06/03/2026
Australia taught me that some trips feel intimidating right up until you actually experience them.
Before going, the 15-hour flight sounded huge in my head.
Once we were there, it felt surprisingly manageable.
You board late at night, settle into your routine, have dinner, sleep for most of the flight, wake up for breakfast, watch a movie, and suddenly you’re landing in Australia.
What surprised me even more was how comfortable the country felt almost immediately.
There’s something about hearing English everywhere and recognizing little similarities between US and UK culture that makes the adjustment feel softer than people expect.
I think a lot of travelers quietly build up fear around destinations that are “far away.”
Then they finally go… and realize the hardest part was the anticipation.
That trip shifted the way I look at travel completely.
Now, whenever someone tells me Australia feels too complicated or too far, I immediately understand where that feeling comes from. I also know how incredible it feels once you realize it’s much more approachable than you imagined.
Is Australia included in your bucket list? What stops you from making the trip happen?