You know how it goes, you talk about doing that amazing round-the-world trip your whole life, but never manage to actually get up and do it. Well after six years working at the same place, buying a nice flat and getting just a bit too comfortable (to the point you just might not want to go anywhere for fear of missing home too much) I decided it was time to do something about the situation. What better way to kick off a trip than with a few months snowboarding in beautiful Wanaka NZ?!! It is an opportunity you just have to take, especially when your girlfriend's folks own a lodge there and are looking for somebody to caretake it for the season. So in with the resignations, tickets booked and we start to prepare.
Well you would expect that your last few weeks of work would be a little stressful, especially when the whole place is gearing up for an FDA audit scheduled the week before you go, but no. Nothing could compare to the stress of that final week between finishing up work and getting on the plane. While we proceeded to box and bag all our worldly posessions, we started to wonder how the hell we managed to accumulate so much crap! All in all it took us four full days to pack the house up and stick it in a container for storage.
Day one saw us carefully and lovingly wrapping furniture and whitegoods in layers of cardboard (see below), bubble wrap and shrink film, but by day four it was more like heave-ho it in the door!
We filled that container to the brim, then it was sent away on the truck (so heavy it lifted the wheels off the ground) to be stored.
I think that we were both quite amazed to actually get here, and with relatively few dramas like a lost credit card and almost missing the connecting flight in Sydney. Slowly winding down and relaxing a little, we had a nice deep bath the other night, with not even the slightest bit of guilt about water restrictions - this country has more water than they can even dream about using!
We really don't quite know what to do with ourselves after being so incredibly busy, and now just not. I have to say, I don't mind though. Spending a few days now with Justine's family and organising a couple of things like a car, before we move out to the lodge and look for some work. Can't wait to hit the slopes, it is pissing snow over here!
