I Slept through New Year’s Eve in Australia | Dealing with Travel Disappointment

Hi guys, Leah here. As many of you know, I recently made the move to Australia, and it is awesome. 2014 was the year I moved to Australia. 2014 was my year of big change and adventure. And how perfect would it all be to ring in 2015 in Australia!

New Year’s Eve was all planned out. I was heading up to the Gold Coast to celebrate the night at Surfers Paradise...which means I was up at 5am to catch my flight from Sydney to Brisbane. (You can probably see where this is going)

Once my friends and I arrived in Brisbane, we spent the whole day at Wet’n’Wild. It was over 30 degrees Celsius. 

We had a great day, splashing in the wave pool, and braving slides where the floor gave out beneath our feet. But after standing in lines, in the 35 degree heat, by the time we made it home we were exhausted.

We ate dinner, and then proceeded to get ready. Despite being super tired, I was still excited.

This was the first New Years Eve in my entire life where I wasn't in my home town. This was my first New Years being single in 5 years!

Maybe I’d kiss a hot Aussie at midnight, maybe I’d watch the fireworks appear over the beach and it would somehow set 2015 on the right track!

Except it was only 9pm, and we didn’t have to leave till 10, so I just lay on my bed…and when I opened my eyes, it was 12:40am. I bolted up—I couldn't believe it. I’d slept through New Years Eve.

But not just any New Years Eve...my New Years Eve in Australia!

I sort of sat stunned for a moment. I couldn't believe it. It was over, gone, and there was nothing that could be done to change it.

So what happened next?

I went back to sleep, and in the morning my friends and I had a good laugh about us all falling asleep.

And then?

We had a great rest of the trip.

We went to Movie World, explored Brisbane, swam in the pool, and by far made up for missing NYE with a fabulous night ( and morning ) in Surfers Paradise. 

Sure, missing the main event of our trip could have put a damper on everyone’s spirits and made everyone bitter and angry. But what would that accomplish? It wouldn’t have brought NYE back, and it would have just made the rest of the trip suck.

When dealing with disappointment while traveling, you only have two options.

1.) Shake it off and move on

2.) Hold onto it and ruin even more of your trip
I’ve had my share of travel disappointments so far such as losing my camera, being so sick in Disney World that Kate had to push me around Epcot in a wheel chair, and visiting a Japanese onsen That resembled a bathtub more than a pool.

But a great start to the New Years doesn't just happen because of a couple fireworks. Change doesn't just happen because you change a number at the end of the date.

For me, change happened when I stepped on the plane to Australia on October 23rd.

And plus, sometimes the best memories are because of travel disappointments. I’ll never forget that Kate and I had the entire Tokyo Disney to ourselves because of a giant rainstorm! 

We always learn from mistakes, so it’s going to take a quite a few disappointments before we’re seasoned travel pros. If you’re dealing with travel disappointment, the only thing you can do is shake it off and resolve to make the most of the situation.

What are some of your worst travel disappointments? Share your stories in the comments