Writing this, we are in one of the most amazing places we’ve been while our journey. It’s Freycinet national park, a village called Coles Bay. In Tasmania, in a chalet with a view to the mountain and to the Great Oyster Bay. Wine on the other hand and chocolate on the other, friends to spend time and play one more round of UNO card game. Sun is soon setting, it’s 25 degrees, birds sing. We are spoiled. Is this what it is? Well, for us, it really has been like this.

We thought to share some ideas of how we feel Australia has treated us and what the ones travelling down under could think would be useful. Some of the ideas are small, many are irrelevant… not sorted with importance, just some intuition. So here we go:

• The people. Yes, it’s all true. They are extremely helpful and nice, smiling and relaxed. Asking “how are you” really means something, and they also honestly tell how their day has been, even it has been bad. So, it’s a real question, not only compulsory “hello”. They happily advice where to go and what to see. Jukka even got the wooden stick taken out from his feet in a private medical clinic for free (without any paper work at all)!

• The animals. We wouldn’t skip a trip to Australia because of fear of spiders. We haven’t seen any dangerous animals at all. The only animals we’ve seen are the most unique ones: cassowary, and the platypus. Besides we have seen one echidna in Tasmania. And the birds! Those are simply amazing, all the colors and what more, the sounds! It’s like in a Star Wars movie!

• Driving the car is essential in Australia. Moving from place to place really requires a car. Don’t be afraid, you get used to the left side traffic. The traffic is easy going and smooth, the drivers give you space, and are flexible (other than we have ever experienced!). And camper van, it’s a must! Our recommendations:
  • Download WikiCamp application to search the accommodation and good sights on the road
  • Take with you: a torch, some tape (handy for many things), space blanket to keep the dash board cool, clothes pegs (in Finnish pyykkipoika), marker pen (to mark your food in common fridges), laundry powder (small amount), small plastic bags to store food, power bank (solar powered would be extra handy), salt/pepper and small travel towel (easy at camp sites to wash face and hands)
  • The cost of camp sites are 25-40 AUD per night per van
  • The tourist tours and routes are marked with brown signs, just go for it!
  • Control the chaos in your camper, take many small bags to sort things (swimming stuff, running gear…)
  • The traffic rules are similar to ours, and the signs nice and easy, often written

• Note that nobody might stop for you if you hitchhike, we tried in Coffs Harbour after the rally event just to get a ride to our camping (4 km), but no luck, people only laughed at us.
• Our recommendation for camp sites in New South Wales is “North Coast Holiday Parks” (http://www.northcoastholidayparks.com.au). You can count the prices are ok and amenities clean and tidy. Also, every 7^th night is for free. They have the best ever camping site we’ve seen: Bonny Hills camp site.

• Go and buy your meat for the BBQ from the local butcher. The meat is cheap, and very good! And bbq you can do anywhere in public picnic spots.

• Dan Murphy’s. The alcohol is sold only on liquor stores. Other than in Finland, those are nevertheless not under monopoly, but prices vary a lot. Dan Murphy’s liquor store is the cheapest, with good service and free wifi. The casks of wine are the most cost efficient way! There are even consumers’ recommendations on the shelves.

• The internet. Thinking back, we should have taken Australian pre-buy mobile. On the other hand, there are plenty of free wifis around, libraries, tourist infos, Woolworth, McDonald’s…
• Finnish products! Yes, we have seen Fazer’s chocolates, and besides some Finnish bread! Didn’t buy tho, we survive without. Oh, and in 7 Eleven coffee comes with “Huhtamaki” plastic lid! Finland was mentioned in the news because of Northern Lights!

• National parks. Mainly free entrance, very well kept areas, good maps, plenty to see.
• Public toilets. Always clean and nice, just use! Just the same with public BBQ areas.

• Tap water. Drink, it’s fresh and good! If not, it’s mentioned.
• Credit cards. Everything works out fine, the limit to just “tap” (no need to insert PIN) is 100 AUD.
• The price level of food in the shops varies a lot, and in our opinion quite randomly. Just check the lowest shelves, and trust on campaigns! Eating out is expensive, check some happy hours. Subway is cheaper than back at home. In 7 Eleven it’s cheap to buy coffee, 1 AUD, otherwise quite expensive.
• The sun. It’s hot, and even when cloudy, you might end up sun burned. In our opinion the best protection are the sunscreen from “Cancer Council” (http://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/sun-protection-products/).

• The clothes. Don’t take too much clothes with you, they are anyway out of the fashion once you end up into new continent. We updated our gear to Billabong and Roxy in Ashmore Factory Outlets (http://www.ashmoreoutlets.com.au/) which indeed had cheap prices for these brands.

• Avoid to take any white clothes with you, the washing gets difficult.
• And finally, our favourite blog of Australia: https://muuttolintu.com/ (in Finnish)

As they say “no worries”, it’s really like that, everything was very easy and smooth for us, and we encourage all the hesitating people just to book the flights to Down Under!