For me, living in far north Queensland was an eye-opening exprience. I had never lived more than ten steps from a grocery store and in Mission the nearest Woolworths seemed like lightyears away. Now that it's time to leave I find myself reflecting on my time up here and what it all meant to me. 

Things I will miss most about Mission Beach...
 

1. The simple, minimalistic life of a tiny Aussie town surrounded by rainforest and ocean
2. Time to do nothing and being okay with that
3. Beach bonfires
4. Live music at the Bingil Bay Cafe and Garage Bar - thank you for filling my heart and soul with beautiful sound, coffee, food, and drinks. I will miss my morning coffee and Sunday sessions with you guys
5. The treehouse I called home for 3 months - it's every kids dream to live in a treehouse and at Jackaroo I got to do just that
6. World heritage listed rainforest and wildlife in my backyard
7. The peacefulness of the ocean and the 8 beaches to enjoy it from
8. 5am paddles and sunrises on the sea
9. Skies full of stars and outdoor cinema nights underneath them
10. All the awesome people who welcomed me and made me feel at home in your community - I will miss you all!
 

Things I will not miss about Mission Beach...
 

1. The bugs. Everywhere.
2. Brushing lizard poop off my sheets every night
3. Wearing deet to bed so I don't wake up with 10 new mossy bites
4. Starting to sweat instantly after stepping out of a cold shower
5. Constantly worrying about getting attacked by a deadly snake, spider, cassowary, wild pig when walking anywhere alone
 

As I was writing this list I soon realized there are many more things I am going to miss about this place than I thought. My experience up here in the little paradise town in tropical north Queensland has been nothing short of pure and authentic. It exceeded all of my expectations and forced me to realize that life really does exist outside of your comfort zone. Living in big cities with shops at your doorstep, traffic lights, traffic jams, skyscrapers, and in-your-face advertisements your entire life is not the way. I truly believe it is important to find yourself in places that test your ability to adapt and allow you to find peace and quiet amongst the busy-ness of day to day life. Mission Beach was that place for me and because of that I am forever grateful. This chapter of my life and travels may be over but it is one I will never forget. And thank you to all the dangerous animals and creatures that live up here for not hurting me! XO