Down under…

Its been a month since I had the pleasure of flying to Sydney, Australia for my cousin’s wedding in Bathurst. During my journey, I had an eight-hour layover in China, and since I left the airport to rest at a hotel, I like to think of it as a visit to two countries instead of just one. Some might argue that you haven’t truly visited a country if you only transit through it without stepping outside the airport, but I count it as one regardless, even if it was just for 30 minutes.

Now, back to my spontaneous trip ‘Down Under’ – it was the shortest stay but the longest flight I’ve ever taken, especially compared to the usual 17-20 hour flights I used to take with my family to New Zealand in the past. This 32-hour journey was worth it when I finally reunited with family members I hadn’t seen since leaving Tonga, and I also met some for the first time.

Before my return flight, I managed to squeeze in a boat trip to visit the usual tourist attractions in Sydney, such as the Opera House, Sydney Harbour, and Taronga Zoo. Although it was a brief trip, I am definitely looking forward to visiting Australia again and hopefully my flight will be less than 30 hours.