Leaving on a jet plane.....

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I leave Asia tomorrow after 11 years for a new life in the Caribbean.


I'm really quite excited. It has been quite some time since I was this excited about new possibilities.

Top Tips

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Things I have learnt in the last few days.

Marble floors and wet rain are not a good combo.
Throw in some jostling by 2 policemen and 4 building management type people and it is a really bad combo.
Falling over in front of other people is not embarrassing if it really really hurts - then you just don't care who saw you.
Falling over and your head hitting the edge of a heavy glass door then bouncing on the floor is not good.
A block of ice wrapped in a clean tea towel really does help with the bump, but not so much with the pain.
Being disoriented and confused enough to actually call your parents and tell them of the above situation leads to them being rather worried - apparently.
Feeling crap but going to work the next day might well result in tears.
Going home from work alone while in tears might result in the journey being rather fuzzy.
Not being able to eat anything since the fall for 24 hours doesn't help much with the light headiness and dizziness.

Going to bed at about 6:00pm, sleeping through the alarm and being woken up by your boss who has forced their way in past the maid 14 hours later is not a good way to wake up. Especially when they are for some unfathomable reason very angry with you!

When confused, in pain, disorientated and being sick do not ask the above mentioned boss if they think you should go to the doctor - because sometimes the boss says stupid things like "oh probably not"

Do listen to your older sister who tells you on the phone in no uncertain terms that you should get yourself to the doctor ASAP.

Going to the doctor and finding yourself crying from the moment they say hello to the moment you leave with a 5 day sick note and orders to rest is a good thing!

Being brave

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I've been told that I'm being brave so often in the last few weeks, usually by people who spend their whole lives in the same town or even village where they grew up, but I don't understand why people keep saying this to me?
I've been talking to a couple of friends who I knew from school days, one of whom told me in all seriousness that she couldn't imagine getting on a flight and coming to visit me in Hong Kong for a holiday never mind making her life in another part of the world. Somehow I manged to convince her that she should come and visit - and finally after my gentle 'bullying' she agreed to come. She arrives next week for 10 days, we will spend time in Hong Kong and in Beijing and she is so very excited which I think is wonderful. I adore showing friends around my favourite city, its like sharing a delicious cake with a friend. I will get to enjoy my adopted city through new eyes all over again.

I'm so full of excitement about my move but fear doesn't come in to it. Whats the worse that can happen? I don't like living there so when my contract finishes I move somewhere new? If I really really don't like it then I can leave straight away. But after 11 years of living in Asia I'm confident that there is very little I can't handle - is this being brave?

My sister has been laughing at me as one of the things I'm really excited about is that I will have access to an organic food farm when ever I need, some fantastic bookshops and clean air. These things are important to me.

One step closer

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I totally understand the need for immigration procedure and red tape, but having spent hours filling out forms and collecting supporting documents I was relieved to finally get a visa for my next location squared away this morning.



The most interesting form (f0r me at least) was the one where I had to list the name of every country I had visited over the last 10 years and include dates - that took a few hours and lots of passport checking. After arriving in Hong Kong 11 years ago I've had plenty of opportunities and occasions to visit many places in the region. One thing that did strike me was that I have visited many different regions within one country over the years. And my new goal is to add at least one new country to my 'countries I have visited' list every year for as long as that is possible. I've not travelled around Europe since I was in my early 20's so there are quite a few countries there that could be saved up for last - till then there is a whole world of exploring to enjoy.

Excitment

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I was talking to a friend back in the UK a couple of days ago. She remarked that I must be very very excited about my upcoming move. My reply was that I am so excited I have had to push the joy way way down inside as so many people I work with are filled with sour grapes at the news and I'm seriously not 'allowed' to talk about anything at all!

Which is why I've come back here to the blog, where I can ramble along without the fear of seeing a dodgy look across someones face. Mostly because there are not many people out there reading any more. Plus of course I can't see your faces! ~grin~

A new quality of life

6 months ago I wrote that I was considering downsizing my life massively. And yes I am. I have shipped out 4 boxes and am checking in 2 large suitcases when I fly to a new part of the world in 7 weeks time.

I'm very excited. I'm starting my 4th life and I can't wait!