In the quote from Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country," the author reflects on the profound disconnect one experiences when leaving Australia. He suggests that life continues in Australia without any awareness of the person who has departed. This evokes a sense of solitude and isolation tied to the idea of geography and belonging.

The sentiment expressed captures the strangeness of returning to a place that carries on without you, highlighting a bittersweet realization about the transient nature of personal connections to locations. The thought is melancholic, emphasizing how departure alters one's relationship with a place that once felt like home.