First Trip Down Under: East Coast Australia
- LoAroundTheGlobo
- Aug 5, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 21
Summer 2011
Since I’d loved my first experience with People to People Student Ambassadors, I signed up again—this time for a three-week trip to Australia with a different group. We spent weeks preparing with pre-trip meetings at local schools, packing, and studying up with our three brave teacher chaperones.
About a week before we left, volcanic activity in Chile sent ash across the Pacific, forcing us to skip our planned week in New Zealand. Instead, we spent three unexpected days in Los Angeles, California, where the program treated us to a day at Disneyland. Sure, we whined like typical high schoolers at first, but we ended up having a blast.
We finally flew into Melbourne, Victoria, where we spent a few days exploring the city. At night, we wandered through lively streets filled with fire twirlers, magicians, and other street performers. The next day, we went sand-surfing on nearby dunes, tumbling and laughing our way down soft, sandy hills. On our last night in Melbourne, we relaxed on the beach outside our waterfront villas, watching the sun sink into the sea.
From there, we headed to Sydney, New South Wales, where we toured the Sydney Harbor and marveled at the Opera House and Bridge. We explored the Opera House interior, did a couple of harbor boat tours, and visited the Sydney Zoo. The zoo’s rehabilitative program for rescued koalas and kangaroos made the experience even sweeter—I got that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when holding (and yes, being pooped on by) these adorable creatures.
Next, we traveled to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Queensland, where we soaked up the sun at Bondi Beach and joined a boat tour to the Great Barrier Reef. Some of us snorkeled while a few of us certified divers went scuba diving—a dream come true. The dive was breathtaking, but also sobering: decades of human activity had greyed out the reef, leaving sparse wildlife and muted coral. It was a humbling reminder of our responsibility to protect these ecosystems.
On the Gold Coast, we visited a lighthouse perched on Australia’s easternmost point, marveling at jagged cliffs and roaring waters. Our final stop was Cairns, Queensland, where we visited a farm, fed animals, and chatted with the family who lived and worked there. One highlight was rappelling down a 200-foot cliff—a moment that helped me conquer a long-standing fear of heights, with my friend Claire by my side for moral support.
Each day we journaled, which I’m grateful for, because reading back later brought every memory rushing back. We bonded as a group over trying local cuisine, practicing our best Australian accents, and marveling at the landscapes, cityscapes, and creatures we encountered. By the end of the trip, we’d not only explored the East Coast of Australia—we’d pushed our boundaries, laughed until our cheeks hurt, and made memories that will last a lifetime.
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To Do or Not To Do?
Yes, mate—go for it! Australia really lives up to its reputation: the locals are as friendly and easy-going as you’ve heard, the food is delicious, the wildlife adorably cuddly, and the views absolutely breathtaking. I loved my trip and the experiences I had, but there are countless ways to explore this safe, easy-to-navigate country. I don’t remember the costs clearly since our program covered accommodations, transport, and some activities, but it wasn’t outrageously expensive—a nice bonus. Pack a laid-back attitude, and get yourself down there!
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