It is finally time to put my thoughts in my travelogue after what feels like an eternity. I shall start with the most recent trip that I have embarked on - Australia/Brisbane. My impression of Australia has always been this calm and serene country that has a lack of activities as night approaches.

However, as opposed to popular belief, there are still night activities that can be done in Brisbane. It's true that most shopping malls are closed after 6-7pm but truth be told, it is not always the case. If you are interested to find out more, carry on reading my post on my Brisbane Escapades.

So here are my 6 key takeaways from the Brisbane Trip.

#1: Cars are essential to get places in Brisbane


Australia is the place for road trips. Getting places in Australia requires a good amount of travelling time. The longest ride I took to get from the service apartment we stayed to an attraction in Brisbane(the Factory Outlet areas) was approximately a 2 hour ride. Even the closest attraction to the place we stayed(Springwood) was a good 15-20 minute drive away. It requires an incredible amount of concentration and energy to sustain this long distance and I am ever so thankful that I was not the one taking the wheel in this trip. Thankful that I got to travel with my extended family this time!


Essentially, the cars are all right hand drives like those in Singapore, and if you happen to have a Singapore driving license, there is no need to apply for an International Driving License when you want to drive in Australia. All you have to do is to sign an insurance and a contract from the car loaning stalls and ta-da! You get your drive for the period of your trip. Just make sure you return it fully refilled with petrol. One easy way to get your car rentals settled would be the use of this website: https://www.budget.com.au/quotes-bookings/new-reservation?skipStep2=true

Just fill in the necessary details and you would be well on your way to a successful roadtrip!

#2: Night life is still present in Brisbane


Contrary to popular belief as what I have mentioned, Brisbane still has a couple of attractions where you can pay a visit to as the sun sets. Be it the wheel of Brisbane, shopping malls along Gold Coast, the view from Coot-Ta Mountain and other selective locations, these venues provide an interesting array of night life that is an alternative from the usual drinks and bars that you would come to associate with the words "night life."

Interestingly enough, one of the places to go to during the night is actually the many different supermarkets there. I'll come to this in my next point. So apart from those places that I have mentioned, there is this one particular food paradise venue that is named Eat Streets Market.


Apart from the typical Western delicacies, this place serves different cuisines from around the World and that includes Sushis, Tapas, Gyozas and appetizing desserts. This part of the trip got me so pumped up and excited that I went on a spending spree.

No regrets there because I so enjoyed this part of night life in Brisbane.

#3: Supermarkets spoilt market big time in my time in Australia


With the paucity of night life in Brisbane, one of the main surprises was the power of the supermarkets in Brisbane. With cheap deals all round for fruits, snacks and even clothings, the thoughts of shopping in Brisbane being expensive seem a far-fetched myth. Supermarkets like K-mart and Woolsworth were seemingly havens for us to shop for affordable wears and snacks to bring back home. Christmas definitely came early for us in the supermarkets of Brisbane.

#4: If you are looking for a getaway from the stressful grinds of life, look no further than Australia


Singapore is probably famous for its extremely fast pace of life. The high rankings in many global studies speak volumes on the competitive nature within the country. That is why being in Brisbane is so contrasting from the environment in Singapore. At around 6pm, most places would have already closed and many families would already be home, winding down from the day of activities. The slow pace of life in Australia can be so addictive after going through the rigours of a fast-paced life.


It really is the perfect place to go to to relax and rest your mind and soul. I remember how refreshed I felt from the uncountable long naps I took and going through their way of life for 11 days. Certainly 11 days of fresh air at its most energizing.

#5: No surprises with those gigantic food portions..


Right before my Brisbane trip, I had a 3D2N vacation in Bangkok. After that trip, I had a bout of food poisoning and it plagued the initial part of my Brisbane trip. It did not help that the portions of meals in Brisbane were humongous and not as Asian friendly. Even their KFC and Macdonald's meals are king-sized. It made me feel so unhealthy devouring them but whatever the case, such signs are still an eye-opener. I have always wanted to try out those big Western portions of food whenever I see them on television and I definitely got a reality check when I saw it for myself in person.

#6: Brisbane is an Animal Paradise


Most of my Instagram posts from my time In Brisbane were together with animals. Be it the dogs,  horses from farms and even kangaroos from the Australia Zoo, the wildlife nature is rife in Brisbane. Brisbane is home to the Australia Zoo that pays homage to the legendary Steve Irwin and the country houses many of the World's most venomous and dangerous snakes.



The kangaroo farms in the Zoo allows you to have intimate contact with these lazy animals and the farm in Biddaddaba offers horse rides at a cheap rate. All these opportunities of close interaction with nature show that Brisbane is one of the go-to places for a good getaway with nature.


So there you have it, my 6 takeaways from my time in Brisbane. In what has been one of the most important trips I have had in my life so far, it was really a time for me to reflect on what has happened over the past year and be pensive over it. It has been such a hectic year for me but ultimately, 2015 has been the year of rejuvenation and recovery from what has happened in the past. It is impossible to get a smooth sailing year but this year in particular, has been rather kind on me and I am ever so thankful for it. With 2015 drawing to a close, 2016 brings about new light and opportunities to look forward to. So here's to a great upcoming 2016!


So with that, Peanut has left a marker in Brisbane.

Stay tuned for more adventures!