DS has quit his job to go travelling with a girl he just met

I wish I had done that at his age too

And the problem is? How exciting to go travelling for a year. Good on him!

I’d be happy if my shy child suddenly did something like that. He can get another job, you’re only young once. I understand the sensible head is saying that’s silly, but sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and take some risk. Hope he has a blast.

Definitely a good thing, op. An amazing opportunity and experience. And it adds to a CV. He'll get another job when he comes back. He has his whole life to work. He's about to do something brilliant for him.

I did a small amount of travelling at 24, was brilliant. He is young. If anything happens like a fall out he can get a flight home surely. Let him live life a bit! Life is short and can get seriously quickly so let him be: maybe a word in his ear about safety etc.

Honestly I would have been more concerned about him just following what he was expected to do - school, job, blah.

I'd be very happy that he is going off and doing something for himself.

I would be genuinely thrilled if my dc announced this. It’s the very best chance he has to explore and see the world. Great he is going with someone wide too. I would be wholly supportive.
Thoughts of my travelling days keep me going even now and I am 50! It was an incredible education in itself!

Drugs through customs

At 24 he has his whole life ahead of him to work. I hope he has fun. When I was his age I moved from America to Germany for 6 months. Some of the best times of my life.

Im the auntie in the UK who hosts my nieces and nephews from Oz when they are away travelling the world with their then partners

Sure every time they come they have been they have come with someone new

Its so much a right of passage for Australians to travel the world whilst they are young - even ex pats

Our own son took off back packing to Australia about 9 years ago, hes settled there now, just got married in 2023 - in Italy - because of the friendships hes made from his travels meant a real mix of nationalities travelling from all over the world to celebrate with him. He has gone from a lad with no prospects, who sat in his room on the x-box - to having a Sydney Harbourside apartment , and flys around the world buying coffee, doing demonstrations in huge arenas , goes from living on rural farms in Colombia where he needs security to waltzing into Michelin star restaurants with aplomb

Also in 2023 I hosted niece and her friend for two weeks whilst they rested between organised tours - the big coach tour company the youngsters use - cant mind the name - and OMG they were having the most amazing time

Both nephews have been as well for a rest after doing Europe before heading on to another continent , they come with different partners or alone , they too have had great times . All three of them have grown into wonderful young people, full of confidence

Let him go and experience life at its best - and worse - it will be the making of him

It’s the kind of thing you’d almost certainly regret on your deathbed if you didn’t do! He could perhaps ask to take a sabbatical. They might well understand too.

This post has made me so wistful for youth, romance and carefree adventure … (she says breastfeeding a tiny, grumpy baby in the early hours!)

It sounds amazing! I backpacked so much in my life and there's not a single trip I've ever regretted. Even if they break up, he will have the time of his life and meet amazing people and go to amazing places. What an adventure! Good for him!

One one hand he’s 24 and if he doesn’t do it now he never will

my reservations are he 24 been through uni got a good job starting to earn and build a career then he’s quit and gone back to square 1 how does it look in a cv to bin off the first job you got after a short time
travelling and being with someone you don’t really know 24/7 is very intense
and if she ends up pregnant

Sounds like an amazing adventure, I'm jealous!

I write this as someone who could very easily have been "the girl".

Of course you worry about your child, even though he's an adult. He's doing something that seems out of character to you, and something that makes you anxious about his future. It's hard to say from your post if he's doing it because he has fallen hard for this person - but I suspect it might be more than that, and he might be doing something now that he might have wanted or needed to do anyway. You say you moved to Aus when he was 11 - it's not usual that he might feel that he has unfinished business elsewhere, and/or that he might have questions now about where is the best place geographically to be as an adult. Travelling is a great way to explore that.

On the plus side - he is being honest with his family about it.

What I would do is make sure he has thought things out, and urge him to keep what ties he can in Aus (and elsewhere if he has them - for example in your home country). If he has a good job, can he maybe arrange to do some work for them remotely as he travels? If not, urge him to at least give as much notice as he can and keep options open with his employer in case he arrives back and needs employment. And suggest he stay in touch with current colleagues, clients, etc - I'm not sure what is used in Australia right now, but something like LinkedIn might work.

Keep communications open with him. Let him know now that he can go, he can come back, and wherever he is in the world and whatever has happened, you are always there for him.

He’ll either have met the love of his life or will have a tragic love affair. Both are healthy things for a 24 year old. Good luck to him!

Have you seen Bangkok Hilton with Nicole Kidman? 😀

He's young enough to enjoy life so let him do it before you know it everyone is 40 and not really taken any time to enjoy life at all life's to short of it doesn't work out for him it's not the end of the world

The thread did go a bit sideways there OP.

I backpacked with my then bf for years. I had my pack and half of his for all my stuff. So I got the joke too.

But, as long as they are aware of safety, I have to assume they are wise enough to not carry something for a stranger.

He can always get another good job. He won't have the freedom to travel like this when life gets in the way.

I think it's fantastic! Even if you're not, I think best to appear 100% behind this trip and send him off feeling amazing. He's young, on a journey of self discovery etc he's got his whole life to do the 9-5 thing...id be really proud of him having the courage to do this. I hope he really enjoys this experience. He'll learn and grow asa person even more.

Well yes. Of course that wasn't in his mind. Nice, kind people can be deceived though.

Drugs!

In case of drug or other illegal item smuggling / trafficking. He needs to be very careful he isn't being used as a mule. It's very naive to think this doesn't happen.

If he never did any travelling or a gap year himself between uni / work, then it sounds like this could be great fun for him. Especially if it's on an organised tour. But definitely have a conversation with him about being safe given he hasn't known this girl very long and what his plan is in case they find they don't like each other that much once they are spending more time together.