I moved here at 10 after an early childhood spent growing up in Southeast Asia. The only things I knew about what it had to offer were that it had fresh milk and lots of fresh air (neither ubiquitous where I was from).

But little did I know (despite the initial struggles to find my identity in a brand new society), that I’d come to love this country. To feel a sense of belonging deeper than in the places I’d lived before. To adore the way of life and the many freedoms it offers.

The one thing Australians seem to love is to travel, far and wide. It probably comes from a combination of a) enjoying a fantastic quality of life which allows us to enjoy things like travel, and b) the fact that we are just so damn far away from everything. When COVID hit and borders tightened, I was gutted at having to pause on the momentum I’d built with international travel, my long list of far-flung destinations endless. But… looking back, it felt like a nudge from the universe to say “but look at how lucky you are to live right here?”. Hours spent squashed at the back of the car on endless family road trips were a common memory growing up, but as an adult I discovered my own adoration for the magic this country had to offer on a road trip through the northern coast of NSW in the summer of 2020. That then sparked a string of trips through NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia… all leaving me hungry to see more and more.

I hope you enjoy discovering the countless wonders of this country as I continue to do ❤️