24 reasons Byron Bay is heaven on earth

When I first got to Byron Bay, I wrote a blog post about my initial thoughts on the place. Now I've been here almost 3 months (which makes it the longest I've stayed anywhere in Australia so far) and here are the reasons I think it's the greatest place on earth.

Welcome to Byron Bay!

1. Beautiful beaches - on both sides of the lighthouse, stretches of coastline with fine golden sand, warm, clear waters and happy people reach for miles. At the end of town centre is "Main Beach" - a golden paradise for swimmers, surfers and sunbathers alike. Before reaching the sandy shores you'll be greeted by the grassy banks where you can experience the beach without getting covered in sand. Further along the bay is "The Pass" which is favourite spot for surfers and resident dolphins!

Byron Bay from the lighthouse

2. Cape Byron Lighthouse - It's about a 45 minute walk from town to the lighthouse (a lot of steps though, I warn you, I nearly died!) but a walk well worth it. Venture alongside Main Beach, The Pass and Wategos Beach before walking through rainforest and parks. See how the other half live with the  absolutely stunning (and extremely expensive) houses on this side of town, and eventually you'll reach the lighthouse and witness more dramatic views. Watch the sunrise here and you'll experience a high that you can't get from drugs.

Cape Byron Lighthouse

Got up early to snap the sunrise from the lighthouse, and... wow!

3. Most easterly point of Australian mainland - marked by the lighthouse (and this plaque), it makes for an excellent viewing of the sunrise, seeing the beautiful coastline, and looking out for whales and dolphins.

4. Strong community - it's a warm place to live, and I'm not just talking about the weather. It's clear the residents care about their community.

5. Chris Hemsworth said so - the Thor star owns a $7.2m house in the area and describes Byron as the "greatest place on earth".

6. Hinterland - the surrounding area has some absolutely stunning settings such as Rocky Creek Dam and Minyon Falls.

Rocky Creek Dam

7. Surf - if in Byron, you've gotta try it. Alternatively (or as well as!) get a bodyboard to ride those waves! Luckily we got one with our van and have been having a whale of a time with it in the ocean.

My birthday surf lesson!

8. Dive - keep an eye out for sharks and rays at Julian Rocks (2k from the bay, a 6 min boat ride away)

Joe and I scuba diving at Juilian Rocks

9. Snorkel - not up for a dive? Julian Rocks accommodates snorklers too, and there's plenty to see!

10. Kayak - it's a lot of fun kayaking in the sea, and you'll probably see some wildlife. However, if you don't, "Go Sea Kayaks Byron Bay" will give you another session for free! You can also go kayaking on local rivers and creeks inland for more thrill and adventure!

11. Skydive - next on my bucket list once I work up the courage!

12. Swim - of course there's an amazing ocean right there, but if you fancy the experience minus the salt in your eyes, there's a lovely pool right on the beachfront that only costs about $4 (£2).

13. Wildlife - Common sealife includes turtles, dolphins, whales, manta rays, grey nurse sharks, wobbegong sharks, pufferfish and more. There have been a few large scary sharks sighted recently, but it's their ocean too and great to see that we can share this world with them! Snakes, bush turkeys and water dragons also frequent my back garden.

Spotted my first ever whale!

These guys greet me every morning.

14. Food - pretty much my favourite thing ever because I love to eat. Byron accommodates every different diet and specialises in vegan, vegetarian, organic and healthy! You can still get a burrito or a fat-off steak if you're not so fussy.

15. Byron Bay Film Festival - held in September over 10 days, the festival showcases the work of indie filmmakers sure to make you laugh, cry and feel inspired.

16. East Coast Roots & Blues Fest - music festival of the year welcoming some big names such as UB40, Joe Bonamassa, Mary J Blige, The Lumineers and more! Unfortunately I won't be here for that!

17. Art - galleries, street artists, weekly artisan market... there's even a park dedicated to art, decorated with paint, colourful stones and beautiful words. Grafitti art brightens up the town, anything that can be painted, will be painted.

18. Music - a plethora of sounds soothe your ears as you walk down the street as buskers come in every form. Young talented children playing ukeleles and saxophones. Musicians playing allsorts from didgeridoos to flutes, japanese guitar to bongo drums. There is often a band or solo guitarist/singer performing on the grassy beachfront banks and creates an awesome atmosphere.

19. Coconuts - You don't drink drinks in Byron Bay, you drink coconuts. There's a guy with a cow bell selling them ice cold on the beach every day.

Drinking a coconut on the beach

20. Shopping - looking for a new look that you can't find on the high street? Byron's shops and markets are great for any kind of looks from retro, vintage, hippy and chic.

21. No shoes needed - you may have just found your perfect outfit, but don't worry about wearing shoes with it. No-one else does!

22. Diverse city - You can find just about every type of person in Byron Bay and it adds to that "loving" vibe. Young, Old, Aussie, Pom, French, Korean, Straight, Gay, Transexual. Like no matter what hatred is going on in the world right now, there's at least one place you can all come together and it's right here.

23. Byron is not too big - personally, I'm not much of a big city person. But Byron is the perfect compromise of being big enough to keep you entertained but small enough to not feel intimidated.

24. Chug! Chug! Chug! - and then at the end of the day, chillout with a drink. There are bountiful bars to drench yourself in. "The Beachy" on the beachfront often has live bands on and "The Sticky Wicket" is usually showing some kind of sport on the screens. Or chillout on "The Balcony" or at "The Railway". If you're night reaches new depths of debauchery, try "Cheeky Monkeys". I haven't been there yet myself, but the vibe I get from the place definitely suggests it's the kind of place you go to drink yourself stupid and probably take a stranger home with you. So, have fun!

Where's your heaven on earth? Share with me your experiences of paradise!

Beginner's Guide to Street Photography

Mastering the art of street photography can produce some very rewarding images and experiences, yet for some reason most of us find the idea of street photography a little intimidating. This is probably due to the fact that we live in an age of judgement, where people wonder what we're doing and why we're doing it. The truth is, when it comes to taking pictures in public most people really don't care, so keep snapping! Here's my top street photography tips:

"Bicycle" - Brighton, England

Be discreet
My Panasonic GX7 camera is perfect for this as it's small, has a completely silent shutter, and has the option of coming in a discreet black colour (ironically I prefered the silver version). If your camera has wifi, you can even control the shutter from your smartphone without even looking at the camera. Doing this you'll join the other 98% of the public looking at their phone. These are all factors that help me to go unnoticed while I'm taking pictures. I don't need to feel nervous about being watched because I'm not drawing attention to myself, and they don't even know when I'm taking a picture meaning I can capture genuine expressions.

Look like a street photographer

"Grafitti Artist" - Brighton, England

Now this is the complete opposite of the last point and makes me sound completely contradictory, but actually the feeling that everyone knows your motives are of an arty theme and not sinister can put you, the photographer, at ease. It's like announcing you're about to fart before you do it so that people don't laugh at you (but with you). So, how do you look like a street photographer? Just do your thang! Get high, get low. Take time to frame each shot. Use whatever camera/lens you want no matter how big, bright or noisy (but be aware that you might get mugged!). People will most likely see you and go "oh, that's just a street photographer. Nothing interesting".

Master shooting from the hip
This is a common technique that photographers use so that people in the street don't know they are being photographed. Having a camera held up to your face is obvious, but shooting from the hip without looking at your camera makes you almost invisible and allows you to capture genuine emotions, relations, body language and facial expressions from relatively close. It also creates a new and different perspective in the low angle, producing much more interesting pictures. This can be a difficult technique to master, as shots can be blurry from movement, and can also have terrible framing. But practise makes perfect, and eventually you'll find a winning shot! Use a fast shutter speed, a wide angle lens, and if possible a silent shutter (mirrorless cameras).

"Stripes" - Byron Bay, Australia (shot from the hip)

"Family Outing" - Byron Bay, Australia (shot from the hip)

Shoot familiar places
We all love to go somewhere new, but shooting a place you know well is the best way to practise street photography. You'll already have insight into where the best spots are, where you might find some interesting artwork or where a local street musician hangs out. You know the streets and don't have to add getting lost onto your list of worries. Maybe there's a good place to sit where you can take time to frame your shots without being in the way. If you're photographing somewhere new, go back there a few more times if you get the opportunity. You'll find yourself feeling more comfortable and able to take better pictures.

"The Street Artist" - Byron Bay, Australia

Take a patient friend with you

"Moi" - Rouen, France

Safety in numbers and all that. Even photography can be more fun with a friend, as long as they are fine with you stopping to photograph something every 30 seconds. You may find that you feel more comfortable photographing in public with someone with you. They can add in their artistic input and ideas, and can even model for you if need be!

Make your shots different
This is quite important in all genres of photography, and is what makes it an art! Find a new perspective. Use natural light and shadows to add depth and focus to your work. Point the viewers eye away from the 'ordinary' to make it 'extraordinary'. Find an interesting structure, or make a boring structure interesting by shooting it in a different way. Play around and have fun!

"Arches" - Venice, Italy

"Green Man" - Brighton, England

Ask to take someone's picture

Feeling brave? Go up to someone and ask to take their picture. If they're not in a hurry to get somewhere they'll probably say yes. Be friendly. Be genuine. Get chatting. Be interested but not intrusive. It's a fact that as humans we love ourselves, we love talking about ourselves and we love attention, so pay a little attention to someone else and you might even make a friend. How do you even start talking? Just say something like "Hey, I'm just doing a bit of street photography and I think you look pretty awesome sitting there, do you mind if I take your picture?"

Tell an enigmatic story
A picture says a thousand words, right? Well tell a thousand word story with your shot. Capture a scene or a subject that leaves your viewer wondering what happened before or after, or what is going on in someone's head. Leave these questions unanswered and your audience will make it up for themselves.

"Unfinished Story"

There's my tips for street photography. Be prepared to delete 4/5 of your pictures and don't be disheartened if you only got 1 or 2 good shots out of it. Like anything, it takes practise, so get snapping!

Share with me some of your shots in the comments section of my Beth's Babbles and Travels facebook page, or links to your street photography online, I'd love to see some!

Beth's 5 favourite campsites in Queensland

"Hodor"

So as I'm sure you already know, Joe and I spent 4 months living in our trusty van, Hodor, and went from campsite to caravan park - sometimes staying in a different place every single day. We found all these using the Wikicamps app, which gave us offline access to prices, reviews, contact information and map. Some spots we stayed in have been particularly notable. Here I'll tell you my 5 favourite ones, the stories behind them and why I loved them so much.

Here I've marked where they all are

5. Bajool Hotel, Bajool, near Rockhampton
Cost: free
Occassionally we found a free spot on wikicamps in the back garden of a pub, which was the case with this one. You can stay free of charge but are encouraged to support the business by buying food or drinks so of course we did, for lunch and dinner. Located between Rockhampton and Gladstone and near the small town of Mount Larcom is an even smaller town called Bajool. This place consisted of this one pub hotel, a small convenience shop and, to be honest I couldn't find much else there. We stayed here because we had a job working at the Mount Larcom show the next day.

Why was this place so great? Well it started out as a normal pub experience though it was very quiet and in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly the place started filling up with truckers as they finished work for the weekend, and the evening entertainment of the night was watching the state of origin series rugby match. This is an annual best-of-3 tournament between the 2 aussie states of New South Wales (Blues) and Queensland (Maroons) and it's HUGE in Australia. The people all wear the colours of where they are from, and get together to watch the games. So, being in Queensland, Joe and I quickly ran back to our van and put on whatever maroon clothes we could find (a venetian flag t-shirt and a "Hodor" t-shirt) and the truckers loved it! The owners were so friendly and welcoming to us both. They could even see that we clearly couldn't afford alcoholic drinks so gave us a couple on the house! It really was a fun and unexpected experience from such a tiny town.

4. Cairns Holiday Park
Cost: $35 per night
Despite all the negative reviews on Wikicamps, our stay at the Cairns Holiday Park was most pleasurable.  One of the more expensive parks we've stayed at ($35 a night) but still one of the cheapest in the city centre. People who complain that the unpowered spots are too cramped have clearly never tried camping at a showground! The park offers a very large and well facilitated camp kitchen, with a "free stuff" shelf which was pretty much my favourite thing ever. I found allsorts here, from a 5kg bag of rice to a pair of tracksuit bottoms that fit me perfectly! There is also a small pool, TV room with free book exchange shelf, laundry facilities and clean toilet/shower block. DVDs can be rented free of charge from reception and there's free limited internet.

One evening had cracking entertainment in the form of a whipcracking show from world record holding whipcracker Nathan Griggs. This was actually one of the best things I've ever seen! The staff at the park were friendly and helpful, especially when it came to booking us a last minute place on a Great Barrier Reef snorkling trip.

The first turtle we saw whilst snorkling the Great Barrier Reef!

3. Murray Falls, TNQ
Cost: $6.15 per person per night (standard for all QLD national parks)
Though we didn't actually camp here, I wish we did because we had 2 days of insane fun. The only reason we didn't stay at the Murray Falls camp site was because all national parks in QLD must be prepaid online or by phone, and we had no phone credit or access to internet at this time as we didn't plan to come here but rather stumbled upon it.

Joe enjoying the natural waterpark at Murray Falls

Murray Falls is a stunning waterfall situated in tropical north queensland near the town of Cardwell. We found it during an awesome road trip from Townsville to Cairns, find out about it here. Now I absolutely love waterfalls, but the most exhilerating part of this place was the swimming hole upstream. We initially came here but had to return the next day once we'd charged the Gopro. There were rocks to slide down and rope swings to jump off in the stunning setting of the rainforest. The water was warm even in winter and it was definitely one of my best experiences of Australia so far.

Murray Falls

2. Scarness Beachfront Tourist Park, Hervey Bay
Cost: $15 per night
This was one of three council-run caravan parks in Hervey Bay, and they are all very similar with the same $15 backpacker rate, but I'd say this was my favourite of the three. Though the cheap price is supposed to be for an unpowered spot, they'll probably give you a powered spot anyway which is a bonus for electrically rigged vans. Otherwise you can charge phones, laptops etc in the camp kitchen.

The parks are all situated on the beachfront, and if you have a front facing spot you will pretty much be ON the beach. It doesn't get much better than waking up to that view!

Sunrise at Hervey Bay, taken from the front of my camp spot

Caravan park resident possum

The kitchen here is well equipped with hobs and barbequeues while some of the other beachfront parks also have a microwave. However, my favourite part of the kitchen in this particular park was the resident possum who was absolutely adorable, especially when Joe fed him a bit of fruit. There was a TV/chillout room with pool table. Wifi is charged at $2 per hour (Pialba beachfront park down the road should but don't charge for wifi!) The staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating, and helped us a book a tour to Fraser Island. You can read more about our adventures in Hervey Bay and Fraser Island here.

1. Mount Nimmel Lodge, Gold Coast
Cost: $10 per person per night

Set up camp at Mount Nimmel Lodge, with roaring fire!

This is my #1 camp spot for the whole of Australia (so far). I loved this place! Situated 20 minutes outside of the Gold Coast city centre at the base of the Springbrook mountain, this is the ultimate bush camping experience. Owner, Tony and caretaker, Cymon are two of the friendliest people I've ever met and will go out of their way to accommodate their guests. Cabins are available to rent but unpowered camping spots are available in the large grassy area in the centre. Campfires are encouraged, and fire pits are there for you to use. If you're nice, Cymon will even give you some free firewood that he'd chopped up earlier in the day. There's a small camp kitchen with stove, oven, microwave etc.


The animals love this place too, as the friendly kookaburras, magpies and possums will eat from your hand. And this handsome little fella pictured below posed for my camera for a good 10 minutes!

Inquisitive Kookaburra

The site is a great base for seeing both the Gold Coast city and the hinterland. From here we took a short drive to Movieworld, Wet 'n' Wild and Seaworld. It's also just 20km up the mountain to Springbrook national park (which is where "I'm a Celebrity..." is filmed) The Springbrook circuit follows waterfalls, creeks and rainforest, as well as picturesque spot "natural bridge" and glow worm cave. Sadly we were here in the daytime so couldn't see the glow worms, but still an awesome place! Cymon tells us it's even better to visit the mountain at night, as completely away from the city you get the most perfect view of the milkyway. Hopefully we'll get to experience that on our next visit to the Gold Coast!

Waterfall in Springbrook National Park

Natural Bridge, Springbrook National Park

I've had an absolute blast camping around Australia so far and these are some of the best spots I've come across. If you've stayed at campsites in Australia and have some awesome stories, leave a comment! Until next time...

The 10 best backpacker jobs

The backpacker lifestyle is great. You spend your days surfing, eating, exploring and partying the nights away, but how do you afford this? No matter how much you save up in advance, if you're staying for more than about 2 months, you WILL need to find a way of making money and it's always best to do that legally. Here's what I've found to be the best jobs for backpackers and typical wages whilst travelling Australia, but can also apply anywhere in the world.

1. Au Pairing

Chickens and children - the life of an Au Pair

As long as you don't mind kids, being an au pair is one of the best jobs you can find while travelling abroad. In any country you can look online (Gumtree!) and find families looking for an English speaking helper to look after their kids and do a few household chores. You'll often receive benefits such as accommodation, food, pocket money, and maybe even a car to use in your own free time.

Average wage: $200 per week
Benefits: Accommodation, food, casual work, paid weekly

2. Food vans

Joe selling slushies at Townville show

Joe and I worked on numerous different food vans at shows around Australia. We sold corndogs (or dagwood dogs as the Aussie's call them), slushies, coffees, burgers and more. It even encouraged us to try running one ourselves when we get back home. Other stall options include working on the rides, amusement games or showbags if you don't like handling food. Australia is the perfect place to do this because every city holds their annual show at various different weeks of the year. In autumn/winter, you can travel round to a different show every weekend. They usually go on for 2 or 3 days, but larger cities such as Brisbane and Sydney can have longer shows of up to around 14 days. It's not something that

My favourite part of the week

really occurs to this extent in England. A similar event is a carnival or fete/fair, but I wouldn't say these are as big as in Oz. This is an excellent job to get and easy to obtain (Gumtree, again!). It's perfect for backpackers because it's casual, and the best part - your wage is paid in tax-free cold hard cash. Now, it may be an easy job to get, but it's not an easy job to work due to the long hours. Typically, we would start the day at about 9:00 and finish at around 22:00 - though it differs for each show. If you are required to help set up or close down, it can be a lot longer. The longest show we worked was 10 days at Brisbane, and safe to say by the 5th day I had forgotten what it was like to have feet that didn't hurt. But make sure you've got some good shoes on, massage your aching feet every night, and think of the wonga.

Average wage: $15 per hour ($180 per day for 12 hour days) 
Benefits: casual work, very easy to get hired, paid weekly (or at the end of the show), free enty to shows, possibility of free food/rides depending on what you're working on.

Fireworks mark the end of the day at Townsville show, must be nearly time to finish work!

3. Delivery jobs
We also worked for 3 weeks delivering phone books. Again, this job we found very easily (Gumtree, you should be noticing a pattern by now). They are not so bothered by your skill set, but rather your ability to walk. Having a vehicle can help, as some delivery jobs will require one, but others will be just in a local place and you will essentially get paid to get fit. We loved this job because we got given a load of books and a map, and could work at our own pace until we run out of books - and then go back to get some more. It is usually paid "by piece" rather than by the hour, so you will want to work as quickly as possible to get more money.

Average wage: 20c per book/leaflet (up to $200 per day depending on area given)
Benefits: casual work, paid weekly, be your own boss

4. Fruit picking/farmwork

Maybe you'll end up picking giant mangoes!

I'm not going to tell you where to go to find this job because you should know by now. Though, in Australia, these jobs are a lot more widely advertised because backpackers on a 1 year working holiday visa need to complete 4 months of farm work to extend their visa by another year. So although work is hard, it is a very popular job with backpackers. It can be a good job, but it's not for everyone. Joe and I worked a day picking oranges and then realised that we'd rather explore the rest of the world next year than slave away at this to get our 2nd year visa. The work is physically quite demanding, and the pay is often per piece so you have to work harder to get paid more. In the 8 hours I worked, I earnt $80, but the experienced lads I was working with earnt double that. I'm sure I would have done better if I'd stuck at it and quickly improved. If you find a farm job that is paid hourly, then you are incredibly lucky and should probably stick at that job. Working with animals is generally a bit better than working with fruits, so try a dairy or chicken farm. The work is hard, but some backpackers find these few months are the best part of their trip. Many farms offer accommodation in work hostels, and it's a great place to make new friends. I've also heard horror stories of farms, so don't let any farmers rip you off, bully you or harrass you as this can happen with some backpackers so desperate to get their 2nd year visa.

Average wage: $15-20 per hour (or piece rate $80 per bin for oranges, apples etc and $20 per basket for small fruits. This can vary a lot depending on what you're doing)
Benefits: Casual work, 2nd year visa, possibility of accommodation, good experience.

5. Manual labour
Labouring is a great job to do if you're a man. Unfortunately in this sexist world we live in, a woman who wants to work in labour or construction will have to have experience and prove herself a lot more than a man would. If you're a man, the only requirement is that you're actually a man. You'd apply for these jobs as you normally would online, and experience is probably more beneficial. In Australia you will need a valid "White Card" which can be obtained by going on a $130 course. It can also be done online for about $40 but this option can't get you jobs everywhere. The work is often physically demanding, and they generally just need bods to be able to lift, carry and maybe hit things.

Average wage: $20-40 per hour
Benefits: Higher rate of pay

6. Housekeeping
This is what I do currently and actually, I love it! I work cleaning a beachside motel, and in any country where there is tourism, there will no doubt be an abundance of cleaning jobs available. Jobs will vary, but I work 2-3 hours a day depending on how many rooms I need to clean, and I get paid per room so I work quickly but thoroughly.

Average wage: $20-25 per hour (more if paid per room and you don't mess around!)
Benefits: Get to keep whatever you find in the empty rooms (loose change and beer are the common ones)

7. Restaurant
This is pretty much the same as you would back home, and it's the same anywhere in the world. The difference in Australia is that if you work as a waiter/waitress you will need an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) which you can achieve by going on a course. It works throughout the whole country (except the state of New South Wales where you will need a specific NSW one) and once you have one you can get a job in a bar, restaurant or bottle store. If you're a chef, you have the added bonus of being able to apply for chef positions. Or otherwise you can do what my fiancé does - wash dishes and prep food. This is actually a pretty good job, you don't need an RSA, and you don't even need to deal with customers. He currently works in a Thai restaurant, and loves the team he's working with, brings home free food every night and is even starting to learn how to cook Thai food - which pleases me immensely because I love food.

Average wage: $15-25 per hour
Benefits: Free food, tips

What NOT to do when working in a kitchen...

8. Bar
Like working in a restaurant, to work in a bar in Australia you will need an RSA certificate. Working in a bar can be fun and rewarding. Experience will help you, but is usually not essential for landing a job. You'll learn allsorts of new skills such as changing a barrel and preparing various different cocktails. You will however probably have to deal with drunk people, which is not great. If you're a woman you may find that you get this job a little easier than if you're a man. Unfortunately there's no changing the fact that tits sell pints.

Average wage: $17-25 per hour
Benefits: Tips

9. Hospitality
In Australia or anywhere with tourism, there are cities and towns full of hotels, hostels, campsites and any kind of place where people will come to stay and be tended to. Jobs in nice hotel receptions are always good, but a backpacker favourite is working in the hostels where work is generally a bit more casual, and it usually comes with accommodation and that fun party atmosphere. This is a great job if you're a people-person, as meeting new people and having friendly conversations are what it's all about.

Average wage: $17-25 per hour
Benefits: Possibility of accommodation

10. Sales
Working in sales can be a rewarding job, but for many people it's their least favourite. Some people have a knack for it and some don't, so it's always good to at least give it a try. Sales jobs are pretty easy to find and consist of mostly call centres, door-to-door sales and travel companies such as Greyhound, Peter Pans and Happy Travels. You could be selling anything from solar panels to skydiving packages. Generally these jobs will receive an hourly wage plus commission to encourage you to sell, sell, sell. It can be annoying and disheartening when you don't sell, but if you've got the gift of the gab then you'll find yourself making a small fortune. There are also the standard retail jobs such as working in a shop or supermarket, but these are usually surprisingly harder for backpackers to get as they will often be looking for someone longer term. Don't let that stop you from trying!

Average wage: $17-20 per hour
Benefits: Commission

Now these aren't necessarily the "dream jobs" that you may have been picturing, but they are the ones that for backpackers are the most convenient and easy to get. Throwing CVs out and applying online like you would back home are definitely good ways to land other jobs too.

If you've got any more tips, or if you managed to find your dream job abroad, leave me a comment below!

Why travel is SO good for your health

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
- Mark Twain

As someone who has suffered from depression, severe bouts of IBS, and the common cold at least 6 times a year, since I've been away from home I haven't been ill once and it's the best my body and mind has felt in a long, long time. I've always heard that travel has been proven to increase health, but in the past few years I've experienced that first hand. Here's why travel is so good:

1. Travel helps with mental health and depression
Travelling is proven to lower stress levels considerably. It's the perfect way to get away from the environment that may be causing you to feel depressed. Be it a week, a month or a year, getting out can really help your mind recover from the stresses of everyday life. The effect of this lasts even after you've returned home, and even gives you a new perspective to help cope with anxiety when it comes. Of course there are still struggles while you're travelling, but you also learn new ways to overcome them that you can put into practise when you're back home.

Kayak for two, please!

2. Travel makes you more physically active
I admit that I hate exercising, but the travel lifestyle is a lot more active without you even realising it. It gets you out of the house, stops you being lazy, and works those muscles. I can't count how many steps and hills I've climbed to the top of a tower or waterfall. Currently my whole body aches from kayaking 8km yesterday, but it was definitely worth it! Exercise is good not only for the muscles and waistline, but the brain and heart too. Now I just need to work on avoiding the awesome tasting, calorific restaurant food...

3. Exciting new experiences give you a high that's better than drugs
Ok so, I've never actually taken drugs, but I definitely know the side effects. As a much healthier alternative, experiencing something new, fun or exhilerating leaves you with a buzz that can last hours, days, or even a lifetime.

I'm still buzzing months after seeing wild turtles and sharks for the first time!

4. Different environments boost your immune system
As well as your active body performing better at fighting infection, the exposure to lots of new environments produces stronger antibodies, boosting your immune system. Probably the reason why I haven't experienced an infection as common as the cold while I've been away.


5. Vitamin D and vitamin sea
Sun and sea are like daily medicines to keep the body healthy and glowing, and when you travel you're likely to be more exposed to both. Of course, we all know the risks of too much sun, so sunscreen and protective clothing are a must when travelling. The salty sea water has healing properties and will cleanse cuts and grazes and even skin conditions such as eczema, allowing them to heal quicker. It also feels awesome when immersed in the water, a time to chill out both the body and mind.

6. Finds you healthy hobbies
When you travel, you're more likely to engage in fun new activities that you've never tried before.
Watersports, hiking, walking, swimming, yoga, photography, healthy cooking - it can be anything! Hopefully you'll find you really enjoy these, but don't forget that most things can be done somewhere at home too even if it's not as popular a pastime. You may even find when you go back home that your experiences have encouraged you to continue trying new things such as joining a sports club. As long as it doesn't involve drugs or alcohol, it's gotta be better than staring at a TV or computer screen all day.

Definitely gonna give surfing another go

7. Live longer and fuller
Given all these health benefits, people who travel tend to have a longer life expectancy than those who don't. A more stress free life is not only more enjoyable, but reduces the risk of heart disease amongst other problems. It's also a life that can be looked back on as having done something. No regrets. No wishing you did more when you could. You can be any age to travel. You can travel anywhere in the world. Even if it's just down the road to get away from work for a week or so. Travel is the answer and it may be the medicine you've been searching for that the doctor can't prescribe.

And then you sit down, chill out and relax...

Beth's guide to... Toowoomba!

5 months ago (I've only just got round to typing up my blog post for this one) Joe and I lived for about a month and a half in a city called Toowoomba, labouring and au pairing for a family of 8: yes, that does mean 6 kids! (If we're not counting the 11 chickens, 5 bearded dragons, a horse, and 50,000 redback spiders)

Feeding time for the babies

While we were there, we got to see the city centre, neighbouring towns and amazing scenic views of the glass house mountains. The stunning modern house we were living in was perfect for this, as it features a 30 metre long curved window facing the mountains. Safe to say, I never got bored of eating my coco pops while enjoying the breathtaking views, listening to the kookaburras and looking out for the occasional eagle.

Double rainbow photographed through their massive window

Toowoomba is Queensland's largest inland city, and it's located about an hour west of Brisbane. It is named "The Garden City" for it's vast amount of lovely gardens and parks. It has just finished celebrating it's annual flower festival, something that sadly I didn't get to experience.

However, there was plenty that I did get to see. Sunday was "family day", so we'd generally go with the whole family to a park, country drive, or a local market. On my day off I'd usually end up going into the city centre, as there are a great number of shops, restaurants, cinemas and allsorts of fun to be had. But other than that, there are some wonderful spots to take advantge of while in the area. Here I've listed my top 5 sites that I visited.


5. Springs Bluff Railway
On a drive to Murphys Creek, we first stopped by at the historic and quaint Springs Bluff railway (which ended up being more spectacular than the rather disappointing Murphys Creek). The beautiful gardens spring to life in season, and the cafe is open to welcome tourists and residents alike. Good spot for a picnic, and a tranquil afternoon.

Springs Bluff railway

4. Japanese Gardens

At number 4, the Japanese gardens in Toowoomba, though smaller than I expected, proved to be one of our favourite spots in the city. Joe and I were both partial to the cute red bridges dotted around the park, and we decided that in our future house we will have a peaceful Japanese style garden, with Joe's own judo dojo, and my favourite flowers. Walking through the paths surrounded by bamboo and Japanese plants and flowers, you'll find plaques with Japanese words and phrases written in both English and Japanese. Ibises, ducks and even turtles frequent the park - and I don't blame them, it must be the perfect place to live.

3. Coomba Falls
If a nice drive out of the city is what you're after, Coomba falls is the perfect place to come. You'll know you're close when you reach the near vertical roads (picture Joe driving Hodor up them in first gear and me gritting my teeth and peeking through the gap in my fingers until the road is level again). But once you reach the falls, you'll realise the serenity. It had been pretty dry prior to our visit, so no waterfall, but it was still lovely to picnic by the waters edge. A good swimming spot, I'm told, as it is popular for people to jump off the large rocks into the water. Perhaps I would have braved it in summer, but not this time.

2. Picnic Point
This is where you go (funnily enough) to have a picnic. There is a restaurant at the summit with some pretty good ice cream, but there's nothing quite like a ham, cheese and crisp sandwich whilst enjoying the views, avoiding sitting on sticks under your blanket, and flicking the ants away from getting their dirty, theiving little antennae on your dessert. I love it - and I love the aptly named Picnic Point. There are walks here for every ability, and it really does make for an excellent day out.

Best seats in the house - picnicking at Picnic Point

1. Pioneer Village, Highfields
My number 1 spot goes to the Pioneer Village and museum located just outside Toowoomba. It was a different and interesting way of learning about the history of Australia, and how things were done back in the days of the pioneers. The village covers every facility of a real village, and lets you enter their world each room at a time to see what life was really like. Visit the hospital, school, dairy, butchers, and even the fire station and jail. Stop at the cafe for "tea and damper" - an aussie tradition of tea and bread cooked over the fire. Then don't forget to visit the museum to find out the history of, well, just about everything else that wasn't covered already! During school holidays and special event days, you can even have the opportunity to meet the infamous Australian bushranger and folk hero, Ned Kelly.

After a month and a half of living in Toowoomba, we missed the beach too much, and it was then that we decided to head off on our next adventure. If you haven't already, check out here what happened when we left and how our plans changed drastically... again!