30 days in: 30 things I've learnt

I've been travelling for 30 days now, and I've learnt a lot. I wanted to reflect on some of the things I've learnt along the way.

1- There are good, friendly people everywhere in the world.

2- Likewise, there are dickheads everywhere in the world.

3- People do actually chat on planes. It's not just a movie thing.

4- Not every day is a travel day. In fact, most days aren't. Especially where I've decided to stay in Melbourne for the first couple of months, most days are sorting stuff out, resting, shopping, and lots of other fairly boring stuff that you don't see on Instagram.

5-  Solo travelling isnt spending 24/7 alone. In fact, most of the time Ive spent with other people. My first 10 days of solo travelling, and the only time I had spent solo was about 20 minutes. But meeting new people was half the adventure of going by myself!

6- Sometimes it's really hard to not be at home. When things happen and you need to be there, but you can't. It can be very difficult but you need to remember why you are there.

7- I actually really like and need to be alone sometimes. I need solitude like I need food and sleep- you don't always want it but you need it to be a normal human. And now I really cherish my privacy and alone time because it doesn't happen often!

8- You will never know where any of your stuff is. Ever. As a backpacker, it's just constantly stuff everywhere; in random bags, strewn across the hostel floor, miscellaneous stuff in pockets. Just embrace it.

9- Even though you meet people from all across the world, it's usually the British people you have the immediate connection with. There's something about being Brits abroad in the same situation that makes you relate to each other more.

10- Travelling is exhausting. When you're moving around a lot and on the move all the time, it can really take it out of you, and it feels like there's never any time to actually do anything you need to do (mainly washing and food shopping).

11- When you do get to know people, it happens very quickly. The intense environment means you bond quicker with people.

12- Drinking in Melbourne is expensive. That's it.

13- It's always so interesting learning about different cultures from people 

14- Australians are very honest and open- blunt, won't lie to you or beat around the bush (no bush pun intended)

15- it's amazing how quickly you can get used to things, and it's amazing how quickly things can change. You can go from feeling rock bottom at the start of the day, and by the afternoon feel on top of the world. Or maybe that's just me.

16- Music is a great way (if not the best way) to bond with people.

17- A lot of people come travelling and think, nice, I'm on the other side of the world I can be anyone I want to be. Wrong- you can only be yourself and there's no faking it. BUT that's what's really liberating as you have absolutely no other choice but to be 100% authentically yourself.

So, when people say they go travelling to 'find themself', I think it's more like to really get to know themselves for who they really are.

18- Australia is HUGE and has so much culture and history that I never knew about before. And it certainly does NOT begin with European settlers- Aboriginals have a rich history of approx. 40,000 years previous which the Australians are very proud and respectful of.

19- It's really nice to be around people who want the same things and have the same ambitions as you.

20- But you will always miss home at some point.

21- Most cultures/countries have more similarities than differences.

22- The support I receive from home is unreal. I appreciate it so much when people from home message me or I hear the loving words of my family, it makes me want to keep going!

23- I get very emotional over a good view. Particularly sunsets, the stars in the sky, and the moon.

24- You can never have enough videos of the sea washing over a beautiful Australian beach. (Even though the videos and photos will never do it justice)

25- Driving an automatic is really fun, especially when it's full of your mates and you're driving down an ocean road.

26- I get way more excited over seeing wildlife than I thought I would. Wallabies are my fave!

27- Speaking of wildlife, when you go out to the country kangaroos are SO common. Obviously I knew Australia had kangaroos but there are just loads of them out in the bush, and the ones I've seen don't seem that bothered about humans being nearby.

28- Doona is the Australian word for a duvet. It took me way too long to realise this.

29- The Australian sun is HOT. No joke. You need way more suncream than you think you do, and whatever temperature it says it is, it feels at least 5°C hotter.

30- I can always look after myself. All problems I've had so far have been solvable. You are never completely stuck; there's always a solution.

Here's to many more lessons in the next 30 days!

Shepp x