Australia

I had been wanting to travel to Australia for years, but not wanting to go to the opposite side of the world all by myself, I looked into group trips. Gapforce’s Australia program stood out to me right away. They had one of the longer programs available, and the itinerary looked great too.
When I arrived at the airport in Sydney I had no idea what to expect, but was immediately greeted by our wonderful Expedition Leader Joe and another group member. They were so warm and friendly, and made me instantly feel comfortable. There were 11 of us on the trip, and within just a few days they all felt like family.
The first 4 weeks of our trip were spent traveling up the coast while doing many fun activities and trips along the way. Highlights for me were Byron Bay - the cutest little beach town, Australia Zoo, Fraser Island, Airlie Beach and sailing the Whitsundays + sleeping overnight on a sailboat. Every day was a new adventure!
The last 3 weeks were spent in Cairns, two of which were spent volunteering for the Cairns City Council. The work felt rewarding, and the people we worked for were very kind which was a plus! I enjoyed staying in one city for multiple weeks as it gave us a chance to really familiarize ourselves with it. We had our favourite burger restaurant, and our favourite ice cream spots - it really started to feel like home!
Joe was always there to make sure we were awake on time and ready to go (which some of us were not very good at), but also gave us a lot of freedom. He was able to answer any question we threw at him, and happily coordinated anything we needed. He was a great leader and also a great person. The other group members were amazing people and we quickly all became good friends. When the 7 weeks came to an end, it was very sad to leave.
I would definitely recommend the Australia trip. If you are ready for the adventure of a lifetime while in the company of great people, it is perfect!