Australia

Australia, for us, was never just a dot on the bucket list, it was the trip where we learned that kangaroos have no sense of personal space, Tim Tams can solve almost any family argument, and that road trips through the outback feel a bit like starring in your own survival reality show (minus the camera crew, sadly).

This is where city skylines flirt with wild coastlines, and where my teenager decided that Uluru was “cooler than Instagram made it look,” which, trust me, is the highest praise you can get. Between our detours for “just one more” beach, discovering how many flat whites one mom can drink in Sydney, and debating whether we should sell everything and move to Melbourne for its brunch scene, we lived a version of Australia that was messy, magical, and 100% us.

If your idea of Australia is just koalas and the Opera House, trust me, you’re in for a surprise. Between reef snorkels where the fish look more fashionable than you, sunsets that make you forget your kids’ latest mid-flight tantrum, and outback drives that feel like the road is never-ending, our version of Australia is equal parts adventure, chaos, and “did-that-just-happen.”

Welcome to my corner of Australia… maybe you’ll pick up a tip or two for your own Aussie adventure.