Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts

9 February 2013

To do list: New Zealand

I am heading to NZ for a month from April 25th (fitting I will be in New Zealand & Australia on ANZAC Day) and I am thinking of a list of items to tick off while I'm back..
I'll be adding to it frequently.
  1. Milk a cow 
  2. Swim in Lake Taupo. Yes it will be freezing
  3. Eat fish & chips at the beach. Don't care which one
  4. Build something on the farm with my Dad
  5. Go to 'work' with my Mum. She volunteers a few times a week at the Arohanui Hospice Shop
  6. Take my brothers out to party in Wellington or Taupo
  7. Visit the Tui Mangatainoka Brewery

Suggestions welcome! Hit me!


24 December 2012

Student Flatting

Being in my home town means I spend a bit of time with my little bro's . And at 21 and 17 almost all their mates are students.

So we headed to my bro's mate's flat for some pre-drinks before 'town'. I don't think I need to say much more after you see the pics but lets just say I never flatted like this and damn am I glad!







Kim sampling rotten nuggets

Me scoffing mouldy pasta


22 November 2012

'Think of the eels!' - An Auckland wedding

God Daughter Cadence

I just spent a week in NZ to be a bridesmaid for my family friend Alescha and her new hubby Mark. Alescha’s family and my family have been friends for years – we go waay back! My parents are Alescha’s God Parents and I am the God Mother of Alescha and Mark’s daughter Cadence.

Unfortunately as I live in Oz and they were all in Auckland I didn’t get to do all the usual bridesmaidy things and even more unfortunately I missed out on the male strippers at the Hens night!

I was pretty damn nervous about the dress and shoes! I had seen the shoes online and had my Mum pick them up as they were in NZ. Had my fingers crossed I was still a size 7! But I was more nervous about the dress.. if it was too small I was screwed. There were no other sizes available. All I knew was that they were long and black.

Luckily, the dress was gorgeous and if anything a tiny bit too big! The shoes were a little too small. Ironic really, I thought it was going to be the other way around.

The rain held off for the ceremony (thank goodness) and we were able to have it outside.
I held my God Daughters hand down the aisle and was fighting back tears as bloody Keith (Alescha’s Dad and a close friend) started tearing up, the emotional bastard. Of course that made Alescha tear up and next thing you know we are all trying to make each other laugh so we weren’t balling by the time we reached the crowd! We were trying to distract each other by saying ‘think of the eels as they were a decent amount under the bridge we were walking over.

During the ceremony I was at an angle to Keith (Father of the bride), he was in my direct line of vision. He kept tearing up and since I kept looking at him so did I. My Mum said I looked slightly crazy coz I each time I looked at Keith I would roll my eyes up into the back of my head so I wouldn’t cry! Ain’t no way I was gonna ruin my make up by crying though lol.

After the gorgeous ceremony we headed in for photos and then jumped in golf buggy’s to travel over the estate. Simon, the best man and gentleman that he is had arranged alcohol and snacks for the trip. I was on the ‘Bang Bus’ - I have no idea what this means, although I do have my suspicions as it was from the Bachelors night….

Anyway my Dad was the MC, and although I am bias and I was half cut he did a great job and was pretty funny. The reception again was gorgeous. Alescha and Mark sat on thrones which was a cool touch.

The wedding dance was awesome! The couple had had dance lessons and broke it down on the d-floor before being joined by everyone. I was trying to teach everyone rock and roll ‘side together, side together, back-step.’

Stupidly I decided that it was a fantastic idea to take my too small shoes off and ‘shuffle’ on the d-floor with my bros and the wedding party. Next thing you know I’m being carried off by the best man as I cut my foot on glass and due to the large amount of alcohol in my system, bled everywhere. Haha amusing end to the night!

All in all, so honoured to be part of Alescha and Mark’s wedding. A gorgeous day!






10 November 2012

Next holidays I want to do:


While I still have a few coming up there are sooo many more I want to do!

  • Back to America, NY, Vegas, LA
  • THIS contiki around the east coast of America – I love contiki.
  • Visit my friend Sheldon and her husband in the UK (a place I don’t love but a dear friend I miss enough to travel to somewhere I dislike to be with)
  • While I’m in the UK it would be rude of me not to go back to Italy. I want to travel more around the coast and especially visit Cinque Terre. Mostly I just want to eat and people watch. Just be there.
  • South America – Riioooooooooo!! Would love love love to check out Carnivale. Must admit I am a little hesitant due to the amount of murders during this time but would be incredible to see all that colour and music!
  • Swim with whale sharks ANYWHERE – I don’t care if I have to go to Perth or Japan, these animals are so graceful and majestic I just wana be with them.
  • Speaking of Japan – that place is funky as hell. I can’t wait to go back there. Back to Tokyo to visit my mate Seiji and then Kyoto to visit Toshi and then Okinawa, an island where the people live until they are really old.
  • Singapore, good food, decent shopping cool buildings
  • Dubai – this place looks cray. 
  • Phillipines, some gorgeous beach where I can chill. Oh and that place you can swim in the Jelly Fish lake! Palau. 
  • Bora Bora. I MUST stay in one of those over water bungalows so I can look at the fishy’s all night!!!!!! 
  • Mexico – especially Belize. It just looks breath taking.
     
  • Maldives. See above. Beautiful.
  • South Island of NZ - Ironically I have travelled the world and yet not my own country properly.
  • Anywhere my family is. Hopefully on a cruise somewhere… Bahamas again anyone? 

 Must stop writing and start working out how I can earn more money and have more time off. This sh!t is expensive!!

14 October 2012

Reality Bites/ Post-Holiday Blues


Post-Holiday Blues is a real condition. I swear.

As this article reports “The post-holiday blues might not (yet) be a recognised syndrome but it is something that darkens the first few days after a break for many of us.” The article also provides tips for getting through this difficult time. You can read them HERE. I have been reading them over and over and over…haha

But in all seriousness, it’s not that bad. There are some things I am thankful to be home for. My own bed is one, followed closely by normal food with normal portion sizes and no ‘bags to coach at 7.45am’.

The things I miss from my holiday far outweigh the niceties of being home in Brisvegas though. I miss my new friends the most. And Gemma of course, who is back in Perth slaving away at the mines. We met some awesome people on our trip and after spending all day with them on Contiki for 8-11 days it is sad not to be able to pop down the hall to their hotel room for a chat.. or a beverage… or ten beverages. Thank-god for Facey!! Yewww!

After my new friends, I miss not having my bed made daily, all my food prepared for me, having to organise my own transportation… I'm making myself sound rather lazy here, I better stop there.

Luckily I didn't have to go back to work the day after I returned from the USA as originally planned. Since I resigned while I was away it was decided it would be best that I didn’t return to my old position at the Brisbane Lions and made a clean break. It’s been lovely being a ‘lady of leisure’ this week! I have pretty much done nothing, but still managed to hardly be at home? Not sure how that works…

To recover from my post-holiday blues it is advised to think of things you have to look forward to… ironically all I can think of are my next holidays…

  • NZ for a week in exactly one month for a wedding when I am bridesmaid and will see my family
  • NZ for a week at Christmas a month after that
  • Thailand for New Years 2013
  • Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays for the weekend of 18 January.
  • My next trip to America… hopefully soon! Anyone wanna come?

Anyway starting my new job tomorrow, must go organise an outfit!