Final week of work...

Well i'm down to my final week of work here in the UK before i take myself a month to get everything together, see the people who mean a lot to me and whom i will miss whilst i'm gone, get out on the final few climbs that are on my must do list, and then head back to St.A to spend sometime with Mum and see my old mates who i've only managed to see oh so briefly over the last 4years. Stoke really took me. Moving up here for uni was the biggest and best decison i made but it provided me with so much opportunity that i was always away from home, away from St.A, and away from those who i grew up with. I am so happy to be heading back though to see them all again before i go. I've spoken to a few of them, and even got one who is talking of coming to NZ for a new year party to remember!
My last month of work has been a little odd in terms of home life as i have been living at a friends so not really got a set up there as it's so brief so planning for NZ has kinda taken a back seat but i've felt no need to push the planning, i'll be back in St.A soon and it'll be much more relaxed there so i can take days when i'm not working to get everything together and psyche myself for the biggest trip i've ever been on.

I've been looking at so many picture books, magazines, internet articles about NZ that i just can't wait to get out there, buy my van and get going!

Where to go...

One of the guys at work has been out to NZ a bunch of times over the last few years so i sat with him for a few hours after work and went through a load of photos of his, looked at places to go, things to see and how to do it. i'd already looked into getting hold of a van kitted out with a bed so i could live in this for a couple of months whilst i mooch around, and Mike said this was in his opinion the best way to do it. He's visited the northernmost tip, right down to the southern extremities, been as far east and as far west too. He's covered so much in between too so i count him to be very reliable. Mike is also very well connected out there so he has contacted the guys he knows to see if they can hook me up with some work, or point me in the right direction to find some. he knows a fair few guys who are either into the outdoors, work at outdoor ed centres, or work as freelance instructors and guides. He is also pretty sure he can set me up with a guide for Mt |Cook which is definately one of my goals whilst i'm out there.
Mike is also thinking of a career change so has aksed me to keep my eyes peeled for any jobs that may interest him whilst i'm there. Mike has done so much for me both here through work, and in helping me out with my plans for NZ that it'd be great to be able to find something for him that could get him out to NZ again so he can spend some time in a country that he trully loves, and also he will get to see Liam, his godson who from the way Mike talks about him, Mike is incredibly proud of him and would live to be over there to see him grow up.
I'm getting a lot closer to going now but have not really made any more progress with plans, but i'm not fussed. I'm still staying with the plan of not making a concrete plan. I'm going to take each day as it comes, live it to the max and relish every moment in a country i have been dying to see for years...

Breaking the news...

After handing in my notice at work i told my colleagues today that i was going to be leaving. The reaction was mixed to say the least, but it was at least positive throughout. Most of the guys were really stoked for me, chuffed i was making the break when i could and getting out there. Many said that they wished they had done something similar when they could, before life became committed and confusing. So far i only told one of the girls as most were not in today but Dawn said she would be really sad to see me go. I've always loved Dawn, totally like a cool aunty who you can have a right laugh with blaming my loud farts on in the staffroom, listen to stories of juvenile partying, but is also there looking out for me at all times, i shall definitely miss Dawn. In fact i will miss everyone at work. Like any workplace, it is not perfect and not without some issues, but in my opinion they are in the minority and it has provided me with an awesome two and a half years of fun times, allowed me to access some really great people and made me some very good friends.
A fair few of the guys have either visited NZ at some point or have family out there so i was bombarded with contacts and offers of houses to stay at and work to undertake when i arrive so I'm in no doubt now that this should be the best decision i ever make. I'd love to do some work in the outdoor industry out there so i can build me knowledge, experience and skills to be able to apply to future work, but i would also really like to try something completely new out there, get involved in some access and conservation work in some of the national parks out there, putting something back into a country that i think will give me far more than it can ever know.

Times a' changing....

Well today has been pretty eventful in the run up to New Zealand. I handed in my notice to work so have got a set date to be leaving that which will be a shame but also the start of something new and exciting. My final day will be the 29th September, leaving me the whole of October to sort myself out and get ready to fly out.
I've also sorted out a house for the next 5/6weeks here in Stoke and shall be moving in on the 9th September. My current house contract runs out on Saturday which will be the 5th, leaving me a few days with no fixed abode. This situation a year ago would never have happened, i used to be so stressed over knowing exactly what was going on and needed plans to be finalised well in advance so nothing was left to chance. Now, a year on i don't need that. I'm happy to just work it out as and when. I've chilled out immensely to a point that i know i am ready to take on life in another country on the other side of the world. I imagine i shall be dealing with a situation like this quite regularly when i get to a new place, not knowing anyone, not knowing what the plan is, taking and making opportunities as and when, free to make and break decisions as i please.

Already i can feel that making this break away has changed me as a person. When asking a close friend the other day if he thought i had changed since deciding to move to NZ, he answered with an unequivocal "yes, but for the better". He said i was happier now, and much more relaxed. This was reassuring to hear as i felt the same but was a little worried that people were viewing this new found happiness and relaxed nature as not caring anymore due to the fact i was leaving the UK behind.

I was out rock climbing a couple of days ago with some friends who i don't always spend a huge amount of time with but have been doing so much more recently and i had a talk with them about just how happy i was with life at the moment and they agreed too. I felt immensely lucky to have been out where we were, with people that i care alot about and who enjoyed my company, i was smiling from ear to ear thinking about where i came from to be here today, and what it meant to be heading away to hopefully find some more people in this world who are ahppy to be in my company, who will share my views, beliefs and morals, people who are friends waiting to be found...