We are Ti and Lien, Belgian travel bloggers for Backpack on Track who are constantly looking for some adventure. We love big challenges like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, but we also enjoy the little weekend getaways where we camp in the woods or explore a cute little town.
There is so much more to see then what travel guides are mentioning.
We’ve always loved traveling, but we had the feeling that you never really discover all the sweet spots of a country or region if you have never lived there. Lien lived in Croatia and Hungary for a few months. She has learned that there is so much more to see than what travel guides are mentioning.
This triggered the idea to live abroad when we were planning a trip to Australia. We decided to try to live in Australia for a few months, while we work and travel. We left almost two years ago and have lived in Brisbane ever since.
Starting over in a new country is not so easy and can be really stressful at times. There is a lot of research and paperwork involved before we could actually move. We had so many questions regarding healthcare, insurance, buying a car, licenses and many other things when we arrived in Australia.
We received a work holiday visa, which is limited to only working for six months with one employer. Because of this, we were only planning to stay for a few months and save up some money to fund our travels around Australia. After four months, Ti’s employer was so impressed with his work that he offered him to start the visa process so he could stay and work a few more years!
This was a tough decision to make because this would disturb our travel plans and we would miss our family and friends for longer than expected. We are adventurous, so we decided to extend our stay. We called our parents over Skype to explain that we have this unique opportunity to stay in Australia longer then expected to work and travel around.
Next to our normal day jobs, we also do freelance photo shoots and provide web design and SEO services. Sometimes we get requests from brands to take some professional pictures of their products when we travel. We actually have two photo shoots coming up, one for watches in Tasmania and one for backpacks in New Zealand.
Brisbane is the perfect location to live in Australia. There are a lot of national parks in driving distance. We are close to the Great Barrier Reef and we can go surfing. Flights are pretty cheap so we can easily city hop to Sydney or Melbourne.
Soon we will say farewell to Australia and head back to Belgium. Before we fly back we are planning to visit Tasmania and New Zealand one more time and drive all around Australia with our car for a few months.
It will be difficult to let go of this awesome part of the world. We got used to the laid back style of living. Being surrounded by tropical rainforests and the most beautiful wildlife we have ever seen. There is no way that we will find beaches in Belgium like the ones that we regularly visit here.
Why do we want to move back to Belgium?
Why do we want to move back to Belgium? The reason is simple, we want to be a bit closer to our family and friends. Australia is almost the furthest place away we can be and the time difference makes it extremely difficult to communicate with everyone back home.
When we have a goal, we don’t easily quit.
Heading back won’t be easy as we haven’t got a job or a place to live in Belgium, but we are confident that we will do just fine when we get back. I mean, if it works in a foreign country on the opposite side of the world, it should also work in the place we are the most familiar with.
We have a very positive and passionate mindset. When we have a goal, we don’t easily quit.
It’s our dream to continue traveling in the future and I’m sure that we will start to plan our next adventures during our upcoming road trip around Australia.
Back Pack on Track Travel Blog
We started our own website www.backpackontrack.com and managed to collect an engaged fan base on our Instagram account @backpackontrack. We often get direct questions about the places we visit. When we receive feedback from local people who want to thank us for taking the time to visit their home town, it means the world to us. Some followers even invite us to their home to show us around in a certain area.
We want to use our passion for traveling to inspire people to go out and explore the world as well. We want people to keep an open mind while traveling. To keep a healthy sense of curiosity and to push their limits every now and then. It’s not a bad thing to do something scary from time to time.
The best memories are never boring!