So, my time in Australia is rapidly drawing to a close. I’ve spent today finishing things off before I completely run out of time – adding the final touches to my assignments before I need to hand them in, trying to squish all my belongings into a suitcase, and using the laundry for the final time. It won’t be long until the final mad dash comes along.
I had similar emotions before I came to Australia, that sense that the journey to the otherside of the world wasn’t really happening. My parents may have noticed how eerily calm I seemed at the time about the fact that I would soon be travelling 10,000 miles, not to return for another year. That’s because it didn’t really sink in. Even getting on board the plane, it wasn’t the first time I’d got on a plane, so I had no cause to worry. It’s tricky to remember now, but I don’t think I realised what I had done until after a couple of days in Australia, after my body clock had caught up, and I had time to judge the situation I found myself in. A quick moment of being terrified, and then adrenaline came in all over again and I experienced a life down under (with all the stereotypes!”
It’s now just 6 days until I go to the airport to catch a plane to Melbourne. Still, there is no cause to worry – by my reckoning I’ve travelled to Melbourne six times already. From there, I go to Auckland – I’ve been there twice too. It hasn’t even nearly sank in that my time is up, and I’ll soon be heading North. When I’m talking to people, they seem even more shocked that I’m leaving that soon than I am. Oddly though, they do understand when I say I need to go to a real city.
The trail of destruction continues to mark my route around the world – Melbourne is being affected by ash clouds from a Chilean volcano, Christchurch has been struck by two further earthquakes, and Canberra is still Canberra. I can only imagine Hong Kong is about to sink into the ocean and Dubai is about to suffer rioting on the streets.
Canberra, in full-on riot mode.
Anyway, I thought it only right to make a post, since this looks likely to be my final opportunity to send a message from Australia, possibly even until I reach home. My dreams for the last couple of nights have been entirely about England and the people I left behind, while my waking moments are more often than not filled with thoughts of the incredible food I can have when I get home! In any case, I’m waiting for my socks to dry out on the radiator before I pack them, so I’ve ran out of things to do.
I have three exams in the next few days, then the fun begins again, and I simply can’t wait. Over the next month, I’m hopefully going to get the chance to catch up with all the people I hold close, and return to the normality of life outside Australia. Look out England, I’m on my way!
And finally, I leave you with this – a clip from just another busy night out in Canberra.
My parents might recognise the street in the opening 20 seconds or so as being where we went for our DIY BBQ meal.
Oh, there is one more thing… It’s been emotional.
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4 comments
dad says:
June 16, 2011 at 12:04 am (UTC 10 )
I can agree that the flight to Australia is over before it really sinks in that you are at the bottom of the earth (England drew the atlas to put England near the top).
The floods, fires, earhquakes, plague of long haired rats, ash clouds, riots, & sure their must be other natural events that have tried to disrupt your great journey, have in fact made it all the more interesting, sounds like the life of a QPR fan.
Good to see the Kangaroo on the final blog, you are the one on the left I assume! Bit too much facial hair on the other chap to be a Sharp.
Enjoy the return leg, me & mam are looking forward to this flight more than the one that went to Australia.
Do you think Canberra will have a party when you leave? you must have disrupted their village life a bit.
boromadloon says:
June 16, 2011 at 12:20 am (UTC 10 )
I reckon Canberra will have a party, and it will still look like the picture of Canberra on here :D
Plus, I’ve not quite reached the bottom of the Earth yet – I still need to go to Antarctica.
mam says:
June 16, 2011 at 4:46 am (UTC 10 )
Hard to believe that it is almost a year since we watched you walk through to the departure lounge at Heathrow, holding back the tears (well, almost!) as best I could. And you gave us the opportunity to make the long journey ourselves to come and spend Christmas and New Year with you in Australia and we had the best time ever. I’m pretty sure we would never have spent Christmas in Sydney on a beach if it hadn’t been for you. Cheers for that, mate!
What an experience you have had with its ups and downs along the way but hopefully many more ups than downs. You will look back on this for years to come, I’m sure, and dad and I are very proud of all you have achieved.
Looking forward to seeing you back in England and back in Billingham. Enjoy your last couple of weeks of travel, good luck with the exams and I really hope you get to fly business class! It is the ONLY way to travel.
Barbara Sharp says:
June 17, 2011 at 8:58 am (UTC 10 )
Well done Tom,amazing that its almost done! You should be so proud of yourself,we all are. Have a wonderful trip back and dont have your head turned by any Q.P.R rubbish!!!! We Boro fans can rise above all that. Glad that you are leaving Canberra as you found it……and Party Billingham awaits you ! Take care and see you soon,All our Love Barbara and All xxxxxxxx