Australia Adventures: Two Weeks Down Under

Recently, our Marketing Expert, Bella, embarked on a trip to Melbourne, Australia, trading Seattle’s gray skies for Melbourne’s autumn sun. What followed were two weeks abroad and one very full itinerary. Between long-haul flights, coastal weekend trips, and more flat whites and iced lattes than she’d care to admit (a detail confirmed by the writer of this blog), she carried a rotating lineup of TOM BIHN bags every step of the way. 

Bella returned not just with souvenirs, but observations, recommendations, and hard-earned tips on what to bring, what to skip, and which places around the city are worth visiting. 

The Art of Time Traveling

No one can truly prepare you for a 24-hour travel day. Compression socks, headphones, snacks, toiletries – that’s the easy part. To get from Melbourne to Seattle, I took three separate flights: Seattle to Vancouver, Vancouver to Sydney, and Sydney to Melbourne. Somewhere over the Pacific, time stopped making sense entirely. 

Figuring out what to pack in my carry-on and personal item became essential to my survival. The right setup meant not having to dig through my bag in the dark while everyone else slept, knowing exactly where my passport and boarding pass were during quick layovers, and having enough small comforts within reach to make a cramped airplane seat at 30,000 feet feel slightly more humane. 

I quickly developed a system: A Techonaut 30 with the Forager stuffed inside, attached to my rolling luggage (which had numerous Packing Cubes and my Daylight Backpack rolled tightly inside). After security, I took the Forager out and filled it with any quick-grab items I’d need during my flight: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, facial wipes, headphones, a book, my Nintendo, water bottle, and a couple of snacks. I kept my passport and boarding pass in the zippered pocket so I wouldn’t lose it deboarding. My Techonaut 30 lived in the overhead bin, but I didn’t reach for it once, as everything I needed was in my Forager under the seat. 

The hardest part wasn’t even the flying itself; it was the strange in-between feeling that comes with crossing oceans and time zones. Leaving Seattle in the evening and arriving in Australia two days later felt less like traveling and more like stepping outside of time altogether. Having a reliable carry setup didn’t erase the exhaustion by any means, but it did make the constant moving feel smoother, calmer, and far more manageable. 

After the longest 24 hours of my life, I finally landed in Melbourne. 

Cafés, Cafés, and more Cafés

Melbourne is the coffee capital of the world, so of course, coming from Seattle – the coffee capital of the United States – I had to try it for myself. Flat whites, iced lattes, matchas, and pain au chocolats at every corner, I couldn't say no. 

For days spent wandering the city, I opted for the Forager. I intentionally packed it mostly empty each morning, leaving room for whatever the day brought home with me – usually a coaster or two, pastries, or a souvenir I absolutely did not need but purchased anyway – but who could say no to a koala magnet?

A few cafés I would recommend to anyone looking for a good cup of coffee:

• Arlo: Right in the middle of Elwood, amazing lattes and Turkish eggs – yum!

• Campos Coffee: Located in South Yarra, Campos has a lovely courtyard in the back, and one of the best iced lattes I’ve ever had (trust me, I’m a professional).

• Lune Croissanterie: A couple of locations, but I went to the one in Fitzroy. Crazy lines, but quite possibly the best croissant I’ve ever had (see above).

Did Somebody Say Wine?

As it turns out, Melbourne runs on more than just coffee. Alongside its café culture, there may be an even bigger wine scene. Nearly every street seemed to have its own wine bar – tucked into quiet alleyways, others spilling onto bustling corners filled with people lingering for hours over a glass well into the evening. 

Even as someone who doesn’t know much about wine (but can appreciate a good glass), it was hard not to get swept up in it all. Ordering “just one glass” usually turned into staying a little longer than planned, usually accompanied by focaccia, sardines, and hot chips. 

A couple of recommendations:

• Gracie’s Wine Room: I went here on my first day, post-24-hour long-haul. Was it the best wine and focaccia I’ve ever had, or was I delusionally tired? Who’s to tell?

• Naked for Satan: A rooftop bar with incredible views of Fitzroy and the Central Business District, with a great selection of wine and tapas.

• The Wine Corner Store: Located in Carlton North, this tiny bar has great outdoor seating and a huge selection of wine.

Reconnecting with Nature

One cannot go to Australia without developing an almost irrational determination to spot two things: A koala and a kangaroo. So, during my first weekend in Melbourne, we packed up the car and set off on a road trip along the Great Ocean Road.

The further we drove from the city, the more the landscape began to shift: winding coastal roads, towering eucalyptus trees, and stretches of ocean that went on forever. We drove along the coast all the way to Port Campbell, stopping in the small beach towns along the way.

For the weekend, I brought along my Techonaut 30 and Daylight Backpack. The T30 held all my toiletries, extra layers, and a change of clothes, while the Daylight Backpack became my go-to for excursions – packed with a water bottle, digital camera, sunglasses, and a light jacket for the unpredictable coastal weather.

The Techonaut stayed in the trunk while I schlepped the Daylight Backpack everywhere else: down the paths at the Twelve Apostles, through scenic overlooks, and along trails lined with eucalyptus trees and flowering plants.

And yes, eventually, we succeeded in our mission. At Kennet River Nature Walk – about two and a half hours outside Melbourne – we spotted both a wild koala and kangaroos, from a very respectful (and very zoomed-in) distance.

Mind the Tram

One of my favorite parts of Melbourne was how easy it was to get around without a car. Between the city’s iconic trams and extensive train system, most days started with checking which line to hop on. Mornings started with crowded commuter trams – briefcases and backpacks filled the space, and evenings usually ended with a slightly sleepy train ride back after dinner. For transit-heavy days, I opted for the Daylight Backpack for comfort and convenience. 

Bella’s Travel Tips & Essentials 

Some helpful takeaways from my time in Melbourne:

• Wear comfortable walking shoes

• I did a lot of walking, and I’ll be honest, I brought the worst shoes for it. On average, I walked 3-5 hours a day while exploring different neighborhoods, shops, and parks. 

• Bring layers

• The two weeks I was in Melbourne, it was unusually warm and even-tempered for autumn. However, Melbourne is known for four seasons in one day. I packed a heavy-duty raincoat and stored it in the end pocket of my Techonaut 30 the whole trip (thankfully, I didn’t need it till the last day I was there).

• Try a Four’N Twenty meat pie 

• Ideally, you’ll eat this at a Footy (AFL)  game. It’s essential to the Australian experience.

• Get out of the city

• If you can, explore the surrounding areas! The scenery is like no other.

• The right bag

• I found that packing bags within bags worked really well for me, and gave me lots of options for when I landed. Bring organizers: I brought a couple of Packing Cube Shoulder Bags, Techonaut 30 Packing Cubes, and a Travel Laundry Stuff Sack to organize my large rolling luggage, which made finding specific clothing pieces a lot easier.

Until Next Time, Melbourne

By the end of the trip, I was equal parts tired and completely full – of coffee, of long walks, of late-night conversations, and of Melbourne itself. I developed a deeply committed relationship to my daily coffees, tram lines I still can’t fully name, and the very real belief that I could spot a koala in any tree at a glance (I could not).

Melbourne had a way of making every day feel a little unplanned in the best way – where a “quick coffee” turns into a three-hour afternoon and a “short walk” somehow becomes a cross-city adventure.

And through it all, having a carry setup that kept up meant I could focus less on what I was carrying and more on everything I was experiencing. Which, really, is the whole point, right?

Until next time, Melbourne. I’ll be back!