Since I was a teenager, I was always fascinated by the continent of Australia. From the comical references of Paul Hogan to my keen interest in kangaroos, traveling down under was like a pilgrimage to an adopted Motherland. Once Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, or the Travel Channel began airing the Crocodile Hunter with Steve Irwin, I knew that I needed to go there.
Beyond Irwin’s enthusiasm and charisma, he was taking me on a journey that was completely foreign from my midwestern suburban neighborhood. My town was surrounded by sprawling farms with the occasional patch of trees. The animal species had been limited to deer, squirrels, bluejays, and robins. Long gone were the wolves, bears, and wildcats, that surely would’ve added a little adventure to the river valley that cut through the center of town. The Crocodile Hunter was showing me snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and bird species that seemed way more exotic that I was used to.
From there, ESPN began airing the Australian Football League games, which were far more hardcore than American Football. Their players didn’t wear helmets or bulky pads, and they just looked like regular dudes running around in the yard. I thought I could be an Australian Football Player.
In college, my Australian obsession continued as I bought an Australian flag off of Ebay, and hung it from my dorm room window. What kind of a person does that? People would ask if I was from Australia, and I would let them know that I just loved Australia. The Travel Channel kept airing more and more Australian documentaries. I watched so many Steve Irwin shows, I think that started to develop an Australian accent. Occasionally, people at work would ask me where I was from. When I would reply that I was from the neighboring town, they would say, “You sound Australian.” I always thought that was a sign that I was meant to go there.
After college, I met up with an indie film maker, who had a connection with a woman who worked in the Australian film industry. I thought that this might be my way out. I emailed back and forth for about a week, while I worked on my own indie short, but eventually things fizzled out once I didn’t have the funds to make my voyages.
The costs of plane tickets always made traveling difficult. My 20’s were plagued with underpaying jobs, recessions, and high rents. My habit of checking for flights online, lead me to always be overwhelmed by the high cost of air travel. It took me years to be able to afford to travel to Europe and Japan. Lightening struck, when I found flights online for under $600, after years of never seeing a ticket less than $1200. I bought the tickets minutes after I found the unbelievable deal without thinking of any of the details that went along with them. Everything could be figured out as it came.
Our children and pets will be watched by their grandparents. My work will be take care of by the new staff member in my office. Much as the Australia slogan goes, I will hopefully have “No worries.”