Proper Crimbo

Merry Christmas :)

It's been very warm the last couple of days which is awesome but makes it feel even less like Christmas.

We've been to play mini golf the other day,

Christmas morning we woke up and it was super sunny..

We went into the town but it was dead apart from a little corner shop owned my indians and two indian resturants haha.

This is me and Daniel being happy on christmas

We went down the lake side and watched the ducks for a bit..

They were all just chilling and then suddenly the all got up and went for a swim together n'awww!

We cooked a christmas dinner aswell, we had pork with stuffing, veg, crappy roast potatoes, mini sausages "wrapped" in bacon and gravy, it was bumting considering we've never cooked crimbo dinner before.

For tea we had nachos ;)

We played alot of ping pong too kos they've got a ping pong table outside but we can't play anymore kos I stood on the ball and squashed it :(

Todays been good aswell weather wise, super sunny.
We wanted to stay here in Taupo till after new years but everywhere is fully booked so we've had to arrange to go to Wellington on Wednesday instead.
We wanted to do the tongariro crossing which is supposed to be the best one day walk in NZ but for the next two days its cancelled because of storms and wind (weather is really different in the mountains) which is dissapointing but we're going mountain biking and river kayaking tomorrow and then for Tuesday we've booked parasailing so atleast we're doing some cool stuff before we leave :)

We've just come back from feeding the ducks, it was so funny they go crazy and they're not afraid they were climbing on my feet and biting my thumb haha

There were a load of kids playing on rope swings aswell that swing you into the water, it looked so nice!

(couldn't take a picture of the kids obviously, kos thats wrong)

I'll probably post again when we get to Wellington, we're gonna look for work down there and hopefully stay for 6 weeks or so. I'll let you know how parasailing and kayaking went.

Toodle pip xx

nineteen

I'm nineteen now :( boohoo!
Had a good birthday though, heres my update since my last post..

We left Cactus crappy Jacks on friday and went to base for 2 nights, it was even worse, really boring and nothing to do kos it rained. The people were strange too. There was this weird looking witch lady who had this random pot under her bed..

Straaaange.

For the last two nights we've been staying at the Ibis hotel for my birthday, which was yesterday incase you've forgot!

On my birthday I woke up and my mum and dad rang me, it was the first time I'd spoke to them on the phone since I've been here and it was kind of sad but good to talk to them :)
Then I opened my presents from Dan, this is me wearing all my presents..

We went for breakfast at a cafe then went zorbing, this is zorbing..

(Thats actually me!)

Heres me getting out..

Dan did it too..

In the afternoon we went to the Polynesian spa, its one of the worlds top ten spas.
We got the deluxe private pool for 30 minutes, it over looked the lake and was dead nice and cheap aswell only $53.
I didnt take my camera so its a shame I didnt get a picture but heres one from the website..

(thats not us haaaa)

Afterwards we went to nandossssss and then to a few bars and stuff was good fun so yeah had a good birthday :)
This is us before we went out..

We're in Taupo now which is about 50 miles south of Rotorua and is next to NZs biggest lake. Its fairly sunny again which is good and hostel is niiiice :)
We're looking into doing a bungy next kos we're turning hardcore.

Cyaaaaaa x

mcdodo

We're in Rotorua now as I said we would be.
The hostel is crummy and the city stinks of Sulphur (rotten egg type stink) but its still good fun we're not staying for long :)

Yesterday we went to the rainbow springs wildlife park, it was good fun even though it was raining slightly.
We saw a fat pigeon and really tiny baby ducks..

We went to the cafe they had at the wildlife park for lunch and got these pancakes, daaaaaaaaaaamn they were nice and so worth the $13

Afterwards we went up the skyline gondala ride which is right next to it, t'was good fun kinda scary though!

Today we left for a walk at 11 and only returned at 5! It wasn't supposed to be that long but we got lost and had arguments and Dan lost the map but yeah anyway I can hardly walk now and just when I'd lost all hope, Daniel offered to buy macdonalds if I kept going and so we made it eventually and got a chicken burger, chicken mcbites, fries, coke and a sundae all for $9.90 (about 5 quid)
goooooooooord times :)
I'll put more pictures from today on facebook in the next few days.

Cheerio x

P.s next time I post I'll probably be a ninteen year old (its my birthday on monday) so this is my last post at 18 years old :(
Don't forget to send your e-cards ;)

"weet-bix" race

Heyyyyyyyyyyo!
Title is weet-bix race because we are leaving Pickled Parrot tomorrow morning and at the beginning of our stay bought a 48 pack of 'weet-bix' (NZ's version of weetabix, smaller but nicer in my opinion) anyway it turns out in the free breakfast the hostel offers, weet-bix was provided every day and so now we have an over load of excess weet-bix which we cannot afford to waste so today it's weet-bix for breakfast lunch and dinner and supper and midnight snack, I'll let you know how that one goes.

We've done some cool stuff since I lasted posted so I'll give a brief update..
Sunday we went sea kayaking which I have no photos of for obvious reasons, (camera isnt waterproof) that was fun we got attacked by a baby seagul and found various shell hats, including.. beret small, beret large, small party hat, medium party hat and large party hat. I stored them in my life jacket but unfourtunatley they weren't brought home because we had arguement.
We were approaching the beach (Dan in the back and me in the front) and Dan said "I'm gonna capsize the kayak" to which i replied "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he then attempted to get out of the kayak and in turn tipped me out and into the water, it was cold!
So I turned at hit him with my paddle. It then esculated into many insults and a sad walk home. Shells were lost :(

Monday we went to cape brett, famous "hole in the rock" and dolphin watching cruise.
I can't show a picture because this computer has crap software :/ I'll put them on facebook as soon as I can though. We stopped off in Russel on the way back as well, we had lunch at sallys resturant. It was cool but not mucho to do there really. So we came back and had a nap that lasted about 3 hours.

Last night we went out for a meal to celebrate one month of being here, we went to 35 degrees south, it was a cool round resturant that look out over the sea (although we werent allowed a window table) it was dead posh but really nice, they even had 35 printed into their lemons (?!) It came to $79.70 and it had a tip space on the recipt, we left $80 and left dead quick haaa.

It's a well nice day today for our last day but I'm here writing a blog kos we got washing to be done and can't go out til its done sadly. But hoping to go to the beach later.
Also we've hit the jackpot as Home Alone is showing on channel 3 tonight at 7.30, we've been raving about it all week and today you can feel the excitment.
We're taking up our spot on the sofa at 6pm just incase anyone tries to take this away from us.

Future plans...
6.30am wake up tomorrow and polish off the remaining weet-bix, getting the bus to Auckland at 8am and then the 1.15 bus from Auckland to Rotorua.
Long day.
See you at hells gate xx

sun vs. snow

Happy December :)
Happy sunny weather... or not for you guys!
If it makes you feel better it's not been really sunny its only been slightly sunny recently.
We've been playing tennis everyday because the hostel has free access to tennis courts and they've got rackets and stuff, I'm trying to improve but I'm still awful :(

We went on a walk to the top of a hill..

We were going to go to Russel (the village opposite) but it was too windy and cold so we went to Countdown instead and bought 'homebrand' tiny bears which are like basics or smartprice.
They were wrankkkk, Dan still ate them.

I've been complaining all week about only bringing one pair of shorts, little did I know Dan had bought me some for my birthday to give me on the day but he got pissed with me complaining so he gave me them early :)

This is me in the shorts :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway that's all I have to say for now I'm going kayaking now so gotta go xx

Movember

Yesterday there was a movember event at the local primary school.
Movember is a charity thing for cancer where you play sports to raise money.
All the dudes grow big mustaches at through November then shave them off at the end.

Anywho it was a five-a-side football thing so obviously Dan was down and another Daniel and two dutch girls from our hostel came along, they then adopted two other dudes for their team, Hugo and Richard.

There were about 7 teams or so and everyone played each other and then winner was the one with the most goals.
"Pickled Parrot" as the team was named won two games, lost two games and drew two games. They didn't win but it was all a bit of fun anywho. Had a good afternoon and got to hear lots of stories about peoples travels etc.

Our hostel is our favourite, we've made some cool friends and they have awesome dogs and its so chilled and clean etc.

This is noodle.. shes my favourite :)

Cheers for reading x

Bay Of Islands baabbyyy

I hear snow's arrived in Leicester but sun has arrived in Paihia baby :)

We've moved up north to Paihia in the Bay Of Islands and temperatures are going up!
Sunburn is peeling to make way for stronger more sun resistant and tan welcoming skin (or so I hope)

We're staying at Pickled Parrot Backpackers hostel which is awesome!

We got put in a room for just the two of us kos the six bed dorm was over booked and we get to stay in it for two weeks without paying the extra wayyyheyyy :D good times.
 No snory jew or platform bitch to annoy me late at night or early morning.

The weather here is gorgeous! Theres free bikes aswell at our hostel so we cycled to countdown (supermarket) to get supplies, I cycled for the first time on a road, it was scary haaaa.

Are you jealous?
I would be if I were you!

Update on my sunburn... It's a well nice brown colour aswell but its just peeling off to make way for more pale skin haha.
Typical.


In other news, I waxed Dan's personal hair so he could get a further taste of female life.. Not so funny for him but hilarious for me, picture on facebook of the wax strip because I can only upload two pictures now.
Improvement wooohoo!

We've made plans for dolphins swimming and bike riding and walking and stuff so should be a good couple of weeks, I'll let you know how it goes xxx

frieeeeeeends

Yesterday was chilling day after crazy sunburn and loads of walking and so I'll use this update to tell you about the people we have met here in Auckland...

1) Loud Smelly Tie-dye German
Loud smelly tie-dye german is a fellow dorm mate of ours, as you may of guessed he is very loud. Example; MOVIE NIGHT - clearly about 15 people are sat down to watch toy story 3 and german dredlock man comes over and starts talking very loudly (in german) it seems he cant speak without being really loud. Last night I was trying to sleep and I could here him from THE FLOOR BELOW!
He also smells really bad, I almost vomitted this morning when he walked past me to make eggs.
He wears tie-dye clothes and is annoying.

2) Eddie and Kim
We were invited to play monopoly last night with Eddie and his girlfriend Kim after our shambles game of scrabble (none of the words we used were actually words and Dan spelt faint "Fiant")
They are normal people, we havent met many normal people so that was nice, Eddie is from NZ and Kim is from South Africa and they've just finished a 4 week holiday around the north island, n'awwww

3) Snory Jew
Snory Jew or "Alan" as he likes to be called is located in bed number 8, above mine. He snores in his sleep alot and sounds like darth vader, one night he even woke himself up. To refer to previous blog posts he is "annoying girls" american bitch. I discovered on over hearing a conversation that he is jewish.
Dan is not a huge fan of the jews.
Furthermore snory jew owns a box of 12 eggs (it only has two remaining eggs but has space for 12) but the packet has "6 fresh eggs" on it :/ I cannot understand. I was trying to get a picture but failed as he has moved them!

4) Platform Bitch
Platrom bitch is the annoying rude inconsiderate italian I wrote about before but has now been named platfrom bitch due to this...

(PICTURE OF PLATFORM SHOES)

I can't get the picture to upload :( check it on facebook though, she has stupid platform shoes.
We were taking a nap earlier and she came in and clearly saw us napping yet still slammed the door on her exit!
How rude.




In other news, we went up the sky tower today got some awesome views up there.
Theres glass on the floor aswell which is wrank!
Take a look at the pictures on facebook ;)
xxx

raaaaaaaaaaangitoto!!!

We went to rangitoto today!
I've been excited about it since before we even left home, its a volcano just 15 mins away by ferry.
We climbed to the summit and went in the lava caves and then back down again and down the coast, it was the best thing we've done since we got here.
But I'm well sunburnt like you wouldnt believe, even my forearms! It's usually well hard for forearms to burn dontcha think?!
Anyway yeah now I look like a cranberry but it was so worth it. I'd buy some suncream or aftersun but I've only got $10 to last me till friday and thats going on dominoes pizza tomorrow night haha pizza wins over pain!

Heres the lava caves.. (im picking the best picture kos I can always only put one)

You can't tell but it was pitch black at some points, if I was having a bad day I would of broke my ankle.

Check the rest of the pictures on facebook xx

Auckland

We've been in the city a week now and to be honest we're running out of things to do, we've been cinema twice in a week haha!
Harry Potter was good though :)

We went on some random long walk this morning to find hobson bay but we never found it so we went KFC and it rained haha got some good pictures of the skyline though but the clouds sucked :(

Arghh it's doing it again! Only letting me put one picture up, how ridiculous!

Anyway in other news we've left the hotel and moved into "frienz" (thats how its spelt) backpackers hostel. Where we're sharing a room with 12 other people, yoooommm!
Its not so bad really apart from the beds are well noisy and I move around alot haha.
People are generally good and not noisy apart from this one girl.
She's adopted some american dude to be her little bitch and shes well rude and inconsiderate.
For example she asked me for the time so I said "12.15" and she looked at me with a disgusted face like it was my fault the time wasn't to her liking and then spat out a thank you about 20 seconds after.
BITTTCH
xx

Me and Dan made faces at her behind her back though so its ok :)

picture or two

Heres a couple of pictures..

Putting the massive santa up!

Its being stupid now and wont let me select anymore images but I've put some on facebook so check it out :)
xxx

kia ora!

I'm hereeeeeee and have been for over 24 hours but I'm still super jet lagged, that's what happens when you wake up at 5am and are wide awake kos really it's supposed to be 4pm the day before?
raaaar Im so confused.
Hotel is vairrr nice but cant be getting too used to that luxury unfourately :(
I'm gonna post some pictures up in the next couple of days when I get the chance so keep looking back.
Just been wondering around auckland today trying to figure out where things are etc.
Thats all kos Im too tired.
CYAAAAAAAA x

It's shame

I've not really got mucho to say.. I'd bore you with my plan of NZ but then there'd be nothing for you to look forward to when I get there (which is in 55 days btw)
Now that I don't take my camera out, kos I'm too scared of damaging it and its too big to take out in town and stuff, I have no pictures to post.
Only ones of NZ that I find but it's not as good when they're not your own are they?

I've reserved our seats for the flights (me and Dan, I can now make it public he's coming with me as he's finally managed to tell all relevant persons at sainsburys) and gone for standard meals as opposed to fruit platter, low calorie, gluten free, diabetic, muslim, raw vegetable (?), seafood(?!) etc. hahaha what a joke :)

Exciting enet? Well maybe not for you but for me :)

Not looking forward to them long flights though. Being bored doesn't sit well with me, worth it though :]

CYAAAAAAAA x

weight loss

is what I'm trying to achieve at the moment.. well starting from today atleast and I've started by quitting the gym haha no really it makes sense honest!
I've lost a total of 0 pounds whilst I've been a member of the gym and it sucks petrol and money from me for nothing in return. I have a perfectly functioning cross trainer at home and will hopefully be using that to lose a stone (too ambitious?!) before i go NZ.

So this is me at the moment..

Fighting the cakes and that, well not technically kos i hate cake but other pastry items :)

My dieting tips to follow are, 1) dont eat crap (e.g crisps chocolate, giant pork pies)

2) Eat only three meals a day instead of five or however many i ate before (HA!) and healthy snacks such as raspberries kos they're yummy :D

3) Exercise more because anything more than I do now must help.

Wish me luck x

wow!

I was looking for things you must do in NZ and I've found this one day hike everyone's been raving about, described as "one of the worlds greatest one day walks" and then i found this picture from it...

Tongariro crossing here I come!!

I thank god for not being clever enough or driven enough to go to uni. Who would wanna miss all this? x

eeeeeeeeee

I think before I was just living in a bubble where things were going on and NZ was just a thing of the future like knowing one day I'm gonna have kids and one day I'll go back to New York but now it's like HOOOLLDDD UP! I'm moving to New Zealand which is 11692 air miles from london, further away than all other 28 countries listed in my diary, a full 12 hours ahead in time, for 9 months.
I'm going to be living working exploring in the future..
I'm not going to see my mum and dad for nine months! NINE MONTHS! That's the amount of time it takes for a tiny sperm and a tiny egg to become a full on kicking screaming baby...
I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't terrified but I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Look where I'm going :D

black cat

If you see a black cat it's meant to be unlucky apart from friday the 13th isnt it? or the other way round? It doesn't matter kos I haven't seen one today :) no doubt I'll run one over in my car later but nevermind.
I went town with Melia and I did smack my head on a shelf in paperchase but I can't really blame that on the 'unlucky' day because stuff like that always happens to me.
It was 3 months on tuesday till flight to NZ and I realised I need to start saving more money or I'm simply not gonna be able to go :(

Don't really wanna miss out on stuff like this.

English countryside just doesnt compare I'm afraid.

I've been looking at some other stuff aswell that I like about NZ already..

- You're never more than 128km from the sea

-Less than 5% of the population of NZ is human.. the rest are animals :)

- NZ has more bookshops per head of population than any other country (i like to read)

- It is the first country to see the sunrise :)

I WANT TO SEE THE SUNRISE FIRST! x

oops

I let it slip and I knew I would, it's because the posts I'm trying to do are far too lengthy so I'm gonna keep it short sweet and regular :)
Corfu was awesome and these are also awesome... if only

Also they found a bunch of purple octopus'es?? (how do you spell that?) off canadas atlantic coast. Now you gotta admit that is cool :)

I bought a new camera, it's a fujifilm bridge camera because I don't know enough about photography or have enough money to buy a SLR yet.. hoping maybe I'll be good enough for one when I get back from NZ.

Lastly this is a representation of how tanned I am after coming back from Corfu obviously I can't post a picture of my actual tan because you'll all be too jealous ahahahaha :D

I'm this sexy now aswell ;)

CYAAAAAAAAAAH x

Welcome Home England

Beat by the Germans but who didnt see that one coming? Nevermind, rugby world cup next year in NZ ;)

I've just come home from swimming with Rachel, Pen, Skrin and JJ so thought I'd write a post as I got nothing more to do. Oh yeah and if I could of taken some pictures of jj at swimming I would of kos it was too cute! He had his own little rubber ring and looked so happy bless him :)

Here's what I've been up to in chronological order of what's on me camera..

Friday Night

- Standard pub thing

Dan hates all the pictures I take of him.

Megan's 18th - Saturday Night

Towwwwwwwn :)

Elle looking happy!

Elle still looking happy!

Last night; Drawing at Dans :)

I'm dead proud of this picture, drew it for Sam for his blog but I probably put too much effort in it than he was looking for haha enjoyed myself though :)

That's Sam.

Today; Peterborough & Rutland Water

Dan's mates were winding me up last night about someone saying they bred and killed cats for fun and then this morning when we left outside Dan's front door was a dead cat! It was weird and sad but obvs got no picture kos I couldn't look at the poor thing :'(

Sheep were charging at me!

Dan says "look they're so clever they built a sheep hut" but to be honest after the cat story I'm not trusting anything him or his friends tell me again :/

Cheerrrrs! G'night x