Nice weather for ducks

I’ve always loved music, but there’s one weird song that has a deep emotional impact on me every time I hear it - Nice Weather for Ducks, by Lemon Jelly. It’s pleasant enough, but what makes it special is that it throws me back in time to 10 May 2004…we were part way through our round-the-world backpacking trip, having spent about 8 months working in Sydney to save up for the second phase. We had zero responsibilities, having been married for two years and having no kids, and being in-between jobs, and were on our way to Perth to start a trip up the West Coast. From there onto New Zealand, and after that, South America. The plane was taking off, the wheels left the ground, that song came on, and a broad smile spread across my face. Definitely one of the happiest moments in my life.

And here we are, some 20 years later. In our 50s now, with health niggles and responsibilities and lots of adulting. Managing mortgages, dealing with tax returns in two countries, replacing boilers, etc. Life is so much richer with our kids in it, and I wouldn’t change a thing, but I suspect we’ll always feel responsible for them. I’ve been lucky to have a career I enjoy, but that carries a mental load as well, especially as several of the businesses I work with are start-ups operating at pace - can’t just drop them, even if I wanted to (I don’t!).

So with all those responsibilities, can we achieve those levels of euphoria again? Well, we’re going to try. Our daughter finished high school last year, and our son is sitting one of his final exams while I type this. They’re looking at University next year, and we’re looking at giving them and us some independence. In the UK, kids leave home at this point, but in Australia they tend to live with their parents throughout Uni. We’re going to do things a little differently.

Altai, the start-up I co-founded a couple of years ago, has just launched in Mexico and so I’m heading to Mexico City on Wednesday for 5 weeks, staying in co-Living accomodation with other so-called digital nomads. If everything goes to plan, then Emily and I will move over there sometime next year, while our kids look after the apartment. The very rough plan is to split our time between Australia and various other places for a few years. Probably Mexico City next year, but after that who knows?

I’m under no illusion that this experience will be the same as 2004, but that’s ok. We have plates to keep spinning, but we’ll try and keep life interesting, take risks, try new things. I don’t believe in treating each day like it could be our last, but who knows how long we’ll have our health and our mobility? Not going to wait for retirement before we carpe that diem.