I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting Australia and New Zealand for spring break 2014 and it was beyond anything I could have expected. I’m not even joking right now. I think Australia is one of the most underrated travel locations. Not many people even consider making the long journey across seas to an isolated country, especially when they can spend just as much money touring Europe or the entire Asian continent. But, trust me when I say that Australia (specifically Sydney, Australia) needs to be on your bucket list.

Reason 1: Sydney, Australia is the place for soul-searching

At some point in your life, you’re going to question who you are as a human being. If you haven’t already done so, don’t worry it’ll happen eventually. I had to ask myself that question. In fact, I ask myself that quite often. You see, I tend to become existentially stressed every now-and-then, and I periodically need to be in a different location to “find” myself. The lifestyle in Sydney is relaxed and chilled out, making it a great place for me to do some searching. It’s like everybody is only sending off good vibes, so it’s extremely difficult to be in a bad mood. Not many people are in a hurry in Sydney, and I found myself naturally relaxing to my everyday stresses. A relaxed Maddie = a happier and more self-aware Maddie. The people of Sydney aren’t pretentious or entitled. You’ll find yourself among nature-loving, free spirited human beings who are perfectly happy with their lives, no matter how much they actually own or what they’re jobs are, because they get to live in this beautiful and vibrant city.

Reason 2: The city is just as amazing as its people

There’s an unlimited amount of beaches, restaurants, shops, and things to do. You can watch an opera, eat gelato on the beach, or visit the local market. There is no way you can ever be bored when you’re in Sydney, because there’s so many things to do regardless of your budget. Take a morning jog by the Opera House, take a dip at Bondi, try Gelato Messina’s many flavored gelato, get a doggy bag at one of the many local restaurants and picnic at the Royal Botanical Gardens. The options are seemingly endless because this city thrives on an active population of creative and inventive people who genuinely love their city and want to watch it grow. Its a great location to visit if you’re a solo-traveler, a group of friends, or even a family, as theres something there for everyone.

Reason 3: Australia itself is an interesting case of Western meets Eastern

Because Australia is situated just south-west of Asia, it is heavily influenced by the Asian countries neighboring it. In fact, a majority of its trading partners are Asian countries. However, it is widely still a very Westernized country. So, visiting Australia gives you a very unique experience of West meets East. You’ll find interesting fusions of Asian cuisine with traditional British staples. If you take a quick visit to one of the universities located in any major Australian or New Zealand, you’ll see that a large percentage of the student population is actually Asian exchange students. I’ve been around Asian and I’ve been around Europe, so why not go somewhere that is a mix of both?

So, don’t just take my word for it. I’ve visited 17 countries in total (not including Hong Kong because thats a confusing situation), and I can honestly say that just being in Sydney made me happy. If I ever dream of going back somewhere, it is definitely Sydney, Australia.

Cheers!