It’s been two weeks since I came back from my trip Down Under and boy do I miss it. The weather, the food, the people – the cute OZ accent! eeek! – I mean, how can you resist?!

FULL STORY + TONS OF OZ TRAVELLING TIPS AFTER THE JUMP

So, I happen to have like 10000 photos which I’ve been slowly but surely editing. So many memories! My head is kind spinning around. I literally went from north to south, from a lush rainforest to the epicentre of fashion and culture – with some koala spotting in between. And lucky you, I am about to share some tips so you can plan your next trip Down Under – ’cause you are SO travelling there!

Let’s do this!

From North to South – Australia in a Snapshot

Port Douglas: This teeny town is packed with majestic beaches and natural beauty. It’s close to The Daintree rainforest (more details of the forest in here), Mossman Gorge, and of course, the Great Barrier Reef, which is a MUST in your bucket list.

For accommodation, hands down go to QT Port Douglas, it’s suuuuper funky, and they have insane food, like you can eat your face off and totally not feel guilty about it. The peeps there will take good care of you! I mean just look at this gal, how adorbsss (say hi to Emily everyone! She’s the go-to girl for QT Port Douglas).

Lizard Island: If you have some extra dollars to spend, you MUST visit Lizard Island, also known as paradise, also known as heaven on earth and all other awesome things you can think of. This place is so beautiful, words cannot describe it (just look at the photos on their site!). I was there for a day and it was totally worth it. The reef is just a few steps away from your room! Basically you wake up and you go hang out with Nemo. Since it’s an island where the only inhabitants are the people in the resort and a few scientists, you literally have the whole beach to yourself – you can hike, swim, explore the mangroves, and drink lots of delicious OZ wine. Sold!

To fly to Lizard Island, you can take a plane from Hinterland Aviation, which is about an hour and a bit away from Port Douglas.

Now let’s fly south!

Melbourne: I cannot even begin to tell you how much I LOVE this city. Art, fashion, design, food, culture, you name it they have it! And not just that, people are SO friendly (maybe I’m a bit jaded of the snobbery here in Vancouver haha). I was walking down one of the many laneways and arcades (where all the cool shit is!) and ended up at Comme des Garçons where the gal working there gave me TONS of tips for shopping. How nice!?

My recommendation to get acquainted with the city is to take a tour with Hidden Secrets, these guys know everything there is in fashion and culture in Melbourne and can totes customize something for ya.

Things you MUST do in Melbourne:
- Grab a coffee at Brother Baba Budan – so good!
- Visit Craft Victoria, an amazing store FULL of stuff created by local artists and designers
- Stroll around Brunswick and Gertrude st. where you’ll find unique shops
- Do as many laneways as possible! Especially Hosier lane
- Pop by T2 Tea Shop, so colourful! And the tea is delish (they got tons!)
- Visit a few galleries – I could go on and on about all of them, but here, check out this site where you’ll find the latest arty events.
-Eat at Tonka, mouthwatering!
- Grab a few cocktails at Chin Chin / Go Go
- Need free WiFi while you people watch? Go To Federation Square (you should go there regardless)

How freaking hot are australian arty peeps? I was lucky enough to see some of them in action! I even met one local film artist, who took me for drinks to The Everleigh, SO DREAMY! Both him and the place. Oh poor guy didn’t know I was totally creeping on him the whole night haha (sorry dude!), as for the dude on the photo above, I like to think that he’s pointing down at the spot where he’s going to kneel down to ask me to marry him so I can move to Australia…..right!?! *eye twitch* – one can dream. K, enough creepin.

Woweee…so many memories! Dudes, this is just half of it! The 2nd part will include more Melbourne goodness, PLUS the Great Ocean Road and a hidden Ecolodge which is probably Victoria’s best kept secret! All this and more coming on part 2.

All photos: Artful Desperado

To see more about #GoAustralia, including other bloggers who were also sponsored for this trip, visit Go Mighty Go Australia. All views and tips are my own.

Hi! I am freaking excited!! CAN YOU TELL?

A: Summer has arrived to Vancouver and the sun is finally shinning!
B: The city is full of events, outdoor movies and festivals
C: I am about to share with you yet another fantastic City Walk – with an architectural twist! Today’s walk is hosted by Denise, one of the editors of Artsy Dartsy and Brutus, the artsiest hound in town. Enjoy!

Discover | Granville Island secret grassy knoll – at the south-east corner of the island behind Performance Works and the Dockside Restaurant is this perfectly tired grassy hill that’s perfect for picnics. Don’t forget to go to Lee’s Donuts in the market for the sugar glazed and make sure you guard it from the Seagulls

Eat | La Bretagne Creperie just off Robson at 795 Jervis Street makes the best crepes. Don’t go to the other place!

Explore| There are a number of great walking tours during the summer that focus on architecture; Jane’s Walk Vancouver, AIBC Walking Tours, Heritage Vancouver Tours to name a few. The cost is minimal or free and it’s a great way to find out about specific neighbourhoods in the city.

Get Inspired | Do the Gastown, Chinatown, DTES gallery hop. There are lots of great galleries to check out: Blim, Access Gallery, make an appointment for the Rennie Gallery on-line, 221A Artist Run Center, Trench Contemporary Art Gallery, Positive/Negative Gallery, Exercise, Catalog Gallery, Artspeak and more all within walking distance.

Walk | The last one is not really a secret but the entire seawall is great on a sunny day. You can ride you bike or walk and sun tan on one of the many grassy areas. The seawall is Brutus approved!

Thanks so much for all your artsy tips, Denise!

Guys, take note of all these wonderful places to visit and go on an adventure this weekend! Get as much sun as you can (with sun blocking lotion, of course) and if you’re an instagramer, don’t forget to tag your photos with #ACWalks. Happy weekend!

|Artsy Dartsy|