Time with Mae and Jo

After weeks at sea, two ocean crossings, and what felt like an eternity of anticipation, the morning finally came. The ship eased into Sydney Harbour, the Opera House glowing in the early light, and everything inside us said the same thing: they’re here. Disembarkation days are usually a blur of luggage and logistics — but this one felt different. This one felt like stepping into a long‑awaited chapter.

We collected our bags, found our arranged ride, and made our way toward Mona Vale. As the car pulled into the driveway, there she was — Mae, waiting with that unmistakable smile that somehow held nearly two months of her new Australian life and six years of our stories. The moment we stepped out, the reunion hit us all at once. The hug was long, tight, and full of happy tears — the kind that only come when time apart has stretched far too long.

Later that afternoon, Jo came home from work and the house once again shifted instantly into that warm, familiar rhythm only family can create. It didn’t matter that they had just relocated from Singapore with one suitcase each two months ago, the second we were all together, everything snapped back into place.

Beaches Walks and All The Firsts

They were determined to show us their new corner of Australia, and we were determined to savor every moment. We hopped from beach to beach, each one a different shade of blue, each one a reminder of how lucky we were to be here together after so many years.

Back at home, the kitchen became our shared playground. They cooked for us with such pride, and we introduced them to foods they’d never tried before. It became a running theme of the visit: What’s today’s first?

Stone fruits were the stars — peaches, nectarines, pears — each one met with wide‑eyed delight. Then came brussel sprouts and beets, sweet and earthy. They tried everything with enthusiasm, and every bite felt like a tiny celebration of being reunited.

And while the fruits and veggies were memorable, I do think bagels, prepared both sweet and savory, ranked pretty high on the favorites list. They were a home run, the kind of discovery that instantly became part of the family’s new routine.

Jo’s Steak Lesson (and the Smoke Detector Incident)

Even before we arrived, the steak lesson was already in motion. Mae had mentioned that Jo wanted to learn how to cook a proper steak, and that was all the encouragement we needed. Still on the ship, somewhere between ports, we discovered that Amazon.au would deliver straight to their door. A stovetop grill was ordered before we even reached Sydney — a quiet little surprise waiting for the first cooking lesson.

Once we were all together, it was time. The grill went on, the steaks started sizzling, and the house filled with that mouthwatering aroma that makes everyone hover around the kitchen.

And then it happened.

The smoke detector — which they had never heard go off in their entire lives — suddenly shrieked like it was announcing the end of days.

Jo froze. Absolutely still, wide‑eyed, as if waiting for instructions from mission control.
I started barking out orders like a drill sergeant in a kitchen comedy: “Fan it! Aim for the detector!”

Mae grabbed a handheld fan, scrambled onto a chair, and started directing gusts of air toward the alarm like she was single‑handedly saving the household. Meanwhile, the rest of us scattered like a comedy sketch, waving towels, lids, cutting boards, anything we could find to push the smoke toward the patio.

It was pandemonium. It was ridiculous. And it was hilarious.

By the time the alarm finally stopped, we were doubled over laughing, breathless from the chaos. The steaks survived, the lesson was a success, and Jo declared it the most exciting cooking class she’d ever had.

Live photos not available for this fiasco!

The Costco Expedition

Another “first” came in the form of a simple errand that turned into an adventure: Costco.

They had never been, and we were determined to fix that. Getting there required a bus, a tram, and another bus — a full public‑transport relay. Spirits were high as we stepped off the final bus… and then the heavens opened.

Rain didn’t just fall — it poured. Sheets of it. The kind of rain that soaks you in seconds. This was, impressively, the second time on this trip we’d been drenched to the bone. But we pressed on, laughing, dripping, and determined.

Inside, we got them their very first Costco membership — a milestone moment — and wandered the aisles like explorers. We left with just enough groceries for each of us to carry back through the rain, onto the bus, the tram, and the bus again. Among the haul: their first-ever bagels, which quickly became a household favorite — sweet and savory. A true home run.

Gratitude, Pride, and What Comes Next

Those ten days flew by faster than any of us expected. One moment we were stepping out of the car into Mae’s arms, crying happy tears in the driveway, and the next we were packing our bags again, wondering how time could possibly move that quickly when you’re with the people you love. Every beach walk, every shared meal, every new “first,” every laugh — it all passed in a blur of joy.

As sad as we were to leave, we were also filled with something else: pride.

Pride in Mae and Jo for uprooting their lives with one suitcase each.
Pride in how quickly they were learning their way around.
Pride in how they were settling into their new life with resilience, humor, and openness.

Watching them build a home, a routine, and a future in a new country was inspiring. They weren’t just adapting — they were thriving.

And the best part? We’re already planning our next chapter together.

By 2028, we imagine the rest of the family will have relocated, Mae and Jo will be fully settled, and we’ll all be ready for a little “seacation” — a reunion at sea with our Aussie and Kiwi friends joining in. The thought alone made us smile: the four of us, plus the extended circle we’ve gathered across continents, sharing sunsets, stories, and maybe even another cooking lesson or two (hopefully with fewer smoke alarms).

Leaving Sydney wasn’t easy. But as we closed the door behind us, we felt that familiar spark of anticipation.

Watch out family in the Philippines, we’re on our way!