Trekking my way around Australia, scribbling down free activities and budget-conscious advice.
Oh hey. When did you sneak in?
Enough of the suspicion, let me introduce myself. I’m Josh West… from the travel blog Trekking West. See the connection there, eh? Yeah. Thought you might. You’re clever like that.
Let me start off by confirming no, Trekking West isn’t about travelling in any particular westerly direction, nor does it concentrate on ‘Western civilisation’ or anything of the like. It’s just linked to my last name. The alternative was changing my name to ‘Josh Everywhere’ but do you know how long it takes to get these things updated in your passport, plus the domain name would have been painfully long. Trust me. It’s easier this way.
My well-worn story is similar to many of the other travel bloggers you’ll find traipsing around the world.
1. Boy gets job. 2. Boy discovers travel. 3. Boy leaves job. 4. Boy travels.
But unlike most travel bloggers, step 3 took a seriously long time. Many budding bloggers just light up a dog-poop-filled bag, throw it on their bosses desk and go on their merry way. I battled on manfully through the 9 to 5 struggle for 6 and a half years, trying to figure out how best to fulfil my life’s ambitions. So I know what it’s like to stick it out on the company front line.
I kept myself busy saving for a house and working my way up the corporate ladder, but I was foolish to think these ambitions would quench my ongoing thirst for new experiences. In the end, it was travel, it had to be! Discovering new places, meeting new people, tasting new foods. It’s what makes me tick.
One of the most useful traits I acquired, during this time, was the ability to save money and lock down a bargain. Much to the dismay of several ex-girlfriends, I am a self-confessed tightass. Bad for them, but good for you, I’ll be sharing a plethora of budget-conscious tips, tricks and attractions with you that will keep your purse-strings tightened.

The Blue Mountains, in Sydney’s north-west, was a great spot for revelations.
One year out of the rat race.
After finishing my full-time employment in Adelaide, I set myself the task of house-sitting in every Australian state within a year. These sitting stints led me on the very indirect route from Melbourne, to Brisbane, to Perth, to Adelaide, back to Melbourne, to Hobart and finally to Sydney. But I did it!
When I wasn’t fulfilling these domestic duties, I road-tripped through rural landscapes, visited sunny islands, hiked towering mountains, camped in picturesque National Parks and sucked the nectar from Australia’s flourishing tourism industry. While I learnt so much over the year, I, unfortunately, still haven’t mastered the art of time management, when it comes to blogging. Stay tuned for plenty more published stories over the coming months.
Hiking the Heysen.
It occurred to me throughout that first year travelling the ‘rest’ of Australia that I’d left much of my home state off the list. South Australia is an incredibly diverse tourist destination, and there may be no better way to see its unique landscapes than via the 1,200km Heysen Trail. Over this 2-month hike, I will also be documenting my journey and raising money for the Black Dog Institute. Fun times ahead!
March 28, 2017
Love this! Can’t wait to read all about your travel adventures and budget-conscious tips. Keep up the amazing work Josh!
October 2, 2017
Hell yeah! This blog is the sh**t!
August 14, 2018
Hey josh!
First of all congratulation on creating such an awesome blog. i wish you all the best for your coming trek.
October 6, 2018
Thanks Prabhakar, plenty more updates to come!
March 23, 2019
Hi Josh.. loved your Heysen Trail blog 🙂
The Bibbulmun and Heysen Trails are next on my play list!
Ten days ago I embarked on my house-sitting adventure, with the view to hike and explore Australia and New Zealand on foot and touring bike.
At nearly 59 years old I have cut loose from all moorings… just a PO Box and a few personal treasures stored in a friend’s shipping container.
Freelance casual work, volunteering, bartering and living in a frugal ‘freegan’ mode will be my challenge… and inspiration.
Your writing is a breath of fresh air … thank you 🙂
March 24, 2019
Hi Kirstin… glad to hear someone has read some of them 😉
I can highly recommend the Heysen Trail and I have some good friends that wax lyrical about the Bibbulmun. You’ve made some great choices! So much to see! The Camino is next on my list.
Wow. Go you good thing! You will love minimalism and house sitting once you find your groove. It took me a little while to feel settled after similarly packing my life into a couple of boxes, but I now relish the freedom as a result.
And thank you so much for the kind words. This blog really is a labour of love, so it’s motivating to hear that you’ve been able to take something from my writing. Very interested to hear how you progress in the coming months.
November 30, 2019
Hi Josh, Great website, I stumbled across it when researching the Heysen trail. Walking it has been on my mind for at least the last 5 years and given the years have started to creep up on my i figure its time to get serious. So I have finally set a date to start, first week August 2020. Like you I plan to hike North to South.The plethora of information you have to offer is amazing and beyond useful. I have done quite a bit of multi day hiking over the years but this will by far be the longest carrying a full pack, the thought is somewhat daunting at times but definitely what i need. I have always found hiking gives me the clarity i need at different times of my life, and no doubt this will be no different. I would love to read about your experiences house sitting, your writing style is a joy to read, thanks so much
December 11, 2019
Thank you so much for your lovely message, Dianne! I completely understand the drawn-out feeling of wanting to walk the Heysen and the apprehension associated with the enormity of the journey, but as soon as you step out onto the red dirt of the state’s mid-north it will become ‘normal’, or as close to normal as walking 1,200 km can be. After a week, your body will adjust. And, if your experience is like anybody else I’ve spoken with who has through-hiked the Heysen, you will be soon blown away by the generous country SA hospitality. In the meantime, there’s a Facebook Group called “Heysen Trail E2E Through Hiking” that has members who are planning to hike the Heysen Trail in the near future, as well as people who have completed the journey before. If you have an account on the platform, it’s worth giving it a look-see.