This morning the fire alarm went off.
It started quietly, almost as if politely inviting me to get out of bed with its low honk, before developing in to more of a bellowing horn. Intermittently, about every 2-3 minutes, the goose-like racket would be interrupted by a voice:
'The fire alarm has been activated.' (No shit!) 'Please await further instruction.'
Well, gee, thanks. That's helpful advice. Here I am, in my pyjamas, awaiting your word on whether or not I should put shoes on - heck, maybe even underwear - in case I need to flee from the building. What kind of fire alarm system tells you to WAIT? Either I need to run from the blazing inferno or I don't.
Who decides when a fire is safe enough to stay indoors, or dangerous enough to run screaming down the road? Is there someone employed to press the button to change the man's voice to 'GET THE FUCK OUT! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!'? What if they missed the bus this morning?
As it happened, I didn't need to go anywhere. Nonetheless, Kristoff and I took great pleasure in standing at our kitchen's massive bay windows, watching as four (FOUR!) enormous orange fire trucks pulled up outside and a group of disgruntled firemen got out and loitered about for a while.
Ultimately though, we knew there wasn't fire because there was no one gathered rubber-necking on the street outside. The occasional passer-by spotted the fire engines, glanced up, looked puzzled by the lack of flames, and sauntered on.
Eventually we were left in peace and I had a shower. You'll be pleased to know I'm now wearing both shoes and underwear. And clothes.
Thursday 30 July 2009
Monday 27 July 2009
Chocs away!
When I lived in Edinburgh I had to make the effort to heave open my bedroom door in order to go out through the flat, down two flights of stairs, along the street and across a road if I wanted to get to chocolate.
Now I live in Auckland I only have to step out my bedroom door, which is opposite the flat's front door, in to the lift outside, in order to go down one level, out the building and across the road to get to chocolate.
So expect me to be a few stones heavier upon my return - I can't be bothered to cycle (too many hills and motorway-esque roads) and I feel it's my duty to naturalise fully in to society by sampling every Pinky, Pebble and Pineapple Lump the country has to offer.
And I still haven't had a Perky Nana yet...
Now I live in Auckland I only have to step out my bedroom door, which is opposite the flat's front door, in to the lift outside, in order to go down one level, out the building and across the road to get to chocolate.
So expect me to be a few stones heavier upon my return - I can't be bothered to cycle (too many hills and motorway-esque roads) and I feel it's my duty to naturalise fully in to society by sampling every Pinky, Pebble and Pineapple Lump the country has to offer.
And I still haven't had a Perky Nana yet...
Thursday 23 July 2009
I love college! Hey!
So. A week since I updated you all; you must be chomping at the bit.
Gosh. It just occured to me that on Saturday I'll've been here 2 weeks already - only another 50 to go! This year will go very quickly, I suspect.
Anyways, I left off mid-Orientation ('O') Week. We never made it to Sky Tower - and despite repeated suggestions that we go up, we never have. One day, one day... Instead Colleen and I met up with a friend of hers, Steve, and we went to International House (nowhere near as nice as WSA, where I am) and went to someone's birthday party in their room. A different kind of fun, and I felt like a first year again, but fun nonetheless.
The next day I went to some rather dull talks from the Arts department (free cake tho) and about living in Auckland and travelling in NZ. The talks may not have been very exciting but I met some cool people, which was kinda why I went anyway, so I suppose needs were met. These new friendships were consolidated in the evening at the internationals' pub night, where everyone came dressed as their country. There was a beaver (Canada), a dragon (Wales), a red telephone box (England), some 'beauty queens' (America), berets and striped tops (France, obv) and a lot of flags and football shirts. To show willing I got a shoe lace and stuck a tea bag, a Cadbury's wrapper, a tube map and a 50p to it and wore it as a head band. Given my lack of glue, I had to be quite inventive in my methods of attachment - safety pins, needle and thread, and a plaster. 'Here's one I made earlier...'
The next day I paid for my frivolity (Hangover #1 - felt more like H1N1) but luckily was well-stocked with bacon. I went to a super-dull careers talk (I'd like to do an internship or something whilst I'm out here) then attempted to meet Jamie and his friend Amanda for a film but couldn't find the cinema. Trying not to lose my temper, I gave up and went to the Auckland art gallery instead, which had an interesting collection of paintings, old and new, reflecting landscapes and Maori themes. After that I did meet up with Jamie and Amanda, sushi was eaten and we went to see another film, Mary and Max, which was bloody brilliant and you should all go see it - it's claymation, and about a pen-friendship between an 8 year old Australian girl and a neurotic 40-something Jewish New Yorker. Marvellous.
At the weekend I hopped the bus back to Hamilton to see surrogate Mum and Dad, Rachel and Nick, and my new best friend and the most beautiful child in the world, JJ. We had a relaxed weekend (ideal), visiting a lake and park with some birds, where JJ and I ran around, one of us like a nutter and the other trying not to annoy people eating fish and chips. On Saturday evening we watched the rather dull All Blacks game - I was informed they were not at their best and games can be much more exciting, tho we did win, hurrah hurrah - and on Sunday upon my return I met up with new friend Meagan (she does dance and architechture, possibly my favourite degree combination ever) and we saw Harry Potter and the Stupid, Incoherent Plot.
Monday, Monday. The start of classes. Suddenly the university was awash with students - universally the same, in baggy jeans and Ugg(ly) boots, sauntering along - and the previously empty union buildings (far superior to Potterow and Teviot) were alive with chatter. I had lunch with Jamie - there's about 10 food stalls in the union building, two of which sell sushi - and we signed up for Tramping Club (which means hiking, okay? The Americans find its name quite confusing). As a result I shall be going off to some hut in the middle of some mountains Friday night to 'tramp' about in the countryside for the weekend, along with about 50 other people. There didn't seem to be as many socieities as Edinburgh, unless you were Christian, in which case they have every niche covered ('Hong Kong Christian Engineers Society', anyone?) and the tramping people seemed pretty cool, and pretty enthusiastic. They own this hut in the mountains which people lovingly restore, and I got an instant flash of Bedlam and Dave Larkin. Perhaps, strangely, it'll be the closest thing.
Some actual work has been done too, in the form of attending lectures, thankfully not as much of a shock to the system as expected. Annoying that my one class on Tuesday (pragmatics) was cancelled, not that we knew 'til we got there, but I did meet a Taiwanese guy called Austin whilst waiting for the news. He was in the process of making 999 paper roses for his girlfriend (of 5 months, don't ask) who he was going to ask to marry him. The roses were pretty cool, although I wondered why he was using blue paper for them, and involved making a sort of box and then twisting the top. I asked if he was going to put the ring in one of the roses. 'Oh,' he said, 'I hadn't thought of that.'
The other classes - English language worldwide, language change and Polynesian comparative linguistics (don't try saying that when drunk) - offered a rollercoaster of lecture-type experiences. I have the same guy for the latter two, a bearded, mumbling Canadian with a sense of humour and who needs no notes, and a Kiwi lady for the other one, who fervently read from her notes for two hours. That's the other thing - some classes are one hour, some are two. Two hours! Luckily you get a ten minute break in between, where you all sit wondering why you can't just get on with it.
In the English language worldwide class we get to write a 12 page (12 PAGES??!!) report on how we speak, which I'm quite looking forward to, having never done anything like that. Polynesian comparative linugistics has probably proved the most interesting so far tho, partly because it's the only class where I haven't covered the material before, but partly also because the class only has 7 other people in it, so I've actually gotten to know them a bit. I was pleased to meet a cheery Canadian called Mark, who has a good sense of humour and proved fun last night.
That sounds worse that it should. Basically, I wanted to go see this film 'Dogtooth' as part of the film festival, but when Mark, Colleen and I got there it was sold out. Lame! So I suggested we grab a few beers and watch some awful Kiwi television (sadly they have no discriminatory board that prevents them importing Jeremy Kyle. Sigh.) Instead, the few beers were replaced by a bottle of vodka and a drinking game, which saw Colleen yelling defamatory things out the window and me hopping about like a squirrel. We were joined by my flatmate Kristoff, who was made to literally drink under the table, and the vodka then became a trip to the uni bar, Shadows. There we had beer and tequilla (mistake!) and jumped about to a rather good covers band playing Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana. The beers and tequilla then took us to a club, where there was a queue, so we went to the pub opposite, where more beers were had, and - oh, the shame - absinthe. (MISTAKE!) Needless to say, I lost today to Hangover #2.
Well, that pretty much brings you up to speed. Oh, I did also see MGMT, but they were a bit of a disappointment. Nice to hang out with Jamie and Amanda, Jamie's flatmate Yoki and their Irish friend tho. I'm also looking in to going to Tonga in my mid-semester break early September in order to swim with whales, and to ignore all the assignments I have to do around then. And I'm trying to find a band, and have lined up a couple of jam sessions.
So there we go. I hope you're well, and congratulations if you read this far.
A x
Gosh. It just occured to me that on Saturday I'll've been here 2 weeks already - only another 50 to go! This year will go very quickly, I suspect.
Anyways, I left off mid-Orientation ('O') Week. We never made it to Sky Tower - and despite repeated suggestions that we go up, we never have. One day, one day... Instead Colleen and I met up with a friend of hers, Steve, and we went to International House (nowhere near as nice as WSA, where I am) and went to someone's birthday party in their room. A different kind of fun, and I felt like a first year again, but fun nonetheless.
The next day I went to some rather dull talks from the Arts department (free cake tho) and about living in Auckland and travelling in NZ. The talks may not have been very exciting but I met some cool people, which was kinda why I went anyway, so I suppose needs were met. These new friendships were consolidated in the evening at the internationals' pub night, where everyone came dressed as their country. There was a beaver (Canada), a dragon (Wales), a red telephone box (England), some 'beauty queens' (America), berets and striped tops (France, obv) and a lot of flags and football shirts. To show willing I got a shoe lace and stuck a tea bag, a Cadbury's wrapper, a tube map and a 50p to it and wore it as a head band. Given my lack of glue, I had to be quite inventive in my methods of attachment - safety pins, needle and thread, and a plaster. 'Here's one I made earlier...'
The next day I paid for my frivolity (Hangover #1 - felt more like H1N1) but luckily was well-stocked with bacon. I went to a super-dull careers talk (I'd like to do an internship or something whilst I'm out here) then attempted to meet Jamie and his friend Amanda for a film but couldn't find the cinema. Trying not to lose my temper, I gave up and went to the Auckland art gallery instead, which had an interesting collection of paintings, old and new, reflecting landscapes and Maori themes. After that I did meet up with Jamie and Amanda, sushi was eaten and we went to see another film, Mary and Max, which was bloody brilliant and you should all go see it - it's claymation, and about a pen-friendship between an 8 year old Australian girl and a neurotic 40-something Jewish New Yorker. Marvellous.
At the weekend I hopped the bus back to Hamilton to see surrogate Mum and Dad, Rachel and Nick, and my new best friend and the most beautiful child in the world, JJ. We had a relaxed weekend (ideal), visiting a lake and park with some birds, where JJ and I ran around, one of us like a nutter and the other trying not to annoy people eating fish and chips. On Saturday evening we watched the rather dull All Blacks game - I was informed they were not at their best and games can be much more exciting, tho we did win, hurrah hurrah - and on Sunday upon my return I met up with new friend Meagan (she does dance and architechture, possibly my favourite degree combination ever) and we saw Harry Potter and the Stupid, Incoherent Plot.
Monday, Monday. The start of classes. Suddenly the university was awash with students - universally the same, in baggy jeans and Ugg(ly) boots, sauntering along - and the previously empty union buildings (far superior to Potterow and Teviot) were alive with chatter. I had lunch with Jamie - there's about 10 food stalls in the union building, two of which sell sushi - and we signed up for Tramping Club (which means hiking, okay? The Americans find its name quite confusing). As a result I shall be going off to some hut in the middle of some mountains Friday night to 'tramp' about in the countryside for the weekend, along with about 50 other people. There didn't seem to be as many socieities as Edinburgh, unless you were Christian, in which case they have every niche covered ('Hong Kong Christian Engineers Society', anyone?) and the tramping people seemed pretty cool, and pretty enthusiastic. They own this hut in the mountains which people lovingly restore, and I got an instant flash of Bedlam and Dave Larkin. Perhaps, strangely, it'll be the closest thing.
Some actual work has been done too, in the form of attending lectures, thankfully not as much of a shock to the system as expected. Annoying that my one class on Tuesday (pragmatics) was cancelled, not that we knew 'til we got there, but I did meet a Taiwanese guy called Austin whilst waiting for the news. He was in the process of making 999 paper roses for his girlfriend (of 5 months, don't ask) who he was going to ask to marry him. The roses were pretty cool, although I wondered why he was using blue paper for them, and involved making a sort of box and then twisting the top. I asked if he was going to put the ring in one of the roses. 'Oh,' he said, 'I hadn't thought of that.'
The other classes - English language worldwide, language change and Polynesian comparative linguistics (don't try saying that when drunk) - offered a rollercoaster of lecture-type experiences. I have the same guy for the latter two, a bearded, mumbling Canadian with a sense of humour and who needs no notes, and a Kiwi lady for the other one, who fervently read from her notes for two hours. That's the other thing - some classes are one hour, some are two. Two hours! Luckily you get a ten minute break in between, where you all sit wondering why you can't just get on with it.
In the English language worldwide class we get to write a 12 page (12 PAGES??!!) report on how we speak, which I'm quite looking forward to, having never done anything like that. Polynesian comparative linugistics has probably proved the most interesting so far tho, partly because it's the only class where I haven't covered the material before, but partly also because the class only has 7 other people in it, so I've actually gotten to know them a bit. I was pleased to meet a cheery Canadian called Mark, who has a good sense of humour and proved fun last night.
That sounds worse that it should. Basically, I wanted to go see this film 'Dogtooth' as part of the film festival, but when Mark, Colleen and I got there it was sold out. Lame! So I suggested we grab a few beers and watch some awful Kiwi television (sadly they have no discriminatory board that prevents them importing Jeremy Kyle. Sigh.) Instead, the few beers were replaced by a bottle of vodka and a drinking game, which saw Colleen yelling defamatory things out the window and me hopping about like a squirrel. We were joined by my flatmate Kristoff, who was made to literally drink under the table, and the vodka then became a trip to the uni bar, Shadows. There we had beer and tequilla (mistake!) and jumped about to a rather good covers band playing Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana. The beers and tequilla then took us to a club, where there was a queue, so we went to the pub opposite, where more beers were had, and - oh, the shame - absinthe. (MISTAKE!) Needless to say, I lost today to Hangover #2.
Well, that pretty much brings you up to speed. Oh, I did also see MGMT, but they were a bit of a disappointment. Nice to hang out with Jamie and Amanda, Jamie's flatmate Yoki and their Irish friend tho. I'm also looking in to going to Tonga in my mid-semester break early September in order to swim with whales, and to ignore all the assignments I have to do around then. And I'm trying to find a band, and have lined up a couple of jam sessions.
So there we go. I hope you're well, and congratulations if you read this far.
A x
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Actually in Auckland
Tonight is my third night in Auckland, which seems a neat place.
Rachel, JJ and I made it in to town - the drive from Auckland was lovely, green hills with sheep bathed in sunlight - and battled the one-way systems to make it to my halls, which are pretty cool. It was a tad traumatic to say goodbye to them afterwards, so soon after having said goodbye to my parents, but I was brave...
Anyway, halls are halls the world over it seems, but these ones seem nice nonetheless. My flat is on the second floor and consists of a corridor of rooms with a lounge area and kitchen at the far end, with floor to ceiling glass on two sides. Pretty chilly at the moment, but a good opportunity to people watch as you eat breakfast, as we look out on to the street below. We're opposite two sushi restaurants (they have sushi restaurants EVERYWHERE) and a Malaysian cafe and mini-mart. Handy. I'm also about two seconds away from the centre of town and the university buildings. Ideal. My flatmates are two American girls, one from California (who's suffering the cold) and another from Arizona (who didn't know where Edinburgh was...) There's also a French guy I haven't met and a German guy who seems nice.
Actually, the weather's not been too bad - apparently this is as cold as it gets, which is fine by me - it's got nothing on Edinburgh. Nippy at night but I was really quite hot walking round town today. I haven't seen much of town yet, but I went as far as the harbour today down the main road and the centre itself doesn't seem very big. The whole place is shiny buildings and wide roads, and reminds me of America more than I expected. But I like being in cities, and I like it here.
The whole move here has been far less traumatic - so far - than I expected, or perhaps than Shanghai. But no doubt that's because I'm older, I had the Shanghai experience, I know the other people from Edinburgh, it's not as cold and everyone speaks English, to name but a few reasons.
So yesterday we had an orientation morning, with a few speeches and some Maori kids from a local school doing a traditional Maori dance type thing. Chunky semi-naked teenagers gurning and yelling at you at half nine in the morning really gets you in the spirit. (That sounds far more sarky that it should; it was actually quite enjoyable and impressive.) We then stuffed ourselves with free coffee and sandwiches before more talks on how things worked etc etc. When I'd first arrived I sat at random with a guy by himself at a table - he turned out to be a Finnish guy called Manuel (I'm sure that's not a Finnish name?) I later met up with Jamie (friend from Edinburgh) and an American girl, Colleen, who really freaking loves birds and whom seemed to know Manuel, also joined us.
We spent the rest of the day together, having lunch in a park and climbing trees - I was coaxed up despite my insistence that I was better suited to holding bags and taking photos at the bottom. Then we did useful things like open bank accounts before temporarily parting until later in the evening. Everyone came to mine and we cooked and ate pasta, had a few drinks and then went to see the film The Baader-Meinhof Complex as part of the film festival. It was all very jolly, even if the film was epic and about anti-fascist terrorists, and the beer left us tired.
Today I had a lie-in (WOOHOO! Altho' I'm still waking up at 3am and 630am...) and then went shopping with Ben (also from Edinburgh). It turns out NZ doesn't really do high street chains, but loves its boutiques. Ho hum. Tonight I'm meeting up with Colleen and Manuel again and we're going for drinks and up the Sky Tower (alternately described by Lonely Planet as 'phallic' and like a 'hypodermic needle'). Tomorrow, more uni talks.
Oh, and I got my timetable - two 10-11am lectures but mostly 2-4pm and nothing on Fridays! Hurrah!
I hope you're all well,
Love, A x
Rachel, JJ and I made it in to town - the drive from Auckland was lovely, green hills with sheep bathed in sunlight - and battled the one-way systems to make it to my halls, which are pretty cool. It was a tad traumatic to say goodbye to them afterwards, so soon after having said goodbye to my parents, but I was brave...
Anyway, halls are halls the world over it seems, but these ones seem nice nonetheless. My flat is on the second floor and consists of a corridor of rooms with a lounge area and kitchen at the far end, with floor to ceiling glass on two sides. Pretty chilly at the moment, but a good opportunity to people watch as you eat breakfast, as we look out on to the street below. We're opposite two sushi restaurants (they have sushi restaurants EVERYWHERE) and a Malaysian cafe and mini-mart. Handy. I'm also about two seconds away from the centre of town and the university buildings. Ideal. My flatmates are two American girls, one from California (who's suffering the cold) and another from Arizona (who didn't know where Edinburgh was...) There's also a French guy I haven't met and a German guy who seems nice.
Actually, the weather's not been too bad - apparently this is as cold as it gets, which is fine by me - it's got nothing on Edinburgh. Nippy at night but I was really quite hot walking round town today. I haven't seen much of town yet, but I went as far as the harbour today down the main road and the centre itself doesn't seem very big. The whole place is shiny buildings and wide roads, and reminds me of America more than I expected. But I like being in cities, and I like it here.
The whole move here has been far less traumatic - so far - than I expected, or perhaps than Shanghai. But no doubt that's because I'm older, I had the Shanghai experience, I know the other people from Edinburgh, it's not as cold and everyone speaks English, to name but a few reasons.
So yesterday we had an orientation morning, with a few speeches and some Maori kids from a local school doing a traditional Maori dance type thing. Chunky semi-naked teenagers gurning and yelling at you at half nine in the morning really gets you in the spirit. (That sounds far more sarky that it should; it was actually quite enjoyable and impressive.) We then stuffed ourselves with free coffee and sandwiches before more talks on how things worked etc etc. When I'd first arrived I sat at random with a guy by himself at a table - he turned out to be a Finnish guy called Manuel (I'm sure that's not a Finnish name?) I later met up with Jamie (friend from Edinburgh) and an American girl, Colleen, who really freaking loves birds and whom seemed to know Manuel, also joined us.
We spent the rest of the day together, having lunch in a park and climbing trees - I was coaxed up despite my insistence that I was better suited to holding bags and taking photos at the bottom. Then we did useful things like open bank accounts before temporarily parting until later in the evening. Everyone came to mine and we cooked and ate pasta, had a few drinks and then went to see the film The Baader-Meinhof Complex as part of the film festival. It was all very jolly, even if the film was epic and about anti-fascist terrorists, and the beer left us tired.
Today I had a lie-in (WOOHOO! Altho' I'm still waking up at 3am and 630am...) and then went shopping with Ben (also from Edinburgh). It turns out NZ doesn't really do high street chains, but loves its boutiques. Ho hum. Tonight I'm meeting up with Colleen and Manuel again and we're going for drinks and up the Sky Tower (alternately described by Lonely Planet as 'phallic' and like a 'hypodermic needle'). Tomorrow, more uni talks.
Oh, and I got my timetable - two 10-11am lectures but mostly 2-4pm and nothing on Fridays! Hurrah!
I hope you're all well,
Love, A x
Sunday 12 July 2009
Good boy, Janet.
I have arrived!
We got the plane fine from Dubai and I think I essentially ate my way to NZ, watched a few films, paused in Melbourne, chatted to the lady next to me and tried to stop my knees cramping - I'm so short that my feet don't touch the floor of the plane if I'm sitting back in the seat, so it was surprisingly uncomfortable. The 12 hour leg was pretty tough going but I fell asleep for most of the 4 hours from Melbourne to Auckland, so that was okay.
Finally, after NZ's scary biosecurity scans (why would I have a raw chicken with me? Or soil?) I made it out the airport and it was lovely to see Rachel on the otherside - made the arrival in a far, far away land much less scary and made the vile, grey, very rainy weather far more bearable. An hour and a half later, down NZ's 'M1' motorway (a bit more like a dual carriageway, bless), having managed to stay awake I found myself in Hamilton, 4th largest city in NZ - tho by then it was dark, so I couldn't make out much. I met Nick, Rachel's husband, and 20-month-old JJ, who is possibly the most beautiful and cheery child ever - and I don't even like children. Having said hello, JJ went to bed and we had a nice dinner of moussaka before jet-lag/being the parent of a young child claimed us, and we too went to bed.
Today we all got up at reasonable times and went out for breakfast - apparently a typical thing to do, and very tasty it was too (good bacon, phew) - then to a farmers' market. It was bloody cold tho! Later Rachel, JJ and I did good tasks in 'The Warehouse' (it sells *everything*) getting cutlery and hangers for when I move in to halls tomorrow, and also a mobile (details below). Now I've been exchanging texts with Jamie (friend from Edinburgh also out here) and we're going to meet up for dinner tomorrow evening.
So all in all it's been rather good so far - having Rachel, Nick and JJ to stay with and hang out with is really lovely, just like being at home (with a small child tho, obv). The shower is amazing, the bed is a very comfortable double and JJ is a highly entertaining chap - I'm enjoying his little catchphrases: 'HOT TEA!' 'Good boy, Daddy. Good boy, JJ. Good boy, Mummy. Good boy, Janet' (who's the cleaning lady). If they all continue to be so nice I might have to pack in Auckland and just live here... We'll see what tomorrow brings!
Ciao! A x
PS my mobile number is +64211423945 but you can also Skype me - I'm 'thuggo17', or email aetbrewer@gmail.com.
We got the plane fine from Dubai and I think I essentially ate my way to NZ, watched a few films, paused in Melbourne, chatted to the lady next to me and tried to stop my knees cramping - I'm so short that my feet don't touch the floor of the plane if I'm sitting back in the seat, so it was surprisingly uncomfortable. The 12 hour leg was pretty tough going but I fell asleep for most of the 4 hours from Melbourne to Auckland, so that was okay.
Finally, after NZ's scary biosecurity scans (why would I have a raw chicken with me? Or soil?) I made it out the airport and it was lovely to see Rachel on the otherside - made the arrival in a far, far away land much less scary and made the vile, grey, very rainy weather far more bearable. An hour and a half later, down NZ's 'M1' motorway (a bit more like a dual carriageway, bless), having managed to stay awake I found myself in Hamilton, 4th largest city in NZ - tho by then it was dark, so I couldn't make out much. I met Nick, Rachel's husband, and 20-month-old JJ, who is possibly the most beautiful and cheery child ever - and I don't even like children. Having said hello, JJ went to bed and we had a nice dinner of moussaka before jet-lag/being the parent of a young child claimed us, and we too went to bed.
Today we all got up at reasonable times and went out for breakfast - apparently a typical thing to do, and very tasty it was too (good bacon, phew) - then to a farmers' market. It was bloody cold tho! Later Rachel, JJ and I did good tasks in 'The Warehouse' (it sells *everything*) getting cutlery and hangers for when I move in to halls tomorrow, and also a mobile (details below). Now I've been exchanging texts with Jamie (friend from Edinburgh also out here) and we're going to meet up for dinner tomorrow evening.
So all in all it's been rather good so far - having Rachel, Nick and JJ to stay with and hang out with is really lovely, just like being at home (with a small child tho, obv). The shower is amazing, the bed is a very comfortable double and JJ is a highly entertaining chap - I'm enjoying his little catchphrases: 'HOT TEA!' 'Good boy, Daddy. Good boy, JJ. Good boy, Mummy. Good boy, Janet' (who's the cleaning lady). If they all continue to be so nice I might have to pack in Auckland and just live here... We'll see what tomorrow brings!
Ciao! A x
PS my mobile number is +64211423945 but you can also Skype me - I'm 'thuggo17', or email aetbrewer@gmail.com.
Friday 10 July 2009
T plus 11 hours 30 mins since departure
Well. We got to the airport fine, 4kg over the weight limit (i.e. £140) whereupon we all go to pay saying how I'm going for a whole year and the lady says 'oh, don't worry about it then, just pretend you only had 30kg'! We were so surprised by her kind gesture and of course happy to be financially better off.
Anyway, I bid Mum and Dad farewell (sob sob sob, obv obv obv), go for the plane, first leg 7 hours to Dubai. All fine, sleep a bit, eat a lot, watch Revolutionary Road, quite like it, survive the 3 children in front, 3 behind and 3 to the right, tho' come close to killing the man sitting next to me who does that leg-jiggling thing that drives me crazy (I'm thinking of you, Heidi, and you, Dan.)
Arrive in Dubai, LOVE the airport - it's like the most extreme shopping mall. Tho' no Primark here - only Cartier, D&G, gold and designer stuff. I admire the vile gold jewellery and read a guide book about Dubai. Looks dull, and ugly, with stupid building plans shaped like palm trees. I also finally go mental and buy myself a new Swatch, having nearly cut myself on my old one mid-flight changing the time (much nicer than the Edinburgh ones, Anna - black leather, 'ooh, shiny', sophisticated-looking.)
Step outside to board plane - bloody hell, it's 30 degrees here. Roasting. Then the fun begins. We sit on our plane - seemingly much smaller than the last regarding legroom, but a nice lady next to me. Phew. However, we're there for 2 hours - no air conditioning. We are all literally dripping and people are being sick. I sleep for an hour, maybe more, annoyed to be woken up to find that the plane cannot be fixed from whatever the 'minor mechanical fault' is and we'll have to get another plane, in an hour or so. Refreshments will be provided.
We get a bus back to the terminal - could it be any further? It's like a holiday in itself - and communally moan with joy as the air conditioning hits us. I admire the quiet behavior of the family 7 on the bus next to me, whose 5 children aged 6 to 6 months have not yet had breakfast. Anyway, now we're in the terminal, waiting for our plane, having found the refreshments were actually only a cruel joke. Good job I stole a load of water from Business Class on the way out. I hate long-haul flights.
Nightmare.
At least I have a new watch.
What are you doing? A x
Anyway, I bid Mum and Dad farewell (sob sob sob, obv obv obv), go for the plane, first leg 7 hours to Dubai. All fine, sleep a bit, eat a lot, watch Revolutionary Road, quite like it, survive the 3 children in front, 3 behind and 3 to the right, tho' come close to killing the man sitting next to me who does that leg-jiggling thing that drives me crazy (I'm thinking of you, Heidi, and you, Dan.)
Arrive in Dubai, LOVE the airport - it's like the most extreme shopping mall. Tho' no Primark here - only Cartier, D&G, gold and designer stuff. I admire the vile gold jewellery and read a guide book about Dubai. Looks dull, and ugly, with stupid building plans shaped like palm trees. I also finally go mental and buy myself a new Swatch, having nearly cut myself on my old one mid-flight changing the time (much nicer than the Edinburgh ones, Anna - black leather, 'ooh, shiny', sophisticated-looking.)
Step outside to board plane - bloody hell, it's 30 degrees here. Roasting. Then the fun begins. We sit on our plane - seemingly much smaller than the last regarding legroom, but a nice lady next to me. Phew. However, we're there for 2 hours - no air conditioning. We are all literally dripping and people are being sick. I sleep for an hour, maybe more, annoyed to be woken up to find that the plane cannot be fixed from whatever the 'minor mechanical fault' is and we'll have to get another plane, in an hour or so. Refreshments will be provided.
We get a bus back to the terminal - could it be any further? It's like a holiday in itself - and communally moan with joy as the air conditioning hits us. I admire the quiet behavior of the family 7 on the bus next to me, whose 5 children aged 6 to 6 months have not yet had breakfast. Anyway, now we're in the terminal, waiting for our plane, having found the refreshments were actually only a cruel joke. Good job I stole a load of water from Business Class on the way out. I hate long-haul flights.
Nightmare.
At least I have a new watch.
What are you doing? A x
T minus 3 hours 30 mins until departure
Oh oh. I'm actually off. Pretty scary... Everything has been so neatly tidied away: the goodbyes said, the crap I couldn't pack hidden away in cupboards, the last cupcake eaten...
I've got 3 books I won't read (guidebook, short stories, linguistics-type book) and a bag of Mum's friend Sue's florentines (they are SO good) that security better let me take through. I'll be using a pay-as-you-go mobile from tonight, the number's 07592598133. I also have Skype: thuggo17; email is aetbrewer@gmail.com. Or there's ever-handy Facebook. Thank God for the virtual world's ability to seemingly minimise distance.
I'm quite looking forward to the flight - shock! - long haul on Emirates, so should be comfortable, I chose a window seat, and hopefully the films will be good. Plus the crap food always makes me think of the meals you used to get on flights all the time, like when we went on family holidays. Ah, nostalgia. Then Mum's friend Rachel will meet me at the airport and the adventure will begin!
So, see you on the otherside, quite literally, almost...
Missing you already, A x
I've got 3 books I won't read (guidebook, short stories, linguistics-type book) and a bag of Mum's friend Sue's florentines (they are SO good) that security better let me take through. I'll be using a pay-as-you-go mobile from tonight, the number's 07592598133. I also have Skype: thuggo17; email is aetbrewer@gmail.com. Or there's ever-handy Facebook. Thank God for the virtual world's ability to seemingly minimise distance.
I'm quite looking forward to the flight - shock! - long haul on Emirates, so should be comfortable, I chose a window seat, and hopefully the films will be good. Plus the crap food always makes me think of the meals you used to get on flights all the time, like when we went on family holidays. Ah, nostalgia. Then Mum's friend Rachel will meet me at the airport and the adventure will begin!
So, see you on the otherside, quite literally, almost...
Missing you already, A x
Thursday 9 July 2009
T minus 10 hours 10 mins until departure
Fighting with iTunes to iSort all my iMusic for my long iJourney. In between, I've been using various media to learn about New Zealand, something I probably should have done 6 months ago. So:
Things I've just learnt about Auckland, New Zealand and the University:
1. Auckland is the 50th most expensive city in the world. London is 4th.
2. The university deems these relevant example expenses (there are $2.5 to £1):
-- meat pie $2.50–3.50
-- latte $3.50
-- chocolate brownie $2.50
-- bottle of Coca-cola (600mL) $2.40
3. New Zealand has the highest ratio of golf courses per capita in the world.
4. Auckland has two hills, not unlike Arthur's Seat and Carlton Hill. There is a main road called Prince's Street. It is also reputedly windy. Hmmm...
5. There are 4.2 million people in New Zealand (about 1 million fewer than Scotland) which is the roughly the same size as the UK or Japan.
6. On July 27th 1939 Auckland received its only recorded snowfall.
Know an interesting fact about my new home? Please share it!
A x
Things I've just learnt about Auckland, New Zealand and the University:
1. Auckland is the 50th most expensive city in the world. London is 4th.
2. The university deems these relevant example expenses (there are $2.5 to £1):
-- meat pie $2.50–3.50
-- latte $3.50
-- chocolate brownie $2.50
-- bottle of Coca-cola (600mL) $2.40
3. New Zealand has the highest ratio of golf courses per capita in the world.
4. Auckland has two hills, not unlike Arthur's Seat and Carlton Hill. There is a main road called Prince's Street. It is also reputedly windy. Hmmm...
5. There are 4.2 million people in New Zealand (about 1 million fewer than Scotland) which is the roughly the same size as the UK or Japan.
6. On July 27th 1939 Auckland received its only recorded snowfall.
Know an interesting fact about my new home? Please share it!
A x
27 hours 30 mins until departure
See title.
Bags packed: 3 (suitcase, rucksack, cabin bag)
No. of kilos over the weight limit: 6
No. of pounds sterling it costs per kilo over the weight limit: 35
No. of hours repacking is anticpated to take: 28 hours, minimum.
Bags packed: 3 (suitcase, rucksack, cabin bag)
No. of kilos over the weight limit: 6
No. of pounds sterling it costs per kilo over the weight limit: 35
No. of hours repacking is anticpated to take: 28 hours, minimum.
Monday 6 July 2009
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