So today is a pretty major milestone in my life! Most people do this in their 60's or 70's with a nice hefty pension to enjoy the remainder of life with, but today I am retiring from working life after 16 amazing years in the travel industry.
Would love to say it's because I've won the lottery or something but as most of you already know, I was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis last July and, despite trying to continue as normal as best I can, it has got to a stage where I am unable to work properly without challenges. I can barely write, typing is difficult and my speech is deteriorating too, not to mention losing 15kg since September and my muscles wasting away!
What's next? Who knows, but for the immediate future I'm going to the UK & Ireland for a couple of weeks over Easter to see my family and then returning to Australia to spend 6-8 weeks travelling to places still on my bucket list (Broome, Ayers Rock, Darwin & Noosa / Fraser Island) before permanently moving back to the UK, Yorkshire to be precise, sometime in June.
I've thoroughly enjoyed my years working in the travel industry and have visited some absolutely amazing places (Australia, Canada, Brazil, Malaysia & South Africa to name a few favourites) and have met some great work colleagues & some awesome friends along the way too, who I have a lot of respect for: Rupender, James, Adam, Joseph, Nina, Rob, Rachel, Olivia, Jonathan, Lisa, Antoni, Kerise, Natalie, Annette, Leanne, Rachel, Clare, Dave, Ajanta, Glen, Popo, Gemma and anyone else I may have spent 40 hours per week with over the years - Thank You!
As it turns out my final job was the most enjoyable of my career, and mainly down to the fabulous bunch of people there. Larissa, Koula, Tracy & Denise (and the rest of Southern World Australia who aren't on Facebook!), thank you for your support, patience and understanding with me and for helping me out when I was physically unable to do something.
I'm not sure what the future holds as I'm no longer in control of my life, a bit of a daunting prospect, but I can tell you one thing. I'm going to make the most of it as best I can, and as I always do, with a smile on my face and with a positive attitude! x
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PS: If anybody is up for joining me on one of the Australia trips, message me! 🐨
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