Life in a different culture
For my first days in Australia, I was able to make my way down to Canberra to catch up with Chris, a good friend of mine from Argentina. We took some time out of the conference that he was attending to check out the sights of Canberra, Australia’s capital city.
Parliament House in Canberra.
I have known Eric from our school days. We met when his family moved out to the same country town that I had only recently arrived at too. I sold him my a dud motorbike and our friendship just grew from there.
Eric and his family. (Left to right: mum, sis, me, Nat, Eric, dad)
Well my trip has started now. All of the planning and preparation for this time has come to fruition and I am on my way. What will follow in each email are events, thoughts, and experiences of my trip as I travel around the world.
Last Morning
When I woke on the day I was leaving Australia there were many expectations for how I would feel. Most of them were never reached. For one, I thought I would be teary and sad to leave my best friends, my family, and my country behind. Amazingly I wasn’t. I say amazingly because this is not what I expected to happen.
The feelings I had were more of anticipation, destiny, and peace. Very unusual considering I was up until 4am packing the previous night. My last email, written in the last minutes before leaving home, says about the same thing.
Continue reading “The Trip – Leaving Australia”
Well what a hectic week this has been. First let me tell you it is all done. I am ready. That is the good news. Now let me tell you that it was not easy to get here. The obstacles and difficulties that arose for me to make it were at times formidable, but through persistance and prayer I have reached this point where I am now ready to leave.
Continue reading “Australia – T-Minus 1 day!”
Hi all,
Time is moving fast and now there is only one week left. I can hardly believe it. Only seven days left in Australia.
I should be sad. Here I am leaving all of my known friends and disappearing, perhaps forever. Yet I am not. Of course my sentimentality sometimes creeps up on me and I start thinking about being stuck in a foreign country with noone I know and unable to communicate effectively and the feelings this creates. Then I think about my deep love for my friends and especially my family and tears well up in my eyes, my heart aching with the realisation of the loss I am about to experience.
Continue reading “Australia – Countdown 1 Week”
Well the time is fast approaching when I will be jetting off into the sunset. With only just over 2wks left in Australia you may be wondering what is happening here for me.
Last week signified the end of my Spanish lessons. I am now closing up my boxes and sorting out wardrobes and whatnots. I aim to be packed and ready sometime over this weekend. My hiking boots have been in for their service and repairs. I’ve created a list of addresses for people around the world, read up on all of the countries I am about to visit and how unsafe the Australian government deems them to be, sorted out most of what I am taking and not taking, and have started to finalise preparations in most areas.
Continue reading “Australia – Countdown 2 Weeks”
Hi all.
Not everything gets sent via email now. Some of my news can be found on www.groovyguppy.com instead. Any changes or the latest news can be found on the front page news:
Also, if you wish to contact me at any stage, my latest contact details including address and phone contact details can be found by logging on at www.GroovyGuppy.com and then going to Contact –> My Details.
Thanks for your support and help during this time of preparation,
Rob.
Now that I have arrived back from New Zealand, there is only 4 weeks left until I leave Australia. Many preparations are completed but there is still much to do.
Some of the more significant items on my agenda include renewing my pilot’s licence, completing my work at dad’s business, visiting all of my Aussie friends once more, planning my travel through Europe and America, and selling my house. All pending how much I can achieve in this time.
Continue reading “Australia – 4 Weeks Left”
Hi all, here is a quick update on the latest news.
First, for all of those who remember that I had a house in Brisbane… now I don’t. That’s right, I signed a sale contract for it today and it will be sold before I leave Australia. This means I will leave Australia not owing a cent. It also provides me with the possibility of reinvesting to provide an income while in Argentina.
Continue reading “Australia – An Australian Update”
That’s right.
My friend Andrew is getting married in one week and I have arranged to be in New Zealand to see it. As I wrote this message I was about to board the plane for NZ from Sydney. Now I am in Auckland about to head north. You can read more at www.GroovyGuppy.com
Talking of that site, there has been some more information put there, including maps and further details about my up-coming trip. It’s all there under the RobAbroad menu.
So if you are in NZ then drop me an email and I will do my best to catch up with you. I return on the 3rd.
Take care, Rob.