How the adventure began

So, how does it happen that we’re off to the other side of the world?  It’s not like we’re off for a little weekend away.  This is an adventure of grand proportions, with a pretty significant investment in time, money and effort.   It could all go horribly pear-shaped or be the best time of our lives.  Personally I’m going for the latter J.

I've wanted to do this for ages and I think it all started with my love of travel, which began when we moved to California for two years, continued with a stint in Edinburgh and then a year in Japan.  My feet got itchy and I’ve been scratching ever since.

About 18 months ago my friend Donna and her husband Stewart and their three kids moved to the UK for 2 years.  As well as making me green with envy it also got me thinking.  I’d been thinking for years, but this was new outcome-oriented, money-where-your mouth-is, action-speaks-louder-than-words kind of thinking. 

And so it began, way back on 24 October 2011 when, via a casual email about Daniel and the broomstick (but that’s another story), I snuck in the idea.  It went like this…..

Glad to hear you and Stew have been able to get out and about a bit more.  York is beautiful and so is Whitby.  Like I said Donna – I am practically green with envy as I’m typing this.

Which brings me to this cockamamie idea which you can just dismiss straight away if you think it’s a doozy, but anyway – here’s the thought...

I’m still a keen bean to come over but am finding it hard to work out quite how to begin on the planning front (i.e. no job, no accommodation).  I’ve been looking at house swapping, but funnily enough there aren’t that many families keen to come to Canberra!

Anyway, the thought is that when you guys finish up in Billericay we turn up and take over where you left off – house rental, buy your car (providing it’s not a lemon of course J), pick your brains about the kiddy’s schools etc.  I feel a bit cheeky even suggesting it given you’ve already done all the hard work but am struggling to think of an alternative.  I was also thinking that perhaps I could get a job teaching, although the very thought of that nearly scares me to death.

Anyway – what do you reckon?  Do you think something like that might work?  Let me know what you think.

That was the start and after 8 months, 200 emails, 5 passports, 10 visas, 5 plane tickets, a car sale, a (still-waiting L) house rental, a very sad puppy goodbye and some excellent farewell parties (thank you Miss Vicki, Lill, Emma and all those who came to the George and Adore Tea J) off we popped.  Oh - and did I mention the VR, career change and 3 months of relief teaching.  It doesn’t rain, it pours.