Room 8, 12 and 10...

"Happiness is so hard to achieve but looking around I think I might be happiest in places just like this..."

My previous blog was quite a while ago but reading back it's pretty sweet to read my last few words. A massive 6 months has passed and although I stopped writing because of a mixture of time restraint, intoxication levels and the lack of real adventure I can assure you I have been having fun, mostly. 

For the most part Australia is comfortable. On the surface level It's the kind of place 19 year old's with not much else to do run away to. It's the sort of place those same people come away from claiming growth, enlightenment, solidarity with the earth and acceptance with themselves. Australia for me is full of that sort of traveller, the sort of traveller that asks where Ireland is and thinks Indonesia is an African state. I mean it would be pretentious of me to claim I didn't fall into that mind numbing, goon (cheap ass box wine) drinking and bullshit talking way of life but for the most part I found it draining. Asia for me was 5 steps forward and unfortunately I found Australia to be a few steps back. 

Australia itself is absolutely beautiful but for me the vast amount of Australian people I met (mostly in Northern Queensland) turned out to be arrogant, backward, openly racist and extremely small minded. 

Lucky as I have written before I started off my journey in Oz meeting a few pretty amazing exceptions to the Australian and Australian traveller rule. People that in every shitty situation have saved it! Throughout my stay in Australia I met so many amazing exceptions. Friends, colleagues and employers alike have most always been amazing to be and to work with. 

Maybe there is a better way to travel. I mean arriving in the country with $20 to my name wasn't the best of starts. I write this overlooking El Nido bay in the Philippines after restarting my Asian adventure and with fresh thoughts of solid work for the last few months my recent memories of my Aussie travels are always going to pale In comparison. 

My first Australian "turf" family will always be in my thoughts, I owe a lot to all my friends on the farm and my return to Melbourne seen me meeting the most obscure mix of people nobody would have ever placed together but it worked, in fact it was pretty unbelievable. 

Room 8, 12 and 10 will be places that I will remember and cherish memories forever. 

Australia was a place I never wanted to go to but as a country I can live and save in I will inevitably return to focus once more and save again for my onward travels. I'm holding out a lot of hope for the west coast. 

Right now I have another 4 months in Asia ahead of me with my cousin Emma. We have plans of road and boat trips through some of the worlds most beautiful points. Moving forward I hope my return to the western world comes much more smoothly. I might not have "grown"in that 19 year old "Australia is soooo rad!" bullshitty way but I would say my last year has certainly taught me a lot. God I never thought I would say it but roll on round/ take two!