So whats this all about then?

As many will know, Phabulous Phil and myself are trekking over to New Zealand for a 12 month keeper exchange. We will be working at Hamilton Zoo on the North Island, and two of their keepers will be moving over here, one to work at Adelaide Zoo, the other at Monarto Zoo. We are not only swapping jobs, but also houses, cars and other parts of our lives. Quite a big adventure which is not only going to present some big changes and challenges, but some outstanding opportunities and rewards.

I have always thought I'd like to give blogging a go but never really had any reason to sit down and write mindless drivel for anyone to read. Keeping a journal of the experience for my own benefit will also allow me to share thoughts and experiences with anyone else who wants to keep up with it. There will still be the constant use of facebook, and emails and maybe even an old fashioned post card or two, but this blog is intended to be the more detailed and graphic representation of the experience.

I am starting it now, because the adventure doesn't just begin when we step out of the door, or onto New Zealand soil, it actually began when we decided to do it. This was a few months ago when we decided we had been in one place for long enough and it was time we got out on a journey of some sort. After many years of travelling and tour guiding, staying put was quite a novelty and an enjoyable one at that. We decided to email the major Zoo's in NZ to see if there was any interest in a couple of keepers wanting to do a Zoo exchange. We chose NZ because we loved the country after visiting last year, and also because we originally wanted to take our dogs (no quarantine). Lucky for us, two charmers from Hamilton Zoo jumped at the chance as passionately as we did, and it went on from there. They will be taking on our jobs and our house, with us doing the same in Hamilton.

So that brings us up to today. We are slowly finding new homes for our pets, packing up a lot of the house that has become cluttered with our recently stable lives. I said the journey started a while ago, because all this organising and packing has brought on many thoughts and emotions which can only be caused by this sudden change in our life plan.

Between now and sometime late next year, and maybe even longer, I will regularly add updates, photos, videos and drivel for those who want get a glimpse of our adventure. I hope you can join me........

You must be getting excited by now?

The title of this post is the most common phrase spoken to me this week, in reference of course to the big move to New Zealand. Somehow, somehow the word excitement does not fill the adjective requirement in that particular phrase. There are so many more emotions and thoughts spinning around that one word does not qualify as the sum of all these thoughts. For example, everyone knows about the number of pets we had here on the farm - goats, emus, frogs, dogs, etc. Over the past few weeks we have whittled the whole collection down to a few remaining individuals which will be cared for by our 'replacements'. It has been a little more emotional than either of us though it would be, too. The excitement is a little clouded in sadness and doubts as our lives on the farm get chipped away with each animals departure to new homes. Its so quiet.

As for work, well things are very interesting there with all the developments and changes going on. I would love to be around to see everything unfold, but at the same time it is a little comforting to think that upon my return from NZ, I will be walking into a new Zoo with something like $30 million dollars of new development being planned before the end of 2009! So once again, some more emotions and thoughts to stir into that pot of excitement.

Following on from all of this are the universal experiences of many who have gone before me on these sorts of adventures. Leaving behind family and friends, missing out on big events back home, how will I cope with the weather and whats it all really going to be like?

Over the next year or so, these and other questions will be answered a dozen times over. There is so much unknown at this stage that I am just trying to keep my mind open to every possibility without having any expectations at all. These feelings of anxiety leading up to the departure day will ebb and flow like an wave lapping on the shore, doubts will surface and problems arise. Bobbing around amongst it all though will be that inevitable feeling of excitement.

So, yes, I am getting excited by now.

it's not so hard after all...

I am getting the hang of this and have added a few accessories to my page today already. The all important weather station and a slap-bang profile made up with out too much thought put in to it. You can probably tell that though.

The idea behind starting a blog was as a way of keeping a journal of the imminent move to New Zealand, not just for my own benefit, but for those back home and wherever else that may want to follow along my adventure. While postings may be erratic, they will be made as often as possible and I hope some people will check in from time to time, apart from myself! OK, that's all the introductions, excuses and apologies out of the way so on with the blog (why couldn't they have come up with a nicer word than that?)

testing, testing, 1,2,3......

As my foray into blogging begins, I have no idea what I am doing. This box popped up and asked me to write something....I promise to get more exciting in the future.....