I moved the other way, from Australia to the United States and I've loved every moment. But what about if you were thinking about moving the other way? Well here's 5 reasons you won't regret moving to Australia.
There's a multitude of reasons that I love Australia, but I've tried to sum it up in a top 5, what do you think? Leave a comment below if you think I've missed some glaringly obvious ones:
1. You won't regret moving to Australia for the wide-open spaces
This is something I didn't fully appreciate until I moved to a big city in a country that is roughly the same size but populated by so many more people: there's a lot of space in Australia.
Whether you're wandering the quiet streets of one of the smaller cities in the country, or you're in the middle of the outback, there's plenty of room.
Australia has a land-mass that is only slightly smaller than the United States but has 92% fewer people. That's 92% that is filled with trees and lots of wide-open nothing.
You come to appreciate the fact that you can drive between two major cities and basically see nothing except nature! The small towns down have high-rises, they have 12 people and hopefully a pub. Sometimes you might even find a corner store if you're lucky, and you can get yourself a cheeky pie (see below).
You'll see signs that say “No fuel or water for 200km” and they mean it. There's nothing out there, and if you forget to refuel or forget to pack water, you're not going to come across a vending machine. There's nothing!
You won't regret moving to Australia when you're in the middle of nowhere making a new mate, though!
2. You'll love the beaches of Australia and won't regret a thing
I miss the beach. I know that nearby I can get to a beach, but it doesn't feel the same. For basically the same reasons above, you can find your very own piece of beautiful beach in Australia without anybody else on it.
For me, it was Victor Harbor in South Australia, my happy place, where there are still “lots” of people, but you won't find anyone plopping down a towel too close-by and there's no-one hassling you because, well, they can't find you!
Here's a fun fact about Australia's beaches:
It would take 27 years to visit a new Australian Beach every day. Australia is home to the over 10,000 beaches and if you were to visit a new one every day it would take you 27 years!
That's a lot of beaches! You won't regret moving to Australia when you're on a beach, with no-one around except a kangaroo and white sand!
P.S. When we talk about beaches, we're talking waves, clean water, and golden sand. Rocks don't belong on a beach.
3. You'll adore the people and culture in Australia
One thing that I've realized after traveling a lot is that the people of each country are dramatically different, and that's not a bad thing.
In some countries, the people are more about getting things done, heads down, and on a mission. That's New York City for me. You don't want to get in someone's way because they're probably already late due to a subway delay, but once you find the pace of the place, you keep up and it can be really enjoyable.
Australia on the other hand takes things down a notch. It's not always about getting to the next event or the next meeting, it's about enjoying the fact that you're already at this one (if only for a moment).
Don't get me wrong, this isn't “island time” from the Caribbean where 10 actually means sometime after noon, I just mean that a long lunch isn't unheard of, and a beer in the early afternoon if a friend reaches out is a welcome invitation on a Tuesday.
You'll also find in Australia that the people are willing to dive a little deeper with someone they don't know (you), a little faster than you might be used to. They'll invite you out, they'll introduce you to their friends, and they might ask questions that you would consider a little more probing than you expected. This is all completely normal. They're not being nosey, they're inviting you in, and welcoming you with open arms.
It's not everyone's cup-of-tea, but I don't think you'll regret moving to Australia when you've made a new mate!
4. You'll discover the food and the wine of Australia and won't regret a second a glass
Namely: The pies, pasties, and sausage rolls (and some other things)
There's nothing like a pie, chocolate milk, and a donut for a warm summer's lunch. Or a chicken wrap and a pint of beer in the evening. Or maybe even a Michelin-starred meal out with friends overlooking Sydney's Harbor.
The point I'm trying to make is that Australia doesn't have as much of a food culture of its own, as it's instead taken all the best food of the countries near and far and expanded on them, cultivated them, and improved on them.
Sure, you won't find a New York City pizza that matches Joe's, but you will find that your local pizza place makes one of the best Tandoori Chicken pizzas on the planet (here's looking at you Feather's Pizza Shop in Adelaide).
Oh, and the wine! THE WINE! It's everywhere, and it's sensational. You'll find producers that only make enough for the town they live in who will welcome you in for a “tasting” (where they pour by the bucket-load) and you'll find companies that export tonnes of grapes and wine internationally and are considered the best in the world.
Find the Yarra Valley, find the Barossa Valley, find McLaren Vale, and have a glass. You won't regret moving to Australia when you've tried the wine.
5. You'll marvel at the nature of Australia and won't regret seeing a joey in real-life
I left this one for last because I realize that everyone touches on this at some point, but it really is true, it's a beautiful country.
You won't find a Colosseum or an ancient structure, but you will find rock paintings from 25,000 years ago that will blow your mind.
We've already talked about the beaches, but what about the rain forests, and the deserts, and the trees, and the sand, and dirt, and the sky, and the stars! THE STARS! You've not seen stars like these ones when you're in the middle of nowhere.
Enjoy it, it's the lucky country! You won't regret moving to Australia!
