otherwise you just won’t see them!

We did a bit of exploring along the surrounding coastline too and it’s clear: it is beautiful everywhere. Seeing the wild waves slamming onto the rocks is something special.

Where? The caves are located just before the Surf Beach town, left off the main Phillip Island Road. Walk up the steps from the car park on to the beach, then turn left.

Apparently Phillip Island is also a great place to spot penguins and seals, but because of our tight schedule we didn’t have time to check this out!

Mornington Peninsula

After a successful first night and a stop at the Forrest Caves we headed to Mornington Peninsula, and more particular: Cape Schanck.

The boyfriend and I wanted to check out Pulpit Rock, a weird-looking dramatic big rock at the coast. It turned out that the walk there is pretty cool too. They’ve installed a huge staircase down to the beach! There is also a historic lighthouse, but we didn’t check that out – as it doesn’t appeal to me to pay to visit a lighthouse.

Our mission was: taking a nice picture from Pulpit Rock, preferably with an amazing sunset.

I did not succeed, as you can see below. It was super hazy and the sunset was average, as the clouds didn’t let much light through. And framing a big bulky rock isn’t easy too. I’m posting the picture anyway so you can at least have an idea of that massive rock!

The experience was great though. At low tide you can walk close to the water and jump from rock to rock. Not for wimps, as the waves crash so close to you.

Where? Go to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park. After a short walk on the wooden staircase you will reach the rock. If you want to explore further you can start climbing over the rocks (which we did to get this view).

I was happily surprised to see how many cool spots you can visit in only two days outside of Melbourne! Maybe next time you might want to explore outside of the city too. I promise it will be worth it!

Where do you go when you’re tired of the city? 

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LUCKY BAY has it all. The name, the pure white sand, the clear turquoise water and the wannabe-model kangaroos. Lucky Bay is such a fitting name as this area is just jaw dropping gorgeous.

I stumbled upon this hidden bay when I was travelling in Western Australia. It is one of my favourite spots (or if not THE spot) in Australia. It belongs to Cape Le Grand National Park and is only a 40 minute drive from Esperance.

Unlike other popular beaches, Lucky Bay is not crowded. When I drove up there with my friends one day in December, we spotted only about 8 other people on the beach. For a bay that stretches for 5km, that’s no biggie. It is located a bit far from the closest city Perth for “a day at the beach”-trip (8u30). This is probably why not as many people check it out, only the committed road trippers.

My day in Lucky Bay existed out of swimming, wake boarding, cooking on the beach and just having a blast. I realised that day how ‘lucky’ I was with my life and finding all those beautiful spots. It’s clear that Lucky Bay owns its name well. The beach was also voted the whitest beach in Australia a couple of years ago, which is quite a big achievement in a country full of beaches.

But what I loved, loved, loved, were the kangaroos. They’re showing off their strong bodies on the beach, as real Australians do. Imagine you’re sunbathing or swimming and suddenly a big kangaroo (believe me, they are big!) hops by. Or he even lazes around on the beach, a meter away from you. How awesome is life then?

It is also possible to camp here. Unfortunately I only made a day trip out of it, but I definitely recommend staying the night! The camp site has running water, power and flush toilets and it is nearly right on the beach!

When you’ve had enough of the beach life, check out one of the best walks in Cape Le Grand National Park. It is called The Frenchman Peak and will take you about two hours return. It’s a cone-shaped rock with a 1,5km walking track from the base to the top. It is quite windy on the Frenchman (wink wink), so hold on to your belongings while you enjoy the magnificent view.

I have a huge list of places I still need to visit, but this one is on it too. I just have to go back to Lucky Bay. If it’s not for the amazing beach and water, then it is to bring my new camera and take better pictures

What do you think? Would you go and check it out?

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One of my favourite ones is Rottnest Island. It is cute, little and only a short ferry-ride away from Fremantle (under Perth).

I went on a little getaway when I was living in Fremantle (also very cute). My partner in crime was Ann, a fellow traveller who I’d met in the Australian outback. We bumped into each other somewhere in the middle of nowhere, me with my road trip gang, she with hers. We exchanged numbers and a month later we decided put foot in Fremantle.

When I think of Rottnest I think: quokkas, biking, beach and sun.

Quokkas are very weird and super cute animals, who live on Rottnest Island. Be prepared, they are everywhere and they’re the king of the island. It looks like a very small kangaroo (although some think they’re huge rats) and it is NOT afraid of people! Quite a cool experience to be on a tiny island with that many fearless small ‘kangaroos’. Be sure to close your tents and store your food away, because they will come for it.

Ann and I stayed three days on the island and in my opinion that’s enough. The island is 19km² big and there’s a population of around 100 people. It is a popular holiday destination, so try to go off-season. Ann and I went a weekend in (usually busy) November, but it was super quiet, so I guess you can be lucky sometimes!

A visit to this island will also be good for your body. Cars are not allowed, so biking is the way to go! Rent a bike and cruise around! The roads are well paved, there are some nice hills to climb, you’ll discover lakes, a lighthouse and beautiful bays. If you’re lucky you can also spot some dolphins!

Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit and snorkel gear. Rottnest’s main feature are its hidden, small bays. And there are plenty, so you’ll definitely find some privacy. There are even wrecks you can snorkel or dive to.

If you can, stay overnight. A lot of tourists visit the island only for 1 day. Try to avoid a quick visit. Bring a tent, stay on the campground and get lost on the many roads.

Rottnest Island is a perfect weekend away from the Australian mainland. It’s small, cute, you’ll meet amazing quokkas and feel good pushing that bike. Did you know that the name Rottnest comes from the Dutch word for rat’s nest? Centuries ago the quokkas were mistaken for rats… But believe me, they’re not rats! I don’t see rats to things like this, right?

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According to a study of Deutsche Bank the most expensive country in the world is Australia. Not really a surprise for everyone who has been there, right? Public transport for instance costs more in Australia than anywhere else! There is one thing that’s cheaper though… A gym-membership. Going to the gym in Sydney and Melbourne is around half the price of New York. Maybe that explains all those in-shape bodies on Bondi Beach.

I guess we all agree that the Ozzie life is expensive, but you can always find your way around that. You don’t need to lose a fortune while travelling. There are squares and squares of amazing (free) nature and there are also a lot of museums and attractions that don’t charge admission fees. Like Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point climbing cliffs and Botanical Gardens and Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Definitely check out that last one, I loved it!

The biggest chunk of your budget goes to accommodation. So it’s there that we need to be creative. Luckily there are quite a few good options!

Home- and farmstays

If you’re sick of sterile hotel rooms and you would like to get a closer look at the local culture, you may want to consider a homestay or farmstay. You save your wallet and you get an intimate glimpse of what life is truly like in another country.

1. Work Away – https://www.workaway.info/ 

This site has a huge database of awesome work for accommodation. This is the idea: you work a couple of hours a day/a week and in return you get food and free accommodation.

To access the database, you pay 30 USD, valid for 2 years. After reading good reviews, I decided to go for it. And believe me, it is an amazing database. I saw opportunities like working on a husky-farm in Alaska or helping out at a hostel in Jordan. It is easy to reach out to hosts who interest you and there is a grading system of good and bad volunteers/hosts.

2. Help X – http://www.helpx.net/

Help X is more or less the same as Work Away. It is an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, hostels who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation. It costs around 23 dollars for 2 years.

3. WWOOF – http://www.wwoof.net/

WWOOF is already pretty known, but I’ll add it anyway to the list. WWOOF is all around the world and focusses on organic farms. WWOOF came from “Working Weekends on Organic Farms”, but because travellers stayed longer and longer they changed the name to “World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms”.  You can stay 1 or 2 weeks or even a couple of months if everything works well. You help your host with daily tasks and live a healthy life! Just be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Housesitting

When you agree to go housesitting, you live in someone else’s home. That person is maybe away for a long holiday or on a business trip and he or she prefers someone to look after the house. That could be you! Free accommodation! The only thing you have to do is take care of the house and the pets if there are any. It does involve staying a bit longer in one place, but maybe it would fit perfectly in your plans!

Mind A Home http://mindahome.com.au/

A large database and many possibilities. Mind a Home charges 49 AUD for a one year membership.

Couchsurfing http://www.couchsurfing.org

I’m almost turning into the Couchsurfing-preacher, but believe me guys, this is a good way of travelling. You meet new people, stay on their couch and see the city through their eyes. If you’re a traveller who’s really keen on privacy and having your own little space, then this is nothing for you. You stay in a living room, on a couch, not much privacy there. If you’re lucky your host has a spare room, but I wouldn’t count on it! Still, it is a great way to discover a new place.  You want more information? Check out my Couchsurfing post!

Camping

Last but not least, buy a tent and go camping! I loved it in Australia, ’cause you are surrounded by nature, and the nature is stunning in Australia. In the touristy spots camping can be quite expensive, so make sure it isn’t out of control. During my trip in Australia I also did some free camping. Be sure though that it is allowed on your preferred spot. I once got woken up at 5am by the police…

As you can see, there are a lot of options to not spent a fortune! Don’t let the fear of spending too much money hold you from visiting Australia (or New Zealand). Just be creative and have fun!!

Do you agree that Australia is an expensive country for travelling? What’s the craziest price you’ve seen over there?

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When you arrive in that unknown country and you’ve digested your jet lag, there you are. All by yourself. Weird, right? Almost 2 years ago I landed in Darwin, Australia. I said goodbye to my family and friends in Belgium and there I was, feeling exhausted and sick (mostly because of a huge jet lag). I remember leaving the airport, wearing long pants and a sweater and being attacked by the heat. You can’t really call going from 5 degrees in Belgium to 35 in Australia a smooth transition. I was in a new country – Yay!- but the only thing I wanted to do was to dive in bed.

I was so ready to live the travel life, meet people, make friends and explore a new country, but my body just didn’t cooperate. So I decided to go to bed and sleep for an entire day. The next day I was better. But now what?

I walked a bit around in Darwin, but was not super impressed, as you can read in this previous post (I know I’m a spoiled little brat regarding travelling). I put a bit of pressure on me, which is not a smart move. I immediately wanted to meet the perfect people, I immediately wanted to live the wild travel life, ’cause here I was, in Australia all by myself woohoo! But that doesn’t happen just from one day to the other.

It took me two or three days to get in that zone, I met some awesome people via a Belgian friend. I went for drinks and met her friends. By chance, three of them were leaving on a road trip to the West Coast, with still one seat available… I was more than happy to jump on that seat!

I was happy, I found travel mates in my first week in Darwin, the timing was just perfect. But sometimes it’s not always that smooth and then I find these sites very useful!

 1. Couchsurfing: http://www.couchsurfing.com
Couchsurfing: this stays my all time favourite. From finding a ride to a travel friend or crashing on a couch, it has it all! This social platform is perfect for travellers. It asks a bit of commitment on your side though, make sure you have a good profile and write some good (or bad) reviews of other people. In Australia I met some awesome people who wanted to hang out. Just post a message on the board of the city you’re at to go for a beer and you’d be surprised how many people say yes! The good thing is that these people are already like minded, they like being social and meeting new people, otherwise they would not be on Couchsurfing. Sounds like something for you? More information in a previous post about Couchsurfing.

2. Gumtree: http://www.gumtree.com.au
THE site in Australia. Super convenient for travellers. I have used Gumtree so often when travelling in Australia. To find jobs, furniture and road trip partners! Everyday dozens of travellers post their itinerary or plans and looking for people to join. It is so easy and convenient. Do make sure you meet up for a coffee before you hit the road with someone you don’t know. There are some weirdos out there, even in awesome Australia. Interested? Go to Community and click on Rideshare &Travel partners.

3. Backpackersboard: http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz
This is a useful one for when you find yourself travelling in New Zealand or Australia. Meet other travellers via the forum or find a job in the up-to-date job listings! There is also an Australian backpackersboard, but this one is less maintained.

4. Coseats: http://www.coseats.com/
I’ve used this one in Australia and was happy with it. It is more ridesharing than really road tripping together. Would you like to go from Byron Bay to Sydney? Check this site, you find people with their itinerary and rate for a seat in their car. I used this one to go from Cairns to Byron Bay, a traveller was relocating a huge camper van and me and a girlfriend could join. We travelled 2 days together and paid him in the end not with money, but with beer and wine! It is as easy as that.

5. Be social, be yourself
The best of all and way better than using a site. Don’t lock yourself up in your room. It helps to do a bit of research before you choose a hostel. Take one with good reviews, where there is an accent on the social aspect. You’ll be surrounded by cool people in an instant! Just throw yourself out there and maybe you’ll meet your next travel people (or something more…).

How do you meet new travel mates? Do you find it hard? Let me know what you think!

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Anyways. The last couple of weeks I worked my way down the east coast. It was pretty, but I’m not as big a fan as for example the west coast, the south or New Zealand. Yes – after traveling for a while I have the right to become picky. The east coast is really touristy and covered with young travelers that just want to party and get drunk. I guess I am getting old. I did see some nice stuff. I went snorkeling and diving -with my diving license from Thailand- in the Great Barrier Reef. Saw really cool coral, a lot of fish and a turtle.

I also went sailing and snorkeling in the Whitsundays. There I saw the biggest fish I’ve ever seen – and I touched it! I don’t have an underwater camera, but it was this fish. He is pretty famous in that bay. Meet George:

whitsundays

A bit more south I went to a couple of nice beaches. And in Brisbane I went to some bars, had some coffees AND went rock climbing at Kangaroo Point! Huge rocks IN the city, next to the river. So cool. I found some climbers on Couchsurfing and I could just tag along!

sunset in brisbane

Byron Bay

And now my last last last days of my travels I’m just hanging around in Sydney. Enjoying the food, the markets, the bars and the people! Life is good!

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While I was in Melbourne I stayed four days on Phill’s couch, right in the CBD. After sleeping two weeks in a campervan, this was luxury. Especially because I could fold the couch into a bed – the things that make a backpacker happy. But I am facing another problem. My backpack is too heavy. I don’t know what came over me when I packed my stuff in Belgium, but I took too much – it is as easy as that. So I took a first big step in Melbourne, I threw away a shirt and a pullover and gave it to charity. Isn’t there a saying that goes one step at a time, or Rome wasn’t built in a day? Anyways, I’m proud, but my backpack still weighs as much as before. So at the moment I’m trying to read my books as fast as possible.

I know you’ve only kept reading to see this list, so here you go:

1. Black Cat – 252 Brunswick St., Fitzroy

I went to this bar for a coffee, but at night it is definitely a place to drink lots of wine and beer. There is free wifi, which is convenient for a backpacker. The atmosphere is really nice, the decoration is sweet and there are just really good vibes. The bar is filled with big large couches, you almost disappear in them, but it is really cosy. And not unimportant: the food is good – and well priced! Black Cat is situated in Fitzroy, a very popular suburb of Melbourne, known for its creative atmosphere, nice little bars, vintage shops and art galleries.

2. 1000 Pound Bend – 361 Lt Lonsdale St.

You can easily walk past 1000 Pound Bend. It is located in an old warehouse. The decoration gave me some kind of American impression, with old school chairs and tables, embedded in an industrial atmosphere. They are a café by day and a bar at night, and there is also free wifi. If you walk through the bar you enter another room, an open warehouse space. They use it for art exhibitions and other events. I had a great lunch there and would definitely recommend going there!

pic cred: Time Out Melbourne

3. Sister Bella – 22 Drewery Pl.

This is one of my favorite bars in Melbourne. If you don’t know it’s there, you won’t find it. Sister Bella is hidden away behind some dumpsters in a lane way. Phill and I went there quite late to have a last drink. We were enjoying our beer but after a while people left and the staff started cleaning all the stuff. They came to us and in stead of throwing us out, they took a chair and sat and drank with us. They even gave us some free beers. So thumbs up for the bartenders! If you’re there on a date and there is an awkward silence, have a look at the interior and you’ll know what to talk about. You’ll find nice an weird artwork, barbies with a penis, skateboards at the ceiling and so on.

4. General Store & Co – 213 Franklin Street

I went to this bar ’cause Phill and I were crashing a christmas party of some of his friends. It was like 3pm, so there were not a lot of people, but either way the bar made a really good impression. The way the owner outed his creativity in the decoration is just amazing. Every square meter there is more than one thing that catches your eye. For example the tables that are actually old coffee machines, or the high tables that are old lockers (which you can still use), or the sofa that’s a swing, or the liberty statue made of beer containers. Lovely!

5. Red Hummingbird – 1st Floor/246 Russell St

The Red Hummingbird is a nice discreet bar, right in the CBD. There is an inside and outside area, at the roof. It is not the most famous rooftopbar, it’s calmer and also gives a nice view on the city. I did find the price for the beer a little bit expensive.

6. The Espy – 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

I only spent here two hours or so, but that was enough time to notice it is a great bar. The Espy is next to the beach in an old hotel: Hotel Esplanade. When you sit at the terrace, you feel the sun on your skin and have a nice view on the ocean. Great for having a drink after a long day at the beach! And at night there are always live gigs! With its six bars, restaurant and three stages it is know as the premiere live music venue in Melbourne.

7. Ferdydurke – 2/239 Lonsdale St.

And always save the best for last. Although I have to admit it is a shared place with Sister Bella. Ferdydurke is situated in a small street in the CBD. To enter the bar you walk up some stairs, while painted faces stare at you. Then you find yourself in an eclectic bar, with smooth soft lights and live music. There is some kind of terrace, actually it is a side part of the building with large windows that are open. What every guy will like, and I have to admit I also liked, you can play video games there. They project the screen outside on the wall across the street. So everyone in the bar and at the street can see how good or bad you’re playing. Ah yes, there is also wifi.

And if you’re sick of this bar – which would astonish me – you can always go to the neighbor outdoor bar Section 8, which is actually from the same owners as Ferdydurke.

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