Home at last: How two years abroad made me appreciate Australia like never before

Breakfast may be the most essential meal of the day, but in Australia, they truly elevate it.

Forget your typical greasy diner breakfast. In Australia, breakfast is an art form—think exquisite latte art, perfectly round poached eggs, and a dash of edible flowers to complete the masterpiece.

From my experience, even the best cafes in London can't quite master the art of a perfect à la carte breakfast.

As I enjoyed my first smashed avocado, accompanied by heirloom tomatoes, a fresh basil salad, and roasted pumpkin puree with a za'atar crust—served with a warm smile by welcoming Aussies on my first morning back in Australia—I knew I was truly home.

It has certainly been quite a journey to reach this point.

Coming back home

As an Australian citizen residing in the United Kingdom, I’ve technically always been able to return to Australia during the pandemic. However, the high cost of mandatory hotel quarantine, strict limits on international arrivals, ever-changing entry rules for different states and territories, and burdensome testing requirements have made it nearly impossible for me to return home, despite my best efforts.

Thankfully, the COVID-19 situation in Australia has significantly improved since the Christmas holidays, when case numbers soared due to the omicron variant. With the situation stabilizing, I thought it was the perfect time to return to Australia and reunite with my family after two years.

Traveling to Australia isn't as simple as hopping from the U.K. to Spain for a spontaneous weekend getaway. I typically spend at least six months planning my trips. This time, however, everything came together in less than two weeks. With constantly shifting entry and testing rules, plus European airspace closures, there was always a chance something would go wrong.

Securing flights

The first step was booking flights. I've made the long-haul journey between Europe and Australia in economy many times, but with limited time for my visit and work to catch up on once I arrived, I was eager for more comfort. Premium class fares were sky-high as usual, so once again, points and miles came to the rescue.

I found availability in business class and used 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for a Qatar Airways Qsuite from Doha to Brisbane, and then 85,000 AAdvantage miles for the return flight from Adelaide to the U.K., with minimal fees and taxes — and no annoying fuel surcharges.

I consider this one of my best-ever uses of AAdvantage miles.

If you're having trouble finding Qatar business-class award availability to Australia, try searching for flights to Brisbane. Recently, this long-haul route has had better award availability compared to other major Australian cities like Melbourne and Sydney.

COVID testing troubles

The first setback happened before I even left London. I had booked my predeparture COVID-19 PCR test at a nearby clinic I’d used for travel in the past, which promised results by 2 p.m. the following day (and charged accordingly). Sure enough, at midday the next day, I received an email with the test result attached.

I opened the attachment and saw the result: Retest.

My stress levels skyrocketed as the entire trip seemed to crumble before my eyes. What did this even mean? Was the result inconclusive? Was the sample mishandled? I immediately reached out to the testing provider, who explained that occasionally a test, or even a batch of tests, may need to be retested—at no additional charge. They couldn't clarify the cause or confirm whether it was just my individual test being reprocessed.

I asked how long this would take, and was told, "Up to 24 hours."

The problem was that my first flight was at 7 a.m. the next day, and I absolutely needed those test results to board.

I explained my predicament and frustration, and the provider suggested, unhelpfully, that I could try to find an emergency test elsewhere, as they couldn't guarantee when the retest result would arrive. I wouldn’t know until tomorrow, and they wouldn’t refund the cost of the first test, despite failing to meet the promised result delivery time.

At this point, I was so anxious I felt physically sick.

I frantically searched for emergency testing providers, but they were both outrageously expensive and hard to find. It had taken me days to book my flights—was I really going to have to cancel the entire trip because this testing provider couldn't deliver what I had already paid for?

Luckily, at 4 p.m. that afternoon, as I juggled meetings, packing, potential airline change fees, fresh award availability, and the search for emergency testing options, my retest result came back negative. What a relief.

I didn’t allow myself to fully believe I was on my way to Australia until the flight from Doha to Brisbane finally took off. So many things could have gone wrong between booking my flights and actually boarding.

There was an undeniable buzz in the Qatar Airways cabin as we took off for Australia, just a few days after the much-anticipated border reopening. Or maybe it was just me, thrilled to be flying on what I consider to be the best business-class product in the world.

The British woman seated in front of me was heading to Australia for the first time. Her son and daughter-in-law had relocated to Queensland in early 2021 for work in healthcare and had recently welcomed a baby. She was overjoyed to meet her grandson for the first time and had been eagerly anticipating the border reopening since his birth. After hearing her heartfelt story, I joined her in a Champagne toast to mark our momentous journeys.

And, after all the stress from the past few days, I indulged in another glass — or maybe two.

A feeling of home

The first true indication that I was back in Australia came when I stepped into the arrivals hall in Brisbane. With no family or friends there to greet me (they all live in different states), I instantly felt a bit out of place. Even though I was in jeans and a T-shirt, I felt overdressed compared to the ultra-casual crowd. Queenslanders are the epitome of relaxed, from their quick speech to their laid-back fashion sense.

The arrivals hall was packed with people in tiny rugby shorts and flip-flops (or as we call them, "thongs"). The typical greeting for everyone was a very Aussie, "Owya garn?" (Translation: "How are you going?")

Similar to the British greeting "You right?", it doesn’t really make sense. The usual response is simply to reply with "Owya garn" in return, with neither person actually answering the question.

Although I have a lot of Australian friends in London and, I’d say, a noticeable Aussie accent, the Australian drawl always feels so much stronger when I’m back in Australia. The vibrant sights and sounds of the arrivals hall made me grin, and the torrential rain and high humidity outside completed the quintessential Queensland summer experience.

Unfortunately, my Qatar Airways flight was one of just six international arrivals to Brisbane that day, a mere fraction of the usual number of flights this busy international hub would typically handle.

The flight to Melbourne the next morning felt like any pre-pandemic flight there, except for the mask mandates and vaccination certificate checks, of course.

Melbourne airport was bustling with domestic passengers — busier than I had ever seen it — and I was glad to spot nearly every gate at the international terminal occupied by planes from around the world, including Emirates, Vietnam Airlines, and Xiamen Airways, with many more arrivals still scheduled for later in the day.

With the easing of entry restrictions, international travelers are flocking back to the city, even though Australians are still hesitant to travel abroad.

I noticed a few subtle changes in Melbourne since the pandemic, but overall, it was a wonderfully familiar experience, making me feel as though I had never left. At one point, Melbourne was named the world's most livable city for seven consecutive years by the Economist Intelligence Unit, and it's easy to see why: fantastic weather, top-notch cafes, bars, restaurants, and major events galore.

I took plenty of breaks for flat whites — Melbourne is especially renowned for its incredible espresso, a legacy of Italian and Greek immigrants who brought their European coffee machines and exceptional standards with them after World War II. Unlike the rushed, burnt coffee you might get in London, every cup here is brewed with care.

In Australia, coffee isn't just a quick pick-me-up; it's a social experience to be enjoyed slowly, not something you rush through as you dash to your next task.

Starbucks has only a handful of stores in Melbourne, mostly catering to tourists — locals would never be caught dead in such a chain.

Reunited with family

My anxiety was through the roof before my next flight — a Qantas domestic flight to Adelaide (ADL) — even took off.

The Qantas safety video celebrated the airline's 100-year anniversary, featuring nostalgic moments from its rich history, including a famous 1998 ad campaign. In this campaign, the Australian Girls Choir and the Australian National Boys Choir were flown to iconic Qantas destinations like London, New York City, and Uluru, where they performed 'I Still Call Australia Home,' a song so cherished in Australia it could easily be considered our unofficial national anthem.

Even just a brief clip from that iconic ad had me choking up as we taxied away from the gate — and I still get goosebumps thinking about it as I write. If you're wondering why Australians are so fiercely loyal to Qantas, watch the performance here.

When I arrived in South Australia and saw my parents in the arrivals hall, I broke down completely. As soon as I spotted them, the tears came flowing, and my mother joined me in tears. My father, though far more composed, was visibly thrilled to see me.

My parents have mentioned they may never be able to visit me in Europe again due to worsening health issues (they used to come once a year before the pandemic), so I’m determined to see them again before the year ends. Despite the testing mishap, my trip was smoother than expected, and I’m hopeful PCR testing requirements will soon be removed for travel.

As I walked down the street in South Australia, a few people greeted me with a friendly 'hello.' I did a double-take, thinking I recognized them, but they were simply being kind and welcoming, which is typical of Aussies. If someone said hello to me in London or New York, I’d probably walk the other way.

I’ve shared stories with friends and family about how we all dealt with the pandemic. Melbourne's experience was similar to the U.K.'s, with long and brutal lockdowns that felt endless. In South Australia, things were much more relaxed; they only started wearing masks around Christmas. They were shocked to hear that mask mandates had largely been lifted in the U.K., and I confessed that I probably wouldn't be wearing a mask much longer once I returned to London.

It felt strange picking up my niece and nephew from their junior primary school in Adelaide, while being required to wear a mask outside to do so.

Bottom line

The pandemic has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me; staying motivated in the travel industry has been tough when, at times, it was literally illegal to travel.

However, this trip was unlike any I’ve taken in the past two years.

For the first time, I couldn’t just hop on a plane to visit my family whenever I wanted, or needed to. It wasn’t as easy as booking a flight and heading to the airport with my passport. Every PCR test (and retest), every document, every time zone change, and even the 2 a.m. insomnia brought on by jetlag made it all worth it.

My internal clock is still completely out of sync, but at this point, who cares? I’ll sleep when I get back to cold, grey London next week.

Being back in Australia feels like slipping into your favorite pair of shoes or having someone cook your favorite meal. There’s something so familiar and comforting about being here. It’s the perfect place for both tourists and locals, and despite my years in London, Australia will always be home. This trip made that feeling more real than ever.

While I've thoroughly enjoyed the exquisite 2006 Bollinger rosé Champagne on Qatar Airways and all the indulgent café breakfasts since arriving, nothing has compared to the joy of reuniting with my family. That has truly been the highlight of this entire trip.

I’ll never again take for granted the ability to jump on a plane at a moment's notice and head home. And I certainly won’t be waiting another two years for the next visit. This 10-day whirlwind of work, reviews, and interviews, all squeezed around precious moments with my family, was exhausting but absolutely worth it.

Next time, I’m planning a longer stay—at least two weeks—so I can take things slower and truly reconnect with everyone.