Max Wiley we love you

Next monday marks the 5 month anniversary of this blog. Technically the end of my adventure. Wow. Time bloody flies.

This week also marks the end of the road for my Aussie cricket mates who also just happened to head this way at the same time I did. Nic flew out last night and Davo, who i owe for some of the hilarious Chelmsford anecdotes in earlier posts, flew out tonight. I feel empty. I barely spent any time with Nic, but it was comfortable knowing he was just a few hours away if I really needed a quick getaway from London. I think the boys are full of mixed emotions as well. Both had kind of planned to stay, but for one reason or another (a severe lack of funds being the main culprit) they'll be drinking £5+ pints of Toohey's Extra Dry from an English themed pub and eating fruit loops by the weekend.

Monday is also my scheduled return flight back to Perth. It was reassuring for those first couple of months. Knowing it was sitting there, and easily changeable if things didn't quite come up millhouse. But it also gave me a bit of a goal to aim for. Most people who have done this 'pilgrimage' warned of those first 6 months. It's not quite 6, but i still feel a little warm inside knowing i've reached the end of my ticket.

So, do I like it here? Hmmmm, that's something i still don't know how to answer.

Back before i'd even set foot on an aeroplane, i imagined this move would have me living somewhere I didn't particularly want to, but at least put the world at my doorstep. That part has lived up to expectation. London at times has been depressing, but thanks to cost of living, I really don't feel i travel as much as i thought i would.

Thing are stupidly close. Within an hour or so, I can fly to some exciting and newly opened up places where up until a few years ago i would've needed a passport full of visas and a bullet proof vest to get in. Yet all i seem to find myself doing is dreaming up more new places to see and the matching itineraries i'd take. Basically what i was doing in Perth. I should be grateful. I did go on a fun little jaunt for a few weeks back in June, but that felt like it was a million years ago, and Belfast was a bit of a disaster.

A few months back now, i had a 10 day gap in my roster, and a crazy thought came over me to go see some of Northern Africa. After quickly eliminating most countries, i settled on Morocco. Not quite true Africa, but something totally different to anything i'd have seen. A long story short - funds stopped me from getting past the dreaming stages. Also, after running the idea past a colleague at work, he promptly pointed out it was 45c+ that time of year. It pays to do a bit of research. Two months later, Ramadan is over and the temperatures are a more bearable 20c+ so I think it might try again. I may even have a travel companion this time too which means i can leave Marrakech and do a 2 day trek into the High Atlas mountains. I've also heard great things about a place called Essaouira. It sits on the South Atlantic coast and has everything Agadir offers, minus the tourists. Once i work out who's in and nutted out the bits and pieces, i'll post them up. I'm excited again!

I've also recently started preparing for the winter. I picked up an awesome jacket from designer factory warehouse T.K Maxx for £80 down from £259.

Pow! Chew on that.

l8r