Never Forgetting/Forever Searching...

Im back.


After 13 Weeks and 1 day away, I once again flew the monumentally-boring journey back home.

There were a few things tempting me to leave towards the end, but ultimately it came down to homesickness. I really thought Id dealt with the homesick thoughts after the eighth week or so, but they all resurfaced in what became my last few days and I just didn't want to be there anymore.

I came to NZ with one goal in mind: to meet new people, try new things, and hopefully somewhere along the way stumble across a career direction. I may not have found that career inspiration, but I certainly had the time of my life looking.

Since leaving my last job in the UK, I had trouble deciding 100% on what I wanted to commit to and become passionate about, and hoped that maybe I would find 'it' by traveling outside the not-so-adventurous Midlands, and meeting a wider variety of people. And while I definitely met my fair share of interesting people, I never found that inspiration. Maybe if I had stayed a little longer, traveled a little further, things would have turned out a little different. I might not ever find my direction in life or work, but I swear I'll keep looking. For now I gotta find some work back home, and take things one step at a time.
So onto lighter stuff:

I wanted to surprise my Mom and Dad so I didn't say a word to anyone but Marc and Cress about coming home. After 36 hours of travel, and popping several sleeping pills which had the exact opposite effect, I stumbled up my parents driveway. Starving, I decided that my mums formerly inedible chips, suddenly became immensely appetizing. So I phoned her...

"Hi Mum, is only me. I was just thinking, Im really in the mood for some chips...could you stick some in the oven for me?"

She laughed - confused at my weird 'joke', before I suddenly opened the front door and stood infront of her in the hallway. In my 21.5 years on this Earth, I had never seen my mom completely gobsmacked, and literally speechless. As Patch bolted towards me and I made a huge fuss of her, my mum stood frozen before uttering 'Nick?!...' which caught my Dads ear and then he came out to see if he had heard right.

So after a few minutes of hugs and greets, and explaining what the hell I am doing there (and reassuring my mum 'Yes, I am real') my deaf dog Lucy in her forever-half-soaked way, returned to her bowl to scoff her face. Thankfully Patch didn't leave me alone all night - so at least one of them is loyal :)


From sleeping in the garden to battling bugs, from having my head brutally shaved to having my balls brutally checked, from dirty Te-Puke hostels to getting drugged in Taupo, from the British guys stealing my stuff to the German girls who were not shy to show me theirs *wink* - I have had the best few months of my life, that I will never forget. Im so grateful for the generosity from those in the UK before I left because without it I wouldn't have been able to experience half the things I have. Im especially grateful to Marc and Cress for putting me up/putting up with me - a favor I'll always return when I can. And Im really really grateful for my Mom and Dad for letting me move back in until I get a job - just when you thought I was long gone, I come stumbling back up the driveway late at night, demanding a plate of chips! I guess some things never change...


Forever wondering where the path leads,
Nick x

From New Zealand 2009