Complete and Utter Happiness – Part 3

On arrival back home, I had a lot on my mind. I owned a house (mortgaged), I had two dogs, I had actually secured a new job with a very bright future in between my two trips to Cambodia and here I was getting ready to throw it all in. I was 36, single,
never married, no kids and had bazillions of girlfriends and relationships but none of them had panned out. In fact, during the last one, the crazy bitch threatened me with a kitchen knife because I told her she was just like her mother! 😉 One
thing I knew was that I loved N and I had to be with her and possessions are just that.

Possessions. They do not make you as a person and they are not important. You have to be happy in life. Anyhow, as a result some prospecting I did during my second trip over to Cambodia, I actually got a job offer and accepted! Now it was
just pure semantics. I told my family and friends I was leaving to go live in Cambodia (0 surprises, plenty of support and a “Go get her!” attitude from everyone), I quit my job (they flipped out and abused hell out of me), shot
one of my dogs (he was VERY old and the bullet was the best thing for him), parked the other dog with my family, rented the house out (for close to the mortgage repayments), sold my boat, my car, a lot of my household possessions and moved the
rest out to storage at my parents farm. Within 3 months of returning from my 2nd trip to Cambodia, I was online telling N that she had better get ready because I was coming over to live. She was elated.

Packing my bags that last time to move over was the single most cathartic thing I have ever done. It is really hard to explain. I was leaving my white bread, comfortable existence for the unknown and it felt amazing. I was liberated. I remember
feeling so lucky that I was able to engineer and pursue this opportunity without hindrance at an age when many of my mates were already snowed in under careers and debt and unhappy marriages. I have always done whatever I have felt best for me
and sometimes my parents have thought I was crazy. In this instance they were my biggest supporters. They helped me move and gave me a financial send-off that was totally unexpected. They let me know that I would always have their love and support
no matter what happened and for that I am forever grateful. Before I left we had a big party at my sister’s house and all my friends came from far and wide to wish me good luck.

At the airport I had some friends and family there to say goodbye and it was quite emotional but once I got through the gates I was ready to get the hell on with it. On the plane I sat next to a very nice young girl and we chatted about my
story and she thought it was the most romantic thing she had ever heard. We drank vodkas together and laughed and as she was off on her backpacking trip and I was off on a life trip, we were the happiest people on the plane. The flight attendant
overheard us talking and sent us a bottle of champagne “You two sound like you are on cloud 9…this is on us!” and all in all it was a classic, good vibes flight. I said goodbye to my plane mate at Bangkok Airport and had a short
overnight stay and the next morning I jumped on a plane to Ponchentong Airport and a new future.

Blah Blah… the usual airport immigration rigmarole and I am finally heading out into the reception area with my massive duffle bag eagerly looking for N. There were a lot of people and it was very hectic and it was quite hard navigating
through the throng. Up and down I went looking this way and that, waiting for N to jump out and grab me or tap me on the shoulder. Eventually the crowd thinned out and I was basically the last guy standing there. Alone. N was nowhere to be seen.
I rang her phone and got a “cannot be contacted” message and then I rang her sister and got the same. I thought it was a little odd but certainly did not panic. You get those messages when phones are out of credit and maybe she was
caught in traffic. I was unsure what to do. Should I go downtown and catch up with her later or wait for a while and see if she has just been delayed? I decided to have a cold beer at the outside bar and just relax a little.

As I made my way over to the bar, I hear a car horn blaring loudly and someone calling my name repeatedly and as I looked over I saw N and her entire family of about 10 people (and a few dogs) jammed into a Camry. They were all waving and
smiling and they just about all fell out of the car as the doors were opened. It was a hysterical and altogether welcoming sight. They even had a sign made up that said “Weclome To Cambodia”. I started crying and they started laughing
and everyone around us just watched on with amusement. We ordered a second taxi and N and I and a sister or two jumped into it and before long I was ensconced in my hotel. A huge family dinner was organised for that night (a romantic catch-up
would have to wait) and my new life, for better or worse, had begun. As I lay back on the bed that night, I just couldn’t believe how one’s life can change so quickly. 12 months ago I had been living another life. Now…well…I
was starting a new one. Amazing.

Want to know where I am at now?……

Stickman's thoughts:

Excellent! I always like to hear of guys who are prepared to give up life in one place for the promise of a better life elsewhere.