Saying Goodbyes....

Well time to leave is getting closer and closer and already I have had to say some goodbyes! I bid adieu to Clare the other week which was sad but also my first proper goodbye so it felt a bit weird. We went for lunch at The Penny Black where Clare very kindly treated me! Thanks chick! (and now you get to see your name in internet glory)
Otherwise I have finally begun packing. For awhile now I have been buying bits and pieces to take with me and have been just putting them in my wardrobe. To say I have totally underestimated how much I have bought would be an understatement. I have SOOOOOOO much stuff, I have no idea how I am going to fit it all into 2 suitcases (thank god I am going the US route). I seem to have gone a bit mad at Kathmandu also, buying many more packing cells than one person would ever need. Hmmm oh well.
Well its still Easter so I am off to have more yummy eggs after a relaxing day (doing nothing!) at Waiheke....felt quite touristy with all my pics but was a great day all the same (and now Craig and Amy your names get internet glory also...thanks again for inviting me). Oh and the Easter egg hunt was great!

Happy Easter!

Cheap Thrills

I finally have my tickets!!!! SO exciting. I collected them and then went home and looked at them and immediately felt like a bit of a dick as there isnt any actually tickets (so was in a panic) until was pointed out to me that they are e-tickets. hmmm.
I am flying from Auckland to Los Angeles with Qantas, then on to London with British Airways, then another flight to Glasgow from London. I just found out that you can find out what movies will be on before you go..however, they change at the start of the month and as I am leaving on the 1st, I wont find out till the day I am flying anyway.
It's a bit weird as all my plans just end on June 10th....nothing booked or anything after then. Is slightly freaky but sure it will be more freaky when I am actually there.
Also I have finally resigned from work. It wasnt much of a shock to anyone as its kind of a hard thing to hide when half the people you work with are references for you. Is a bit final though, and not so good when I realise that I only have 2 pay-days left. Thats more than a bit freaky. I worry constantly that I wont have enough money! Hopefully selling my car will help me along a bit there.
Until it gets closer and I have to tidy up my act a bit and get packing, I am just reading up on everywhere I will be staying in Europe. Its so exciting! Still a few little things to pick up...and countdown into the twenties now......

Special Congratulations to Alex and Kelvin on their nuptuals last
weekend! It was awesome guys!!
Also Congratulations to Marie and Shane on their engagement...will see you
guys soon!

I havent been up to much lately, am on call ALL THE FREAKIN TIME! I would never have accepted this much call but its all more $$ for the UK. I have been list making. Obsessively. I think I may have an obsessive-compulsive thing with lists. Lately, (especially as I have so much on my mind) I will forget something unless its on my list. What a mentalist.
Otherwise, time is ticking down slowly still. I think I will feel better when I resign as that will seem more final. It will also be the most terror-filled part as I dont cope well with no job and no money coming in regularly. I do worry about things like getting a flat as how can I know what I can afford if I am earning nothing and have no idea what my earning potential is??

Weatherwise, NZ has entered autumn well and truly as of March 1st. I have been freezing....real 'I-am-not-getting-up-bed-is-so-warm-in-my-flannel-pijamas' kind of weather. I have been trying hard to be brave about it though as I realise I am going to colder than the pitiful 13 degrees I am complaining about (well 9 one morning).

As you can tell I really have no news, just felt I was due to update.
Oh, I have been in contact with 2 of the other people booked on the same contiki trip as me. One is a 19 year old Canadian girl and the other is a 26 year old Aussie/ Indonesian. I havent heard much from Lauren (the Canadian) but Melissa (the Aussie/ Indonesian) seems really nice. She is going to be in London before the tour starts so might try and meet up with her then. In between activating my bank account, meeting recruitment consultants, getting and NI number, doing one of the podcast walking tours and buying a sleeping bag! (Yes, I have a list to remind me of all of that)

56 days to go!

....ho hum....

Time seems to be dragging sooooooooo slowly at the moment. I suppose thats the same for all travellers....takes ages till its holiday time then the holiday flies by.
At the moment tho the last thing I feel like thinking about is leaving. I stil have heaps to do but I just can be arsed at the moment so am just leaving it all......the job agencies will be thrilled with me. Its just too much to think about this week, and last week.
In the meanwhile, I have been playing a lot with my iPod and found out you can download all kinds of podcasts on all different things....I geekily have downloaded a couple of walking tour ones for London and some other travel and UK related ones but more interestingly there are audio blogs, like this only people rambling about whatever they like. Weird!! I am yet to listen to any of these but will try to as might be amusing in some sense.....one is called '101 uses for babywipes' hmmm, but there is over 2500 other ones.
Otherwise YAY I won tickets to go see Girls Aloud tomorrow so could NOT be more excited. I love the Girls Aloud!! (more the clothes and style than the music it must be said)

Lantern Festival

Tonight I went to the Chinese Lantern Festival in Albert Park in Auckland. It was wicked! All the beautiful lanterns and soooooooo many people! Heaps and heaps of stuff for sale, like little lanterns etc etc but I was very restrained seeing as I cant take any of it with me! Or I could but it leaves less space for shoes!
Otherwise I just have some pics of the festival, not sure if they reflect the atmosphere but it was great.

It has not escaped my attention that altho this was designed to be a blog detailing my exploits overseas, it has become a blog about what I am doing in NZ. Hmm Altho, in preparation for going I have bought an iPod which I LOVE! I have spent so long putting songs and album art on, to the point that if I loose it I dont think I would get another, would be too much work to recreate all that! Oh well, on to lantern pics.....pics of an ipod prob arent exciting.

Music and Fun-times

Oh so much music and sunshine lately! I have only got 11 weekends left in the country so it has been all out and about in the sunshine while it lasts.
January 20th was the Big Day Out.....oh Franz Ferdinand I love you!! Was a very good day, the silent disco being another standout.....so funny, all wearing headphones tuned into the one DJ, all dancing and in many cases also singing and clapping. For the ultimate in amusement take the headphones off and hear how out of tune and time people are. Hysterical.
Today was the George FM Groove in the Park, at the Domain in Auckland. Was a stunning day.....spent under the trees in the sunshine. Was quite far from the stage but could hear Salmonella Dub and they were wicked. I just felt like falling asleep, was very relaxing. Instead I just sat and ate and read.
I am going to try and make a plan for something to do every weekend before I go...hopefully involving seeing a lot of friends. I have so much yet to do that I am becoming very forgetful! Is a souce of anusement for people who realise I am usually terribly organised.
11 weekends to go! I cant believe it!

Holiday holiday

Woohoo the weather has just been fabbo lately, so fabbo infact that I am all burnt.
In light of being back at work today (and on call! boohoo!) I am posting some nice hot looking holiday pics, ironic considering it rained today, all day.

This is Andrea and I posing outside our handiwork, yes we erected the tent all by our clever selves.......Andrea while wearing heels! Aah camping is not really for us!

This is at Waipu for the Highland games but the above one is Rangitoto Island in the Waitemata harbour, Auckland. How tropical looking!

Spookily Accurate Analysis

I just found this, you must try it if your bored....analysis of handwriting. Yeah is all a bit non-scientific, which I hate, but read what it said about me.....creepy accurate I think!

You plan ahead, and are interested in beauty, design, outward
appearance, and symmetry. You are a person who thinks before acting, intelligent
and thorough. You are diplomatic, objective, and live in the present. You are a
talkative person, maybe even a busybody! You enjoy life in your own way and do
not depend on the opinions of others.

Probably the only thing it missed is 'Totally Anal". See http://handwriting.feedbucket.com//
I am really getting into this blogging now!

Countdown!

How cute it this little countdown timer?? I just had to add it on so right now. Its from www.tickerfactory.com. I have added it to my title so you can see the time and dates right at the top without having to scroll down to this post (because I know you will be wanting to hmm)

Ooh I am Bloggin' it

Well how exciting is this, my very own blog. After my very hesitant first attempt at a posting (well I was at work!) I have gained some confidence and here I am now, havent I come so far!

Well as of today, I have exactly 126 days till I am up up and away. Freaky pete much. Altho I have all my tickets and stuff organised (praise be) and most of my travel-esq type things that I will need (thanks santa), I still feel like I need something else. Any of you will know however that I usually have that soft spot towards shopping. Well Boxing day today, all the sales have started so I should be able to get more stuff I need in the sales. Of course 'need' is a very broad definition!
One of my fav things I got for Christmas was a St Christopher medallion. Not being at all religious it is a strange thing for me to want but him being the patron saint of travellers I wanted one. I like to know all about things so here is some guff about him from the Patron Saints index:

St Christopher: Third Century Martyr. His fame derives from the pious legend of
him being a "Christ-bearer" (= Christopher). He was a powerfully built man who
wandered the world in search of novelty and adventure. He came upon a hermit who
lived beside a dangerous stream and served others by guiding them to safe places
to cross. He gave Offero (Christopher) instruction in the truth of God. Offero
took the hermit's place, but instead of guiding travellers, he carried them
safely across the stream. One day he carried a small child across the stream;
the child's weight nearly crushed him. When they arrived on the other side, the
child revealed himself as Christ, and he was so heavy because he bore the weight
of the world on himself. He then baptised Offero with water from the stream.
Christopher's service at the stream led to his patronage of things related to
travel and travellers, people who carry things, etc.

As you can see Christmas was excellent otherwise! These are some pics of me and some family members in various ststes of inebriation. Yay for Christmas!

I cant believe my next Christmas will be in the cold (snow?? Fingers crossed!) and may well resemble a Christmas card!

First Post!

How exciting! My first post!

Well, truly its not that exciting, but it is all new
and strange for me and I am bored at work so it kinda is.