From Livestreaming to Melbourne: My PAX Australia Adventure

From pandemic livestreaming to PAX Australia: A personal journey of how online friendships led to an unforgettable first international adventure in Melbourne.

Where old meets new: Melbourne's stunning architectural contrast

Finding Community in the Pandemic

It all started when my Twitch friends met each other in real life at an event called PAX Australia held in Melbourne back in 2023. I remember I was so jealous of all the stories and photos they shared of them having so much fun together. I genuinely wished I could have been there too. That served as motivation for me to try and see if it was actually possible for me to go on a long-distance trip to Australia. By the way if you don’t know yet, PAX stands for Penny Arcade Expo, which is an event held every year for gaming culture.

Where it all began: My streaming corner during the pandemic

A little back story on this, during the pandemic, like everyone else I decided to go into live streaming games on the internet. But it wasn't just the lack of privilege to go outside that motivated me to stream games online, at the time I was also pushing myself to improve on my social speaking skills. I took on a leadership role at work but found myself struggling with public speaking. Turns out live streaming is good practice for that. And not only did I gain new skills, but I also gained a lot of friends through the content creators I met online and the community they fostered.

Taking the Leap

So when 2024 came and the PAX Australia ticket sales opened, I knew it was my chance. Man, I was so hyped, I immediately bought a three-day pass for the event. And I thought, “Okay, step one done! Now what?”. After a few weeks of building up courage I decided to apply for a tourist visa even with little hopes of it being granted. I'd been dreaming of traveling abroad since 2018, but the pandemic had put those plans on hold year after year. But I am a person who believes in giving it a try no matter what the outcome may be because I think it is much better knowing I tried rather than living with regret of what could have been.

"I think it is much better knowing I tried rather than living with regret of what could have been."

All through the application process I was so scared. I read and re-read all instructions, making sure I understood them correctly. I gathered and uploaded all necessary documents and went on for a medical exam and biometrics collection. The fees were piling up but in my head, I was thinking since I was already this far, there was no point backing out. And so, I waited. Those were the longest two days of my life. I kept checking the online portal almost every hour to see if the results were in. On the night it came I was so shocked, relieved, and excited all at the same time. I could not believe it. It’s really happening. I was going to Australia.

The next step to my plan happened so well. I got a good deal on plane tickets because I booked them around six months early. I also found a good and affordable hotel that was within the city. I should mention that my friend, who's a popular streamer and has a knack for organizing meetups, helped me look for a hotel. This was it, visa, tickets, and hotel all secured. All that was left to do was wait. And wait in excitement I did.

During the six months period I also decided to contact a few more people I knew in Melbourne to see if they wanted to meet. I really wanted to maximize my visit because I didn't know if I could ever do this again. Luckily everyone agreed - a colleague from our local office, some former colleagues I'd stayed friends with, and close friends from my early streaming days. Each confirmed meetup added to my growing excitement.

First Impressions: Melbourne

The day came, and I arrived in Melbourne. The six-hour journey was comfortable. I landed at Tullamarine Airport and rode an Uber into the city. My gosh Melbourne was such a wonderful city. I never knew I would love seeing old and new architecture mixed together. When I arrived in the city from the airport, I was in awe upon seeing historic building facades mixed with tall modern buildings. The contrast between the two styles was breathtakingly beautiful. To me it felt like a kind of cultural evolution that was a product of how Melbourne changed. I was so excited to explore and experience everything.

I actually arrived two days before the PAX event because international purchasers needed to collect their passes in person two days before the event. This was nice because I got to go around the city before the actual day. I explored the city, taking photos at every turn. I also had dinner with my colleague from our local office there in Melbourne. He was such a nice and cool person - he even took me to St. Kilda beach to see the sunset view.

The beautiful contrast of historic and modern architecture in Melbourne's CBD

PAX Days: From Anxiety to Joy

PAX day came, and I was excited to go around the event and stumble into people I knew. I messaged my friend, hoping to meet up with him and the others that day. But I got no reply. I was thinking he just probably got caught up with going around and had no time to check messages. As the day went on without response, my excitement started to fade.

Thankfully, my evening turned around when I had dinner with former colleague friends. It was such a nice way to end the day, catching up and hearing about their new lives in Melbourne.

Still, as I prepared for another day of meetups, doubts started creeping in. Maybe it was not such a good idea to actually meet up the next day. Knowing I was weird and awkward, I thought maybe I might not fit in. I was so nervous to meet my friends thinking they wouldn't want to hang out with a person like me. But that wasn't the case at all. It turned out a lot of them were also like me, just happy and excited to meet everyone. I had such a great time meeting everyone and putting faces on the names I used to see on the chat thread. Being among this community in person felt surreal.

The vibrant atmosphere of PAX Australia 2024

The Perfect Goodbye

On my last day in Melbourne, I met up with the friends I'd been closest to online. I was excited but nervous all over again, hoping for the best. Looking back now, I think those few hours we spent going around the city and eating lunch together were the highlight of my trip. Good friends are hard to come by, so I cherish every moment with them. I was so caught up in our conversations during the car ride to the airport that I forgot to take photos of us. I felt so embarrassed about one of my friends because I was only able to take a photo at the airport when the other friend dropped me off. But I plan to make it up to him next time.

"Good friends are hard to come by, so I cherish every moment with them."

As I waited in the airport's departure area, I was holding back tears while I was smiling at myself. Those five days of adventure were something I will forever remember.