And we're back where it all started

And in the blink of an eye we drove the familiar route into Geraldine, with an unexpected feeling of coming home. This area has been our home for almost a year now so it does feel safe, familiar and welcoming, just like home does but it's still a feeling I don't think either of us expected to feel as we woke up this morning. When we got to Geraldine we did a little drive by our old house on the second farm we worked on just to have a look and nothing had changed unsurprisingly. We arrived rather early to the Top10 site but with it being the winter season he let us check in earlier than usually allowed. We parked up and plugged our little Transi van in for the very last time. We meandered around the shops almost in this weird trance because it's completely surreal to be back here even after only 3 months. I can't imagine how it will feel in comparison going home back to UK and being there again after so long. We stopped at the Country Cafe for some Fairlie pies and drinks and spent most of our time reflecting on our travels together. Time has gone so fast yet when you think back to a certain thing we saw or did it feels like it happened years ago just because of the amount of places we visited here in such a short amount of time. We stopped by the bakery and spoke to my old manager who told us that everyone, himself included, has either left or is leaving apart from one of the owners daughters. Clearly no one felt they could work there without me! Next we stocked up on Barkers products from the shop next door ready to take back to our little grey farm house tomorrow. In the cheese shop the woman recognised me from the bakery and after a 10 minute casual conversation ended up offering me a job! I think that would be my younger sister's dream job, working around unlimited cheese! I politely declined. We didn't want to come back to farm with loads of washing to do so we headed back to the campsite and got two loads going in the machines. In the meantime we made use of their TV room, a novelty after life in the van. We ended up watching an episode of Child Genius which is a programme that just makes you feel rather unintelligent. In the kitchen at the site we discovered a poster that told us we get discount off many food places here with our Top10 card, a new added perk for us as we had no idea so many small businesses would offer that. It did make us wonder how many times we've missed discounts by simply assuming the place wouldn't offer it. We decided to make the most of this new discovery and get an Indian takeaway for dinner which we sat and ate in the kitchen on a huge beautiful rustic tree trunk table. While eating we met a couple who were on their honeymoon, renting a big 6 berth camper for 2 weeks. He seemed more into the idea of campervaning for a honeymoon than she was that's for sure. It soon came the time to make our bed for one last time. It was a sad but also happy moment. Happy for the reason that tomorrow night we will be in a proper bed once again! We played some games for the last time in the van and discussed tomorrow's plan of action. We've given ourselves 2 days too unpack and get the van ready to take back to Christchurch. Initially I felt these days were wasted but I'm so glad for them now knowing we do not have to rush to get ourselves sorted out. I still cannot believe this is our last night in this little mechanically unsound, leaking, damp, wonderful van that has provided us with so much freedom to explore this spectacular country.Read more