Final Farewells

So we've left Manchester, back in Leeds and Grimsby for a few days rest after a manic and busy last few days!

We think we have everything sorted bar a few small bits and are ready and set to go. We had a great night out with friends Friday, getting in to a bit of state by the end but it was great to say bye to everyone, one thing I'll miss most is definitely the great bunch of people we know and spend lots of time with.

We both had a great send off from our work colleagues, I got a wonderful present from the company and team members, it’s been a good nearly 5 years working for LeadX and have learnt so much and worked with some great people, onwards and upwards I say!

Moving out of our flat which we have lived in for nearly 3 years was hectic and stressful as you can imagine, packing up our lives into boxes is just damn weird; trying to condense your life into a 65ltr backpack is tough. I imagine after a while on the road half the stuff I'm taking will get ditched as I come to realise you don't need it and you can probably just buy it when you do. These things will come with time and experience and better to be fully prepared from day one if you ask me! It’s in the nature of me and Izzi to be quite planned and organised anyway so it is inevitable that we will probably take too much then strip it right down.

Packing my bag is a challenge in its self, getting everything in and in an orderly and organised fashion posed questions in its own right, where to put stuff, what to pack, what will I need in priority order, where do you put passports, money etc.? That's tomorrows challenge, I’ll try post a few pictures before and after to show you my progress.

With all the changes we have made and the things which are about to happen I can’t help but reflect of things over the last several years. I will have lived in Manchester for 8 years this September, living as a student loving everything about the place, maturing into a professional afterwards. My views of the city have moved from being purely based on having a great party, Manchester's clubbing and party scene has always had a draw to me more so when I was a student than now but still never a better place to have a good night out. Later morphing into a place called home over the last 4-5 years, I appreciate the place for its up and coming vibe, relaxed and liberal feel (maybe this is just my attitude?) and complete mix of people you seen and meet. Not entirely sure I have learnt to appreciate a very broad Mancunian accent yet, not sure I ever will! The fact I have some mint friends and a good job has been the main reason for me staying in the city, friends from work, friends from university and friends from nights out are all people I will miss but will definitely see again regardless of what we decided to do on our return. 

One thing about Manchester which excites me at the moment is the growing technology and start up scene, being a Geek I love the meet-ups an user groups which I have attended over the last few years, the BBC moving up has only increased this movement and long may it carry on!

Time to go, reflection over, more to come over the following months...!



James