12th September 2005... 24th August 2009... 27th December 2010... 7th January 2011... 29th April 2012. Some of the best days of my life for various reasons. Now I can add Monday 11th February 2013 to that list. I cannot believe I am sitting here writing this, but I have been granted my Provisional Partner Visa. I am now legally able to live and work in Australia, and more importantly it means I can begin my life with my beautiful Fiancée properly.
Since the visa grant letter came through last Monday I have been in a bit of a daze. I've not known where to start, what to do or where to go and indeed on Tuesday I had some kind of stomach upset and was forced to take the day off work. I spent the rest of the day in bed and actually slept which is most unlike me. When I got out of bed again at 5:20pm I felt very weak on my feet, very drained and very light headed. Could it have been nerves? Could it have been a result of one can of lager the previous evening having not touched alcohol in over a month? Either way, it wasn't nice. But slowly it began to dawn on me. My time here in my homeland is drawing to a close.
And so the final stages begin. I have already notified my employers, and I have begun to pack. It is very difficult to know exactly what to pack and what to leave behind. Ironically I haven't actually booked my flights just yet. Qantas are increasing their baggage allowance for tickets booked after 26th February so that extra 2 weeks of saving for the flight makes things a little bit easier. My family of course want to come to Heathrow with me, and so I'm trying to wait to see when everyone is off work and able to come. Sounds like a couple of mates want to come too, so it's going to be emotional and I'm not sure I'm ready for that!
It's all a little surreal... Every time I've been to Australia before I have done so knowing when I would be back in the UK. As much as Australia already feels like a home to me, it makes me nervous that I don't know when I'll see certain people again. It makes me nervous that I don't know when I'll be back in England again. For all the things that are wrong with Great Britain there are an awful lot of things that are right about the place and I am so proud to be English. The last couple of days we have been bathed in glorious sunshine and that's when England makes me proud.
The sunshine brings out the positivity in people, it brings out smiles, it brings out beautiful people, it brings out activity. Spring is almost here, and ironically I'm just about to leave for another winter! My first Australian winter, surely the mere fact that "cold" in Australia is still double-figure temperatures means that it won't be too bad at all, easier to acclimatise. One thing is for certain. I just can't wait to get there!
