We're Home!

Good morning! 

You know, I called it at the start. I said at the beginning that it'll fly by like nothing, and just like that we're back! It really does feel that way, though. A few weeks back in Sydney and our time in Europe is starting to feel like a dream. Thank goodness we took a million photos! (Which we now have to sort through - insert crying face here). 

What I really wanted to blog about, though, was our surprise homecoming! It took a while to decide when we were coming back - even when we first heard about Knockout - but I think Steve and I both knew we'd decided even if we didn't say it out loud until...October? November? We just couldn't resist attempting to surprise our rave family after being apart for almost two years, it was too good to miss. 

As it always happens though, you only notice the fine print once you've committed to the plan. It was only after we'd decided to show up at KO that we realised how hard (and complicated, haha) it would be to keep the dates of our return on the down-low. When I think back to that time, I always remember what Steve has been trying to teach me (and is still trying to teach me) since we started dating: you can't control everyone/thing. So, to minimise the risk of spoilage, we decided to let only our nearest and dearests know about The Plan, dun dun dunnnnn!

There were a few close calls and it didn't help that my mum kept telling people random stuff instead of sticking to the fake story - especially in the last few days when I had already landed in Sydney while Steve was still in London! - but it all worked out in the end. Who else can say that they had to hide in their house for three days because nobody knew they were in the country? (I was jet lagged anyway). 

Special kudos must go to our dear friend, Mr Cruz, the first of all the people to know of our return and who actually bore witness to the deciding moment. He bought our tickets for us, kept everything on the down-low and told a few fibs to get us to the venue without suspicion. I really didn't realise how much of a covert affair the whole thing would turn out to be until we walked out of the car park and had to quickly run and hide because we saw people we knew right there!

  

Every reaction from that day and night made the whole facade worth it though. They were spread out and came about sporadically according to who spotted us next, but one thing was always the same and that was the smiles and the wide open arms. It was like we'd only been gone a week instead of years. Also, the insane amount of reverse bass happening at KO and Masif! Wow, just-- wow.

 We couldn't have received a warmer welcome back and I'm so glad I decided to stick to the plan instead of giving up and spilling the beans half way like I sometimes wanted to do just because it was getting harder not to slip up in Facebook and Whatsapp conversations haha. 

We also still had Italy and Qlimax to get through before the surprise, which were both so amazing.

Can I also just add that it was really hard to pack our lives back up without posting a single complaint on social media about it? But I succeeded! Yay!

Now we're here about to bring in a new year. I am thankful that we still have our friends, our health and that we're happy. 

2016 here we come!

xo'ella