I only have a couple of minutes on this computer, so as usual I'll try to be brief, but I may not succeed. I'm in a restaurant at the foot of Mount Cook, since my last post I've travelled to the South Island. We drove to Taupo yesterday to fly to Wellington, which seemed a little pointless as we could have driven, but our tickets are confusing and allow us a certain amount of internal flights. I'll have to do something to try and offset the emissions a little, plant a few trees or something. Anyway, that plane was tiny - made only of window seats and a...
OK it has been several weeks since I wrote that, too much has happened for me to update everything now but I will once I get home which will not be useful at all. I've had SO many adventures, have moved from NZ to the USA, been in LA, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco, and am on my way to Yosemite. I have eaten almost nothing but burgers and steak for the past 3 days. We've stopped off... somewhere. I have no idea where this motel is. I'm back on saturday afternoon then so let's make some plans! Raratonga was amazing, I went scuba diving! I've seen tropical fish, turtles and giant clams in raratonga, and whales, sea otters, elephant seals, sea lions, pelicans and a potential dolphin during our drive on the coastal road in California. Only a few days left, how strange? Leaving NZ was hard. Can't stay and chat, parents and chloe are waiting upstairs, I think we're about to hit the hay so that we can set off for Yosemite early tomorrow. Missing you all, see you soon. I'll have to tell you most things first hand, sorry! I broke my promise about updating, but internet is expensive! I'll try to get on again soon.
love love love
xxx
Thursday, 7 August 2008
Saturday, 2 August 2008
In New Zealand
Hi everyone! I'm in New Zealand... in case you didn't gather that from the title. I've been here for a couple of days now and it's the most fantastic thing ever. I'm staying in my Nana's house, on the top of a hill overlooking Napier, with my mum, dad and sister, along with Jess the border collie pup, Mr Pip the lorikeet and Boxy (she likes boxes), the lamb, although I always just call her Lamby.
The house is wonderful, with the most beautiful view; in the mornings the sun reflects off the far-off sea and it's dazzling, while to the left the hills roll away into the distance. Nana has decorated the house so carefully for our arrival. I've missed her so much. As she put it, "it's been a long year" since she went.
The night in Singapore airport was long. We shouldn't have stayed where we did; right under the air conditioner. It was too cold and the chairs were impossible to sleep on, so we slept on the floor, covered by our coats that we had been lugging around Malasia, feeling completely stupid for carrying precautions against cold weather, but they certainly came in useful then, and do now. Half way through the night guards came round to check our tickets and passports, and the one talking to us had recently returned from New Zealand, it turned out that it was "his dream" to emigrate there.
The flight was fun, as always. FILM REVIEW TIME.
I waaatched...
1) Made of Honour: Whoever told me that this is a good film is no longer one of my friends. AWFUL waste of time... but an effective waste of time on a long flight. Brainless entertainment.
2) Prince Caspian: Ok, I love the books and am very loyal to them, but I really enjoyed this film, it had actions, some really nice shots (in New Zealand) and some entertainingly awful acting, but OH MY GOD what the HELL was that bit at the end?! Those of you who have seen it should know what I'm talking about. Hideous. Hideous hideous hideous. Made me want to throw up.
3) Son of Rambow: Fantastic. If it wasn't for the fact that my TV thingy kept dying I would have been able to watch the whole thing, but as it is I only got to see three quarters. What I did see was really good and I wish I'd been able to see the end.
As I said, the TV thingy kept dying. That was SO annoying, seeing as after it reset itself the films wouldn't work for about half an hour, so much potential slobbing-out time WASTED by looking out the window. Guh.
Aaanyway, after the flight, mum called the man at the motel we were staying in that night and we sat in the airport waiting to be picked up by Motel Man, but he never turned up. Mum called him again to make sure he was coming, and he claimed that he had been there and left already, and that we hadn't been waiting in the right place. So we went to the other place, he came back again, and when he arrived he was the grumpiest and rudest man I have ever met in New Zealand. I'm sure it was because he was tired seeing as it was quite late, but his level of rudeness was incredible. He elbowed people out the way, moved the bags like it was the thing he wanted to do least in the world, and when people clearly needed help, like with putting the seat forward to let us into the back seats, he completely ignored us. It was actually quite a funny introduction to the country as it was so ridiculous. Even if he had come and gone once already, it was no excuse for the way he behaved; the motel was literally three minutes from the airport, and if he had driven around a tiny bit the first time he would have seen us waiting, if not exactly in the place he had said.
That aside, the motel itself was nice, basic but clean, all we needed for that night. The next morning dad went off to sort out a car and we packed the bags into the boot and off we went. We drove out of Auckland, but only after driving around it a few times trying to find the right way, and off to Napier. We stopped at a cafe for coffee and pancakes with banana, bacon and maple syrup, yummm, and then again at Taupo for coffee. We arrived at Nana's house after dark, and had a wonderful first evening being introduced to Jess, naming Pip, and having dinner with uncle Tom and Aunty Sue, who live just down the road.
Yesterday we got up, played with the dog, and then went to fetch the lamb that had been staying with Uncle Tom for the last few days. She is so friendly, however quite noisy, and she follows Nana around wherever she goes, bleating for milk. She has been rejected by her mother, so we have to look after her. Nana is her mother now.
We went into Taradale for a look around the shops and a coffee... again. We ate at a lovely place, Heaven's Bakery, where we had our first New Zealand pie of the holiday. I'm sure there are many more to come. After that we went back and had dinner with Tom and Sue again, and I spent the evening with Pip on my shoulder.
A good thing about Pip is that while he does... er... lighten the load without warning, it is quite projectile, so misses your shoulder and hits whatever's behind you. Handy!
Today we went into Napier, to wander round the shops again, have a coffee again, and go down to the seafront. The cafe we went to for an actual bowl, (no joke, it had no handles) of coffee was fantastic, I can't remember what it was called but it was the definition of "cool". One bright orange wall was covered in signatures and messages from visitors from over the years. We asked for a pen and signed, so that one day when we come back we can go there again. Remembering the name of the place really is a key part of fulfilling my aim to return again... hmm....
In Napier I... ermmgfh... well it's not like Chloe's going to read this in the space of now and her waking up tomorrow, I bought her birthday present. Not going to write it here just in case for whatever reason she sees this before I give it to her. It's her birthday tomorrow; she turns seven. Or maybe it's thirteen BUT IT'S NOT THIRTEEN! She'ssevenandshe'sinyeartwo. She was actually seven last time we were here, which may be adding to my delusion.
After Napier we went to Tom and Sue's for dinner, which was delicious, and rode in the vintage chevrolet that Uncle Tom has been rebuilding. It's a real beauty, he's worked so hard on it.
We all had a drink in their lovely shed while chloe pigged out on pringles and watched cartoon network. If I'm honest I would have been there too if it wasn't for the fact that Tom and Jerry was on. How I hate Tom and Jerry.
While we were sitting in the shed it was referenced as a "shed party" and it made me think about all the other shed parties I've been to lately and it made me miss everyone. Odd things are happening; without Becky here to do it, I am developing the habit of replying to phrases like "that's a cactus" with "you're a cactus". Aaaggh you'd better not be having fun without me, you're only allowed support group gatherings like we agreed, where you're only allowed to talk about how much you miss me.
Oh, look what I did again. I wrote too much. It's only 10:18pm and I'm exhausted. Not sure if it's jet lag or incredible frustration about my ear, which is killing me. Doubt it's jet lag, it's been really easy getting used to the upside-down time. I need to decide whether I'm going to bed or wrapping Chloe's presents. And I need to stop typing. It's such a compulsion.
Miss you miss you miss you
Love
Holly
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The house is wonderful, with the most beautiful view; in the mornings the sun reflects off the far-off sea and it's dazzling, while to the left the hills roll away into the distance. Nana has decorated the house so carefully for our arrival. I've missed her so much. As she put it, "it's been a long year" since she went.
The night in Singapore airport was long. We shouldn't have stayed where we did; right under the air conditioner. It was too cold and the chairs were impossible to sleep on, so we slept on the floor, covered by our coats that we had been lugging around Malasia, feeling completely stupid for carrying precautions against cold weather, but they certainly came in useful then, and do now. Half way through the night guards came round to check our tickets and passports, and the one talking to us had recently returned from New Zealand, it turned out that it was "his dream" to emigrate there.
The flight was fun, as always. FILM REVIEW TIME.
I waaatched...
1) Made of Honour: Whoever told me that this is a good film is no longer one of my friends. AWFUL waste of time... but an effective waste of time on a long flight. Brainless entertainment.
2) Prince Caspian: Ok, I love the books and am very loyal to them, but I really enjoyed this film, it had actions, some really nice shots (in New Zealand) and some entertainingly awful acting, but OH MY GOD what the HELL was that bit at the end?! Those of you who have seen it should know what I'm talking about. Hideous. Hideous hideous hideous. Made me want to throw up.
3) Son of Rambow: Fantastic. If it wasn't for the fact that my TV thingy kept dying I would have been able to watch the whole thing, but as it is I only got to see three quarters. What I did see was really good and I wish I'd been able to see the end.
As I said, the TV thingy kept dying. That was SO annoying, seeing as after it reset itself the films wouldn't work for about half an hour, so much potential slobbing-out time WASTED by looking out the window. Guh.
Aaanyway, after the flight, mum called the man at the motel we were staying in that night and we sat in the airport waiting to be picked up by Motel Man, but he never turned up. Mum called him again to make sure he was coming, and he claimed that he had been there and left already, and that we hadn't been waiting in the right place. So we went to the other place, he came back again, and when he arrived he was the grumpiest and rudest man I have ever met in New Zealand. I'm sure it was because he was tired seeing as it was quite late, but his level of rudeness was incredible. He elbowed people out the way, moved the bags like it was the thing he wanted to do least in the world, and when people clearly needed help, like with putting the seat forward to let us into the back seats, he completely ignored us. It was actually quite a funny introduction to the country as it was so ridiculous. Even if he had come and gone once already, it was no excuse for the way he behaved; the motel was literally three minutes from the airport, and if he had driven around a tiny bit the first time he would have seen us waiting, if not exactly in the place he had said.
That aside, the motel itself was nice, basic but clean, all we needed for that night. The next morning dad went off to sort out a car and we packed the bags into the boot and off we went. We drove out of Auckland, but only after driving around it a few times trying to find the right way, and off to Napier. We stopped at a cafe for coffee and pancakes with banana, bacon and maple syrup, yummm, and then again at Taupo for coffee. We arrived at Nana's house after dark, and had a wonderful first evening being introduced to Jess, naming Pip, and having dinner with uncle Tom and Aunty Sue, who live just down the road.
Yesterday we got up, played with the dog, and then went to fetch the lamb that had been staying with Uncle Tom for the last few days. She is so friendly, however quite noisy, and she follows Nana around wherever she goes, bleating for milk. She has been rejected by her mother, so we have to look after her. Nana is her mother now.
We went into Taradale for a look around the shops and a coffee... again. We ate at a lovely place, Heaven's Bakery, where we had our first New Zealand pie of the holiday. I'm sure there are many more to come. After that we went back and had dinner with Tom and Sue again, and I spent the evening with Pip on my shoulder.
A good thing about Pip is that while he does... er... lighten the load without warning, it is quite projectile, so misses your shoulder and hits whatever's behind you. Handy!
Today we went into Napier, to wander round the shops again, have a coffee again, and go down to the seafront. The cafe we went to for an actual bowl, (no joke, it had no handles) of coffee was fantastic, I can't remember what it was called but it was the definition of "cool". One bright orange wall was covered in signatures and messages from visitors from over the years. We asked for a pen and signed, so that one day when we come back we can go there again. Remembering the name of the place really is a key part of fulfilling my aim to return again... hmm....
In Napier I... ermmgfh... well it's not like Chloe's going to read this in the space of now and her waking up tomorrow, I bought her birthday present. Not going to write it here just in case for whatever reason she sees this before I give it to her. It's her birthday tomorrow; she turns seven. Or maybe it's thirteen BUT IT'S NOT THIRTEEN! She'ssevenandshe'sinyeartwo. She was actually seven last time we were here, which may be adding to my delusion.
After Napier we went to Tom and Sue's for dinner, which was delicious, and rode in the vintage chevrolet that Uncle Tom has been rebuilding. It's a real beauty, he's worked so hard on it.
We all had a drink in their lovely shed while chloe pigged out on pringles and watched cartoon network. If I'm honest I would have been there too if it wasn't for the fact that Tom and Jerry was on. How I hate Tom and Jerry.
While we were sitting in the shed it was referenced as a "shed party" and it made me think about all the other shed parties I've been to lately and it made me miss everyone. Odd things are happening; without Becky here to do it, I am developing the habit of replying to phrases like "that's a cactus" with "you're a cactus". Aaaggh you'd better not be having fun without me, you're only allowed support group gatherings like we agreed, where you're only allowed to talk about how much you miss me.
Oh, look what I did again. I wrote too much. It's only 10:18pm and I'm exhausted. Not sure if it's jet lag or incredible frustration about my ear, which is killing me. Doubt it's jet lag, it's been really easy getting used to the upside-down time. I need to decide whether I'm going to bed or wrapping Chloe's presents. And I need to stop typing. It's such a compulsion.
Miss you miss you miss you
Love
Holly
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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