It's been a week since my girlfriend left Dirty Duners, and is safe back home in Sweden, enjoying the spring.
It was a trip having her here, travelling around New Zealand, showing her the sights, and making memories together. The last bit is the most important bit of it. I've travelled around a fair bit, but mainly by myself, so I don't have a whole lot of people to share my memories with. I do now :D
It's pretty empty now without her here, it's colder in sleeping by myself again, and just a bit less fun when I'm done with school. It's shitty feeling this way, but it makes me happy knowing there is someone that can make me feel this way. If that makes any sense.
However, I'm not going to bore you with all the touchy feely stuff.
Instead, I have some good news! My upper body is getting stronger, and my hands are getting some nice calluses, which makes climbing a lot easier and a bit more fun.
I've been climbing almost every weekend, and every time it gets better and better. I feel more and more confident up in the tree. However, I did have a pretty nerve racking moment last weekend. I was at the top of the tree, maybe 15m or so, and then a hard gust of wind hit the tree and almost threw me off my little perch. What would of happened if I fell? I would of fallen about 10cm, and maybe hit my knee against the tree, so nothing serious. I'm always roped, and never take any stupid chances at those heights. If I fell the whole 15m, I might survive, but I don't know if I would walk again, or even be able to move anything below my neck. Hence, I'm always roped in.
And the past two weeks, we've been up in Orokonui Ecosanctuary felling exotic trees and hanging out. This was pretty exhausting, since we had to carry our chainsaws through the thick bush, on some gnarly slopes. Not a lot of giggling was going on when walking in and out of the work sit. This Tuesday was an exception though, which turned into a climbing day, since we didn't get a hold of the workers there, and couldn't get in through the gates.
Actually, before I keep on going, I want to tell you a bit about Orokonui.
Orokonui is an ecosanctuary where they have only native flora and fauna, and it is heavily protected! I mean that there is a 8.7km long fence that goes around the sanctuary and is fully pest proof. The only pest they have in the sanctuary is mice, but they're working on solving that. But nothing vicious like stoke or possum. Yes, these aren't vicious like a lion, but for the kiwi bird, and other flightless birds, they're a real threat. It's taken some time, but now they have a borderline pest free sanctuary. It took some time, but it's paying off. Kiwi's and other native birds are mating and repopulating the area.
I got to see a kiwi bird and pet a tuatara lizard while there, which was pretty cool. Also got to see a takeha bird.
So, back to the main story/event.
I almost got into a fist fight with a classmate. Over a lunchbox...
Here's what happened:
After the climbing day, we started to pack up, and we four people left, fixing our ropes and cutting some excess sheath off to make our ropes tighter and nicer to climb on. So, three of us did it, and then the four did it last. He didn't cut the rope the way you should be cutting it. He was crushing the knife through it, instead of just making a back and forth action to get a nice clean cut. We were using my lunch box as a cutting board (I've had one for YEARS using it as a cutting board, so I know what it can withstand). He ends up breaking through the lid, and he just laughs about it. It's a nice box, and I was kind of bummed when it happened. I say it was unnecessary and if he's going to buy me a new one. His reply, "No, need to have a cry about it." I'm pretty shocked that that's how he chooses to respond. I just say it was unnecessary, and the box was expensive. He says he'll buy me one, or two even. Some how, he gets defensive and asks if I want to make something about it. He challenges me to a fight. Over this, when he was in the wrong. I say something along the lines of it's okay, and make my leave. The other two there were pretty surprised how quickly it escalated.
Anyway, I'm going to tell my teachers about it, after some encouragement from my classmates, just so they know what happened.
THAT is the exact type of person I really try to avoid. Someone trying to be a "man" by fighting. Admit that you fucked up! Simple as that! Oh, here's the real icing on the cake. He's 40 years old. I'll let you think about that a while...
In fact, don't bother, it just isn't worth it.
I have some studying to right now! So, I will do just that!
Toodles y'all!
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Atrocities!
Yup, that's it, I will admit that I am atrocious at writing this blog.
And I am really sorry for that!
A lot has happened since I last wrote, and I can't decide on where/when to start...
Let's start with my girlfriend has come all the way down to New Zealand to see what kind of tree hugger I've become.
Once she landed I we dropped off her bags at my place, and we did a small tour of Dunedin in the car that we hired for our road trip (that has already been mind you).
And to sum up her feelings, or as I put it, the word of the day/week/month/trip is "Wow." Actually, it's more like "Woooow," with a massive grin on her face. I made sure to do most of the driving, to make sure she got the most of it. Sadly, she wasn't ready for the windy roads that connect all the cities here in wondering NZ, since on the first day, we need to buy some motion sickness pills for her to coup with it all.
For those who don't know, we drove from Dunedin to Manapouri via the Catlins and touristic scenic route, then we did a day trip to Milford Sound, then to Queenstown where we went nucking futs with fun activities, up to Mt. Cook for a short hike (we also spent a night in a tent, which was never repeated because the wee little one got too cold), doubled back to Wanaka, up the West Coast, drove through Arthurs Pass, Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, Christchurch, aaaaaand finally back to Dunedin.
I have to admit, it was a lot of driving. Like...a lot. But it was totally worth it, and I would do it all again in a heart beat :D
Little Sia was a real trooper doing a canyoning trip, bungee jump, and camping. All these things were new to her, but she went through all of it like a champ! Really proud of her!
And also, one thing that I was surprised (actually not) was the que that's formed outside of Ferg Burger pretty much all the time now! We actually booked a burger at 08:00 to be picked up at 17:00. I remember when I could just saunter in and order a burger. Something really epic though, they haven't spent a dime on advertising. That is how good they are!
Franz Josef glacier has pretty much disappeared as well. A friend shared a photo of us from way back in 2008, and it just slammed into your face saying, "Yo, I'm a fucking glacier. So, fuck you." Now it's like the really shy guy at school, peaking around the corner "Hey guys, is it safe to come out now?" So sad. But that's the way it goes I guess.
After we came back to Dirty Duners, my missus made a move on up to the North Island to see what was happening up there. She's currently up there now, and slowly making her way back.
Once she's back, she'll spend another two weeks here in Dunedin before heading back to the beautiful spring that is going on in Sweden.
And speaking of spring, the weather down here before she arrived was pretty sweet. Our class did a trip to Dansey's Pass where we climbed and pruned trees for four days. It was a lot of work. And I have to admit, there were moments where I had some anal leakage going on, because we were so high up. And also, that's when I got to start using a chainsaw up in the tree! Mind you, I was about 30 meters up when I actually started it, so it was nice and safe. Or something like that. I did have supervision, and have two roping points, far apart as well. What does that mean? If I cut one of the ropes, the other one will take my weight. If not, it would have a long way down to think about my mistakes. One thing I learned while climbing with a chainsaw is that it's pretty damn tough, and not very fun at all. Cutting stuff in the tree was great, and descending was fine, but having to actually climb with the chainsaw wasn't all too much fun. You can check out the photos here. As per usual, you won't see any of me, but nobody takes photos of the photographer.
After my missus had left for the North Island, we got to use the bigger chainsaws, but on the ground. This isn't anything new to me, but I'm far from an expert. So getting proper instructions from professionals made all the difference, as with watching the more experienced people as well. Now my chainsaw technique is way better than before, but still needs some perfection. Also got to learn how to sharpen a chainsaw as well, which is a pretty handy skill to have.
This up coming week we're going to be getting into the more serious stuff, which will be felling. Ie, bringing down full grown trees in a controlled manor. I'm really looking forward to this, why? Not to sure. It could be the "destructive" part of it. Toppling over a big tree, a "man vs nature" kind of thing.
Ok folks, I have assignments that I need to do, and prepare for tomorrow.
Have a good one! Maybe I should be doing a vlog instead?
And I am really sorry for that!
A lot has happened since I last wrote, and I can't decide on where/when to start...
Let's start with my girlfriend has come all the way down to New Zealand to see what kind of tree hugger I've become.
Once she landed I we dropped off her bags at my place, and we did a small tour of Dunedin in the car that we hired for our road trip (that has already been mind you).
And to sum up her feelings, or as I put it, the word of the day/week/month/trip is "Wow." Actually, it's more like "Woooow," with a massive grin on her face. I made sure to do most of the driving, to make sure she got the most of it. Sadly, she wasn't ready for the windy roads that connect all the cities here in wondering NZ, since on the first day, we need to buy some motion sickness pills for her to coup with it all.
For those who don't know, we drove from Dunedin to Manapouri via the Catlins and touristic scenic route, then we did a day trip to Milford Sound, then to Queenstown where we went nucking futs with fun activities, up to Mt. Cook for a short hike (we also spent a night in a tent, which was never repeated because the wee little one got too cold), doubled back to Wanaka, up the West Coast, drove through Arthurs Pass, Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, Christchurch, aaaaaand finally back to Dunedin.
I have to admit, it was a lot of driving. Like...a lot. But it was totally worth it, and I would do it all again in a heart beat :D
Little Sia was a real trooper doing a canyoning trip, bungee jump, and camping. All these things were new to her, but she went through all of it like a champ! Really proud of her!
And also, one thing that I was surprised (actually not) was the que that's formed outside of Ferg Burger pretty much all the time now! We actually booked a burger at 08:00 to be picked up at 17:00. I remember when I could just saunter in and order a burger. Something really epic though, they haven't spent a dime on advertising. That is how good they are!
Franz Josef glacier has pretty much disappeared as well. A friend shared a photo of us from way back in 2008, and it just slammed into your face saying, "Yo, I'm a fucking glacier. So, fuck you." Now it's like the really shy guy at school, peaking around the corner "Hey guys, is it safe to come out now?" So sad. But that's the way it goes I guess.
After we came back to Dirty Duners, my missus made a move on up to the North Island to see what was happening up there. She's currently up there now, and slowly making her way back.
Once she's back, she'll spend another two weeks here in Dunedin before heading back to the beautiful spring that is going on in Sweden.
And speaking of spring, the weather down here before she arrived was pretty sweet. Our class did a trip to Dansey's Pass where we climbed and pruned trees for four days. It was a lot of work. And I have to admit, there were moments where I had some anal leakage going on, because we were so high up. And also, that's when I got to start using a chainsaw up in the tree! Mind you, I was about 30 meters up when I actually started it, so it was nice and safe. Or something like that. I did have supervision, and have two roping points, far apart as well. What does that mean? If I cut one of the ropes, the other one will take my weight. If not, it would have a long way down to think about my mistakes. One thing I learned while climbing with a chainsaw is that it's pretty damn tough, and not very fun at all. Cutting stuff in the tree was great, and descending was fine, but having to actually climb with the chainsaw wasn't all too much fun. You can check out the photos here. As per usual, you won't see any of me, but nobody takes photos of the photographer.
After my missus had left for the North Island, we got to use the bigger chainsaws, but on the ground. This isn't anything new to me, but I'm far from an expert. So getting proper instructions from professionals made all the difference, as with watching the more experienced people as well. Now my chainsaw technique is way better than before, but still needs some perfection. Also got to learn how to sharpen a chainsaw as well, which is a pretty handy skill to have.
This up coming week we're going to be getting into the more serious stuff, which will be felling. Ie, bringing down full grown trees in a controlled manor. I'm really looking forward to this, why? Not to sure. It could be the "destructive" part of it. Toppling over a big tree, a "man vs nature" kind of thing.
Ok folks, I have assignments that I need to do, and prepare for tomorrow.
Have a good one! Maybe I should be doing a vlog instead?
Saturday, March 7, 2015
How sad...
I'm incredibly sorry for taking so long to write this post!
I've been both busy, and lazy, resulting in the ever so well known unproductive me.
What's the juicy news? I love my course! It's everything that I expected it to be, and more!
I'm three weeks in, and it feels like 3 months. and I mean that in a good way, of course. It reminds me a bit of when I was in the army, actually. How you hang out with the same group of people, and are doing so many things together.
First two weeks were full of theory, preparing us mentally for what could go wrong by learning first-aid, which knots to use, along with the main do's and don'ts when climbing in the tree. One main thing, is don't fall. Pretty obvious, and the main way of not falling is by always being roped in by at least one point.
This past week has pretty much only been physically intensive, since this is when we were learning how to climb up the tree. With this though, I've torn up my hands a bit. Maybe not torn, but I have some nice rope burns on both my hands. Wear gloves Chris! Yeah, that is a bit of terrible idea. The gloves get stuck in the knots I use, and with other knots, it can leave it "open" and then if something happens, I'll have a beautiful free fall to the ever so reliant, and solid ground. So, I'd prefer to use my bare hands. That's not to say I haven't tried using gloves, only to see them be destroyed in three days after buying them. So it almost feels pointless to buy any, maybe I just need to find a more durable pair.
To add to my injuries, it seems like I've developed some tennis elbow in my left arm from doing intense thrusting in the movements I need to use to climb up the tree. Have figure out a way to minimise using that specific climbing technique, to a less strain-full one. Lucky for me there are several ways to climb a tree, only problem with those techniques is that money is involved for the equipment required. Which leads me to another aspect I enjoy about the course: the whole technical aspect of getting up the tree. The fun tools and toys that there are out there. Primarily the knots though.
Since the start of the course, I haven't learned too many knots that I didn't know from before, but the one I have learned, which is called knut, I love it! It's a very smart friction hitch, which instantly bites when pulled, and opens once pushed. This is a knot used to ascend and descend the tree, and makes the process a lot more graceful and not as exhausting.
It's not all fun and games climbing up the trees though, we also need to remember 5 new trees every week. And by that, I mean I have to remember their botanical name, common name, which family they belong to, and of course, what they look like.
Remembering the names isn't too hard, but it's remembering them in the long run that I'm more concerned about. Coming to a work site, and finding the right tree to cut down. Yes, I know, it's only the third week, but nonetheless, it's something I'm concerned about. I just need to practice more.
Aside from school, not a whole lot is happening. I've been registered with a recruitment firm, which will offer me part-time work during the weekends.
Next weekend though, hopefully I'll make it all the way to Hokitika, for the wild food festival. Not sure how I'm going to go about it yet, since I don't have a car. I'm thinking hitchhiking, but I would be cutting it pretty close for when I try to make my way back for Monday. We'll see what I can do.
Ok, it's late for me on this side of the world. I'm going to go now.
I'll try and get better at posting more!
I've been both busy, and lazy, resulting in the ever so well known unproductive me.
What's the juicy news? I love my course! It's everything that I expected it to be, and more!
I'm three weeks in, and it feels like 3 months. and I mean that in a good way, of course. It reminds me a bit of when I was in the army, actually. How you hang out with the same group of people, and are doing so many things together.
First two weeks were full of theory, preparing us mentally for what could go wrong by learning first-aid, which knots to use, along with the main do's and don'ts when climbing in the tree. One main thing, is don't fall. Pretty obvious, and the main way of not falling is by always being roped in by at least one point.
This past week has pretty much only been physically intensive, since this is when we were learning how to climb up the tree. With this though, I've torn up my hands a bit. Maybe not torn, but I have some nice rope burns on both my hands. Wear gloves Chris! Yeah, that is a bit of terrible idea. The gloves get stuck in the knots I use, and with other knots, it can leave it "open" and then if something happens, I'll have a beautiful free fall to the ever so reliant, and solid ground. So, I'd prefer to use my bare hands. That's not to say I haven't tried using gloves, only to see them be destroyed in three days after buying them. So it almost feels pointless to buy any, maybe I just need to find a more durable pair.
To add to my injuries, it seems like I've developed some tennis elbow in my left arm from doing intense thrusting in the movements I need to use to climb up the tree. Have figure out a way to minimise using that specific climbing technique, to a less strain-full one. Lucky for me there are several ways to climb a tree, only problem with those techniques is that money is involved for the equipment required. Which leads me to another aspect I enjoy about the course: the whole technical aspect of getting up the tree. The fun tools and toys that there are out there. Primarily the knots though.
Since the start of the course, I haven't learned too many knots that I didn't know from before, but the one I have learned, which is called knut, I love it! It's a very smart friction hitch, which instantly bites when pulled, and opens once pushed. This is a knot used to ascend and descend the tree, and makes the process a lot more graceful and not as exhausting.
It's not all fun and games climbing up the trees though, we also need to remember 5 new trees every week. And by that, I mean I have to remember their botanical name, common name, which family they belong to, and of course, what they look like.
Remembering the names isn't too hard, but it's remembering them in the long run that I'm more concerned about. Coming to a work site, and finding the right tree to cut down. Yes, I know, it's only the third week, but nonetheless, it's something I'm concerned about. I just need to practice more.
Aside from school, not a whole lot is happening. I've been registered with a recruitment firm, which will offer me part-time work during the weekends.
Next weekend though, hopefully I'll make it all the way to Hokitika, for the wild food festival. Not sure how I'm going to go about it yet, since I don't have a car. I'm thinking hitchhiking, but I would be cutting it pretty close for when I try to make my way back for Monday. We'll see what I can do.
Ok, it's late for me on this side of the world. I'm going to go now.
I'll try and get better at posting more!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
First Incident
Hi all. I'm starting to realise that I won't be very consistent with my entries, sorry about that.
I'm pretty knackered from it all so far, because we've been pretty full on with everything, so I'll give you the news in broad strokes.
School has finally started, and it feels right. It feels really good!
My teachers/lecturers are solid dudes, and so it seems for my classmates. We're a mixed bunch, but we're all down for getting dirty and don't mind the occasional scratch. Some have years of experience hanging up in the trees, they only lack the experience, so now their getting a proper formal training. Then there are complete noobs like myself.
I got all of my equipment today to start climbing the trees, now I just need some extra safety gear to make it all official. Otherwise, I'm ready to go!
We played paintball yesterday as well, which was fun. But a quite different from what I was used to playing, but fun nonetheless.
I busted my hand a bit, and was a worried that I got a hairline fracture, but I had it all checked out, and there's no problem with it. Got a cut or two my legs, but nothing serious.
Ok, that's it for now, but just wanted to throw up a flag to say I'm good, and pumped for more!
See'ya!
I'm pretty knackered from it all so far, because we've been pretty full on with everything, so I'll give you the news in broad strokes.
School has finally started, and it feels right. It feels really good!
My teachers/lecturers are solid dudes, and so it seems for my classmates. We're a mixed bunch, but we're all down for getting dirty and don't mind the occasional scratch. Some have years of experience hanging up in the trees, they only lack the experience, so now their getting a proper formal training. Then there are complete noobs like myself.
I got all of my equipment today to start climbing the trees, now I just need some extra safety gear to make it all official. Otherwise, I'm ready to go!
We played paintball yesterday as well, which was fun. But a quite different from what I was used to playing, but fun nonetheless.
I busted my hand a bit, and was a worried that I got a hairline fracture, but I had it all checked out, and there's no problem with it. Got a cut or two my legs, but nothing serious.
Ok, that's it for now, but just wanted to throw up a flag to say I'm good, and pumped for more!
See'ya!
Monday, February 9, 2015
Day 1 is over
As I wrote in yesterday's entry, today was the big one: Orientation Day.
I woke up early enough to get nice and ready for the up coming onslaught of the unknown, and it was great!
I walked to the student administration center, arrived 15 minutes early, and discovered I was in the wrong building completely!
After being escorted to the correct room, where there were already a fair bit of students, I knew I was on the right path. A few minutes later, a larger group of students descended into the room, and it became quickly apparent that I was going to be a minority. Not in the racial sense, but the nationality sense. We were 16 different nationalities, with the majority being German and Chinese (there was one other Swede there).
The Germans quickly congregated together and formed their own little group. Something I've seen all too many times happen. It's actually quite amazing.
It's not a German thing, it's a comforting thing. Hanging with people from your own country, and can speak the same language, etc. I get it.
What was of interest though, was one of the two Englishmen there, who was also going to be studying Arboriculture! I was told I was the only international student, but I guess they forgot one. Oh, well.
Once, we all got together, we had a briefing on what to expect from the school and New Zealand, and a little get-to-know-each-other exercise, where we stood up and gave brief explanation of who we are, and what we're going to be studying. It felt like high school, or like when you arrive to a new school. Which essentially we did, but I have to admit, it feels odd doing it when I'm 31 years old.
It was nice, because otherwise I wouldn't of known there was another Swede in the group. When we started to talk, it was weird speaking to someone in Swedish, in person. I've either talked on the phone, or via Skype, which isn't the same thing. I can't explain it, but it just feels different.
Once we did our song and dance infront of each other, we were given a guided tour of the school, and were treated to a nice lunch. After which we got more information about Dunedin and what to be expecting in the near future.
When all that was done, our respective course teachers came and collected us to show us around our specific, as they call it, schools.
I was given this same tour two weeks earlier when I asked what course material I needed, so I didn't learn too much more. And that tour didn't take all too long, so me and my new classmate went off to buy some of the course material we were told to buy, and along the way two other people from the orientation joined us, and we went for beers after we bought our course material. Which, I must add, is only two books (plus an optional one!). So three in total. Not bad.
My classmate was talking about how expensive it was, and I have to admit, it isn't cheap. But I quickly countered with that we should be happy that we're not studying to become doctors, or anything involving a lot of science (engineers, medicine, etc) where you have to buy a TON of books! He quickly agreed, and felt pretty good that we only need two books for our course.
While we were having our beers, we shared stories about ourselves, things we wouldn't guess about the other, and I told them about my kayaking experience at Hagaparken. If you haven't been told it, too bad, I'm not going to write about it. It's too good of story to just publish like that!
It's a story I need to tell you, so much gets lost in text.
And so, speaking of getting lost, I'm going to get lost in my dreams, and get ready for the morrow!
I woke up early enough to get nice and ready for the up coming onslaught of the unknown, and it was great!
I walked to the student administration center, arrived 15 minutes early, and discovered I was in the wrong building completely!
After being escorted to the correct room, where there were already a fair bit of students, I knew I was on the right path. A few minutes later, a larger group of students descended into the room, and it became quickly apparent that I was going to be a minority. Not in the racial sense, but the nationality sense. We were 16 different nationalities, with the majority being German and Chinese (there was one other Swede there).
The Germans quickly congregated together and formed their own little group. Something I've seen all too many times happen. It's actually quite amazing.
It's not a German thing, it's a comforting thing. Hanging with people from your own country, and can speak the same language, etc. I get it.
What was of interest though, was one of the two Englishmen there, who was also going to be studying Arboriculture! I was told I was the only international student, but I guess they forgot one. Oh, well.
Once, we all got together, we had a briefing on what to expect from the school and New Zealand, and a little get-to-know-each-other exercise, where we stood up and gave brief explanation of who we are, and what we're going to be studying. It felt like high school, or like when you arrive to a new school. Which essentially we did, but I have to admit, it feels odd doing it when I'm 31 years old.
It was nice, because otherwise I wouldn't of known there was another Swede in the group. When we started to talk, it was weird speaking to someone in Swedish, in person. I've either talked on the phone, or via Skype, which isn't the same thing. I can't explain it, but it just feels different.
Once we did our song and dance infront of each other, we were given a guided tour of the school, and were treated to a nice lunch. After which we got more information about Dunedin and what to be expecting in the near future.
When all that was done, our respective course teachers came and collected us to show us around our specific, as they call it, schools.
I was given this same tour two weeks earlier when I asked what course material I needed, so I didn't learn too much more. And that tour didn't take all too long, so me and my new classmate went off to buy some of the course material we were told to buy, and along the way two other people from the orientation joined us, and we went for beers after we bought our course material. Which, I must add, is only two books (plus an optional one!). So three in total. Not bad.
My classmate was talking about how expensive it was, and I have to admit, it isn't cheap. But I quickly countered with that we should be happy that we're not studying to become doctors, or anything involving a lot of science (engineers, medicine, etc) where you have to buy a TON of books! He quickly agreed, and felt pretty good that we only need two books for our course.
While we were having our beers, we shared stories about ourselves, things we wouldn't guess about the other, and I told them about my kayaking experience at Hagaparken. If you haven't been told it, too bad, I'm not going to write about it. It's too good of story to just publish like that!
It's a story I need to tell you, so much gets lost in text.
And so, speaking of getting lost, I'm going to get lost in my dreams, and get ready for the morrow!
Sunday, February 8, 2015
I am a viking...
...this is what my flatmate thought I said, when I actually said "I went out biking."
Quite an interesting, non-provoked statement if you ask me. Just walk into a room, and say "I am a viking," and then just leave. Don't wear anything viking related. Just walk in, make the statement, while having the 1000 yard stare, and then just turn to leave the room. Wonder how the room would react.
Any who, I'm drinking a beer, and watching "The Little Death" on the side. Won't say anything about it, except it's an Australian comedy with a lot of the cast from "The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting." I might of recommended it to you, if not, then I am now :D
So, it's been a while since I last wrote something up here, so I'll bring you up to speed!
Let's start with the juicy bit! Sosa (aka my girlfriend)
It is going well with us, but I won't lie, it is pretty difficult. I don't even know where to begin on this topic. We chat via Facebook Messenger all the time, and Skype on a regular basis, and still, that one important bit is missing: the physical contact. I'm not talking about the sexual aspect of it (although, that does play a small factor in it) but more of the smaller things, like holding hands, a kiss good night, or a small pat. You all know what I'm talking about! If not, then in some odd way, I envy you! Yet, I don't, because you don't know what you're missing!
Gah! On the bright side of things, we're both counting down (with the help of apps) until we meet again, which will be down here in New Zealand! And I fully think that it's great that we're counting down, and not counting up. Even better, after she's left, we'll be counting down again till we meet again!
All I can say is that it's a beautiful time to be alive with regards to the available forms of communications. We can talk (not chat) either via mobile phone, Skype, or even Facebook (which uses Skype technology). And when it comes to simple text messaging, we have a plethora of options!
Speaking of communications, my new flatmate! He's pretty easy going, without a doubt. Although, I am starting to realise that he's keen on keeping it a simple business arrangement. How does that feel? Feels alright I guess. He lives a pretty simple live: work, school, child and World of Warcraft. Anything past that, he's not all that interested in getting into. He's been burned more than I have from what I've understood. It'll be good, and I'm not too worried about it. He comes off as a solid dude, as long as you're not a complete jackass to him, which I'm not, so it should be good.
Any who, we'll see how it all plays out.
Either which way, the room I have is very spacious. I don't feel cramped at all, and I have all the storage space I need. Also, I have unlimited internet and it's pretty well situated relative to school and other necessities.
Otherwise, I've been sussing everything out. I got my forklift license, applied for various jobs, and been biking a bit. And the biking here is amazing! Killer climbs, which will destroy your legs if you're not used to it, but the views you get from all that climbing, worth every second of pain.
Even on the crappier days that I've been out, the views have been astounding.
One main grief I have about it, are the quality of the roads. They're not exactly the same standard as what it is like in Sweden. Here the roads are a bit rougher, so they're a bit harder to bike on. There's more resistance and also a bit bumpier. It'll just take some getting used to, that's all! Also, need to remember that I haven't biked continuously since September/October, so I'm a bit out of shape compared to then.
It's now Sunday for me, and probably for you as well, however, tomorrow will be the big day for me. The start of my new course! Well, technically no, it's actually the orientation week, but it'll be good to get it all going either way!
So, it's late for me, and I need to go to bed so I'm ready prepped and ready to go!
Good night, all of you! And we'll be in touch!
Quite an interesting, non-provoked statement if you ask me. Just walk into a room, and say "I am a viking," and then just leave. Don't wear anything viking related. Just walk in, make the statement, while having the 1000 yard stare, and then just turn to leave the room. Wonder how the room would react.
Any who, I'm drinking a beer, and watching "The Little Death" on the side. Won't say anything about it, except it's an Australian comedy with a lot of the cast from "The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting." I might of recommended it to you, if not, then I am now :D
So, it's been a while since I last wrote something up here, so I'll bring you up to speed!
Let's start with the juicy bit! Sosa (aka my girlfriend)
It is going well with us, but I won't lie, it is pretty difficult. I don't even know where to begin on this topic. We chat via Facebook Messenger all the time, and Skype on a regular basis, and still, that one important bit is missing: the physical contact. I'm not talking about the sexual aspect of it (although, that does play a small factor in it) but more of the smaller things, like holding hands, a kiss good night, or a small pat. You all know what I'm talking about! If not, then in some odd way, I envy you! Yet, I don't, because you don't know what you're missing!
Gah! On the bright side of things, we're both counting down (with the help of apps) until we meet again, which will be down here in New Zealand! And I fully think that it's great that we're counting down, and not counting up. Even better, after she's left, we'll be counting down again till we meet again!
All I can say is that it's a beautiful time to be alive with regards to the available forms of communications. We can talk (not chat) either via mobile phone, Skype, or even Facebook (which uses Skype technology). And when it comes to simple text messaging, we have a plethora of options!
Speaking of communications, my new flatmate! He's pretty easy going, without a doubt. Although, I am starting to realise that he's keen on keeping it a simple business arrangement. How does that feel? Feels alright I guess. He lives a pretty simple live: work, school, child and World of Warcraft. Anything past that, he's not all that interested in getting into. He's been burned more than I have from what I've understood. It'll be good, and I'm not too worried about it. He comes off as a solid dude, as long as you're not a complete jackass to him, which I'm not, so it should be good.
Any who, we'll see how it all plays out.
Either which way, the room I have is very spacious. I don't feel cramped at all, and I have all the storage space I need. Also, I have unlimited internet and it's pretty well situated relative to school and other necessities.
Otherwise, I've been sussing everything out. I got my forklift license, applied for various jobs, and been biking a bit. And the biking here is amazing! Killer climbs, which will destroy your legs if you're not used to it, but the views you get from all that climbing, worth every second of pain.
Even on the crappier days that I've been out, the views have been astounding.
One main grief I have about it, are the quality of the roads. They're not exactly the same standard as what it is like in Sweden. Here the roads are a bit rougher, so they're a bit harder to bike on. There's more resistance and also a bit bumpier. It'll just take some getting used to, that's all! Also, need to remember that I haven't biked continuously since September/October, so I'm a bit out of shape compared to then.
It's now Sunday for me, and probably for you as well, however, tomorrow will be the big day for me. The start of my new course! Well, technically no, it's actually the orientation week, but it'll be good to get it all going either way!
So, it's late for me, and I need to go to bed so I'm ready prepped and ready to go!
Good night, all of you! And we'll be in touch!
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Wrong Side of Le'Road
Finally got my New Zealand drivers license! Yay!
And it was 30 NZD cheaper than I had expected, which is always great!
I only have a temporary one, and the official one will be sent in the mail, which means that I'll have three different drivers licenses! Not all that bad I'll have to admit, but yes I know, there a few of you out there who have more, and more exotic ones too!
Main reasons for me wanting to get the NZ one is so I don't have to carry around my passport around anymore. It'll make identification a lot easier.
And want to hear something really weird? On all of the web pages that I've checked out when it comes to having an international drivers license, it has to be translated by some authorized agency for it to be fully accepted. And you know what, I don't have any translations or international drivers license, and yet I'm getting accepted left, right and center!
Anyway, I'm not complaining. I saved money on not having to have anything translated, but it does make you wonder.
Scored my student ID the other day as well, and that granted me access to the university gym, which is quite impressive! A lot of options on how to keep oneself fit.
And speaking of keeping oneself fit, I have walked more than 10 km everyday or every other day since I've gotten here. Summary of all that work? Dunedin has a shit ton of hills. It's nuts, but I still love it!
Don't have a lot to say today...besides all my walking and sorting out small errands, not a lot is happening.
Hopefully soon enough though!
And it was 30 NZD cheaper than I had expected, which is always great!
I only have a temporary one, and the official one will be sent in the mail, which means that I'll have three different drivers licenses! Not all that bad I'll have to admit, but yes I know, there a few of you out there who have more, and more exotic ones too!
Main reasons for me wanting to get the NZ one is so I don't have to carry around my passport around anymore. It'll make identification a lot easier.
And want to hear something really weird? On all of the web pages that I've checked out when it comes to having an international drivers license, it has to be translated by some authorized agency for it to be fully accepted. And you know what, I don't have any translations or international drivers license, and yet I'm getting accepted left, right and center!
Anyway, I'm not complaining. I saved money on not having to have anything translated, but it does make you wonder.
Scored my student ID the other day as well, and that granted me access to the university gym, which is quite impressive! A lot of options on how to keep oneself fit.
And speaking of keeping oneself fit, I have walked more than 10 km everyday or every other day since I've gotten here. Summary of all that work? Dunedin has a shit ton of hills. It's nuts, but I still love it!
Don't have a lot to say today...besides all my walking and sorting out small errands, not a lot is happening.
Hopefully soon enough though!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Slow Roast or a Quick Nuke
Life has slowed down a fair bit for myself, due to my lack of respect to the sun down here.
As some of you may know, the ozone down here doesn't really exist. It's more of an urban legend you could say. And we all know (hopefully) that the ozone is kind of a big thing for us people down here on Earth.
If you don't know what the ozone does, and why we need it, I'll let you Google it.
When I first landed, and I was waiting for a mate of mine to pick me up from my hotel, I was sitting in the sun for about 10-15 minutes (during sunset) and it got me nice and red. A nice warm up for my pasty Scandinavian skin.
That wasn't enough though! I went on a walk the other day down to the beach and checked out the local walking route. I was nice and red afterwards, because I came down with a slight case of retardation and didn't use any sunscreen (FYI, locals use a minimum of 30 SPF) on this little adventure of mine.
Next day, I did the same thing, and boy was I burnt up nicely. I want to put up some funny Gordon Ramsey memes, but some of you may find it offensive, so, I'll just let you Google some of those yourself.
Any who, because of that, I've been trying to avoid the sun like the plague. I could put on some sunscreen, but the damage is done. With that my days have been going by quite slowly.
Fret not! On my second outing of turning myself into a crispy human, I checked out some different lodging options. Where I'm living right now is pretty mint, except for the fact that a) it takes an over an hour to walk down town; b) the bus goes every 30 minutes; c) it stops going into town around 18.00. Besides that, it's pretty good. Oh, internet is a bit shoddy, but I'm not here to surf the inter-mer-nets, so I can't complain all too much about it.
What did my little excursion find on my little outing? Basically, the student living standard down here is VERY different from back home. I mean...it is pretty shit.
This is comparing it to Sweden, so you need to take that into consideration. Sadly, I didn't take any photos of the places, but I went to a newly renovated house, and well...I couldn't tell that it had been renovated. It was done on a shoestring budget for sure.
I'm not going to go into all too much detail about the 3 locations, but I will give you this:
Option 1: A bit outside of town (approx 30 minute walk), cheap base rent, would have to share the flat with four other people, room is decently sized.
Option 2: Also a bit outside of town (approx 20 minute walk), debatable base rent, share with one other guy, big room, and flat is in good condition.
Option 3: Same area as 2 (like 30 meters away), smaller room, two floors, one bathroom, and 3 other tenants.
All of these have their pros and cons, as does everything, but I went with Option 2 for multiple reasons. I met the guy who I would be sharing it with, and talked for about an hour. We both got along with each other, and we have a few common interests. It was bromantic, or something like that. Also, he works for the landlord of the building, meaning he can't be a complete dick, he has too much responsibility, and has good deal going on to go and fuck it up. He's four years old than me, and he's done with all the partying, so I don't have to worry about him wanting to go and drink every night, and causing a ruckus. The area that the flat is located is a pretty quiet one, so that's also pretty comforting.
All of this does come with a premium, but nothing too extravagant. I'm not going to be talking numbers, because that's none of your business! :P
And also, rooms are disappearing quick right now, so my options are pretty limited.
As of next week, I'll be moving into the flat, and getting settled in over there! Woohoo!!!
Student life, here I come!!! YEAH!!!
Next week is going to be good as well: will have my bank account setup, and most likely my drivers license as well. But most importantly, my skin will be better, so I'll be able to go outside again, without too much worry of over cooking.
Also, my laptop is acting up more and more, so I might be leaving it in for service, hence the lack of possible entries within the next couple of days.
Cool beans guys!
Talk to you soon!
As some of you may know, the ozone down here doesn't really exist. It's more of an urban legend you could say. And we all know (hopefully) that the ozone is kind of a big thing for us people down here on Earth.
If you don't know what the ozone does, and why we need it, I'll let you Google it.
When I first landed, and I was waiting for a mate of mine to pick me up from my hotel, I was sitting in the sun for about 10-15 minutes (during sunset) and it got me nice and red. A nice warm up for my pasty Scandinavian skin.
That wasn't enough though! I went on a walk the other day down to the beach and checked out the local walking route. I was nice and red afterwards, because I came down with a slight case of retardation and didn't use any sunscreen (FYI, locals use a minimum of 30 SPF) on this little adventure of mine.
Next day, I did the same thing, and boy was I burnt up nicely. I want to put up some funny Gordon Ramsey memes, but some of you may find it offensive, so, I'll just let you Google some of those yourself.
Any who, because of that, I've been trying to avoid the sun like the plague. I could put on some sunscreen, but the damage is done. With that my days have been going by quite slowly.
Fret not! On my second outing of turning myself into a crispy human, I checked out some different lodging options. Where I'm living right now is pretty mint, except for the fact that a) it takes an over an hour to walk down town; b) the bus goes every 30 minutes; c) it stops going into town around 18.00. Besides that, it's pretty good. Oh, internet is a bit shoddy, but I'm not here to surf the inter-mer-nets, so I can't complain all too much about it.
What did my little excursion find on my little outing? Basically, the student living standard down here is VERY different from back home. I mean...it is pretty shit.
This is comparing it to Sweden, so you need to take that into consideration. Sadly, I didn't take any photos of the places, but I went to a newly renovated house, and well...I couldn't tell that it had been renovated. It was done on a shoestring budget for sure.
I'm not going to go into all too much detail about the 3 locations, but I will give you this:
Option 1: A bit outside of town (approx 30 minute walk), cheap base rent, would have to share the flat with four other people, room is decently sized.
Option 2: Also a bit outside of town (approx 20 minute walk), debatable base rent, share with one other guy, big room, and flat is in good condition.
Option 3: Same area as 2 (like 30 meters away), smaller room, two floors, one bathroom, and 3 other tenants.
All of these have their pros and cons, as does everything, but I went with Option 2 for multiple reasons. I met the guy who I would be sharing it with, and talked for about an hour. We both got along with each other, and we have a few common interests. It was bromantic, or something like that. Also, he works for the landlord of the building, meaning he can't be a complete dick, he has too much responsibility, and has good deal going on to go and fuck it up. He's four years old than me, and he's done with all the partying, so I don't have to worry about him wanting to go and drink every night, and causing a ruckus. The area that the flat is located is a pretty quiet one, so that's also pretty comforting.
All of this does come with a premium, but nothing too extravagant. I'm not going to be talking numbers, because that's none of your business! :P
And also, rooms are disappearing quick right now, so my options are pretty limited.
As of next week, I'll be moving into the flat, and getting settled in over there! Woohoo!!!
Student life, here I come!!! YEAH!!!
Next week is going to be good as well: will have my bank account setup, and most likely my drivers license as well. But most importantly, my skin will be better, so I'll be able to go outside again, without too much worry of over cooking.
Also, my laptop is acting up more and more, so I might be leaving it in for service, hence the lack of possible entries within the next couple of days.
Cool beans guys!
Talk to you soon!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Getting Settled In
Moving to a new place, let alone new country, isn't as straight forward as you would think it is - or cheap!
I have a little list of what I need/want to setup while I'm down here: bank account, SIM card, driver's license, and forklift license.
All of these are important for me to earn some money while I'm down here, but like I said, it's not as straight forward as I would like (mind you though, what "troubles" arise, are negligible).
Bank Account
I had a bank account the last time I was here, but shut it down when I left the country. I figured it would be a simple, "Hey guys! I'm back! Let's open up this dusty old account, eh? Whad'ya say?"
Well, it almost is like that, except I need to verify that I live where I live with a letter from the bank. Mind blown. Catch 22. Grey matter everywhere. Ok, I'm exaggerating! They're simply going to send me a letter to the address I'm living on, and then that will be a form of proof of residency. Once I receive that, I'll bring it with me to the bank, and be on my merry to using my old account.
SIM Card
No dramas here. I just messed up and asked for a nano card, when I need a micro. Want my phone number? Sure! It's 021-XXX-XXXX
For 29 NZD a month, I get: 1GB data, 4G, 200 minutes to both NZ and Oz phone numbers, and unlimited txt to NZ and Oz phone numbers. That's an alright deal by my standards! And the coverage is pretty good nation wide! FYI, it's Vodafone prepaid. I should ask for sponsorship if I right about them on my blog right? ;)
Driver's License
Everything was going smoothly converting my Swedish license to a NZ one, but then when I had to do an eye test (which was extremely basic, sitting on their counter top), I failed. Not terribly, but just not good.
I'll try and draw you a picture of the device they have there (they said it's very basic, and doesn't set the standard). It looks like one the pieces you see in museums where you can look down into and see some old microscopic fossil, but when you look into it, you see numbers on the right, and 3 columns of letters (each column has 4-5 letters, don't remember) to the left. How did I fail, you ask? I only saw two columns. It's because of my astigmatism that I only saw two, and it doesn't disrupt my daily life.
So, now I need to get an eye exam done! YEAH!!!
Sigh...anyway, I see this as a security investment, in the sense that with this I won't have to carry around my passport as ID. And it'll help me pass off as local more. I don't have the accent, but I didn't have one either when I was working in Australia on a Navy base, and I could move around with out an escort, because I had my Australian drivers license! Mwuahahahhaha!!! I actually slept in my car while at the base actually. Easy access to a shower and toilet. Oh, and free food! Good times.
Forklift License
Here's my favorite! I have to redo the courses/tests!!! Woohoo!!! My 10+ years of driving experience, and multiple licenses doesn't mean jack!
This is an investment. Having a forklift license has helped me score a lot of well paying jobs, and that's all I'm looking for right now: money to fund my fun/life while down here. So, I'll just have to suck it up, and do it. Hopefully I'll be able to only do the tests, so I don't have to redo EVERYTHING.
First world problems, but serious student budget problems.
______________
All in all, it's not bad. I walked to and from town today, which was about 45 minutes both ways, and I did it in shorts and a t-shirt. So, yeah, at least I have that going for me!
I have a little list of what I need/want to setup while I'm down here: bank account, SIM card, driver's license, and forklift license.
All of these are important for me to earn some money while I'm down here, but like I said, it's not as straight forward as I would like (mind you though, what "troubles" arise, are negligible).
Bank Account
I had a bank account the last time I was here, but shut it down when I left the country. I figured it would be a simple, "Hey guys! I'm back! Let's open up this dusty old account, eh? Whad'ya say?"
Well, it almost is like that, except I need to verify that I live where I live with a letter from the bank. Mind blown. Catch 22. Grey matter everywhere. Ok, I'm exaggerating! They're simply going to send me a letter to the address I'm living on, and then that will be a form of proof of residency. Once I receive that, I'll bring it with me to the bank, and be on my merry to using my old account.
SIM Card
No dramas here. I just messed up and asked for a nano card, when I need a micro. Want my phone number? Sure! It's 021-XXX-XXXX
For 29 NZD a month, I get: 1GB data, 4G, 200 minutes to both NZ and Oz phone numbers, and unlimited txt to NZ and Oz phone numbers. That's an alright deal by my standards! And the coverage is pretty good nation wide! FYI, it's Vodafone prepaid. I should ask for sponsorship if I right about them on my blog right? ;)
Driver's License
Everything was going smoothly converting my Swedish license to a NZ one, but then when I had to do an eye test (which was extremely basic, sitting on their counter top), I failed. Not terribly, but just not good.
I'll try and draw you a picture of the device they have there (they said it's very basic, and doesn't set the standard). It looks like one the pieces you see in museums where you can look down into and see some old microscopic fossil, but when you look into it, you see numbers on the right, and 3 columns of letters (each column has 4-5 letters, don't remember) to the left. How did I fail, you ask? I only saw two columns. It's because of my astigmatism that I only saw two, and it doesn't disrupt my daily life.
So, now I need to get an eye exam done! YEAH!!!
Sigh...anyway, I see this as a security investment, in the sense that with this I won't have to carry around my passport as ID. And it'll help me pass off as local more. I don't have the accent, but I didn't have one either when I was working in Australia on a Navy base, and I could move around with out an escort, because I had my Australian drivers license! Mwuahahahhaha!!! I actually slept in my car while at the base actually. Easy access to a shower and toilet. Oh, and free food! Good times.
Forklift License
Here's my favorite! I have to redo the courses/tests!!! Woohoo!!! My 10+ years of driving experience, and multiple licenses doesn't mean jack!
This is an investment. Having a forklift license has helped me score a lot of well paying jobs, and that's all I'm looking for right now: money to fund my fun/life while down here. So, I'll just have to suck it up, and do it. Hopefully I'll be able to only do the tests, so I don't have to redo EVERYTHING.
First world problems, but serious student budget problems.
______________
All in all, it's not bad. I walked to and from town today, which was about 45 minutes both ways, and I did it in shorts and a t-shirt. So, yeah, at least I have that going for me!
Monday, January 19, 2015
Green Kids
Here I am, down in Dunedin, after an
incredibly long trip.
I left Sweden Friday the 16th
of January, and it's now the 19th. Daaaaamn is all I have
to say.
And verdict? It's bloody long!
Here's the run down:
So, I saw it as me moving down here,
and not just visiting for a short period of time, so I packed a bit
differently that what I would usually do. I packed my life down in
approximately 180L (split between 3 bags, one of which is a carry on)
and a bike box.
I had 40kg (30kg to check in, and 10kg
for carry on) to work with, and I knew that I would be going over the
weight limit, without really trying actually. Having weighed the
majority of my stuff at my parents house, I was about 5kgs shy of the
30kg. Meaning I would maybe have to pay 5kg in overweight. And having
called Cathay Pacific about it, I would have to pay 60 USD/kg of
overweight luggage. Sweet.
I hadn't weighed my bike, but I guessed
I would be paying for an extra 5-7kg.
Oh, how I was wrong! Was 14kg
overweight! The woman behind the counter did the math in her head,
and said it was 12kg, but I corrected her and said it was actually
14kg, but I would love it if she typed in 12kg. She typed in 10kg
instead.
Hell yeah! That is 600 USD, which is a
lot of money, but you have to consider what I was paying for:
- My bike will be with me all the way, so no having to ship it via a courier for an unknown sum, which can be high, since I don't have a contract with them.
- My beautiful girlfriend wouldn't have to drag it back into her car, and ship it off whenever she had the time.
- Buying a new bike of the same caliber, along with other equipment I stowed away for 600 USD is NOT going to be happening anytime soon. Unless of course it's a stolen bike, which I'm not all that interested in doing.
So, you see, I could quantify and
justify paying the overweight fee.
However, it didn't work out as I had
planned. As I'm writing this, I don't know where my bike is.
I heard that it's in London, and is
being sent over here ASAP. What happened do you ask?
Here's my theory:
When paying for the overweight, I did
it through and company/agency called Menzies (big company), and to
have all the payments approved and signed off, it had to be done by
paper.
I kid you not. None of it was done
electronically. None. I had a coupon like bundle of carbon copies of
my receipt that I had to drop hand out at every connecting airport.
They then tapped a few keys and said was everything was golden.
No...no it isn't.
Mind you though, I'm okay with it,
since I don't need my bike any time soon (i.e. I'm not going to be
partaking in a race any time soon). I've simply boiled it down to
first world problems. They're going to have it sent to where I am
here in Dunedin, so no worries.
Or? I called them about an hour ago,
asking what the current status with it is, and they said they would
get back to me ten minutes after I called them. Like I said, that was
an hour ago.
Come people!
Anyway, enough about that.
I want to talk about some other stuff
that I experienced a bit prior and during my trip.
Prior
This is hands
down the hardest “trip” I've done. Why? Well, as my friend Jimbo
put it, my other trips, there was an approximate return date, this
time, there's none. Fine, I'll be heading back in July for a wedding,
but then after that, it's unknown. Scary stuff!
Why scary?
Because I gave up a pretty sweet life, in an okay country. Sweden is
a pretty sweet country in it's own right, but I have the hardest time
in the winter, and it really gets at me, way too much. Also, the
Swedish mentality. I'm not going to write about it, and if you're
visiting Sweden, you won't see it, you need to live there to actually
experience it.
Simply put: no.
Just no.
How was my life
sweet? I had a well paying job (although, boring at times), amazing
friends, close to my family, and finally, leaving Sosa, my
girlfriend.
I had a few
dinners with some friends before I left, and I realized how lucky I
am to have such amazing people in my life. People who accept me for
who I am, and help me out whenever I need it.
However, the
real nail in the proverbial coffin, was when I posted a question on
Facebook who wanted to grab an afterwork beer with me. I expected the
group to be around 5 people, we ended up being 19! It was incredible!
I posted the question a Sunday, and the beers were to be the
following the Wednesday.
Okay, so it's
not the amazing if you consider the circumstances (me leaving and
what not), but it meant a lot for me, and showed me how many people
care about me.
Before Departure
As some of you
know, I've moved around a fair bit in my life, so saying good-bye is
relatively easy. Except for now, as I wrote above regarding my
friends.
And now after
having met my amazing Sosa, it as really hard. She's epic, simply
put. Saying good-bye to her was hard. She got me to shed a tear or
two when she placed her hand on my cheek (I love her hand there, it's
very comforting for me, I don't know why). Man, it was rough.
I don't really
know how to express it, or how much to express, but I'll say that it
was one of the harder things I've had to do in my life. On the bright
side, she'll be coming down to visit me in April, so I've got that to
look forward to!
On the Plane
Last time I got
on the plane to New Zealand, I was pumped. All thoughts of doubt
disappeared once I was sitting on the plane. It was without a doubt
the right thing to do.
This time
around, it didn't happen exactly like that, and I believe it's a
culmination of everything that I've written about so far.
I have no doubt
that what I am doing is right, since I've needed change in quite a
while. This will be good for me. Even if everything goes tits up,
nothing is too late to change.
Another
thing that I saw on the plane from London to Hong Kong was the
landscape while flying over China. It was truly awesome. Not
“awesome” like how it used today, I mean a true moment of awe.
Here is a link for you to see where the plane was in this moment:
http://goo.gl/maps/C01DF.
As you'll see, it doesn't look like a whole lot, but if you have
satellite view on, and zoomed out a bit, you'll see a kind of basin
to the west of the pin and that's what inspired my awe. The lighting
and colours were just incredible. All I could think about is what it
would be like to be standing in the basin, looking around. The
emptiness of it all, and the vast expanse surrounding oneself. What I
found most intriguing were the dirt roads littering the basin, and
wondering what they were used and how often they were used.
Any who...it was a beautiful moment for
me.
I think I've written enough for now, so
I'll leave you with this: I'm happy, I'm scared, I'm nervous, I'm
alive and excited about the unknown!
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Up'n'Up
This is it, this is the big day we've all been waiting for: I'm going to New Zealand. Again.
This time around though, as many of you may know, I'll be studying Arboriculture at Otago Polytechnic, unlike last time, it was to get away from it all (http://olliedoesnz.blogspot.com).
It's currently 06:55, and I need to be out of the door within two hours to start my epic 34+ hour trip to Auckland (Stockholm to London to Hong Kong to Auckland). It's Friday today, and I land on Sunday.
Hells bells it's going to be long! I'm in my most comfortable attire: sweat clothes. I usually have some for of dignity, but dignity won't keep me comfortable, hence the sweat clothes. Mind you though, they are clean, and not sweaty sweat clothes, so it's alright!
Any who, I'm just writing this short entry to get this shit show on the road!
This time around though, as many of you may know, I'll be studying Arboriculture at Otago Polytechnic, unlike last time, it was to get away from it all (http://olliedoesnz.blogspot.com).
It's currently 06:55, and I need to be out of the door within two hours to start my epic 34+ hour trip to Auckland (Stockholm to London to Hong Kong to Auckland). It's Friday today, and I land on Sunday.
Hells bells it's going to be long! I'm in my most comfortable attire: sweat clothes. I usually have some for of dignity, but dignity won't keep me comfortable, hence the sweat clothes. Mind you though, they are clean, and not sweaty sweat clothes, so it's alright!
Any who, I'm just writing this short entry to get this shit show on the road!
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