#SydXit actually did happen. Not that I had doubts, I can be quite decisive, but you never know until you come out the other end – not sure what I am saying here… life is a continuous journey (“the other end” here is probably sleeping in my own bed). Getting away from Warringah Road traffic was an epic success. – Instead of the classic Aussie “Sea Change” mine was a “Mountain Change”; once a mountain boy, always a mountain boy. And the beauty of the Alps still strickes me as unreal sometimes…
The hardest part to be honest was the international removal … I knew the removalists where going to rip me off, but it was quite a journey including missappropriation of property, blackmailing and false customs declaration – yes, I had to import my personal effects into the UK at full customs charge. It took a whopping 8 months, too.
Moving on… literally, left Sydney 31 January 2018 for grandmas funeral the next day. After a few days of solid skiing (deprived for 15 years), I am looking for a place to live in Innsbruck and moved in 03 April. Plan was to start my own business – fermented foods, kombucha & co. – turns out a) registering a business in Austria is not that simple if you move from overseas and b) people in Tyrol don’t eat that healthily, pro- and pre-biotic foods and their effects are practically unknow.
What to do next… stick the feet in the pond and find somebody who needs spreadsheets. – I am fully aware that the world will not be saved by spreadsheets… I am a bit of a puzzle addict. On that note, SAP is probably the 3rd worst thing Germany has done to the world! Just consider the magintude of the economical damage. So yes, I went back into the corporate world in June … 😦
On the plus side, 2018 was the never ending summer in central Europe lasting from April to October (well besides this obviously being the effects of climate change). This means plenty of time to explore the neighbourhood. And it is boundless. There are mountains everywhere times that by all the different activities and there are just not enough hours in the day to do it all. I live on the bottom of the Karwendel range, literally go out the door and turn left, uphill – no need for cars. On that note, you can get everywhere by “Öffis” (public transport), too. This has been fascinating me for a while how difficult to access mountain valleys have a half hourly bus schedule (OK, tourism is good for something).
Lastly and probably the most important thing of all is that I am levelling with people. Maybe there is a genetic element to it… I’ve always had my issues with Sydney’s superficiality. I usually maintain few but quality relationships… and for some reason I think Austria suits me better than Australia in that regard.
The very best of all of this is that at long last, I have found my tribe: bearded introverted trail runners – after years of my feeling like a lone freaky wolf, I found a place of belonging. I am still a bit weird (and not willing to give that up just yet). And I am still thinking that a 65k / 8.000m climb trail runs are nuts (admittedly jealousy plays a role here). The privilege of being allowed to just be yourself (and not fulfilling some societal norm) gives me a lot of serenity! Thank you guys!!
I got one last thing up my selves: trekking and long distance hiking has always been my thing… but gone a bit on the back burner with all things SydXit. Until one of the “bearded trail nuts” shoved it right in my face: my project for 2020 will be the PCT
Enjoy what you’re doing out there… serenity and belonging are the world’s best side effects
markus stanger 