Random thoughts from (a long way) abroad

Where to begin on the whirlwind adventure that has been the last few weeks.

 

We packed up our entire belongings into a small crate in the snow on 24th November, and flew to London as soon as we shut the truck doors.

 

The following day we arrived in Bakersfield, California for a belated Thanksgiving week (not the most salubrious destination, but Jake's family are fabulous company and generous hosts - it was exactly the wind down we needed after the super elevated stress levels of the prior month).

 

Fast forward a week and we all took a plane to New Zealand, where three of us got off, and one intrepid hero took a further flight to Sydney to begin bringing home the bacon in our new country of choice.

 

New Zealand was magical, more R & R, sunshine and friends. We all had a blast; Seb got on famously with Ava, Jaime Kay had fun in the sandpit and on the beach with Torin, and best of all, according to Sebastian I didn't stop talking for a week - so good to see old friends who know you well. Perhaps a little too old, and a little too well, but that's a discussion for another time.

 

And now we're in Sydney.

 

It's a strange thrill, having a mobile phone with only one number on it again.

 

To walk down the street and be safe in the knowledge that you'll recognise noone at all, so it doesn't really matter if you have scruffy, knotty hair to the point of dreadlocks and a super wide, sandy bum.

 

Parts of me have seen sunlight for the first time in fifteen years this week; turns out you can't really embrace beach culture without showing a little lilywhite skin at some stage.

 

Indeed, I'm thinking of profiting from the anonymity by having a couple more piercings and a tattoo while there's noone to comment on all that raw skin.

 

Also thinking of trying out that spray tan stuff on the basis that if it all goes wrong, I can be shiny orange in my own company.

 

But mostly, I'm just enjoying the sunshine and the kids and fresh fruit and the Bondi beach holidayness of it all.

 

In a few short days, Jaime Kay's gone from being a sand monster to an unstoppable water baby, and Seb's smiling, reading everything as usual, and learning to surf. I wonder; can life get any better than this?

 

Thank you for looking after me, Lord, thank you.