It’s off to a whole other world today. “Today” is kind of a loose term, as it will take about 45 hours of traveling to reach Australia. I’ve never been down under, and don’t know what to expect. At least the transfer originates in South Africa, so I imagine the transition will be as minimized as can be from Africa.

Making these long journeys really affirms how big the world truly is. In Sydney it will be back to the Pacific, but the other side. It will be a return to native English speakers—although I’m sure the accent will require some adjusting. And still, even taking these details into account, the fact remains it will be a long long way from home.

I’ve had Christmas in South Africa before, I’ve had a few in China. I’ve never had Christmas on an airplane. When you travel and explore this big beautiful amazing world you experience new things. I can’t wait for the new, the strange, and the sublime of what lies ahead. Keep moving forward.