We left Australia for Cambodia | Here's why after 13 years

Why They Moved From Australia to Cambodia

It wasn’t one single reason; it was a build-up of factors over time. The move opportunity had been “waiting” for years—around the time of meeting about 13–14 years earlier.

Timeline Behind the Choice

• Original plan: The wife initially planned to move to Cambodia for her career and was in the process of leaving when they met.
• Why they stayed in Australia at first: They stayed because the husband had early momentum in business and real estate (management rights, investing, and setting up a real estate company).
• What changed over time: Australia became increasingly pressured and restrictive—until the Cambodia opportunity became available again.

Family Triggers

When their son was born, life became harder due to:

• Eczema and poor sleep for the child
• Sleep deprivation affecting the wife and the household

They concluded their current pace wasn’t sustainable, especially with limited day-to-day support in Australia.

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Big Lifestyle Benefits They Aimed For (and Felt)

Support With Kids

It wasn’t just convenience—more support meant they could show up as better parents. Even a few hours of help each day improved the household dynamic by increasing:

• Patience
• Presence
• Availability

Reduced “Mental Load”

Australia felt constantly heavy—business pressures, regulations, councils/expectations, and always feeling like there was “the next thing” to think about.

In Cambodia, life felt “lighter,” with:

• More space to breathe
• More moments to sit back, have coffee, and feel okay
• Less constant mental pressure, which changed how they thought and acted day-to-day

Greater Freedom (Control)

Australia felt highly structured, with lots of rules/processes and red tape.

In Cambodia, things felt faster:

• Starting things and trying new ideas didn’t require waiting months for approvals
• Even getting around felt more open

They believed this shifted their mindset toward acting quickly, thinking bigger, and exploring opportunities they might not have pursued otherwise.

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Travel Highlight

Being based in Cambodia makes nearby international travel easy and frequent.

• They’re heading to Vietnam “this Saturday” (about a 1.5-hour flight—compared to Sydney to Melbourne).
• Other accessible places they mention:
  • Thailand, Japan, Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos

Their travel goal over the next 12 months is to:

• Experience other cultures and systems
• Bring learnings back into their own lives

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Trade-offs / Downsides They Acknowledge

• Traffic: Can be chaotic and may take longer than expected.
• Heat: Cambodia is very hot most of the time; newcomers may need to plan for the climate.
• Being away from family: They don’t feel it immediately, but over time missing birthdays and special events becomes more noticeable.

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Decision-Making During Uncertainty

They admit it took a lot of convincing, including a real period of doubt:

• “What if it doesn’t work?”
• “What if we regret it?”
• “What if it makes things harder instead of easier?”

They chose to decide based on where they wanted to go long-term, not only where they were right then. Their confidence was that staying the same likely wouldn’t change the eventual outcome.

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Most Important Reason: The Kids

For them, the move is ultimately about the children’s future. They describe benefits their kids gain in Cambodia, including:

• More space
• More experiences
• Exposure to different cultures and people
• More opportunities for the kids to be kids (more flexible days, and more time with parents)

They believe this broader upbringing shapes their children’s perspectives and lives.

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Overall Takeaway

The move feels meaningful because it “came full circle” from the wife’s original plan.

Implied advice from their story:

• You don’t need everything figured out before changing countries or lifestyles.
• Trust timing and back yourself when opportunities appear.

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Notable Locations / Products / Speakers Mentioned

• Locations: Cambodia, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Bali, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos (and a comparison of flights like Sydney ↔ Melbourne).
• Channel/branding: “Aussie in Asia” (ending tagline).