LAST WEEKEND IN CALIFORNIA
- WAVELL
- Jun 14, 2016
- 2 min read
California is where most of my South African friends live and work in the MX industry. While I lived in the US, I spent a couple years away from Colorado working in the MX Industry as a Videographer/Photographer. During that period, I met some amazing people who became some of my closest friends today. I stayed with the Leonardo family, who arranged a going away BBQ for us on the Sunday. It was more than I could have ever imagined it to be. All of my close friends were there - and only then did it really sink in, that I was leaving this great family behind.
Up until this moment I had been too busy working, co-coordinating the six month process for Bella to get into Australia, and in general just occupied arranging the move, never letting my emotions get too involved in the process. Now that I have had the time to relax and start reflecting on the past 16 years, it has started to dawn on me that I would more than likely never see a lot of these people again. Fortunately with social media being so prevalent in our lives today, we can all still keep in touch, but to actually sit down in person talk, laugh and enjoy one another's company, that could be worlds away before I do that again.
After the weekend and some great company, I packed the car and left Temeculla heading for LAX. My emotions got the better of me as I was driving down the road thinking, "Is this really happening? Am I really going through with this?" A very surreal feeling, that I had not felt or experienced in decades. I think the last time I felt like that was when I left South Africa for the first time, as an adult 29 years ago. The drive to LAX was quiet liberating knowing that I was about to start a new life on the other side of the world.
I had to check Bella in at the Qantas freight building before going to check in myself. Saying goodbye to my baby was hard, knowing I would not see her for ten days after I arrived in Australia. Not knowing how she handled the long 15 hour flight was a concern, but something I chose to not think about too much, as it would have made the journey worrisome for me.
