Time to move on

The time had finally come.

I was leaving Australia.

Living overseas was something I had wanted to do since I was young, yet it had taken a lot longer than I expected to arrive at this point in my life.  It had taken me a a long time come to the realisation that I need to leave Australia to be able to do the things I wanted in life.  This felt like I was getting myself back on the track of experiencing the different life I had wanted for so long.

I arrived back in Sydney from Newcastle and checked myself into a hotel.  It felt strange to be in a hotel in what was still ostensibly my "home".

Looking out across the city was a strange feeling.  How long would it be before this family sight started to become just a memory for me?  I had lived here for such a long time and had gotten to know all the ins and outs of the city.  Looking out at this view, I could name all the streets, find you all the best places to eat, to go out.  Sarah came to visit me in the hotel before I left and we sat there eating cheese and talking about all our different plans for the future.

The next day, I checked out and went to the airport.  The final drive to the airport felt surreal.  I was incredibly excited and happy to be leaving, but it didn't mean I wasn't going to miss this place.  The last few weeks in particular had been fantastic as I had been blessed with incredible weather which let me spend almost every day at the beach.  As I was checking in, I found out that my upgrade request had come through!

The plane ride to Hong Kong became a far more luxurious trip than I had originally anticipated.  I had only been in business class once before when I was a kid, so this was definitely a treat.  The wide and comfortable seats along with the good food made this one of the few times I wished that the trip would actually take longer!

I landed at Chek Lap Kok airport in the evening and there was a car which had been arranged to take me to my serviced apartment.  This would be my temporary home until I could find something more permanent.  Once I was inside, I dropped my bags on the middle of the floor and I look out of the window at all the lights of the city.

I was a world away from Sydney.  I was a little bit nervous, but I was also excited about this adventure.