PART 1: Somewhere Between Sydney and Perth: Fourteen days West

The plan was simple: road trip from Cairns to Sydney. Easy. Epic. But, as has become the norm, things didn’t go quite as planned.

We were literally standing at the camper van rental counter in Cairns, ready to hit the road, when we casually mentioned our route to the dealer. She gave us a look—half concern, half are-you-kidding-me.

Per raised an eyebrow. “What’s that look for?”

She laughed nervously. “Uhh… have you guys checked the weather?”

We hadn’t. At all.

Turns out the entire route was getting slammed by rainstorms—like, serious flooding, road-closures-everywhere kind of storms. Just our luck.

We walked out empty-handed, heads spinning, weighing our options. Part of us wanted to say screw it and go anyway. Dodge the storms. Make it a wild adventure.

But after some quick research—and remembering we had to be in Sydney in seven days for UFC 312 (the whole reason for the trip)—we called it. Too risky.

No road trip. New plan pending….

After a couple days of going back and forth, we finally pulled the trigger—booked a flight to Sydney. No more guessing games.

We tossed around the idea of a road trip from Sydney instead—maybe Adelaide, maybe even all the way to Perth. But we weren’t locking anything in yet. First priority: get to UFC 312, find a place to crash, and squeeze in some sightseeing around the city.

Everything else? We’d figure it out as we went.

After about a week in Cairns, the Sydney travel day finally rolled around. We packed up our stuff, headed to the airport, and—miraculously—everything went off without a hitch. No delays, no chaos, Just smooth sailing (or flying, Technically). 

Before we knew it, we were touching down in Sydney.

We landed in Sydney three or four days before UFC 312—plenty of time to settle in and do some sight seeing once we locked down a place to stay. We ended up at a budget hotel just outside the city called the Riverwood Hotel. Small, no—frills kind of place, but it had the basics: a bar, a mini casino, a little restaurant, and clean rooms. Not bad for the price. 

Only downside? Classic budget—hotel—in—Australia problem: shared bathrooms. When we first checked in, we lucked out with a room that had a private bathroom, but that was only going to be ours for a few days, we figured we’d find something closer to the UFC venue anyway. 

We didn’t.. like most things we do we waited until the last minute to look for new accommodation that would be closer to the venue but of course everything was either booked up or too expensive. So we ended up staying at Riverwood the whole time. So yeah, we had to switch rooms which meant no more private bathroom. 

Glamorous? Not exactly. But it worked. Plus it was a short walk from the train stations so getting into the city was pretty easy if you don’t mind train rides. 

Sydney was beautiful, but sharp. The city buzzed with high powered business types, glass towers catching the sun like blades. Everyone moves fast, dressed in tailored suits and purpose. Coming from the laid—back backpacker vibe of Cairns, we stuck out like sore thumbs. 

We walked around the city taking photos of everything we found unique or pretty, including all those touristy spots as well. 

The Sydney Opera House was a stunning piece of architecture—its sweeping white sails striking against the blue of the harbor. It was smaller than I had imagined,, surprisingly so, but no less impressive. Standing before it, I couldn’t help but admire the elegance of its design and the way it seemed to rise effortlessly from the edge of the water. It was undoubtedly a sight worth seeing, iconic and unforgettable. 

Photos by me using FujiFilmx-t50

After spending our days exploring Sydney, we decided to do something different the night before the UFC event—we went to a comedy show. It was my first time at a comedy club and honestly, it ended up being a blast. The atmosphere was cozy and lively, and the audience played a big role in the energy of the room. The show was surprisingly interactive, so if you’re a bit on the shy side and want to avoid becoming part of the act, definitely steer clear of the front and second rows. 

The venue was called Happy Endings Comedy Club, tucked away in an intimate space that gave the whole night a laid back, underground feel. The show lasted around two hours, and the lineup of comedians didn’t disappoint. Each act brought their own flavor to the stage, and even the host was genuinely funny—keeping the crowd engaged between sets with quick wit and solid punchlines. 

The big day had finally arrived—UFC 312, the event we’d been counting down to for months.

The excitement was real from the moment we woke up. We got an early start, buzzing with anticipation, and grabbed breakfast at a nearby cafe to fuel up for the day ahead. The air felt electric, like something epic was just hours away. After eating, we made our way toward the venue, adrenaline kicking in with every step. The wait was over—we were finally on our way to UFC 312. 

The venue was packed with martial arts fanatics—mostly men—which, for once, made the restroom situation ideal for women. At a big event like this, it was a rare sight: the line for the men’s bathroom stretched down the hallway, while the woman’s line moved swiftly, almost too easily. It was one of the those small victories that didn’t go unnoticed. 

We arrived at the venue early enough to catch all the prelims, which was perfect—we didn’t want to miss a single fight. From the early bouts to the main events, the energy in the arena never let up. It was a full day of nonstop action, and every moment was electric. To top it off, we grabbed some UFC 312 t-shirts as souvenirs—something to remember the experience by. It really was a fun filled, unforgettable day. 

After the UFC wrapped up, we hopped on a train into the city center, still buzzing from the adrenaline of the fights. We found a cozy little restaurant by the water, just steps from the Sydney Opera House, its sails glowing softly in the night. With glasses of wine in hand and a spread of small appetizers in front of us, we let day settle in. The view, the food, the company—it was the perfect way to wind down. A really good ending to a really good day. 

The next two days were spent trying to sort out the logistics of our next big adventure: hiring a van and planning a road trip. After tossing around a few ideas, we landed on something ambitious— deriving from Sydney to Perth. It was a massive journey, but the idea of crossing the country by road was too temping to pass up. We settled on a two—week timeframe, not necessarily because it was ideal, but because it was all we could afford for the van rental. That deadline definitely added a sense of urgency to the trip. Instead of long, lazy days at campsites, we found ourselves constantly on the move, trading relaxation for the chance to see as much of the country as possible. It wasn’t exactly the slow paced, chill road trip we might’ve envisioned—but it was shaping up to an adventure nonetheless. 

We kicked off the road trip by heading up to the Blue Mountains, eager to start the journey with some iconic scenery. Our first stops were two of the region’s most well-known viewpoints: Wentworth falls and the Three Sisters. At Wentworth Falls, we took in the sweeping views of the valley and the cascading waterfall, surrounded by eucalyptus trees and misty air. Then we made our way to the Three Sisters lookout, where the towering sandstone rock formations stood proudly against the backdrop of the vast mountain range. It was a beautiful way to begin the trip—peaceful, scenic, and full of fresh-start feeling.  

By the time we finished taking in the views at the Three Sisters, the sun was already beginning to set—and we still hadn’t figured out where we were sleeping that night. We made our way back to the van and started searching for a place to camp, ideally somewhere free and still within the national park. 

Eventually, we found a free campsite tucked away in the park, but getting there wasn’t exactly smooth. It was about a 20-minute drive down a winding, narrow road—part of which was under construction, with sections partially closed off. When we finally arrived, the campsite was already buzzing with other travelers. It was a small, crowded, and we circled it a few times trying to spot an opening. 

In the end, we managed to squeeze our van into a tight space between three other campers. It wasn’t ideal, but it did the job for the night. After the long day, we were just happy to have a place to rest. 

The next day, we returned to the Three Sisters and took on the Grand Canyon Walking Track. We started the trail around 11 a.m, and the entire hike took us about two to three hours to complete. It was a solid workout, with plenty of steep inclines and descents throughout—definitely something to keep in mind depending on your fitness level. We’re pretty active, so we managed it without too much trouble, but its not exactly a causal stroll. 

The trek itself was absolutely stunning. We were surrounded by lush, dense jungle almost the entire way, with the path winding past waterfalls, moss-covered cliffs, and peaceful creeks. It felt like being dropped into another world—cool, green, and quiet, except for the sounds of nature around us. It was one of those hikes that made every step feel worth it. 

Photos by Per and I

After the hike, we headed back to the van and made ourselves some lunch—simple, satisfying, and much needed after a few hours on the trail. Once we were refueled, we began the long drive toward the exit of the national park. It took up the rest of the day, winding through endless curves and bends that seemed to go on forever. 

The drive, though long was undeniably beautiful. Towering trees lined the roads, and every now and then we’d catch glimpse of sweeping views through breaks in the forest. It was one of those stretches where time moved slowly, but in a good way. Even with the fatigue setting in it felt like part of the adventure. 

We eventually pulled into a small campsite just outside of Canberra. I honestly can’t remember the name of the place—we were too tired to care. After hours of winding roads and the grand canyon hike earlier that day, we were completely wiped. We parked, quickly set up for the night, and crashed.

 The next morning, we went in search of a public bathroom, and to our surprise, we found one pretty easily. In fact, one thing we noticed along the entire route to Perth was how many public bathrooms there were—and how decently clean most of them were and the majority had SHOWERS. Its the kind of thing you don’t really think about until you’re living out of a van, and suddenly it becomes a highlight of the day. 

After freshening up, our first mission was finding a coffee shop—because let’s be real I’m a total grouch without my morning caffeine fix. Luckily, it didn’t take long to find a cozy spot and once I had a coffee in hand, I started to feel human again. 

With our energy restored, we headed over to check out the Parliament House. It felt like one of those things you have to see when you’re passing through Canberra, and we figured it was worth ticking off the list. We also made a stop at the Australian War Memorial, and it turned out to be one of the most moving parts of our visit to Canberra. The memorial was beautifully done—thoughtful, respectful, and powerful in the way it honored the fallen. Walking through the exhibits and seeing the tributes made us pause and reflect, a quiet moment in the middle of a fast paced trip. It was definitely worth the visit. 

From Canberra, we continued our journey by driving through the Snowy Mountains, passing through Kosciuszko National Park. The scenery was stunning—rolling hills, winding roads, and patches of forest that felt untouched. We didn’t make any stops within the park itself, mostly focused on covering distance that day. Eventually, we reached a free campsite just before Albury, where we decided to settle in for the night. It was a quiet, simple spot—nothing fancy. 

The next day we would see Melbourne for the first time. 

Stay tuned for Part 2  :)