Meet Anna Maag! A former student at Lexis English Noosa who after her studies, embarked on a two-month exploration of Down Under. Anna used the services at Dundee Adventure Tours to make the custom itinerary of her dreams.
Maag’s travels took her across stunning landscapes, from pristine beaches to rugged outback, showcasing the diverse beauty of Australia.
Read about Anna’s Story in her own words:
Snorkel, Sand, and Rain in North Queensland
“When I finished school, I was a little bit scared and very nervous to travel by my own. My first stop was Fraser Island. It was a great experience to drive with the bus across the large beaches, swim in the crystal-clear river and see the dingos. When I was back on the mainland, I thought it was really nice to travel alone. However, I was barely alone; everywhere I went I met new people and made new friends.
Next, I headed off to Agnes Water. There I had two surf lessons. Unfortunately, the weather was really rainy… however, when you’re surfing, you’re already wet – so it did not stop me for having a good time.
Later when I arrived in Airlie Beach it also rained heavily (notice a trend). I hoped that the weather would be better the next day because I had my scenic flight – and it was! Looking down and seeing the Whitsunday Island and the Great Barrier Reef from the plane was so beautiful. The vibrant colours and different shapes, it did not feel real. After the flight, I was more excited to go sailing for three days and see everything up close.
I started the Whitsunday sailing trip the following day. It was raining. On the first day, in the evening, we saw a lot of sharks around the boat. On the second day the rain stopped! Finally. The skipper drove us to the Whitehaven beach. He told us we can do whatever we want but we need to be back in two hours. First, we swam in the crystal-clear water and after we headed off to the two lookouts. The view was amazing. The next activity was snorkelling in the reef to witness a whole different world. When it got dark, we saw dolphins jumping next to our boat. It was a very special moment for all of us. Our last day of the sailing Whitsundays trip started with stand-up paddle board before we sailed back to the marina.
Next, I headed up to Magnetic Island and Mission Beach. Where you guessed it… more rain! On Magnetic Island I saw some wild koalas and wallabies. After the hike in the national park we were soaked and decide to go for a swim in the sea and the pool. It was fun!
Scuba Diving in Cairns
I caught the greyhound bus for the last time and arrived in Cairns. My first adventure was scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. When I jumped in the water with all my gear, I was a little bit scared. You only see blue and nothing else. When we dived deeper to the ground, all my worries washed away. All the animals and corals, it was so stunning.
Rip, Roar, River Time…
I was very excited for my next few adventures; river rafting and canyoning. The rivers were very full of water because of the heavy rain the last few days. The guides from rafting told us its more fun this way – so lucky me! I will definitely do it again. The first thing after preparing us for canyoning was jumping from an eight meters high rock. We jumped and slid down a few rocks. That was a great feeling. So much adrenaline!
When you are in Cairns, you NEED to visit the rainforest. First, we went to a wildlife sanctuary where we fed kangaroos and saw different animals. The rainforest is just awesome – the big plants, the noises from the animals, and the tropical climate. I loved it!
Bring on the Outback
Alice Springs was my next destination in the Northern Territory. In the evening, I had a camel ride. The camels were very cozy animals.
Early the next morning, I got picked up for the 4-day tour to Yulara. On this trip we headed off to Kata Tjuta and later to Uluru. When we saw Uluru, we were all astonished included the guide. There was a huge cloud on top of the rock. It started raining and there was a small waterfalls. In the evening we slept in tents (swags).
The next morning, we got up at 5 am and did the base walk around the Uluru. There were still some small waterfalls which saw close up. On the last day we did a walk around the king’s canyon. It was just beautiful. The weather was perfect for this walk.
West is Best
My second month of travelling began and it started in Perth. I stayed a few days in Perth and visited Rottnest Island. I rode a bicycle around the island and did a few stops for swimming in the sea. There were a lot of Quokkas. They are funny animals.
After my time in Perth, I did a ten-day tour from Perth to Exmouth, Karijini and back to Perth. We experienced so many things. There were a lot of national parks and gorges. They were beautiful but the flies were horrible. Most of us bought a flynet. We saw turtles hatching, beaches full with shells and the most beautiful sunsets I ever saw.
We had the opportunity to swim with manta rays. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any but we saw turtles, reef sharks, dolphins and other animals. The next day we had the opportunity to swim with whale sharks. We jumped in the water and suddenly we saw this big creature. It was breathtaking and an unforgettable experience.
The last three nights we slept under the open sky. Finally, we visited a couple who saved injured kangaroos. I met a lot new lovely people. For the first time I had no rain for two weeks. It was the best tour with a great tour guide. Little fact, it was the only place in Australia where I had no rain, not even a day – so I was happy!
Coastline and Koalas
From Adelaide to Melbourne I did a three-day tour. We were a group of only seven people. We played a few games pinball in a pinball museum, spotted a lot of koalas and did some walks. On the last day we did the great ocean road. These rocks are stunning how they are built. It was amazing and the weather was perfect.
In Melbourne I went to some hot springs and rested there for a few hours. I saw the penguin parade on Philipp Island. They were so cute and only 40 centimetres tall. So small. One evening it was raining so heavily I stood in water up to my knees. Everything was wet.
Up in the Clouds
I arrived to my last stop in Sydney. Fortunately, the weather was great and I got to go skydiving. To be up in the sky and jump out of an airplane was fantastic. It was one of the best experiences I did.
However, the next day it raining and some streets were flooded. Regardless, time for the Blue Mountains. We headed off to the first lookout. We saw nothing, only fog. All of our group was laughing because we couldn’t believe the view.
We started our walk but the weather did not get better. So, I didn’t see the three sisters or the beautiful view from all the pictures I saw online. But I met new really nice people and we had a beautiful time at the blue mountains.
In Sydney there is the famous harbour bridge. I decided to climb to the top of it in the night. We got in our gear including rain jacket and trousers. The view on the top of the bridge was so beautiful and very special with the lights. We saw the opera house, Luna Park and a lot more. We had headphones to listen to our guide.
The last two days in Sydney were great. I went swimming in the sea, did the coastal walk and visited the opera house. I was very sad when I headed off to the airport.
It was a great experience with a lot of new adventures. I hope I will do it again and see all the beauty of Australia without rain. Thanks to all the people I met on my trip you made it unforgettable!”
