Make sure you read the first part of this interview here before getting a bit deeper into Carmen’s West Coast trip and finding out about tougher backpacking moments.
Carmen grew up in a small town in the Netherlands and knew from a young age that she didn’t want to stay there. She chose an international degree at university, but it was her backpacking trip that made her emigrate permanently. She met her partner whilst travelling and now lives with him in the UK.
Follow her past travels and current London living on her Instagram.
Can you pick a favourite Australian state and suburb?
It’s hard to pick a favourite state and suburb, but I’d say that my favourite state is WA, the beaches are unmatched and the nature extraordinary! But my favourite city is definitely Melbourne and I would say my favourite suburb is Richmond. It’s close to the CBD, it has loads of amazing coffee and brunch places and is surrounded by other great suburbs.
What Australian road trip would you recommend?
The best road trip I did in Australia is without a doubt the West Coast. My boyfriend and I bought a 4×4 car with a bed and camping equipment in the back and drove all the way from Melbourne to Broome and back down to Perth, via Adelaide and the Nullarbor. All within five weeks. Travelling the West Coast is not only my favourite road trip in Australia, it’s probably one of the best memories of my life.
Any one memory that stands out from your West Coast trip in Australia?
One of my best memories of Australia is when my boyfriend and I drove into a park called Francois Perron National Park, near Shark Bay in WA. It consists fully of sand dune roads, so we had to deflate our tires to be able to drive there. At one point the worst outcome happened: we got bogged.
My boyfriend started to panic, as there was no one else around to help us. It was 35 degrees and the sand was hot. We tried digging the wheels out, but the sand was too loose. Eventually I suggested deflating the tires even more (we luckily had a machine for this in our car). This worked and we got out! We contemplated heading back, scared to get bogged again but decided to risk it and keep driving.
The research we did wasn’t in detail but we knew there was a lookout point all the way at the end. When we got there, we were awarded with the most stunning view. The stop looked out onto red cliffs, pink sand and a bright blue sea. A group of sting rays were swimming close to the shore and the more we looked, the more we saw. Sea turtles bopping up, reef sharks, dugongs playing in the distance. I nearly cried, it was much better than we could have ever expected and worth the stress of getting bogged!
Are you planning another trip and where?
Our main priority at the moment is finding a place to live, so we’re not actively planning a trip. Although we have been binge-watching Narcos, which has inspired us to start saving for a trip to Colombia (hopefully next year).
Where did you last travel to? Tell me more about your experience there?
Except for little trips within the UK and a city trip to Vienna, our last proper travel destination was the Philippines. We only visited two of the 2000 inhabited islands in the Philippines, but it was a gorgeous destination and very easy to travel around. It is quite touristy, but it has stunning places and the people are very friendly.
Backpacking comes with its pros and cons. Was there anything you found tough? Is there anything you love about being a backpacker?
Backpacking can happen in many forms and I think I changed my backpacking ways along my travels. I started as the typical Dutch backpacker, reading loads of blog posts and tips, making sure I was well informed to start my journey off smoothly. Carrying everything from a money belt to sterile needles, to ensure my health and safety.
I’m much more relaxed now. At one point, I backpacked with only a 35 litre bag and I was absolutely fine. You learn to adjust and become flexible. Things hardly ever go the way you plan, so it’s better to accept that and ‘go with the flow’.
What restaurant would you recommend as a ‘must-eat’?
For brunch in Melbourne: Holla Coffee Roasters. They do amazing Croffle S’mores, that look just as beautiful as they taste. I would strongly recommend the bottomless brunch, which includes espresso martinis.
What places did you explore in Australia?
I went to every state in Australia, except for ACT. I spent the most time in Melbourne/Victoria, Tasmania and Perth/WA.
What’s one item you took and never used?
My money belt.
What’s the one item you wouldn’t go travelling without?
Except for the obvious ones such as passport and phone, I would always bring my iPad! It works as my Netflix, an e-reader and a back-up camera for when I forget my phone.
It has been embarrassing running around taking photos with my iPad, but I once forgot to bring my phone to the beach and this sting ray came up to the shore and started chasing fish. That would’ve rested solely in my memory if it hadn’t been for the good old iPad.
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