Belgium and Luxembourg

Hey check out my first travel video I did with Craig

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlEM-CKkWUY

Definition of travel.

When I say travel, I don't mean a relaxing vacation or a resort. travelings true definition according to google is to make a journey, typically of some length. if your final destination is in and around your hotel resort, that is no great length at all. To truly immerse yourself into an authentic experience you must first step outside of the commercial travel zone and embrace the beaten track. Go completely out of your comfort zone, for without taking risks we do not learn to be brave - and this is what travel is all about: The freedom to break the boundaries of conformity, to learn and grow with every risk we take so that every journey we make from then on is a memory to cherish far beyond any commercialised idea of the culture or the place we are trying to experience - because it is our OWN memory, our own idea of the place handed to us by locals, not tour guides. 

Backpackers are the most amazing, inspiring kinds of people you will ever meet. The energy a backpacker Carries is incredibly contagious. Your flame for travel may be but a spark in this big scary new world you've just arrived in with no tour guides,  but the moment you are in a room full of backpackers you will feel it, the enthusiasm, the joy, the freedom, it's a vibration that electrifies your soul that can never be extinguished once it has been ignited. this is your network, your community for first hand travel knowledge better than any tips or advice any travel agent could ever give you because they have just been there and they have just done that, and if they havnt yet then they want to hold your hand and journey across that road with you (just in case your not quite as fearless as you'd like)

Living on a boat, magnetic island part 3

Tina in work was about to leave and Kelly had had to move to work in another bar as he had an argument with the manager. This Didn't surprise me at all. Kelly was one of those poor buggers, really smart, full of potential but had something missing, there was a sadness I couldn't put my finger on. I missed him when he went becuase the place was now boring and drama free. 

I started to miss all the guys id been travelling with, Adam was ment to be coming, Sam was still packing for her farm work in bundaberg and Gemma was fruit picking. Matt was having an awesome time in surfers paradise and working as a taxi biker but within 2 weeks everyone was on Maggie's with me, everyone was either fed up of their job, it fell through or they were skint and I knew of a fair few jobs going on the island, including the cleaning one with lindy I still hadn't been paid for yet.

Adam and Sam arrived with Milla and William. Adam sweet talked the busy hands owner lindy into taking him on along with everyone else and even managed to bag an apartment with a communal pool with a hefty discount on the rent. It was a tight squeeze, as Sam and Adam had to share a double bed,

(Which in theory I thought didn't matter

Since they shared a womb for 9 months) and the other two shared a single bed in the same room.  there was a small kitchen area and a small bathroom but it was a cheap roof over their heads. As high season was ending the working hours was less so lindy could only keep Adam. 

She was pretty crazy anyway and accused William of showing up to work drunk costing him the job. 

Sam and milla soon found a job waitressing 

When Matt arrived on the island it was early hours of the morning. He hitch hiked the equivalent distance of Manchester, UK to Athens, Greece in the space of 36 hours and I woke up to a couple of missed calls and a txt to say he'd got off the ferry. I panicked and made my way to pick him up around an hour after he'd arrived on the island 

I found him lying asleep on his bag next to a supermarket not far from the ferry port. it was scorching and I don't know how he was able to sleep in the heat but then he had barely slept at all in 2 days and he wasn't from wales so I barely had a definition of heat in comparison to this New Orlean lying on the grass. I tried shaking him and calling his name but it didn't wake him. 

I didn't know Where he was going to go so I dropped him off at base hostel where I knew they had places to pitch up tents with showers close by. Although you had to pay for this, Matt, as usual had no money so I told him to just risk it as I'd never seen anyone check if campers had payed or not.  he wasn't so thrilled with the idea as there was no security. He couldn't stay with me on Fred's boat as Fred didn't like the sound of a guy staying over especially as it sounded like he was depending on me for a lot. I appreciated Fred was just looking out for me and he'd done so much for me I wasn't going to push the matter.

Matt wasn't sleeping very well in the tent and got kicked out anyway. He ended up moving in with everyone else in their tiny apartment with the communal pool lindy was renting to them which gave me a bit of a break because I kept worrying about him and what he was going to do. I tried to do my best with him but, ultimately the whole thing was stressful so I distanced myself from him, Fred agreed this was the best thing to do as he needed to take care of himself and not rely so heavily on others. 

I felt bad because matt and I were a team back in Bundaberg when we were farming and we were the best of friends but once he started to rely on me too much I think something changed between us and and he felt it too. Eventually though matt was fairly settled with a caravan. He'd taken (stolen) bed sheets from the hostel to make curtains and made it as much of a home as he could. I admired matt, for the luck he had and the help he got from total strangers. He met a man at the last hostel who had lost his licence and made a deal with matt, that if he drove him everywhere in the car he could use it any time he wanted otherwise. All he needed now was a job but in the mean time we made good use of the car and the mans blow-up kayak he let us borrow. We drove to West Point,   we very poorly used the kayak and went too far out, fell out a few times, got scared of the jelly fish and as safely as we could made our way back to enjoy the sun set.  West Point hosted the best view of Townsville and as the sun set, the sky made an array of colours and the city lights shone in the distance. I timed my go pro to take pictures of us every 3 seconds so I got some brilliant shots of us laughing and just sitting together admiring the view. 

Work was busy so it wasn't until a few days later I saw matt again and it was the 3rd time he'd invited me to stay at his caravan. I can imagine it got quite lonely so I stayed much to Fred's disappointment, even though he was quite happy to drive his dingy back to shore at stupid o clock to pick me up if I wanted to, bless him he was so good to me. He was also concerned and didn't like me hanging around with someone who was steeling things, even if it was just to get by. Fred really was like a responsible dad taking care of me, I bloody miss that man!

When I arrived at matts caravan we made my bed a bit better we chilled out and Talked for most of the Evening. He was traveling because he had lost someone who had cut their life short to drugs and wanted to explore the world because life was too short and that woke him up enough to do it now. It was nice to think that something devastating, which usually has a negative impact on people meant that it had a positive impact on matt, so his friend didn't die in vain. I like to think that people above us at this point are rooting for us like: HELLL YEAH!!! YOU GO BOY!!!

Matt was definately one of a kind. he spoke of his past experiences, and I could tell he had so much left to learn. He had been hurt and he was still holding on to his past. 

I realised how much I had learnt from my own experiences, how much I had grown and how much I had left to learn, I guess that when they say you "find yourself" traveling I think you find yourself in other people, you look at what you like and what you dislike in others because you associate yourself with each individual, thus you are learning who you are and who you would or wouldn't like to be. I think this is why I was once told that university or traveling is important, if you don't do one then do the other. A lot can be said for meeting people of  different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures and passions.

A man arrived, drunk and bleeding with bite marks up and down his arm, holding a snake. Apparently a bit of an annoying but funny neibour of matts. He encouraged us to hold the snake. Matt keen as anything held the snake, not a care in the world. Obviously I asked if it was poisonous. It was a diamond python, just a regular common snake and after much hesitation I had it weaving in and around my legs and eventually held it. That night it slept in the caravan with us and matt would have to count sheep or something because he wouldn't stop talking to me.

Another evening with matt in the borrowed car we were driving around the island when we had to stop for a crossing koala. Amazing photo moment. Finally a clear shot where it wasn't in the tree at a distance! 

There was a lot left unsaid between matt and I before he left magnetic island. I feel like I should have helped him more. He even said that he came all the way there for me, i mean i used to call him every now and again and encourage him to come.  I told him to come  because I felt it was an easy place to find work and be in paradise if he wanted to escape the city. things got a bit weird where I wasn't sure if he felt we should have been more than friends. One time he waited on shore for me for over an hour because he was bored. I just wanted to chill on Fred's boat that day though. I felt bad but I didn't want to have a conversation with matt where he felt awkward and it probably wasn't worth it any way, I was probably just being a typical woman and over thinking the situation. if you tell a guy you like ed Sheehan and he downloads the album, pays for it with money he doesnt have and stops the car to listen to it with you and arranges to watch a sun set with you, alarm bells go off. he'd do these sweet things and I wouldn't know wether He was just being nice, that I was jumping to conclusions or If I was actually being totally nieve.  then on the other hand he'd say something a bit too personal, a bit too insulting about my appearance that would make me think that I was daft for thinking too much into those niceties and he's just being Matt. It was really no wonder I distanced myself.

I missed Craig and things subsequently got tough between us but considering the distance and the time apart we were doing really well, I just had to let him know what was going on, include him a bit more, otherwise conversations consisted of "hi u k?" Yeah gd u?" and then 1 of us would be in bed soon after because of the time difference. I was counting down the weeks for him to come to Australia.

Living on a boat, magnetic island part 2

Fred and I got along really well, he would sit and listen to me go on about the rat race of life that I didn't want, something he's heard from a lot of couch surfers. Some nights, even though electricity was limited he would stick his PC on and we would watch movies. He would pick me up from work on the shore with his dingy late at night and have an evening meal all prepared for me and joke that he would make an excellent house wife. At the start I'd feel a bit bad, a bit guilty that I was almost taking advantage of Fred's kindness but mark had said its something he enjoys doing. He whinges and grumbles sometimes but it keeps him busy having couch surfers over. I suppose that's what life's all about anyway isn't it, you need 2 things, Love and purpose. If you have just one of those then your alright. 

I noticed one day that Fred was managing his couch surfing site and had a request. "Great lets have them over!!" From then on I managed the site and responded to the requests for Fred since he said I may aswell be his receptionist as I'm the one who wants them over and he's happy either way (gotta love laid back fred) it gave us both something to talk about when they had left and I met some interesting folk, we took them on tours around the island when I had time off work, this included a visit to the wild koalas, the loraqueets feed at the YHA hostel at 4pm every day where a dozen of them would swarm on you for a bit of wet bread and the rock wallabies a short drive away where we would stop over at the local supermarket and pick up some carrots to feed them with. I always enjoyed taking some snaps of everyone at every stop, like who doesn't want a good photo of themselves?. i used to enjoy photography back home so it was always good to capture a moment where someone got their first close encounter with an aussie animal. The views along the drive were beautiful, Townsville could be seen or magnetic islands mountainous coast line. It always felt like I was on treasure island from the way the rocks all lay on top of one another and it held some paradise beaches, each with their own character. Depending on the waves direction some beaches would get huge waves, perfect for surfing and so much fun to jump through. It felt good to show backpackers around the island, like a proud house wife giving a grand tour of her beloved home because for a short time maggies really was my home, a beautiful haven. and even now at home as I'm writing this, maggies will still feel like a home to me. I got to know the locals at work and one time I even found myself at a locals "house party" - so I thought.

After finishing my shift I found chef Kelly sitting on a park bench near shore so I sat with him. He invited me to a party and others from work would be there. Great! I text Fred to let him know and that I would be staying at Kelly's that night so he didn't have to pick me up late. When we arrived I Introduced myself to the owners of the house and saw a couple of people from work so I felt a bit better. I got talking to someone I'd seen around the island a lot, a lad that dressed as a woman but had a bigger cleavage than me (not that that's hard to achieve) anyway, I proceeded to make everyone else (probably) feel awkward - I'm pretty good at that - and ask how on earth he/she achieved it. Sandy was awesome she was so outgoing and open about her sexuality, she didn't like labels and wasn't gay or bi or a female wanna be. She was just a lad who likes to dress as a girl. Her sense of style was brilliant. she was inspiring, I loved her! I admired her confidence and even got some tips on how to create bigger boobs. Funny times. She explained it was hard outside of the island because it was hard for people to accept her. Australia in general isn't very accepting of homosexuality. Racism was another issue but then I suppose you get a fair bit of it in the uk if you explore enough places. 

Another girl was performing a bit of a show, hooping, and someone started playing guitar. It was nice that so many of the locals got together like this and I wondered if there was a particular occasion. It seemed that I was the only one appreciating the performances around me and everyone else seemed to be deep In conversations. 

There was a medical outer house with a picture of a woman, that same picture was also outside the house in the garden and I started to wonder what sickness was so bad that someone had to have a medical centre in their own home? A girl just 15 years old came out to give a speech. She spoke of her mum and how much she loved her and the memory's she had of her. It was then I realised Kelly had invited me to an anniversary of someone's death. Fucking Kelly.... I felt so awkward and so disrespectful, till the girl giving the speech said her mum was all about having a good time, partying and living life to the full so the more the merrier. 

They put their mums playlist on that night and passed the bong around which I took part in before searching for Kelly to throttle him. He slipped me some vodka and I calmed down, then complained I drank all his vodka. So we went back to his and discussed my new part time job - cleaning his place. 

Kelly's apartment was the kind I was cleaning when I was woofing at Chris' so it was perfect. A refreshing sea breeze regularly swept the balcony that over looked another island in the distance, however this was all ruined by the chaotic mess in the place. At least it gave me a job though. 

I once locked myself out and Kelly was asleep and failed to hear me knock so Chris had to let me in. Chris was really lovely and chatty, more so now I wasn't living at his anymore and we had a bit of a catch up. That was the last time I would see him. Sometime after I finished cleaning I took advantage of where I was and relaxed in the jacuzzi or swam in the infinite pool which had the same island view as Kelly's balcony.  Oh man I miss those times. It's strange looking back because I know I was grateful then, I know how much I appreciated that very moment but I still wish I appreciated it more, like I didn't know how lucky I was. I wish I could capture a moment and re live It.

Living on a boat, magnetic island part 1

I can't remember the moment it didn't feel so awkward with Fred but I look back on my time in Australia and Fred's boat is always the highlight. Like, who lives on a boat for 6 weeks? Obviously there's pleanty who live indefinitely but this was the craziest thing I'd ever done. 

My days consisted of waking up at 6am with the sun in my eyes and drenched in sweat as I was cooking on the deck in the heat. I would put a thin sheet over my eyes, take off the quilt and then sleep for another hour or 2 if I was lucky. I would wake up to a cup of tea beside me. Fred took good care of me and always joked he'd make a fantastic house wife. I always appreciated the teas in Fred's as did the other boatys who made a regular appearance each morning. Mark was the regular.  Fred said it was because he had a really good water filter systum on his boat, better than most boats, so the teas and coffees always tasted better. It's also becuase boatys have an awesome community and they made sure Fred wasn't lonely and the couch surfer (me) was given the heads up on Fred. Chili told me he can be a bit touchy feely and they've all told him how inappropriate it is but he doesn't think it's an issue even though he's had a previous complaint. Now, I liked Fred. He had a big heart, which chili also said and hes totally harmless, at this point I felt like she was talking about Fred as though he was a grenade or something... apparently all I needed to do was blink at him if I had an issue and he'd back off.

Work was going really well, it was really busy and I was loving it, it paid well and Fred would pick me up on shore each evening in his dingy and take me

Back to the boat. I was concerned at one point at how long he'd stay on the island for as boatys tend to move around but he explained he had a girl stay with him for 3

Months. she was working on the island also. so I felt secure, which is a rarity when your traveling solo! 

Once we arrived back after my shifts Fred would have freshly caught fish and vegetables ready and that would be our evening meals. 

The days meals consisted of chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Unless one of us was hungry, usually me, then I'd make rice noodles on the stove and stir in some sauce or eat rice crackers and fruit and climb to the top of the boat with my meal and enjoy the view and the slow rythem of the rocking of the boat. I'd See if I could spot a turtle or two. I'd sit and appreciate the breeze, where I was In the world, how lucky I was, how beautiful this place was and how it's a shame most backpackers only stay a short time on the island. To me it was a second home, a paradise. And although I could have some big long chats with Fred and I could take the piss out of him and we could have a laugh together, sometims j did just relish those quiet moments to myself as it was otherwise difficult to have that in the confined space that was Fred's boat.

Fred also had a hammock Which was amazing as the breeze was the best here and the rocking of the boat would cause it to swing. It was like being rocked in a cradle. Sea sickness would have been an issue for anyone else but I loved it. So relaxing. Fred would also keep bringing the teas too so I rarely had to lift a finger. I was so incredibly lucky to have met Fred and for him to have put me up for the length of time he did.

My first morning I remember he did all of my washing and hung it out to dry. This included all of my underwear on show for all the Boatys to see. Brilliant, that and some strange man (Fred) with the best intentions and a kind heart, felt up some of my intimate belongings... Not the best morning but I slowly realised Fred is completely oblivious to knowing what is socially acceptable and what isnt. 

we were kind of lazy in the maintenance of the cleaning. I offered to hoover once but it didn't come to anything, instead Fred told me there was fungus growing from the carpet from lack of cleaning. Made me laugh. He was so laid back, so different to what I was used to back home. The kitchen area was cleaned at the end of the day and Fred would be on top of the general wear and tear of things on the boat on the odd days he felt it was really necessary or maybe when he was bored. Apparently cockles start forming on the bottom of the boat and weigh it down so you use up more fuel traveling. Fred said he'd get down there with a snorkel kit and do it all, rather than get it on land and have it done professionally (far too costly). As the days passed I got to Know some more of the errands that needed to be done to maintain life on the

Boat. Considering half of the boatys were retired or semi retired it seemed to be quite a tiring task to keep up the lifestyle, but then again from

Experience, the secret to longevity is to always keep going, no matter what ailment or how tired, just keep

Going. So I guess it works. Even chili managed to keep it all going when she broke her leg and her toilet was down the ladder. True independent woman! then I saw lochy, another boaty with almost a full leg cast and he managed to keep going. 

One day mark offered to teach me How to use the dingy since I was Going to be around for a 

While and every morning he came I would use his dingy and fail to park it along side Fred's boat so they usually had to pull me in and rescue me.

getting kicked out of base hostel.

So I returned to the hostel I was working in for accomodation. Between that and the Marlin bar it was working really well as I wasn't spending on food or stay. The huge downside was it was becoming a bit like slave labour and the hours i worked didnt match what I was receiving in return as I would be doin a lot of overtime. the final straw came when a customer asked for peppermint tea. Now I know how daft that sounds but when your taking orders at the desk, ensuring all the washing up is done, when there is a shortage of cutlery and customers constantly asking for cutlery but your already juggling 50 different things and there's a long ass que at the till, when your running meals out and preparing some meals all on your own. Your basically doing a 3 man job and they were incredibly short on staff volunteers that day. So when someone asks for pepperment tea I couldn't help but respond "no😒... This is a HOSTEL 😒" 

I mean I'll be honest if the hostel appreciated anything any of the staff volunteers were doing I would have appreciated my position there but I didn't. And I was pissed they put me in the position they did, busy as fuck and under staffed. The customers were all backpackers so fair enough to some of them they would help me out and appreciate the stress I was under, I guess the 4 complaints I received that day wernt from those backpackers. Safe to say I was given the boot. Pack my things and collect my stuff, I had 2 hours

To get out. Kieron my roomy offered to give me a lift but I didn't catch him, though he did say not to be gutted becuase it's the worst hostel he's worked in and the boss, bundy, he's an arrogant prick and has never appreciated the extra lengths any of the workers have gone to with certain things. I got that impression.

So I left, immediately calling good old Fred who ofcourse let me stay on his

Boat. At this point I was nervous. I was so fortunate to have Fred as an option and I appreciated that so so much as an apartment would have been too expensive as would food and the only other hostel had no staff vacancys and you could only stay a maximum of 2 weeks. 

Fred offered to pick me up

But I insisted on the bus, when I arrived Fred was waiting with other boatys on the picnic bench on the shore by work. I started to feel uncomfortable and regretted my decision to stay the moment the other boatys started to joke about Fred being surrounded by girls on his boat. but at this point I had no

Other choice. my gut feeling told me it was going to be ok so I just went for it.

Fred made my bed as usual, kissed my forhead before going to bed himself. Things felt awkward but I knew Fred did this all the time and I'm sure I would adjust in time to this crazy change. Besides, work was right on shore!

Couch surfing.

I'd heard of couch surfing before within my first few weeks of being in Australia I met a German girl called Mara who was staying with a family, woofing, that were working on Andreas back garden.  She had only ever couch surfed for accomodation unless she had no other choice but to stay in a hostel. Most of her experiences were good ones, some hosts are strange but innocent enough and sometimes you do feel awkward but other times you meet great people and have a totally different experience than you would if you stayed in a hostel. Sometimes it's also a great way to meet the locals who are able to tell you about places to go in the area of the beaten track, or places tourists don't know about. Although It wasn't couch surfing, but for example, If I had never stayed with Andrea that month I would never have taken the time to watch a rugby match, well Australia football, and I would never have realised how much I loved it. I was told all bout state of origin and now I love it. You wouldn't get that enthusiasm for aussy rugby if you stayed in a hostel.  

Maras worst experience was with some guy in surfers paradise who had an apartment that was pretty well off. A couple of backpackers were already there so she contacted the guy who was on a night out and said she was going to chill for the night. He wasn't having any of it and when she said she didn't have anything to wear he said there were heels and dresses in the wardrobes. Apparently the nicest heels shed ever worn. Designer too. Ok - so... Strange at this point the guy has all this. Anyway, there out with the guy who isn't the best looking and turns out he's a bit of a creep. Surprise surprise. Anyway I can't really say much more than that but if that's the worst experience then it can't be that bad. You hear about these horror stories where girls are raped or the couch surfer knocks on the door and the host automatically expects sex like staying isnt for free - which is what every realist immediately thinks of when they think of couch surfing anyways.... But I think the chances of that happening are exactly the same is if you were to do absolutely anything on your own, walking down an alley way, through the woods on a quiet day etc... There is always a slim chance that you are in danger no matter what you do. 

The couch surfing websight, when you click on a host you are able to check out reviews backpackers have put about the host and rated that host. It's usually standard procedure to also meet up with the host, in a busy restaurant or cafe, before you stay but it can sometimes be inconvenient at the time to either you or the host so you just have to go with your gut instinct.