Ringing in the changes

Back in August, I made a post about some upcoming news that I had been working on, but that I wasn't able to
reveal at the time.

Well, time to tell all...

Last year at Christmas, Elsha's folks announced that if we were interested in moving to Australia, they would help by paying 2 One way tickets to Perth, Western Australia.

Elsha and I had a loooong chat about it and we decided to go for it. A lot of things had to happen before we moved over - getting the visa sorted out, working out money issues, etc.

Back in July, we sent off for a Temporary Resident Visa and waited with baited breath as to the results, with
fingers crossed, hoping for good news.

Early September, the visa envelope finally arrived with some very good news. Not only had they agreed to a visa but they had authorized a Permanent Resident Visa. Basically this means no more arsing around with visas ever again.

2 weeks later, I resigned from work, giving 6 weeks notice. I could have given 4 but I decided to do it by the
book and this way at least I would get paid my holiday entitlement instead of being told to take it. The weeks
have whizzed by and now, finally I'm in my last few days at work - literally.

Work is odd. I feel like I should be enjoying my soon-to-be-had freedom, but in reality I feel moody as hell. I'll miss all the people at work, all the friends I've made and even all the arsholic managers who haven't got a clue as to how to run an IT Department. But most of all, I'll miss being an integral part of something. Of waking up on a monday morning and knowing that I have some place to go and something to do. I suppose I'll have all these things in Perth, but as I don't have a job yet, it's all a bit daunting.

3 more weeks or so and I will be leaving, cold, dreary London for the bright blue sky of Perth - via Singapore.
Not only are Elsha's folks paying for our tickets to Perth, they're also paying for a holiday of 4 nights in
Singapore first. Since we're a bit low on cash, I'm not entirely sure how we're going to survive this but its the last holiday we'll have for awhile...

As many people have found out when they've asked me I'm not at all daunted by leaving my family and friends and travelling to Perth. Back in '98, I did just that for 10 months when I went to see Elsha after meeting her in the flesh. She was on holiday in England and had to return home and of the two of us, I earnt more. Spending 10 months in Perth was a liberating experience, because I could come out of my shell and be more forthcoming with experiences and life in general. Here, I'm a bit more sheltered as to what I do or where I go - I use the excuse that I live in London and that I don't need to see sights to get out of seeing sights. Resulting in my not doing anything or seeing anything - now that I'm going I wish I had spent more time doing "stuff".

I AM looking forward to living in Australia but I'm also nervous - who wouldn't be. All that I know will be left
behind to be replaced with new things - clean cities, plastic money, oversized rodentia, beeer. Did I mention the Beer?

Roleplaying is going to be a major problem, World of Warcraft too. I'm not entirely sure I can survive roleplaying with people in Australia or playing 8 hours ahead of Europeans, but it's not enough to sway me from going

So, come the beginning of December my post code will be WA6027 and not W5. My new home town will not be Ealing but will be called Joondalup...

Is it forever, people have asked? Let's see, one day at a time, shall we?