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My life in NZ continued and I was really loving my job. Five weeks in, I finally felt I had the cold counter offerings nailed, with only a cut finger and a burn to each arm. Oh well, you can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs, as they say?! Maggie had upped my hours slightly, so I was now there five days a week working between 22 and 24 hours in total. I still needed a few more hours so continued my search for another part time role. I was learning so much at 'Peckish' and thoroughly enjoying it, I didn't want to give it up, if I could help it. My social calendar was still busy, but now I was working and in kind of a routine, I felt I had more time to research the different events on offer and started to join various 'Meet Up' groups. The first being, the 'Wellington Foodies' which during 'Local Food Week', they arranged for us to meet up with two local food bloggers. It was really interesting and a great opportunity to get some insider knowledge on the best GF places to eat in Wellington. Lucy Corry aka 'The Kitchen
Maid' and Heather Clinton from 'Food Gems of Wellington' were our guest speakers. Both, spoke openly about how they had ended up in this field and what it's actually like when you make a career out of blogging. It sounded like a lot of hard work, if you ask me!! Also, it can create some really crazy fans who keep pestering when the next blog update will be. Oh no, wait a minute, that's just a few of mine. ? Ha! Ha! You know who you are; Beryl Cowdry! Granted, it's been a little while since my last update. Others who attended, were also writing food blogs, but this was for fun, rather than a full blown career. One was based solely on local sausages (the culinary type ?), and the other, captured anything that contained chocolate. The event itself was also in a great little venue, called 'The Library'. Don't be misled by the title, this is a famous Wellington 'Hidden Bar'. It is wonderfully decorated inside, similar to a room in an old 'English Gentlemans Club', fully stocked with dim lighting, high back chairs, small round dark wooden tables and there's even books on the shelves, for those
who want to drift further into their own literary world whilst enjoying some fine vintage. It was the best glass of Argentinian Malbec, I've had since I arrived. A little gem, I'm sure to frequent. That same week, I caught up with 'Jan' (pronounced 'Yan'), who I lived with in my first ten days of being in Wellington. He had completed his research project in the University and was taking the next five weeks to travel around New Zealand with his girlfriend before returning to Germany for good. Even though it was Autumn, the weather had picked up once more and was usually a pleasant 20+°C with a light breeze. Don't get me wrong, the nights were definitely drawing in and much cooler which made for a perfect opportunity to veg out in front of the TV. This is when I discovered an interesting programme entitled "What Lies Beneath" which covered the volcanic and earthquake zones in New Zealand. It was fascinating to watch and provided spectacular visuals of this beautiful country. It showed the progress they had made in Christchurch after the big quake in 2011, which I'm looking forward to visiting just before I leave. The fault line
runs through Wellington and the prediction has always been a big quake to hit this region. Given this, they have marked "Tsunami Safe Zones" in the area based on calculated wave heights. Only time will tell, I guess if they've got it right! ? It also showed New Zealand's active volcano's including the one I had walked very close too when I completed the Tongariro Crossing. Watching this, I wasn't sure if Wellington was the safest place for me to base myself?? ?? That friday evening I had arranged with Shinayd, my housmate to have one or two drinks in a new rooftop bar aptly named 'Dirty Little Secret', located just round the corner from us. Both of us agreed we wanted a "quiet one" as we had other things planned over the coming weekend. Let's just say, "famous last words" spring to mind after me stumbling in at 4am, having consumed copious amounts of G&T, frequented countless bars and dancing on a podium surrounded by youngsters as my finale! Another, not classy night but a great laugh. My body definitely screaming to me "You are too old for this shit!". The following day was a struggle first off, but
being in Wellington, I was discovering just how diverse, this place was and how many festivals they loved to put on. So when 'CubaDupa' was announced, I just had to attend, given it would be based on Cuba Street, where I was now living. 'Cuba Street' being Wellington's most iconic street to start with, would be further transformed into an interactive centre of delight, sound and taste for all to enjoy and interact with over a full weekend. They weren't kidding either. I stepped through the door from my Building to be greeted by hoards of people taking in the sights and sounds of the entertainment that was in full swing. It was a great atmosphere with adults and children alike grooving to the vibe of this very funky street. I met up with Tracy (the American who I shared a mutual friend with), her friend Heidi, an expat from the UK and Ceri, my Welsh friend who is on the same visa as me. We all got on fantastically, as if we'd been friends for ages, rather than it being an awkward first meet. We walked the length and breath of Cuba Street, taking in all the various zones
which the street had been split into. We even managed to grab a cheeky drink in one of the tented areas and something to eat later in the evening from the raft of food stalls located in lower Cuba. After that we ducked away from the festivities to view 2 further exhibits, the 'Festival Playground', placed near the waterfront which formed part of the New Zealand Festival - Kick up the Arts. It was it's last night, so we needed to take a peek whilst we still could. It was the 30th Birthday Celebrations of the festival and so they'd gone all out to provide something different. One part was labelled the "Arquitectura De Feria" which was a catalonian fairground No.8 wire-style with seven hand cranked rides created from recycled material and scrap iron. It was very different and pretty cool with a ferris wheel using toilet bowls as seats and a motorbike merry-go-round. It was lovely to see it all lit up and it really did look like the depicted art work they'd created to promote it. My favourite exhibit though, was the one created by New Zealander, 'Tiffany Singh'. Her project, inspired by the Buddhist "prayer flags" comprised
of the hopes and dreams of a child somewhere in New Zealand. Since 2012, 14,000 flags had been created by school children from Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch who she'd help transform their ideas into vibrant images. It was lovely to wander below the flags and enjoy the artwork created by the children which was very sweet and made, even me smile (knowing my love for children) ?. After the festival, this exhibit was being sent to the Himalayas, as a collective offering of peace from NZ where they will join the other "prayer flags". I loved the idea of how she'd created something pretty spectacular to look at whilst engaging the 'little monsters' in creation and imagination techniques. With the culture part of the evening now covered, we made our way back to Cuba to enjoy more good music before calling an end to the night. The following day, although CubaDupa was still on, I wanted to go to the Allergy Show in Porirua. It was an hour on the train with fabulous views across the bay and I was there in no time. I was very much looking forward to seeing what GF goodies I could lay my hands
on and devouring as many tastings as possible. ? It was a smaller event than I anticipated, with around 40 stalls, although unlike those put on by Ceoliac UK there wasn't much variation between them, with bread products being the main event. Usually this would have been of interest but NZ supermarkets in fairness, always have a good selection, so it was all slightly underwhelming from that point. The cakes/biscuits were not the best in texture or taste either. I think overall my visit was made worthwhile with the savings I made on pasta and cereal items. At least I wasn't going to starve anytime soon with both items considered as a staple when a traveller!!! ? Good Friday, quickly arrived and unfortunately, it was rather a dull cold cloudy day. So what better place to visit on my day off; Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand, located a ten minute stroll away, on the Waterfront. I had been once before on New Years Day fleetingly, but felt I hadn't really done it justice. I wonder why??? ? It's a huge place with six floors so I decided to start at the top and work my way down. I took
in the viewing platform first, which gives a full uninterupted view of the Harbour. It was beautiful, even though the weather was quite overcast. This was followed by the Art section, covering all sorts from photographs, paintings, sculpture and interior design. I never knew, until this visit, that New Zealand had natural white and pink terraces not disimilar to the ones I'd visited in Turkey, until they were covered in 1886 and lost forever after after an eruption of a volcano near Rotorua. Before this disaster they were one of New Zealand's biggest tourist attractions. It was also interesting to see a photograph of Oriental Bay taken in 1963 which appears not to have changed a great deal. I also loved the way they enticed people into the different sections of the museum, cleverly displaying one of the images imprinted on the steps that led to the gallery. It was nice losing yourself in the information displayed and the quirky and open nature of this place. From each level you could look onto the other galleries that would temp you in. I was there for about five hours in total and got completely engrossed, I only managed to get through
three floors. The fantastic thing about this large wonderful museum is that its free and I'm sure during the winter months when the 'Welly Wind' howls and its chucking it down with rain, I will spend many an hour continuing to view all the exhibits on offer. Whilst at the museum, I decided to post an impromptu note to Facebook stating how, I was making the best of a dull weather day in Wellington. It was this post that gave rise to a chance meet up with Nicole, who'd be in the area on Easter Saturday and leave Monday. How cool was this, catching up in Wellington with a Scottish friend I'd made in Oz when visiting Uluru? I'll never view the world in the same light again, after this trip. It really is small!!! Anyway Nicole arrived around 3pm so that gave me the morning to hunt out some easter treats for moi and why not? I was working now after all! So first stop 'The Wellington Chocolate Factory' located minutes from my back door. It was here I picked up a 70% dark chocolate salted brittle caramel egg. I'd seen it advertised and couldn't wait. I love 'egg
shell' chocolate, although I was hoping it would be an adult sized one and not kinder egg sized! ? Anyway, next I was off to the local supermarket. I'd spied a few weeks earlier GF Hot Cross Buns and a dark chocolate Kiwi. So when in NZ, it just had to be done as Easter wouldn't have been the same without them. For the bargain price of £16, that was breakfast sorted for Easter Sunday as I had dinner plans with the girls, booked in the afternoon. Nicole and I met by the iconic bucket fountain just where I live and walked up Cuba. We went to a little place at the top of the street known as Fidel's for lunch given it had a good reputation, not that I'd been previously. We grabbed a table outside in the sunshine as today the weather did not dissapoint. It was brilliant catching up with her. She's lovely and it was cool listening to where her journey had taken her since October when we'd originally met. Given her limited time in Welly, I tried to impart what I knew was different and quirky along with places that I'd researched and still on
my list to see. This little show and tell, turned out to be a nine bar pub crawl interspersed with some culture.? It was a brilliant impromptu day and a highlight of my time in Welly. We left Fidel's after a really nice lunch and headed towards the water front. Before we made it there, it was a quick stop off in another hidden Bar called 'Goldings' located in Hannah's Lane way, situated just behind mine. From there we strolled along the waterfront to the Museum Hotel. A first for me, as I'd heard it was well worth a look with fantastic views over the harbour and opulent decor. It was fabulous, beautiful ornate furniture, sparkling chandeliers and very good cocktails, reasonably priced. What made this a little different, is that this hotel is famed for the work of arts they have on display throughout their foyer and in the bar and restaurant areas. It was very tasteful and luckily we did this one early on, while we were still classy.? Our next stop slightly less so, the converted toilets, the Welsh Bar! I just had to show Nicole, this little pearl. Moving along Courtenay Place where it resembles the
famous iconic strips found in many european resorts, we grabbed a cheap drink in Mish Mosh, before I showed her my latest haunt, 'Dirty Little Secret'. It was dark at this point and the temperature had dropped, so one drink on the rooftop bar was enough before we grabbed another in the 'Five Stags' that sits below it. The conversation continued to flow and there just seemed to be no stopping us. Next we wanted somewhere quirky so we made our way to another 'Hidden Bar' called 'Alice'. This is due to its very odd entrance tunnel and the decor inside is all 'Alice in Wonderland' inspired along with the cocktail menu. It was a new one on me, really cool and the cocktails, bloody lovely. On leaving there, we were going to go to the Tiki Bar next door until the doorman asked if we were a Mother/Daughter combo out for the evening. I have 10 years on Nicole, thats all... how rude???? ? Anyway, bless her, in no uncertain terms we were not going in there but we were determined to have one more, before saying our farewells. Well, what better place to show her, but the 'Library'.
This made a fantastic place to end our day with an Easter inspired cocktail menu. With one labelled 'The Creamy Chocolate One' and accompanying tagline; 'Full cream, full satisfaction!', I was sold. It was a truly magical blend of dark rum, hazelnut liquor, creme de cacao, salted caramel sauce and fresh cream. Heaven in a glass and a perfect end to a great day! ? Easter Sunday arrived and after all the yumminess of the previous night's cocktails I was ready to tuck into my Easter goodies, this time washed down with a pot of 'Yorkshire Tea'. Later that day around mid afternoon I met up with Tracy, Ceri, Heidi, and another of Tracy's friends, Lisa to enjoy some live music and a meal entitled 'Beast Feast' which was a Hog Roast dinner. It was gorgeous and a generous portion. I actually loved the blanched brussel sprouts served with it (which I would very much avoid at home). Shamefully, I even went up for more, they were that mourish. ☺ Again the weather was good and it was great eating alfresco. My weekend had been amazing so far and better still, I had Easter Monday off work as well. Chatting
and catching up with new found friends was giving me lots of ideas about where to spend my free time. Since I still wasn't working full time, hadn't had a particularly cheap weekend and consumed, what could only equate, to the number of daily calories required by a baby elephant, a walk would be a good option. The girls suggested going to the the one and only wind turbine in the area or 'Welly Windmill' as it's known locally. So around midday on Easter Monday, I left the confines of my flat with a packed lunch, some water and my walking gear to undertake this short ~5 mile hike. The weather was pleasant, not as warm as the previous days but very comfortable to walk in. The start of the walk took me through the Te Aro Valley and onto the suburb of Brooklyn where it's located. The walk upto the turbine at the top of Brooklyn Hill gave spectacular breathtaking views of the Wellington region, Cook Strait and in the distance, South Island. I found it abit of a pull as I made my final ascent towards where it claimed to be, but something wasn't quite right as I
hadn't yet spotted it on the hillside. My surrounding mountains at home, are now littered with them and they are clearly visible, I started to question, had I gone wrong somewhere??? I continued on, until I finally reached my end destination to find a fenced area with the notice "Brooklyn Wind Turbine Replacement Project". Seriously!!! ??? The one day, I finally decide to take a walk to something, it's being, bloody replaced. Typical! Still it had been enjoyable and what I needed. I found a spot to sit and enjoy my sandwich, whilst taking in the views. Part of this walk had taken me through areas I hadn't been before and parks, where the first signs of Autumn, were evident, with some of the non native tree species changing colour before dropping their leaves and clusters of blackberries accumulating, ready to be picked. That week, I found myself attending a very different type of evening with the 'Wellington Tramping Meet up' group. It was a presentation, hosted by a member who annually runs trips, to walk the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Given I intend to do more travel before returning home, I thought this would be a good way to
see what's on offer besides the 'Everest Base Camp' walk. The presentation was both informative and engaging, with much of it being photos from previous trips, highlighting the changes after the devastating earthquake in 2015. The landscape just drew you in. It really does look amazing. One day, I will definitely go, but for now it wasn't quite slotting in with my plans. I met some lovely people and would continue to keep my eyes open for some local walks, I'd like to do with them. Although, this group grades their walks with bushcraft skills required, which is a little unnerving. I love to walk, but not 'Indiana Jones' style! ?? That same week, I managed to get an evening walk with 'Welly Walkers Meet Up' group. Their last evening walk of the programme, before the clocks changed on the coming weekend and darkness ensued. It was a short walk just outside the CBD which required a 10 minute train ride to the start. There was 15 of us in total. We walked a loop through the Trellisick Park located in the Ngaio Gorge region. The paths were well defined and it was really easy, so much so, we'd completed
the circuit in 45 minutes. For me, it was the people I met, that made this walk. Two in particular, Juli, from the states seconded to work in NZ for 6 months and Sue originally from Brisbane, who'd lived in London 20 years and had now been in Wellington for the last 2. I jumped back on the train and twilight was upon us. Sue, who was also going the same way, walked with me along the waterfront, until we reached the point we needed different directions. Wellington Harbour looked beautiful with pink tones highlighting the sky. High on the surrounding hillside that framed the water, you could see the illuminated cross which became more defined as the light slipped away. The heat of the day diminishing with each step. My weekend, consisted of looking for extra work, before giving up and hitting the town. Making more new friends through Tracy. It was another great excuse to try some of the bars I hadn't yet been too. Hard to believe I know! ? We started in a rather quirky place where it's a bar consisting of all sorts of furniture and chairs that you can actually buy as well as
your pint. So if you find the perfect lounger in which to enjoy a drink, you can look no further as you could leave there with it! ? Only in NZ! Luckily, all the ladies I was with, Tracy, Heidi, Ceri, Katherine, Louise, Lisa and Miriam didn't fancy anything, so it was quickly onto the next rather splendid place, called 'Foxglove'. This bar had an edge of swauve about it and I loved it. Upstairs it had an area where you walked through an actual wardrobe and came out into......no not Narnia! Another separate bar area. Although it was pretty cool.☺ I had started to discover that Wellington had a ponchon for the weird and wonderful. The next little place, called 'Hanging Ditch' hadn't been open long and had a quirky feature where all the bottles of spirits were suspended on bungee cord above the bar. It had nice decor and the surrounding walls comprised of bare brickwork. The best thing was their cocktails though. Truly divine. What followed, was the infamous 'Tiki Bar'. The place, I hadn't gone into with Nicole, after the quip from the doorman. It was really dark inside and very small, quite packed but funky
none the less with the Puffa Fish lights. We managed to grab a little booth before ordering our cocktails which ended up being all gimic, no substance, which was a pity. At least I managed to even the score with the doorman on exiting with a backlash about his previous rudeness. All was now right with the world once more!!! ??? We ended the night in 'Ancestral'. In it's large garden bar with heated seats which was a nice surprise when I plonked down.? This hive of activity squirelled at the back of what appeared to be a quiet restaurant from the main street was just another example of a hidden gem. It'd been another enjoyable night and my list of new friends was growing. I was really going to need more work hours of work, if my social life was to continue like this. ? With job hunting on my mind, it was uncanny, that on the news, that week a story surrounding 'Wicked Campers', (who had been kind enough to provide the career advice, 'A Blow Job is better than No Job' on one of their vehicles) was now in trouble. New Zealanders wanted certain slogans to be
removed or censored immediately as they were not impressed. Personally I found them to be quite amusing, but then I have a dry, dark, sarcastic sense of humour.?? It's just another reason why I couldn't stay long term. What was fantastic though, is that Maggie upped my hours to 30 a week and I was over the moon. I was obviously doing something right even though I was still very much in a training phase after, only 7 weeks. I already had plans afoot for the coming weekend which entailed, a "Pot Luck Dinner" round at Katie's. A lady I'd met through the 'Social Singles and Friendship Meet Up' group, as I'd arrived in Wellington. It was lovely catching up with her and a few of the others, I hadn't seen for a while. I'd decided to bake, gooey GF Chocolate Brownies as my offering, which weren't bad if I say so myself! ? So those, and a bottle of red in tow, I jumped on the bus and headed to Karori where the event was being held. I managed to grab a lift back to town, after being coaxed to stay and have a few cocktail's to finish off.
? It was a struggle but it would have been rude not too! ? I wasn't too late leaving there, arriving home, just after midnight. I'd really enjoyed the evening but I was in the mood for one more drink. That's always a bad sign. Anyhow, as I returned to the flat, Shinayd was just getting ready to go out to see her partner, (my other housemate) 'Rodney', DJ in a local club called 'Africa'. So when she asked "Do you want to come?" A resounding "YES" followed. Well what a night!! Great music, great company and great fashion, given I turned up wearing a similar shirt to one of the guys that was in there! ?....and what followed was a great Hangover! ? but it'd all been worth it! To celebrate my extra hours at 'Little Peckish', I decided to treat myself and joined the 'Wellington Foodies Meet Up' group for a French Masterclass followed by dinner and wine match at Zibbibo, on the following Monday evening. I was so excited, as the owner was one-star Michelin rated chef Adam Newell who started out his professional journey in Le Gavroche, as an apprentice to the famous Roux brothers. It
was in Fulham Road restaurant in London where he earned his Michelin award, followed by setting up new restaurants in New York, Tokyo and Auckland, before settling in Wellington. This was going to be a culinary treat of the highest proportion. Well that's what I thought! The evening started with a number of cheese tastings provided by 'Le Marche Francais', located just outside the CBD. It was an interesting overview and was great to know where I could get some decent cheese from in the area. Then a cooking demonstration by Adam ensued of what we would be presented with in the restaurant afterwards. It was a set menu, comprising of Twice Baked Roquefort Soufflé matched with an Amand Chambray Blanc de Blanc to start followed by Pork Cutlet Normandy-Style matched with Domaine Paul Mas Estate Chardonnay. The aromas filled the room and I couldn't wait to be served this incredible treat. He was an engaging, relaxed presenter and encouraged questions throughout. It was interesting hearing him, recant stories of being trained by the Roux brothers and where is passion for french cuisine had stemmed. He showed us the barrelling technique used when preparing vegetables for any classic french cuisine
and when completed, he passed the finished dish around. It looked amazing. We were quickly relocated to the restaurant and ready to start. Although, there seemed to be an issue with the table set ups. Ten minutes later we were now ready. This was strike number one! There's no excuse for crap planning when this is a prebooked event. Anyway, this was NZ and so I just seethed quietly to myself ? while the others just happily went along with it. Obviously I had already highlighted my dietary misfortune and clearly stated GF was required when I'd signed up. I knew from the demonstration, I would be getting an alternative starter from the soufflé. What, I hadn't envisaged, was it would be a piece of Kale surrounded by a Goats Cheese mousse that would also form part of my main. Strike number two!!! Words failed me at this point considering the two hour hype we had just sat through! Michelin starred my a**e! Where was the imagination, the creativity to provide something GF??? The wine appeared with no communication about why it had been chosen and how it complimented the dish. Service was rushed and none of them looked old
enough to drink let alone know what they'd just delivered. For me, this was what had peaked my interest when I decided to book. Anyway it couldn't get any worse, right? At least I knew the main should be fine. It arrived, there was no barrelled vegetables and my pork was cold so back it went!!!! Strike number three!! This night was turning into a case of...."this is what you could have won!"... as it was a million miles away from what we'd been shown. The meal reappeared, pork overdone and jus not reduced. I'd given up counting the cock ups at this point and just ate it. ? Time was marching on and I was hungry. I shared my disappointment with the staff that served me and the event host. Maybe just maybe I thought they could redeem themselves with dessert which was to be, french cheeses and petit fours matched with Paul Jaboulet Beaumes de Venise. At least I knew the dessert wine would be fab, which it was! The rest was fine, some nice cheese with good flavour. It just lacked consistency and finesse. Each plate served, had varying amounts and was a sloppy end to a
highly dissatisfactory evening. This night had highlighted another main reason why I don't want to stay here. Food to me is my emotional trigger. Nothing makes me happier than gorging on wonderful food from the very simple to the refined. It is an area I have immense passion for and in my new job, this is being further encouraged. My evening that was supposed to be a celebratory treat resulted in an overwhelming feeling of dread that my remaining months would be a tasteless hell if this was defined as one of the best places to eat!!! Needless to say, me and Zibbibo were done! Later that week, I was out again, this time celebrating Frankie's Birthday in a local Korean restaurant. The choice was very limited for non spicy GF food, but the rice dish with vegetables and fried egg, I ended up with, was tasty enough and nothing needed to be sent back. ? Frankie's night was topped off when her husband Dae-Hee surprised her with a fabulous looking Birthday Cake which I could only imagine what it tasted like! ? The following evening I was out again. I was obviously feeling very sociable. Although in fairness, this
time it was to the Theatre with a meet up group called 'Love Wellington', that had been booked for some weeks. They were running the trip, as some of their members who, were part of a local amateur dramatics society were in the play 'Arsenic and Old Lace'. It was a dark comedy based on actual events in Connecticut, where a woman was arrested for taking in boarders, promising 'lifetime care' and then poisoning them for their pensions. It was hilarious and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the staging was well thought through given how tiny the Gryphon Theatre was. It was a really cute venue and again, something completely different. Afterwards I grabbed a drink with the group and congratulated some of the cast that joined us. It was always positive when I expanded my social network. The following night, me, Tracy and Heidi ended up in the Rogue and Vagabond for a BBQ feast. Unbeknown to me, this place was full of GLB's (Gluten Loving B**tards), with its main focus on Craft Beer and no food, except a bowl of chips on offer. So when they came to the table, I was a little taken back by how
huge the portion was. However, like a hero, I managed to get through them. ? Another week soon passed and Thursday, 'Pay Day' was here again. I felt, the more hours I did, the quicker it went. My training had now moved onto baking cakes and nailing the correct ingredients was crucial. Mixing up 'Baking Powder' with 'Baking Soda' caused my Carrot Cake not to have the right colour. It was still fine to sell, however the look wasn't quite right. Areas I was feeling more confident with, was the hot service counter on a lunchtime, with the components of each dish, more instinctive now, rather than me struggling to remember or constantly having to ask. Both 'Maggie' and 'T' made excellent trainers and I loved it. There's an energy when working in a kitchen with a small team. It's also great when the cafe is filled with the buzz of customer's enjoying what you've just created. It gives a real sense of achievement and deep down I think I've always been abit of a feeder! ? Although it was still a school night, there was another group that I'd discovered which sat outside 'Meet Up' that I wanted to
catch up with. It was 'Internations' which is solely for internationals to come together, network and socialise. I met a few from the UK that were here, through a permanent work opportunity rather than on a limited Working/Holiday Visa. I felt immense relief that my time over here had a fixed end date and took comfort in this. You could definitely tell those who were adjusting to NZ life and questioning had it been the right move? Tracy and Heidi my partners in crime who were also members had come along to this evenings event. So on leaving there, Heidi (the sensible one) bid us goodnight, while me and Tracy looked for a place to have that fatal, one more drink for the road. We ended up in the 'Black Sparrow' Bar. A great little place located in the 'Embassy Theatre' were the 'Lord of the Rings' films, premiered. It was very oppulent and stocked some really good wine at a very reasonable price. It had a monochrome archway that you walked through with clever lighting that persuaded you in. It would have been rude, to have had just one. On leaving, we agreed, 'ONE' more final drink and ended
the night in 'Southern Cross', a large pub and restaurant. The following morning was my last shift of the week. Thank Goodness, having had slightly too many the night before I was feeling the ill effects of too much booze. I got to work and the hot environment of the kitchen compounded my symptoms. "Just stay focused and my shift would soon to be over", I kept telling myself. However not before my poor quiches got cremated.? Lesson to be learnt. No drinking in excess on a school night! ?? Luckily it was the long ANZAC weekend and we would have Monday off (UK equivalent to a Bank Holiday). I couldn't wait as I had a lot planned for the coming days. The weekend started with a chilled Saturday morning, before heading out later that evening to 'Green Man', an Irish bar and restaurant to join Kirsty and the gang to celebrate her Birthday. I hadn't seen her for a little while, so it was good to catch up. There was a group of about 20 of us and it was great seeing them all again. The food was nice enough, although my main did get sent back and changed.
I thought I was going to have a stroke with the amount of salt in it! ? Although, this time the service was much better with an apology and a complimentary glass of red to smooth the way. ? Even better, after food, we headed into town to a favourite haunt 'Bangalore' for some cocktails to complete the night. The following day I had time to catch up on the fun things in life, washing, ironing, TV, before heading out for a special evening of comedy in the 'Opera House'. It was the start of the NZ Comedy Festival which Tracy, Heidi and I had booked to see. It was a comedy compendium hosted by NZ comic and actor; Rhys Darby. It consisted of 12, six minute acts from both kiwi and international comic geniuses. We even had the Welsh contingent in the form of Lloyd Langford. Some were laugh out loud funny, some not so much and some, simply awful. The worst being, what I can only describe as an Irish equivalent of the Chuckle Brothers, who spent 6 minutes of shouting while squeezing their bodies through a metal ring. It was sooooo not funny and very bizarre. Still
it gave a welcome relief to my ribs that were aching from laughing so hard at some of the others. The Kiwi humour didn't quite hit the right buttons but loved the skits from a number of the international artists. So much so, I booked to see a further three shows. Afterwards we completed the evening in a place I'd had on my list for a while to visit. Logan Browns for a matched cocktail and dessert. This place had a very good reputation and I intended definitely to visit again for dinner, especially on hearing it was a favourite of Orlando Blooms when filming 'Lord of the Rings'. I could certainly see why, after my order of Orange Brulee, Honey Baked Fig, Pistachio & Almond Dukkah, Rosemary Ice Cream & Orange Caramel matched with Tropical Fruit Sour – Maraschino, Apricot Brandy, Cointreau & Egg White was presented. It not only looked amazing, the flavours sung harmoniously together as the dessert melted in my mouth, washed down with the fine liquor of the cocktail. All three of us were ooohing and arggghing. It was totally gorgeous and I think I'd found a glimmer of hope, that not all was lost
on the food front. ? It was time to get out of the CBD, maybe being in the city constantly, was starting to get to me. Early next morning, Tracy grabbed me on the way to the Ferry Terminal as we set off to Somes (Matiu) Island for the day. Somes island is where JR had docked months earlier to dive for green lipped mussels and kina when he'd invited us on his yacht. So, I had swum in the waters that surrounded the island that sat in the northern half of Wellington harbour but not yet set foot on there. I was interested in visiting, not only for the views of the surrounding harbour but because it's a predator-free scientific reserve. The island itself is quite small and easy to walk around with paths clearly marked. It was a beautiful Autumn day with the sun shining, the sea glistening and the plants a vibrant green. You could only hear bird chatter on the island, it was so peaceful. We completed the circuit around, stopping at the Visitors Centre, lighthouse and WWII gun emplacements where we admired the views from on high. Later we kicked back and enjoyed our picnic
lunch which included home baked Peanut Butter Cookies. For some reason, baking had taken hold. ? As we waited for the return ferry I enjoyed the heat of the autumn sun. It felt like ages since I'd soaked up any rays. It was a short ferry ride back to the CBD and the temperature started to drop off again. Later that evening I caught up with the girls once more to view the special Anzac Day commemorative light and sound show at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. Anzac Day being a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served." This was truly beautiful and a wonderful way of bringing all, together to remember. It was a 15 minute show entitled WW1 Remembered: featuring imagery from their shared military history projected onto the faces of the historic Dominion Museum and Carillon in the park. It would be continously repeated over a few evenings to give all a chance to view. It made for a lovely finish to what had been
a really enjoyable long weekend. It was a shock to the system when my alarm started beeping at 5:05am, that Tuesday. I needed a more drawn out way of waking by snoozing the alarm at least 4 or 5 times before surfacing. I was full of nervous energy, it was going to be me and 'Maggie' with my hours extended to 7am starts, finishing at 3pm to cover T, who was on leave that week. Previously I hadn't done a great deal of cooking the meals, just preparing the plates and assembling cold dishes. This was going to be a steep learning curve. My back had also been giving me some gip so, I'd finally decided to see a chiropractor. Whether this was due, to a manual job that now meant I was on my feet for 6 hours a day with continual bending and stretching, I wasn't sure, but I needed it sorted. At least this week, I'd have no chance to think about it, given we were a man down and everyone in Wellington wanted feeding. ? I hadn't been in work an hour and my training was full on in the middle of a busy service. Dropping
eggs in the poacher, cooking scrambled egg for the numerous 'Breakfast Specials'. It was an intense way to learn, however by the end of that first day, I had a new found confidence. I'd really enjoyed it, even though I'd over cooked numerous poached eggs which meant I'd be making extra sandwiches! ? There was a good atmosphere with the 'Front of House' and 'Kitchen Staff' working harmoniously together as a team. 'Nathaniel' the Kitchen Hand was also giving me tips which really helped my scrambled egg technique. I was exhausted by the end of my shift and now had my appointment with the Chiropractor. An hour later after being manipulated and cracked by rather a handsome young man, I felt on top of the world. I'd even booked a repeat appointment for the following week. ? Obviously, for no other reason, other than I still needed work done! ? Another busy day in work ensued and the time flew by. That evening I was out again, to VK's Comedy Club to see the first of the three extra shows I'd booked. Tonight, it was our very own welsh funnyman; Lloyd Langford. I had loved his dry witty sketch he'd
told about entering New Zealand when I'd gone to the Comedy Festival starter show. Expecting more of the same, I felt this show was a little hit and miss. Still, it was a nice small venue and something different. Only me and Tracy had gone to see him that evening and afterwards grabbed some delicious food in a Malaysian restaurant called 'Little Penang'. The rest of the week whizzed by in a blur and at the end of it, Maggie asked me would I be able to commit to 35 hours per week going forward? I was elated and of course said "Yes"! I now practically had full time hours and meant no more looking for other jobs. I loved it there and what I was learning would stay with me forever. I now had a chance, to save a little each week to help fund my travels around NZ before I'd leave for good. The people at 'Peckish' were my work family and would remain so until the end of October. That Saturday, I'd managed to sign up for another walk with the 'Welly Walkers' group and this particular walk, I'd had on my list of things to do
for a while. Even better, Sue was leading it and Juli was also attending, the two women I'd met previously. It was a glorious autumnal day with clear light blue skies to cover 'The Southern Walkway', an 11km walk that encapsulated a variety of scenery. It took in views of the harbour and central city at Oriental Bay, the shade and tranquillity of the Town Belt forest to the rugged and exposed Southern coastline between Houghton and Island Bays. Funnily enough the 'Welly Windmill' had also now returned so I could see where I'd managed to walk to previously.? Although this walk was steep in places, it was easily doable and so worth it for the views. We even got to see a Cheetah, as the walk skirts the perimeter of Wellington Zoo. The scenery was breathtaking and Island Bay was a lovely little place to finish up. What with it being, busy at work all week and now a day of fresh air, I was ready to kick back and relax that evening. Sunday, I decided it was time to go to the local veg market and grab some fresh bits and pieces. There was at least 30 stalls
with loads of produce, some Asian inspired vegetables along with the norm. Here in New Zealand everything is seasonal which is great in some respects as you know its at its best but you loose that convenience that I suppose I'm used too. I did pick up all the core ingredients though to make Cawl and create Sunday Dinner and in fairness it was a lot cheaper than the supermarket. I even got some home made beetroot chutney for a steal. ? It was now May, where had the time gone? Although what a fancy way to start a month than to go to a New Zealand Film Premiere in the Embassy Theatre (where LOTR premiered as previously mentioned) with one of the actresses. ☺ Frankie had invited me to join her, to see 'The Great Maiden's Blush' which she was an extra in. It was produced by Torchlight Films and was the latest feature from Andrea Bosshard & Shane Loader, the pair behind the critically acclaimed indie features Hook, Line & Sinker (2011) and Taking the Waewae Express (2008). Which still meant nothing to me. ☺ The evening started with wine and nibbles before we took our seats in
this beautiful theatre. Both Andrea and Shane gave a speech introducing their work and gave apologies that the two main actresses weren't able to attend. I wasn't sure at this point if that was a red flag?? Anyway the lights soon dimmed and I settled back in my very large comfy seat to watch the film and my friend, on the big screen. It was a story of forgiveness and the redemptive power of truth. It followed the growing friendship between two first-time single mothers after the birth of their babies and the challenges of new motherhood. They also had to face the secrets around the paternity of their infants. It contained a mix of babies, absent fathers, opera, drag-racing, gardening and Schubert but unfortunately not the 'extra' sitting next to me. ? I felt it really wasn't a film I would want to see again. It was slightly too Kiwi for me, although there were some great shots of Wellington, I recognised. I felt dissapointed for Frankie but at least her name appeared in the credits, if not exactly spelt right. The following day, it was time to visit the handsome Chiropractor again and leave feeling like a new
woman. He dispensed some advice and told me I needed to get a good chair with back support and sit square on. Crossing my legs was twisting my back and wouldn't help going forward. So when I returned home I started my hunt for possible furniture around the house that I could put in my room to stop me slouching on the bed when watching TV. I thought one of the armchairs would be perfect so checked with housemates and all agreed it would be ok for it to be relocated to my room, offering to help me when I was ready to move it. This is when 'Little Miss Independent' who didn't want to burden anyone else, decided she could easily do it herself. If there's one thing I've learnt from this whole sorry mess, sometimes it's better to ask than attempt the impossible. The chair itself wasn't that heavy, it was just chunky and a slightly awkward shape and our stairs consisted of two flights that had a change of direction in the middle. This is why it all went wrong. ? I only went and got the bloody chair stuck in the middle of the stairs. At
which point no-one could come down or go up. I tried every which way with this bloody thing but in the end had to admit defeat. I sent an SOS picture message to my housemates requesting help when they came home. They were pissing themselves and rightly so at what the crazy welsh one had gone and done. Luckily Dave, was my hero and helped me return it to the living room. I needed to rethink my plan! The following evening, I had my second of the three comedy nights to attend where I ended up forming part of the show. Honestly, you cant take me anywhere! This time it was Marcel Lucont, who is Alexis Dubus, an English alternative comedian's French alter ego. My partner in crime, Tracy and I arrived at San Fran, about an hour before the show to grab a glass of wine. It was then we were asked to answer three questions; 1, What was your worst day at work? 2, What was your worst date experience? 3, What was your worst travel experience? So, silly me made reference to the 'Vagina Cupcake' incident and the demotion from lips to pubic hair and vajazzling for
answer No. 3. The room was in fits, when I recanted the whole sorry situation and after the show I had people approach me saying I'd made their night, which was highly embarrassing. I thought "HIS" material was fantastic and he did a rather depressing but hilarious montage of beaches in the UK where my sides split. I left that night with a gift of his CD for my tales with the message "Enjoy my aurally". ??? I don't know where I was finding my energy from this week but the next night, I was out again. This time for some culture, visiting a number of Art Galleries located in the Cuba Art Quarter that were open late. Each gallery being very different from the next, some with oil paintings, others with photographic art, a mixture of the two or sculpture. What defines something as 'Art' is a very personal choice. Some items and pieces I loved, some not so much. What I really enjoyed, is their locations and that you'd easily walk past them if you didn't know they were there. Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat in a Mexican restaurant. The same chain I'd been to, in
Auckland with Jade. It was just another place in Wellington with shit service and mediocre food. The saving grace was the surroundings and the Sangria which was really good. It was Friday at last, and since It'd been a quiet week ?, I thought let's join 'Love Wellington Meet Up' group to celebrate their 3rd Birthday. I'd already told myself, it was going to be a "quiet one" as the following day I was off to Martinborough on a 'Wine Tasting' day with yet another group, 'Wellington Child free Chicks', which Juli had kindly told me about when we'd walked together the week before. Quiet one, my eye!!! I was at least home by midnight, I think. ? It was a great night where I caught up with quite a few people I'd met previously and Ceri joined me later. What wasn't classy was going on a wine tour with a hangover. Still being the little trooper I am, I sucked it up and threw myself into it.? Again, I met some great women and Martinborough was simply beautiful. We spent the day strolling from one vineyard to another, tasting copious amounts of plonk before ending our day with a
superb platter and matched wine at Poppies. The weather was simply gorgeous and hot enough to wear a light top. I'd managed to get Ceri a space on the Meet Up and it was a right laugh with us Welshies on the Wine! As twilight approached, the vineyards looked truly wonderful, romantic even before the cool air and darkness descended. I got back home around 6:30pm, shattered and happy. It had been wonderful to escape the CBD for a day and the train and bus links made it easy to get away. Something I think I need to consider doing more often before cabin fever ensues. Being glutton for punishment, it was another early start this Sunday, with the Eastern Walkway to cover. Another 'Welly Walkers' trek but with a different host and another location to explore. The Eastern Walkway is a 2.5km track on the southern end of the Miramar Peninsula which we walked as a loop back along Breaker Bay road. It was here I spotted the 'Penguin Crossing' sign ? and coast I felt resembled 'Three Cliffs Bay', Swansea. The walk also included the extra track, to Point Dorset above Breaker Bay, where we found WWII gun
batteries and observation points with the most amazing views. It was also a 'Tsunami Safe Zone' area which was strangly reassuring! ?? However for me, this walk took in something that closes a loop in my journey which started in Turkey almost a year ago when I visited Gallipoli. Located at the Tarakena Bay end of the track is the Ataturk Memorial which commerates the first president of modern Turkey, and defender of Gallipoli. This particular spot was chosen for the memorial and dedicated in 1990, due to the landscape's resemblance of Anzac Cove in Gallipoli. It was very similar and took me back to when I was there. The weather again, warm sunny and clear. I was obviously on a roll given Autumn resembled Summer still, with Winter in touching distance. That week I set myself a challenge to sort my chair issue out after being cracked once more by handsome, and making the decision to stop treatment as I was feeling better. Besides he wasn't cheap, but had been worth it! ?? So with my determination, and financial calculation how investing in a chair with a one off payment was certainly cheaper than having to go back and
forth to see a medical professional, I set too it. Luckily for me, with all the Second Hand Furniture and Opp (charity) Shops locally, it didn't take long before I'd found what I was looking for. It was also great that it was literally 5 minutes from my door so I could easily get it home without paying a delivery fee! Purchase made, trolley borrowed, it was soon in pride of place in my room. I was so chuffed. I was 36 and purchased my first granny chair to help with my shoddy back!! No wonder I'd had to pay top whack for Insurance when travelling. Obviously after the age of 30, it's not advisable!!!? That Wednesday evening it was the last of my three comedy events and this time I'd opted to see Wilson Dixon a musical comedian from Colorado. The venue was quite large being Macs Brewbar on the waterfront. That night, the heavens opened and the wind howled so much so I nearly got blown off my feet, crossing the road before arriving. I'd really enjoyed his slot in the initial show but was slightly unimpressed it was repeated again in this one. Some of it was
OK, but it wasn't as funny as what I'd hoped. Having sat there in a slightly wind swept, damp state had not helped either. ? I just hoped, I wasn't going to come down with anything, although I did end up in the GP's that Friday night. A rather lovely bar and restaurant called the General Practitioners based on the buildings historical use. I was prescribed a rather fabulous meal of Confit Duck Leg, truffled mashed potato, braised red cabbage and blackcurrant jus paired with a beautiful Martinborough Pinot Noir. It was exactly what the Doctor ordered! ? It was beautifully cooked and the wine just enhanced the rich wonderful flavours. I was with the usual crew, Tracy and Heidi and after food we went to Ancestral that has a roof top bar. Unfortunately we didn't stay long as it started to pick with rain and quickly made our way inside. Later that evening there was an event on in Dirty Little Secret - another roof top venue we were hoping to go to. When it eventually stopped we made our way there to take a look. It was really quiet and a complete washout so we called it tonight
and hurried home. I wasn't dissapointed. I'd been such a social butterfly of late, it was nice to just relax a little. On Sunday, we met briefly in Martha's Tea Room for a catch up, with Ceri joining us. It had rather quaint decor and reminded me of Pettigrew's Tea Rooms in Cardiff, although it certainly didn't have the standard or choice of food. I had the only GF item there for lunch, a piece of orange and almond cake accompanied by a spiced cinnamon tea. It was really nice, although I did say to them, they weren't helping my diet as I ordered cream to go with it! ? Afterwards me and Ceri had a nose round the shops while Tracy and Heidi both went to other events they had pencilled in. We completed our early evening in 'Ombre', a tapas bar in Cuba Street providing free Appertivo when you purchased a glass of vino. We nibbled on Pork Frittata and Meatballs which were really tasty whilst I polished off a little Italian red. It had been a lovely relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon before the onslaught of work. Although, this week brought a welcome relief with
nothing social on, so it was a good opportunity to make some head way with 'Game of Thrones' that I'd gotten into. The following Friday, Shinayd, had kindly offered me out to celebrate her 26th Birthday with her. We started the evening at a BYO (Bring your own) Japanese restaurant and bar called Ozeki. I had the the Teriyaki set meal with Salmon and embarrassingly got Shinayd involved in smuggling out a pair of chopsticks for me, while we consumed the copious amounts of wine on the table. I got to meet loads of her friends who were great company and a right laugh. We came back to our flat where the party continued before heading back out, to Good Luck Bar located underground in Cuba Street. This is where we started the tequila shots and my night came to an end while the others continued onto a club. The following day I had the hangover from hell. Well it serves my own right for trying to keep up with those a decade younger! ?? Sunday, I needed some fresh air and to get out. That weekend the Zoo had a promotion on, where entry was a gold coin donation
- $2 rather than the usual $21. Ceri who'd visited previously was happy to go again, so off we went. It was quite a large Zoo and I liked the way it was laid out although, I was expecting to see slightly more exotic animals than Pigs, Sheep and Otters. My favourite being the baby Meerkats who were so cute. There was a Kiwi house there, but obviously with them being nocturnal, it was dark. So dark in fact, I could literally only make out a shadow of something hoping up and down as apparently this one, only had one leg! ? We did see the usual Tigers, Lions and loads of Monkeys. Not being much of a fan of either species, I wasn't overly impressed although the smallest Monkey was quite cool. The views though, were really impressive given it was based on a steep incline and in fairness, we did get to see most of the animals they housed. For me, the funniest thing was their safety signage they had up around the place. Most amusing (see pic). Unfortunately the weather wasn't great turning cold with the rain appearing early afternoon. Ceri joined me at mine for a
cuppa before we headed back out to a quirky little bar called LBQ which stood for 'Little Beer Quarter' where we sat by the fire and scored some Mulled Wine. We got dinner in there which was nice enough with my plate of shrimp and grits before grabbing the final deal of the weekend. I had been meaning to catch this film for some weeks after seeing it advertised a few months previously. It was a new NZ comedy called 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' which has Sam Neil and Rhys Darby in it. Since this film had become NZ's biggest box office hit, the Embassy Theatre was selling $10 tickets in celebration over that weekend only. There was a showing at 9pm that we made it to and I'm so chuffed I went. I really enjoyed it. It was an enlightened heartfelt comedy that was easy watching. At least this day had made up from the one lost to the hangover and at this point, I was well ready for bed. That week the weather became cooler and I was getting shivery going from working in a hot kitchen to the cold outside. I was starting to feel a little
run down and with winter in touching distance, it was no wonder. By the end of the week I was exhausted although one good thing had happened the purloined chopsticks made a reappearance when Shinayd found them in her handbag!! ? I decided to have a quiet weekend for once and even spent a whole day in my pyjamas. It had been just as nice as if I'd been out socialising. Sometimes I need to remember it's important to recharge. I couldn't get over, nearly another month had passed and I'd been at Peckish for nearly 3 months, which signified half my time in New Zealand. It was flying! That week in work, we had a catering job on for the Tuesday which was the day Maggie has off with her Grandson. I was being entrusted to get it sorted. To help me out, we prepared the savoury egg and bacon pies on the Monday so I'd only have to prepare the rolls and plate the cakes the following day. It seemed straight forward enough. Maggie had placed a special bread order of rolls I required, which would be delivered fresh Tuesday morning. What I hadn't bargained for, was the
customer increasing her lunch order early on the Tuesday. Of course, you agree to whatever is requested. So I needed to bake two more savoury pies. The rolls, I now wouldn't use as I didn't have enough. They would have to go on the cold counter I thought to myself. I had just enough Panini's to cover it, so I'd run with them. It felt quite empowering making these executive decisions and I'd missed that. I just had to trust my gut and follow through and deliver the end results which were a good looking cold counter with correctly labelled offerings, regardless of what they were and enough catering to cover the increased numbers requested by the customer. It was 'head down, arse up' to power through and deliver. A term I learnt many years ago when working nights in a local bakery. ? So slowly but surely I worked through my new planned list of tasks I'd devised. The counter got filled and labelled and Nathaniel was loaded up with the catering to deliver before 12 as required. I was fired up, I got 2 carrot cakes baked, made pastry, lined quiche tins and helped 'T' briefly with lunch.
This was all after sleeping through my alarm that morning and literally jumping out of bed to run to work, to get there on time. Maggie returned as I was enjoying a cuppa with my lunch. I was enthused to report my decisions and even more so that it appeared they'd been profitable with all five rolls having flown from out the door whereby the Panini's we'd been trialling had been slow on the uptake. Maggie was pleased and I was chuffed. That week, I suggested we move to using the Rolls rather than the Panini's and continuously, they have sold. I've also been encouraged to experiment with fillings were I created a vegetarian curried egg, tomato and avocado alternative, a couple of different pizza slices and Mark has promoted me through the 'Little Peckish Cafe' facebook page. "Watch what the lovely Anna puts into the cabinet". Now the pressures on! 😉 I've increased my baking knowledge by learning how to do a mayonnaise from scratch, created a mirepoix which is a finely chopped mixture of onions, carrots, and celery sautéed with olive oil, to form the base flavour for our Puy Lentil dish and followed our Moroccan Cous Cous
salad recipe. Hopefully, I'll pick it 'ALL' up before I leave. With me having reached my 6 months already on the 1st June and that date signifying the first day of Winter in New Zealand, it was no wonder my mind went into overdrive about where I would travel to next when I'd have to leave. I had been researching this conundrum before making a decision and had settled on Malaysia as a starting point. I would need to be there on the 24th November to start my next adventure but for now I still had things to cover in NZ. It wasn't all work, work, work, especially when we had another long holiday to enjoy. Can you believe it? This one was for the Queens Birthday. You know, the woman that lives in Britain with us and we get to work! The irony! ? Mind you, it was this fact that inspired most of the events so I ended up at an 80's Brit Pop night with Tracy and Katherine. It was great fun but famous last words of not wanting a late one, as I had another Welly Walk to attend the following day, was soon forgotten as
we danced and drunk the night away with me getting home at 3:30am. I woke the following morning with the usual headache and debated about going on the walk. Then given how difficult it was to sign up and really it was too late to cancel now, I dragged my sorry carcass out of bed. I was so pleased I had, because even though winter had arrived, the sun was still shining brightly and brought with it, a wonderful warmth during the day. This was just fantastic for my walk along the esplanade in Petone and from here you had clear views of the CBD acoss the harbour. It was my first time to visit this area and I would certainly return. It was only a 30 minute bus ride away but it provided a city escape. I felt like I was on a mini break and as always it was easy to chat to those members I'd met previously and those that were new. The 8th June signifies I left home a year ago to start this adventure. Somedays, it still feels like it's happening to someone else or that this is a dream. I've experienced so much, met
so many different wonderful people, enjoyed the very best and scowled at the very worst of the food offered. It's been filled with tremendous highs and frustrating lows. Its helped me define what I want from life? I suppose the big question is... has it changed me? In some respects I'd say No, dodgy accent remains, my sarcasm is still as cutting as ever, my patience is still non existent and I'm no taller no matter how much I stretch in work to try and reach things. In other ways, I'd say maybe, I now have more of a confidence when meeting new groups or signing up for things. I'm happy to go to the theatre, restaurant, bar by myself and sit and enjoy as I've discovered I'm good in my own company. Importantly I've learnt to ask or accept help when its offered. I dont want a repeat of the chair thing! ? The biggest thing it has shown me is that the world really is small and nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. Even writing a blog entry, no matter how long it takes! ?
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Auntie Val
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Happy Belated Birthday!
Hello Anna, just wanted to wish you a belated happy birthday, hope you had a lovely day! Lots of love from auntie Val and the rest xxxx