Many Brits daydream of a new life in the sun-drenched Australian shores, but one former London resident shares a stark reality check with her recent move to Sydney.

Emily, who chronicles her Aussie adventures on TikTok as @thediariesofemdownunder, confesses in her latest video that she often finds herself questioning her big move.

In a candid clip, Emily is seen pondering her decision, hand on head, wondering aloud: “Anyone else who’s moved to Australia just think ‘What the hell am I doing here on the other side of the world?’ on a daily basis?”

She admits: “I’ve been here a month and a half now and honestly, that is the thought that crosses my mind every single day.”

Voicing her thoughts further, she captioned the post: “Moved to Australia and everyday questioning why? #sydney.”

The post struck a chord, garnering over 9,000 likes and nearly 2,000 comments from followers relating to her experience.

One fellow expat shared: “Yeah I wanna go home,” prompting Emily to enquire: “How long have you been here?” The user, namedKatie, answered: “6.5 months. Gonna give it a few more months see how I feel! Wanted to be here a year but it’s not worth staying to prove a point.”

Echoing the sentiment, another commented: “I’ve been here 4 months, realised it’s time to go home, no shame in not staying the whole year.”

One person admitted: “I did a world trip solo for 6 months and Australia was part of my itinerary, genuinely, I couldn’t wait to leave, it had the weirdest vibe, plus I was still pining for beautiful Asia at this point, but yeah, I don’t get the hype.”

Despite Emily’s stance receiving support from some quarters, others encouraged her to persevere, as one individual advised: “Irish, been here 15 years. June, July, Aug is hard. You have to switch off from the fun goings on of the northern hemisphere (or go back to see everyone). Once Sept hits, you’ll feel totally different! Just hang in there. It’s a 9-3 month ratio of goodness. Instead of all the fun being in a quick 3 months at home!”

Adding to the debate, another remarked: “I have been here 12 years. The first 5 years are a rollercoaster of wanting to go home – then going there for a holiday and being desperate to get back to Aus because you just needed that reminder why you moved. Also to check in with family etc. my advice would be never to make a permanent moving decision without a holiday back home first. Work opportunity is soo important too.”

A third added their voice, saying: “I lived there for about 4 years. I was also very unsure I’d made the correct decision at first. However; 20 years after returning to the UK, I still miss the extraordinary wildlife and country. I miss the smell of eucalyptus trees after it rains. I miss the jacaranda trees. I miss the colour of the sky and the noise of cicadas in the summer. I learned to love it when I started to let it in and it crept under my skin and stayed. It is an extraordinary place and the people are great. Give it time.”

Others were baffled as to why she would want to leave, with one TikTok user commenting: “Australia is an amazing country,” and another person sharing: “Not me. Haven’t looked back. Australia is beautiful.”

Yet, even some people from Sydney seemed to understood Emily’s perspective, with one local admitting: “For someone who has lived in Sydney my whole life, THE LAST PLACE ID EVER WANA GO.”

Another resident concurred: “I’ve was born here and I think the same.”

The sentiment of being misled by online portrayals of life in Australia was echoed by many, while some reminded Emily that a change of scenery doesn’t necessarily transform your life.

One individual expressed: “Not gonna lie, as an Australian I’m so confused by the amount of people selling the idea of moving to Aus online without any of the realities of living there… so I get you girl!”

While another individual pointedly remarked: “I am so tired of hearing from people who come here expecting the streets to be paved with gold only to find out that it is just like any other country. Research first people then decide.”

A baffled user also asked: “Genuine curiosity and I mean this so respectfully, what was the expectation and why? It just seems to be a common experience for people from the UK and I’m confused what the narrative is and who’s pushing it? Especially as a girl born and raised in Sydney.”

In a similar vein, another expressed: “What made you leave the UK… You are the only one that can change your life. Not a country,” prompting Emily to concisely concur: “Could not agree more.”