In Part 1 of our conversation with Kiara Sylvie Durbin, she was preparing for her first solo vegan trip through Australia and New Zealand.
She had the flights, the plans, the nerves and a 20-page master document. But what would actually happen once she got there?
Now Kiara is back, and we get to hear how the adventure really went.
From a cyclone warning just after arriving in New Zealand to changing plans on the road, meeting people in hostels and finding vegan food in unexpected places, this trip did not always follow the original itinerary. And Kiara wouldn’t have had it any other way.
From Australia & New Zealand Bound to Adventure Complete
Kiara’s journey started with a big leap.
She left her full-time job and flew to Australia to stay with a friend she had first met online. She spent time with friends in Melbourne and around Brisbane before heading to New Zealand on her own.
There, she traveled through the North Island with Kiwi Experience and later road-tripped around the South Island with a friend.
Some of her favorite moments were the big experiences you might expect, including Hobbiton and the beautiful landscapes around Glenorchy and Kinloch.
However, many of her strongest memories came from much simpler moments.
Spending time with her friend’s family in Australia, making up dances in the backyard, meeting people along the way and seeing how other people live all became an important part of the trip.
A 20-Page Plan That Still Left Room to Change
Before leaving home, Kiara created a 20-page master document called The Land Down Under with Hobbits.
It included accommodation, destinations and ideas for things she might want to do.
That preparation helped calm some of her anxiety. She knew where she was staying and had already researched places around her. Therefore, she could arrive with some structure while still leaving room to be spontaneous.
And she needed that flexibility.
Soon after landing in New Zealand, a cyclone warning sounded on everyone’s phones. Her Kiwi Experience itinerary changed, and the group spent extra time in Rotorua rather than continuing with the original plan.
Later, plans changed again in the South Island.
Kiara and her friend had planned to take a bus trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound. However, other travelers encouraged them to use their car instead so they could explore at their own pace. They changed their accommodation, canceled the bus and adapted the trip as they went.
One practical lesson? Know your cancellation dates and understand what is refundable.
Kiara also recommends keeping physical copies of important tickets and travel information in case you cannot access an online document when you need it.
Hostel Life, New Friends and Budget Travel
Hostels played a big role in making Kiara’s first solo vegan trip more affordable.
She particularly enjoyed staying at Haka House hostels in New Zealand, which she found clean, comfortable and social.
However, hostel travel gave her much more than a cheaper place to sleep.
It gave her opportunities to meet people from around the world.
At one point, Kiara found herself sharing a room with travelers from Ireland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. In Lake Taupo, she met a traveler named Julie. The two went grocery shopping together, practiced Italian and stayed up talking about their lives.
Kiara described one of the most freeing parts of travel as arriving somewhere where nobody knows you.
You are no longer defined by your job, your routine or the relationships you have at home. For a while, you can simply meet people as you are.
Budget travel also gave Kiara room for the occasional splurge. Staying with friends and choosing hostels meant she could spend more on experiences that mattered to her, including a relaxing visit to Onsen Hot Pools & Day Spa in Queenstown.
Vegan Food Finds Across Australia and New Zealand
Before the trip, vegan food was one of the things Kiara had researched carefully.
Once she arrived, she discovered that preparation helped, but so did simply keeping her eyes open.
In Melbourne, the vegan scene was a highlight. Kiara found Union Kiosk, a fully vegan spot, and even happened upon The Vegan Market in Coburg.
New Zealand vegan travel sometimes required a little more planning, but Kiara still found plenty to eat.
In Wellington, she loved the vegan donuts from Belén Plant Bakery.
Wānaka was another favorite. The food truck scene offered several vegan choices, and Kiara often found options even when she had not planned them in advance.
She also found vegan food in one particularly memorable location: Hobbiton. Finding a vegan pie there was a very welcome surprise.
For hostel meals, Kiara kept things simple. Grocery stores became an important resource, with staples such as nuts, protein bars, peanut butter, tortillas, microwave rice and curry helping when restaurant options were limited.
Her experience was a useful reminder: you do not need every meal mapped out before you leave.
A little research helps, but vegan travelers often become very good at spotting options wherever they go.
And the vegan airline meal?
One of Kiara’s biggest food surprises happened before she was even back on the ground.
She described her China Airlines vegan meal as some of the best vegan airline food she had experienced, including vegan ravioli and cheesecake.
Sometimes the best vegan finds really do turn up where you least expect them.
Packing Lessons She Won’t Forget
Not every lesson was about food or planning.
Some were about shoes.
Kiara packed for Australia more successfully than she packed for New Zealand. As autumn arrived, New Zealand was colder than she expected. The tank tops and short-sleeved shirts that looked good while packing were suddenly much less useful.
Fortunately, she had brought thermal layers.
The bigger problem was footwear.
Several weeks into the journey, Kiara realized that the shoes she had packed were completely wrong for her feet. Eventually, she had to buy new shoes during the trip.
Her advice now is simple: know your feet and take shoes that genuinely work for the type of travel you are planning.
Another favorite travel item is much smaller: a collapsible food container. It made storing and carrying food much easier while moving between destinations.
Coming Home Changed
Kiara also talks openly about something that often gets less attention: what happens when the trip ends.
While traveling, she found it easier to stay present. Each day had somewhere new to go, something new to see or someone new to meet.
Coming home felt very different.
Suddenly, the past, the future and everyday responsibilities returned.
Kiara found that adjustment harder than she expected. Her advice is to give yourself time when you come home. You may return to the same place, but you might not feel like exactly the same person.
Her first solo vegan trip also showed her that life does not have to stay fixed.
She had taken a risk, left her job and traveled across the world. When she returned, new work opportunities appeared, and her life began moving in a different direction.
The experience reminded her that she can shake things up again whenever she needs to.
Creating Content Without Missing the Trip
As a vegan travel content creator, Kiara also went into the trip thinking about what she wanted to photograph, film and share.
But creating content while actually living the experience proved difficult.
Trying to capture everything can quickly pull you out of the moment.
So Kiara stopped putting pressure on herself to post constantly. Instead, she filmed when she felt inspired, photographed her food and allowed the rest of the trip to unfold.
For future travels, she may plan a few important shots ahead of time or organize photos and videos into folders as she goes.
Most importantly, she is learning not to wait until everything is perfect before sharing.
As Kiara puts it, you don’t need to find your voice first and then start sharing. Sometimes, you find your voice by sharing.
What’s Next for Kiara?
For now, Kiara is taking things day by day.
She wants to keep traveling, explore opportunities to work with brands and continue sharing her vegan travel experiences.
Chicago may be next, while Ireland remains firmly on her travel wish list.
And after Australia and New Zealand, one thing is clear: the first big trip did not satisfy her desire to travel.
It made her want to see even more.
You can follow Kiara’s adventures on Instagram and YouTube.
And if you haven’t heard the beginning of her story yet, listen to Part 1: First Solo Vegan Trip | Australia & New Zealand Bound.
Learn More About What is Discussed on the Podcast
- Listen to Part 1: Hear how Kiara planned her first solo vegan trip before leaving for Australia and New Zealand. First Solo Vegan Trip | Australia & New Zealand Bound
- Kiwi Experience: Kiara traveled through New Zealand with Kiwi Experience. Explore their bus trips and small-group tours around the country. Visit Kiwi Experience
- Haka House: Kiara recommends Haka House for hostel stays in New Zealand. They have properties across both the North and South Islands. Explore Haka House hostels
- Belén Plant Bakery: One of Kiara’s favorite vegan food finds in Wellington was Belén, a fully plant-based bakery. Visit Belén Plant Bakery
- Hobbiton: Hobbiton was one of the highlights of Kiara’s New Zealand adventure — and she was delighted to find a vegan pie there too! Explore Hobbiton Movie Set
Other World Vegan Travel Content Connected With This Episode
- Vegan Canyoning in Australia | Adventure in Karijini | Sven Borg
- Vegan Travel in Australia | Melbourne’s Coffee & Culture
- Vegan Solo Travel | Seeking Peace Across 11 Countries
- Albania Van Life | A Vegan Traveler’s Hidden Gem | Ellie Larkins
