Our year abroad started in China and finished in Australia. In between we spent most of our time living and working in Wellington, the City at the Heart of the Edge of the World and the capital of New Zealand. Having written our last post from New Zealand we've now returned to our previous address in Chesterfield (near Sheffield, in the Midlands) where we've found that some things have changed, and some things never change. For all intents and purposes Project Koru has run its course, although we would like to think the essence of our experience will endure.

A brief recap

It's been an eventful year travelling to, living in, and returning from New Zealand. Here's a recap, 12 images spanning 12 months:

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Arrival

It was a chilly and damp day, with that oh-so-familiar grey sky, when we arrived into Manchester Airport. We return to some beautiful scenery, and look forward to re-acquainting ourselves with old favourites such as Curbar Edge. Simone anticipates bearing witness once more to the dramatic change in seasons that she missed in NZ.

Simone's mum had made arrangements with the neighbours to leave a colourful pot of pansies on the doorstep. Said neighbours left a chill-bag containing basic supplies at the back door. Our friends in Matlock got the Smart MOT'd, taxed, gassed-up and parked outside the house ready for use. Our house minder had catalogued all our post, and our intermittent house guest had done a good clean. Thanks everyone; it was much appreciated.

The current Lonely Planet describes Chesterfield as an "unremarkable town", but it is moving in the right direction. In the first couple of days we discovered a new Russian and European foods shop and a cafe with wireless Internet at West Bars, and in town itself an organic deli, Asian foods supermarket, and the Pacific lounge bar and restaurant. Many shops were refurbishing or had just done so after the flooding; Sommerfield has yet to re-open after the fire. We return to a Britain that lets us enjoy a smoke-free meal.

Our house

The first 3 weeks after our return were spent sorting, deep cleaning, re-connecting (with services and people), and being frustrated by the lack of Internet connectivity at home. Our house was still there; it had survived the year without us. A few observations:

• Faucets stiffen with disuse;
• Glass cracks in severe cold (we assume that's what caused it);
• Damp turns to mildew in a cold unventilated house (but can be fixed with a central heating adjustment & someone coming-and-going);
• Light bulbs blow;
• Gardens overgrow;
• Dust collects on every surface;
• Batteries flatten;
• Central heating systems loose pressure;
• Post mounts up;
• Things get lost or forgotten;
• BT remain an incompetent uncaring monopoly who take in excess of 100 minutes on hold, 9 working days, two engineer visits and £125 to reconnect a "mostly" working landline (still intermittently faulty 2 weeks after activation);
• BT recycle old numbers and being ex-directory doesn't prevent reception of the first nuisance call after just 7 hours;
• Opened 1 year old ground coffee doesn't taste so good;
• Job lists are overwhelming;
• They redesigned the currency (£20 note);
• Packaging changes on some supermarket items meaning it's not just "Where have they move it to this week?" but "What does it look like now?";
• Washing machines get rusty bearings and need replacing;
• Windows get filthy and window cleaners remain hard to find;
• Banks block credit cards when spending patterns change (even if you warn them about time abroad).

Conclusion

Reflecting on an experience like this is not something you can do, then it's done. It's ongoing, and it's not necessarily something to be aired in public. Perhaps the key question we should be asking ourselves is "What is important?". Not bricks and mortar in the UK, or timber and nails in NZ. Not a widescreen TV, expensive furnishings, or a nice car. What's really important is who you are, where you've come from, and where you are going. And, as you make that journey, the people whose lives touch your own. To anyone else contemplating a gap year, or finding themselves stagnating without that option, we would suggest:

• Try something new;
• Always have something to look forward to;
• Periodically step outside your comfort zone.

This means being receptive to the idea of making changes—far easier in theory than in practice—so we hope to keep in mind the teachings of Te Koru:

• Life can take many directions;
• In each direction there are many variations;
• What we can see is only part of the story; possibilities are yet to be revealed.

The end. Or is it the beginning?

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