I am making travel plans again! | The story continues.
If you read my last posts, you might have guessed this was coming — I’m finally making travel plans again! It’s been a long time since I packed a bag with a one‑way ticket in mind, and this time, I’m approaching it with the perspective that only fourteen months of island life can give.
The end of an era
Today marked my last day working as a cheesemaker for King Island Dairy — and honestly, it feels surreal to even type that sentence. What was meant to be a quick four‑month job somehow stretched into fourteen, turning from a “way to extend my visa” into a true lifestyle. I learned everything from how Camembert cultures develop in salt brine to how to flip 20 kg cheese rings without wrecking my back.
Working there was more than a job — it was daily proof that staying in one place could be as enriching as travelling across ten. Life on King Island offered a rhythm I didn’t know I needed: ocean winds instead of traffic, familiar faces instead of anonymity, routine that still somehow felt like freedom.
But now it’s time. I’ve learned how to make cheese… and, more importantly, when to move on.
Saying goodbye to the island
Leaving King Island isn’t easy. This remote rock in the middle of the Bass Strait has been my world for over a year. It’s where I built friendships, started a band, rode horses, played endless gigs, and discovered what being still can truly mean.
Over the next few days, I’ll pack up my house, squeeze in as many coffees and beach walks as possible, and say goodbye to the people who shaped this chapter of my life. There’s laughter in it, but also a lump in the throat. Every goodbye on an island feels harder — maybe because stepping on that little plane really is leaving.
The company has told me I’m always welcome back, and that means a lot. But deep down, I know that identity wins out: a traveller is a traveller.
Where to next?
Upcoming Thursday, I’ll fly back to Melbourne — the city that first welcomed me when I arrived in Australia. It’s hard to believe that even that is almost been two years!
The first item on my to‑do list is a simple one: catch up with old friends. Many of the backpackers I met in 2019 have since scattered across the world, but the locals I stayed in touch with are still there. Sharing a meal and a few stories with them will be the best homecoming I could ask for.
After Melbourne, I’ll head south again — this time to spend some proper time in Tasmania, a trip I’ve been dreaming about since before I even reached King Island or Australia. Mainland logistics, ferry timetables, route planning… apparently all things I could have sorted during the past fourteen months of stable living, but didn’t. Let’s call it “island time” at its finest. 😉
Two years in the making
It’s strange to think that I’ve been putting this trip off for almost two years. Life just kept unfolding differently than expected — and wonderfully so. But now the horizon finally feels open again. Flights exist, borders behave, and travel doesn’t sound like a far‑off fantasy anymore.
There’s excitement in that uncertainty — that same spark that first sent me abroad all those months ago. I don’t know exactly where this next path will lead, and that’s what makes it thrilling.
Farewell, but not forever
As I prepare to leave, there’s a bittersweet balance in everything: the gratitude of having called this island home and the thrill of returning to the road. I know that when I look back on King Island later in life — the long shifts, the rehearsals, the stormy beach walks — it will always feel like the place where I stopped running and started learning how to really live.
Now it’s time to take those lessons and head back into motion. Bags packed, playlists ready, plans flexible — just the way I like it. Besides, at this point Avalon isn’t joining me on my trip, but I’m not planning to leave her behind 🙂
Here’s to the next chapter.
Are you enjoying following our blogs and vlogs? Please let us know in the comments below! If you need help or have questions about exploring this fantastic world, check out our travel guides or contact us through the contact page. We are happy to help with all your travel needs and questions!
To keep up-to-date with future adventures and travel guides, follow us on Facebook or just simply check this website regularly. We can’t build this platform without our readers, so we thank you for your continued support. Stay tuned for many more adventures to come!
