Farewell Melbourne
30 July 2012
Goodbye Melbourne, Australia, and hello London, Great Britain. A new start. A new home. A new city. A new life. Moving countries is nothing like moving house to a new home in a different street. This an experience indescribable, unbeknownst to any experience I've had.
Had you asked me in July 2011 what I'd be doing in July 2012, my answer would've been simple; building a chicken breeding coup for my pets. Planning what to grow in my vegetable garden. Helping my neighbours to have a wonderful wedding, out in country Trentham, Victoria, we looked after each other, assisting each other. I know I'd be planning my property for the next bush fire season in the up coming Summer fire season.
If anyone had suggested I'd be selling my home, my car, my furniture, worldly possessions or giving them away and donating other things to charity, I would've told you how funny you sound and poured you a glass of water.
An opportunity to move to London on my Grandfather's heritage, gaining an EU Passport was an opportunity too exciting to pass up. To me London was one of those places that was too far away, unattainable and a place only dreams lived. Well, it's a real place and I'm moving to London, to live.
One forever memory I have of Melbourne, a very fitting memory, is to have my friend Daryl seeing me off at Melbourne International Airport, for a safe journey.
An Introduction To International Travel in July 2011.
My good friend, Carol had dreamed of celebrating her 50th Birthday in the Tuscan region of Italy, for some time. A good hearted and good natured soul that she is, Carol could see I needed a holiday from my current state of life's play. My life's path was travelling through one of those "darkest days" for a number of months, about 13 months at this stage. Thankfully, Carol asked me to travel with her.
After much deliberation and trying to make a decision, our travel plans and destinations were finalised and our travel plans took us from Rome, to Buonconvento (Tuscany), Siena, Pisa then to Paris (France), Reims, and finally I travelled to London to visit two friends whilst Carol travelled to Switzerland to visit a long life friend of hers, for a week each.
Our final meeting place would be back in Rome for our journey home, to Melbourne. Little did I know that last minute chance trip to London; a tacked on week to our original two week holiday tour of Italy and France, would end up changing my life's trajectory.