No Plans in Australia

Landed in Melbourne in early November, armed with nothing but a flight ticket, a sense of adventure, and a complete lack of common sense. No plans, no map, and certainly no hotel—because who needs those when you're a spontaneous traveler? First impressions? Melbourne felt like New York City had a hipster love child with a coffee shop. Seriously, I half-expected to see a bar with fire coming out the counter.

We arrived at night, which was perfect because it gave us a chance to crash and dream about the next day’s adventures. Our first stop was Brighton Beach, where the famous colorful beach houses looked like they were auditioning for a role in a children's cartoon. I mean, I was so excited to see something I’d only ever stalked on Instagram while being in another country. It was like living in a postcard, except I didn’t have to pay for the postage. Just me, the beach, and a bunch of houses that looked like they had just come from a rainbow convention.