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The Sydney Opera House with its distinctive sail-like design stands in front of the city's modern skyline, under a clear sky.

Oceania

After meeting on Instagram, the continent of Oceania actually became the first place we met in person! Jenn had already pre-booked a cruise leaving from Australia, and after 3 months of online chat we decided to join up together. We spent a week on the ship after leaving from Sydney harbour, stopping off at Vanuatu and New Caledonia along the way, then returning to Sydney and taking a flight back to England. Our first meet definitely went well!

 

In this guide we look at some of the facts surrounding the world's smallest continent, and you will also find specially curated travel resources, our latest blog posts, and our comprehensive Australia Country Guide. We haven't developed guides for Vanuatu or New Caledonia just yet, but do stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts documenting our journey to these two fascinating countries!

Countries visited (3)

Flag of Australia featuring the union jack in the upper left corner and six white stars on a dark blue background.
Flag of New Caledonia with horizontal stripes in blue, red, and green, and a yellow circle containing a black flèche faîtière symbol in the center.
Flag of Vanuatu featuring a red and green diagonal split with a black triangle at the hoist, containing a yellow emblem of a boar's tusk and two crossed fern fronds.

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Country Guide

Check out our all you need to know comprehensive Australia country guide, with everything from visa information to culture and customs, transportation to health and safety, must-see places and handy maps. We include helpful links, sim card info and even emergency numbers.

The image shows the Sydney Opera House with the word "AUSTRALIA" and the Australian flag overlaying the bottom portion of the image, capturing Jenn & Leon's journey to this magnificent continent.

Interesting Facts

Here are 14 interesting facts about Oceania. Some may just surprise you!

​1. A Water World: Despite being a continent, Oceania is predominantly covered by water. Its name, coined by French explorer Dumont d'Urville, reflects this oceanic dominance.


2. Island Paradise: Oceania is a treasure trove of islands, from the vast Australian continent to tiny coral atolls. Its diverse geography has shaped unique cultures and ecosystems.

 

3. Tectonic Hotspot: Oceania sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its volcanic activity and earthquakes. This geological dynamism has created stunning landscapes.

 

4. Diverse Cultures: Oceania is a melting pot of cultures, with thousands of distinct languages spoken across the region. Indigenous traditions and beliefs coexist with modern influences.

 

5. Dreamtime Stories: Aboriginal Australian culture is deeply rooted in the Dreamtime, a spiritual concept explaining the creation of the world and its inhabitants.

 

6. Polynesian Navigators: The Polynesians were master navigators who explored vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean using the stars and natural phenomena as their guides. 


7. Great Barrier Reef: The world's largest coral reef system, this underwater wonderland is home to countless marine species and a major tourist attraction.

 

8. Unique Wildlife: Oceania boasts an extraordinary array of endemic animals, including the kangaroo, koala, kiwi, and platypus. Many of these creatures have adapted to unique ecological niches.

 

9. Tropical Rainforests: Lush rainforests cover parts of Oceania, harboring incredible biodiversity and playing a crucial role in climate regulation.

10. First Settlers: Australia was one of the last continents to be settled by humans, with evidence suggesting arrival around 65,000 years ago.

 

11. Colonial Legacy: European colonization had a profound impact on Oceania, shaping its history, politics, and society.

 

12. Challenges of Climate Change: Many Pacific Island nations face significant threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather events due to climate change.

 

13. Economic Diversity: Oceania's economies vary widely, from resource-rich Australia to small island nations dependent on tourism and fisheries.
 

14. Global Tourism Destination: Oceania is a popular tourist destination, offering stunning natural beauty, adventure activities, and unique cultural experiences.

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Travel Resources

Book Your Transport E-Tickets with 12Go

 

12Go is an online travel booking platform that specializes in transportation options in Southeast Asia and Europe. It offers a wide range of travel choices including trains, buses, ferries, and even flights. Known for its user-friendly interface, you can easily compare prices, schedules, and book tickets for your desired journey.

Discover the World with Klook!

 

Unforgettable experiences await with Klook, your go-to platform for booking amazing activities, attractions, and transportation worldwide. From thrilling adventures to cultural explorations, Klook offers a diverse range of options to suit every traveler. Enjoy seamless bookings, exclusive deals, and expert recommendations as you create lasting memories. Let Klook be your travel companion and unlock the wonders of the world!

Special Offers for You

 

Save, Earn, & Explore! Find amazing sign-up offers specially curated for you with travel (Klook, Trusted Housesitters, Expedia, Simbye e-SIM), teaching online (Cambly), shopping (Amazon), drop-shipping (Printify) and more! We have partnered with brands we use and trust, to help support you on your journey.

Image shows two people on the left and a list of travel resources including Wise, Trusted Housesitters, 12Go, Turo, Amazon, KOHO, Expedia, Klook, Walmart, Cambly, Printify, GigSky, Simbye eSim, and PI Network.

YOUTUBE

Discover more from our travels and join over 14k on our YouTube channel at Jenn and Leon
We Found Kyoto's Best Ramen Restaurant! (and Manga Hotel)
10:36

We Found Kyoto's Best Ramen Restaurant! (and Manga Hotel)

We are in Kyoto, Japan! Join us as we uncover the city's best ramen house! With countless delicious options, we’ve found the ultimate spot for ramen lovers. But that's not all—experience quirky traditional Japanese culture at a unique manga-themed hotel with a 7-11 and all! 👩🏻‍💻READ OUR TRAVEL BLOG and FIND OUR PHOTOGRAPHY! ✍🏻 BLOG & WEBSITE https://www.closerlives.com/jenn-and-leon-travel-blog 💼Business inquiries 📧 EMAIL contactus@closerlives.com 📧 JENN abroadperspective@closerlives.com INSTAGRAM @jennandleontravel https://www.instagram.com/jennandleontravel/ 💁🏻‍♀️JENN https://www.instagram.com/_a_broad_perspective 🙋🏻‍♂️LEON https://www.instagram.com/leon.gregori213/?hl=en FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/JennandLeonTravel *12GO* Book your transport in advance and get great deals on trains, buses, ferries and even flights! https://booking.closerlives.com/en *KOHO ONLINE BANKING* open a Canadian account as a new user using our code: LBJDEPD4 https://www.koho.ca/referral/ Once you spend $20 in the first 30 days, you’ll get the $20 cash back *EXPEDIA* book your first trip/hotel/car rental/flight as a NEW USER on App with a min. spend $230 and receive $30 off https://www.expedia.ca/refer?refcode=JenniferJNfW4 *AMAZON* our Travel Must Have’s on Our Storefront https://amzn.to/3PJajs5 *EPEDEMIC SOUND* The music we use for our vlogs. Get 7 days free trail here: https://share.epidemicsound.com/al0ue2 *CAMBLY* Earn extra money tutoring anywhere in the world as a native English speaker online. Teach 10/hrs and receive a $30 bonus. Apply through our link: https://www.cambly.com/invite/F6QAQ4SK?st=040924&sc=4 📸 *TRUSTED HOUSESITTERS* Explore the World and stay for free while house sitting or pet sitting! Sign up with our link and receive 25% off your annual membership https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF778513/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend *PRINTIFY* Start your drop-shipping business today with the no.1 print-on-demand service https://try.printify.com/closerlives *Disclaimers* We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This video may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission. We are JENN and LEON. We are a Canadian and British couple that has been traveling the world FULL TIME since 2021. Our vlogs are helpful to those looking to travel abroad, slow travel, budget travel, fast travel and luxury travel. There are also lifestyle and couple videos too. Time Stamps 00:00 Arriving in Kyoto 01:37 Tavinos Manga Hotel Kyoto Tour 04:27 7-11 Breakfast Food Hauls in Kyoto 07:45 Kyoto Engine Ramen #kyoto #japantravel #ramen #manga
We ride the Shinkansen, Japan’s Fastest Bullet Train! Japan's trains are the BEST!
19:54

We ride the Shinkansen, Japan’s Fastest Bullet Train! Japan's trains are the BEST!

WE ARE IN JAPAN! We ride Japan's Shinkansen bullet train from TOKYO to KYOTO and OSAKA to TOKYO! It is Japan's fastest train and home to the world's FIRST EVER bullet train. We travel on the Nozomi train twice and we also explore some of the other incredible trains that Japan has to offer. First we ride the metro through Tokyo to pick up our JR train tickets at the Tokyo station. Then we buy an ekiben (train bento box) a tradition culinary delight to enjoy during our train ride. But will we have enough time to eat it? These trains are incredibly fast! We also travel by train on the Kyoto to Osaka line (Kansai Airport) on the Naruta Hello Kitty train! We also explore the older subway lines of Osaka's old trains! This video is a must watch for Japan and Japanese train lovers! BOOK YOUR JAPAN TRAIN TICKETS: https://booking.closerlives.com/en/train/tokyo/kyoto https://booking.closerlives.com/en/train/osaka/tokyo https://booking.closerlives.com/en/train/kyoto/kansai-airport Chapters 00:00 Japan Trains Intro 01:20 Tokyo Subway 02:10 Tokyo Train Station 03:00 Shinkansen Nozomi Train Tokyo to Kyoto 05:35 Japan's 7-11 07:35 Kyoto Station Haruka Hello Kitty Train 13:00 Osaka Airport JR Rail and Airport Train 16:15 Traditional old Osaka Subway 17:08 Osaka to Tokyo Shinkansen Bullet Train 👩🏻‍💻READ OUR TRAVEL BLOG and FIND OUR PHOTOGRAPHY! ✍🏻 BLOG & WEBSITE https://www.closerlives.com/jenn-and-leon-travel-blog 💼Business inquiries 📧 EMAIL contactus@closerlives.com 📧 JENN abroadperspective@closerlives.com INSTAGRAM @jennandleontravel https://www.instagram.com/jennandleontravel/ 💁🏻‍♀️JENN https://www.instagram.com/_a_broad_perspective 🙋🏻‍♂️LEON https://www.instagram.com/leon.gregori213/?hl=en FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/JennandLeonTravel *KOHO ONLINE BANKING* open a Canadian account as a new user using our code: LBJDEPD4 https://www.koho.ca/referral/ Once you spend $20 in the first 30 days, you’ll get the $20 cash back OR 3 of the extra plan for a value of $27 *EXPEDIA* book your first trip/hotel/car rental/flight as a NEW USER with a min. spend $230 and receive $30 off sign up through link: https://www.expedia.ca/refer?refcode=JenniferJNfW4 *AMAZON* our Travel Must Have’s on Our Storefront https://amzn.to/3PJajs5 *EPEDEMIC SOUND* The music we use for our vlogs. Get 7 days free trail here: https://share.epidemicsound.com/al0ue2 *CAMBLY* Earn extra money tutoring anywhere in the world as a native English speaker online to make your travel dreams a reality through English tutoring teach 10/hrs and receive a $30 bonus through our link: https://www.cambly.com/invite/F6QAQ4SK?st=040924&sc=4 📸 *TRUSTED HOUSESITTERS* Explore the World and stay for free while house sitting or pet sitting with this incredible platform that we have used ourselves! Sign up with our link and receive 25% off your annual membership and we get a month membership free too! Win, win! https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF778513/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend *PRINTIFY* Start your drop-shipping business today with the no.1 print-on-demand service https://try.printify.com/closerlives *Disclaimers* We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This video may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission. We are JENN and LEON. We are a Canadian and British couple that has been traveling the world FULL TIME since 2021. Our vlogs are helpful to those looking to travel abroad, slow travel, budget travel, fast travel and luxury travel. There are also lifestyle and couple videos too. #japantravel #bullettrain #shinkansen #japan #traintravel #電車

As entrepreneurs and full-time slow travellers our goal is to see as much of this beautiful planet as we can! We love getting to know communities and locals around the world and through our channel we want to help and support them by sharing their culture with our viewers. By subscribing to our channel you will get notified of our latest videos as and when they land, so you will never miss out!

A couple taking a selfie on a beach in Thailand.

Jenn & Leon at Closer Lives

We plan to see, learn, love and share as much of the world with others as possible. That is why we created CLOSERLIVES.com, to create a community for like-minded individuals and to help bring the world a little closer together through poetry, history, storytelling, healing, art, purpose and community.

 

If you'd like to join us please sign up to our website; the social part is still in the process of being developed but currently you are able to post, share and interact. We'd love to have you here with us!

 

PLUS when you sign up you will receive a welcome bonus of 20% off ANYTHING on our site! Why not use it to treat yourself to one of our exclusive products in our store. Tap here to check out our range of nearly 300 inspirational products at Closer Lives Emporium.

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