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November 2015 I decided to change the course of my life.
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Seems like a rather definite sentence, but it is true, I texted R, my friend about a deal at STA and we went in after work and booked flights to Australia, for a year. It seemed rather a blur, I wanted a change, I wanted to see some of the world, to mix up what was becoming a very miserable work life. So I did it.
Then came telling everyone, parents and friends were fine, ecstatic even. It was J I was worried about, my boyfriend of five years. He took it rather well considering you know that I was leaving for a year, for me, without him.
This left me with four months, with Christmas, to save up, pay off my overdraft and get my act together. Seemed like a enough time...ish. R had said when booking, "We need to be in Australia by my 23rd Birthday, I do not want to be in the UK for my Birthday." So that was that, her birthday is 4th March, so we utilised the extra day on this leap year, February 28th 2016 to fly to Hong Kong then on to Melbourne, as we were recommended by R's sister that she thought we would enjoy the vibe.
The months flew by, Christmas with the fam and J as I possibly wouldn't be spending it with them next year. January I came back to work, ill, and let my boss know that I was flying to the other side of the world and therefore would be leaving in a few months. And after that it snowballed, buying rucksacks - ones which open like suitcases rather than top packers - BEST INVENTION! Just a FYI if you are going backpacking. Packing cubes, travel towels, 100ml bottles, what shoes to take, what clothes to take, how many bikinis is too many? You know the important questions. Selling my car, packing up my room, setting up travel cards. Then came the goodbye drinks and lunches and breakfasts and so on, spending far too much considering I no longer had a job! But absolutely wonderful to see everyone before leaving.
After all the wresting with the rucksack the night before I left, I realised that this is where the heart break begins, saying goodbye to J and all my family. I had barely spent a night away from J in a year, he is and has always been my rock and something to snuggle next too, it was a quick goodbye - no fuss. Nothing can prepare you for watching the love of your life walk out your bedroom door, knowing that I wouldn't be seeing him for three hundred and sixty maybe something days.
Then came the airport rush with mum, R had already arrived with her crew and we were travelling at the speed of light it felt like to get to Gatwick airport. Dad was meeting us at the airport from work to say goodbye. Our flight was at 13:30 with Cathay Pacific. We sat at about twelve in this cafe with R and fam, then they left and it was the Wood's and R for a little while as we geared up with our final chitchat to leave. As we got to security by parents, being my parents, especially my dad taking photos of us going through as we waved goodbye, mum crying, me getting teary. And that was that, the journey was well on its way, we boarded our plane no problems and started the ELEVEN hour flight to Hong Kong - can't say I had ever been on a plane that long before. I stayed up because I wanted to try and get on Australian time, and I knew that if I slept on the next plane, when we arrived in Australia it would be morning. I did stay up, but I'm not sure if it helped! We arrived delirious and exhausted in Hong Kong for our 6 hour layover, and walked along to the nearest private lounge - there were no beds, I was gutted - however there was a shower and massage with access to the private lounge with food. Now the shower was heavenly but the massage was KWEEN pick! We then slept on these big chairs in the lounge, with really cold air con, of course we pick these seats. But there was a great view of the mountains, all I would see of the outside world of HK. Then it was time to meet B, R's friend from secondary school, she was also travelling to Australia and had the same flight from HK to Melbourne. We met her outside the gate and chatted for a while and then boarded our next nine hour flight, which I was far from looking forward too, the chairs were not comfortable at this point. And I didn't really sleep, here and there a few hours but mostly ended up watching Jane the Virgin - the TV show, ADDICTIVE much. But then came our decent into Melbourne and we had arrived in Australia...
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