Headed Down Under!


Tyler's Posts / Wednesday, February 28th, 2018

It was June 6, 2017, my nerves where having a full on rager, and my heart had sunk into the depths of my stomach, I was actually at JFK, minutes from boarding a plane to Australia. A short layover in Dubai, and 26-hours later I finally arrived at Perth Airport around midnight. What a nice, easy choice for my first solo traveling experience...but actually it was! I flew with Emirates, it was painless, super comfortable, and the second leg of my trip was practically empty, I really lucked out. I then patiently waited an hour for my luggage listening to the sweet lullaby of children screaming and the patter of their feet running back and forth..that was a blast... fast forward and here I go, only a few steps away from stepping through that gate to see Donovon after four whole months 'play it cool, play it cool..' There was my handsome man all dressed up in a black sweater, olive khaki pants, black shoes, hair cut, clean shave, HOT DAMN! Being apart is sort of regular for our relationship, and seeing each other again, well, that's the best part, it's always like seeing each other for the first time. Check out my post Doing Long Distance for more about it!

On the road to Rockingham, it's pitch black, and every so often you pass by a kangaroo crossing sign, I can hardly contain my excitement, . I'm actually in Australia, somewhere I've always wanted to go, it’s just so surreal. The first place we went after leaving the airport, the beach... naturally. There was a crisp, cool breeze (opposite seasons), the air smelled like sea salt and sweet serenity, and I just stood there, taking it all in, listening to the tide rushing over the shore line. I'm really here right now..

Life truly is a beautiful journey. Give love, feel peace, & be happy.

AUS life is a journey

I worried a little about driving the car, it was a bit strange I must admit, but it was a quick adjustment, opposite side of the car, opposite side of the road, no biggy. The people were nice, I also worried about that, and their accents were freakin' awesome. Morning's were my favorite, we would wake up, walk about five blocks to the foreshore and sit outside, having breakfast looking to the ocean, I was in heaven!

Dj brkfast2

The sunsets were breathtaking. As the sun would slip through the cracks of the horizon, it vibrantly painted the sky in a beautiful chaos. And then, in the blink of an eye, it was night.. This was by far, one of the most simple, yet peaceful and relaxing moments I could ever experience.

AUS sunset

Typically, most travelers aren’t too keen on traveling to Western Australia, as the East Coast has more of the attractions. However, if you find yourself in WA, Caversham Wildlife Park is an awesome place to go check out some of the wildlife native to Australia. There are ‘heaps’ of incredible animals, and the kangaroos just run free! As an animal fanatic, it’s safe to say, my time in Australia just kept getting better and better. Beaches, animals, sunshine, random 15 minute torrential downpours, what more could I ask for?! Life was goooood.

AUS wombat

Everyday life, aside from the gorgeous views, was normal, relative to what I consider normal of course. We lived in a house with two other players, we did laundry, grocery shopping, running, working out, going out. There was fast food like ‘Maccas’ that’s McDonalds btw..(as there is almost everywhere), Hungary Jacks, KFC, subway. Then there were Donovon's personal favorites, to satisfy his dying hunger for Chipotle, either Salsas or Zambreros. Australia has to be the most Americanized country I could have visited, yet I like it better than America. Things are unexpectedly expensive, but the value of 1 USD  is equivalent to 1.28 AUD, so it’s really not too bad.

On the weekends I would finally get to watch Donovon in action, playing basketball!! At the games, I met the girlfriends of other teammates, and we quickly became friends. Making friends throughout these travel experiences is an essential factor in maintaining your sanity. Being away from home, your life, and your friends can become difficult, and having the opportunity to make new friends really makes all the difference. We met some amazing people, traveling down under, that we’ll never forget, and hope to see again down the road!

AUS friends

And just like that the season came to an end, and we had no plans or expectations of what was to come next! As far as I knew we would be coming home…

And then...

We got the news, we’re headed to Germany!! Before taking off, we took a short trip down to Margaret River Region and it was unbelievable! We booked an Airbnb in Witchcliffe, it was a quaint garden house, and it was perfect! We explored inside of three different caves, hiked along the shoreline to a whale watch point, took a brewery tour, and some necessary R&R before the nerves of our next adventure kicked in!

Check out this video I put together of our little getaway!

Thank you so much for reading! Follow the next post for what happens next!