Hello beautiful people,

I came to Australia in November with absolutely no plan, but a vague dream I’d had for years: to live luxuriously out of my van (probably with my hot Aussie partner, also) and travel around the country, seeing incredible landscapes and falling asleep to the sound of the ocean every night. 

I was broke when I landed; the savings from my corporate job I had quit before walking the Camino running on fumes. Thankfully, I had a couple of friends I met while traveling (remember when I got that black eye at the olive farm in Tuscany?) that let me stay with them near Melbourne for very little while I sorted out my plan. I job hunted and applied for two months before I finally found anything. And the thing I did find wasn’t exactly part of my Aussie freedom plan, but as you all know I am about trusting the process, and moved in with a family as an au pair. 

One job turned into two (watering trees in new housing developments during the summer) turned into three (reading tarot professionally at a crystal shop), and I started saving, thankfully not having to pay for rent or many groceries. If you want to extend your working holiday visa in Australia, you are required to work for three months in a remote location in the country, either in hospitality or on a farm. I knew I wanted to extend, so I began looking for jobs to fulfil those requirements.

Did I mention I hate applying for jobs?

I didn’t realize just how many backpackers like me were competing for the same thing, both in hospitality and farm work. I had heard horror stories about fruit picking and the working conditions, but my time was running out, so I succumbed to applying to farm jobs as well as bartending jobs. I applied to over 100, and even went to Far North Queensland for a weekend to hand out CV’s for bars and hotels in person.

The situation was looking bleak. I was nervous I would have to leave Australia for good in November when I went to Thailand to lead my group trips with Travel Light. And then what? My plan has been to live here for the next couple of years.

Finally, on the Tuesday after I returned from Cairns, a friend sent me a link to an eco-village and yoga retreat farm near Byron Bay. I had to leave my au pair job in four weeks’ time, and the application asked for 6-8 weeks notice from the start date. I acknowledged the time crunch, made a quick video of myself, and filled out the rest of the application. 

I waited, nervously, applying to more jobs the rest of the week.

Friday morning, I received an email that I was accepted. A huge wave of relief. But I couldn’t start until a week after I requested, meaning I would be making my three months’ requirement by just a few days. 

It was a volunteer role, so I wouldn’t be getting paid. Not ideal, but at this stage I couldn’t afford to be picky (literally). Another thing: there is no accommodation for volunteers, so they sleep in tents in a camping area or in their vans.

Their vans.

There was no way in hell I was going to live in a tent for three months. So now I had to find a van. My van. The van I had dreamed of getting. 

Another layer of stress. Okay. I have three weeks to find a van now. 

I wrote down a list of everything I wanted it to have: automatic transmission, reliable, bluetooth stereo, all the way down to the wood paneling interior. 

Then I put the list away and trusted it would come. 

And it did, just a week later. 

I found the perfect one up in Byron Bay so I flew there and drove two days back to Melbourne. I got my beautiful van, that will be my home on wheels for the next three months and beyond. To make the situation even more miraculous and aligned, the dad of the host family I live with loves a construction project and has spent the last several days helping me fit it out exactly how I want it.

P.P.S., if you want to support my work in any way, you can buy me a coffee. I would be forever grateful.