Leaving on a JAL Plane


So this is it - tomorrow is the day I haven't been waiting for, although I thought that I had. I've been in Oz for 5 months now, and had an amazing time. I've seen some things that I may never see again, met some top people whom I may never meet again, and experienced some things that can only be described and indescribable (taking the easy way out!). It was once said in a cheesy song that "Wherever you lay your hat, that's your home", but for me it's always been about where my stereo is. And I've had a steroe here so everything's gone more or less swimmingly. Except that I've sold my stereo now, or more accurately, left it in the care of the boys at Js, so it's obviously time to go.But now I'm about to leave the country that's been my home for the past 5 months, it all feels a bit weird.

This means no more bad Aussie tv, with the exception of SBS, no more Tim Tams (like Kit Kats but far more chocolatey), no more scouring TNTto find out where I'm off to next. It also means no more finding myself in unfamiliar places knowing no-one but still managing to large it. It means no more Vic Bitter, but proper beer. Incidentally, the Castlemaine XXXX brewery is just over the road (I think I mentioned this yesterday), but I didn't go as XXXX is almost universally derided by Aussies outside of Queensland. Why they ship us that and Foster's over to the UK is a mystery. Or maybe not - shafting the Poms by stealth. And no more Vegemite!!! But Marmite always had the upper hand for me. But I digress.

I hope that these diary entries have provided my family and friends with an idea of what I've been up to over here. It hasn't all been booze, birds and beaches. The last month has been serious winter. It's not like any Poms expect and Aussie winter to be like a European winter, but it isn't far off. I've spent some cold nights .here, so if anyone's going to come and visit Oz, my advice is - bring more than one jumper that you're going to lose on a bus.

I'm off now to watch my last night of Aussie tv - at least they have a Simpsons omnibus on telly on a Sunday, which is far more cheery than sitting down to watch Eastenders. Unless we're spotting Chris' Dad! Don't expect a bronzed surf god when you see me next. It'll just be me, with a little bit of a tan, a few more months experience, and more chilled out than ever before. The tan will fade, but I think that almost half a year in Oz had left an indelible mark. If you get the chance, come visit Oz. And if you don't, at least try to watch Neighbours twice a day.

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