I’m twenty three and I’ve never been on a proper vacation. Have never gone anywhere I could not get to by car. I’ve driven to other cities and have gone on cross-country trips, but I’ve always thought that those trips were missing something. They lacked a certain sense of adventure.
After hearing exciting stories from friends who have spent time abroad and meeting some really interesting travelers through social media, I’ve finally decided to take a step towards the life of exploring. I saved up some money, picked a destination and booked my ticket. There was no changing my mind now, I’m moving to Perth, Australia. The farthest destination from home.
That was in August. Even though I had two full months to prepare, it never fully sunk in that I will be leaving everything and everyone behind until the night before my flight. Lying awake at 4 am, I could not fall asleep, too many things going through my mind.
On the day of the flight, getting on the plane, I was in a very happy mood. I was filled with excitement. Even as we took off, I had a big smile on my face. It was only after the plane gained altitude and turned around, that I saw the city of Montreal from above and realized that I will not see it for a very long while. I was very emotionally confused. I was teary-eyed and sad, but still filed with excitement of leaving into the unknown.
After going from flight to flight, airport to airport for 36 hours, I was finally where I wanted to be. Looking over the skyline of Perth City, I thought to myself “This is going to be great!” I am still a bit scared because I’m not sure how well things will go for me here, but I know one thing for sure, I will do everything to make this the most unforgettable experience in my life.