We moved from Canada to Australia with a two and four year old and ten pieces of luggage – all of our worldly possessions. It sure seemed like a lot of luggage as I had to unload every piece off the airport carousel, trying to keep an eye on the girls as Matt was stuck going through customs. Even more so as we wheeled two luggage carts piled sky high through the airport. That was nothing compared to when we had to leave the carts behind and wheel all the suitcases by hand, lifting them on and off trains in the few seconds allowed before the train doors would close – and that was with eight adult hands. It was good to finally get them indoors and realize that really, we barely owned anything.
Going through an experience like moving your entire family from one side of the world to the other really helps you realize what really matters. It’s not the stuff, although the stuff can be comforting. I don’t really regret the books or clothes I chose to leave behind, so much as the people that I miss.
Here are a few of the more memorable moments during our travels:
Matt’s passport getting flagged in Winnipeg so that we almost missed our first flight, and were paged from the gate as we ran for it, being the last passengers on the plane.
Spending 75% of the flight from Winnipeg to Vancouver taking one or the other kid to the toilet.
Not being allowed to hold Freya during the plane landing in Vancouver as she was ‘over’ two and subjecting the entire plane to twenty minutes of screaming.
Driving to Stanley Park in Vancouver and thinking that based on the views we should have been living there all along!
Seeing the tall hedges around houses in Vancouver, they were taller than the houses!
Watching a giant cruise ship go past Stanley Park and seeing the seals bobbing in the water off the shore.
Freya peeing through her diaper on one of the chairs in the rental car office – whoops.
Handling my anxiety over flying by realising that if we crashed, at least we were fulfilling our goals (weird, but true).
The in-flight video system not working for the first 3-4 hours of the 15 hour flight from Vancouver to Sydney.
Being glad I decided not to encourate Freya to wean before the move, since nursing was just about the only way I got her settled on the flight.
Suffering a massive nose bleed on the 15 hour long flight, while holding sleeping Freya.
