Final Thoughts on Australia

Monday, March 8 was our last day in Australia. Our flight was at noon Brisbane time so we woke up and headed straight to the airport. It was sad to leave, especially after such an epic trip, but when we landed and saw the "Welcome to Los Angeles" sign at LAX there was a nice warm feeling of being home.


Home sweet home.


We each reflected back on our Australia adventures and put together some final thoughts…

GREG:


What an amazing trip! I can't believe it's over. I battled through a sprained ankle for the first two weeks (which caused me to walk like a gimp, but did not keep me off the dance floor), a nasty cough and a couple other minor injuries and ended up having my best trip yet. We went with a giant list of things to do in each city (sites, bars, restaurants, etc.) and managed to knock off just about everything on it.

While travelling is about the places you go and things you do and see, a major part of the experience is based on the people that share your journey. We met some great people from all over the world. Thanks to all of them for sharing their cultures with us, giving us tips on what to do, and joining in on our shenanigans. If any of you find yourselves in Southern California, be sure to get in touch with us. Also, a special thanks to the rest of the Travel In Sandals crew who made this trip what is was and provided me with memories that will last a lifetime!


DAVE:


Australia. It was my first real trip traveling abroad, and a trip I'll never forget. It was three weeks filled with new experiences, bonding with friends, self-reflection, culture, and of course, food and drink. It was everything traveling is supposed to be. My body and mind are essentially mush after 17 straight days of non-stop action, but I wouldn't do it any other way. If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger...and we are still alive.

I keep getting asked, "What was your favorite part of the trip?" To be honest, it's impossible to answer. Do I list a specific city? Do I pick an experience? Do I pick something out of the box? To answer it as best I can, I'd say the best part are the memories I'll have with me for the rest of my life. The memories are something that nobody can take away from me, and the trip has added another aspect to what makes Dave, "Dave". The bonding with friends, the picturesque views, the blending of cultures, the new experiences, the continued self-development, and most importantly, the smiles and laughs amongst all of us will be cherished forever.

Here's to the next Trip of a Lifetime...In Sandals of course!


MO:


Australia! The Land of OZ! Aussieland! Down Under! WOW!!!! Where do I begin???

How about the beginning? As we sat on the plane 21 months ago returning from an amazing trip to Brasil, our minds immediately began planning the next big international trip...Australia! I had no doubt our next trip "down under" would be just as exciting and adventure-filled as the one we had just concluded. Turns out...I was way off! After some personnel changes, detailed planning, fortunate weather patterns and a large bag of 5 Hour Energy, this trip to OZ exceeded every single one of my many expectations! It was the perfect storm of a “holiday” and one that I will never forget (thanks in most part to this blog)!

Every part of this trip couldn’t have been drawn up any better, even if there had been a script. The places we visited, the sights we saw, the people we met, the food we ate, the activities we dared, the dance floors we dominated, the contests we won, the bar tabs we accumulated, the sleep we didn’t get, the laughs we shared...all of it, I wouldn’t change for anything in the world! Thanks to all of you new friends who made our trip so memorable along the way...and a very special thanks to the rest of the Travel in Sandals crew for making this trip what it was! I feel very fortunate to have friends like you that make it possible to share in such amazing lifetime experiences.

Next up??? No worries...I think I’ll enjoy this one for a bit longer.


MATT:


Australia is at the top of my list. It is the ultimate combination of fun, culture, relaxation, food and people. What we did in two and a half weeks is equivalent to a month-long trip for someone else. I wouldn't do one thing different and I can't wait to go back to visit all the new friends we've made.

Traveling is about so many things - relaxing, bonding with friends, exploring other cultures, seeing sites, eating new food, but the one thing you get from every trip no matter what or where you go, is learning about yourself. Your personality, decisions, tendencies, preferences, comfort zones - it's all put under the microscope, it's all tested.

On this trip we had a name for testing our boundaries, we called it "Fried Eggs." It came about when Mo ordered fried eggs at breakfast one morning and we asked, "do you like fried eggs?" And he said "I don't know, never had them before." I love that! That is the essence of traveling - try new things, see new places, fill your life with more. Thanks to all those who filled my life with more, especially the Travel In Sandals crew.


Final thoughts from Travel In Sandals...
Travel! Travel with family or friends, travel with an itinerary, travel without a plan, travel for a weekend, travel for a month, travel to new places, travel to touristy spots, travel with an appetite for food and culture, travel to discover the unknown, travel and get lost, travel outside your comfort zone, travel in style, travel to meet new people, travel to meet a new you...just travel and when possible, travel in sandals!

Thanks for following along on our Australian journey and for chiming in with comments, e-mails, suggestions and support. We'll do this all again on our next trip so be sure to log back in when Travel In Sandals hits the road in 2011!!


Here are some of our favorite pics from the trip.




























Cheers,

Mo, Matt, Dave and Greg.