HFDU - Farewell Australia

Originally sent: February 16, 2006

Hello everyone, Well I must start this email out by saying that this will be the last HFDU to come your way. Maybe a bit sad for some of you, maybe a relief for others! Either way, it has been fun sharing all of my experiences with you over the past 2 1/2+ years and thank you for encouraging me to do so.

I'll start by talking about the various good-bye and farewell celebrations that I've had over the past few weeks. The Aussies have really sent me off in a grand way! There have been lunches upon lunches upon lunches, but I can't say that I mind at all, really. The managers and partners from my group took me out for lunch, as well as a separate lunch with just the female managers and partners. I've also had farewell lunches with several of my clients, and most recently an end-of-audit lunch that turned into an all afternoon affair. I had my official "Leaving Drinks" this past Saturday night at the Flying Duck pub with all of my friends and it was a great night. A bit awkward knowing that everyone had gathered there because of me, but it was my first real experience having to say goodbye to some. This is my last day in the office and the entire group will go out to lunch to see me off and have drinks afterwards. I've had a few big days over the past few weeks, but I wouldn't send off Australia any other way!

My group of best buddies and I went down to B's holiday house for a weekend to hang out together one last time before I leave. It was really the perfect weekend - lots of sunshine, fishing, knee boarding & tubing, swimming and hanging out by the pool, B's lamb roasted on the spit, and 2 nights full of Texas Hold Em' poker and the mass consumption of Corona. It was very special to get to hang out with my favorite people for an entire weekend :-)

This weekend is full as well……a close friend's wedding tomorrow, the Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival on Sunday, and then packing for the next couple of days getting ready for the movers to come next week. It still seems a bit surreal, but I'm sure it'll sink in when I leave work today and realize that I won't see most of these people ever again.

Well, this has been a short goodbye. Can I just leave you all with this: This has been the most amazing adventure and experience of my life. I realize that not everyone has the opportunity to do something like this, but even so, get out and explore the world. It's a great big place with lots to offer and there is no excuse to not see any of it! Book a holiday and go for it because you have no idea what the world has to offer if you don't venture out into the middle of it!

I'm hanging around for another week in Melbourne until I fly to Thailand and Egypt for a bit of a vacation. I don't start back to work until the 3rd of April, so in the meantime please keep in touch as I'm not far away.

Thank you all again for being such good "listeners" over the past couple of years and I look forward to catching up with you again real soon!