Week 10. The end of my wonderful adventure to Australia and New Zealand. I left Kentucky naïve and inexperienced, having never traveled outside of the US. I returned with more great memories than I can even recall, a bunch of new friends from all over the globe, and an underlying confidence that everything is possible.
From a budget perspective the trip was more expensive that I had expected, but my laissez-faire approach toward planning is partly to blame for that. Hopefully these posts give people a real-world view into what a trip like this costs and show the benefit of alternative options such as HelpX and Airbnb. Don’t discount the extra benefits you can gain from spending time with locals. I had some of my best experiences as a direct result of using the above services.
Several friends have asked me to pick one part of the trip as my favorite. Without a doubt it was meeting so many interesting people. I met people from probably 15 different countries and discussed politics, religion, travel, social issues, their impressions of Americans, gun control, and music. We rode gocarts, climbed glaciers, and laughed until our cheeks were sore. The memories that will stay with me the longest will be of those who I spent time with, if only for a few hours.
| Week 10, 4/1 – 4/7 | Wanaka, Christchurch, Sydney | |
| Transportation | $90 | shuttles |
| Dining | $75 | |
| Groceries | $30 | |
| Entertainment | $76 | |
| Lodging | $168 | all hostels |
| Shopping/Misc | $10 | kangaroo jerky for my brother! |
| Airfare | $0 | |
| Week 1 Total | $671 | AUS Sydney |
| Week 2 Total | $90 | AUS HelpX Bellingen |
| Week 3 Total | $855 | AUS Bellingen / Melbourne |
| Week 4 Total | $310 | AUS Melbourne / HelpX Sale |
| Week 5 Total | $0 | AUS Vineyard HelpX |
| Week 6 Total | $1901 | NZ Auckland |
| Week 7 Total | $840 | NZ North Island, Stray bus |
| Week 8 Total | $732 | NZ South Island, West Coast |
| Week 9 Total | $637 | NZ HelpX / Queenstown |
| Week 10 Total | $449 | |
| Airfare | $1943 | SLC -> LAX -> SYD |
| Trip Total | $8428 |
kentuckyfriedscott 
Hi! I just found your blog. I was wondering, that Simon you stayed with in Melbourne is he the Helpx host who lives in Elwood? I’m considering staying with him and would love to get in touch with someone who has!
Hi Sofie. No, the Simon I stayed with lived about two hours east of Melbourne. Here is their HelpX ad: http://www.helpx.net/host.asp?hostid=8855
Good luck with your travels and let me know if I can help out in any way!
Please tell me this isn’t the last blogpost from kyfried. I’d like to continue to follow your adventures, wherever they lead.
I have a few more posts in mind from the recent trip. Beyond that I’m not sure how the blog will live on… travel, tech, music? I’ll have to seek out more adventures!
Thank you for following along!