Kiwiana - a box of memories

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Right. So this is a cheat - I am not home... I haven't been home for five months now! But I have just started this new blog as a record of my adventures, now that JennyandJu have become Jenny and Juliet once more... and I felt the need to share a capsule of things from home, whilst actually sitting inside on a rainy London day. So I'm writing this in September, but it's dated March... the 15th of March. Because that was the day I left NZ.

It's not that I am homesick as such. I haven't been crying into my kippers and wishing I was at home. There's too much to do here, and I'm barely getting started on my "must do!" lists. In fact, I haven't even had kippers! Why has nobody offered me any kippers? Permit me to point out that the English are constantly eating kippers on TV and in all the finest literature, yet I have not been offered one since arriving. "Woof!" said Timmy. Maybe I need to wrangle an invite to a House Party at a country estate. Then I may refuse the offer of a kipper with gusto - for I of course I do not actually want a kipper, nor have I been searching for any establishments which furnish people with them.

Okay, forget the kippers.

Despite the desperate lack of stereotypical breakfast cuisine, I have been having a great time, and will go on having a great time. I haven't even gone out of Greater London yet! Even so, home is home, and sometimes there are things I miss: certain people, creatures, events, and milestones that I'm just not there to see. So this entry is counterating that - showing some the things I miss most, along with some of the highlights of the last year.

Hugs to you all!
ju

: : kiwi, jandals, pavlova, "eh bro!", paua, marmite, togs, hokey pokey, Billy T, number eight, What Now, kina, L&P, paddle crabs, Tangata Whenua, dighies, Maurice Gee, pounamu, buzzy-bee, tiki tour, pohutukawa, smoke free pubs, Footrot Flats, Edmonds cookbook, toi toi, shell rings, kea, tearooms, sheep, fush n chups, Watties, silver fern, All Blacks, gumboots, netball, bach, stubbies, pikelets, macpac, scarfies, kia ora, Aotearoa: The Land of the Long White Cloud. : :

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Photos

Sky Tower by night
Okay, so I made many dire comments about the construction of this thing, and still have reservations, along with a nagging doubt that what Auckland really needed to set it apart from other cities was a tower like a giant hypodermic needle. But even I have to admit that on a misty night, all lit up... it looks pretty cool.

The Beach
My family has a bach in the far north, which everyone takes turns visiting during the course of the year. There are lots of beaches in New Zealand - but to us, this one is THE Beach.

My cake....
I have found the way to have my cake and eat it too! This was a very yummy m&m cake made for me by Kylie - she and Rose organised a wonderful and colourful afternoon tea on my last day of work at Oktobor, March 2006.

the gorgeous South Island
This photo is courtesty of Sam, since I have no digital files of my own, and my four photo albums are all tucked away in NZ.
The scenery in the South Island is just amazing. I loved living there, and think this part of NZ should be a compulsory stop for anyone claiming to be a traveller.

Surf's up!
Me and Amy at the beach, it was cold and gray, but that didn't stop us in our quest for a photo op!

Happy Birthday Mum!
My mum is always the one sorting things out and giving other people treats, so last year my grandfather treated her (and us as well!) to a fantastic dinner out. We had a lovely evening, even though I found it hard to walk afterwards - that cake - mmmmm - was just too too much!

Happy Birthday Dad!
The sixth food group - chocolate - is a favourite in our family. Dad is holding the fine birthday chocolate log presented him by mum last year. I hear there was chocolate log again this year...

On Aitutaki in the Cooks
This isn't home either.. but Cat and I both thought we wouldn't mind staying! We had a winter holiday in Rarotonga, mid 2005... swapping the rain at home for the rain in the Cook Islands. But we had a fantastic time despite the downpours!

Caaanterbury moves north...
Toby's family hosted a group outing on Lake Taupo for labour weekend 2005. Some of the Chch uni gang re-united - I think those of us who aren't overseas all live in the North Island now! We had a perfect sunny day out on the water, and all ate so much it's a wonder we were afloat!

Ladies in Hats
Okay, so this isn't really home... it's in Melbourne, where Sarah and I had a fantastic day at the Melbourne Cup 2005.

Kitten at the Beach
My mother's siamese has been known from day one as Kitten, as it was imediately apparent that his behaviour doesn't measure up to the posh name bestowed on him by his breeders. Here he is sitting on the deck at the Beach.

Murphy at the Beach
In a rare moment of repose, Murphy takes a break from being The Most Worried Cat in the World (TM.)
His hobbies include sleeping and eating, and he is currently in pursuit of his second title, that of The Fattest Cat in the World (TM.)
If he could open the fridge himself he would already have reached it.

Katy, Ju and Jenny
Seen here terrorising innocent barmen at the Oktobor Christmas Party 2005.

my wonderful Grandparents
I will miss them wherever I am. Each of them gave me so much. I'm glad that they knew I was planning to make this trip, we had great fun talking about their experiences in London, and what I might do and see on my own travels.

a Piha sunset
Auckland's wild west coast, showing off on a spring evening.