Thoughts on the End of the Season

Before I went to Sydney to visit my friends at the beginning of September I did consider not returning to the mountains. There was a severe lack of snow and I wasn’t sure how much longer I would have a job for on my return. A few things made me decide to return: 1. I was promised that there would be some work for me on my return 2. I had promised my manager I wouldn’t leave until she told me to and 3. I wasn’t ready to leave the friends I had made there. I loved spending time in Sydney with my friends but I knew they wanted and needed time to explore it on their own so leaving them wasn’t as hard as you might think. On my return to work I got to catch up with my friends and it was great to see them again as I did miss them even though I was only away for a few days. I can safely say I am glad I went back to finish the season.

Being one of the last people to leave the snow is very odd. For one thing there wasn’t much snow left. In our last couple of weeks we wore shorts on our days off and on one memorable occasion spent a few hours sipping wine on our balcony in shorts and t-shirts soaking up the sun as if it was a summers day instead of early spring near the snow fields. Sadly the lack of snow meant an early end to what had been a pretty poor season snow wise but pretty awesome otherwise.

I took the job in the mountains because it paid. It was something to do for three months where I would have a guaranteed income, accommodation and be able to afford some half decent food and eventually some half decent wine. I didn’t go up there with any expectations I really was just passing the time of day until I went to Melbourne in the spring. Luckily it didn’t stay that way long. I made a number of good friends during the season and actually enjoyed my time working in the snow and enjoyed my time relaxing away from the snow even more.

Strangely one of the things I liked about staying until the end was that I got to say goodbye to people as they left. Usually I like to be the one leaving but it was nice to see my room mate off on the bus; though that could have been because I knew I was seeing her in a few days. I enjoyed seeing everyone outside of work and just hanging out. In my final week I worked only 2.75 hours. I was meant to work 3 but I was 15 minutes late as I had been out the night before. Typical me that I wait until my last week to make it to the local night club and that it makes me late for work on my last day. Luckily I wasn’t really missed hence it being my last day. I did try and clean but there wasn’t much for me to do and I was happy when my lovely manager told me to go home and not come back, especially since we were allowed to stay in our accommodation for the weekend.

Nothing momentous happened during my stay in the mountains and I still miss Jonathan every day. There was no big flash of light or loud voice from the sky but somewhere between arriving in Jindabyne and leaving it I have lightened up. I am interested in my life once more and curious to see what I can do with it. When I arrived there the thought of having to go home terrified me but now it doesn’t. I know that if I have to go home I’ve had a good time out here and I have learned a lot about who I am. I also know that having started to travel here I would work two jobs day and night and save, save, save so that I can travel more! I have well and truly caught the travel bug and thought I am sad to be parting with the friends I have made whilst I am here I am once more looking forward to the next part of my adventure. Tallyho, as some friends of mine would say ;-)