All Over Down Under

Ok. For anyone who likes to tune in to this blog for the travel and adventure side of the blog rather than the emotional rollercoaster and socialising/partying stories, good news! I'm about to be a tourist again. But it would be completely misleading to describe my last week in Sydney without focusing on the huge emotional highs and lows... and erm, the drinking.

(Oh and this isn't a great update for those of you - probably a large majority - who just like the pictures, as I'm in Cambodia now - of which news to follow - and the internet is devastatingly slow at loading pics. In fact, i got a mild electrical shock when i plugged my camera into the pc - maybe that's a hint - so no pics until I'm back in Thailand.) [Ok, since added some photos, but they are pretty random as there's a hefty size limit. Erm, very random...]

There have been some hugely emotional moments in the last 8 moths. It's been continually brought home to me that travelling is about both exporing new places and meeting new people. I've also found out that travelling is also about moving on and leaving behind good friends, new friends and fabulous places.

And that's never been more true than this week.

I made a new friend in the last week that i was gutted to leave behind after just 48 hours of making his acquaintance, and in spite of the fact that I still don't know his name!

Congratulations to Caroline and Chris who on Friday welcomed their new son into the world (that sounds so grown-up for a man who I once witnessed running off with a nuddy-mag under his arm which we had ''acquired' from a Greek... actually, no need to finish that story). On a purely personal point I am absolutely made-up that I got the chance to meet young master Reid as it was looking very likely that my Saturday afternoon flight would arrive before the baby.

So the last 48 hours was full of emotion. Plus, though Chris missed my final final leaving night out (something about labour...), we did manage to wet the baby's head on the Friday night. After a 5am finish the night before I had every good intention of behaving myself and having an early night on the Friday as opposed to going out clubbing, doing jaegar-bombers and getting home at 3am.

Every good intention.

Anyway, I really appreciated the send-off. Thanks to Ed, Smithy, Ness, Willie, Keith and all the usual suspects. I am missing those teapot cocktails already (esp the one with Midori in it).

The last 48 hours was completed by a fantastic trip whale-watching. Normally that's the sort of exciting event that would warrant an update on its own, but it'll just have to get a quick mention for now.

Leaving Sydney has been really tough. Would never have imagined (or hoped) that I'd have so many people here to say goodbye to. I've quit a job, moved out of a flat and said goodbye to friends... all over again.

So it's back to toursit mode now. As exciting as the next part of the big trip is, it seems less worthwhile to be 'just' a travelling vagrant once more. But without jumping ahead, Cambodia has been great so far. Should be some more superb memories to come...