“There’s only one thing more precious than our time and that’s who we spend it on.” – Leo Christopher
It’s Australia Day…and it doesn’t come without controversy. It is similar to our 4th of July but feels a little bit like Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day in America. The country is divided over it. You can read about the protests here. No place is perfect and we are all just working out the kinks.
I’m not here to focus on that though. Australia and its people have been fantastic to me during my visit. Sadly, it’s coming to an end. Soon. Next week I will be in a different country, on another continent. Ahhh, the life of a nomadic writer.
My short visit (less than three weeks) to this fantastic country has exceeded my expectations once again. The people rank first on the list of treasures Australia has to offer. From the pick up to the drop off at the airport has been nothing short of generosity and kindness. My Aussie family and friends have shuttled me all over this beautiful land to visit almost everyone I know and we have had many unique experiences – even if I did end up vomiting over the side of the boat. That actually happened once on my last visit to Australia too. C’est la vie.
Heck, I haven’t even been to an ATM. I never even got one Australian dollar during this visit. I didn’t need to. The few times these thoughtful and good-hearted folks would even let me pay for something (which has been, maybe, two times), I just used Apple Pay. I have an addiction to that thing if you haven’t heard. It’s like casino chips to me. Who is really paying for all this stuff I’m buying anyway? Kidding.
Seriously though, I have always loved Australia and the Aussies since I first met the McInally family 17 years ago, to my first visit down under in 2010/2011. On my last trip, I was here off and on for approximately 4 months. The government requires all foreigners to leave the country at the three-month mark and re-check in (which means I could come back, my visa is still good – we shall see). So, I went to New Zealand for a month and to Southeast Asia (Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, and Laos) for another month during my previous six-month trek down under.
Both of these visits have been “too easy” as Stephen loves to say. The Aussies love to share their love of their country with others. So over the course of the four months and now three weeks, I have paid for accommodation in a hotel/hostel for about NINE nights. And all nine of those nights were in 2011 when I went down to Melbourne and rented a car to drive the Great Ocean Road. Which is a must-see if you make it over this way. When you know one Aussie, you end up knowing a ton of Aussies. Along with the Canadians, I believe them to be the friendliest people on the planet. When the locals found out I was coming, the phone tree must have lit up with Christmas tree lights. I had an entire schedule lined up for me before I arrived, with details of where I would be staying and when, and who was driving me there. I’ve been housed, fed, and chauffeured without anyone expecting one thing in return – although I offered many times. I didn’t have to plan a thing minus the flight over here. Everyone has been beyond hospitable and I cannot thank them enough for making my visit so incredibly special and fun.
As usual, I’m sad to say all these goodbyes (again) but the memories I’ve made will last a lifetime. I love the Aussies and I feel that the Aussies love me. Maybe I should just start saying, “see ya later” because I never know where the Universe is going to take me. Just like this next step – to be announced -, I didn’t see it coming before I arrived in Oz but it should be a fun new adventure and a new stamp on the passport.
Goodnight and much love from Australia. 🇦🇺
Below are a few of my favorite photos and a video from the trip that haven’t been posted on the blog yet.
Stephen taking me on a “shortcut”. I think he might be a serial killer.
