Australia – thank you for giving me the most exciting, inspiring, welcoming and rewarding 13 and a half years of my life. I’ll always love you, especially the friends I made here. I leave these shores on Saturday - and the internet a wee bit sooner - to base myself in New Zealand. But I won’t be gone for long (in fact my new employment contract says I’ll be back here about 1 week in 4). I met some of the best people in my lifetime in this place. And I simply wanted to say thank you. You are the country of new beginnings; one of the few places in the world where your sense of identity and, I believe, your culture is yet to be fully shaped. Take your time exploring. You have so much to offer the world. Don’t worry – shitty politicians come and go (as is the nature of Democracy – never lose sight of that precious concept) but memories and good times are always enduring and ever enriching. I came here pretty much poor, with nothing except a desire to do well and work hard. You allowed me to create something genuinely new in the form of XXVI – a world first really – and in turn, shape me as a person in the process. In one sense, I am only living the dream because you helped make it happen. Few countries can genuinely offer that. I only achieved it because so many people gave me a ‘fair go’. Cherish that ideal forever. And never lose the ability to put it into practice. I know I will. I leave these shores to cross the Tasman to my other special home; New Zealand. (As you all know, I renounced my support for the Scottish Rugby team when they had a 12-year losing streak…and I found a new passion for the All Blacks while in Wellington in 2002. That, and Daniel Carter’s thighs.) I’m looking forward to making even more friends there, and sharing them with you all. Needless to say, but I will - you will always be welcome to stay. I’ll be back now and then to Sydney; life without the Emerald City would just be weird. So please keep in touch ([email protected] or through here. Oh, and my old email .au address will always work). I’ll post my Kiwi mobile when I get up and running. Through all the drama, discovery, and even moments of despair, it’s certainly been a hell of a lot of fun. Here’s to sharing new adventures, laughter, dreams, hopes, aspirations – and perhaps even the odd red wine in a somewhat cooler climate – soon. Much love to you all. Scotty xxx
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 13:53:38 +0000
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