The last six months have flown past. It seems like only yesterday I was experiencing my first Tuk tuk ride and gazing wide eyed at all the new and interesting things you see every time you land on a new shore. Now I don’t think twice as I roam around the city by foot or by tuk’ it has become home to me and I don’t feel like a tourist any more. Unfortunately though, having arrived at that comfortable point – it is time to pack up and return to my real home where winter still lives.
‘Zarges’ (My alloy trunk full of unaccompanied luggage) was packed last week and delivered to our logistics department where it waits for DHL to come and whisk it off back to NZ. It was a bit like saying goodbye to an old friend. When I arrived Zarges had beaten me here by a few days, but had taken over six weeks to fight its way through the red tape of landing unaccompanied before we were reunited. This time I have my fingers crossed that it will be waiting on my Dunedin doorstep by the time I arrive home. Yeah right!!!
I shouted cake this morning for my birthday. I only needed one this time, whereas three months ago two didn’t quite make it around everyone in the building – clearly we are ‘downsizing’.
My last week is all about doing final reports, closing my bank account, paying the bills, handing things over, farewell dinners, last minute souvenir shopping, goodbyes, stocking up with spices, and ‘unbolting the training wheels’ from my friend and colleague Harin who will take over as National Security Officer for IFRC.
Some of the things I will miss about Sri Lanka: The food – particularly the prawns, tuk tuks – with which I have a love hate relationship, taxi fares, the friends I have accumulated along the way, no swearing – I’ve hardly heard an angry word since I arrived, the positive working environment, friendly courteous people, eclectic architecture, and the food!
Some of the things I will not miss: Traffic, indiscriminate and incessant tooting of horns, busses, pollution, armed military presence, high security zones, politicians – I won’t go there!, bureaucracy, dog (and other) crap on pavements, motorcyclists on pavements, and breaking out in a sweat every time you blink!
Looking forward to: Reuniting with Jen, family, friends and pets, feeling the lawn between my toes – well maybe when the frosts stop!, traffic rules, preparing my garden for spring planting, dreaming up new mad schemes over a Whisky or two with my good mate Milton, fishing from our launch ‘Seagull’, settling down for a while before the next adventure, and the NZ launch of iPhone 4.
Not looking forward to: The struggle to lose the pounds I have gathered by enjoying too many prawns, the less positive aspects of my working environment (OK - work sucks!!), dog crap on pavements, taxi fares, and surly shop staff.
So now all that remains is to eat what little is left in the cupboards, and figure out how on earth I am going to cram everything into my suitcase!
Finally I must share with you a quote I came across the other day that I can identify with:
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside - Chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other - thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming "WOO HOO, What a Ride"
~ author unknown ~
Not that I am particularly fond of either Chardonnay or chocolate – but you get the idea…..
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