IronTarsh - 'Weekend Warrior': Today 4 years ago I left Australia...............................

Let me just set the scene, I had finished my job on the Friday, had my leaving party with all my loved friends and family (which may I add I still communicate with and see everytime I return to Australia) on the Sat and then flew out the very next evening. My life is Australia was awesome, I wasn't running away from anything, it was the fact that I was turning 31 in the year of 2008 and in order for me to work and live in the UK I needed to arrive in the UK before my 31st birthday (April 15th).

I wanted to write this post to summarise my 4 year journey as succinctly as possible for my own selfish reasons really as I wanted to visually see what I had actually gotten up to the past 4 years.................................................so join me on my journey!

Left Australia, travelled to China, India, Prague, arrived in London, lived in Wimbledon, celebrated my 31st birthday, worked in a pub for 2 months paying £5.50 per hour, then got a job at Barclays Wealth, moved to Kilburn, then moved to Warwick Avenue, then moved back to Kilburn...........travelled to Paris, Valenica, Barcelona, Croatia, Amsterdam, Brugge, Edinburgh, Majorca, Isle of Man, Gibraltar............then whilst travelling met a British man who I then later became engaged too, Left Barclays Wealth and started working at Aviva Investors.

I moved in with the man I got engaged too, travelled somemore ..............Dublin, Vienna, Cologne, and Berlin....went home for 7 weeks to change my visa from a working holiday visa to a sponsored via...then I got Nero my beautiful little cat.................before the year was over broke off my engagement and started looking to move to new apartment and finally to finish the year left Aviva Investors and started working at Newton Investments.

Moved to my new apartment, met an amazing bunch of people through a good mate who is now on of my bestfriends, decided to get back into my sport of triathlons........got my triathlon tattoo....began mending a broken heart and continued to travel................Barcelona, Edinburgh, Leeds, Egypt, Rome, Portugal,and Madrid. Completed 6 triathlons and my first Mens Health of the Fittest. Met a fireman who then continued to play with my heart for a good 18 months on and off.

Joined Thames Turbo Triathlon Club, travelled to Athens, went back to Australia to celebrate my grandmothers 90th birthday, met my cousin after 32 years, celebrated my 34th birthday with my darling friends, visited Bologna, Florence, dear friends got married in Salerno, Italy, then I travelled with my 2 bestfriends along the Amalfi Coast, returned back to London to then go Oktoberfest, left Newton Investments and started working at Barclays Captial, completed another 6 triathlons and my second Mens Health Survival of the Fittest run, volunteered at Crisis for Christmas for 3 days with the homeless................life changing moment, welcomed my nephew into the world and welcome an adopted niece into the world, visited Wales to Australia beat Wales in the Rugby, and continued my amazing friendships with all the people near and dear to me.

Left Barclays Captial, finally got rid of the fireman, travelled to Pisa, Tuscany.....met the Exeter Chiefs Rugby club, started work at JP Morgan AM, completed 2 half marathons for the first time in my life, cycled a 80km sportive in horrendous conditions, attended my dear friends wedding had an amazing time and that brings me to current day........................................................

I look forward to the year ahead..................travelling for 2 weeks with my sister and mother is going to be amazing, 2012 London Olympics will be on, continued travelling no doubt, increasing my distance in my triathlons from Sprint to Olympic..............life is freaking brilliant.

Thank you to all my friends and family for your continued support, encouragement, words of reason and love. I truly appreciate and know that I don't need to be with you for me to be with you.....................if that makes sense, you are all always in my thoughts.