It was really hard to get a photo of it but this was the eclipse of the moon which was also on the night of a full moon. I think it was only in NZ though. It was the sun, earth and moon aligned causing the moon to go a strange coppery colour and to be completely eclipsed in the end.
The birds are a few pukekos I see in the park on the way to work in the mornings.. I love these birds because they are so "NZ"
I have the day off today!! yay!! I realised just how completely exhausted I am last night. It was the first time I had to relax and it hit me like a tonne of bricks!! But I cant complain I asked the universe (read the secret to know what I'm on about) for more work than I could handle and that it what I got. Perhaps I should have been less specific though because I was so tired I could have cried last night ( I wasnt sad or anything I was just too tired to even move!)
Emily and Kevin the mangers of shortbread cottage leave this weekend and the new manager have already moved in, they are a young aussie couple. She will be working in the supermarket and he will be running the place. I havent seen much of them yet, they seem nice and I'm hoping they will be because it will effect my life alot having new managers!
It was a bit more crowded last night and I had to share many room, but thankfully she was a quiet girl (no loud snoring!) I guess I'm going to be sharing my room more and more as it gets busier and busier which I am not looking forward to.

This is the Mizayu Gardens that I sit in reading my book during my lunch break from Founders Park.

My bedroom! Actually have a few more photos up now as Eva sent me some in my birthday card.. Makes it more homely having photos up!

This is where I go when Helen and I take her dog Daisy for a walk.. thats her 2 year old son Elliot and daisy the black dalmation. Its a gorgeous beach and I love walking along it. I cant wait for the summer when I can dive in!! (which is pretty much now.. its officially Spring now and gorgeous weather.. I've just been too busy working to enjoy it!)

More views from the centre of NZ walk.. I love to go up here and get away from it all.. the walk starts opposite the Founders Park nursery I work in so we can see the hills from work which is lovely..

Thought I'd put up some of the random photos I have taken over the last couple of months.. not been anywhere exciting though I'm afraid so there just of home (Nelson).. only a few months to wait for new and exciting photos of Australia!
The first one is of my lounge.. (told you they werent interestign photos!) so you can see where I vegetate of an evening!
The second one is a view from the hills.. part of the cnetre of NZ walk. I go on this walk after work every so often.

"You dont deal with conflict very well"

When I used to work at the refuge my boss said that I did not deal with conflict very well (this was after I had been working alone, walked into a fight between 2 residents and had to hide in the office with one trying to kick the door in to get at me and I had phoned her to come in and help). I have vowed never to work in an environment like that ever again because she is completely right I dont deal with it very well! But I realise this is true of me in all areas of life. I get upset if people are the slightest bit cross with me (or mean to me!). Yesterday at Kathmandu I decided I wasnt cut out for retail after it was playing on my mind when I was going to sleep about mean customers. But today I realised so many of them are mean that I had to harden up and now I can "kind of" laugh it off (unless I have done something wrong and I know its my fault and then I will worry about it and get upset.. I know the cross English man is going to come in this week and see there is a sale and that he spent $1000 in here last week and some of its now half price - I know in advance he is going to shout - but in my defence we were only told to tell customers the last couple of days that the product they want will be half price soon which is pretty kind.. but even so I suppose I could have hinted - I just didnt think about it on my first day. He's already come in very cross that his son didnt like the jacket we had chosen for him (he used me as a personal shopper).. but in my defense I'm not psychic.. and he was of those toffee nosed london laywer types that wouldnt be the sort to argue with anyway.. so when he said his son would love this I couldnt exactly point out that it was a girly colour.. but apparently I should have?!
God even writing this down is funny because when you write something down you realise how ridiculous it is and that I am being ridiculous even worrying about it.. on the bright side I feel much better, its unfortunate that you had to get bored to death during that process!!
So for future reference to all you customers out there, bear in mind that girl in the shop may be someone just like me
- No I cant go any faster on the till, it is my first day, and yes I am so sorry that its typical you've got the new girl...
- NO you cant have the sale price yet, the sale doesnt start till tomorrow, and yes I know you are flying out tomorrow (like everyone else in Nelson apparently)

People get really angry about coming in for the sale today when it doesnt start till tomorrow and they say this is false advertising and its all my fault.. (the advertising does clearly say that it doesnt start till tomorrow)
No I havent a clue what colour towel your dog might prefer.. (which has been handed to my when you entered the shop as if I am their personal shopper)!
However Jin had it worse, we both were employed for the sale and he had to put up with racism as well. Some PEOPLE are so unbelievably rude and mean! I mean honestly I cant control how many we have in stock, how much it is or what time the sale starts. it is not my fault there is only size 8 left!
When we shut today people were banging on the doors trying to force the doors open anxious about the sale... god I can only dream of what it may be like when the sale actually starts tomorrow..
The bright side is since I have been sticking the new prices on everything I know the stock very well now, I dont even have to check a computer to know how many we have left.. particularly the famous down jackets (these down jackets are so popular I can guarantee there will be a punch up tomorrow morning - we have had 50 phonecalls regarding them and about 100 attempted bribes today at people trying to persuade us to put them behind the counter to save them for them till tomorrow.. there are precisely 5 left!!! good luck!!
I am knackered.. I have been working madly everyday and all the hours there is, staying late at work (missing Shortland street - which is most upsetting!!). I am shattered. I finished at 6:15pm today which was early so popped in the library to let you all know I am still alive.. but shop work is exhausting.. you are literally on your feet the entire day charging around the shop.. I worked at the childcare centre on my day off from kathmandu on Wednesday and it was a rest!!
But I think thats the best thing to do.. have 4 jobs with different patience and tiredness boxes.. when my shop work patience box is filled I can move into the patience with children box.. (though actually I am always patient at this childcare centre.. they are completely lovely) but you know what I mean.. working at a backpackers for weekends is great I love it.. but I hated it when I worked 98 hours a week running one full time..
anyway librarys about to close.. another day...

ooh forgot to mention that drama " The man who lost his head" with Martin Clunes. I think its on in the Uk this week if it hasnt been already. It was on here last night and was good! Its about NZ so you should watch it!!

Harry Potter Mania!

I have been (impatiently) waiting for the new Harry Potter book at the library since I am too tight to buy it (whats the point when your travelling and cant keep it?!) and was very excited when I was up at the counter getting asnother book out and the computer dinged to tell my reserved book was in!! yay!! needless to say I did nothing else all weekend. I was actually working at the backpackers all weekend so obviously I had to clean and be a tourist information guide (and we were surprisingly busy!) but other than that I was sitting out in the sun absorbed in Harry Potter - which by the wsy was great!! I had finished it by dinner time Sunday!
I have now lent it to Emily (the current manager of the hostel) who was also excitedly waitng for me to get it out the library!!
However it was really hot this weekend!! Summer has started early and because i was so focussed on my book I didnt realise I was slowly going pink! (since its still winter you wouldnt think I'd need to worry about sunscreen but it seems I should have!) god whats going to happen when I get to Oz? I am both going to melt and burn to a crisp!!
I have got a 35cent per hpur pay rise at the Child Care Compnay which is cool, anythings good and apparently I should have been on it longer so I got rebated for all the hours I've done which was about $40!
Also on the money front I got a tax rebate!! after months of phoning the tax office and trying to see if I could get one its paid off! I got a cheque for $235 today!!
Working at Kathmnadu is going well. I did a 3 hour training on backpacks the other day and 1.5 hours on goretex jackets! so now i should be an expert on these subjects!! I also have a $25 voucher so am wondering what to spend it on!!
Emily and Kevin the current managers of Shortbread Cottage leave on the 8th September so we are desperately looking for replacements for them. It will be sad for me that they are leaving as they are really nice. Any of you fancy a job?!
I phoned the bank in England the other day to talk to them about my debt. It was probably a waste of time since I got passed around a million people who knew nothing but I've asked them to ast least note on my file that I am trying to communicate with them! The last guy said that he would have to get the Metropolitan debt Collecters involved if I couldnt sort it out..so thats something for mum and dad to look forward to. I wish I could have it all wiped clean and really hope that I will get that opportunity. I think its so wrong taht we are offered credit cards and loans the minute we get to 18 even though theres so chance we can pay them off.. I have since I came to NZ learnt my lesson and live within my means but its a hard lesson to learn and such a long slow process to try and sort it out.
had a day off today which i was quite cross about last week as I didnt want a day off but it turns out i needed it more than I thought! I have been rushed off my feet today faffing around on computers and all sorts! I also dont feel amazingly well. I woke up and felt like bursting into tears and going back to bed but as the days gone on I think I might be fighting the flu off or something as I feel rubbish (and should probably be in bed)! Maybe I'll have a nap in a bit!

The End Of the Road!

I watched the film "Wimbledon" (again) the other night when I was babysitting. I love that film as at weekends or inbetween matches they go away to Brighton and it just looks so beautiful that I start to miss home! Also makes me think I want to see a Wimbledon match - which I must do one day when I go back to England (even though I'm not that keen on tennis!!)
Helen and I went to see "No Reservations" on Saturday which was really good. Not that films effect me much (!!!!) but that made me want to take cooking lessons (one of those cooking holidays in Italy or somewhere would be fab!!) and also made me remember I love opera music and I cant wait till I get to see an opera at the Sydney Opera House! Nelson being the small place it is when we went to the cinema we bumped into Helen's mum who was watching the same film and sat in the row ahead (Helen's mum of course being Heather our boss at the Child Care Centre!!)
I am realising that my time in NZ is getting less and less and I'm going to really miss it. I also kind of wish I was still in NZ for Xmas as I know I could have Xmas with my friends here. But I am also excited about spending Xmas in the outback in 40 degree heat!! The guide book basically says the only reason you would go to Bourke is to say you have officially been to the end of the road..the road literally stops there at the desert!! Bryson described it in his book as like the heat that blasts you in the face when you open the oven when your turkeys cooking..! Hmnn now perhaps I should mention I dont particularly like heat and it gets to about April in the UK and I start to burn... I am a tad worried about spending a month in a desert where temperatures are 40-48 degrees! but as everything it will be an experience!
I have ben known to jump wholeheatedly into things (people have pointed out that i dont tnend to do things by halves!)which could be seen as a positive or a negative depending on which way you look at it!
I caught myself nearly calling someone a "whinging bloody pom" this week (thankfully in my head and not aloud). He was being negative about Nelson saying it had taken him 5 mins to walk round and he had got so bored he had to go to the cinema and he wouldnt recommentd anyone to come to Nelson!! Grr! it made me so cross! Of course at the point of restraining myself from calling him a whinging pom I remembered than yes I am actually a (whinging bloody) pom and have criticised towns I have gone to. If the weather is bad, you meet unfriendly people or the hostel you stay in is dirty it can effect your entire opinion of a town. That is why i wanted to stay so long in NZ to experience it as properly as possible. But theres trill towns that I've only seen in the rain. Its impossible to see absolutely everywhere properly I guess! but I have tried to throw myself into everything NZ has had to offer and I think I have done well by trying to do as the locals do from hunting and fishing to dating the locals!
People mistake me everyday for being a New Zealander and I love that! One guy said i must be because I said "ay" at the end of every sentence. I didnt even realise that i did. I suppose its what I have done unconsiously to fit in. There are a million things i will miss about NZ (which I am quite sure I shall list in entirety when I start crying about leaving!) so you can look forward tio that list in December time!!!! (I know your excited already!)
NZ now feels like my home going to Oz is like a great big scary new adventure and I'm ridiculously excited!
Although to contradict myself I still talk of the UK as home. For the first year I was out here I couldnt think of anything positive to say abiout the UK, and I meet people who have emmigrated over here from the UK and they get cross that I can think of positive things to say about the UK. (maybe they want to be reassured they made the right decison?) I am scared of the UK because of the stress and material possessions obsession but i can see there are some good things about the UK (for starters my family and friends are there!!)
I often wish I wasnt so judgemental or have a tendency to try and be a know it all.. I try and remind myself in the grand scale of life (eg if life was a book) I have only experienced a few pages or at the most a chapter or two if the writer gabbles like myself)

Workaholic that I am!

Wow, mad busy week, ended up running around non-stop!
It started on Friday when I'd done a 2 hour walk in the hills after work and was ready to collapse in front of the sofa when someone randmomly phoned me up asking for a babysitter, having got my number off someone else. So I went over to their (huge) house and met the children. Only the 2 youngest as the eldest 2 were at boarding school. They were very posh and absoloutely lovely. So the plan was for me to pick them up from a neighbours house when I finished work Saturday. It was a very good evening as they stayed out till 1:30am and I got paid well. It was strange as sitting in their lounge reminded me of my parents dining room come library! I have never seen another house with as many books as my parents!! But also made me realise I want to have a house with that many books! (Better get collecting then! Its such a shame I cant keep all the books I read when travelling but it would cost a fortune to send them all home and it would be far too heavy to carry them all since I've probably read 2 books a week since I started travelling! This week I'm reading Bill Bryson's Down Under.
Saturday had been really busy as the darts team had checked out so I had lots of beds and cleaning to do, so I had a very busy weekend!
I then worked half the week at Founders Park and half the week at Tasman Street which kept me busy!
Monday night I always go to the Lighthouse and we have a different subject each week. This week we had Sound Therapy with Tibetan bowls. I've had it before in the UK and wasnt impressed.. but wow this was amazing. They took you into a really powerful meditative state and they had this amazing choir singing foreign songs.
Tuesday was cheap night at the cinema so Emily, Kev and I went to see Die Hard 4.0 which was very good if a tad unrealistic in places!!
Wednesday was Emily's birthday so I looked after the backpackers while they went out for a meal and I had made her a carrot cake as she doesnt eat chocolate. (she went through my recipe book and decided on carrot cake) as I couldnt think what to make if it couldnt be chocolate!
Thursday I was knackered and was in bed by about 9pm! and then Friday I went for a long walk with my friend Helen and the dog Daisy and we went to the wharf to get some cod. Her bloke is a trained chef (although he doesnt work as one - hes a policeman)so he made us fish in this yummy beer batter.. and now here we are its Saturday! I got up pretty early and headed to the Saturday market and got my fruit and veg and then went to the internet shop to catch up on some emails and then went to the Queens Gardens for a wander and to the Suter Gallery when it opened at 10:30am. Its free on Saturdays which was cool! It was good, I enjoyed wandering round looking at the paintings. But it was small and I dont think I'd have been so impressed if I had, had to pay for it. Must go to the Tate in London again one day..
Am going to the cinema with Helen at 11:30am so have just nipped in the library (where I am now) to update my blog!
By the way I'm not homeless, Jimmy didnt accept the highest bid for the auction so its back on the market and he's gone off on his holidays to Australia.
I'm babysitting tonight for Claire again so thats good moneywise! Its very easy too as Olivia will be asleep! then Sunday I'm looking after the backpackers for Emily to Kev can take her out for a birthday treat. I was going to on Wednesday but couldnt say no to the work at the nursery so he had to postphone it to Sunday.
Monday, Thursday Friday I'm working at Founders Park which I actually like now I've got to know the staff and children, and Tuesday, Wednesday I am working at Kathmandu, and then Saturday Sunday will be my weekend at the backpackers again.. so another busy week ahead!!

For future reference dont live with Darts Players

Had a pretty good week. Slept over Helen's place last weekend and went for a long walk down the Matai River with the dog and the kids which was cool. She has a spare room and since we have a darts team staying a whole week I appreciated the peace and quiet!
Alot of backpackers ban groups of kiwis at their hostels and I can so see why. Its easier to tell real backpackers off.. they know the code of respect for other travellers need for sleep... after all when your tracelling for months and months theres only so long you can go without sleep.. But a bunch of kiwis on a weeks holiday just want to drink and party all day and night.. and it seems a group of darts players is not a good combo is a small backpackers. They are driving me nuts. If they'd been backpackers I would have told then to shut up in no uncertain terms but I am kind of wary. Particularly of a certain kind of man after they've taken lots of drugs. So home (by that I mean shortbread cottage) hasnt felt like so much like home this week. I mean most of them are fine but the stench of alcohol/cigarettes/pot isnt so great and I dont have alot to say to people who think P is fantastic. On the bright side my alarm bells went off immediately that these were the kind of men to avoid like the plague so my radar must be improving!! Anyway another 2 nights till they go.. I feel kind of mean being such a killjoy.. after all for some of them this week is their holiday for the year.. and hear I am moaning about them having fun.. but I do not appreciate a group of men "accidently"(?) walking into my bedroom in the middle of the night.. I cant feel relaxed like I normally do and I'm a grumpy cow when I dont get enough sleep!! (and some of them are prefectly nice.. they are just permenantly drunk).
Thank god not all of them turned up as I was meant to be sharing my room with 3 of them.. if that had been the case I would have moved out for the week I think.. I have ended up sharing my room this week with backpackers but since they are respectful thats been fine! Two german girls were too scared to leave our room though the night they stayed. but the last 2 nights two nice English girls have been staying and they have trvaelled the world so are a bit more confident than the poor german girls.. I've kind of got used to them after a week and made them all watch nip tuck last night (which OMG is so disgusting at times) after they made me watch Primeval (which I class as a boys programme!) Theres only so much hiding in my room I can do! But tonight I am off babysitting for Claire so at least I have an evening out away from them! Mind you they are mostly out early evening while I'm up and only coe in and get loud when I'm in bed. Anyway enough moaning about a bunch of darts players..
I started off the week by working at Kathmandu which I really enjoyed. I know I am strange but I genuinely enjoy stocktaking. I enjoy mundance tasks like counting! Its seems it is my skill in life as they were extremely impressed with me! I now know the Kathmandu stock really well too! and I have another job!! The sale starts on the 27th August and I start full time for that which is great! The staff are all really friendly and well travelled. However the funny thing is they didnt even bother to read my CV so he told me in the interview! (so I guess they dont care about my lists of qualifications)!
Then Tuesday and tomorrow I am working at Founders Park and it was quite good on Tuesday as the owner was back off holiday and she didnt make me be outsode for the entitre 9 hours like the others do.. I mean I quite like being outside in the fresh air but having variation makes the day go quicker.. and she has offered me lots more work to replace staff going on placements elswhere.. so work is sorted.. at least for the next 6 weeks or so.. and then it shoud be long till Heather at Tasman St goes on holiday... so work has sorted itself out!
This is my weekend managing Shortbread Cottage.. not sure if the place will sell tomorrow?! I'll be kept busy anway as the darts team check out Saturday so I will be trying to get all the smoke etc smells out of the bedding.. still I like being kept busy! I was telling kathmandu not to give me a day off and they were like "are you sure?!"
Am really enjoying a book my sister got me for my birthday called "Kiwi Tracks" I thought it was just about walks in NZ when I first saw it but discovered its the diary of a guy who hitchhiked around NZ.. its really good! Will have to send it back to the UK after I've read it so I can keep it to remind me of my days travelling..
got my legs waxed today using my birthday voucher the girls at work got me.. at least it wasnt as painful as last time! she was really good actually and gave me a massage as well. was very impressed!
Sorry havent checked my emails in a few days.. short on money this week and of course the libabry doesnt let you on hotmail.. will be checking them next week sometimes since I'm working the next few days..
Mum and dad.. I hope you had a good wedding anniversary! Hope you got my card!

Because I said So!

I went to the first session of the course at the Womens Centre. It was good. I was very dubious but it was alright! If I'm not working this Wednesday then I'll go again.
Finally got called to work on Thursday, I was very pleased about that, theres only so many books you can read or TV you can watch.. and then on Friday I went over to Helen's in the morning for a gossip, then we headed over to work for lunch cos they'd ordered Dominoes Pizza and everyone knows I'm poor at the moment! then Helen and I went for a walk on the beach because it was a gorgeous day. I phoned around a couple of childcare centres but it seems nobody needs any relievers. But thank fully I have 3 days of work booked for next week. Monday working at Kathmandu the outdoors shop helping with stocktaking, Tuesday and Friday at Founders Park Child Care Centre, and then I'll be working at the backpackers at the weekend.(well presumably I will since the auction of the backpackers is on the 10th)! I am putting my application forms into lots of places to make sure I get as much work as possible. I realise that I didnt get that bad a pay in Kaikoura and it would have been really easy over the winter but on the other hand I know I did the right thing leaving..
anyway back to yesterday, Helen fed me tea then we went out to the cinema with the girls from work, went to see "Because I said So" which I enjoyed (not the best film I've ever seem but good nevertheless.
Emily and I went to look at travel books in the local bookshops yesterday too as she is going to Australia in November and I have lost an nz/aussie guide I did have. We were shocked as all the trvael guides were $60!! thats ridiculous!! books are a ridiculous price here in general.. so I'll stcik with reading those in the library and hope that I come accross one in a bookswap before I fly out in Auckland or something! (or they might be cheaper in Auckland bookshops)
We now have a darts team arriving at the backpackers staying for a week who are completely filling the place so I'll be sharing my room again so i hope their okay. Helen says if their not I can come and stay for a night or 2..
People keep mentioning Switzerland to me. It seems to come up in conversation everywhere I go.. and twice last year 2 different tarot readers said I was destined to go there.. so I'm thinking I should go and see it as soon as I get near Europe!!
20/20 this week was on Nelson (a current affairs programme). I'm wondering if it will effect our English Language Tourism Industry as it was on racism and horrible things that have happened to Asians, they interviewed these racist horrible girls and had video footage of skinheads beating Koreans up. Apparently its no worse than any other town in NZ so they said. That wouldnt reassure me if I was asian. I guess the same and worse happens in the UK.
The man accused of murdering the 28 years old backpacker on the North Island was convicted this week. She was hitchhiking. Kinda scary since I am 28 and hitchhike.. I actually havent hitchiked since hospital. its not that I'm scared, I think NZ is probably the safest place to hitchhike. I mean obviously I was feeling too ill to be standing on the side of the road after I got out of hospital and I was feeling so thankful to be alive I wanted to look after myself.. and I guess that feeling has stuck by me.. valueing myself more and not wanting to put myself at risk.. But god hitchhiking is a hell of alot cheaper than buses!! Still I hear in Australia theres always tonnes of notices in backpackers with other backpackers wanting to share rides so that may be my best bet..
My travel insurance runs out this week.. I think I am deciding not to extend it.. mainly because I cant, they said last time it was the last time I could extend it.. I dont really have much stuff worth stealing, and medical care is good, they have a recipricol agreement in Oz with the UK like NZ does (which is why I didnt have to pay anything in hospital). It is a risk though.. apparently ambulance rides arent free and I guess if you need helicoptering out of the outback its going to be expensive.. maybe I should look into how I can get it?
Anyway am off to read the local Saturday paper and see if theres any decent jobs..! I'm willing to do a day here and there everywhere! theres a possiblility of more work at Kathmandu if Monday goes well.

Extended Birthday!

I like still getting birthday cards and pressies.. it makes my birthday much longer! I was quite fed up this morning since I was not working again and after having had yesterday off as well had done everything I needed to get done yesterday! and its pouring with rain again. At least if wasnt raning I could go for a walk in the hills or on the beach but it wouldnt be any fun today.
anyway a nice surprise was a parcel in the letter box from my friend Eva, I got a birthday card, lots of photos of Eva and I in NZ, and dutch chocolate! yum! yay! so thank you Eva, it was a lovely surprise! and I will have more photos to put up on my wall, soon I will be taking over the room! (as its a dorm I obviously have to restrict the photos to around my bed!) I really miss Eva being in NZ! It would be great if she was here for the winter.
Anyway, I am in the library again, its highly possible they may regret giving me a library card! I come on the computers to do my blog almost daily, sit around reading all the new newspapers and magazines (once a week or when I have a day off (they get cosmo the day it somes out!) and have tonnes of their books out at home!
I stayed up late reading my Lonely Planet Australia I got out the library last night, am just so excited.. but beginning to see just how huge it really is! Am also realising that the Gold Coast may not be the best place to fly into since I dont really like the clubbing and drinking culture so much anymore (I mean I like a nice pub and a night out just not every night and not clubs really)and Surfers Paradise seems to be all about getting drunk and clubbing. Reading up on the hostels they all organise parties every night... and people are always warning me that the hostels in Oz are horrible compared to those in NZ.. So I am trying to decide where to stay.. a quieter part of the gold coast for a couple of nights and then work my way towards Bourke which is on the edge of the outback and where the farm I would like to work on is 80km from anywhere! (800kms north west of sydney) no danger of excess clubbing there! So maybe I should just make the most of surfers paradise and stop complainng! (not that I'm complaining really, dont worry I'm very excited about having the opportunity to go!)
will get a tonne more books about oz out today and get reading!! Its not that long really. I have 4 months left in Nelson. August, September, October and November and then at the beginning of December I'll fly to the North Island see the last few places and go!!
Went to the Lighthouse again last night (normal Monday night activity), am slowly getting to know the people there which is nice. Its nice to have somewhere to go out to anyway. God I talk as if I never go out! (But when your on a budget I cant go out much..) but saying that tonight I am off the cinema as its cheap night. Emily and I are going to see Knocked Up which I'm looking forward to!
I got my hair cut yesterday and got rid of all the dry ends which was good. Still had dye in my hair from 2-3 years ago but now its all gone! I get so scared having my hair cut its ridiculous but tried to relax and tell myself in the grand scale of things its not that scary and its not the end of the world if I get a bad haircut! I think I almost gave the poor hairdresser a nervous breakdown in the end!! anyway its very nice and I'm happy with it!

SHAM

This weekend was a weekend of reading. I was working at the backpackers where I clean all morning and then basically sit around so its a great opportunity to read! I basically read 6 hours straight from 12-6 in the afternoons! with occasioanl disruptions of checking people in and doing their trvael itineries..
I finished the book I've been reading for a couple of weeks "Four Fires" by Bryce Courtney. He's a really popular author in NZ and his books are mainly set in Australia, anyway it was a great book and I learnt alot about irish settlers in Australia, concentration camps in borneo and japan during the war and australian soldiers experiences in them, and forest fires in oz..and its amusing how the sentence "bloody poms" turns up every few pages or so..!
Then I read "SHAM" by Steve Salerno which was really good, its basically about how the self help movement makes us helpless and how these gurus victimize us to keep us needy and to keep us buying their books.. it was scary..! I will honestly never read a self help book in the same light again and as for Oprah or Dr Phil.. I dont think I can ever watch them again! Steve Salerno names all these self help gurus and rips them apart.. its very interesting!
Then John whose been staying a few days in the backpackers bought the Sunday papers so that was me sorted.. could find out whats going on in NZ and the world in general. The front page of all the papers here is yet another child abuse case.. did you know more maori children die each year than any other ethnicity (by a factor of 5) at the hands of their family?
I have the day off work today and have no work booked this week.. so I'm hoping they call soon! but I have just printed off my CV and plan to take it round the rest of the nurseries and am applying for a job at Kathmandu.
I was going to try and use my beauty voucher today but madisons was closed! (Hmff) but will use it at some point this week. Am planning on a leg wax or hair cut or both..am feeling a bit dowdy lately.. probably just that winter feeling.. and of course it doesnt help that while travelling you cant have lots of stuff so I just have 2 pairs of trousers and 2 fleeces.. I also plan to start some exercise such as swimming.. ( lol.. if you read this blog from start to finish I probably say that every 2 months or so!)
I have been thinking more about plans (even though I'm alwys saying theres no point since I never stick to them..but here it is:
work hard here and save up
go to Oz in december
travel round Oz for a year and work hard and save up
spend 2-3 months round the pacific islands such as samoa, fiji and tonga
and then depending on how I feel and money etc I will either do a bit more travelling or come home to the UK. Going back to the UK both excites and terrifies me. I am terrified of things going back to teh way they were.. of feeling stressed and unhappy and of making work into this big stressful thing.. I was telling my sisiter how i'm going to have to change jobs every 6 months or so like I do out here then it feels temporary and less stressful! I used to get stressed thinking this was my career and I had to succeed..
I have a kind of plan for the UK (Feel free to laugh out loud and remind me off this plan when I do nothing of the sort on returning to the UK)which is to get any jobs I enjoy and I would like to try the travel industry and then when I have a house and partner and kids are an option I might want to be a childminder or mini nursery but obviously that isnt an option till I have a house. I also despite reading "sham" would like to train in psychology and or psychotherapy not necessarily as a job more as an interest.. but since this would be extortionatly expensive it will have to be one day/evening a week when I am settled and have money.. its a shame though as when your settled your generally busier with life and in actual fact now would be the ideal time for me to do open university or something as I have more time.. but I guess you cant do everything!! one thing at a time!!
I caught up on the phone with people this weekend which was nice as I had access to the phone being on reception.. Its so nice to hear peoples voices again!
I phoned my sister Amanda and her husband Jim and got to speak to Elizabeth which was very cute!! it was nice to catch up with Amanda too and find out whats going on in her life..
and I phoned mum and dad, its mums summer holidays so they are both at home and staying in the UK because they didnt want to miss the British summer since last summer was so great.. Hope it gets nicer for you all soon.. Amanda and Jim are going to stay with them for a week soon as well so it will all be busy there soon! I wish I could be there seeing all the family..
and I also phoned Louise who is back from her holiday in france and was meant to be off starting her travel plans but things have changed and am not sure what shes doing now..! I realised how much I wanted her to travel because then someone would understand what it was like for me and we would be in the same situation.. but I guess you cant force your friends to go travelling! and I understand how other peoples travelling is different from mine, she wants a job to go to rather than just arrive in a country. which I can understand, I was way to scared to come to NZ without having arranged the job at the refuge first.. (even if I did leave after a couple of weeks!!).

Respecting Elders

I never understood the concept of respecting elders before. I mean I understood being polite and respectful to them but always raised my eyebrows to them "knowing more". (and by elders i dont mean old people I just mean anyone older than myself) When I was 18, 21, 23 I thought I "knew everything" but finally I understand I really dont and that I never will..
Although my elders lives were different and they didnt grow up with the same technology or immediate debt when they began university they have still had more life experience, had to learn hard lessons and learn to become comfortable with themselves.. and that has to be respected.. they have lived more life ?..
mind you I suppose life experience is relative, we all have such completely different experiences. But for example I dont think I should have been giving parenting groups and advice when I worked at the refuge, those parents had every right to shout at me that "how would I know"? because obviously I dont know what its like to be kept awake for months on end and still have to be patient..
The local womens centre is opposite my house and my doctor referred me to it after the difficulties I had in the few months before I came to Nelson. Its most amusing as basically its a family centre and I used to run groups at my local family centre in the UK. Now I am on the side of the "referred client". I said no to certain groups as they were pretty much workd for word the ones I taught which would feel too weird.. but said yes to this lovely course called "Pathways to Power" (how to feel more in charge of your life). I had explained that I could only go when I wasnt working and they agreed but I got a phonecall today to say unless I committed 100% attendance I couldnt do it. I think this lesson has been "sent to me" to learn! When i was runnign these groups we used to ask for 100% commitment and used to get quite cross when people missed a week. Now I am on the other side and if i am offerred work on a Weednesday morning when the group is I shall be taking it.. money for food is more important..! So finally I can see that everything is not black and white or cut and dry..
Ah well we'll see what happens I'll lie and say of course I'll attend 100% and if i get called for work then so be it.. I might hate the course anyway!
I dotn think I really need a course anyway but you know me.. I like all that stuff and a bump of self esteem cant hurt! I have missed Bryan at times lately, I know if he was still alive I could have phoned him up and felt better straigth away.. but I have becoem my own therapist and I know I'll always be alright from now on..

Dad sent me this article the other day in my birthday card which made me laugh so much i have to type it out.. (he cut it out the paper)
How to be a backpacker..
Theres a confusing yet thrilling world beyon airpost secuiirty but novice backpackers beware: the easy going vibe hides iron clad rules for the road.

Respected is the traveller with the good gizmos. Techy chat about mobiles and local sim cards has replaced backpacks, boots and gear as the hostel conversation standard of choice. Digital camera, ipods, and even laptops find their way into travellers luggage. Dont expect any sympathy however if that chirruping nokia vibartes off the deck into the Mekong river. All by all means keep a blog about your journey, everyone else will. Just dont expect anyone at home to read it.

Travellers used to compete for how little they'd spent on a bed for the night or a ride into town or how much better the exchange rate was for them. Thats considered passe now, flashpacking in boutique hostels has replaced rampant cheapness. Green habits are the latest craze, the smaller your carbon footprint the more respect local people and fellow backpackers will betwo upon you. Expect plenty of guilt inducing chats about how you are detroying the planet but the braided haired gentleman telling you this hasnt moved from his dope den in zanzinar for 4 months!!

Tastes change fast. Laos is at the opeak of its populairity, with yunnan province in china about to step into its shoes. Int eh americas north east brazil and honduras bay islands are the places to be seen or not seen if you want to avoid the all nigth partying americans. Africas where its all at for a true backpacking oddyssey. Expect plenty of british voices on the trans siberian, its that green one up manship again as much as a desperate desire to understand estern russia.

Making friends is easy, you'll swap email addresses wherever you go. Be careful, new best friends are all very well when your visiting the laotian tribes but having sven from oslo on your sofa for 2 weeks back home is considerably less fun. Note dormitories have their own rule of etiquette. Although a staggering 1 in 4 travellers has got busy in a shared dorm theres no no no like the german couple who go yes yes in the bunk above you.

Backpackers have odd eating habits but you'll soon get into it. In Thailand the banana pancake rules supreme, while in India to attract the trvaelling crowd a restaurant owner must serves up omlette sandwiches. If dinner repeats on you dotn worry. A dose of the trvaelling trots and the stories they spawn remains a unifying force amony backpackers..

lol anyway that all made me laugh.. I live in a boutique hostel full of flashpackers with their laptops...!

on a less happy note the boutique hostel I live in is being auctioned on August 10th.. I just hope this doesnt result in me being homeless.. I have every faith I can be persuasive and inform them I come with the property!

Day Out of Our Time - Peace Festival

I had seen the flyers a few weeks ago about a peace festival but since it was on a Wednesday I thought I might be working and wouldnt be able to go but neither of the childcare centres rang me this morning so I ended up having the day off.
I had already spent this weeks budget (and so therefore have to survive on whats left in the cupboards) but as luck would have it I exchanged the birthday money Anna and Chris gave me and got money for my entry fee.
It was pretty interesting. In went to various talks, the first was about the power of Now which had some far fetched concepts and some really interesting ones. I pick and choose which ones suit me. I also went to meditation and feng shui and stuff and watched bands play..
There was alot about 2012 though which I'm really not sure about it. I was told about it last year and was put off the whole thing because it reminds me of religions that tell me the world is going to end on a certain day and we'll all die unless we join their religion.. so I'm a bit wary of this 2012 prophecy stuff. Anyway the theory behind it is the world is going to change dramatically in 2012 by stopping and turning the other way or something?.. apparently something like this happens every 90 millions years or so and this is why we are having these weather patterns and stuff as it is preparing to slow down or something? I think I have the basic thory I'm not sure... who knows?! I'm not sure what we are meant to do about it.. there were a few smug people who were floating about saying we have to ride the waves and work together?
To be honest I think some of this stuff is bollocks and some of the people floating about in funny outfits telling me "they can see I'm in love.... in love with the world.." and saying all of us here today believe...blah blah and using the royal we were really annoying me!!
However like I said I can pick and choose the bits I like. I always like hearing about the tests on water forming into water crystals and how positive intention and music affects the crystal that will form.. the pictures are amazing (I'm sure most of you will have seen them its not a particularly new discovery). anyay I like the analogy that we are made of mainly water and therefore the same should apply to the water within ourselves with positive intention etc etc? I take this to mean I should be looking after myself and giving myself positive energy? (and playing nice music?!)
Its hard to find a happy medium in all the clap trap.. I've always wanted to live temporarily on a commume but I think I would have to be careful with the one I chose. I visited one last year for a day and all the people from that were at this festival and I could understand some of what they said such as that life had all been about stress and work and now they were travelling and had ended up on this commune and now they loved life and wanted everyone to be like them and to believe everything they believed and ended up being a bit smug and preachy.. the thing is I know I can get like this and I'm bound to turn into one of these people when I go and try commune living or when I go to Thailand or somewhere? (I apologise for this in advance if it happens) The thing is I really like some of the philosophy behind it and I've always said I would like to be a hippy its just alll the smugness and were better than you stuff that annoys me..
Feel free to remind me of this when I am floating about on a commune somewhere insisting now I know the meaning of life.. (thats the thing Ive got to try it or I wont know.. and then I can go back to normal afterwards and wear shoes and stuff again!!) or maybe it wouldnt work and they'd throw me out anyway.. I used to have enough issues with my ex Paul insisting I was poisoning my body everytime I put something in my mouth that wasnt a mung bean.. I had a chocolate cookie at the festival but they'd taken all the goodness out of it.. dont think there was any chocolate, sugar or gluten in it,, tasted like cardboard to me.. bring on the sugar and proper chocolate!!
The meditation was a bit too buddhist for me.. I love guided mediations where they taken you into a nice garden with waterfalls or some such like (Like the meditations at my Monday mights Lighthouse) but I fing buddhist meditation quite difficult.. Its funny as many times I have tried to "get into" Buddhism stuff. I like some of the philosophies behind it but somehow its just not me.. I cant conform to it all.. maybe I'll just have to have my only little niche in the world with my foot an lots of doors rather than fully in one? or maybe I'll make my own little niche!?
ah well theres me babbling on again..writing as I think..!
Funny how I these things make me want to change me when the point of it all is to be happy with me as I am!
Your Birthday card arrived Aunty Barbara and Uncle Robert.. thank you.. the good thing about gettibng cards a couple of days after my birthday is that it makes the birthday feeling last longer!!
I was also at my firend Helen's house yesterday and played the dvd my sister had sent me.. it was soooo Cute!! my neice Elizabeth was singing Happy Birthday to me!!! and my sisiter asked her where Aunty Melissa lived and she said New Zealand (in this cuter little voice) and then Amanda asked her what was in NZ and she said kiwis!!! How cute!! Needless to say it made me cry!! The one thing travelling has made me learn is the importance and value of family and friends.. and that was the lesson I really needed to learn..
though also on the subject of lessons to be learnt, I was reading the latest Marie Claire in the library (where I am now) and my stars for the rest of 2007 tell me to stay away from bad boys.. they will only cause me pain!! Lol how accurate is that!! Believe me I'm gonna!!

I had a lovely birthday yesterday! I worked 8-5 but I didnt mind since it was at Tasman Street! I brought in some cake for morning tea and the kids sung Happy Birthday to me (I didnt actaully manage to blow out my candles since 1 year old maya sitting next to me got their first but as long as she doesnt get my birthday wish thats okay!
Then I had a very rushed lunch break as Raewyn took me out for lunch, shes the lady with 10 children that I wwoofed for in the sounds, she was visiting Nelson for the day. So that was nice, shes really nice. Shes mentioned a few times about me coming back but we'll have to see.
Shortbread Cottage is on the market and I'm really hoping that it doesnt sell too quick.. sales can got through in under 6 weeks here. Jimmy mentioned something about an offer this week.. I hope not... unless the new owner carries on letting me stay that is!! (I will try and be presuasive if new owners take over - after all they will still need time off!!)
Anyway back to my birthday.. after work we all stayed at work and peoples familes came in.. helen had baked me an amazing birthday cake which was lovely and they had all clubbed together to get me a present which was a 50 dollar beauty salon voucher.. which is a great present! I was really surprised and happy!
We got various takeaways and they got juice and alcohol in.. I'm sticking to my minimal alcohol resolution so I amused them greatly by mixing my wine with sprite (which is by the way very yummy!).
When I got in I finally had time to open my cards which I hadnt had time t open in the morning as I was haring my room with other people and I'm always slower at getting ready in the dark when I cant switch the light on.. but it was something to look forward to all day!
I had a parcel from my sister with loads of cards in that she hadnt sent me because I hadnt had an address previously! so it was christmas's and birthdays all at once with was great!! and loads of photos of my nieces which I will be putting up in my room.. She also put money in my account which was great so I shall be buying that flight so Australia very soon! She also got me a recipe book and a book on NZ walks which cool, give me something to read and do this winter! She also wrote me a letter which was lovely.. people never send letters anymore and I realised I wasnt sure I'd ever had a real handwritten letter from my sisiter before!
I also had a card, handwritten letter and photo from mum and dad (and dad had made the card as well as he's very arty and good at things like that) which was nice..and they put money in my account so that is all exciting! the Australia funds are doing well all of a sudden! I've got all sorts of ideas to spend the money on as I got the Lonely Planet Australia out the library and want to go everywhere and do everything (as usual!!)
I've also applied to work on a Kangaroo farm.. (well its not as if I can do that anywhere else in the world is it?!!)
I tried to phone my sisiter and parents to thank them all but everyone was out so had to just leave messages on machines! I guess mum and dad were celebrating the end of term since now mum with have 6 weeks off work!
The I watched a DVD with Emily and Kevin.. I usually wouldnt choose to watch a movie like it but it was funny and very English!! (Flushed Away). We decided to go out tonight instead of last night which is fine by me.. it'll just be nice to go out somewhere..!
This morning a card from Anna and Chris arrived with some money in so that was a nice surprise! Thank you!!
I then went on to the Saturday morning market which is not to be missed. I get all my weekly fruit and veg and eggs and its a great atmosphere of buskers and stuff..

forgot to mention the NZ weather. have heard that Uk weather has been terrible and it seems to be worldwide.
Whole villages have been swept away up North and theres terrible flooding, theres been tonnes of tornadoes in taranaki, and the cold and snow is shocking down souht, (with the icicles in tunnels so long it blocks the tunnels!!)
However, I'm sensible and decided to spend the winter in sunny nelson where it has been beautiful, blue skies and summer like.. (frosty at night I'll admit but other than that great!)

Just joined Nelson library and they have free internet, alas no access to email but they obviously havent yet blocked access to blogs!! Have been reading up on Aussie and all that and wondering whether to book or not.. I missed out on the special i saw last week but have managed to find another cheap one (but more expensive than the last one I saw... decisons decisons!! I hate spending large amounts on money and its so hard to decide when is the right time to go!
I was also looking up hostels in OZ and they are really mean and the prices go up dramtically over peak season.. in particular the festive season.. to be around Sydney at New years is pretty expensive!! so if I do go it might be for 2 nights only!!
anyway, am really excited to have access to all these books! have got a great big pile beside me to lug back home!!
went to the doctors today, iron levels still low but improving... still knackered though. went to bed at 8:30pm last night so no-one can say I'm not getting enough sleep!!
worked at founders park again today, god time goes slow there..! time flies by at tasman st! am happy I'm at tasman st for my birthday tomorrow!!

am absolutely shattered!! early night for me tonight I think!!
Have been working everyday for ages in a row but cant complain as thats exactly what I want!!
Last night I also went to see the new Harry Potter movie at the cinema which was great!! It felt like it was over really quick but its was still a couple of hours long!! But anyway it was great and you should go see it! (though obviously only if you've seen the first 4 movies!!) I went to the cinema with Emily and kevin, it was nice to go out somewhere with them as havent seen much of them! We also treated ourselves to ordering dominoes pizza before hand which was great!! Dominoes is not too expensive in comparison to the UK. (with their special offers and vouchers anyway) I mean 7 dollars for a large pizza is pretty damn good I reckon!
Went to the Lighthouse on Monday as usual.. I really enjoy going! we get a different speaker every week, this week this lady who does 64 hours intervention for young people before they may go into care or youth custody and changes their lives around so she gave us tips to change our own lves round.. the founder of the Lighthouse Diana is so lovely! she really knows how to make me feel welcome! (and shes a fantastic psychic too.) I mean really she would make alot of sceptics think again!
Talking about lovely people. the people I work with at Tasman Street Child care Centre are so lovely!! I really enjoy working there, they make me feel so welcome, and on Friday it is my birthday and they are ordering takeout and getting wine in for straight after work! Its so sweet of them, they know I havent really got any friends in Nelson and I'm probably a bit lonely! and it would be horrid to sit in on my own on my birthday.
I have worked 2 days at Founders Park Child Care Centre this week and will be tomorrow. I always used to hate it but its not as bad as I remembered it! I much prefer Tasman Street but moneys money, I need as much of it as possible if I am going to get myself to oz!
I babysat on Saturday night for my workmate Claire. It was so easy as Olivia was fast asleep and they werent out for very long!! and they are keen for me to babysit again!
The backpackers has been pretty quiet all week which has been great for me as I have had my own room which is really important for me!
Went for a healthy walk today after work. went and did the centre of NZ walk which I did last year of course, its been beautiful weather and it was like summer up there, its midwinter but there were little new born lambs any everything!!
went into a couple of trvael agents to get more quote and info on Aussie. Flightcentre were quite possible the rudest shop I've ever been in. asking on entry if I would book with them today and when I said I wasnt sure it depended on what their quote was as I was on a budget she refused to serve me, apparently unless I booked with her today then i was wasting her time!!So i told her I may have booked with her today but now I certainly wouldnt! so I went next door where they were wonderfully friendly and helpful! They also discovered that a return flight to NZ wouldnt work as I am not legally allowed back into NZ without an ongoing ticket so apparently the country you have the ongoing ticket to you have to have an ongoiung flight from.. I'm not sure about that but she phoned the visa people and all that.. we did some research and I need $7000 instead of $5000 if I dont have an outgoing ticket from oz.. so more saving to do i guess!!

so have just started to look into flights and stuff outside of NZ after people made me panic saying they couldnt get flights in December because of course its really busy around Christmas and it being the summer! So now I'm wondering whether to take deals up now and book flights now.. but who knows if I want to leave before then? or if I will have enough money before then to leave? Hmnn!
Well I probably need to book something ASAP then! Flights suddenly go up on 15th December so I'm going to go just before then I guess! and then I need to decide where in Australia, main flights are to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. I guess Sydney for New year would be great so maybe I should fly into Melbourne and travel up or something!? Mind you Sydney is going to manic!! ah the decisions!! But since its my birthday soon and mum and dad said they would put some money on my credit card now would be an ideal time to do it as well rather than spend birthday money on somethign unnessesary!
Then of course is the pallaver of return flight. countries dont like it when you dont have an ongoing ticket out of their country.. but typically the return flights are always the most expensive!! Maybe I'll just book the outgoing ticket first and then look around for a return or ongoing flight? (and buy it before I arrive so they let me in? whether I'll use it is another matter so its seems that the cheapest option is to get a return ticvket to NZ as I wouldnt want to waste more expensive tickets..)
I was very excitedly telling mum and dad about wanting to go to Fiji when I spoke to them the other day but cant seem to find any cheap flights at the moment so i guess I'll just have to leave it for the moment and wait for a last minute deal or special offers at some point..
I guess organising a flight to Oz is more important at the moment.. and that will give me plenty of opportunity to save up.. obviously I dont like planning so far ahead but sometimes you have to.. and my visa runs out on 19th december so I obviously need to sort out a flight before then!
I suppose some people are thinking.. god she doesnt know how lucky she is if this is the only thing she has to worry about!!? and their right I guess!
I really dont know how lucky I have it do I?!
I was reading the paper the other day about war torn countries and kidnappings and that really puts things into perspective.. I am so lucky to be from and to currently be in a country where I can walk down the street without fear.
Mind you.. how does it feel in the Uk nowdays? I've read about all these bombs and London stabbings a while back and kids wearing stab vests to go to school? does it feel unsafe?
I went to The Lighthouse last night, my spiritual awareness centre. Its really nice, basically all about feeling good about yourself and people say nice things to you.. received some reiki and stuff last night which was all lovely.. and a pychic who knows nothing about me and hasnt heard my accent said I'm going to travel to Australia soon! - maybe I should have asked him when then I'd know when to book my flight?!)
Have started a strict budget this week so am writing down everything I spend my money on.. and am not allowing myself more money than allocated per week.. so I suppose I should get off the internet as I dont want to run out of money and not be able to eat!!

Last couple of photos of Punakaiki.. doubt there will be any photos for a while now since I will just be working for the next coupld of months.. but just think it wont be long till you have new and exciting photos of Fiji and Australia (well when I say not long I mean 5 months or so!!)

Picture of Punakaiki which you may remember I went to in September sometime and probably have exactly the same photos of!! (we stopped there on the journey from Greymouth to Nelson)
Also when I first arrived at Shortbread Cottage I met Emily and Kevin the managers who are lovely which is great! by some strange coincidence Kevin is garys brother (one half of the couple running it last year- Gary and Emma who were lovely too) Since the place is run by random backpackers who usually stay about 3 months this is quite a coincidence!! they are all from the UK too, from Manchester.
So after my horrendous first night when I was ready to tell Jimmy to stick it I had to work 9:30am till 7:30pm. It was terrible weather all day so i didnt feel so bad that i was stuck inside all day and things were just as they were last year so I didnt really need to learn anything new! Maeve was still here so we treated ourselves and ordered dominoes pizza in the evening which was nice! and the backpackers was quiet so I slept in a double room which was great! i was in a much better mood after a decent nights sleep! Jimmy came ropund and said i could sleep wherever I wanted and that we would always try to keep a dorm empty just for me.. The following day I went into the ChildCare centre to ask about work. it was so lovely to go in there.. everyone just flung their arms around me and said it was lovely to see me. It was so lovely I almost cried!! It was great!! They did say there really wasnt any work at that moment but they would all try to take days off so i would get some work..
I read the book called "The Secret" lately which says you have to think like someone will definately happen and then it will happen and I have been following that principle by saying to myself when i read it a month ago that "I would get a job at Shortbread Cottage and the Childcare centre and easily save up enough money". The Job at Shortbread Cottage fell into my hands with ease.. and when i left the Child Care Centre even though they had said there wasnt any work I had faith that they would call soon.. less than 2 hours later they called and I started the next day at 7:45am!!! How cool is that!! I am not full time yet, only relief but plenty of shifts are being booked and I worked plenty last week and am already booked for Monday.. so its all working out great!!
I went to the cinema on Monday and saw "Bridge to Terabithia" with Maeve. I must have been felling a tad emotional as I cried and cried and cried!! I even started Maeve off as she could hear me sniffling away!! Anyway i enjoyed it really! I love the cinema!!
After then was the "Lighthouse" my spiritual evening.. which was really good and nice to be back!
That night I was haring room with a grand daughter and Grandmother. It made me think of my late Grandma Holleron and she had white hair, health problems and a zimmer frame.. good on her for backpacking around NZ and sleeping in dorm rooms ay?! I hope i'm like that when I'm older.. I wish my grandma was still aorund as her biggest dream was to go to Australia and she would be so happy I am going to go..
Unfortunately as nice as the lady was I knew from her coughing that she would be a snorer.. I gave up at 4am and slept in the lounge as i had pushed my ear plugs so far in my ears were hurting and I could still hear her.. I realised I could still hear her snoring when i was getting to sleep on the couch in the lounge!! So I was a tad tired the next day and of course had to work 7:45am till 5:30pm..
I had the day off work on Thursday though and registered with a doctors. I am so lucky as I went round all the doctors discovering that for non NZ residents it would be $95 for an appt.. however it turns out I am now classed as a resident as I have an NHI number through the hospital treatment I recieved so that is fab!! So i registered with a lovely practisewhere appt are $22 for residents and got referred for more blood tests.. I went to the blood test place that same day and had my tests (what service.. so waiting around!!). So next day off i get I have to go to the drs and discuss my results. I feel much better though.. its only really to check how my haemoglobin levels are doing and I have been taking all my tablets so hopefully it will be nice and high again!
I also found a cheap opticians and ordered new lenses for my glasses (half the price of the places in Dunedin were quoting me) so they shoud, arrive in a couple of days.. I dont like spending that amount of money when i'm trying to save up but being able to see is pretty important!! and i admit my current lenses are now so bad seeing is becoming a bit hard!!
I have had the dorm to myself the last couple of nights which is fantabulous!! I love it!! Its now saturday and I had no work today so i went to the nelson market which I have missed since I left.. and got my fruit and veg for the week.
The UK shop which opened last year when I was here was closing down today so they were selling all their stock for nothing so itreated myself to a few bits.. ROBINSONS SQUASH!! I have missed it so much!! and its every bit as good as I remember it!!
I have eaten plenty of fish this week as Emilys boyfriend Kevin works at the fish factory.. so plenty of cheap fish to be had!!
We've had some nice people in the backpackers and it has been really quiet..
an older couple in one double room who are really nice.. its nice to have some intelligent conversation.. hes very much into a bit of a debate so the conversations can get quite animated between us!! and an english couple who have just started working as doctors at the local hospital are staying a few days until their accomodation is sorted out..
I am working at the backpackers tomorrow all day so hopefully it will carry on being quiet!!
I have quite a busy week ahead and also have been booked to babysit my someone at the ChildCare centre so all is good!..
Last night I was thinking ( because of a debate with the guy staying at the backpackers!).. that it took me a while to realise that a tourist does not really "see" a town or country in its true light and that it is not until we stay somewhere for a while that we see behind the scenes.. and then even then if we move there we are not a local and cant truly see, do and live as the locals do..
I realise that when i backpackerd accross the USA in 2001 I went to New orleans and saw a vibrant town with street entertainers and plenty of culture. It was only after Hurricaine Katrina I discovered through watching the news how much poverty there was and is there..
Some towns or countries the problems and poverty are very clear to see, we couldnt go to some parts of Africa for example without armed guard and the street children are obvious..but what about other countries where all the problems are hidden to the tourist?
Is any country or town without problems? Does every town have problems with poverty, racism, drugs, alcohol and violence?
As a tourist I thought NZ didnt have any of these issues but at closer inspection it does..
Travelling is amazing and I'm excited to see the rest of the world.. but does the perfect place exist? or is the perfect place wherever we make it? I guess we would all consider different things as important in choosing the perfect place so my "perfect place" (if it exists) would be different from your perfect place?
Can the pefect place exist? if the problems of society were taken away would I be living in a bubble? (Then it would seem like some strange commune or cult which isnt quite what I was looking for??!!)
So do we just have to accept the problems of society such as drugs and violence and find our own way to live among it all? or are certain towns and countries less affected by these issues? After all people emmigrate in search of a better life.. (is there a survey which tells us which country gives the best quality of life?)!
I guess I need to travel the world and answer these questions myself..Its funny how people go travelling to "find themsleves".. I just create more questions!! Do people really come back from 6 months of travelling and know exactly what they want out of life and where they want to live? I've been travelling a year and a half now and I havent a clue!! I know more about what I think is important in life and I can say lots of things I dont want in my life (and jobs I dont want to do!).. or do we just spend out entire lives discovering what we want out of life?
or do I just ask too many questions?!!

But then as quickly as the rain came then the sun came out and a rainbow appeared!!
It wa sa nice train journey and a comfortable train. We got into greymouth with half an hour to spare before I caught my bus so there wasnt any time to do anything.. and besides i've been to Greymouth enough times to know there isnt alot to see!
The bus jounrey was pretty good! There were only 2 of us, Maeve from ireland and me. I was exhausted from the train journey and tried to stretch out and go to sleep but then felt so trvael sick from the windy west coast roads that I had to sit up front with the driver.. but he was nice and chatty and I got to know maeve and persauded her to come and stay at shortbread Cottage..
Since Jimmy had told me Shortbread Cottage was so quiet i would get my own dorm I was pretty surprised to find it almost fully booked and that all that was left was a top bunk. I was shattered since I had been travelling from 6:45am till 7:45pm.. and by 2am in the morning I was ready to crack up as the lights in my dorm were still on and people were still chatting and rustling plastic bags.. this wasnt what I signed up for!!

The main half way spot in the transalpine. I stayed here back in September time and it was lovely with snowy mountains etc. On this day it was raining and so cloudy you could barely see there were any mountains..

a blurry photo from a train that reminds me of a painting and one of our stops on the train journey was Springfield.. just so you know Springfield NZ is not like the simpsons!!! Its in the middle of nowhere and I think theres a house there or something!!
Anyway I've been online for a very long time today so I will write about the rest of my journey another day..
But since people have been asking me (cos they want to send me birthday cards!! hint hint!!) my new address is
Melissa (I feel its bit dodgy to put fmaily names online?.. you all know it anyway)
Shortbread Cottage
33 Trafalgar Street
Nelson
New Zealand

So I had a lovely time in Mount Cook but the next afternoon it was time to leave.. on the way we passed through Lake Tekapo but the weather was so terrible we couldnt see much. It was a long bus journey and we eventually made in to Chritchurch at around 7:30pm in the pouring rain. The bus driver couldnt find my backpackers so i ended up wandering around in the dark and rain lugging my big backpack around.. luckily is was a lvely tiny quiet backapckers and I was just sharing with one other girl.
Which is just as well as I needed my sleep.. my next bus was at 6:45 in the morning taking me to the train station for the transalphine.. one of te most famous train journeys in the world and certainly the best in NZ.
I have to say it was a nice train and great food!! Hard to take photos as it went to fast, even though there was an open sided viewing carriage.. but I was glad I did it as I would have regretted it and always wondered what it was like otherwise!!

those famous NZ ferns.. a bit cold ay?!

This was my walking track on the walk..!

Decided to do the "Kea Walk" in Mount Cook but didnt appreciate how ill I've been and perhaps I wasnt quite up to it!! Its only meant to take 2 hours but thats probably without 2 feet of snow.. I didnt even get a third of the way before I realised I needed my bed.. but it was a beautiful walk and I was glad I went!!

Mount Cook Village was a tad snowy!! You should just be able to make out the roof of the YHA I stayed in!!
Mount Cook village has no shops or anything.. it has a backpackers and the Hermitage Hotel and mountains..

Mount Cook from Lake Pukaki

Also on the way to Mount Cook we saw a few hydropower stations which provide a third of NZ's power. The laskes are also popular for fishing etc and are really pretty.
Mount Cook is seen at the back on Lake Pukaki.

So WEdnesday night In Dunedin Jimmy from Shortbread cottage rang me and asked if I coudl speed myself up and get to Nelson Saturday night so I could start work Sunday morning.. well it made things a bit of a rush but if it meant free accomodation for thr next few months then it was worth it!! I had been excited to have a room to myself but a crowd checked in at 11:30pm and then went clubbing and came in very drunk at 4:30am so my happiness at a quiet night was shortlived!!
I got the 7:15am bus Thursday morning to Mount Cook. It wa s a freezing morning!! But I have the minibus to myself! The driver was SOO friendly and since we didnt have to pick anyone up we could choose our own route and see whatver I wanted to see.. since I had already seen the moeraki boulders we could save 45 mins there and go elsewhere..
First stop was the Elephant Rocks which are the below 3 photos. This is Twizel area and those snowy mountians behind the rocks and that land behind them for LOTR fans benefit is Gondor! For me Twizel was bloody cold.. Minus 11!!