A biker on the road

Name: Nicola Austin
Age: 26
Occupation: Careergapper
Hometown: Chester... for now.




Likes: Rugby, motorbikes, writing and general wanderlust.

Dislikes: Miserable people, the word 'broggle' - something my mum used to do with a needle to get splinters out - I cant stand to hear that word to this day.

Life Philosophy: Live everyday like it's your last coz one day it will be.

You've recently finished your gap year - what was the itinerary?

I started off in Bali before heading to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, Darwin, Perth and then back to Bali. These are the main stops I made, but there were loads of other places in between.

What was your favourite place and why?

No real favourite - I don’t like to waste time wishing I was somewhere else. My favourite is wherever I am at that moment.

What was your least favourite place and why?

To be honest, I had a really difficult time when I travelled to Turkey many years ago. However, that was mainly due to my own naivety, age and inexperience. I am keen to go back there and have a more positive experience.

Have you had any problems whilst on your gap year or any particularly difficult times?

The Bali bomb in October 2002 was a pretty major problem, but there was nothing I could do about it and nothing I can do to change what happened. I just have to be grateful I survived and get on with living. It’s hard sometimes - survivor’s guilt stays around for a long time, you just have to learn to cope and gradually it becomes easier. Although this pales in comparison, another difficult time was when my motorbike got stolen in Australia. It was a nightmare at the time but is one of my best stories now!

What unusual things did you get up to on your gap year?

Working as a motorcycle courier in Adelaide was extremely cool - once i got to know the city a bit
better anyway! The first week was a nightmare because I had lied to get the job by telling them I
knew Adelaide really well - I'd only had the bike a fortnight - I had no idea where i was going!

What weird things did you get up to on your gap year?

Whilst on my bike trip around Britain, I camped in the back garden of this mad woman I met in a shop in Llandudno - she woke me up at half four in the morning with egg on toast singing "Helloooo! - Hello Australiaaaaah!". I also lived in a perspex box in an Adelaide shopping mall for six days.



Do you have any regrets?

No - what’s the point in regretting?

What top tips do you have for those planning to take a gap year?

If you are unsure if you will like travelling - just do it. It’s the only way to find out if you will like it and you can always come home again if it’s not for you. (Dont expect your mates not to take the piss and your family to say: "I told you so!"). Also, don’t over pack - you won’t need it and it will just annoy you when you have to carry it all day.

Any advice for others?

Stay open-minded. Don’t dismiss a place because someone else didn’t like it. Be accepting of customs that you might not tolerate at home. Just because you think its wrong/right doesn’t mean the rest of the world should agree. Be prepared to compromise your feelings and accept that other countries can differ greatly to home - you will have a much better experience.

Is there anything you wished you had known before leaving?

Nothing - where’s the fun in that? The problem times often lead to the best memories. You are more likely to meet fantastic people while you are having difficulties because it’s the bad times when the good people shine through. Keep smiling and you will laugh about it later.



Click here >> for more info on Nicola's Big Brother Experience
Click here >> for more info on Nicola's motorbike tour of Australia