Deja Vu – seriously, are we leaving Australia, again?

Leaving Sydney

Monday, March 23, 2020, was the day we left Sydney. The day we were due to embark on our travel sabbatical. Two years of saving. Allowing us to explore new countries, and to immerse ourselves in different cultures. We didn’t spend as much as we expected.

We got as far as Perth before the world closed in on itself. Countries took a protectionist approach to the burgeoning pandemic. Borders were closed to everyone but citizens of each country. Even within countries, such as here in Australia, borders were closed internally, creating mini countries within a country. It was a very strange time.

116 weeks later, some 813 days, we are once again packing up all our possessions, our life, and having them carted off to storage. This time we are doing it on the west coast. We could either say that we are just starting our travels, or we could reframe it as, we are now two years into it.

Leaving Perth

Either way, things are getting real. Again. We are down to a backpack each. And a day bag. The things in there are slightly different from two years ago. Newer, but we have had to apply the same minimalism. And it is hard. Difficult. Deciding what to pack when you could be away for 12 months. Living through different seasons. 

It may be the season of summer in the UK, where we will be spending our first large stint of time, but summer in the UK means something very different to summer elsewhere. So we have to be judicious with what we pack. A great tip I read many years ago, when embarking on long term travel, was to lay out all the clothes you think you need, then pack half of it. Easier said than done, believe me.

A Simpler Life

Although, once done, it does make travelling so much easier. No encumbrances. A couple of bags that hold everything you have. No space for trinkets and souvenirs that only gather dust once you are back home. A fruit bowl that looked “interesting” in the dimly lit market. A miniature camel that has no place in your lounge at home. No, none of that. 

We will be taking our bags and our first port of call will be Hamilton Island, in Queensland. The trip we had booked for my 50th celebration, last Xmas, and which got cancelled due to the aforementioned border closures.

A few months later than planned but we will be staying at the Qualia resort, something we are very excited about. Time to decompress after the last few weeks of arranging, packing up, and cleaning. Leaving a rental in Australia is rather intense if you want your bond money back. Then there are all the utilities to cancel. A virtual mailbox to find. The list goes on and on.

Qualia, here we come, eventually

The only thing on my list when we hit Qualia will be a dip in the pool and a cocktail, or three. And yes, before you remind me, we are travelling, not on holiday. So we have to reset our expectations, but for the first part of this trip we have agreed to a “holiday” budget. The hotels when we travel will have significantly fewer stars. If we can even afford a hotel.

Until that time, we intend to kick back and enjoy ourselves. Starting with a strong coffee at Perth airport.

I will be sure to let you all know how we get on.