I'm finally all packed. I've exceeded my weight allowance by a couple of kilos; but that's nothing unusual for me. As I'm packing for temperatures ranging from +25 to -25 C, I'm actually quite impressed that I am only 2 kilos over. (my carry on luggage weighs in at 15 kilos though...)
Tomorrow morning I fly to Kazakhstan to take over the running of a winery. To say I'm not nervous would be a total lie; I am. I am moving to a country I know little about; where they speak a language (Kazakh) of which I have no experience. They also speak Russian, which is some saving grace although my own Russian ability is rudimentary at best.
The winery is based in Karakemer in the south east of the country about 70km away from the nearest city, Almaty. I've been told that Karakemer has a population of about 1,500 people (none of whom speak English). I've also been warned that I will almost certainly get bored as there is little to do (apart from work).
I have run wineries in isolated (socially, if not geographically) parts of the world before, and know the key to survival is to take things with you that will keep you sane. Queue all my music collection downloaded to my computer along with many movies. I've also taken the plunge and bought a Kindle; hopefully the 3G network will function where I am, allowing me to buy ebooks; but just in case I've already loaded up with 20 to get me started.
I have also packed a Ukulele. I have never played one before (or really ever had the urge to play one); but I figured that all the entertainment I was taking was in the form of consumption, so it would be good to have some in the form of creation. I doubt I will be giving up the day job very soon, but if I can hammer out a couple of tunes after three months away I will be happy.
So, welcome to my first ever blog. I hope you stick with me over the next few months as I share my experiences in a new country. New people, new food, new culture; there may even be a little wine stuff (though not too much).
Tomorrow morning I fly to Kazakhstan to take over the running of a winery. To say I'm not nervous would be a total lie; I am. I am moving to a country I know little about; where they speak a language (Kazakh) of which I have no experience. They also speak Russian, which is some saving grace although my own Russian ability is rudimentary at best.
The winery is based in Karakemer in the south east of the country about 70km away from the nearest city, Almaty. I've been told that Karakemer has a population of about 1,500 people (none of whom speak English). I've also been warned that I will almost certainly get bored as there is little to do (apart from work).
I have run wineries in isolated (socially, if not geographically) parts of the world before, and know the key to survival is to take things with you that will keep you sane. Queue all my music collection downloaded to my computer along with many movies. I've also taken the plunge and bought a Kindle; hopefully the 3G network will function where I am, allowing me to buy ebooks; but just in case I've already loaded up with 20 to get me started.
I have also packed a Ukulele. I have never played one before (or really ever had the urge to play one); but I figured that all the entertainment I was taking was in the form of consumption, so it would be good to have some in the form of creation. I doubt I will be giving up the day job very soon, but if I can hammer out a couple of tunes after three months away I will be happy.
So, welcome to my first ever blog. I hope you stick with me over the next few months as I share my experiences in a new country. New people, new food, new culture; there may even be a little wine stuff (though not too much).
Good stuff, look forward to the updates! Absolutely amazing adventure! Good luck and keep us all posted of your news and stories.
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