After arriving in Brisbane at the beginning of May, we were now getting ready to leave four months later. We had both been able to get full time jobs so had managed to get a good amount saved for the next leg of our journey. Niall was working as a labourer in a range construction sites across Brisbane (through a company called Globe) and I was working as a legal secretary in a law firm called Herbert Smith Freehills.
We had survived hostel life – living with a few hundred people, in a ten bed dorm and still managing to (just) get enough sleep to go to work! There had been loads of people who had come and gone during our time in the hostel as we had been there so long (it was a popular long-termer hostel) and some who would still be there when we left and they had all been our ‘hostel family’ during the four months. It would be strange going to hostels and not knowing the majority of faces and not having any friends there but we were excited to see new things and meet new people as we travelled the last parts of Australia and headed into Asia.
The last couple of weeks went by quickly with nights out, outings and finally getting to hold a koala!
Tony and Layla’s Leaving Night Out
My last night out
Niko, a friend of ours from the hostel, worked at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and so was kind enough to get us discounts on entry and to hold the cute little koalas. I think it’s something you just have to do when in Australia and Queensland is the only state you’re allowed to hold them in so, before we left Brisbane, it was our last shot at being able to hold one! They are so cute and fluffy and the koala wouldn’t let go once we had finished taking the photo (I would have happily walked around with it all day!)
We met some really lovely people during our time at the hostel who I hope we will keep in touch with now we’ve left. Some we knew from when we first arrived and others we met for just a little while before we left – it’s a lovely part of travelling meeting so many other people all on their own adventures. Summer House Backpackers was a great hostel to be a long-termer in and Brisbane was a lovely city to enjoy consistently good weather, a beautiful river and still be able to save some money!
It was now time for the next leg of our adventure, a trip to the Outback/Red Centre of Australia!
Sending Love x
