Around the world ....

And now the end is here ......

2005-07-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

Well this is my last post this website will not be updated any more.

I've been home for 2 weeks now but it feels longer. I didn't think I'd settle in so quickly but I did.

The flight home was horrendous I was so nervous - worse than the flight to Singapore - We flew over Greenland and Rekyavek and I got some photos, we flew over Scotland and Glasgow (but it was covered in cloud so indistinguishable) and then onto London. As we got nearer to Scotland my nerves took over and I couldn't stop the shakes. But land we did in London and then I made my way to meet my friend Irene in another part near her work. She is living in Essex so it was nice being on the outskirts of London. I had a really nice time as Iain was down from Glasgow as well visiting - I did find one problem though. It sounded as though Iain's voice had changed from the last time I had spoken to him; I couldn't understand this as he said it had not. In the early morning Irene's aunt (whose house it was I stayed in) very kindly ran me to the station to get my train at 6.30am, this was so I could catch the bus at 8am to Glasgow.

I had breakfast around 6am and did not eat again till about 7pm as the bus was express from Manchester to Glasgow. We were not told this when the bus started so the (approx) 5 of us left on the bus after changing drivers and passengers in Manchester did not get any lunch or stops for the whole day. But for £14.50 it wasn't bad for a trip home. I had told my Dad I'd phone from Gretna or Southwaite, as the bus when I left 10 months ago had stopped at one of them, and let tham know what time I'd be arriving in Glasgow but without a phone and no stops there was no way of letting him know. Therefore when I arrived in Glasgow I walked down Buchanan Street and took a local bus home with my pack on my back (I had always wanted to do that and here was the perfect opportunity). When I got off the bus in Glasgow and heard the accents of the people around me - the glaswegians - I have to say that I do agree with the foreigners - the Glaswegian accent is really cute!!!! My friend Iain had not changed his accent only that I was so unused to hearing it and it is so nice.

My sis got a shock when, after expecting a phone call to determine what time I'd be home she say me walking down the garden path it was a good surprise! My parents, being out when I arrived, opened the front door to find me standing in the hall - it was good giving them a shock. It is good to be home.

I made it in time for my sister's 21st which was my main reason for being home on the date I was - it was really nice spending just a few days with her (and some of her stories) before she headed south for a few months work - but at least we're both in Britian for a change at the same time so meeting up is possible. It's really strange living with my parents again as well as I still ask for things I would normally in a hostel have myself and just take - slipping into home habits is far too easy. I've been home 2 weeks and I've already done a wee bit work in an office - and been bored out my skull! But I'm looking for a job and hopefully in a number of weeks time I'll be a British employee and settling down for a few years work here before deciding if I want to stay.

10 months is not a long time, I spent more money than I had originally intended (mainly because the weather was so bad in NZ), I met up with a few new family members, I made loads of friends and had a fantastic time. Words may fill these pages but the sentiments they remind me of do not compare. Words really cannot describe how good last year was. I only wish every one else gets a chance in life to do the thing(s) they've always wanted to do - to push to their limit and beyond!!!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed my stories and had a good read cos I'll never forget what a fantastic year 2004/2005 was. Byyeeeeee! My love to you all!

Final days

2005-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well with only a few hours left till I get my flight back to the UK I'm beginning to wonder what I've done over the past few months. I still feel as though I left my parents at Buchanan St Bus Station only a few days ago - but it wasn't. My first night in London and the flight out I still remember. Singapore, Sydney, New Zealand, Fiji, America and Canada are all still so fresh in my head you'd think I was playing a tape recording through them all trying to bore my head off! I can't believe it in less than 24 hours I'll be British in Britain and arguing to exchange my Scottish leftover notes as real money with the English. I'm still trying to find my way through Vancouver and still trying to get used to Canadian money but no more. September the 6th 2004 I left Glasgow I return on the 18th of June 2005.

Being back in Vancouver city has been quite good. Getting to know my cousins a bit more and being back in family situations is very funny and weird - I'm still not too used to it. I've gotten a lot of my accent back but it reamains to be seen whether I can understand the Scottish (or even more worryingly the Glaswegian) accent as I return to the country. Talking with my cousins who have accents I sometimes don't understand to horrifying consequences can be hilarious especially as I did manage to affect an American accent on some words, have no idea how to pronounce others and sometimes can not be understood by them. Very funny! Overall though it has been great meeting them at last and getting to know them.

So now all that remains to be said is goodbye to the outside world and (ssshhhhh) hello to the British. Lets hope customs let me back ;-)

Vancouver Island

2005-06-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well for seeing this wonderful part of British Columbia I decided to hire a car. So I hired a car, and accomodation, for a few days to travel the main route of the south of the island.

I travelled over from Vancouver on Thursday (I think - I'm having a hard enough bother remembering this is tuesday) and rented the car the next again day. The hostel I stayed in in Victoria has just been bought over with new managment etc and is getting refurbished so it was in a bit of a state but what fun being woken at 6 or 7 in the morn to banging and sawing - it was like being back at home with my dad just before showtime, shame there was no grasscutting or I'd never had left the place till it was time to go home. :-) I got used to driving on the right hand side a lot easier than I expected - it really was a skoosh. I even graduated to map reading, tape changing, eating and drinking while driving - even searching for items while doing top speed, it was fun! I drove over 300km to my end route, stopping occasionally for rests, which was Tofino and spent the night outside the little town in a campsite - which cost me $30 + tax for a space, an absolute rip-off but there was nowhere cheaper and I didn't want to be bothered by bears in the night as grizzlies have already killed and eaten one woman further north in the Interior since I've been in Canada! There was no hot water unless you paid for it so I had a cold shower in the morn - not good for the digestive system as I'd had my brekkie about 10mins beforehand. The next day I travelled half of the route back and stayed just outside of Nanaimo in a campground called Jinglepot (I really like the name). It was cheaper at $16 but I still had to pay for hot water and I did that day. As soon as I'd arrived at the campground it poured and I did no mare that night than sit in the car and hide. Then as it was sunday I went to church in the next town of Ladysmith where I was going to meet a friend of the family. I did this and got such a shock and being given a massive hug and lunch and dinner and a tour and a bed offered to me for the night which I really did have to decline as I had to get the car back the next day - reasonably early and I didn't want to drive too much then. However after having been spoilt by this wonderful person - Joyce Barnes and her husband - I had a very bothersome ride back as the food had been very rich and made me sleepy for driving. I had been eating ham and soy cheese sandwiches since I arrived on the island so the excess food was wonderful! I drove back to Victoria and this time went back to the hostel I had been in before as it was cheaper than a campground and I got free hot water and a bed.
Yesterday I went shopping after returning the car - with only a few days left till I fly back to the UK and the end of my trip I thought it was maybe time to get some clothes that wouldn't be stained and smelt fresh and looked OK.
So now I'm heading back to vancouver to stay with my cousins for a few nights before returning home.
Sorry guys but I can't wait - my own bed, proper food cooked by some other than me all the time and knowing people not having to introduce myself every few nights will be very unusual and different.

Vancouver

2005-06-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Vancouver is really big. I thought when I was landing that it was a city with lovely little gardens and sweet little roads and roundabouts - I was wrong! That was just the sun!!!

The first couple of days I was there the sun shone like gold and only a few clouds covered the mountains. Then the rain started! I left the hostel after about a week and moved in with my cousins sleeping on the couch. The house they rent went from having one person in it to having 4 paying and one weirdo on the couch! There was also a friend sleeping outside in his van!

Patrick showed me some of the sites of Vancouver when he took time away from work. It was really nice some of it I would never have been able to find or even know about. I also spent some time with Dominic being taken round his favourite shops!!! It was really funny seeing them together - they fight as much as my sis and I do. It was really like being back with family. :-) Very strange for me after all this time. I did learn a bit more about my cousins. They are very funny guys.

Today I went to Vancouver Island and tomorrow will try to find some way to see a bit more of this island which happens to be bigger than the UK together. I do have a few options which is really good.

Short post as I'm stealing internet time again Oops!!

good and bad news

2005-06-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm in Canada and I'm not on such a great mood at the moment to write this up so it'll be a quickie so I can go away.
I've just read my e-mails and found out that my dog has died. I had kind of expected he might before I got home but as the time grew nearer I thought I would see him after I got home. Now he's out of pain and in fish, chicken and steak heaven - all he wanted to eat, not dog food! I can't believe it and am now wondering what it's like at home but as yet haven't phoned as the machine stopped giving out those type of phonecards but I got one today and when I leave here will phone though it be 2 in the morning.

Canada has been great so far and I've gotten to meet my cousins the last of them today. Now there is only one cousin I have never met but as she is in Grenada, West Indies I won't be seeing her for a wee while to come. I haven't done very much since I got to Vancouver mainly sleeping. Today I figured out why I was so tired - it's because I'm not really doing anything. Every other country I've been in I've joined in a sport or some adventure thing but not as yet in Canada so tomorrow I'm going to find an activity to do and get some energy. I left America in a bad mood. I spent 12 hours travelling by Greyhound to get to the airport - an interesting trip next to an ex navy guy who was very big. I also got to see Las Vegas as the trip to Los Angeles from Flagstaff meant I had to make a connection in Las Vegas. I had half an hour wandering around one of the casino streets, not the main one, and laughing at the activities as the town was in it's element at 11pm. Very interesting! but I still cannot see why people want to gamble all their money away on the daft machines but then I could never understand why people wanted to spend all their money in a bookies either.
In the airport it was horrible. I didn't say bomb though I must say when you see all of the ridiculous security rituals you really are tempted just for the hell of seeing it! I got frisked and my hand luggage bag searched. I'm so glad I put my security cage around my pack though as I'm quite sure they would have wanted to see inside if it hadn't been on. Nosy beggars!!! After all of their 'security' passes that are made to confuse the rat race they even have removed the post boxes from the airport, though they do leave bins there, in their own words - "since 911". Useless b******s! SO if you're looking for a postcard from America don't I'm bringing them in my luggage as I couldn't send them!
The flight up to Canada was good. i got pictures of Mount St. Helen's as we flew over it which was great. You could see all of the ash and deposits that were thrown out of the volcano when it's side collapsed last time there was an eruption. The flight was 2 and a half hours so no meal. We flew from 11am to 1.30pm and no meal. I didn't know so I had pretzels that they offered for lunch and I was too tired for dinner when I arrived as I'd been travelling for at least 36 hours without sleep. My breakfast had been left-overs from Flagstaff - not very yummy! I was really gald though in the morning to find that the hostel serves continental breakfast and you can go back for 2nds and 3rds etc. very good. Pastries and rolls and porridge and fruit (not for me) and lots more. So I get up at 8 for brekkie every morn then go back to bed and get up at 11 or 12. I got really lazy when I arrived here.
I met Patrick and Gabrielle (I think thats how it's spelt) on sunday. I had a BBQ in Canada. I was really surprised that Canada was so hot - well Vancouver is. It was a really nice way to meet them. Kieran I have met though briefly and I did not recognise him. I have a weird memory from years ago with him but I called him Dominic because I thought Dominic had dark hair - I was wrong. He has changed quite a bit since then. Dominic I met today. So I've seen the 3 of my cousins. Now all I have to do is memorise their names to their faces and I'll be fine and not get killed!

The Grand Canyon

2005-05-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a trip to see the Grand Canyon.
The trip started about 1/2 hour late as they were fitting new brake pads to the van - quite a good idea! The trip there took about an hour and not through desert as I thought it would be. There were trees everywhere, some of it even managed to be called a thin forest. The canyon is enclosed in a reservation park so you have to pay to get entrance. The driver and also our guide through the park decided to give us the best view of the Canyon first. So once inside a building at the side of the canyon we had to close our eyes and follow each other out to get our first view of the Canyon. This we did (looking like total fools on the way :-D) and the view was great. It's really big and even more so as the day continued and we saw other parts of it and not quite what you expect. There is nothing I can say to make it seem any different from pictures you see of the Canyon but it is different.
The guide gave us a about 1/2 hour to explore a wee bit of the Canyon so I did part of the Angel trail which makes it's way down to the base of the Canyon. I did not get very far as time did not allow it and you need at least 2 full days to make that trip and back up. It was very nice though and it was a heavy walk.
Back meeting the group again - there were 10 of us - we were taken to another part of the Canyon and had lunch. Then we started to get off the main path and do a bit of climbing and scrambling down parts of the Canyon. This is not very safe as there is no exact path and you have to do a bit of jumping etc. to get down. With sides of sheer cliff falling a mile was not really what we wanted to do but the view from the very edge was just spectacular.
Then after lunch another ride to a different part of the park where we would be doing some hiking. The older people in the group did not come with us but took a shuttle bus going round the park a bit more. The next part trail we did was the Kaibab trail or as I like to call it (much to some's desperation as it voiced our wishes) the Kebab trial! It was a steep face down the canyon with a track. Horses (or mules) take some travellers and supplies to hostels that are stationed at the base of the canyon so you have to give way to them if the pass. It was really warm yesterday, all of Arizona is really hot and very, very dry. I found the climb down really easy and I was first to reach the end of the part of the trail that we followed. I'm not such a good climber and I knew I was not going to find the climb in any way easy. The view from the 'ooh aah' (yes I do think it was invented but then you never know and I didn't ask) point was spectacluar. If you climbed, or scrambled on some rocks, a bit further out to the very edge of the rocks you could get a 180 degree view of the canyon that gave even those not suffering from it, vertigo. If you turn your head too fast as well it does not fare well as there is no base below you except a mile down and with nothing on either side it is very difficult to get back to 'safety'. But the view made it very worth while. And yes I did feel like I wanted to fall - I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't feel like that on that rock!
Climbing back up was a hard climb, your throat literally dries out to the point you have no saliva. Others that we met on the way said that further down inside the canyon the temperature was reading 118 degrees (American always deal in Fahrenhiet). It is very hot and dry. The ground you are walking on is sand, white read and brown sand - different colour depending on the type of rock that is at that level - but mainly sand as it is so dry the rocks have disintegrated. I was not the first back up the trail but neither was I the last and it was easier than I had originally thought the climb was going to be.
After refilling water bottles and downing them again we headed back and picked up those that had taken the shuttle bus option. Then we went to another view and gorgeous spot. A quick rest there and more photographs taken, of course. Then on to another point called Desert View I think mainly called that because from here is the best view of the 'Painted desert' from the canyon. There was another option to go scrambling about again which we did. This was again beyond the railing that was put up and invloved a lot of climbing and jumping on knife edge precipices. But in leaving the crowds behind the view was amazing. The sun was beginning to set as well so there were canyons beginning to be thrown into shadow and covered in mystery. I can say honestly that the Grand Canyon is the most spectacular scenery I've seen in America - but - I do still love NZ scenery. The Grand Canyon seemingly is not the biggest Canyon in America nor is it the prettiest but it is the biggest and prettiest of them all. You do get biggier, uglyier canyons and smaller, prettier ones but the Grand Canyon is the best mix of the two combinations.
The trip finished about 8pm so the sun had set by then. It really had been a good day and I was quite tired with reason. Today when I woke up and had to climb down from the top bunk I knew I had been climbing yesterday and even more so when I had to sit on the floor to put my socks on. The floor was very far away and my legs were very, very stiff :-D
Today I'm heading back to LA. I will get there hopefully about 4.30 in the morning and then I'm going straight to the airport to catch my flight to Vancouver so this will be my last posting from America. Yippee!

A last look at San Francisco

2005-05-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

When I wrote my last entry in the site I had no idea of the events that would befall me in the next few hours.

I decided that as I was bored in San Francisco and not heeding my 'wonderful' sister's advice(?) about going out while in America I would go to see another movie on my last night. There were no good shows on. On my way out I nearly took my camera to picture any of S.F.'s strange events that might take place in front of me but decided against it. I only got a few blocks away from the hostel when approaching a set of pedestrian traffic lights I spotted a strange scene. A boy with baseball cap holding onto a car through an open car window as it sat at the traffic lights. He was balanced on, what I later found out the name of, the runner board of a pick-up truck. I thought this was very strange and as the lights changed and I moved forward to cross the road the truck sped off. Crash, Bang was all I heard and I gasped as I turned round to see the truck speeding off without the boy on the side. The truck had after leaving the lights smashed the boy (about 18 I would reckon at most) into the side of a parked car on the other side of the road. I rushed over to see - half expecting to find a bloody mess of a skull or a dead body. There was no blood but the boy was not moving. I've done a First Aid course but not much of it came flooding back as I tried to calm my fears to be able to deal with the boy. I asked if he was all right, if he could hear me and at that he opened his eyes but did not move. At least, I thought, he's alive! Other people standing at other sides of the road then came forward to see the scene I asked someone to phone an ambulance and then noticed that the oncoming traffic from the next sequence of lights were too interested in seeing what was going on to realise they were almost about to run over the boy - so I took to directing traffic. I suppose luck was with me that it was a one way street or I could have caused real bother! Others then began the argument that I've seen a few times after an accident about the proper procedures of looking after someone especially if more than one of them suspects their training in First Aid has made them a wizz kid. No-one listened to me so I stuck to directing traffic and shouting at those wanting to cause a pile-up as the arguers didn't seem to notice the rest of the traffic. After about 5 or so mins the Fire Brigade turned up, then Fire Rescue, then police and then 2 more Fire Engines turned up. I suppose the fact that about 2 or 3 people had called this in an attendent was sent for each call made. There were at least 4 of us that had seen the incident though none of us got the license plate or what the driver looked like. At the time before none of that had seemed important as we did not know what was to come. In the end once the police started asking questions to people in particular I was left as the only one telling the story and it was my name that was taken as witness as everyone else had left the scene with their names intact.
I was asked if I might be able to identify the car, I thought I might have but after been taken in a squad car to see the supposed vehicle I could not have said honestly if it was. The pick-up truck that the police were considering certainly looked like the car that had been at the incident but there was no way I could have been positive. All in all the boy was taken to hospital, my name was taken and the police were left trying to figure out if the kid had been trying to hyjack the truck or what had happened. They were very nice and even offered to drop me at the cinema afterwards but I didn't want it for 2 reasons. 1:I didn't want to be seen in a squad car at the cinema, 2:I needed to clear my head. But I was totally shocked.
Leaving the cinema after seeing a comedy I was still in a bit of a shock and quite scared but I walked really quickly passed the scene and thankfully because I had a cold I was taking cough syrup so that knocked me out for sleeping. In the morning I was really busy as I was leaving for a 24 hour ride to Flagstaff (a good entrance place to see the Grand Canyon) and it took my brain a while to remember what had happened the night before. I think it's all over the police don't need any more information off of me thankfully so that is the end of my trip to San Francisco.

San Francisco update

2005-05-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is hardly an update on San Fransisco as I leave tomorrow morning. I have to get a bus, train combination and I spend Monday travelling all the way through to tuesday morning when I should be very near the Grand Canyon. I also have to cross a state line from California to Arizona and then in either 2 or 3 days time from that I have to make my way beck to LA to catch my flight to Vancouver. All very confusing and energetic.

One or 2 things I forgot to say:
Fiji - my back fell out of position and I had to get a massage as they were too scared to give me a sedative drink that I had heard about as it may have been too strong for my stomach - instead I got the back of my legs rubbed (massaged) - strange you may say, but it worked and lasted for a few days I couldn't believe it. Thankfully as well as I was hardly able to even put on shoes never mind sling my pack on my back.
LA I went to the Chiaropractor who put my back in place for me - a lot more painfully than my chiaropractor back home. It has not lasted long as I can feel it beginning to move back out again but hopefully it will last till I get home or I will have to find another chiaro. in Vancouver.
Also when I was in Fiji I lost a screw from my glasses and could not find it in the sand or decking (funnily enough) so now I am very glad that I brought a spare pair with me even if they are not the correct strength they are not far off.

So back to San Fran.
When I first arrived here I thought we were taken over the Golden Gate bridge - I was mistaken instead we were taken over the Golden Bay bridge ( a one way traffic bridge but very nice). The next day I walked around San Francisco and ended up at the Golden Gate Bridge in the afternoon. I crossed it and back but not before the rain set in. I got soaked right through - whatever waterproof-ness that was left in my jacket has gone. I got saoked right through to my knickers and bra - not a nice feeling I can tell you especially when I decided to get the bus back to the hostel. What was even worse was that I could not dry my shoes before the next day's trip to Alcatraz that I had booked. I had to dry my clothes in the drier (I only have one pair of trousers) but my shoes I could not so putting on wet shoes the next day was not very nice at all.
The Golden Gate bridge looks great and when you try to put your hand around one of the wires suppoting the swooping bars and can't but you can feel the vibration through it you realise exactly what power that bridge holds. Very Impressive!
Alcatraz, if you didn't know it was once a military base and prison before it became a state prison and then held many important names including: the 'bird man', Al 'Scarface' Capone and many others. The trip was excellent. Instead of being taken about by a tour guide who sometimes gets asked stupid questions by sight-seers you are given a headset with an informative story of Alcatraz including many tales from people who were inside at the time of it's operation. It was a very good day and I got to ride on a tram in the morning as I was running late from trying to dry my clothes.
I managed to see a show before it hits Broadway later called 'A Moon for the Misbegotten' Only 5 actors are onset but what an impact. The mind of the writer was an exquisite one to be able to come up with such a story and put that idea on paper with the look of little effort. The director and actors really did well I left the theatre in shock, I suppose you could call that. An amazing showpiece! Also I have been to see the new Star Wars film and the last unless some idiot makes a 7th! It was really good. Very entertaining as well when the audience clap and the goodies beating the baddies and laugh out loud at the funnies - that was normally left to me in cinemas. Although I do hate when some parents bring their children with them to the 'epic' editions especially as they sit and cry through the loud misic parts - it really spoils some of it. I didn't expect to be able to see the film as I had not booked anything but I arrived and bought the ticket at 7.55pm and saw the 7.45pm showing what perfect timing and none of the sitting outside the cinema looking like a loon for 4 hours with tickets. :-)
I will be sorry to leave San Francisco as it has many attraction and street attractions at that to amuze everyone but it does not in any way stop me wanting to leave America. I cannot stand the superciliousness of people here. Mary my pride in you has increased ten fold because I have no idea how you lived with Americans, and rich ones, for 4 months - 2 weeks are killing me!

seedy LA, lovely San Francisco

2005-05-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

This is a posting on how horrible LA really is and how much I am enjoying San Francisco.

LA is lots of noise, seedy streets, and not at all glamourous (unless your a multi-millionaire). I can't believe LA was so horrible - Hollywood is not worth seeing, and Broadway is a joke! The only amazing thing about Hollywood (apart from the number of tourists there) is the number of stars on the street - it makes you realise how pointless it is to follow any of their lives as there are so many it's a waste of time spending your money on your favourite only to change it the next again week. The hostel in LA was crap (excuse the language but rubbish was not a describable word for that particular hostel). They had no idea on any events going on in the city, did not know their way about so were useless for orientation and were particularly unhelpful ending in me getting annoyed at being handed a phone with someone on the end after asking a question about Sam Francisco. I asked if there were any events on in San Fran. as I was having a lot of trouble booking a hostel - the guy did not even listen to what I was asking him, did something on the computer, dialed a number at the same time, handed me the phone with someone on the end not having a clue who it was, and never said a word to me. The guy on the other end of the phone did the same did not even listen to what I was asking him, assumed I was asking something totally different, managed to convince himself I made an appointment on the phone for him to visit me in 5 mins. Then I chucked the phone down, and muttered something about the uselessness of the hostel at which point the guy at the desk got 'upset' - idiot!
The guy on the phone turned up at the hostel 5 mins later and still tried not to listen to me (I really wanted to let hime meet my fist till he stopped being such an flipp'n twat but I restrained myself) but I got through to him in the end and was right he was useless as he could give me no info at all!

I went to City Hall in LA right to the top, downtown, Farmers market, Hollywood and others that took me 3 days (far to long in LA)! I left for San Francisco ( a very good decision) I took the Amtrak train - double decker, air conditioned and pressurised compartments. I boarded at 10. I had to check in at 9 so I left 2 hours early to get through the 'rush hour traffic'. What a joke! The only reason I can see the LA people moan about rush hour is because although they live miles from their workplace they still want to take 1/2 hour to get to work and so all leave at the same time - no-one takes account of everyone else eidgits! I was in in plenty of time! I even had time to have breakfast at the municipal water department - very nice and I needed ID to get through. Then I sat people watching in the station for about 3/4 hour. It was very funny. No-one could see what I was laughing about which was even funnier.

(teeny wee dogs you could trample on do cause havoc in the streets)(and if you think that the little stupid dogs on 'The Osbournes' are the only ones in the city like that - being carried everywhere and doing God knows what - you're wrong there are loads of them) Scary LA!

The Amtrak train was 1 hour late - this is a record! Anything short of 5 hours is a congratulations in American terms for Amtrak from LA to San Francisco. Quite shocking and the trains are slower than the cars, buses and lorries on the highways.

San Fran is so nice. Very hilly though. My cold has taken off as well though - I am now loaded with it and it's showing no sign of leaving. I will leave San Fran for another entry but I have been here a few days and a few days more I will stay.

PS it's so nice to see that my family is 'talking' when I read the comments of my blog. So glad they get on SO well.

Bula Fiji time!

2005-05-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

I flew to Fiji on the 6th and left there yesterday (or this morning as I crossed the date line) Fiji was really warm and very nice. After getting an invite to stay with a sleazy night security guard in his house with his mum for a week I headed to one of the smaller islands early the next morn. I didn't have time for a proper breakfast that day so I had a packet of skittles. ;-S yeuk!

Incidentally 'Bula' in Fijian for hello, and 'vinaka' is thank you. There that's all I know of Fijian.

The island I stayed on was Naviti island, part of the Yasawas group of islands. The resort was Korovou. The first 4 or 5 days I really have no interesting news as I got up around 6ish had breakfast after the meal drum was rolled, slept on the beach or in a hammock - occasionally getting up for a meal, and then would be in bed for about 8.30 - 9pm. So I had a very relaxing time. My energetic days were not much better; 3 hours walking and resting around a village, doing a 10min herbal medicine tour, 15 mins of coconut husking and that would be about it. I did however sit up later those last 2 nights - once to watch the stars and talk to a guy, Mark, about God knows what rubbish, and another once the nightly activities stopped to join the locals (secretly) and have some cava (a non-alcoholic numbing drink - it numbs your tongue, head and lips) which doesn't taste particularly nice. I did go to the Gospel church on Sunday though and after the nice songs to which we all swayed and clapped we got shouted at for being blind, down and whatever else - the preacher was funny to watch even if just a tad over-bearing. the island had no phone (only a radio phone which the manager used), no internet and no real shops and a very limited bar. That's why this is the first instalment in over a week.

So before I left Fiji I styaed a 2nd night in the Nomads Skylodge hostel on the mainland and town Nadi (pronounced Nandi). The flight to LAX (LA's common known airport terminal name) took 10 hours and left at 10pm on sat night we arrived in LA at 1.30 pm on sat afternoon and as I never slept on the plane but got crushed up in a very non-spacious Air Pacific flight 747 I'm really tired now as it's my 2nd time today getting to 9pm.

Farewells to my land of dreams come true

2005-05-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

This is my last post from NZ tomorrow I leave New Zealand for Fiji.

In Paihia I went horseriding it was fun to some degree. I was with 2 elderly people so they didn't want to ride fast and my horse didn't want to go fast at all. In fact the horse didn't want to go at all I spent most of my time trying to get the damn geegee to move. It wanted to eat the leaves which are nice and juicy not like the grass. So sometimes when I tried to pull it's head up it refused and ducked it back down again nearly throwing me off. Stubborn git. I pulled on the riens sometimes and pulled it's head and eye as near to me and gave it a good talking to then it would go for another 5 mins and I'd have the same problem all over again.

I got the bus to Auckland the next morning and had a horrible ride. It poured and I felt really miserable knowing that this was the last sightseeing in NZ that I was going to get and wanted to be there in Auckland immediately (just click my little red shoes) the wait and watching the road all the time got me really depressed. But we made it and I got to Auckland in the afternoon.

One of the first things I had to do in Auckland was buy a pair of trousers. All of my trousers are worn through from walking and as I tried to stitch the holes together I made even more holes so I've given up and had to submit to buying a pair. Now I've got one pair of trousers not 2 like before. ;-)

In Auckland I'm staying with my aunt and cousins. My Uncle Alex is on board ship at the moment. I have a few nights here and then I'm getting the flight. So doing some last minute shopping and bookings for Fiji before I fly out tomorrow.

So say you're last goodbyes to New Zealand and hello to Fiji. Goodbye to my land of dreams and hello to sunshine and, hopefully, a tan!

paddles, wings and feet

2005-05-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

yes, I did do a wee bit more but I'll try not to wrie too much incase my epistle becomes too long again!! And I'll just try writing more frequently :-)

In Whitianga I did do at least one interesting thing - I went sea kayaking! This involved being in a tandam kayak (something of a change) and paddling gainst some pretty strong currents out around the cliffs of the area. However with the trip I did I did not get to see the main attractions that everyone else goes to see, those being Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. Cathedral Cove you can gusee is a stone archway (yawn) and Hot Water Beach you can only go to after the tide has gone out and then dig a hole down to the water level which comes up hot so you have an individual spa to yourself. I wasn't that intrigued by it all. The kayaking around the bays was very good as the cliffs above us were once volcanos that blew themselves to pieces. Blowholes as well could chill you to the bone as you heard the suck and smack as the water tried to push out again. Wow! Now I know why explorers used to be in awe as they found new land; being at the base of a large cliff face that you could find yourself smashed against if the waves were in the wrong direction, shocked me. Sitting on a ship or looking down off the cliff into the water and waves below looks nice and you're always careful about going to near the edge to look down but being tiny and insignifiacnt in a kayak looking up at the towering cliffs and sky above you struck me a little powerfully. Then we hid in one of the inlets and had juice in champagne flutes and cookies (or at least everyone else did and I pretended to not be hungry or thirsty after the workout). Then paddling back along the water line back to the beach. That really was the excitment that I found in Whitianga (other than meeting up with people again that I'd met on my travels).

On friday I got a flight (luckily enough as there had been a number of powercuts to the Coromandel area over the week and again on friday morning so there was trouble filling up the aircraft with fuel) from Whitianga to Great Barrier Island and then onto Whangarei. Seeing the coastline and land from the air at about 2000 feet (I think after trying to read the altmeter) was very good. Blue sea, blue sky except where it was white with the sun, down onto dark and green hills of the islands. It was very nice from the air. Leaving Whitianga there was only me and the pilot in the 6 person plane (I had to jump and walk over the wing to get to the door and inside the plane). On Great Barrier Island we picked up 4 other passengers (one of whom had to sit in the co-pilots seat) before going onto Whangarei. The pilot showed his deftness at flying (and his boredom) by flying one-handed on both 1/2 hour flights and sometimes even no hands while he scratched his head and the other hand rested on the window ledge :-s

Whangarei was quite nice (I am now in Paihia) but busy. The first day I walked around town and worked out what I wanted to visit and do the next day. Then on saturday (yesterday) I walked up one of the mounts surrounding the town and up to the war memorial. Then I went to the clock museum and had a look around before joining a tour. It was very good and I thourghly enjoyed it (even if I can't thourghly spell). The best thing about the hostel that I stayed in there was that it had a well tuned piano. So my fingers have been getting a good dusting down as the hostel had sheet music as well so I got to play rather frequntly (every night and afternoon - and even this morning waking those up that should have already been up [they were leaving but had slept in])

Now I am as far north as I am able to go in this trip to NZ as I don't have time to go any farther north. However no matter how nearer the equater I am here it has not increased the temperature too greatly.

Smells, stones and stuck

2005-04-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

I've been to a few more towns after leaving Taupo. I've been to Rotaruro (I've forgotten how to spell it - again. I've been trying for the past 5 mins but somewhere along the line it never looks right), Waitomo, Thames and now Whitianga.

One thing I need to teach you is how to speak a wee bit Maori. 'hangi' and 'hungi' are 2 different things. The first 'hangi' is a very delicious meal, 'hungi' is nose in Maori but they both sound the same to the untrained ear. Also 'wh' in Maori is said 'f'. Therefore Whitianga is pronounced 'fitianga' and 'Whakapapa' is pronounced 'fuckkapapa'.

I went to Rotaruro on monday last week. The first thing you notice is the smell that comes with the beautiful scenery. It is a lot more volcanic than Taupo. I thought it was intriguing that in Taupo the lake had hot spots on the edge that could burn you and an area out of town had steaming pools of water and mud. When I got to Rotorua (I've just asked someone the correct spelling) the backgardens of some people's houses have pools heated by thermal activity, there are whiffs of boiled eggs (very strong whiffs) as you walk down the street and not always in the same place. This smell gets worse as you head towards steaming jets of cloud. These jets don't occur out of town alone; jets of ponging eggs pour out pits in the local park, backgardens, drains and anywhere it can. Amazing was the local park where you can stare at these jets and see the local authority doing it's best to keep up with the multiple jets appearing every so often. Barriers go around each jet and sometimes a barrier is joined onto another barrier to shut out another jet thats appeared beside an existing one. More jets are appearing in the grass and you know more barriers will be round them soon. You are told not to walk on the grass but stick to the path (not always followed - ahem) as you can get burned or disappear in a loose bit of sod! You head to the edge of the lake and go through Maori town. It looks like a shanty town as the houses are bare boards and trailer vans, ram-shackle buildings beside imported houses. The sewage runs down the gutter as it cannot go underground as the ground beneath is so hot. There are graves in backgardens. This seems ok if the graves were not tombs; graves here cannot be buried as they would be cooked so pipes beneath take the steam away and the tombs sit above ground. At the Maori-Catholic church it's Tudor-like style on the outside but inside it is covered with Maori art on the walls, pews, alter, windows, everything! This church is right beside the local meeting house (which name in Maori I've forgotten) and all of the local icons. All around the church are tombs above ground with more steaming pipes to stop the bodies from cooking as much as they will be doing on this volcanic ground. All around the the lake there are sights of volcanic activity from steaming jets to sulphur deposits or copper deposits etc. The drains smoke, back gardens are filled with bubbling pools of water, smoke rises from the lake, drains, water or dry ground! As you can guess I was quite impressed and in awe from it all.

The first night I was there I went to a Maori festival night. It is held every night to allow tourists and others to see Maori dances, performances and eat a hangi. The performance was great, the Maori chief on stage was the son of the actual chief, who'd been called away that day, he was 17 but acted and seemed a lot older but the art (now put on by ink stamps not engraved on as of old) that the actors (of average age 16) were wearing. All of them spoke fluent Maori and had jokes between them on stage in Maori so no-one understood exactly what was meant. The meal was amazing - chicken, lamb, potatoes, kumara, vegetables and stuffing from the hangi. salad and desserts were also on offer but do not get cooked below ground. Maori food is the sweet potato - kumara. They love our food and eat as we (westerners) do. Having had my fill of food - I was very tired and slept very well that night. I haven't eaten that much for a very, very, very long time!!!

The next day I got up early and went to Waitomo. It is a very small town (one street of a few yards) but that is not what everyone goes for. The caves - limestone caves below the surface is where a lot of adventures happen. The bus getting there was late (it had a new driver) and the trip which I was booked on did not wait due to miscommunication from the driver. I lost my deposit but the owner of the bus company got me on another trip and paid my deposit - so nice of him! This trip was black-water rafting and I had brought my cosie with me for the other trip anyway. Black-water rafting is not as scary as it's above ground whiter sibling. It involves, being pulled along on a black rubber ring in freezing water under the surface of the earth. I volunteered to go first as no other girl was fast enough or brave enough to do it and the girls were to go first I think to scare them! I didn't work! I went into the depths of the hills first strapped inside a black wetsuit with a red hard-hat and white gumboots (wellingtons) - yes it did look like a marsian landing in the light of the outside day. We trudged through water, mud, rock etc and got pulled along sitting on our rings through v. cold water or swam using our rings for support watching glowworms or singing in the pitch black (head lights out)! As the first in the group whenever any of the scary stuff happened I was first to do it! So when we were told to stand looking back and fall backwards off a ledge into the water below with the ring below us I was frist to do it. It is a lot scarier than it sounds especially as you can't guess what height is below you but it was great fun! And when told to slide down a chute on the ring and hope that you don't sink too much as you don't know the depth of water below I went first! All in all I was a very brave little cookie!

Getting away from the smell of Rotorua for a day was a blessing and I was glad to leave the next day after only 2 nights there because the smell which was ok for the first few hours I was in the town only got worse the longer I stayed there. I went to Thames the next day which is at the edge of the Coromandel. My clothes having been in Taupo and Rotorua smelt like BBQ but not as nice! Deo-spray is in great use till all my clothes get washed again over the next 2 weeks.

Thames is a nice little town on the edeg of the water and was quite cold. I used it as a place to wander along streets, sleep and catch up on resting as I hadn't rested much over the past week. 2 nights there and then onto Whitianga. In Thames I found out about 2 NZ icons. One was Buzzy Bee - I was told I had to see him???? The other is L&P - now I know what it stands for Lemon and Paeroa (the town it was made) I had been wondering for ages what it stood for! So I've come to Whitianga in time to spend a weeks here as I can't get a scenic flight to Whangarie till friday. So Anzac day (today) is spent in quiet computer typing! :-) One really bad thing about the scenic flight is that I've found out I can only take 15kgs on it. My bag having been 17kgs leaving London has increased considerably since then and now i've got to cut so much out. All old clothes, papers (including those sent to me) have now got to go so it's a wee bit of a hard week of fewer clothes as well!

One thing I forgot to say (I know - how can I have forgotten anything after all that's been written) is that I tried to do some Wwoofing but everywhere in this area is full! And as I'm here to stay for a week I can't go to another area and try it at an earlier date. So now I won't be able to do any Wwoofing unfortunately!

Moon sights and volcano expeditions

2005-04-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well I've had a busy few days recently. After leaving Napier (on whatever day it was - I've lost count I can hardly work it out from the fact that today is Sunday) and travelled back to Palmerston North. There I stayed in the Grannie flat again which was quite cool as I was on my own, again. It was however very cold. During the night I had trouble sleeping because it was so cold. I then went to Taupo the next day and that is where I am now - but only till tomorrow morning.

It was a long-ish ride to Taupo but the view was worth it. I am now in volcano country and it was spectacular watching the land change. Going round the 'Desert road' past 4 volcanos was something like awe-inspiring. The next morning I took the free ride (which the hostel I'm staying at offered) to the 'Craters of the Moon' and 'Huka falls'. Craters of the Moon is a thermal site where lava below the Earths crust heats up water nearer the surface which turns to steam and then going through cracks pushes out into the air. It is mixed with a lot of chemical as well so it smells sulphurious (or like boiled eggs)! It is amazing seeing all of these jets of steam issuing from the ground, there is also a fizzing or hissing that goes with it which is quite cool. In some of the craters there was boiling mud. In one of them - the most recently formed crater and the largest - the mud was bubbling so madly that it was spewing it out of some of the holes and sounded like the roaring of the tide as you stood above looking into it's depths. It is a whole area of steaming craters and crevices. And from one of the viewpoints high above you can look out over the whole land and see that it appears that this area of 'Moon' is in a big crater itself. The entire land is formed due to volcano erruptions and what a sight to see. I also visited Huka falls which is a large river squeezed into a narrow gorge-like passage and looks a bit like rapids but not really interesting. At the end of a riverside walk is a thermal spa. This is a river which has been heated up due to volcanic activity below the ground and it runs into a river but before that is stopped in a few rocks where you can go for a free spa.

The next day - yesterday - I did the Tongariro Crossing. This may not sound very interesting to you back home but it is one of the more amazing walks in NZ. It involves (as I found out on the bus there - not before as I forgot to ask) climbing the side of a volcano, crossing another and then scaling it's heights before coming down the other side. Easy enough you may say but wait till you've tried it then you'll know the effort involved. The first part is easy and flat. Then all of a sudden you're climbing and scrambling up a mountainside. This is called 'Devil's staircase' and it was a right little ******** devil that put it there. It's meant to take 45 mins what a laugh - I took about 1 hour to 1 and a 1/2 hours. I nearly gave up but for the thought that I would have to try hopping over those 'god-forsaken' rocks to get back down. Eventually I made it and to the SOuth crater. The view was worth the climb! Then we crossed the crater and started climbing again but up mud, scree and other horrible things. Leaving the ice in the shadows where the sun had not turned the soil to mud. There we reached the Red Crater and then another short climb took us to the top. In 3 hours we reached the top! By this time i had found a friend who likes climbing as much as I do - like hell! her name was Toi from Holland. We decided to stop at the Emerald Lakes (sulphurious - so no drinking or swimming) for lunch. This, however, involved going down a lot of tiny wee pebbles - scree! Two British guys going down commented that it was the sort of run where you could do with a tin tray. It was hectic! You went down digging your heels in, or stepping from side to side - I did both! You put your foot down and lifted your back foot quickly before you got into a splits position - not very comfortable. The whole way down to the Emerald lakes. It was fun especially when you got the hang of it! After lunch we crossed round the Emerald lakes and watched the impending clouds closing up behind us. I was slightly worried for 2 reasons by this time. We could get stuck in fog and then have to be rescued off the mountain - only there were a few hundred people climbing that day - or we'd be late down and miss the bus which does not wait past it's departure time and you have to find your own way back before Search and Rescue are despatched. We climbed down through the fog and clouds. Some of it turned out to be steam as well from some of the thermal activity. It was easier going down as it was mainly well stepped but you had to be careful you didn't slam your heels down as you'd never make it to the bottom easily. We stopped at the hut on the way down and got some water and toilets. There are no trees or grass further up so to go to the toilet there would have involved doing it in everyone's view because the only place to hide was inside a crater and you didn't want to jump down there because you'd never see the light of day again! The toilets at the hut were well used and very busy. All outside toilets in NZ tend to be long drop toilets; for those that don't know what this is - it's a hole dug very deep in the ground and a toilet placed over it. When you lift the lid of the toilet seat you see everything else that's gone down before you and you can smell it. The smell is not really as bad as it could be thankfully. When the hole fills up it gets covered over and a new hole built or the 'droppings' sometimes are removed. I took a video of some of the people that were at the hut at the same time as myself and Toi - quite a varied bunch and quite a number of us. Then after 15 mins off again as we'd cut the expecetd time to the hut in half we hoped to do the same again and catch the earlier bus or take our time and catch the later one. After going through some rainforest area at the bottom the carpark was suddenly upon us - I was one of the few that was not looking for the carpark round every corner so the last section did not seem quite as long for me as it did for others. As a person on the last bus there I was very surprised to be the 2nd or 3rd person back out of the entire group gone. I managed it in 7 hours where most are expected to be between 8 to 10 hours so I was very surprised. I was very tired and exhausted when I got back.

Today has been relatively lazy after yesterday. I got up early - for some unknown reason! And walked to where I'd heard a church was - almost an hour it took me. It was however an Anglican church and after walking another 1/2 hour cross-spotting I gave up. 'Cross-spotting' incidentally is what I've named very aptly an adventure at trying to find a church as you walk about a town searching all the roofs of buildings to find a cross or spire and then keep on going when you find none or one of a different faith. I've found some interesting places 'cross-spotting' before! Today, however, I gave up and after checking the White Pages found that there is no Roman Catholic church in Taupo. Therefore as my last cross today happened to be a Gospel church I went to that service instead which was quite good - loads of songs!And after getting my washing done and out and dried (which I need to check now about 5 hours later or more - it's dark outside) I went for a bathe in the thermal springs I talked about earlier which was gorgeously hot and very relaxing - along with a number of others doing the same thing on a sunday afternoon :-)

Now I've got to go and rescue my washing from the cold and get dinner, pack my bag for tomorrows trip to boiled eggs country - it seemingly smells really bad from all the sulphur gases in the air!!!

Stolen

2005-04-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm in Napier now - to the East of the North Island. I spent 3 nights in Palmerston North - one of the most boring 'cities' in NZ. It is a big town but with nothing to do there as it is a university and military town so no big sites. Damn!!! Also, and worst of all, it rained most of the time that I was there - not really a big change as in Napier it is also raining. In the past 2 days the same jeans have got soaked 2 days running and are really hard to dry unless wearing them to dry. However at least Napier has an earthquake museum inside!!!!

In Palmerston I stayed in a bkpkrs called Grandma's place which wasreally nostalgic as it had knitted covers and an old tv that didn't exactly work correctly. Everything was old and rustic look but quite fun. I stayed 2 out of 3 nights myself as the hostle was so quiet. Though walking round a hostel where even the manager doesn't stay is quite scary.

Now in Napier I'm in Prison. Prison bkpkrs that is :-) And I'm doing really bad here as I've stolen someone else's internet time to write this up. Internet is free but you do need to book and -------- well -------- I didn't!

Got to go now and check my washing isn't getting soaked again then I'm off to see the town!

The Big Noise

2005-04-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Usually when you hear of people from out of town saying that the city is the Big Smoke you laugh at them and say that they have no culture. Well I've lived in the city for 20-odd years of my life and spent 6 months in towns and smaller cities and I can tell you that it's wrong. The city is not a 'Big Smoke' it's a 'Big Noise'. I've had a headache since I got here and last night had trouble sleeping because cars passing were so loud and I'm in a quiet area! Yes I'm in Wellington now and totally overwhelmed with it. There is a wee bit that I want to see but am avoiding being outside because I'm getting scared by the amount of traffic and my eyes keep watering because of the dust that keeps getting blown into them. Does this sound like the talk of a city girl - I have no idea what I've done over the past few months but whatever it was I've turned into a country bumpkin and am runnign away as fast as I can to a town away from the bustle. When I was in Wellington 6 months ago I thought it wasn't really a city as Glasgow was much bigger and 'better' than here - now I'm worried about how I'm going to cope in Los Angeles and Vancouver never mind Glasgow.

I came on the ferry from Picton yesterday to Wellington. I spent 2 nights in Picton in a very nice hostel that I'd heard about in my travels - it wasn't the one I stayed in last time! The ferry over was fantastic. The cloudy and misty skies that were about when I woke up had cleared by about 10 or 11 o'clock so weh I got the ferry at 1.30pm the weather was amazing. Almost 40 photos were taken by me on that trip - just incase I ever forget the trip :-) (not likely) However I did have one greviance - I hit my knee rather hard on the door going to the toilet and now can't put much strength in it. Carrying my pack on my back to the hostel was a lot of fun as it was a half hour walk!!

bye bye to the south

2005-04-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

This will be my last post from the South Island as I leave on Wednesday on the Interislander ferry to go to Wellington from Picton. Today (in a wee while) I will be getting the bus from Blenheim to Picton and spending a few nights there. There is not much to do in Picton so I will be having a wee relaxation time to myself and probably playing some Mini-golf to waste time :-) I finished work on Saturday and then went out with some people from the hostel. Lots of fun and not too much alcohol as there has not been too much work with the horrible rain that downpoured on us during the week. But things are looking up this week so hopefully everyone will get lots of work now and I will get fantastic views over the Sounds on the ferry as I am planning having all my batteries charged and my photo card almost empty so that I get lots of photos of the beautiful ride out of the South Island. Boo Hoo!!! I'm so sad to leave but onto new things is a good idea.

Thanks to everyone who sent me a birthday card I now have them all (that I know about) after my wee mishap with the postal system. I had a great birthday and a great time in Blenheim. When I passed through this town all those months ago I never had any idea that this would be the town I'd have my birthday but it was worth it.

So say goodbye to the South as I have to and that will leave me one month exactly to see the North before getting the flight to Fiji. Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

On a sadder note! As I am sure you all know the Pope is dead so I ask all of you to think a wee thought on the new Pope (that we get a good one) as I have a feeling it will affect us all - Catholics and the non-Catholics alike.

Not much happening

2005-03-30T14:30:00.000-08:00

can't believe this I have to write this up again cos of internet prob - goddamnit!!

Christchurch was great. I headed down on sat on 1.30pm bus instead of 6.30pm bus as work was cancelled then reinstated by which point I couldn't be bothered. I'm glad I did as I was able to spend some time with Seira who not have been able to meet me if I'd arrived at 11pm. As it was as I arrived at 6.30 pm we (Chris, Seira and myself) went for a drink and talked for ages before walking in Christchurch till Chris went to bed and then Seira and I sat up talkig till about 2am till she cycled back to her home. That was the last time I will see Seira for many months or years to come! Chris I may not see in such a short length of time as she is a traveller more so than Seira or myself and is never stagnant. I did however get a longer time to see her as we met again on the Sunday and Monday till I got the bus back to Blenheim. I did get to see a bit more of Christchurch than I did last time I was there when on an overnight stop-over. We didn't do anything particularly exciting just walked about and had a nice relaxing time. She is staying in Christchurch on a wwoofing project. This sort of company was started in the Uk so if you feel like doing something different for a few days or week here is a great website.

Blenheim is raining again. Yesterday I worked from 7am till 9.30 till the rain started and we got pretty wet and the sugar levels in the grapes dropped to a level not worth picking them. I was then invited to Picton with the people who give me a lift in the morn which I took and stayed till after lunch drinking with them before they gave me a ride back to Blenheim. Last night the rain battered us and the wind was scary - a bit like a Glasgow autumn but strange as I haven't been used to it for a while. So at 5.15am this morn I got up and made it to my pick-up on time but as the pick-up did not come at 6.30 I phoned and was told to wait till 9 (back at the hostel) So glad was I when I bought a book yesterday as I'm about a 1/3 through it already. I also was so cold yesterday that I made a big pot of soup - the way my Mum does when the cold weather sets in.

Nothing else has happened so I'm bored stiff and now going back (after just having todays excitment - updating you) to read the rest of my book which will prob be finished tomorrow if the weather continues.

nothing

2005-03-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Although I had the weekend in Christchurch sseing friends there is nothing to do and I'm bored. The rain is on again. yesterday we finished work after 2 adn 1/2 hours as the rain was starting and we were geting wet plus the sugar was going out of the grapes so they can't have any more picked. Last night the rain was really, really heavy like a Glasgow autumn and the wind so strong. Today it has not ceased and I'm bored I got up at 5.15am as usual and went to work (pick-up at 6.30) but my ride never arrived and I phoned to check - no work, check again at 9. There was no need to check at 9 - the rain had not stopped and still hasn't many, many hours later. Yesterday was so cold that I went to the supermarket and bought ingredients for soup and now have a large bowl of soup in hostel for the really cold times. Thank god! Also the book which I bought yesterday to relieve boredom has come into good use as I've read a lot of it already today and will possibly finish it tomorrow if there is no more work.

Christchurch was great - I got to seea lot more than I did last time on my overnight stop-over. Meeting up with Chris and Seira again was fantastic and the last time it will happen for months or years to come. Seira I only saw on the first night and I was so glad to have changed my bus to get down 5 hours earlier than originally intended - we stayed up till 2 in the morn talking before she cycled back to her home. Chris I saw up till I left Christchurch on Monday as she was staying to do some WWOOFing there till she leaves on Sunday. <> this is the address - there are other schemes in the UK as it was started there so take a look if you like <> The bus was boring on the way down as it rained and rained and rained, even the film on tv (shrek- with not much volume) . The bus on the way back was no different except that it was sunny but crowded.

And that be it! Nothing else has happened of importance (or at all) that I can remember.

Easter weekend

2005-03-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you to those who sent me birthday cards I am still to recieve them cos I'm a bit of an eidgit who never checked with people to make sure they understood that my mail was to be delivered to blenheim for the next few weeks. Anyway I had a lovely birthday. I got up at 5.15am and had to make my lunch cos when I went to read my book at 7.30 the night before I woke up at 1.30am and just pulled my sleeping bag over me - I couldn't be bothered to get changed either. Making lunch at that time in the morning as well as breakfats is not easy cos my brain is not working!!! Then I got to work and found I was in the fast picking group (contract not hourly as we're expected to make almost $25 an hour - yeah right!) so starting at 7 we worked. Then we got asked to stay behind and work late so I did till 5.45. By the time I got back to the hostel I was very dirty, very smelly, very bloody (as I cut my fingers again with the cutters), very painful (back pain - cos I was bent double most of the day and when I wasn't I was running) and absolutely shattered. I managed a cup of tea and an overload on biscuits for sugar and energy before I could get a shower and get changed.
That done I got my make-up on (liner and mascara only - first time doing that for a long, long while)and just as I finished the heavens opened and it poured all night on. I walked to the restaurant and had a lovely, yummy, uncooked-by-me meal. Then went to the cinema and saw 'Hitch' - very funny. I had only mentioned to 2 people in passing that it was my birthday before I left for the restaurant so when I got back I was not expecting the 2 balloons on my bed saying Happy Birthday. Even more I definitely did not expect everyone to be sitting waiting for me to wish me Happy birthday, sing the song, drink to me or present me with chocolate flavour soy ice-cream. I was in shock! I couldn't say anything for quite a while! But it was really nice and we sat up (after I'd kept them waiting so long - oops - but I hadn't known of it) till about 3.30 talking and laughing.

Friday was a public holiday and it rained, the tv was terrible so you can imagine the drastic situation of 20-odd year olds getting engrossed in the film 'Barbie as Rapunzil' (I think that's the right name) because there is nothing else to do or watch!

On Saturday I got my clothes dry (can you imagine it I now have lavender scented clothes - WOW - cos there was an offer in the supermarket) and got my bus to Christchurch. So that is where I am now - in Christchurch seeing friends before we all have to say goodbye (or 'see you later' as 'goodbye' is too painful as it's true unlike friends and family back home who I will see again) to. I met up with them last night - Chris and Seira - and we went for a drink talking of all we had done in the past 3 weeks since we last saw each other. Seira and I talked till about 2 this morn then she left and hopefully I'll see her when she visits Scotland next year probably. I've spent sunday with Chris and maybe tomorrow morn before I return to Blenheim and she stays for another week here till leaving for the home and the rest of the world.

Hope you have and still do have a great Easter.

nets and wires

2005-03-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

yes thats all I've done in the past week in the vineyard - securing nets to keep out the birds and lifting wires to train the trees to grow. Easily the hardest job was the wire lifting as the wires are quite tight and lifting them up the notches was really difficult. I have blisters on my hands where the wires went, luckily not as bad as the guys who ended up with cuts and burns from the wires. I did the hard job as well - the only girl that did it! It was ruddy difficult. Getting up in the morning was really difficult it hurt so much on my stomach, shoulders and back. But it was good to do. I also get paid today woopee! so I get $100 in tax taken off - goddamnit! Damn tax - when does it end!

Said goodbye to my pretend Dad yesterday - he went to Thailand! Stephen from Roxburgh who I've met 'occasionally' since then. my pretend Mum (Chris) is going in a few weeks time as well and when I leave the South Island in a few weeks I'll probably not see my pretend sister (Seira) for a long time either. Our little family is splitting up and we're all so sad. I'm going to try going to Christchurch over Easter and seeing Siera and Chris for the last time so all I have to do is check that a hostel can book me in at 11pm for two nights once the bus gets there - very difficlut usually for that time of night. I thought I would have Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday off but instead I only have Friday, Sunday and Monday - I have to work Saturday. So I have to book a bus to take me to Christchurch on next Saturday night. Then tell the others that I'm coming to see them.

The weather is taking a turn for the worse autumn has arrived and I'm starting to get cold at 20 degrees and under. I even have to wear jumper if it gets that cold!!! Can't wait to get back for the Scottish summer :-( What am I going to do???????

Ok enough from me - I'm going to go see "Finding Neverland" later tonight (or tomorrow as it's St. Paddy's day) as there is nothing to do in Blenheim except go to the pub, shop or go see a film. Deed Borin'! I saw "Meet the fockers" yesterday absolutely hilarious and defilitely worth seeing I'm quite upset I missed 'Bridget Jones 2' and 'Vanity Fair' but maybe I'll get to see them on dvd later.

Another job

2005-03-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

I am now in Blenheim (near the top of the South Island) and if youfind long words that don't make any sense really it's because the space bar on the computer in the hostel that I am using doesn't always like to work. I left Nelson on Monday and came to Blenheim.I had a very lazy day on Sunday as there is nothing to see in Nelson -it's a 'city' without character and no interesting sites except a cathedral that is not really the main focus of it. A city with shops and the centre of NZ point. Don't ask me how they calculate it being the centre but it is! I stood there on the 6th of March watching the sun come up tocelebrate it being 6months since I left Scotland.Now half the way round the world and standing on the centre of NZ with a very dangerous looking needle (at least a ton weight) ready the drop on my head seemed to be the perfect way to celebrate that time. So I went toBlenheim and in booking my hostel I asked the manager if there was work. On Monday I arrived at the hostel around 5 and after 2 hours or so later got told that I would be starting work on Tuesday and to be outside KFC (15min walk) at 6.30am. SoI was and on Tuesday I started working on vineyards. Nowit's sunday and I worked yersterday.Thankfully I have today off as I really need to clean the dirt,mud and dust off of my workclothes. Working is really good again as it's outside in the heat and doing jobs that require notmuch brains but more common sense -a very good thing tolearn as early on as possible. At the moment I am tying bird nets around the vines.Backbraking work but very good fun once you get the skelfs outof my hands (many and I can't be bothered to do it yet),and youdon't mind getting scratched to pieces. I also had a looka t myglasses today and for the first time ever they look like they've been worn as there are scratches on them and a chip out of the bottom fromgetting hit with a ball and the lense falling out while in Roxburgh. SO I'mquite proud of myself - you can't say that I've sat on my bum and studied my time away. :-) I alsowork for a different manager than most on the vineyard as everyone works forcontractors.Allof the casualworkerswork for a guynamed Karl (who I should alsowork for) but when I turned upon Tuesday he said he was too busy to talk tome ( the git)Iworked anyway as we alldo.And at work I saw some tax forms being handed out and took one and filled it in so now I work for someone named Ken who my supervisor works for. Karl,a sub-contracor is employed by Ken.Confused? Not as much as all the rest of the casual workers.But Iknow I'mgetting paid legit.and I can always get a lift towork.Thats something the others can'tguarantee.Although I gettoday off where they work but who's counting?!!!!!!

I have changed hostels since arriving here.The first hostel (Arrow backpackers) was horrible! There wasn't really a communal area we could all sit, the place was infested with flies after the food left outfromthe Asianswho cook and then leave in boxes everywhere. (not in every hostel-just that one).It is also infested with ants who - when I came back from doing a shop-I found running round my food.That was it once I'd found them and the fact that I could speak no English and never relax there I looked for another place. Son now I am on the other side of the main road, closer tomy pick-up for work and nearer town so food shopping is easier. There are not so manyflies here,food isn't everywhere with the scraps not getting cleaned up, no ants except the ones I have to clean off my clothes and bags (yeuuuuuukkkkkkk!!!!),and I can speak abit more English as thereare fewer Asians and a few more Germans.

Therefore that is myupdate - very boring for youtoread and probably notmaking anysense but tough - the computer is driving menutsI'll try for an internet cafe next time. Sohopefullynext time I write my update will make sense and also I MAY be picking grapes.

A quick update

2005-03-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

I can't even go into detail all that has happened since my last update so you will get the quick version which may be more than my own diary gets as I still haven't had time to write down everything - it's all just headings now and I have over 2 pages of them :-/

I left Roxburgh regrettably - the last day of work was Friday and we worked till 7 to finish a block it was really hard work and horrible having to say goodbye to all our friends and other workers. At night our manager at the orchard came round with drinks for us all - a really nice guy I'll miss him!

On Sunday Seira and I left for Dunedin - the manager of the hostel never even said goodbye because he was still being a real pain in the neck - the git!!! Seira is Japanese and the Japanese girls (mostly) all travel the same - massive suitcase and two extra bags - verry few travel with rucksacks though Seira is considering changing as she sees it is a lot easier. The other thing is that they all wear stripy pyjama bottoms - don't know why but it's a common occurence! Dunedin is really nice - very Scottish so my name is signed in the book in the Scottish shop. Guess what - they even sell Irn Bru (the real Barr's stuff) though it's really expensive and $10 for a tin of haggis???? Climbed the steepest street (very steep)! Played the piano in the backpackers - such a nice occurence even if I was rubbish! Spent the next day on the beach and chased the sun at night - good fun!

Then we went to Te Anau! And met up with friends that we left in Roxburgh (Chris and Stephen who are travelling togehter) The 4 of us camped for the next 4 nights together - one night spent on the Kepler track at the side of a beautiful lake with a really warm campfire. One spent in a holiday park as we were very smelly and in dire need of washing bodies and clothes. Also visited Milford Sound but it was ******* with rain so we didn't see more than the Harbour - no cruise! But we did go on the very scary road there and back with the car almost packing up and the brakes almost failing. Terrifying but funny to look back on!

After Te Anau the 4 of us went to Queenstown and met up with Giacomo (our Italian friend from Roxburgh) and had 2 drunken nights on the town. Staying in a horrible backpackers but having fun and watched the rugby. I had a great time watching the Scotland v Italy rugby match in the Irish pub with Giacomo as I already knew Scotland would beat Italy 18-10 after hearing the score by accident in the morn.

We said goodbye to Chris and Stephen and Seira and I went to Fox Glacier where as we were about to phone Chris and Stephen in the evening found them standing beside us as they had followed us up the road and they stayed another night with us. In the morning (after watching the sunset at Lake Matheson - the most famous mirror lake in NZ - and visiting the glowworm forest) we did a skydive over Mount Cook - the highest mountain in NZ - Mount Tasman - the 2nd highest - and Fox Glacier. Definitely the best way to see the glacier at 12,000ft in the air. freefall for 45 secs and then parachute down where I also got to direct the parachute for a bit. In the afternoon we walked up to the bottom of the glacier and saw it from the bottom - not quite as impressive but still brilliant.

Then I said goodbye to Seira in Hokitika and I went onto Greymouth for a few nights. The 2nd night I found out the dark history of the hostel (only changed about 2 or 3 months before - loud music and rent out bedrooms ----hint hint ------) so glad the new owners were there by the time I was! Also got talking to the father of the family that owned it and sat up part of the night talking to him and getting free drink.

Then after Greymouth I went to Nelson and in Nelson I am writing this. I arrived here last night and today went into the Abel Tasman National park and went swimming with seals. It was amazing you really don't realise how big they are until they are swimming not 1 metre from you. and how big their eyes are when they are staring right at you! WOW!

So now thats you all updated - if you have any questions please write in the comments section and I will get around to answering them in my next entry.

A wee holiday

2005-02-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

A the weekend there we were given Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off - the packhouse only Sunday. We used the time very profitably! On Friday it rained solid all day. On Saturday everyone had a long lie then at 2.15pm I was told that at 2.30pm we were leaving on the trip we'd been intending to take for a week or so. I did get ready in time but nobody got the energy to go till after 3. A wee road trip going North first and then round a few of the small villages on the way seeing some of NZ fantastic scenery. Then we started looking for a place to stay the night. Camping! After about 2 hours we found a brilliant spot - truly amazing once we explored it and stayed there. Although we were due for rain all night - the skies cleared and we were able to sit up all night and watch the stars, drinking into the late hours and talking even more.

The group which went were the 'oldies' : Me, Chris, Steven, Seira, Matt and Giacomo. Matt and Giacomo have since left us for the wider world than Roxburgh hopefully we may meet them some other time and have a catch-up. Chris, Steven. Seira and I leave on Sunday to go our separate ways into the world.

We set up camp in a flat land surrounded by pines which we camped under, with a campfire in the middle. I was beautiful the pines were in a circle and we had the stars above us in the middle, toasting sausages and marshmallows with chocloate sauce and drowned with beer (wine for me as I still can't quite get the beer thing). Talking about god knows what and having fun at what god would smite us from the earth for but all totally worth it!

About an hour after we set up the tent we heard a car passing us (strange as it was so secluded), the campfire was burning brightly but thankfully could not be seen from about a metre away from the road as it was a farmer telling us it was private property and couldn't camp there and under no circumstances could we light a fire as the grass was too long and it would be a fire hazard to the rest of the countryside. He didn't see it - any of it and we stayed the night, hidden from the world - just the 6 of us enjoying our time togther.

The next day we cooked and ate the rest of the food we brought for breakfast - eggs, noodles, beans, spagetti, bread and a lot more besides :-) It was very yummy and one of the best brekkies any of us have had in a long time. Then we had a quick clear-up (thank god) and left the area just as the farmer/owner turned up at a distance he couldn't follow us so we waved goodbye and headed for the coast.

We didn't swim - it was too darn cold. but I (just I) paddled in the sea and then sat on the beach with the rest enjoying the sun. We had a little trip down the coast then with the flat blue sea on one side and the hills and fields on the other. Then after a few hours (and taking the next inland road - there are very few roads in South Island only in the towns and cities can you go anywhere you want) we headed back to Roxburgh. As we went inland the clouds appeared and as we got into Central Otago (supposedly the sun central of South Island) the black clouds came and the rain dropped heavily. We wanted to turn back and never return but we braved it and got back to Roxburgh. Meeting the new people that are invading the hostel and not talking to us was strange on Sun night as they were right in their assumption we were all crazy!!!

Got to go before I spend far, far too much money here and I will write again when I am in Dunedin (possibly) and not in Roxburgh (maybe forever). So say your last fond farewells to Roxburgh because I will be here no more - watch out the rest of the world. :-)

My back, My back, my back

2005-02-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

Yes we are still picking apricots (and occasionally cherries - but they have now finished). The picking gets easier on a strip pick as you take everything off the tree and it is sooooooo good. the bags also seem lighter by the time you have picked many days worth. Yesterday I picked 83 bags 830kg of apricots and made about $100 yippee! today we were not strip picking to begin with but on first pick - colour picking. This is definetely not fun as there is too much to do in checking the colour before you put it in your bag or worse still take it off the tree. However that changed later to a strip pick - thank God!

A few of our number have left us and we have new people in who don't like mixing or even trying to talk to us so the 'oldies' tend to keep to ourselves as well - but not by choice. Two nights ago Giacomo, an Italien, had a birthday and we made a cake (lots of fun making a chocolate mousse) and decorated it. It looked very nice and he was so surprised it made it all worth while. However when it came to eating it (I had jelly to contend with as I can't eat the cake even if I did help make it) we managed a lot of it but got slightly distracted when it turned into a food fight in the garden. Cake, chocolate mousse, jelly, cream, chocolate sauce went flying everywhere - it was so much fun. Then once the 'newbies' had disappeared and we were sitting outside still enjoying the night we got soaked by a game played by all of us suggested by Chris (the little terror) She was the only one not soaked as she was the one who soaked us!!! We didn't know about the soaking to begin with and Matt, Steven, Seira, Giacomo and me got quite a shock - but it was utterly hilarious. Then we watched the stars and caught the occasional shooting star sitting up very late and still being tired by the time we went to bed (and through the next day). Yesterday was pancake Tuesday - upheld even if the rest of the country and most others have never heard of it. There were loads of pancakes and lots of toppings so it was nice to bake togehter again (something we haven't done for a long while together) I had to go to bed early as 2 nights being very late in a row and picking apricots dring the day is not good for you!!!

On a not so much fun note. Fraser the manager of the hostel is trying top chuck out the 'oldies' - he has being hinting at it for a few weeks and has taken the liberty of pencilling in the dates we are leaving even if we haven't said anything. Not because we are trouble makers or are causing any trouble at all but (we think) because we're not interested in our big days out sitting in coffee shops and marvelling at the baristas style of serving - how ruddy boring can you get! Or the fact that we don't over marvel on the fantastic dishes that are in the hostel that he buys - it's a backpackers has nobody informed him - matching white plates and Italien glasses don't quite suit us!!! So this is our last weekend together (the 'oldies') as we are sick of him and next weekend we will all be leaving if we haven't already left (a very, very sad thought) So we are trying to have the weekend off and go a trip together one last time.

So enjoy lent and all the fasting - I know you will do your best!!!

and it broke!

2005-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

The weather has broken at last yippeeeeeee!!!! We are now sweating and scorching like ....... something very warm and sweaty :-D 32degrees sometimes as high as 35degrees and we have to work in it! Wow! Only once have I just about collapsed and my supervisor came to my rescue with water over the head and neck (I didn't realise what was happening just that I was getting very dehydrated, annoyed and grumpy) What's new there as the manager likes to call me "cheeky" for my outrageous comments to him! Hee Hee!

WHAT WAS I saying about the weather - right now it is pouring with rain with the middle of a Thunder storm - How am I going to get back as I'm in a wee simmit!! and I'm going to gat soaked.

The fruit has changed slightly as we have now started picking apricots as well. 10kg bags and going up and down a ladder sometimes without holding on to anything when going up the last 2 steps - it's quite a feat with fresh air in front of you!!! Also for all you cheap skates who think a NZ apricot is dear to buy I get paid $1.50 a 10kg bag and that is the top pice it can go as low as 90cents for the bag. The most I have picked yet is 45 bags - starting at 7 in the morn and going to 4.30 at night as waether is too hot to work longer. Terrible pay but I'm not the only one who can't do better most of us are on the same rate of picking. But I couldn't go into the packhouse and work it's too awful to try to explain how boring it looks even if it is good pay plus overtime I couldn't stand not being outside. I did get my best pay last week though since I started working here in NZ because I got better wages than hourly rate picking cherries. Yippee that means a trip to the pub!!!

It's getting quite lonely in our hostel now as some of our long timers are leaving. Paul (not so long) was first to go. Then Ken and Miyoshi (Ken was our longest resident almost 4 months) left as well. My adopted sister (Seira) is leaving in a few weeks and I'm really going to miss her a lot. Steven a week later and my german (moaner) friend maybe another month or two. So I'm also thinking on leaving as well as it just won't be the same ans I really do have to move as I look at the road out of Roxburgh some nights and look at the hills to try seeing whats past them - a definite sign of me wanting to move. So I'm now working to make some money (doubtful) and work out what I want to say to everyone when I leave (God knows when yet though - so if I'm still here in a few months time tell me to get my ass out of Roxburgh)

I think thats all I want to say cos my trip to Wanaka was not very exciting when we lost the other car that was going 30 mins in and then ended up on the beach watching beautiful scenery and talking to the other carload on the phone (once we realised we had a number) to meet up in Cromwell (half way back again). The other car went to Queestown and had a very boring day! Haa Haa.

It begins, stops and begins again

2005-01-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

I'm talking about the cherry picking. We did start picking cherries on Fri last week - lasted 4 hours and then the cherries ran out as we were colour picking. This is really difficult. So we got Fri afternoon off and we used it wisely as it was the best day I've seen since I first arrived in Roxburgh. (Sun spilt the skies from morning to night and we saw fewer than 10 clouds in the day) We spent the afternoon at the side of the River playing frisbee, sunning and playing at the side of the water as it is too fast to swim in. We did manage a few water fights as well so my wonderful colourful knickers were on show through my shorts, again!!! :-) oh dear!!! I also got a gash on the side of my ankle and a big bruise is still developing 4 days later when I kicked water at a good friend and bashed it off a rock. The next day we started again in another block of cherries and it was a better day we worked form 8 in the morn till 5.30 in the afternoon. I picked 11 5kg buckets in that time. That may not seem a lot but as the top picker got 17 and I matched some of the boys an dbetter than most girls so I don't feel too bad. Plus we pick at $1.50 a kilo. On Sunday we started earlier as the heat on the day before had got oppresively bad. We started at 7.30 am and worked till 4pm not a bad day and I managed 12 buckets. Today (monday) the rain that was predicted was correct and it bucketed down. So at 6am when I got up, I had some breakfast, watched a movie, answered the phone to some orchard owners phoning to say work would be dalyed and went back to bed. When I woke at 10am the sun was splitting the skies and really warm (very bad weather for cherries), and we got told to start work at 12.30. We did and lasted 20-30 mins before the heavens opened and we got told to stop, Thank God! It was freezing! When we got back to the hostel we were joined later by everyone else who was working and we watched a movie. Since then (about 2pm) the sun has not stopped shining and we are all annoyed at this dratted weather. Tomorrow we start again at 7.30am - weather dependent!

The bit that I missed is that we got told how to wear the bucket harnesses properl;y so guess what it doesn't hurt so much until your bag is almost full. The worst thing that our manager, Mark, pointed out was that when wearing the harness you walk around and possibly look like a pregnant woman so I'm definitely off that idea as it is the worst weight in the world to lug around so ruddy awkward especially when climbing and your back hurts enormously when at full term!!! :-)

Cherries, cherries, cherrrriiiieeeeessssss

2005-01-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

Guess what - cherry season has started :-)

We have been thinning cherries for ages now (over a week) this means taking off all of the cherries that have split due to the amount of rain we've had in the past while. The cherries need sun, and warmth (a bit like the rest of us) and a lot have split when the rain and sun got to them. But two days ago we had a spell picking cherries for the local market - this means that we can put cherries that have only small splits and dry splits in the basket rather than only cherries that are all perfect. The baskets we have to carry get to 5 kilos of weight of cherries before we can put them down and fill another. This might not sound a lot of weight but when you're climbing ladders with it strapped infront of you and all the weight pulling on you're shoulders it doesn't half hurt. I spent two nights after work having to get my shoulders and back massaged before the pain went away. Lucky I have a very nice friend who does it for me. It was very hard work picking those cherries - some rows I had to walk past at least half the row without picking a single cherry as the trees were empty and on most of the other trees I went up to pick one or two fruit - One would be split or picked at by a ruddy bird, the other would occasionally be good or worse you'd drop the ruddy cherry. To say the least by night time we were all exhausted and sick to death of cherries - me more so because I couldn't even eat the good ones or the ones not so good!! The only good thing about it was that we were on an hourly rate because the trees were so bad. The rest of the week we went back to thinning more blocks of the damn cherries.

Today we got the afternoon off as we start picking cherries on contract rates tomorrow - thankfully in the cherry blocks we have been thinning which are full of fruit. The hard parts of tomorrow will be the weight problem, colour picking and speed. Colour picking is when you pick the cherries that are ready and leave the unripened ones on till the next picking. This is quite difficult as you cannot pick a cherry and put it in your basket if it does not have a stem on it. So if you pick a cherry without a stem then you eat it, drop it or keep it till later. So I need good luck for the next 3 weeks or so till the cherries finish. But due to the lateness of the cherries the apricots are reckoned to be ready in almost a week so that is going to be hell trying to pick cherries and work in the packhouse for the apricots. Ah well - I'll have to wait and see, and you'll need to keep reading to keep up to date.

I made my first cherry pie last night - delicious! I can't wait for the next one!! hee heee heeeee!!!

The sun is also out we have a very nice high pressure sitting over us at the moment meaning yesterday we had the hottest weather in NZ - alomost 30 degrees or over. It didn't really feel that hot though just very nice and warm. So come on weather keep it going :-)

You may think me pretty heartless in never having mentioned this before now but I have had my reasons. The tsunami - you've all heard it by now. I wanted to find out if all my family was ok (which they are thank god) and that I could think about friends (I've met since travelling) who may be there as some intended going without to much worry - I know no more about them but you can only imagine how many travellers are missing in such a case, for some their families wouldn't even know if they were going to Indonesia or India. I don't need to say any more whatever you think I should be saying - you're tv will already be telling you as it is in NZ.

So I will update soon as to my trials and tribulations of cherry picking (in a few weeks time probably) as we are intending working fri, sat, sun, mon, tue, wed, thur, fri, sat, sun at least without a break if the sun shines!

Write up, Round up!

2005-01-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve I worked in the orchard till 3pm. I was working with Ken the Korean singing Christmas carols all day. He loves music and it's fun singing English words trying to keep the tune in your head while Ken sings in Korean to the same tune. Very off putting but very funny. Then after I went to Alex and did Christmas food shopping with Steven, Seira, Ken and Myoshi laughing all the way about lovebites on Ken's neck (from Myoshi) and dancing to the Christmas album - the only time I've heard it this year. We stayed up very late into Christmas morning making food and preparing for the next day's dinner. I never made anything then as mine had to be made on the day but I enjoyed watching everyone else cooking and seeing the different foods of Japan, Germany and Korea.

Christmas morning I got up very early (6am - I got to bed about 2) and started cooking which took me 2 hours. Then I got changed and went to mass - which was very nice as it was so busy with children so I couldn't hear what was being said half the time.

When I got out of mass the sun had appeared AND it stayed all day. WOW! We have been rained off almost every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and 2nd Jan what horrible weather. But at least we get good weather of the 'famous' days. We had Christmas dinner/lunch at 3pm and after. Dessert was started about 10pm with champagne toasts after that! I never saw my bed till about 5am. There were picts taken of the night sky, of juggling, of old friends returned for dinner, of new people only in a few days and lots more besides! The drink flowed and flowed and flowed till we could drink no more only stagger to the tap for water and we had eaten so much we camped out on the floor cos we needed our 'bellyout time' (that is an actual Dutch phrase for the relaxing time after a meal) and we all revelled in it! There were many helpings and so much food made that it lasted at least another three days. The limbo competition was not much fun for the competitors but very funny watching after I'd dropped out! At least it was won by a girl!

Boxing Day was very, very relaxing as none of us were too much bothered to do anything energetic. We did follow local tradition round here and go to the Miller's Flat Boxing Day Rodeo. It was good fun we saw the last 5 of the 14 acts as we were all too lazy to go on time. It was a real rodeo - none of the safety enhanced boring stuff you see in Britain but real people getting almost trampled on by bulls, thrown off in very painful ways and cowboys strutting around in their slacks, boots, hats etc.

We did work during the week - for 5 hours on Wed and 1 1/2 on Thurs till we got rained off. As it had been raining during the night on Thursday our nectarine trees which we were summer pruning were very wet and Ken (thinking it was funny) sneaked up behind us shaking the trees putting great big, freezing cold drops down on us. My jumper was so soaked by lunchtime I had to take it off and eat my lunch freezing cold - next time I really do need to remember to take my rain jacket but it really is very uncomfortable and awkward to work in.

I won't bore you with another update on my bunjy jump but I will tell my story of New Year's Eve after the jump.

We went to the pub fir the bells. They were late!! It was after 12 before Steven gave up and started the countdown - then when the band finished their song they started the countdown. So I've had at least 2 countdowns into 2005 both of which were late. Christmas and New Year are nowhere near as built up as in Britain. Here, as I found out at mass on sunday, that one guy (Ok - he is the scary guy who tries to take an interest in me way to much) was on the internet when MSN reminded him that it was almost 12. How sad is that???!!!!!! We stayed in the pub for a few more hours drinking more than we really should but enjoying it and dancing with the locals - laughing at the absurdities. Then we headed back to the hostel, unfortunately followed by the creep Malcolm and his unfortunate brother. When we managed to get rid of them we (sorry I as it seems I was the main enforcer in the plan) suggested walking up the hill that is directly behind the hostel to watch the sun rise.

Steven, Matt (the English guy), Seira and I all set off for a wee trek. Matt and I armed with torches and Steven without a jacket and in his socks, believing that he didn't need shoes (he's still pulling the thorns from his feet). There is no path (that we knew about) up the hill so went straight through the grass and bushes pulling ourselves up with them. Steven decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and off he set (he really had had a lot to drink), soon we could hear nothing of him and we were only half way up. Matt, Seira and I were climbing by ourselves occasionally shouting Steven's name waiting for a reply - nothing. I was at the back of the line pushing Seira when suddenly I heard crashing through the undergrowth behind us. I started asking who it was my torch trained on the spot, hoping it was Steven when Malcolm ugly head appeared. He'd dropped his brother at home and was following us - without a reason. Malcolm scares Seira and me at the best of times therefore ona hill in the pitch black with Steven still missing and him racing towards us was not good! He did come with us up the hill. Seira and I were gettign more and more worried about Steven as we'd heard nothing in about 20 mins and we were nearer the top. To say the least with Malcolm suggesting which way to go and being a pain suggesting things about where Steven had gone Seira and I were almost at breaking point. She had lost her gran during the week - to lose a backpacker friend on top of that ( as there seemed only two possiblities - he'd fallen or gone back) was not good. All of sudden Paul (the other Irish guy staying) was behind us and I explained what was wrong. We then tried to phone the hostel to find out if Steven had gone back and Malcolm had his phone. Funnily enough Malcolm's phone had run out of battery. Thoughts of Horror Movies were drifting through my head with Malcolm as the killer as it is well known he has a crush on Seira ( not a good crush either).

We called out Steven's name shouting and shouting, looking behind us at the hill that went up further incase he'd been stupid enough to try climbing it, flashing our torches to show our position and try attracting his attention if he was on the hill or at the hostel. At least the lights could be seen being buzzed about. I prayed for a miracle as that was the only way I could see of us finding Steven alive. I turned round and looked at the middle of the slope and there was Steven - Miracles come in all sizes we really did have a miracle then as he'd fallen asleep on the hill waiting for us to 'catch him up' and was frozen. He joined us at the top of the hill and Paul who'd been searching just above him shouted that he'd fallen and lost his glasses. So Paul and I (once I reached him) began looking for his glasses luckily he found them - therefore all we lost that night was Steven's hat and the sunrise as it was so cloudy it never really rose till midday.

To get down the hill was no easy task - either climb to the road and take the long way down or go straight down the hill. So after the careful planning of a moment in our desparation to get off the hill we sat on our asses and slid the whole way down. Stopping occasionally to remove painful wedgies, disentangle ourselves from bushes, avoid the rocks and check that we hadn't burned holes in the seats of our trousers. We did get covered in seeds from the grass and mud. At the bottom of the hill we had to jump over the electric fence, climb more fences into people's gardens, and sneak through them very quietly - which is quite a feat when the alcohol hasn't worn off!

When we got back to the hostel we were laughing too much about it and Malcolm started trying to moan at us because he had to work that day - none of us cared too much and laughed at him as it had been his idea to climb it anyway we definetely had not invitied him!

We slept very late that day and only rose to sleep in the sun that was out in the afternoon! An activity that has been continued to now and till Wed at least!!! (Or at least when the sun's out)

a flying end to the year

2005-01-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!!!

I hope you all had a great Hogmanny. I had a fantastic end to the year. It was absolutely pouring in Roxburgh (what a surprise!) so a few of us went to Queenstown. It was my first time there. The scenery in Queenstown in gorgeous there is a slight feeling of the Canadian Rockies with the Remarkable Mountains circling around it and the lake in the middle. As Queenstown is the party capital here then everyone was down for the New Year perty! We spent half an hour looking for a parking space and we weren't the only ones about 1000 other cars as well! We had coffee - saw the lake and some clouded mountains. Not much! Then went shopping at the food place here and I had to tear myself away from the chocolate flavour soy ice cream as I still have vanilla at home and Alex doesn't do chocolate. That took a lotta lotta effort! But the views outside the supermarket were fantastic. Lord of the rings Rohan ideas and a lot more besides - got a few piccies. Then on our way back we stopped to watch some people doing the bridge Bunjy jump. It looked really good fun and some of us were agreeing that we may like to do it - I definetly wanted to do it SOOOO I DID IT!!!! I jumped 34metres off a bridge with a rope attached to my feet!!!! It was blooming amazing -I soooooo want to do it again!

I had no bother signing up to do it it only cost $140 with the t-shirt. I didn't pay for the photos nor the cd of me diving off the bridge but I did get a friend to film it on my camera and he did a fantastic job!! I didn't have to wait in a queue as there was none. I paid, went to the toilet (cos you just HAVE to), showed Steven how to work my film, and went to the bridge. Paul (another Irish guy) came with me cos I can't jump with my glasses on and I couldn't judge my nerves on the stairs without glasses. [I've got more jumpy nerves writing this than I had before doing the jump] I then got tied up and talked slightly nervous chatter to the safety people - you just do, Thank God you never see them again otherwise I'd be soo embarrassed. Then jumped to the edge of the platform as my feet are tied together. I got the countdown to jump ......wave to the camera, wave to the people watching .........3.....2.....1...and a slight nudge in my back! I din't jump - I just wasn't ready! Fixed my belt (just a wee bit tighter) prepared to fly and jumped. OOOOOOOHHHHHHH MMMMMMMYYYYYYYYY GGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!! It was amazing! I felt so heavy as I floated out horizontally and then total weightlessness as I began plumetting towards the river below. I lasted a few seconds then the fear grabbed me and I screamed, screamed and screamed. I felt the pull of the rope - ever so slight at first, getting stronger and stronger and your still heading to the water. Then up, up and away getting very, very near the bridge again, twisting and twisting in the air. Down again YYYIIIIIIPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! WWWWWOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!! Down, down and up again. Very elegant backflips, twisting turning never any control! THEN I realised that the jeans I was wearing had slipped the wrong way and were heading ever closer down (or up the way I was hanging) and my t-shirt, tucked in for the jump, had come loose and was drifting further up (down). More and more flesh, Damn so in between swings I had to try tucking it in again. But everytime I reached the bottom and swung up again the t-shirt came loose again. I was laughing so much! I saw the boat come closer to get me in and then I heard them tell me to grab the pole as I went past. I got a hold of it but swung round and round and round before I got a good enough hold of it to grab someone else's hands to be pulled into the raft. Lie down and get untied, while trying to fix my trous and t-shirt. Let's just say I was ever so slightly unsuccessful till I stopped shaking a wee bit! When I got to the shore and climbed out of the raft and started walking up the stairs I was still giggling, giggling and giggling away. I DID IT!!!!!!!!! I Ann Miller actually jumped off that bridge and have done a bungy jump and enjoyed every minute of it! I met Paul halfway up and he gave me my glasses back but not before a hug cos I was still shaking and laughing. I met the rest of my friends at the top and got a few more hugs and congrats. Thankfully I did jump cos you don't get your money back but it was damn well worth it and the video of my jump is brilliant, 30secs of fun!

I couldn't stop smiling the whole way home I was so happy and so nervous!

I'm going to have to go and get some lunch and when I come back (possibly another day) I'll tell you of my Christmas day and New Year - yes I know it's out of sequence but ..... tough! One thing I know is that was the best way I could ever think of to the end of 2004 - the year of dream endings!

Christmas Edition

2004-12-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to one and all!

I have had another week of a variety of jobs - some interesting, some boring but all very hard work.

I started off thinning apple trees again on monday and tuesday. On wednesday I was pruning cherry trees and securing bird nets around the cherry trees. On thursday I was securing the nets for an hour and then spreading fertilizer pellets on young or underdeveloped trees (about 3000 or more of them) On friday I was summer pruning the apple trees. Quite a mixture I think! My favourite had to be spreading the fertilizer as it involved sitting on the back of a trailer being pulled by a bike buggy. This job also had to be the most invloving and tiring as well. Sometimes the bike got stuck in the mud that has been created due to the large amount of rain we are still getting and we had to push the buggy through the mud. So my shoes came out very bad as I was in up to my ankles and lucky enough not to take a header into it - which was very (if not too) close sometimes. The pruning of the cherry trees was the worst job I had as I had to cut off branches that were loaded with unripe fruit if they were too low to the ground; this might seem easy if you knew you didn't have to pick cherries in a few weeks time and what you were cutting off is a lot of money!! But I did it with all of the unease and fun of working on my own again!

On saturday there was a Barbeque at the orchard for the workers - a christmas party affair! That started at 5 where there was a mix-up as to who was bringing the BBQ and so the food wasn't cooked till near 8 o'clock. To say we were all starving by that time is putting it lightly!! However the party did take off when the dancing started, the drink flowed well and the rain stopped long enough for a few minutes to stand in the sun. The backpackers (myself included) left after 10 adn then went to the pub for a while till it closed and then the party moved to the hostel till we dropped like flies and I headed to bed after 5! I just love Kiwi BBQ's!!!

Sunday again has been spent in the park playing football - though I lasted a few minutes after I felt the strain in my leg after last weeks playing start trying to re-occur. So I lay in the 'sun' with a few of the others and watched the games.

The christmas tree has arrived and is sitting in a corner, undressed and beginning to droop as nobody has worked the energy to dress it or put it in sugar water and sand!! But the turkey has been ordered and the ham is still to be found and christmas dinner is being awaited like cherries!!!!!

So I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a lot of snow for some festive cheer!!

a weekly update

2004-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

it's sunday again another week has gone past!

It's been a week of different jobs. On monday I was put back onto apple thinning but thankfully only baby trees. At a $1 each I managed 150 over two days yippee! On Wednesday I was moved onto adult trees which were massive and managed about 13 of them - hopefully the price will reflect the effort that had to be put in! On Thursday I changed jobs again! I could only have done so well thanks to having my thumb covered, index and middle knuckles covered in microtape as the apples turn skin to hard skin and leave bruises you didn't realise were possible on your hands. Thank God I was working with Carol as she is very knowledgable about such matters for making life easier on yourself.

I felt like I had done three very tough Johnstone shows solid plus a strip set for 8 hours I was that exhausted when I got back to the hostel. In the morning we (Chris, myself and Carol, our supervisor) were dealing with the bird nets covering the cherry trees. Chris and Carol mended the bird nets where there were holes - this involves stitching them up sometimes without needles. I ended up securing the nets at the bottom so no birds could sneak through and that there was enough tension in them so as they couldn't blow about in the wind. This means that I had to pull the nets very tight (and they are tough little ***** sometimes) while Robert (guy I was working with) stitched the bottom in tight using wire. Then we had to lift logs (cut down Poplar trees) onto a truck then load them onto the extra netting on the ground and roll them into place. Then cover the gaps with boulders so no sneaky birds get through. I felt like a packhorse sometimes. I did manage to end up with some enormous skelfs in my hands though as the gloves I borrowed off Robert I kept forgetting to put on! Some have still not healed and are very painful! Damn, more injuries :-) In the afternoon (after 3 o'clock break) I had to sweep out a very dusty workshed with Chris and Carol so we could fold the new rain covers to be put over the cherries. Folding them made Johnstone curtains a skoosh!!!!!!!! Especially as your working with people who aren't used to folding BIG items. They are also very heavy so to say the least by Thursday night I was exhausted. Shifting logs, shifting curtains all day made Ann very tired. Therefore nobody can be surprised that all I wanted to do when I got back was just to sit down.

When I did get to my room I got a very nice surprise when I spotted a card waiting for me from Britain. Thank you to my friends back home who sent my that christmas card it cheered me up no end on a hopeless day! To let you understand anyone who gets mail from home in the hostel hides for a wee while to read up the news and get the most. Mail is so wonderful - never let the e-mail decieve you!

On friday it rained and on saturday it rained and on sunday it's still raining! On friday we watched 4 DVD's. On saturday we did Brazilian dancing and went to Alexandra. So there a few people shocked that I can dance with the Brazilians as it's very easy for me!!!!!!!! Thanks Mum and Dad - it's the only time I can say that for the classes!! So on Christmas day we'll probably have more dancing! On sunday we spent the afternoon at the school in the playing fields - would you ever have guessed that I'm rubbish at football ;-D

the day after the night before

2004-12-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a very big party in the hostel - organised because two of our number are leaving for Britian to live (one Dutch and the other Brazilian). It was a very good barbeque bar the fact that the sun shining in the morning while we were working disappeared to be replaced be the heaviest downpours I've seen here for a week or so (especially during the day) It did not let up all afternoon and into the night (or this morning). We had loads of food, loads of people, loads of drink and lots of fun. How many parties do you get to where some of the evenings entertainment includes whipping each other with towels and listening to see who gets the best crack off the towel. At the last 'fight' between Kiwi and Irish - (stephen)Irish was winning until (Eric) Kiwi drew blood with the towel. It hurts quite badly when it hits you correctly and the Korean (Ken) gets the best crack to scare the living daylights out of you! However us girls did put up a bit of a fight (AND without bragging too much I, of course, am the best of the girls) and we fought hard. I have also lost the 10 of Hearts out of my pack of cards from them being used as weapons to be thrown at each other. Incase you are wondering if we are all hard assed and crazy we aren't we did play some other games and did have long converstaions but they are not as fun. I was last to bed as 3 of us got left and decided to have a hot drink before bed being the good kiddies that we are! So at 2.30 this morning I got to bed and was first up at 8am as the guy sleeping above me was talking in his sleep and keeping me awake!

Crazy Ken is also resident magician, pen spinner, card tricks and anything else he tries.

Other nights entertainment this week have been (excluding watching Dvd's) watching Eric and Ken get their hair shaved (to a No.2 as I have been informed). It was a real shame to watch Ken get his done as he had gorgeous long hair and now looks totally different. The army style!

At work I am working with Chris and we get through a block or two a week in the orchard - clearing up the mess left by another supervisor (my old one who is in my very bad books at the moment for reasons not to be stated here!) Occasional mistakes by people we don't mind but blatent rubbish work we hate! Sometimes I see missing bunches before Chris and she sometimes sees some that I miss so we get on very well working together.

Just a wee note (3 weeks to Christmas) now you've read it you can get worried.
Have a good week :-)

my first skydive

2004-11-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

In case you thought I was being totally lazy on a saturday - I'm not! I did have my first skydive on saturday - from the top of my ladder!!! I went up to the top to clear a branch of apricots (as I've been put back on them, away from apples, cos I wasn't earning enough, so I'm now on an hourly wage - yippee!!) and got hold of the branch and then hit the ground. None of my life flashed before my eyes, I only found myself splayed on the ground feeling very painful. I also had to force myself to breathe as it was very painful. I did get up after a few anxious moments and walk away. Then after a few minutes I got back up my ladder (to the very top again) and continued thinning. Luckily no ambulance, doctor or worse (new specs) were needed!

The next day (today) I got up with great difficulty and now have a lump on my neck where it's been strained, a sore lower back, extreme shoulder stiffness - but a few painkillers later and some Vicks for colds and musclular pain and I'm ready to face the day!

So that's about all that's been happening lately - not very interesting!!! :-)

Work, off for rain, too cold because it snowed just above us in the hills, watching the UEFA game on the TV and you know pretty most of my last week.

High speed internet is now installed in Roxburgh so this is better and I can check my e-mails as well quickly - very sweet!!!! Got to go and rest for tomorrows work again!!!

Did the earth move for you too?

2004-11-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

Damn Damn Damn the server just shut off and I lost HALF AN HOUR"S Typing so excuse me if this is long cos I'm not paying any more time! I had just finished and was saving it when it ***************** disappeared!!!

We had an earthquake this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was brilliant!!!!!

I thought someone was in the next room making the bed and shaking the wall and so making the couch vibrate. When someone else said the same and they weren't near the wall I looked outside and everything was shaking! It was amazing! I have still to find out the magnitude but it won't be much! But it sure was fun! If had been stronger and I had known what was going on I would have made for the doorway but otherwise it was great! All I have to see now is a volcanic eruption and a tornado and then I'll be happy. :-)

Anyway! another week has gone past! Not much has happened! The pay is still really bad and I'm still working from 7.30am till 5pm but not for long! Soon I'll be on hourly wages as I'm being taken off thinning trees to do summer pruning because the managers don't trust boys. Last year the boys - on finding out they were on hourly rates - did a really bad job but got good pay! so this year they are taking only girls to do it! My first 'girly' job! On saturday I went to Alexandra with a number of people from the hostel and did some shopping and sightseeing. I didn't get much that would interest you just some stuff that has come in very useful - like a tape stereo, to block out the annoying people in the orchard! The tapes that I got were: Village People, and Pink. Before you laugh (or after) they were the only tapes I could get that weren't chrissy music or classical. We ended up playing frisbee in the park after. The Japanese girls haven't played it too often so some are better than others so it was fun esp as we had to run everywhere to collect the frisbee as we were so spread out! At night we went to the pub and played pool so again I won by fluke! On Sunday I got locked out of the hostel after Mass. I went to Mass and was invited to join the parish in celebrating the First Communion of 3 kids so I went and when I returned to the hostel I found it locked and I had no keys and for once no one had left a window open! It was quite good getting to meet the rest of the Parish and I may go to dinner with a family before I leave Roxburgh. South Islanders are soooo nice - it's amazing. SO when everyone did return after a long walk I could get my sleeping bag washed as I had been intending to do for some time. Only it didn't dry in time and I spent the night with hardly any sleep as I was so cold. At night the temp drops to about 7 degrees (so it does cheer me up that you are getting minus encounters) and during the day between 14 and 28 degrees. On Monday I went to work in a new block and thinned very few apple trees for very little pay - though I wasn't the only one to do so little. Out of our car load everyone else thinned the same number for the same pay - this week I think we'll be skint! It's raining today so no work and the weather is not looking good for the rest of the week. Damn!

I think I've remembered everything from my last writing up of this entry - even if it isn't as well written or as entertaining!

I gave up on the no fast food and had a chippy the other day - the first one in a long while but it was soo worth it! Anyway I'm going home to look out for some more impending weather situations and get some food! :-D

a big loss of apricots

2004-11-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

Yippeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

I've now finished with apricots!!!!

But have started on Nectarines which are smaller (which means I don't have to stand on the top of my ladder waving my hands on the air trying to reach the top branches o tip toes) but they have more leaves and the fruit is stickier and harder to take off. This means I spend more time dangling on the top pulling it off or bending over. I'm taking my flying-ballerina test in a few days as I've had so much practice thankfully I don't have to wear a tutu! I am now having fruit throwing competitions with a girl working 2 rows over though! So between my singing lessons, juggling practice and being annoyed at stupid people playing the radio, I'm also doing well at scoring. The guy working the line next to me at the moment is a punk fan!!! This means we get snippets of lines that can't be repeated. Therefore Siera (the girl I throw nectarines at, and share a room with) ends up in fits of laughter at the boys singing which unfortunately happens to be very infectious. Hopefully tomorrow I'll finish that line and we can move to apples on monday. I'm taking saturday off for a wee rest.

Other than that not much is happening. One of the Japanese girls has left and we have two more Brazilians boys with us (one in the 'girls' dorm - 'girls', only because it has been for so long a girls dorm). Eric our resident kiwi camper is back after a trip away walking between jobs. So it is all boring enough to send you to sleep.

A great wee town! And I haven't eaten fast food for at least 3 weeks. How strange! I cook all my meals but I don't think I like the 'unavoidable' health kick as I'm usually too tired to cook but I manage. Going now to have some chicken and god knows what!!!!!! :-)

rain stops play

2004-11-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

well I've got most of this afternoon off as it is raining - thank god I am not in the mood to work!!!

I'm sorry if you think I am neglecting you all it is really not intended but as I start work at 7.30 in the morn and finish at 5 it is difficult to find the energy to get to the internet place for 8 having gotten washed as well!!! It is only open 3 to 8 mon to fri so it is not easy fitting it in to my very hectic schedule.

I did not do very much this weekend I was very boring as I worked on Saturday (therefore I worked Sun to Sat solid without a day off!!) I did have a wee medical emergency during the week though as I got a bit of something in my eye and had to get a lift in a truck to the orchard office for an eyewash - now almost a week later my eye is still bloodshot. Woops! I also managed to get a mosquito bite earlier! Thankfully though in the scorching weather we have had recently I have not been burnt once! (touch wood)

My cooking skills are getting better so please send me some more recipes especially as Christmas is coming. Thank you so much to you for sending me some already!!!

Therefore other than that I have not done very much. Last Friday was bonfire night as you all know so we had bonfire night here as well. There is only one night per year that you are allowed to burn outside here that was on Friday. The orchard had a fireworks night complete with a massive bonfire - it looked fantastic! Outside a ten feet high, 5 metres wide bonfire that you had to stand back from because the heat was so intense. Pitch black in grass shin high while the other workers kids run about with sparklers in the near darkness. Once darkness did fall the fireoworks started and the drinks were flowing well. [Lifts to the toilet also stopped and therefore walking into the long dark grass was slightly common and rather weird but we all have these slight urges occasionally ;-) ] It was a fantastic night - I wish I could have more bonfire nights like it! The only thing missing was the stars as it was really cold (like Scotland) and overcast but we get to see them every other night :-)

We only have space for 13 people in the hostel but now more as someone is camping outside. I am now on the bottom bunk (yippeee!!!!) as another moved to sleep in her van when parked in th garage. But the hostel is pretty much full all the time as it is the best in the town!! There are also 8 Japanese girls staying in the hostel so my Japenese is better than when I left home but as you can guess nowhere near great. so goodbye for now and send me some fun recipes onyguyshimass (please)

2004-10-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

It seems the post I tried to enter last night has disappeared so I'm slightly upset! I only hope that this one works otherwise I'll be furious!!!!!

I'm living in Roxburgh at the moment which is half way between Invercargill (the very bottom), Dunedin (the Scottish city) and Queenstown (the adventure town).

I left Auckland on Tuesday last week at 8pm on the bus to Wellington. I got there at 6 in the morn so I saw a bit of Wellington before getting the ferry to Picton at 2. I stayed in Picton overnight then travelled to Christchurch on the 10.30am bus. Stayed the night in a hostel in Christchurch where it was three tier bed bunks (this was after the night before in Picton when I had to jump up to the top bunk) Luckily I got on the second tier bed or so I thought - the second one you have to swing round the ladder onto missing the wooden slats in the bottom where the mattress doesn't meet. Joy oh Joy! I also went to the cinema there and saw In my FAthers Den - what a good movie!!! But I was on my own - a wee norm!!!!! I got the bus to Queenstown the next day. I thought the bus left at 10.30 same as the day before. I was so glad I woke up an hour earlier than my alarm at half six and decided to check my home made rota to find the bus left at 7. Therefore I had to pack my bag and grab brekkie is such a hurry that I never washed as I didn't have time. Two days travelling without washing - what a lovely traveller I am :-D On the way to Queenstown it was suggested the easiest way to Roxburgh was to catch the bus a few stops before my intended destination and get another an hour later. So I got off at Cromwell and got a bus to Roxburgh - I was there at 5.30 and in the hostel for 6. Gladly as it was full up with me being last - there is now a waiting list to get in!!!

I am going to write a better description of my work at a later point when I have a bit more time!

I am asking a favour of all of you out there - can you send me a few really good, easy and cheap recipes to do (please include those that don't have milk otherwise I'll be making something for everyone else in the hostel and not myself :-*( )

Going home for a wash before making tea now after my hard days work!!

Play and work - the way it should be

2004-10-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

I'm in South Island in Roxburgh now. It is half way between Invercargill (the lowest point), Dunedin (the Scottish City), and Queensland (adventure manic city).

Arrived on Firday night after 4 days travelling so was quite tired. On Saturday and Sunday and Monday I did a few of the walks around the area but saw very little as I couldn't be bothered to be to energetic :-) Monday was also Labour Day here so a day off for everyone. Therefore a bar-be-que was arranged! Lots of Frisbee(which I seem to be ok at I have found out), volleyball, football etc then feeding. Frisbee, football then clean the dishes and laze in front of the TV for the nights viewing. What a good way to spend a holiday -I wish it could be so in Britain because the weather was fantastic to go with it. I also happen to be the only native English speaking girl in the hostel and an Irish guy is the only other native English speaker there. Therefore it's great fun having conversations with everyone altogether.

On tuesday everyone else went to work and myself, Steven (Irish guy) and Fraser (camp hostel manager) lazed in the morning then went to a coffee place in Alexandra (a town about an hour's drive away) and sat there for the afternoon. I did manage to do some cooking in the morning so I now have some food for eating including jelly. It's the little delicacies that you have at home that are amazing to have when staying in a hostel because it's like being given gold!!!!

Today I got up at 6 in the morning to get ready for work - I won't be doing that tomorrow as I'm not getting washed till I get back to the hostel as there is no point. I'm thinning apricots!! In the orchard someone brought a radio so we have singing to the songs (generally old rock anthems) which is total joy and laughter. Most of the time you work silently and concentrate on the work especially as we are all beginners. Today I thinned 4 and 1/2 trees so in theory I made about $20. Thank God for contract by the hour wark to begin with. Next week I go onto pay by the tree rates so I hope to do better than that. To make up to the pay by the hour rate I need to thin 4 times as many as today Eurgh!!!!!!!!!!!! Why oh why did I decide to do this - I must have been crazy! :-) Can't wait till cherry season in December as then you can earn almost $1000 a week - Wahay!! But lots of thinning before then - Damn!

Got to go and make some dinner as I am starving then couch in front of TV tonight before tomorrows slaving :-)

South Island wanderer

2004-10-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Oops I seem to have left you in the dark about a few things that have been happening. My punishment is truely horrible though as I am in an internet cafe with a space bar that doesn't work too well. Dammmmmnnnnnn it!!!!!!!!!!!

I have finished at the school on friday last so I thought I would have no more jobs in Auckland. I was wrong however when I got home I had a phone call from the job agency asking me to work that night. So I did! A cocktail waitress at a party for a 60 year old. It didn't seem that bad - champagne reception, serve little eateries throughout the night, and watch a drag show. It seemed I would have a lot of fun. It was better as the 60year old was gay and all his friends were there mainly gay people and a few straight. Everyone brought their partners. To add to the festivities it was fancy dress and as you can guess it was interesting - I'm so glad Halloween is so near this year I may copy some of the outfits. I seem to have done very well as a cocktail waitress as I was told that if they were having another function I'd be asked specifically for (watch out for my big head it may explode soon).When they found out that I was heading south they said that when I returned and needed some work to phone the company straight and ask for a job. Yippee looks like my Mum's endless bullying to hand round the plates to Aunties and Uncles unlimited and to smile no matter what paid off.

I attended my first BBQ since coming here on saturday. I was a bit of a gatecrasher as I went with family and to their friend's party. BBQ food is good here and it was raining again in Auckland. I seem to be getting my doggy fixes everywhere now :-)

On Sunday I had a lie-in a complete novelty for a sunday. But I went to mass at night to see a girl I had met working on the friday night. It was a lively mass with lots of young people's involvement. After the Mass I followed the girl (whose name I couldn't remember) to the youth meeting where she introduced me as Fiona to her friends. I went along with it - and found out her name was Lucy. I doubt I will ever meet them again so being Fiona for a wee while seemed OK.

On monday my Aunt and Uncle took me to lunch in the skytower revolving restaurant. Wow I was feeling sick and giddy all in one,not because of the height or the movement round but by the swaying of the tower in the wind. Eugh!! But after a few sips of water and not telling anyone I was fine and settled into a very delicious meal. The skytower is amazing you can see all the way round Auckland and from there I realised just HOW BIG Auckland is. IT IS MASSIVE!! there are fewer people living there than London but they are all spread out over the valley. Most live in one level houses with a garden all the way round, or all at one side. There is hardly a house built in Auckland of the same design - each one is individual! To move house in Auckland doesn't just mean moving belongings, you can if you want move your house to a new location as they are made of wood. You just lift them up and they get taken wherever you want them by road. I have still to see one on the motorway but you can get house farms where lots of houses sit in a field and you view them from there!

I also booked my trip south on Sunday - to South Island. I am on my way at the moment to Otago and there Roxburgh. I have decided to go right to the very bottom and work my way up again. I am busing it down and took the ferry across on the interislander. I got the Bus at 8pm on Tuesday after saying goodbye to Helen, Jay, Aunt Pat, Uncle Alex and Peanuts the cat (who rules that house!!!):-) It was an overnighter and freezing (though they said it was 24 degrees) and I hardly slept the way down just watched the stars as lights weren't allowed. I arrived in Wellington at 7 in the morn. So I was very early in seeing a few of the sights. The Botanic Gardens, the storm over the waters, the Parliament Buildings and a few museums. The bus was late to pick me up for the ferry but only because the ferry was late so I was even later getting to the hostel. The ferry ride was fantastic to put it lightly. I cannot believe the views I saw. Mountains just dropping into the sea with no land all around, waters so calm it is just silent. Blue skies, green scenery and blue waters - Most (including me) were stuck for words. I also got to see a dolphin riding along beside the ferry for fun!!

Picton is a quiet wee town where dogs lie in the street and you expect tosee tumble weed pass you at the bus stop. I stayed there last night and was first in bed at 9pm. I was so tired. I was in a mixed dorm with 11 others - I never heard anyone else go to bed and slept though the foreign guys talking when I went to bed. Unfortunatly I left for Christ church the next morning but I will definetly return by boat to North Island.

The bus to Christchurch was equally inspiring as the ferry. South Island is surely Lord of the Rings country - even the stuff you thought might have been put in by computers. The hills are fantastic! Unfortunately Christchurch is very English which is such a change from the scenery I left. I can't wait tosee tomorrow's on my trip to Queenstown for my fruit picking jobs!! Got to go now before I run out of money.

Hope Britain is pouring as here it's really sunny!

Answering life's mysteries

2004-10-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

To finally answer the question that has been bugging my dad and probably the rest of you with his questions - the water does go down the plughole in an Anti-clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore you can all die happily now knowing the answer - quite a satisfactory read this was for you all then.

I am really delighted at seeing my friends online over MSN. I did manage to get a website address now for one so this bit is more for the purpose for myself than for the rest of you :-P Iain's website Now I can visit this when I want and the rest of you can as well as the mood swings you :-)

Game, Set and Twat

2004-10-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from my first ever rugby match. North Harbour versus Bay of Plenty. I was supporting North Harbour naturally as I was with my Uncle and Jay (the aussie) [who insidentally I mis-informed the poms at home - his name is Jay and not Jason. Sorry!!!] North Harbour lost 9-14 but it was a great match. I had four layers of clothing on and as I decided not to wear the other jumper I brought with me I ahd a bit of bum insulation. So comfy!! We got slightly wet as the rain pelted us (even under the harbour roof) and the guy in front went through 6 bottles of beer and was then going to have to go home to Bay of Plenty. They don't separate the supporters here so it was fun as I didn't know much of the rules I had to watch when I clapped unless I was sure Harbour were doing well. I must say though, the male and female cheer leaders need a lot of practice before next season as they were pretty rubbish and not inspirational to the crowd or team at all.

I have finished my first week at work in the school. We have been cleaned out for food a few times and the elder boys who get their lunch after the kids sometimes had no food left for them. But I am going back next week and see how I get on - I am however in touch with the orchards and am hoping to get a job there quite soon once the season starts.

I have been informed by my Aunt and Uncle though that 'twat' here does not mean 'posh idiot' it does mean a part of the anatomy of which I ahve not been told - so in the meantime I have to find lots of other new ways to explain a poncy idiot so as not to completely offend the person I am speaking about >;-D shame!!!!!!!!

a burning issue

2004-10-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

I comiserate with all people who have worked with hot ovens and food warmers as part of their daily work - because I have never had so many burns on my hands as I do now. I can hardly count them all because there are wee ones and big ones and ones that get burnt over the burns put there the day before. There are no oven gloves to lift food out of the warmers and microwaves and to lift food out from the oven we have to use very thin towels - but as I'm not the complaining type of person I won't say a thing. (Glad you all kept your faces straight while I said that :-) )

The work isn't too bad, little brats (rich ones at that), supposedly catholic boys, power hungry temporary staff, machines that like to short when most needed and the constant problem of running out of the food they like the best. Today we didn't have a single piece of hot food left at the end of the day and we are always running out of milk, the coke and fizzy juice remains almost untouched - I'm sure I'm dealing with aliens!!!

Guess what Auckland is raining (again!) and I'm getting soaked through day after day. At least tomorrow I finish at two and can go to the shops to buy some more toothpaste and deodrant before I really run out. The trials I put myself through are quite abismal when I can't even get to the shops to buy the essentials!!! Just as well I don't need to use my toilet roll yet - it's still in my bag until I need it for the less fortunate pee!

I do hope when people get around to reading these they are not offended by what is written (honestly I can be nice when I try) so I would be glad if you could let me know if you are or are not offended by my posts - then at least I also look like I have a lot of friends reading my blog!!!

a little boys trip

2004-10-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

I've got another job! (it never rains but it pours!!)

I start work tomorrow in a hospitality job. This I think means preparing and serving food in a canteen or dinner hall. It is in a local school and I have to be there at 7.45am monday to friday mornings for the next couple of weeks. The school is Rosmini College it's one of the local all boys schools. So after spending six years in an all girls school I am now going to see a bit of life in an all boys school!! It should be lots of fun. So tomorrow morning I have to be up bright and early (fat chance) and walking to school from 7am (what fun).

Otherwise I've been having lots of fun. Yesterday I was taken up (by my cousin, her husband, and Elise - friend of Helen's) [p.s. I have been informed that I was wrong in assuming Jay - Helen's husband - to be named Jason, his name is Jay and Elise is married to a Jason (shortened to Jay)] to one of the East Coast Bays beaches. It was very nice and we had a picnic to take with us and eat lunch on the beach. The weather turned rather windy so we retreated to Elise's house and I met her dog Goldie and had a we pup pet time. The little 4 year old Golden Retriever is shedding so much hair that as I could get her to stand still I got the task of brushing her. (When I got home I had to change as I had turned into a miniture Yeti after being covered in fur I brushed off) :-) So I got a friend for life in the little big doggy. And today when I went to Elise's again the little puppy remembered me and came to play. Awwwwww!! Eat your heart out Irene!! However on leaving the beach I did manage to crump my head on the door frame getting back into the Pajero (very big car - with low head room for jumping into the back) and now have a very big painful lump on the top of my head. Therefore added to my healing blisters, the fact I jammed my finger on closing a window in my room and ended up with two blood blisters on my little pinkie and the bash on the head - I'm fine!!!

Well I now have to go and get ready for going back to school tomorrow, like make sure I have clean trousers, shirt, socks, pants etc.........and leave the rest of you enjoying work, uni, college or just lazing about in front of the TV.

a bookie's life fer me

2004-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm now almost a fully-qualified bookie (a well I could but hope :-) )

I have had two wee sessions in the shop now and none till next week I'm getting very few hours. But at least I'm not laying about so much and I'm still attending quite a few interviews!! I may even get into hospitality before I leave civilisation for the outback here and go fruit picking in a few weeks time. The betting here is Totalisation so I'm learning in finer detail some of the betting that I didn't know beforehand. I also have to learn to understand Kiwi accents as here they can place bets verbally without having anything written down - so that is taking me a wee bit of getting used to!

Not much else has been happening it is now so much like Scotland here I feel right at home - the rain is pelting, you can't see very far out of the window and last night was so cold and wet when I walked home that I thought there would be frost this morning. No such luck, you don't really get frost out here. They really don't know what they are missing these Kiwi's :-)

This is only a short note!

Half Way Away

2004-09-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

I shall update you on the most recent event!!

I decided many, many months ago to go travelling and to work in the fresh air and see life from the other side of the world. Therefore I decided to quit working for Ladbrokes after my degree and go travelling and pick fruit etc. However when I got to Auckland I have had a wee bit of trouble trying to get a job outside as it is closed season in the fruit industry. SO I have been looking for a job in Auckland while I am staying with my Aunt and Uncle. Today I was successful in getting a part-time job .... in a bookies!!!!!!! I can't believe it I went half-way round the world and the first job I get is the one I just left. Humph!!!

However on a different note I have seen a bit more of Auckland, my cousin took me round the a volcano in Auckland (one of the 52 in New Zealand) to get some great scenery. It was brilliant! You can see the countryside, the beaches, the city and all of them are within a reasonable walking distance. Here everything is so near and well situated and the weather is beginning to heat up well so I have been sitting outside for meals occasioanlly but unfortunately it is not bar-be-que season yet, but I am hoping for a bar-be-que christmas dinner :-) Where children in Britain go sledging down the steepest and longest hill they can find with a proper sledge or bin liner, the children here were sldging down on cardboard down the side of the volcano. Looks great fun - shame we never brought cardboard with us.

Well I'm off to bed see ya all later.

Auckland Whore Houses

2004-09-25T23:45:00.000-07:00

I'm now living with my Aunt and Uncle (Pat and Alex) and their daughter (Helen) and her husband (Jason). I've had one interview for a job so far and they asked me back for an observation day where I would get a look at the sort of work I'd be doing. It was a promotions job but not tele-sales. SO on my observation day I was introduced to the person I'd be following (he was Dutch) and the car loaded up with the toys we would try to sell plus another two people who were part of Rudy's team. Then we drove off (I hate New Zealand drivers they are the worst and very scary) and ended up in places I definetely would not have visited as the area is one of the worst in Auckland. So we started selling the toys (the products) round the different buisnesses in industrial parks. Then later on as we picked up the other two sellers Rudy's car broke down!! SO he called his boss and then I was offloaded to join the Assistant manager's (Steve) team. They were selling in another area not too different. But he did expect his team to go into all sorts of places. You had to sell on the street, in shops, in the police stations, in the bank queues and in the massage parlours!!! I never realised until I was reading the paper looking for jobs that they would advertise in the paper for masseurs. Ladies do you have some spare time ...........etc.

To say the least: in the morning I had considered doing the job after the afternoon's enlightenment I decided it wasn't really for me and turned it down especially as the money for the job was dependant on what you sold. therefore I may not make enough money off the mugs who buy these knockdown price goods.

The rest of the time I've been learning more and more about the Miller (More) side of my family and it has been great! They are the nicest family I could have hoped to meet. I'm been taken round Auckland sites and to any place else I want to go!

I'm going to get back soon once I have more news but I want to ask if anyone else is having bother accessing some of the sites on this page as my parents are and Mary isn't home yet to have a look. Please send me an e-mail if you could.
Bye bye

I only brought one jumper - muppit!!

2004-09-21T01:20:00.000-07:00

Well if you want an update on New Zealand this is it - it is still Freezing! It really does feel at night like the temps we might see in Scotland when we're waiting on Christmas and the snow. During the day is OK so long as you keep moving and wear plenty of layers. I can't believe I only brought one jumper and a sleepless jacket. Unfortunately I spotted last night that my jumper had marks that look suspiciously like toothpaste. Damn I have no idea how they got there all I know is I had to buy a jumper today. So it's a cozy jacket with LOng sleeves and therefore looks reasonably smart (at least for me).

I've got so much to do tomorrow (or today as it is 1 in the morn - I have found a great book and the film Lock, Stock .... was put on) as I move in with my aunt to the spare bedroom. At least the house has heating which is a dire advantage to this hostel! Other than that the hostel is great. I have yet to get a bank account and a job - what a disaster area I am BUT I am determined and I have been looking. I have cut down my choices to two banks - it is quite a hard decision as the banks all charge for the account to be there, for transactions carried out (even at their own branches and ATMs) etc. I am a long way from home and civilisation where having your money in an account means that you get a small interest for giving the bank that money to invest for itself, not that they charge you so they can play the stockmarket with your money - MGS (Money grabbing Satins).

Well I suppose I should get to bed for the evening but before I do something that may make you laugh. On my first night here I joined the others going to the pub - and I got ID'd. Being 21 and never having been ID'd for a long while I didn't bring any as the pub in Sydney had been fine with my age and looks (among the topless waiters and Playboy girls at the Playboy night). I had to walk home in the ... weather here and get some only for me to wait at the door when I got back till the bar manager checked it. I didn't even get ID'd as I went into the club further up the road - there is a certain advantage to going to a club with other back-packers, you don't need to get dressed up Yippee!! And being in a crowd you can talk to the cute, rich, Irish accountant back-packers from the hostel - what fun!!

Well bye for now, Hopefully when I get back on I'll not be whinging about the weather so much as I am sure you will all agree!

I've gone kiwi!!

2004-09-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

(yes catriona I can read it, glad you have joined. Hope you are well!!)

On my last day in Sydney I walked across and back Harbour Bridge, it was quite breezy. I tryed to spot where the last of the Mission Impossible film's scene was shot but failed - I had not seen the film too recently. But it was really nice and I had a coffee on the other side and walked back. On making my way back through the Botanic Gardens I thought I would try to find the wishing tree (which I never did) but I did get to feed the birds. The cockateels (I think they are called) are quite big and powerful looking - I ended up with one on my shoulder!! Unfortunately I could not get a picture of it but I remember it quite well. On the second handful of seed I was given it used my jumper (which it bit) to use as a lever to get down - rather than fly - which I was glad of as it had very powerful wings. The other birds which were being fed were little parrot type birds which are very colourful. I have got some great shots of them so I think you will all agree that they are very cute.

Well New Zealand is FREEZING!! For all you Scots I hope you are enjoying the last of the sun because I am not savouring the last of the winter/spring here. New Zealand looks very lush, and Auckland massively spread out. I'm staying in a hostel on the east of Auckland which in agreement with it's advert on the internet is very colourful. The walls are as good as my bedroom at home, (if you know what style I have there) so it is great. Today I've been slightly lazy, and in the afternoon met my aunt, cousin and her husband. (Aunt Pat, Helen and Jay) they are really nice and I have agreed, after some persuasion, to stay with them while I am in Auckland. They live in a beautiful part (the upper part) and look over at the dormant volcano that disappeared (because it blew so forcefully) and it's offspring! It is gorgeous and in another part of the garden you can see the main town. I can't believe how nice they are to me! And when I stay with them I will get to meet my uncle Alex, who is away at the moment. So I am enjoying New Zealand a lot more than I ever expected - it is great, now all I need is a job :-)

bye bye australia

2004-09-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

well today is my last day in Australia - tomorrow I head for New Zealand!

The Blue Mountains were great! First we were taken to a spot where the kangaroos 'grazed' and I've got a great shot of one eating the grass with it's Joey eating the grass from inside the pouch. For all you uninformed personages a 'joey' is the baby kangaroo. There were quite a few there (about 30) so it was quite good getting to see them in their natural habitat. Then we went on to a sight seeing point that of Australia's Grand Canyon! Wow I haven't seen America's but I don't think it will compare to Australia's green, lush one. From there we walked out to another view point. On the map the walk looked quite short and the guide reckoned about 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. He took the minibus to meet us at the next point so once we started there was no turning back. Oh my god, there were sooooo many steps. We had to climb miles up and down the track along the edge of the canyon cliff. The walk was so short because the distance maily was vertical. But I made it as one of the first back. There was no race - but it was good to be before all the other 'fit' looking people (some of whom were smokers, claimed that the walk was very tough and that they could hardly breathe then proceeded to ask if they could smoke in that part of the area). The Three Sisters are not something I would call interesting, however I do like the Dreamtime Stories of them. That they were turned to stone by the witch doctor so either (1) the boys of the next tribe could not get them while the two tribes were waring. The witch doctor however was killed in the war and so could not turn them back; (2) so the local monster could not get them when their father was away, and that the witch doctor on running away from the monster lost his 'bone' and could not turn them back - so they wait till he finds it. I think that reads sense if not I'll try explaining it when I get home because it is too much bother today :-)

Yesterday I went to Manly on the Sydney ferry and had the intention of walking round the Head Land but as I tried to follow the land round I came upon some bushland and had quite a bit of climbing round rocks to do. This I was able to but after seeing one reasonable size lizard and watching another chase, kill and devour a moth with my foot quite near it I decided I'd better turn back and try following the streets. But again hampered by my (ruddy) blisters I decided too much walking was not going to help so sat on the beach for a few hours and came home burnt :-( So my idea of going again to Bondi and onto Bronte is out and instead I'm going to walk across the Harbour Bridge and get the view from the other side. The rest of the day might involve me having lots of coffee in wee cafes - just for the sake of it.

I have found one of Sydney's best shops and I hope I find quite a few more in New Zealand. The shop is called New Zealand Natural and they do Sorbet cones. The ectasy of it is really exciting - I've had two now (just as wee treats of course)!

Bye from the Aussie's and Hello to the Kiwi's

what a question to ask?

2004-09-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

of course I check my posts!! I wouldn't be able to see how much I am annoying everyone if I didn't :-D and yes I have heard the water goes down the plug the other way but I've still to see it as all the taps pour straight down the the plug hole and there are no plugs.
Now to all of you reading this sights I want no unsightly language as my parents and other children are reading it as well - so behave yourselves, hee hee!!

well yesterday I visited Sydney harbour and the opera house, but I couldn't be bothered to go inside the Opera House and I'll get around to going on the bridge another day. I did spend most of my time walking round the city getting lost in the sights and taking a few pictures. Talking to weird men, I still seem to be able to do at this side of the world - especially those who after about 15min chat put there arm around you and tell you you are very nice!! Hmmmmm, freak!!!! funnily enough though once I had got rid of him it was only a few mins before he was off talking to another foreign girl on her own and saying how nice she was. According to him he's in Sydney waiting on his papers. I assume the courts are trying to get him into a mental institution - but that didn't spoil the rest of the day!! The opera house I feel is not as big as they make it out to be but the bridge is massive (from standing under it). In the botanical gardens you are asked to walk on the grass, smell the roses, hug the trees - it's great I'm going to hug a tree before I go just to wonder at the feeling of looking an eidjit!!

Have many of you lived over a main road if so I would like to know if in all cities the road outside your house is so noisy at 7am that it WAKES you up!! How very inconsiderate are those buisness people who like to rev there engines very loudly in the morn!!

I did a washing today and for those of you not enlightened, unlike me (now), Australia only has top loading machines there are no front loaders! So now I have a very wet washing that is hung on the wrungs of my bed as there is no drying facilities outside. I hope it dries soon or I'm in the scuddy :0/

I'll try keeping you up to date on these drastic times but tomorrow I'm off to the Blue Mountains (pick-up at 8am, yawwwn) bye for now xxx

G'day maties

2004-09-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Well Singapore is behind me now :-( I miss it soo much! I spent my second day there seeing the sights with the girl who was sleeping in the bunk below me. For all who know me well you may laugh at the thought that apart from my night in London I've always been on the top bunk so alcohol is definitely out of line.

As I'm quite sure you will know that no matter what you do in life something will always go wrong - so far I've lost my sunspecs and hairbrush in Singapore Airport, my watch ran out of battery so I had to buy a $18 one instead of paying $35 min to get the battery fixed, and I have so many blisters on my ankles from two pairs of sandals that I have trouble walking!! Talk about disasters.

You may all be pleased to hear that Sydney is freezing. It's colder than Britain and I'm perishing!! I went to Bondi Beach yesterday and then to the Bronte area (not the same as the New York one)! Sydney is the same as Glasgow a party town but it has none of Glasgow's atmosphere or history. But I'll be spending a day or so up in the Blue Mountains soon - so it may be different.

To my wonderful friend Ali - yes there are some cute guys and if you want the best time and place to droll head to Singapore. They even sleep with their shirts off and no covers there because it's so warm ;-) and no i'm not doing anything about it I think it may be too much of a hinderance!!

I have to go now as I want the cheap rate for the internet but I'll be back soon so keep alert bye.

Singapore days

2004-09-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

I went sight seeing today! Wow!! If you want a hot holiday guaranteed to amaze you come here. I have spent the entire day walking and though this is the city that loves food and you can eat like a horse - I haven't! I've seen Chinatown and intend To go back for more tomorrow, I'm living in Little India and have walked all round the Raffles area, the front Esplanade, Orchard Road and more!! I left about 10, 10.30 this morning and got back about 9pm where I was in definite need of shower. If you ever do decide to come here go on a bumboat ride - I had one all to myself and had a good time seeing the sights in ease and style. The 'white girl from a cold country' (alias me) even got waves off of children watching. Tomorrow I'm heading to see another temple because my last one tonight was a disappointment but at least I got inside and had a walk round - I've not tempted a mosque yet as I can't be bothered with head coverings. Singapore is mixture of old and new, spice and European, two level buildings and skyscrapers that hurt the back of your neck to strain to see the top, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

What is the saying about not putting new shoes on the table because I would dearly like to know. A new pair of shoes had that treatment and then last night in avengence gave me at least 6 blisters. OUCH!! Today I started off in flip-flops but ended up having to do the Orchard Road experience in style by buying a new pair of sandals and then proceeded to walk miles and miles and miles in them. :-D

It's a shame I've only got one more day here - because I've soo much to fit in especially as I am going to the night safari tomorrow with others from the hostel and we might manage a taxi back (if we get enough people) as it would be cheaper than by MRT (the rail network) and Bus. Got to go and enjoy myself now (and get some well earned sleep) Bye Bye from the glorious Singapore.

I'm all away

2004-09-08T23:20:00.000-07:00

Hi to all of you fortunate enough to be able to read these!! At the moment I'm sitting in the heat in Singapore I only arrived about 4 hours ago!!

London was hell. Sorry Mum and Dad I lied I hated it I was sooo home sick especially that nobody there talks to anyone else. You really need to be with someone to get the most of it. But the sights of London were good. If you are ever going there I suggest you take the Original London tour and use the Yellow route - I think it was the best. But I finished it rather early and ended up sitting in the airport for 6 hours as I couldn't be bothered to lug my pack around for ages - it weighs 17+ kilos!! The flight wasn't too bad as the t.v. was good and Quantas gives lots of wee pressies away :-)

Singapore looks fantastic - so colourful and thats only from looking out the train window!! It's a holiday hotspot without the tackyness of of Spanish resort. This hostel is fantastic, at least for the showers which are a welcome relief after about 30 odd hours since I last got washed. :-/ I did have a wee 'faux pas' in London as I set my alarm clock for 7.30am and got up when it went off with great ease. Only after my shower when I pu my watch back on did I spot that it was 5.30am - I hadn't checked what time the clock was at before setting it, I was that tired. woops!! I won't be doing that again in a hurry. :-) I decided to go back to bed dressed once I realised my mistake (wet hair included) and got up in the morning at the correct time.

I hope all of you that know me so well will agree that in my short time away from Glasgow - I haven't changed one bit :-D

I will write again soon - once Scotland stops being hit by a heatwave and making me jealous I miss the few parts of the summer sun. Hope you all get burnt, with lots of love, the missing one!

due to popular demand

2004-09-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

I apologise for not getting to update this earlier but due to tonights activities and reprimands I have decided to update now!

I have only two days to go now!!!! I'm not too worried I don't think I quite understand the full implications of my actions for next year - that is still to come. My bag is still not packed but distributed very unevenly about my sister's vacant room. I think I might get around to packing it on Sunday - even though tomorrow would be a better time.

Tonight I was at Alibeeeee's 21st party. Congratulations Alison you're now catching up the rest of us ;-) I had an interesting ride home by bus (sorry Kimberly and AndrewI couldn't find an empty taxi). I love Glasgow where no matter when you are standing at any bus stop you will always have an enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable chat with some drunk idiot ("you look very pretty", "you have a beautiful smile" it's always the best way to get me to talk to them) That is something I will miss when I'm away, therefore I have decided to talk to everyone else instead and bring the rest of the world into the Glaswegian way of thinking and be remembered all over the world! No point going through life without being noticed :-)

I think this will be the start of the proper updates - now I hope to continue with them and keep all my wonderful friends and family up to date with my escapades abroad. Enjoy the weather my Scottish comrades!!!

first update

2004-07-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

It sounds drastic but I have finally figured out how to add more posts!! Some of you may be surprised - both because it took me so long and that I have finally updated it. I claim insanity!!

The tickets have now been collected and the last of my visas applied for now all I need are some jags and the rest sorts itself. Yippeeeeee!!!!

hello

2004-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

just starting and have no idea how this works - thank god for friends Irene and Iain