Welcome to Australia. Now that you have traveled great lengths across the world, it is time to continue the adventure. Here are a few ways to ease your troubles when planning your trips.
1. See if your University has a Travel Agency
I studied abroad at Bond University on the Gold Coast. We were lucky enough to have a travel agent called Student Flights right on campus. They completely organized all of my trips, offered flights at discounted prices and made the process of reserving hotel rooms extremely simple. They gave excellent recommendations for excursions and location.
2. Plan ahead and Book Early
If you plan your trips in advance, hotels and airfare will usually be cheaper. Also, if you look ahead and see that you have a class cancellation, perhaps on a Friday, use this free time wisely to expand your trips. I had a Friday class canceled one weekend, so I took a trip to Moreton Island.
3. Take a One-Day Trip
I took numerous day trips to different parts of the Gold Coast. I visited various national parks and rainforests. Not only is it important to explore all of Australia and the surrounding countries, but your backyard as well! Don’t forget about the places that are most easily accessible. Springbrook and Tamborine National Park are easy to get to and absolutely beautiful. Try cliff jumping! But be safe.
4. Byron Bay. Byron Bay. Byron Bay.
No matter what part of Australia you are studying abroad in, you must visit Byron Bay! This was my very first weekend trip I took. For you Gold Coasters, there are plenty of buses, similar to Greyhound, that can get you up there for cheap. I got to see a Trevor Hall concert at the Byron Bay Brewery and stay in my first hostile. Here, you can reach the most easterly point of Aussie, close to the homeland. There are also some beautiful beaches and fantastic surfing.
5. Plan for at least one Longer Trip
While studying abroad, you will be given a Spring Break. For anyone attending Bond University, your semester is shorter so you won’t have a Spring Break. However, you will have a weeklong study week before finals, so plan your studying ahead of time so you can fit in some traveling! Some popular locations to travel are The Outback, New Zealand, Thailand, Bali and China. Some people also traveled after their stay in Australia. I visited Bali during part of my study week and took a short pit stop in Fiji. Casual right? I have to show y’all two pictures because I could not one.
6. Pack light and Only Bring the Essentials
A lot of the traveling you will be doing while abroad will be adventurous and exhilarating. The last thing you need is a huge suitcase weighing you down. Travel light. Try your best to pack only the essentials into a travel backpack or even just your school backpack.
7. Experience Staying in Hostels
While the luxury of hotels can be quite enticing, hostiles will give you an amazing cultural and humbling experience. Not only are they cheaper, but you will most likely be rooming with people all over the world. I absolutely loved staying in hostiles. I learned so much about other cultures and learned the real meaning of adventure.
8. Don’t Forget to Be Thankful
You’re in Australia. You’re traveling the world. You’re meeting new people. You’re seeing new sites. You must be thankful for the opportunity. Take advantage of every second you have while abroad. Don’t blink because it’ll be over before you know it.
Rachel Levin is a TEAN program alum and Global Ambassador at The University of Maryland. She studied abroad with TEAN on the Gold Coast, Australia.
