All set to go

So, we have been talking about it for a couple of years now (by we I mean my wife Alison and myself), saving for a year and planning (loosely) for the past 6 months.

Planning for what you may ask?  Well, in a nutshell, I have had this idea in my head for a few years now about taking a year off to travel when I turn 50.  I wanted to re live the backpacking days I had 25 years ago when I first arrived in Australia, but go to some of the places I missed, and perhaps in a little more style.  Travelling Australia in a camper van instead of sleeping on a mattress in the back of an old station wagon for a start. Perhaps 2 star accomodation in Asia rather than hostels with signs warning about having your possessions chewed by the rats (yes, that is for real).

Somewhere along the road it seemed like a good idea to incorporate getting a job at the Commonwealth games on the Gold Coast (home for the past 15 years). Although I have been working in vocational education for almost 20 years now I am a qualified chef.  It’s been a long time since I have actually stepped foot in a commercial kitchen but it seemed like a good idea to apply for a job working in the kitchens at the athletes village.  I remember very clearly telling a friend about this at an awards night a couple of years ago.  She is also a chef, and also works in vocational education and has not been in a kitchen for while.  She did not hold back in telling me that clearly I must have lost my marbles and forgotten what it’s really like in the kitchen.  And the language she used to remind me was as colourful and descriptive as I remember from my days in the sweat box.

Not to be dissuaded, I applied and was offered work in the Village from early March through to late April. So was Ali, she does ‘front of house’ while I cook up a storm.

So when I returned from my Christmas leave and told my boss, he also used some colourful language and told me I must have lost my marbles. Seems to be a bit of a theme there.  In fact, most people have told us we are a little bit crazy, but almost without exception they then say they wish they could do what we are doing.  My response to that is always, you can, but of course, timing is everything.  Five years ago with kids still in school we wouldn’t have done this.  In five years time, who knows? We could be sick, broke or concerned that getting back into the workforce might be too hard.  The time is right now and I do not intend to miss it.

So what is the plan?  Well it goes a bit like this at the moment:

1. Quit work – done, finish up in just over a week, just in time to fly to Cambodia.

2. Take a side trip to Cambodia. Why? Well why not, I need a holiday, plus it seems like a good way to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

3. Work the games – sorted.  My first shift is the day after we get back from Cambodia.

4. Rent out the house – our son James has got that one sorted (I hope).

5. Do some house sitting- first one lined up for Melbourne in June.  More on that later.

6. Travel Oz.

7. Do Asia (preferably the bits I missed 25 years ago).

8. Do Europe, well maybe Portugal and the Greek Islands at least

It is worth noting that the planning after point 5 is pretty loose, and intentionally so.

All of that brings me to this blog.  I am not a selfie posting narcissistic Insta, FB or Twitter user, just not really my thing, but maybe there will be a few people interested in what we are doing, perhaps it might even inspire a few others to shake of the shackles and do something that makes them feel alive for a while.

if you want to hear more, tell me about it and I will try to tell it like it is warts and all. I can’t promise a weekly blog but I will at least try to cover the interesting bits as we go along.