spontaneous trips to sydney

Have you ever woke up and felt as though you want to jump on a plane and visit a new place, or some friends who you don’t get to see very often? 

Well, I acted on that feeling last week. 

One of my closest friends and her family moved to Sydney a few months ago for her husband’s work. With three children aged 3 and under (Olivia, my godson Hugo, and baby Millie), she is superwoman. Although we talk often via phone, I have been saying that I wanted to visit her as soon as I knew she was moving. 

Because I have been in the process of applying for work, I have had to be pretty flexible over the last few weeks for interviews and meetings. I have also had to stay fairly local. However, last week I received an exciting job offer at an amazing company, starting next week. 

With a new adventure ahead and time left on my holidays limited, one of the first things that I did was call my friend and Sydney and find out what she was doing over the next few days. Before I knew it, flights were booked, and I was on my way to spend 24 hours with the family. I hate the idea of being someone who is not true to my word. Good intentions without action are misguided. It is easy to say that you want to catch up with someone, but following through on these promises is a far more difficult feat. It is something that I have always been conscious of, and times like these are a test of it. 

After a 6 hour flight delay (yay for budget airlines), which thankfully allowed me to sort out some paperwork for my new job (don’t you love it when a potentially frustrating situation works out for the best?), I almost ran off the plane to see my friend, and did not stop running. Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, the Harbour Bridge, Bondi beach — we managed to fit a lot into our limited, precious time together. Although I had never been there before, Sydney feels so iconically familiar. But ultimately, the best thing of all was getting to spend 24 wonderful hours with my friend and her family. I was so overwhelmed by the love, joy, and generosity that I was greeted with. 

There are some people in your life who feel like family. People who love you unconditionally, and you would mutually do anything for. These people are your chosen family… and here are mine. My trip to Sydney last week may have been short, but it will definitely not be my last. The cost of a flight is nothing compared to the gain of spending time with people you love. 

Next week is going to be huge. Graduation, awards ceremonies, celebrations, and starting a new job. But after a few weeks enjoying a wonderful break, and my love bucket filled to the top by the incredible people in my life, I could not be more ready. 

xx Liz