Zac Update: After One Month Down Under
It’s already been a month down under! It has gone by rather quickly. As a reminder, we are spending 9 months away from our home in Colorado. Our plan is to spend 3 months in Australia and 6 months in New Zealand. Here’s my initial post about how this journey came about and the $28,000 flights we booked on points to get here.
I wanted to share a few thoughts so far…
Before I share anything, it’s absolutely true that people call each other “mate” all the time. It really is true.
A Brain-Twisting Time Zone
The absolute weirdest thing so far has been managing between the time zones. I feel like I’m in some kind of Christopher Nolan Inception movie where I’m trying to understand where people are at a certain time. I’ll look at the date but it’s not the same date in the US. I think to myself, “Today is yesterday?” or is it, “Yesterday is today”? It’s a bit like learning a different language. It hasn’t quite become natural yet. By the time I’m used to it, it’ll probably be time to go home back to the US. =)
Snakes & Crocodiles & Wallabies, Oh My!
Initially, I was looking everywhere for snakes. I’m terrified of snakes. In addition, there are also “Be croc wise” signs all over the place near water. So, I was also on the lookout for them.
Turns out, there aren’t snakes and crocodiles everywhere you look. Crocodiles that are seen nearby actually get reported and relocated. It’s rare to see them, but you must still be aware. Snakes supposedly go on their way and don’t bother humans.
I guess it’s not that different from an Australian coming to the Rockies and thinking a bear or mountain lion is around the next tree. It’s important to be smart, but not stressed. My anxiety has settled down quite a bit, but you certainly have to be aware that it’s a possibility. That said, there’s a shell in the ocean that can pierce you with fatal poison. There’s a box jellyfish that can kill you within 3 minutes, stinger ants, stinging trees, etc. The list goes on. I haven’t even mentioned sharks!
Once we get to New Zealand, there are no known predators (including no snakes). I am very excited about that. Although they don’t have any cute koalas or wallabies like the ones below.
A father-son first. Feeding a wallaby.
OMG, I got an Australian boat license!
I’ve never been on many boats in my life. And I’ve only operated one for a few minutes. But, one of my goals during this 9-month trip was to find some hobbies and new things that would stretch me. The family we’re renting our home from has a small boat we can use. So I had to go through the Australia “BoatSafe” license training. It was about 10 hours of online learning and on the water training. And I passed!
The big test will be to take a boat to the Great Barrier Reef, which is about an hour from the shore. Hopefully, we can find an epic sandbar and also catch a fish while not recreating a modern version of Old Man and The Sea. It’s safe to say I won’t be watching any shark movies anytime soon.
The boat license was a big deal. As I reflected, it was a big confidence boost that I could know nothing about something and become confident and competent. Even though other people do it all the time, I had a mental block about me being able to captain a boat. I decided to do the certification course despite these doubts.
It gave me an understanding of what a newbie feels like when they sign up for Travel Freely. It can feel overwhelming and almost unreachable to learn how to do this to achieve your travel dreams. As a former teacher, it’s helped me to be aware of how Travel Freely can improve our educational experience for everyone who feels intimidated by credit cards, rewards, and booking free travel. The adrenaline rush of learning the theory of something and then following through to achieve your goals is a real thing!
In simple terms, you must understand the theory of something and have a goal in mind before getting into the practical. I learned the theory online for the boat certification. While I still doubted that I could do what was necessary once I got in the boat, I kept my motivation front and center – to be cruising off the coast of Australia to the Great Barrier reef! I never dreamed that would be a possibility.
A boat license requires the ability to plan and make good decisions. Understand different markers in the water. Stay within the deep channels. What to do when things happen and stay calm, etc.
Most importantly, you have to plan and see the course ahead. And while big travel rewards via credit card applications may not be shark-infested waters, one might argue they are with the interest rates!
So I’m seeing our Travel Freely education in a whole new way. I want to keep working hard to ensure we prepare and educate you in the best way possible while understanding your questions and potential obstacles to overcome. I don’t want anyone to feel overwhelmed, embarrassed, or not capable. I want to make sure we have the right beacons to grab your attention when appropriate and match them with tools and resources so you can achieve your travel dreams.
FYI – It certainly helps when you have a great teacher. My instructor was a man named Simon who was fun and very knowledgeable. He also trains people to sail sailboats and fly planes. He is a commercial pilot for Qantas, too!
Fishing?
I have also tried my best to catch fish. So far it has not worked. It’s completely different than fly fishing in Colorado. It’s a huge learning curve and there are 30 different species compared to 1 (trout) in Colorado. There are beaches, rivers, estuaries, and jungle waterfalls. This reminds me of someone trying to get into travel rewards and see how many cards there are. It’s hard to know where to begin and easy to get lost in all of it. Education and advice is so valuable when navigating something new.
Oh and I’ve never had to “stand back” from a river while fishing to make sure I’m safe from crocodiles.
Australian Food
This country is obsessed with coffee. Everyone loves their specialty drinks. A cappuccino or latte is what a basic cup of coffee is to us back at home. Furthermore, there’s a coffee shop everywhere you go. For example, a run-down-looking BP gas station had a cashier who doubled as a barista with an expensive Italian espresso machine!
Most coffee drinks come with sprinkled cocoa on top or lining the cup like a salted margarita glass. It’s a nice touch!
With my son, we’ve been exploring different candies, which includes various flavors of Big League Chew and Mentos that I didn’t know existed. Tim Tams are incredibly tasty cookies similar to Oreos but coated in chocolate with different kinds of fillings.
Also, brunch is a big deal here. It’s been fun to explore different cafes on the beach.
One super welcomed part of the culture is the lack of tipping. It’s very rare to tip here. It may be baked into the cost of food, but I am so glad to be removed from the new craze in the US of asking for an insane tip just because someone pushed a few buttons to place your order. That extra 15-20% savings on dining out will save us a lot of money. Plus, the exchange rate is pretty awesome right now.
How Are The Kids?
Our kids have adjusted really well. They have also made new friends and have had new experiences. There are tons of playgrounds, a large public pool with a beach, a ferris wheel, and lots of other outdoor activities. My son got to pet a snake and hold a blue-tongued lizard. There are lots of different toys and so many beaches and playgrounds to explore every day.
The best playground ever. Right on the beach.
Pretty fun that “Can we go to the beach?” is part of my son’s daily vocabulary.
The public playgrounds here are so cool! Lots of water features and very creative. Plus, set in some beautiful places. Many of them are near cafes and restaurants so the adults can get a coffee, smoothie, or other cold beverages. =)
A view from The Great Barrier Reef Drive.
Hanging On to Old Habits
Many of you know this, but I played tennis at the University of Colorado my freshman year of college. They have stunk in football for 20 years since then. But not now. I have gotten up twice at 2am to see Colorado play football. I can’t say that I’ve done the same to watch the flailing Titans. =)
Our Goal of “Deep Travel”
I feel like we’re achieving our big goal as a family – to jump head first into a “deep travel” experience where everything is new because of a different culture. Doing normal things. Living normal lives. Getting to know and see familiar faces each day. Everyday has some fun challenges to solve and new things to learn about how life is done.
An example from the other day. I rode a bike to the post office to pick up a package. The guy looked at me funny when I said, “package,” and said, “Do you mean parcel?” (pronounced “paw-sull?”) Oh, yes. Sorry about that mate.
And there’s the whole “Z” is actually “Zed” – so my name is spelled “Zed-A-C.”
That said, there are lots of new things. We’ve been to the beach almost every day we’ve been here. And we can hear the waves from our rental house. That’s been amazing.
It’s been a bit like when we moved to Colorado and there were so many places to explore in the mountains. We are in the Northeast Queensland area, and there’s a million things to do – from the Great Barrier Reef to beaches to jungle rainforests and Crocodile tours.
Take a Trip While On a Trip?
Lastly, it’s been ironic to get the travel itch while traveling. We’ve been here a month and I’m wondering, “Where could we go?” We are in such a beautiful area with lots to explore, but the travel itch still comes. Makes me think that the first people to colonize Mars will be checking out hotel deals on Jupiter within a month. =)
We have 2 more months in Northern Australia. Because we are so far North, I’m considering a short trip somewhere in Asia. I’ve never been. We have direct flights from here to Singapore, Bali, and Japan. I’m leaning towards Japan.
Thanks for reading this long ramble of a recap. Have a great weekend!
I’ll leave you with some bonus Australian humor that I can appreciate…
Best ways to get to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific using miles
