I’m 29! How to survive a birthday away from home

I’m clinging onto my twenties as best as I can. To think that I’m 30 next year sounds crazy to me, but I also thought the same thing when I turned ten. ‘You’re in double digits now!’, I still remember my mum saying this and was strange. I felt so old. Then I was legally allowed to drink at 18. Then I turned 20 and I was in my twenties. I’m sure in ‘old age’ I will look back at 30 like I do now thinking of my previous milestones. Youth is relative. 

With each birthday I experience, I try not to freak out about getting older and try to remember that I have had another year on earth. Another year allowing me to keep enjoying experiences, friendships, love and learning. Should I really freak out about reaching the big 3-0? It’s an age people sadly don’t always reach. I have seen this myself. 

So this post isn’t really about learning to deal with having a birthday away from friends and family. It’s more that we should cherish the opportunities to travel and make the most of another year as best as we can. I wish I could be with my family right now, but I will see them soon anyway. I’m more focused on them saving up to see me out here in Australia later in the year. A holiday we can all enjoy together in a destination they have always wanted to visit makes up for not being there for my birthday. I personally would prefer to have that kind of experience. At the end of the day, a birthday is just a day. Memories and experiences are much more important to me.

But I had a great day! My roommates surprised me with a nice cake, a crate of beer and a very fun night. I read all the lovely messages from backpackers in a lovely card, beer pong commenced and I tried to order McDonalds through the drive-thru at 4am and pretended I was in a car. 

It didn’t work.

But it was a joint celebration for only having 20 days of farmwork left. I’m almost in my teens, it’s nice that despite counting the years going by, I can count down to something. 

I hope you all had a great weekend.