Audrey – Australia

February 11, 2025

I’ve finally made it to my destination. After days of travel, crossing countless time zones, and what felt like two never-ending flights, I was exhausted. But the thought of arriving in Perth kept me going. Sleeping on the plane didn’t go as planned, so by the time I arrived, I was completely drained. Once I made it through customs and immigration (thankfully with both suitcases), I caught a free ride from the university to my new place. When I got to my temporary home for the next few weeks, the tiredness hit me hard. It was around 8 PM here, but I knew I had to sleep while I could because my body clock was going to fight me. I quickly fell asleep… only to wake up at 4 AM, wide awake. Jet lag had me. I considered trying to sleep again, but I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I called home which gave me an hour of familiarity, but it was still early. What does one do at 5 AM in a new city with no chance of sleep? Coffee. I searched for nearby coffee shops on my GPS and found one just 6 minutes away, opening at 5:30 AM. I quickly got dressed and had my first adventure in Perth. It finally felt real. I sipped on my coffee outside and watched the city wake up. The 48 hours of travel and waking up at 4 am was worth it.”