All systems go...

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Well all the paper work is completed, dental check up, medical check up, medical insurance etc etc is done and have a departure date of 28th January 2018. I have quit my job, well quit before it was all confirmed. Had my last day "full week last week, though I have 1 1/2 days to do this week to finish off my last couple of classes for the year and then I'm free for  few weeks.

I am now starting to crank up towards departure, sorting out what I need to take, starting to buy things I will need and getting organised early (which is not like me). 

Between now and departure I've a few things to do.

  1. Spend more time with Julie. We are trying to do more stuff together leading up to my departure and have been spending more time together than usual, which I am thoroughly enjoying. We have started doing some mountain biking together as we prepare to do the Gold Rush Rail trail (see below) and spending more time at the bach.
  2. Earlier this year Julie and her dad do the 300km Alps to Ocean bike trail from Tekapo to Oamaru and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ron had just turned 80 was a bloody great effort from him! I had promised Julie that we we would do the 4 day West Coast Wilderness Trail next March- April. Alas, that is now not going to happen so instead we are planing to do the Roxbrugh Gorge and Clutha Gold Rush trail next week. We will do it over 3 days, stopping at my cousins place in Millars Flat on the way, then back to the bach for a couple of nights.
  3. Catch up with friends before I go. Last weekend met up with my oldest friend Ian and his wife Erin and we all went down to Dunedin to see the Pretenders and Stevie Nicks in concert- Chrissy Hyndes and the Pretenders blew me away, Stevie Nicks no so much, but it was still a great concert. I've a few other friends to catch up with over the summer holiday season. Usually a few pop back to Christchurch for Christmas and we try to catch up for a beer so we will see.I'm also planning on heading up to the North Isaland to see a mate McMillan, but am having second thoughts on that one as there is plenty of work around he rentals I should do first, but we will see. 
  4. Maintenance on our rentals. I've been busy the past few weeks getting the jobs I had planned to do over summer, done. I have been painting one property, doing work round the bach, and have another rental that needs some maintenance before I go. Hopefully there will be no major issues with them while I'm away. I've also arranged to take the bach off bookabach and get a fixed term tenant in instead so Julie doesn't have to worry about that while I'm away. 
  5. Sort out the gear I need to take with me and not go overboard! As well as the usual stuff I will need I am looking at taking my mountain bike so I have some transport around the atolls and possibly also take my surfboard with me too but am not 100% sure on that yet. 
No doubt there will be plenty more stuff to do but intend to enjoy doing not too much over the next week weeks as the countdown continues. 

Craig

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