travel junkie

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I have jacked it all in here in Scotland and have decided to make Australia - scratch that - New Zealand my new home - just for a little while!

I can't wait to go to the beach after work, go surfing with my new bloke Bruce and I am also very excited about all those shrimps and barbies..........




Travel Blog Posts


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August 23rd 2010

MUM AND DAD COME TO NZ I am getting slower and slower with my blogging I know - BUT I don't want to give up completely so what follows is a (believe it or not) condensed version of the fantastic time I had with my lovely parents in the summer..........so long ago....... SOME TIME MID DECEMBER 2009 In my whole time working at Hawkins Construction not once have I travelled further than Wellington on business BUT as luck would have it (and I still cant quite believe the perfect timing) I had to travel to Sydney for bank presentations and they just happened to be scheduled for the exact time my M&D flew in from the Norther hemisphere!!! This was the 2nd time we'd all been in Sydney together but it didnt stop the usual rush ... read more



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March 13th 2010

After our campervanning adventures we returned for a great few days in Auckland. We had fish and chips on the beach, took in great views of the city from the top of Mount Eden, had a lovely lunch at Kermadec in the Viaduct looking out at the yachts and Gary made it over to Waiheke Island when I was at work too.. Best of all though was our last day when my mate Graeme took us out on his boat 'Sea Ox' to go Fishing!!! The 0500 rise was a struggle!!! Nice watching the sunrise as we went out of the Maraetai harbour though. Gary caught the first snapper and it was a big one and then I caught 2 at once...dinner. Yum. Was a great day out of the Huaraki Gulf - so picturesque. ... read more



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March 13th 2010

Sunday 8th November WELLINGTON TO PICTON (SOUTH ISLAND) We got up early - had a quick go on the campsite's giant trampoline to wake us up and headed for the Interislander ferry which would take us over the Cook Strait to New Zealand's South Island, through the Marlborough Sounds to Picton. To say I was excited driving Willie on to the ferry was an understatement. I was child once more. It was a memorable crossing. Beautiful day. We played cards for a while then spent the majority of the crossing hanging over the side dolphin spotting!!! The sounds were beautiful. It was such a calm day. We were lucky as I think it can be quite a rough crossing. What was nice was that the day got hotter and hotter the closer to the South Island ... read more



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March 13th 2010

PART 2 WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2010 - WAITOMO TO ROTORUA Woke up really early for the drive to Waitomo where we were going on a caving expedition with the Black Water Rafting Co. First we stopped in the Kiwiana Town of Otorohanga.........Kiwis are very proud of their "Kiwiana" which consists of such exciting things like kiwifruits (actually from China) and Pavlova (they Aussies also lay claim to this), sheep (found widely around the world) and a little wooden toy that they are all crazy for (Prince Wills had one when he was a baby. Apparently.) called Buzzy Bee. Weird. Nuff said. Continued our drive through Kings Country until we arrived in Waitomo and promptly got handed our oh so flattering wetsuits and helmets before getting a crash course on abseiling - thats how we entered the ... read more



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January 17th 2010

November 2009 ...............my (not so) wee brother saved up his pennies and in November came to see where I've been hanging out this past year and to sample some of New Zealand's sites, bungy jump....and yup of course the Kiwi beers (yes kiwis do make beer).............he was a "sweet" travel companion and was very kind to minimise his highly honed farting talent whilst we lived together for a week in our campervan "Willie" - thanks Gary!!! Monday 2nd November 2009 AUCKLAND We had been having a very good spell of sunny weather in Auckland in the run up to Gary arriving but predictably (and maybe there is truth in the idea of somone bringing the weather with them!) it started raining when he arrived, but I'm glad he would have been made to feel at home ... read more



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September 26th 2009

Waikato Stadium Saturday 12th September 2009 The excitement and build up to this game was immense in NZ. Rugby really is the national religion here!!! I was a total tourist kiwi wannabe and went out and bought the AB tshirt and cap!!! As long as I didn't open my mouth no one could identify me as a non-kiwi!!! Atmosphere in the Waikato Stadium was amazing and they put on a really good show with fireworks etc. Hearing the national anthem for the first time in English and Maori was cool. But the Haka is what I'd come for - COOL!!! Ooooh but it didn't do them any good - they lost! Springboks were too good but as long as I saw the Haka and Dan Carter in the flesh I ws happy. And I WAS HAPPY. ... read more



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September 26th 2009

September 2009 We're not quite in summer yet but temperatures are definitely up and we have had some beautiful days of sunnyshine like the day Lisa and I caught the ferry from downtown to Waiheke Island for a coastal walk then lots of wine in the sun at Cable Bay vineyard- which was a blissful day. I have also just moved to the beach - Mission Bay which will be fantastic when summer proper arrives. I am loving my new neighbours - Mike and Gary the identical twins. Great place this!! I also have a big verandah - perfect for all those BBQs I plan :) Given the better weather I have started mountain biking at the nearby forests and running along the beach front but keep missing the dolphins that every other single person that ... read more



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August 31st 2009

Whakapapa August 2009 What a great girls weekend to the snow! I once more drive down to the Tongariro National Park, past beautiful Lake Taupo to the snowy peaks of Ruapehu and Nghuarahoe to hit the slopes. It was the usual brunch (french toast, bacon and maple syrup yummmmmmmmmmmmm) in Cambridge then to Whakapapa to brush up on my carving. Lisa enjoyed her first ever lesson and I think she may have caught the snow bug - Rachel was determined to go a bit Eddie the Eagle with her dashing new ski helmet!! I had a lesson too and actually got a hottie ski instructor (mine are usually 70+ and crinkly) We finished the day off with a Macs Gold at the pub in front of Chateau Tongariro and somehow ended up in some pretty ... read more



A Scottish Tale

Published: August 31st 2009Europe » United Kingdom » Scotland » Lanarkshire » Glasgow
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August 31st 2009

Monday 16th July to Saturday 18th July 2009 I had the best (and busiest) holiday back to Scotland in July. I must say it was weird to say that I was holidaying in Scotland but once the plane eventually emerged from the grey cloud and I saw the welcoming rain of Glasgey I knew I was "home" and it was good to be there (especially with the lovely welcome Josh an Jess gave me - tartan, balloons and a banner and everything - check me I must be someone special)!! It was a bit of a rushed affair but I enjoyed every minute (except the goodbyes) from sleeping in my old bed, dinner with the folks (haggis mmmmm) and seeing HP, wine with Melanie at Indigo Yard (and almost falling asleep on her), drinking wine on ... read more



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July 1st 2009

Friday 26th - Sunday 28th June 2009 Ohakune - Tongariro National Park WELL I have to say last weekend when I checked out the snow at Mount Ruapehu was an experience. One which I may not dwell on here. It was a bit crazy and I shall gloss over the most part BUT Ishbel - a girl from work and I headed off at lunchtime Friday for the 5 hour drive South past lake Taupo to the Tongariro National Park area to ski Turoa and Whakapapa (pronounced something that sounds rude so I won't elaborate). Both these ski fields are on Mount Ruapehu which is an active volcano which quite often erupts lava over whoever is in its way which doesn't seem to put skiers and boarders off - it was mayhem busy!! We stayed in ... read more






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