A flirtatious holiday connection has spiralled into a costly warning about international romance, leaving a New York woman over $2,550 out of pocket after an Australian man she met on his travels abruptly ended their relationship.
From Holiday Spark to Long-Distance Promise
The story, shared widely online by the woman's best friend, Kat, began when an Australian friend of Kat's boyfriend visited New York. Over several nights of socialising, he and Kat's best friend hit it off, culminating in him staying at her apartment before flying home. The pair agreed to keep in touch.
What followed was an intense, two-and-a-half-month long-distance courtship. Despite a challenging 14-hour time difference, they texted constantly, spoke on the phone almost daily, and maintained a flirtatious connection. Encouraged by his apparent enthusiasm, the Australian man suggested the New Yorker visit him in Sydney over Christmas, offering to host her.
The Costly Decision and Sudden Cold Feet
Trusting his plans, Kat's friend made the significant financial commitment of booking a non-refundable flight costing $1,700 (approximately £1,350 or AU$2,550). However, shortly after the booking was made, his behaviour began to change. He grew distant, was harder to reach, and seemed to be drinking heavily, which she initially dismissed as work stress.
Seeking reassurance, she confronted him directly. "She's like, 'Hey, just want to make sure that you're still excited for me to come. I feel like you've been a little bit distant'," Kat recalled. He reportedly reassured her, saying, "No, absolutely. I'm so excited for you to come. I can't wait for you to be here."
A Brutal Midnight Breakup and Online Outrage
Just three days after this reassurance, the situation imploded. The man called her in the middle of the night to deliver shocking news. "He said 'Basically, I started seeing this girl a few weeks ago and things are starting to get serious, and I don't want you to come to Australia anymore'", Kat explained.
To add insult to injury, Kat claimed he admitted the new woman had only been in his life for a week, and he laughed during the breakup call. When confronted by Kat, his response was deemed cold and dismissive by online viewers. He wrote that he "didn't realise how much emotional investment" she had made or "how much time and effort and money" she'd spent.
The viral video, viewed over 895,000 times, has sparked widespread condemnation. Many viewers, including Australians, said they anticipated trouble. "As an Australian woman, as soon as you said 'Aussie man' I sighed," one commented. Others warned against sacrificing sleep or routine for someone barely known and advised that if a partner is serious, they should be the one to invest financially in visits.
Kat ended her viral warning with a blunt message to women and a specific caution to anyone now dating the Sydney man: "If you started seeing a guy from Sydney a week ago, he literally played someone else to be with you. And he's probably going to do the same thing to you." Kat confirmed to the Daily Mail that her friend, feeling "put off" by the entire ordeal, decided not to take the trip to Australia.
