My Life

From Vegemite to Venti: From Sydney to Seattle: The Beginning of my Expat Life

TLDR: It’s Feb 2024 and I’m moving to the United States to become an Expat!

G’day from Seattle to all my mates back home in Australia. Today, I’m not just sharing a travel story, I’m living it. That’s right, I’ve officially taken the plunge and swapped Vegemite for Venti, crocs for gators, XL to XXXXL. As of 26 Feb 2024, Kelli and I have moved to Seattle, Washington to begin our expat lives.

Why?

So why the big move, you ask? The truth is, it wasn’t one specific reason, but a whole heap of them! A part of me has always craved new experiences, and let’s face it, Australia is fantastic, but there’s a whole other world out there to explore. It’s all largely linked to my other recent post Making the Most of Now.

This was actually one of my longest plans to come to fruition. I can still recall clearly when I was still working at Woolworths and went for a walk around the block with a mate/colleague and I realised that I wanted to try something, not just an industry, but a culture, a society and way of thinking. I wanted to be working somewhere ‘cool’. I wanted to see what it’s like working at a ‘hip’ place. I want to see what running and other adventures are out there.

How did I make it happen?

So from that day of roughly 2.5 years ago, I hatched a plan and started to make it happen. First, I had to figure out what I wanted and why; cool companies, trail running, big national parks and a way to make it happen fast. United States – boom. Yosemites, Google, Amazon, but making it happen fast wasn’t an option…. Long story short, working rights are tough to get, so I had to go the long way around and find a job at an Multinational company operating in Australia and pray that they give me an international transfer. I’m not really the religious type, so I found an opportunity at Amazon AU and made sure I performed and did what I could to get the transfer. Skip forward 2.5 years, to Feb 2024.

Moving to Seattle, WA, United States

Pros and Cons thus far

Sydney / Australia Pros

Seattle / United States Pros

Home of the NRL
Things Feel Cheaper: No Tipping and tax included in prices make buying things and eating out very simple.
Culture and Society feels more environmentally aware (although still have a long way to go)
Feels safer

There’s just more of everything. Food, people, portions and destinations to explore
People are very into everything: Sports, politics, pop-culture, you name it
There a way to make a lot of money over here, I just haven’t found it yet…

Adventure is Out There!

My ever-growing travel map of the US and beyond. Come say ‘Hi’!

Trail Running the Great North Walk; Newcastle to Sydney ~250Kms

Day 0 - Newcastle to Wakefield ~35K

The Great North Walk is a 250Km walking track which runs from Sydney to Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. My wife and I’s current house in Macquarie Park literally backs onto the Lane Cove National Park which the GNW (Great North Walk) passes through.

I have walked and run many sections of this great trail and owed it the respect it deserves to traverse the whole thing. With some inspiration from The Backyard Adventurer and no plans for the June long weekend, I decided it was finally time to attempt it – in just 3 days (+ an afternoon).

I went up to Newcastle very early Friday Morning to work from and old mate (Rolly’s) house before setting on a sneaky ~35K ‘warm up’ run.

Strava Link

Day 1 - Wakefield to Cedar Brush Creek ~75K

This was a real tough day. Trail markings went missing when I needed them most, elevation was double what I had expected, only 11 hours of light. But that’s what adventure is – overcoming the unexpected. Originally I had planned for Yarramalong but decided to pack it it 10K’s early and tidy those up the next morning after a solid dinner with the Wife at Angel Sussurri’s.

Strava Link

Day 2 - Cedar Brush Creek to Patonga ~80K

A frosty morning made it difficult to start but I started with a bang – finishing off the previous night’s leftovers I ran back to town at ~5:30min/km pace and felt awesome. Tucked into some breakfast and set off again.

There were some tough trails between Yarramalong and Summersby but it was nice, away from cars and I was lost with the spirit of adventure. Met up with Kelli for some a quick look in at the Harvest Festival events in town but had to quickly jet off as I knew I had a big day ahead.

Landed in Mooney Mooney bridge where my number 1 was going to bring me lunch…. but she wasn’t there. Turned out the 5am morning starts were a bit much and she needed a much needed nap… oh well, onwards! I saw a snake, got a horrible bleeding nose but soldiered on until kilometre 63 where my knee decided to breakdown. I marched on and took some nurofen to finish off the day but knew the final day of adventure would have to be postponed with my knew unable to carry me. “True strength is knowing when to call it” – The Fish.

Strava Link

Day 3 - Brooklyn to Sydney ~80K

Exactly 1 week later, a deep tissue massage and a rare visit to the physio – I had mentally told myself that I was ready to take on the final segment: Brooklyn to Sydney Cove. The Sign said 77kms but we all know how they lie. I knew it was going to be a tough day out so I set off on the very first train to Hawkesbury River station on the 5:20am from Epping and arrived to start just before 6am, then disaster struck.

On the train I realised I had forgotten my carefully prepared breakfast and coffee! I ate through most of my snacks before even starting but knowing that I could get a replenishment it would be okay. I also made an emergency pit stop at the local Cafe in Cowan to grab a quick bite and a brew and I was back on track.

I had to mentally push myself after leaving Cowan with some small niggles in the same knee that gave out the week before, telling myself it would be okay and keeping my mind on the job at hand helped get me through. As well as Joe Abercrombe’s book – The Blade Itself. I made good progress and sped up just as I was arriving in Thornleigh to meet Kelli who had already ordered a giant dish of sweet and sour pork. Fuel of champions.

I set off on my most local trails for which I’m probably the local legend on 50% or more of them and met up with my good mate Leighlan who had agreed to pace me the final 20Ks – legend. It really started to hit home as we were running past the Woolwich pub that I’d just (about) finished a 270K run from Newcastle to Sydney, nothing could stop me now! We smashed through the final few kms, finishing just before full darkness – arriving at Woolwich Ferry Wharf at around 6pm. A ferry ride into Circular Quay to meet Kelli and the final destination!

Strava Link

Metrics	Day 0	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Total
Distance	32.5	76.5	80.0	79.8	268.9
Time (Moving)	03:17:23	10:34:53	10:53:44	10:40:40	35:26:40
Pace	06:04	08:18	08:10	08:01	07:55
Ascent Metres (m)	546	3,226	2,220	2,783	8,775

My Life Throughout COVID

Life through COVID was a change – it presented me with opportunities and challenges. I’ve tried a new format of of showing my life throughout these times: Story Maps: https://storymap.knightlab.com/. See my test Story Map below:

Early Access

As a Harry Potter fan, playing Hogwarts Legacy was a dream come true. I remember reading the first book over 15 years ago, and now being able to immerse myself in the wizarding world and attend Hogwarts was an experience like no other. The game was set in the 1800s, so it felt like a new chapter in the wizarding world, but at the same time, it was nostalgic, as I recognized some of the characters and places from the original books and movies.

I was so excited for the release of Hogwarts Legacy that purchased the deluxe edition, which was supposed to give 72 hours of early access. I was so excited that I even woke up a day earlier than the steam date. I would have to wait another 24 hours to play… The next day, I woke up at the same time, and my wife thought I was a bit crazy for waking up so early to play a game. But for me, it was worth it to finally experience the magic of Hogwarts Legacy.

The Best Parts

The game did an excellent job of balancing the nostalgic and new aspects, making it feel like an entirely new experience while still feeling familiar. The graphics were stunning, and the attention to detail was impressive. Walking through Hogwarts felt like walking through the castle in the movies, and the magical creatures and spells were brought to life in a way that was truly magical.

One of my favorite aspects of the game was how mature it felt. The storyline was complex, and the characters had depth, which made it feel like an adult game. It reminded me of one of my more recently found favorite games, The Witcher 3. The combat system was fluid and challenging, and there was a real sense of danger in the game. I appreciated that the game wasn’t dumbed down for a younger audience.

The Let Downs

However, there were some disappointments. Despite the game allowing you to make decisions, it often felt like the choices I made didn’t have much of an impact on the overall story. I had hoped that I could create my own legacy in the wizarding world, but it felt limited. This was a bit of a letdown, as I was hoping for more replay value.

Additionally, one of my biggest disappointments was not being able to become the heir of Slytherin and unleash the Basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets. While I understand that this would have been a controversial storyline, it would have been interesting to see how it played out in the game. I had even named my character “Raze Ash-Lairs” which, similar to Tom Marvolo Riddle is an anagram – Slytherin’s Heir.

Overall

Despite these disappointments, I played the game passionately for 36 hours in about a week, completing all of the main quests and roughly 80% of the side quests. Overall, Hogwarts Legacy was a great game that any Harry Potter fan should play. It was nostalgic yet felt new, mature, and played like one of my favorite games, The Witcher 3. While it had its flaws, it was a great addition to the wizarding world, and I’m excited to see where the game goes in the future.

Story – 9
Gameplay – 9
Music – 10
Visuals – 9
Overall – 9

Signing up for Noosa Tri (2021)

About 2 years ago I signed up for almost every race in the continent. From a 2K Ocean Swim in Coolangatta to a 50K trail race in Warburton Victoria. Included in that was the Noosa Triathlon in 2021 which was actually out of normal tickets so I opted to run for a charity.

Noosa Tri now lays claim as the largest Olympic distance triathlon in the world and is consistently ranked in the global top-ten triathlons by athletes. The 5-day festival – which includes 11 events in all – hosts over 13,000 competitors supported by more than 30,000 spectators on race day.

It was an easy pick in terms of which charity to run for as my niece has heart problems as a kid and HeartKids support kids like her and do all kinds of good research in that area. I raised just shy of $2.5K and actually topped the individual fundraisers for the Charity, something I never expected and very proud of.

2 years later after 2021 was closed for interstate travellers due to COVID19, the time had come. I had never set my goal to get a podium as that would be so unrealistic. I just wanted to complete the event and give it a good crack. Before race I was expecting ~30mins in the swim, 1.5hours on the bike and ~40mins in the run.

Race Day

Swim – 28 minutes

Went in not too nervous but also not completely confident
Started getting ‘tired’ and a bit more nervous after a few hundred metres but went away after I realised I was able to keep up with the people around me
After the halfway point I knew I had it in the bag and walked out 28mins
Key Takeaway: I should definitely train for ocean swims with real ocean swimming

Bike – 1h 21 elapsed (1h 18m moving)

The bike makes a real difference. I don’t care what each tradesman says
I was on a hybrid and thought I did very well averaging ~30kms/h
My biggest mistake was not reading the rulebook as I drafted someone after like 2mins of riding and copped a blue card and a 3minute sin bin. I actually think most people were doing this and it’s just luck whether you get caught or not
I was destroying the average riders uphill which felt good. But those good riders were just next level. Considering the bike is the longest leg, this is where a lot of opportunity is

Run – ~40mins

Did very very well here and made up a lot of time. I was flying and think there was only 1 guy on course who was running faster than me in my line of sight

Results

Final Thoughts

Great and fun event. Highly recommend doing it.
I think even for the non-podium people you can very easily get caught up in the competition aspect and forget to enjoy it
I’m not one for crowds and it was very annoying trying to get out of the area
I beat Spencer (my old colleague) and that was my only time goal. Accomplished.

BTU110

Leading into BTU110 I had done a few long runs on the weekend and started feeling some pains in my knee in the exterior of my left knee but just like under the knee cap. It only started to feel these pains when I bent it and only after maybe 3 or 4 hours of running. I thought I was just imagining and kept pushing on.

09 July 2022 at 5:00am the race began and I was in the top 5 or 6 people. I just happened to be running a similar pace with a legend – Alexi. I was feeling great even with the steep and constant undulation until around the 40k mark or ~4-5hour mark the similar dull but consistent knee pain. I tried to run it out for another 10Ks until it started becoming unbearable – I had made it to one of the larger aid stations and rested for a few minutes and downed some noodles. Started running again and within 2ks it had come back. At the top of a hill I decided to let my position slide and try to shake it out for 20-30 minutes with squats and stretches. It killed me just to let people pass. Similar to before, the pain came straight back but faster and worse than ever. I knew at this point that I was pulling out.

The walk of shame back to the aid station was the worst part as so many people were so encouraging and checking in if I was okay. At last I made it back to base and got a lift down to the bus stop with a nice support crew.

At the end of the day, I was sure I made the right call to pull out. It only kills me now as I look at the results to see and congratulate Alexi on coming overall 3rd. I still had a lot of gas in the tank and weirdly was walking fine, just couldn’t run.

I steeled myself and knew I had something to learn from this experience. Sharks can only move forward, I need to channel my inner shark.

What's up doc?

Without ranting too much about how long and drawn out the process was to see doctors / physios / radiologists / etc…. I decided I should get some specialist medical assessments.

BAD: MUST see a GP to get a referral. Seems to take longer than a week to get a booking…
GOOD: Opted in to get an MRI scan ($500 cost but $380 returned through Medicare)
GOOD: MRI report comes back with a lot of detail. but quite complex. Google and youtube help diagnose
BAD: GP is supposed to interpret the results but literally has no idea so just reads back the report word for word and suggests seeing a specialise.
GOOD: Youtube / Google doctors and physios have lots of remedies which I was following most of the 3 weeks prior to finally getting the MRI report.

The words ‘Chronic’ and ‘ACL’ scared me to see them here – however I know they’re most likely from previous injuries and I was running with them earlier. So ruling them out it’s surely ITB syndrome and Google diagnosis suggested.

Rehab = Stretching and Strengthening

A few of the materials that really helped me.

Stretch ITD with towel/belt
Quad stretch
Strengthen for 1 legged squats
Ankle / shin flexibility and mobility

I try to do most of these every day even if it’s short – better than nothing.

1 month later...

I rested for almost 4 weeks and maybe 5 cancelled physio appointments before deciding it was time to test it out. The stretching has really helped and no pain although I’ll admit I’ve probably overdone it with almost 60ks in the last 5 days.

The Race

Preparation

Run, a lot
Buy all the gear you need – ensure mandatory kit
Bag pack – make sure it all fits
Eating bulk food leading in and during
Preparing listening materials
Walking Kelli through the plan – start hard, consistent throughout the night
Get to the start line EARLY

Start 9am Saturday 21 May 2022

Very happy with the starting first 30Ks. Blitzed it and got out in a solid leading pack.
Kelli said she saw me on the tracker in first place at one point, yay
The trail disappeared and terrain very tough
Literally one point saying ‘this can’t be the way, it’s too insane’. Turns out it was the way and my hesitation cost me ~20mins
Razorback ridge AMAZING

Aid Station 1: Standley Chasm around 630pm and dark

Currently in 3rd place
First time seeing Kelli ~8-9 hours in
Maybe in darker spirits knowing it was almost certain I was running all night.
The next 40 to the aid station weren’t as difficult as the previous 60 but I struggled to keep a running rhythm.
Cain (4th) caught up and boosted me through a Canyon. One of the legends last races as he gives back time to his family.
Once he left it was just myself… Bit daunting, so started LotR 1 audiobook. Scary witch kings, orcs, forest, barrow downs, willow.
Lost on the track then mr Speed Dealer (5th) overtook me. He was on speed big time. The aid station person put his condition down as ‘Hungry’

Aid Station 1: 103K and around 3am

Currently in 5th or 6th place
Kelli was asleep in the car
Final big aid station I did a shoe change and caught a 2nd wind then lost it. Then caught a final in the 10k end.
Views probably would’ve been amazing and that’s the real loss here. Esp. near the end on euro ridge where I could see nothing.
Kelli paced me the final 5 and almost took me down the wrong road lol
End at sunrise. Wasn’t completely dead.
Good time but feel I left a lot out there with the lost running
Results

Post Race

Snuck into a campground to shower – that was hard
Smashed a huge KFC feast
I slept in the car as Kelli drove us to Uluru for our flight back to Sydney the next day – what a legend she is!
Ankle / shin muscle or tendon issues plagued me for the next few weeks, next race is BTU110K in ~6 weeks post race!

Set Your Ultimate Goals

By setting your race goals first you’ll be able to plan your calendar and races to achieve these. It’s usually best to set goals into Priority Tiers (A/B/C 1st /2nd/3rd).

For myself, my (current 01/01/2022) goals are:

Priority
1. UTMB – Ultra Trail Mont. Blanc
2. UTMF – Ultra Trail Mount Fuji
3. Western Mac Ellery 128K
Priority (or Qualification Races)
1. BTU 100
2. Tamworth Trail Blazer 60K
Priority (if it won’t impede my other events)
1. UTA (50 or 100K)

Race Requirements / Entry Process

There’s not much point in looking further into a race if you can’t even enter. Look at the official website and find out how to qualify.

My example is UTMB (170K) and from my research thus far it’s one of the most difficult races to qualify for (for the general public). So if I qualify for UTMB, I should be pretty safe for all other races (still worth checking each race though).

UTMB 2022 Entry Process lists multiple criteria just to enter the lottery.

‘Unique’ to UTMB: Runners who have collected Running Stones by participating in the UTWT circuit. One Running Stone will provide one entry in the lottery. You can have up to 9 stones. They must also own a valid UTMB Index for the distance of their choice (To enter the UTMB® lottery, runners must own a valid UTMB® Index in the 100K or 100M category).
More Standard: Runners who have acquired the requested qualifying points. UTMB: 10 points acquired between 01/01/2019 and 31/12/2021 (in 2 races maximum). 1 Entry for the lottery.
Charity: making a €2,000 donation to one of the charitable associations supported by the organization
Be an Elite (800+ ITRA score)

My UTMB Qualification

So it’s pretty clear that I will not be able to qualify for UTMB 2022. I have 0 stones, I’m ~120 points short of being ‘Elite’ and I only have 1 qualification point.

I will airm to qualify for the 2023 event.

The most efficient way to gain entry is through Running Stones as you can have up to 9 entries. I will opt for gain as many Stones as possible but also aim for qualifying points (as this will ensure I qualify for other events such as UTMF).

I have organised my races as below:


1	Race Date	Category	Purpose	Location	Name	Stones / Points
2	9 April 2022	3rd	Other	Tamworth, NSW	Tamworth Trail Blazer	0
3	14 May 2022	3rd	Stones	Sydney, Australia	Ultra Trail Australia (50K)	3
4	21 May 2022	1st	Goal	Alice Springs, NT	Western Mac Ellery (128K)	5
5	9 July 2022	2nd	Points	Brisbane, Qld	BTU 100	5
6	27 October 2022	2nd	Stones	Chang Mai, Thailand	Thailand by UTMB (54 / 110K)	9
7	18 November 2022	2nd	Stones	Cheng Du, China	Panda Trail by UTMB	9
8	26 April 2023	1st	Goal	Fuji, Japan	Ultra Trail Mount Fuji	3
9	22 August 2023	1st	Goal	Chamonix, France	UTMB	0

Finally, just because a race is not in the list now doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Just ensure it fits into your goals and plans.

Timing and Registration

Don’t miss registration dates!

UTMB registration: January 6 to 18: pre-registration for the lottery & registration for priority runners
UTMF Registration: January 7, 2022 – January 14, 2022 Lottery.
Western Mac Ellery Monster 128K: Online Registrations for personalised bib close: April 30th , 2022

Where you have a race that may impact performance of another, rethink and maybe cancel the lesser priority race.

Resources

Mile 27 Race Planning Podcast

Why did I choose to cycle Japan?

I have always had an interest in Japan from a young age, I assume it’s from watching all the Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon, etc when I was young. This is my 3rd visit to Japan and I wanted to improve my Japanese mostly, especially the speaking component as it’s the hardest to practice when you study alone. Although I do believe taking actual Japanese classes is a better way to improve… I also enjoy hiking, so with all the mountains in Japan this was easy pick.

But I chose to cycle as I would be able to meet many people and experience many things that you would usually miss if you were to take public transport or a car. Many people I could talk and interact with. I also would gain a massive sense of accomplishment by completing something so seemingly impossible.

Where did I go?

Journey Statistics

Highlights of the Trip

Other

My old blog site: https://thetravellingbeancounter.wordpress.com
Guide to Travelling around Japan on Bicycle
Top Moments

Future Trips

When I was asked ‘would I do it again?’ as soon as I arrived back home, I was ready to put the bike down for a while and have a rest. It’s been over 3 years at time of writing and I’d definitely be keen to do another bike trip. I had started planning a Taiwan bike trip, which would only be a few weeks and hope to try it in 2022.

I would also like to try something in Europe, maybe in Spain and also cycling from Sydney to my home town Tamworth over a week.

From Vegemite to Venti: From Sydney to Seattle: The Beginning of my Expat Life

Why?

How did I make it happen?

Moving to Seattle, WA, United States

Pros and Cons thus far

Sydney / Australia Pros

Seattle / United States Pros

Adventure is Out There!

Trail Running the Great North Walk; Newcastle to Sydney ~250Kms

Day 0 - Newcastle to Wakefield ~35K

Day 1 - Wakefield to Cedar Brush Creek ~75K

Day 2 - Cedar Brush Creek to Patonga ~80K

Day 3 - Brooklyn to Sydney ~80K

My Life Throughout COVID

Early Access

The Best Parts

The Let Downs

Overall

Signing up for Noosa Tri (2021)

Race Day

Results

BTU110

What's up doc?

Rehab = Stretching and Strengthening

1 month later...

The Race

Set Your Ultimate Goals

Race Requirements / Entry Process

My UTMB Qualification

Timing and Registration

Resources

Why did I choose to cycle Japan?

Where did I go?

Journey Statistics

Highlights of the Trip

Other

Future Trips

My Blogs

Other Pages