Aussie Epilogue

Sydney, Australia 2018

So that was my time in Aus...  I started out full of life and hope and ended with my proverbial tail between my legs. I ended up not just living life in the romp, but taking a bit of it in the romp too. Yet, years of self-reflection and emotional baggage flushed out from that time, and I realized it was everything I asked for and nothing less or more. I got just then moments, adventures out the ass, and many Bourdainian nights filled with nomads, locals and miscreants alike. Yet I wanted to show anyone who was watching or reading these postings that if nothing else… It can happen – Dreams. The very thing that might scare you into mental paralysis and acceptance of the mundane. For me, I just wasn’t raised to to accept that type of life.

Re-entry into American life wasn’t exactly easy. I had a lot of growing up to do in about every way one needs to grow. The past decision made have a way of rippling through the time in between wheels up and wheels down.

Since my time down under travel never truly stopped even during covid. Lessons learned there were and are still applied every time I book another flight. Covid years… A lot of people were hurt in a lot of different ways for a variety of different reasons. However, these days… Traveling is way more complicated because of financial obligations. So, when people ask me… What do you do that allows you to travel? The answer is a little rough, raw, and true… It comes at an extremely high price and costs dollars too. But the down and dirty answer is, a lot of things with serious consequences.

Certainty in this life is rare, however all we get is one shot at life itself. None of us know when our time is done on this organic spherical spaceship. You might as well hop on and do your best to enjoy the ride. Average life span now is about 75 years… Not a lot of time to meet beautiful cultures where they are and experience distant lands. For me, the more I travel, the more I realize how much I still do not know. And I remain infinitely curious. Travel and adventure were never supposed to be easy.

Expectations… Leave them at the door. Otherwise, your projections will end up breaking your own heart.

Pack as light as you can because life is too short for cheap cheese, bad bourbon, & fake friends… Don’t wait. And when in doubt, get on the damn the flight and embrace being comfortable in the uncomfortable.

Next stop… Pura Vida Costa Rica for some Pain in Paradise

©Dustin Jay Casey 2026