Bristol Bound

It’s less than a year since I wrote my post on starting a new chapter and now I’m starting another one, if not a new book! Things have been very busy and there are a lot of changes in store so I decided it was time for a bit of a life update…

I’ve never really seen myself as a city lover. They’re great for visiting at a weekend, but I’ve never had a burning desire to live in a big city (I’d make an exception for places like Bath or York). However, after a year of living in a village in the country, I am very excited to be moving to Bristol! Bristol is somewhere I have gradually been getting to know better over the last few years as it is where James is from. It is very different to the sort of city that I can imagine myself living in, but I really like how quirky it is and how there is always plenty going on. Whilst I am excited by what city life has to offer, the thing I am most looking forward to is that, after a year of living apart and at opposite ends of the country, James and I are finally going to be living in the same place.

Of course, with this move to a new location also comes a new job (the reason for the move!). I’m sad to be leaving my current job having been there less than a year, but as life goes on I’m learning more and more that you have to take opportunities as you see them. I’m going to be working in a much bigger team and I’m quite nervous about some aspects of the job, but I’m also looking forward to a new challenge. It feels very strange counting down the days left in my current job at the moment.

So what else is new? Well if all that wasn’t enough… I’m off to New Zealand! I can’t wait! New Zealand is somewhere I have wanted to go for a long time, and I’ve been desperate to go on some sort of “big trip” since before I went to university. I love travelling and try to visit different places whenever possible. When I’m not travelling, I’m spending far too much time thinking and dreaming about travel – reading travel blogs or Lonely Planet books. However, after much deliberating, budget calculating and research I’m finally getting to go on the trip of my dreams. No longer will I be jealous of the places other people are going to as I’m off on my own adventure!

I’ve been incredibly lucky as my new employers are granting me the time as unpaid leave, meaning I will have a job to come back to which is something that had really worried me. Everything seems to be sorting itself out which is a great feeling, but also shows how much can change in a short space of time. It was only two years ago that I was graduating and searching for my first ‘proper’ job.

We’re not off to New Zealand until the Autumn so there’s still time to do some more research, but I hope you’ll follow my adventures through this blog when we do go. For now, if anyone has any Bristol or New Zealand recommendations – please send them my way!