Where, when and how

January 2015 

Since making the call, it's just been a matter of us working out a few crucial details – such as where, when and how.

Where?

After a lot of thought, we decided that our best chances of finding work would be in a place where unemployment isn't through the roof (cutting out most of the mainland) and where English is the first language. That really left two options – England and Scotland (sorry Ireland and Wales!) – or more accurately, London and Edinburgh. And London’s size, job market and vibrancy won out. It took us a little while to nail that one down – first it was London, then it was Italy or France or Spain, then finally London – and we really came full circle.

When?

Somehow we'd tentatively had May 2015 in our minds, to follow up a Kiwi summer with a Northern summer. After some sage advice from a couple of friends who'd previously moved over and returned we thought slightly earlier might be better (before summer, and apparently London closes down for August). So now it’ll be the end of April.

How?

There is a dauntingly large amount of things to do before we leave.

From the biggies like getting passports (close!), nailing down specific dates and booking flights (very close!), clearing out a flat with years of accumulated things (couches to plates to various knick knacks) – to sorting out what we want to keep for our return (probably not a lot, to be honest), closing our utility accounts – to the mundane like what happens to our collection of magnets from our travels.

And that’s just the Kiwi end of things. There’s also a list of what we need to do at the UK end. First up is probably opening a bank account which, thanks to anti-money laundering laws (irony!), is like riding a unicycle jumping through hoops while spinning plates. Also, signing up with a recruitment company, getting a job, finding somewhere to live, figuring out the best place to get good fish and chips, and other essentials. We’re actually at the sad and slightly geeky point that we need an excel spreadsheet to plan and track the ever expanding list of things to do.

There’s now a daily see-saw for both of us between a "holy-shit-its-scary-moving-overseas-how-will-we-do-it-all-and-will-it-all-work-out" sentiment and "holy-shit-we're-moving-overseas-and-its-going-to-be-awesome!” sentiment.

Hopefully we’ll be getting much more of the latter.