Australia Chapter 2: Where did Saturday Go?
Key Takeaways
- The journey to Brisbane Australia began with a drive to Atlanta before a long flight with a layover in LA.
- After arrival, the author enjoyed local attractions like Mount Coot-tha and Street Beach while fighting jet lag.
- The first day involved activities to adjust to the new time zone, including hydrating and exploring local culture.
I wanted to write as close to the moment as I could, but I didn’t (and still don’t) have an agenda for when or how I write. When I started, I wondered: am I telling you about what has happened so far in chronological order, or do I write about one notable event and spell it out later? Well, I’m still not sure, so here it goes!
We Made It!
We made it! We are very far from home. I remember our first time outside of the US, Mexico, or Canada, it was to Costa Rica. I constantly looked at the iPhone map, trying to visualize the distance between the dot indicating home and the blue pulsing circle showing my location. I do this often to reflect on the journey I’ve just undertaken and the magic that is air travel that brought me from point A to point B so quickly. England was the next time I remember being even more wowed by the distance and magic.
Now, I’m not even sure what to feel. It’s the first time I can’t see both markers on the map together, even when I turn my phone, and I have the iPhone Max! Not only that, but the two indicators can’t get much further apart. Some quick research shows me that Perth, Australia is the farthest major city from Wilmington, NC. So as far as my iPhone map exercise goes, I’m about there.
The Journey
We left home in the early hours of Thursday, November 20, to drive to Atlanta. We stopped in Columbia, SC, where I worked from a variety of coffee shops. After work, we finished the drive, checked into the hotel, and got a good night’s sleep. We made Friday a very low-key day and headed to the airport early to grab some food and mentally prepare for the journey ahead.
We boarded at 6 PM on Friday, November 21, and after a short layover in LA, would land in Brisbane at 8 AM on Sunday, November 23. I’m extremely lucky that I can sleep on airplanes, almost regardless of my seating arrangements. This time, we had an upgraded seat that reclined a bit more with a footrest, so I clocked a good 8 hours. Perhaps not as restful as a bed, but enough to call it a night’s sleep. I dozed off a bit more during the 15 hour flight. Amanda doesn’t have that same luck. She was able to nod off a bit but didn’t quite get the same rest I did. We enjoyed two meals and pizza snack in the air.
Welcome to Brisbane
After a very quick and easy customs process, we were greeted by my brother waving a mini Australian and an American flag in the air. We got in the car and headed straight to Mount Coot-tha, where we enjoyed a flat white coffee looking over the city of Brisbane. After securing a local phone number for the two weeks, we headed to the Airbnb.
A local phone number is not a must, but it helps when wanting to text locals, etc. I don’t do it for a weekend somewhere, but for two weeks, I though it would come in handy.
Then we were faced with a choice: find our second wind or call it a day? It was 2 PM, and the adult thing to do to properly adjust would be to drink a lot of water and go for a long walk, have a small dinner, and go to bed early. Well, we went with the second wind option, it just included several pints of beer for me and vodka for Amanda (even though gin is her go-to) with some water mixed in. A bowl of chicken wings on the side with some good conversation was included. This took place at Street Beach, a human-made beach in the middle of South Brisbane surrounded by shops, bars, and restaurants.
We headed home after a few hours. Amanda relaxed and watched some Netflix while my brother and I found a third wind. This time I must have followed the recommended water and walk process, right? Nope, more Brisbane and beer time! We walked around the West End, finding a bar and some pokies (slot machines in Australian talk). We had one beer, lost a few bucks, and headed to find some takeaway (takeout in Australian talk). We brought back some very good Chinese food, ate it, and passed out!
I woke up well-rested and kicked off day two by writing this. Once I edit it and hit publish, we’re having brekkie (breakfast in Australian talk) and then tackling a full day’s agenda!
The flight from the US to Brisbane takes approximately 15 hours of flying time from Los Angeles (LAX) to Brisbane. Including layovers, the total journey can take 24-30 hours depending on your departure city. Most travelers will need to connect through a major US West Cost hub like San Francisco or Los Angeles before the long-haul Pacific flight to Brisbane.
On your first day in Brisbane, visit Mount Coot-tha for panoramic city views and a flat white coffee, explore Street Beach in South Brisbane (a free human-made beach surrounded by restaurants and bars), and walk through West End to experience local Brisbane culture. Fighting jet lag by staying active and hydrated helps you adjust to Australian time faster than sleeping immediately.
Mount Coot-tha is located about 7 kilometers west of Brisbane’s CBD and offers the best panoramic views of the entire city. It’s an ideal first stop after arriving in Brisbane because the lookout provides excellent orientation to the city layout, features a cafe for Australian coffee, and requires minimal energy when jet-lagged from international travel.
Street Beach is a free, human-made beach located in South Brisbane’s cultural precinct at South Bank. It features white sand, a lagoon-style swimming area, and is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, and bars. The beach provides a unique urban beach experience in the middle of the city and is perfect for relaxing after a long international flight to Brisbane.
To deal with jet lag after flying to Australia, you can either push through your first day by staying active, drinking water, and going to bed at a normal local time, or you can take a short nap and adjust gradually. Many travelers find that exploring Brisbane immediately upon arrival, enjoying local food and drinks, and forcing themselves to stay awake until evening helps reset their body clock faster than sleeping during Australian daytime hours.
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