Goodbye to Melbourne

The last few weeks have been exactly how I like my life to be - crazy. 

I finished work on Friday night and then filled my time with trips, goodbye drinks and nights out, trying to see everyone I want to see before I leave my Melbourne life behind. I've been surprised how rooted I've become in just four and a half months. 

I squeezed a couple of day trips in while I was still working 45 hour weeks (moneyyyyy!) so I ticked off a trip to see the penguin parade on Phillip Island and the Neighbours studio tour last week. Then on Saturday I did a bus tour along the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles. And with that I've completed my Melbourne bucket list. 

Amongst the fun, I've been trying to plan the last leg of my trip. I only have two weeks to see the rest of Australia, and then three months in Asia. I'm actually slightly depressed the end is so close, after being away for almost nine months. But there's so much to see and do, I just need to make the most of it. 

My original plan to hop over to Fiji while still in Oz fell through, because STA Travel didn't have suitable dates for me to change my flights to leave Australia. I tried to change my flights to two weeks later a month in advance, but they didn't have availability. They did for my later flights, thankfully, so now I go home as late as possible, exactly a year after leaving for Rio Carnival in February. That feels like ages ago. 

So to soften the blow of not being able to island hop through Fiji, I booked a sojourn to the Philippines from Tokyo. I'm going to spend a week in Cebu, and the beaches look absolutely divine. The only thing is it's the end of rainy season so I'm really hoping the weather is good. Fingers crossed! 

I have so much excitement coming up in my future. Seeing the highlights of Oz, Hong Kong, going back to my old home of Tokyo after four years, the Philippines, Christmas with two old friends in Bangkok, New Year on the Thai islands, and then a month travelling with two of my best friends from home. 

But first I need to say goodbye to Melbourne. I have a farewell dinner with my aunt, uncle and cousin tonight, which will be nice. Then I'll go back to my friend Anna's house for the night. I've been staying with her and her housemates in their student house for the past few days. It's so nice to see real Australian life, and also to feel like a student again. 

And tomorrow... Roll on Sydney.