Ones affairs in order

I've got two hours to kill at Changi Airport in Singapore, so I thought I'd write a post on how getting out of New Zealand went.

I learnt last week, that I should accept help. Just sometimes. I didn't even have time to reply to texts, so much to do. I typically only accept help where I physically cannot do it - like selling a motorcycle that is still being repaired, or carrying a bed. Turns out the other stuff, packing everything into boxes, shipping them around the region - that all takes a lot of time, and there're only so many hours!

So, physically drained, and mentally draining too - pulling my home apart, piece by piece, deciding what goes where - lousy. I've managed to keep a lot, but a lot of stuff has disappeared too - made for some weird cathartic but sad trips to the dump and second chance store! But, junk piles up, so it was probably good to have an enforced cull. That toaster really didn't do a very good job. It deserved to die.

So yes, my advice - packing a whole house by yourself takes ages, and storing it takes even longer. If I gave myself more time, I would've squandered that too - but yes, give yourself more than 5 days to do all that. You may also want to consider some sleeping aid - I didn't take anything, but I didn't sleep much at all worrying and writing down every other new thing I identified to worry about the next day - it's lucky I didn't get the flu really!

The house now has a young family in it, parents and 3 young girls! I think it's pretty cute, a family has such a different vibe from a cold professional couple. Hope they enjoy the place as much as I do!

It was so busy I still haven't really been able to mentally process that I won't be seeing my friends and family next weekend, or the weekend after that. I guess that'll hit me when I can just stop! Which I am looking forward to.

Told my mate Hugh who's looking after me initially in London that I was arriving 6am on the 12th, but it is 6am on the 13th - so turned my phone on in Changi to quite the barrage of concerned messages about my lack of appearance, what a dick! That just shows how I've been focussing on getting the house and my affairs in order in Wellington - I haven't had much opportunity to focus on the London end of things in all this, it's been almost too much just leaving let alone arriving! So I am very lucky to hopefully have a flat lined up for me, good timing and friend action there, despite my useless communications. Once I have some place to live, I'll be golden.

Cannot wait! I think this travel lark has been eating me for some time, great to finally be doing it. Next stop, London and actually travel blog. And sleeping.