I did it !

7.3kms in 65 minutes – now I know that isn’t the best time that anyone has ever had but I am very proud of what I did – not only did I manage to get home, but I got home in what I thought was a reasonable time. What I have to keep telling myself is that my 65mins for 7.3kms really doesn’t count for too much seeing as it was walked along the northern Gold Coast which (apart from Holland and maybe the road between Van Reenen and Villiers) is the flattest you will ever come across BUT there is nothing I can do about that so I will work on improving my time.

Note to self : remember to change into a sports bra when walking home. It wasn’t bad for the first 5kms. Then Al drove past, after having taken K to a work dinner, to see how I was going and by that stage my bag felt like it weighed about 10 tons (which it didn’t). He stopped to ask me how I was going and if I wanted a lift but I was going really well so just asked him to take my bag and checked if he had anything to drink – I was soooooooooooo thirsty and a little hungry. He didn’t have anything to drink but took my bag. The last bit home from there was absolute heaven and hell – heaven because I didn’t have my bag but hell because my normal bra is DEFINITELY not suitable to walk in – especially when I don’t have my bag strapped across the front of my chest acting as a sort of "wear on the outside sports bra" !!!!! A lesson well learned and to be remembered for future walks home from work. My plan is to walk home at least 3 nights a week for the last 2 weeks that I am here.

I won’t be walking tonight as I have pilates at 6pm but will be packing my clothes for tomorrow night. I must remember to pack my ipod as well as it was a little boring just walking home with nothing to do except look at peoples houses and the cars driving past.

My dinner last night probably counter-acted the benefit of the walk – we had to pick up K from her work dinner and were going to go out ourselves – except her work dinner didn’t last as long as we thought so we landed up having burger and chips from Big Chief. While they are a fast food outlet – they don’t taste anything like McDonald’s burger or KFC.

I am starting to second guess my decision to leave here – most of the time I know I have made the right decision but every now and again and play the “I wonder” game with myself. I need to focus on getting all issues resolved in my current job before I leave and look forward to the challenge of my new position. It is going to be great finishing work at 4pm – I have made a pact with myself that at least 3 afternoons a week I will exercise as soon as I get home from work. If I have shopping to do, I will go home, do my exercise and then go and do the shopping and the cooking. Well that is my plan – if it doesn’t happen and someone notices it, please give me the talking to that I need !!!

TFTD : Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.

TIAGF : Sore legs that tell me I have done more than I normally do

Update – just had a phone call from the HR lady at my new job to make sure I had received all their paperwork and to check if I had any questions. She is also South African and sounded like she would be very nice to work with.