3 Weeks, 5 Countries & 2 Weddings: Our Whirlwind Adventure

Written By Chloe Lingard

Ever wondered how you can visit five countries, multiple cities, fly around the world, attend a hen party, and go to two weddings on opposite sides of the globe — all in three weeks? Well, buckle up, because I’ve got the story for you.

The Surprise Plan

One random evening after work, Peter dropped some exciting news: his sister was getting married. Here’s the kicker — she lives in Australia.

Australia wasn’t exactly on my travel bucket list, but of course, we were going to be there for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration. I thought, “Great! Two weeks, fly there, fly back.

Ah, but I forgot — I was traveling with Peter. In this family, we don’t do things by halves.

Before we knew it, our plan included Japan, Qatar, Hong Kong, and, of course, Australia. And did we book months in advance? Absolutely not! Flights were booked just two weeks before departure.

What Was the Route?

Here’s the whirlwind:

  • Drive from Cornwall to London

  • Fly London → Qatar (21 hours exploring the city)

  • Fly Qatar → Hong Kong (26 hours of steak, cocktails, and Victoria Peak)

  • Fly Hong Kong → Singapore (to see the world’s largest indoor waterfall)

  • Fly Singapore → Sydney (wedding #1)

Sydney: Wedding #1

After days of travel, we arrived in Sydney and settled into Peter’s parents’ home (kindly hosting us). We ticked off the Opera House, celebrated our anniversary on a dinner riverboat cruise, and even visited Taronga Zoo.

Then, just 30 hours after landing, we drove five hours to climb Australia’s tallest mountain, Kosciuszko, for a hen party. I’d never been to a hen party before and apparently, they’re not all like this one.

Picture this: three guys, four girls, 18km hike, snow, wind, rain, hail, and fireball shots. Absolutely unforgettable.

Afterwards, we returned to Sydney to soak up more of the city before heading to Bundanoon for the wedding festivities. Tears, laughter, love - it was everything a wedding should be.

On to Japan

Remember our plan to visit Japan? Of course we did. The adventure continued:

  • Red-eye flight from Sydney → Tokyo

  • Shinkansen to Kyoto

  • Accommodation: Last-minute booking at Yugen Kyoto Shijun (highly rated — and worth it!)

We planned two days in Kyoto, but the city had other ideas. Temples, bamboo forests, monkeys, and the best tempura at 10 10 10 kept us busy and two days became three.

Next, the Shinkansen whisked us back to Tokyo. Again, last-minute hotel booking at Prostyle Ryokan Tokyo Asakusa, with a view of the Sky Tree and our very own outdoor bathtub.

We explored temples, stocked up on souvenirs, and fueled ourselves with matcha before heading to our final hotel, Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier. Cozy, western, and sustainability-certified - very Tokyo.

I can’t forget to mention our omakase dinner; it definitely wasn’t free, but our daily trips to 7-Eleven helped us balance it out and really live that luxury travel on beer money lifestyle. From there, we enjoyed a slightly calmer Shibuya crossing and headed to the Golden Gai District in Shinjuku.

Finally, the following morning, we boarded our last flight home direct to London.

Wedding #2

Back in London, we crammed a few friends, five suitcases, three rucksacks, and two handbags into the car and headed to wedding number two.

Peter reunited with old university friends; I met everyone. The night flew by, old stories, games, and a few too many drinks. The next day was another celebration with friends old and new, before we finally returned home, collected our puppy, and crashed at 6pm after a whirlwind three weeks.

The Takeaway

Three weeks. Five countries. Two weddings. Hen parties, hikes, temples, omakase dinners, and a lot of last-minute bookings.

Traveling with Peter is never ordinary… it’s chaotic, adventurous, and utterly unforgettable. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.


Chloe Lingard