Goodbye New Zealand, hello Sydney

bed count: 99

Well - so there has been a fair wee bit happening since I last posted, which is why I haven't really had time to blog. Anyhow - a brief summary:

The Queenstown job was great and it was kinda a shame to move on, but I headed up to Christchurch to see Fiona and Dennis last week. I arrived about 10 minutes before Fiona got the results for the exams she's been studying dead hard for over the last little while and luckily she passed, so we had a good excuse to celebrate. Congratulations Fiona!

It was good to catch up with Fiona and Dennis and really nice to be back in a home rather than 'lodgings'. I pretty much spent the week trying to get sorted for coming to Oz - selling the car, packing up a huge box to be sent home, etc. I finally sold the car 6 hours before I flew out of NZ, so it all turned out okay in the end.

I felt a bit sad leaving NZ, but it was a strange feeling. I feel like I should be saying something deep and meaningful about the country which has been home for the last 11 months, but it didn't feel like I was leaving for good. It just felt like I was going away on holiday. There's still a few things I want to do over there so maybe we'll make it back over there before heading back to the nothern hemisphere. I hope so anyway.

Maybe it's because hopping across the Tasman seems so easy. It's only a 3 hour no-hassle flight from Christchurch to Sydney. And it's great to see my friends from Glasgow - Susan and Paul. Which has made it feel familiar straight away. Hard to get my head round the fact I am in a different country.

So - I got a fantastic view of the Southern Alps flying across NZ, and a fabulous view of the harbour bridge and opera house coming into land in Oz. All that fromt he comfort of my emergency exit row seat. I had the row all to myself. Who needs 1st class??

And then last nigth we went out to see a very funny welsh comedian at the Studio in Sydney Opera House. The bridge and Opera house all lit up and looking stunning. (I asked if it was wrong to say it reminded me of Newcastle and apparently it was...). This was followed by cocktails in the revolving bar at the top of one of the highrises in the cbd. Not a bad way to spend my first evening in Oz.