Ladies and Gentlemen

So the men here are very different to the boys back home. Well, the boys I've been on dates with anyway. Here's a comparison...

Typical male behaviour on dates in Britian:

• apathetic about picking where to go - often leave me to pick
• don't pay for things or pay half
• don't take me for dinner. Ever.
• don't pick me up
• don't walk me home
• don't plan anything apart from drinks
• insist on sticking their tongue in my mouth at the end of the night (sorry dad!)

Typical male behaviour on dates in NZ (so far):

• Put some effort into where to take me (dancing, museum, walks, as well as drinking and dinner)
• take me to dinner
• walk me home
• pick me up outside the front door
• insist on paying for dinner and drinks
• offer their jackets when out in case I am cold!
• don't try to kiss me on the first date

EARTHQUAKE!!!

I just felt an earthquake!!!! There are loads of them here. Gosh, how very exciting. It was only little. I'm up on the sixth floor and the whole apartment shook a bit and then kind of rocked back and forth a bit a few times. It only lasted about 10 or 15 seconds and it wasn't a lot.... but goodness me....

http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/3413873g.html

Weather Girl

Bloody hell, I have just checked out the weather for London. You guys must be absolutely, totally freezing!! And snow too! Can someone send me a pic if it snows?!

Well it really is very pleasant here, the forecast says it all I think: http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/95?&search=wellington&itemsPerPage=10&region=world. There's not a cloud in the sky just now and even the wind has died down a bit these last couple of days. Everyone I meet though says that I have been incredibly lucky as it is not nearly this nice usually, the real summer apparently starts in January but has come early this year. Yay for me!!

International Date Line

So, I am dating. It's fun so far. I had a date on Thursday for coffee, that is Dan 1. I met Dan 2 last night and we had drinks and played pool. I beat him at pool the first 2 games and would have beat him the third but I got bored and we didn't finish it so I let him pretend he could have won that one!

Date 3 is tonight with Adam, he is taking me for a drink. After that I'm going to meet up with some girls from the hostel. Unless it's a really good date and I stay out really late, but I'm going to try and meet them....

Date 4 is with Dan 1 tomorrow, he's taking me on a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens. Date 5 should be with Dan 2, he wants to take me for dinner and maybe Ceroc dancing.

So, I have enough to keep me busy just now! Tuesday I join the 'sarc' network (singles are really cool!) and also go for a pub quiz with my flatmates. All I need is a job and I'll be sorted...

I'm starting to feel a bit more settled. I did my first big shop at the supermarket yesterday and somehow that always makes you feel more settled, don't you think?! AND I cooked... Ginger Chicken Udon Noodles!!! Like at Wagamama!!! And it tasted almost exactly the same!!!!! I'm so happy, I love that dish :o)

Take care my lovely ones and have a good weekend...

xxx

The Land of the Free...

Someone in the USA is tracking my blog! I'm curious having just checked the country stats (here they are from my blog:)

UK	672
Australia	109
USA	44
NZ	28
Japan	26
Ireland	5
Austria	4
Switzerland	2
Germany	2
Sweden	2

Most of these I get... but who is following me so closely from the US?? Is it it you Arv? I'm curious, let me know :o) Also I have no idea about the German or Swedish views, or Ireland (I'm assuming Austria and Switzerland will be Norbert..)

Anyway, thanks to you all, you plus me have looked at my blog 901 times! That definitely makes me feel less lonely... even though about 50 of those were mine, reminding myself of what I last wrote :o)

xxx

Hold........hooold.......

I am reminded of the tickling game that Shem and I used to play. He would tickle me somewhere really ticklish (like my feet or my side) and I would have to stay still for as long as I could bear it. Within seconds we would both be giggling uncontrollably but when I started to wriggle in ticklish agony he would, through his giggles, say "hold... hooold!.... Hold!......" and I would manage to stay almost still for another few seconds of delicious pergatory.

I'm in that stage now. The "hold" stage. It's starting to get a bit difficult to bear (but nowhere near as much as when being tickled) although I know that the fun of dissolving into happy screams of laughter and the end of tickle torture is just around the corner. Oh well, something like that. I expect you get what I mean from this rather strange metaphor anyway.

I'm slowly building little islands of people contact into my days. The last two days I don't think I had a conversation with anyone. I had 2 cinema trips, one comedy show, lots of reading and cafe time but no conversations. However, today I had a date from a dating site. I'm not really doing this for the dating, more the company, and I met a very interesting and intellectual American and we talked politics for 2 solid hours. It was honestly the most interesting and stimulating conversation I've had in a couple of months. This evening I've convinced my flatmates to go for a drink with me. Tomorrow I have another date at 10am (they're very into their coffee dates here) and then I'm going to a wine tasting at 4.30pm. The weekend looks a little barren so far as my flatmates are away for all of it, but I do have an evening out, probably on the Saturday, with a couple of girls I met in the hostel.

So, I'm holding.....

Love to you all!

xxx

A favour to ask

Hi everyone,

I have a favour to ask! Although I am not feeling Christmassy in the slightest (it being summer here right now) I found out last night that my flatmates will both be away in Australia between Christmas Day and 8th January, 2011.

So there's a real possibility I might be just on my own... which wouldn't be so bad I guess, but it would help a lot I think if I had Christmas cards from my friends and family to open!! So please can you send some?! I think it takes a while to get all the way to NZ so they might need to be posted very soon....

Fiona MacDonald
Apartment 609
115 Vivian Street
Te Aro
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

Thank you :o)

And, if anyone wants Christmas in New Zealand with me they will be more than welcome to come over!! I have a spare bedroom available...

xxx

The boys made me cry...

So today I logged on to a video sent from Fernando (an ex-colleague at City for anyone who doesn't know) which was a little video of Norbert, James and him (all ex-colleagues - and friends too of course!) all saying hello to me.

Boys, that was amazing and you made me cry! Which was a bit embarassing as there's plenty of people around, I'm in the reception at the hostel. But never mind :o) It was amazing to see you all and hear your voices, I haven't seen anyone familiar from home since I left. Thank you, thank you, thank you, that was so, so sweet of you. I'm very touched you thought of me.

When I get my netbook, and if I can ever figure it out, I'll see if I can send one back :o)

xxx

Short and Sweet

I'm slightly worried I've been boring the pants off you all with long and rambling posts!! It's a bit more boring, isn't it, now I've moved from photos and descriptions of interesting places, to telling you about the minutea of my day to day existence? So today I shall keep it short.

I am feeling happy, much better than I was. I move into the flat tonight and the girls are going to cook me a welcome dinner. Also I met a couple of British girls last night and I'm going out with them on Wednesday.

Having people to talk to and hang out with makes me happy! Oh, and I've ordered a Netbook (mum and dad, that is a small laptop) with a built in webcam so I shall soon be able to chat to people and I might even let them see my face (note to my family - buy webcams so I can see you too!)

That's it :o)

xxx

A very disturbing dream

OK, so this is really quite disturbing and I'm not quite sure whether I should share it, but again, as I have no-one else here yet to tell about it, you're going to have to read it I'm afraid. Or don't, you could just skip this post!

I should probably preface this by mentioning, yet again, the book I've been reading, "Half the Sky". It is full of absolutely horrific stories including a lot about gang rape in Africa. I finished the book last night and I'm beginning to think that's a good thing....

So, I dreamed last night that I was in bed asleep and a man sneaked into my bedroom through the window and raped me, which was pretty traumatic, even though it was a dream. Afterwards I shouted for help and my brother suddenly turned up (thank you Colin!) and managed to pin him down and keep him in the house. We were going to call the police but for some reason neither of us knew the number. We kept the man in the house and were sneaking around trying to find a laptop to look up the number for the police. Then I went into the room he'd been in and he had gone, through the window again. That was actually the worst bit of the dream, I screamed and screamed becuase I knew if he was gone then the police would never find him and he'd get away with it. But then he came back, and although I was terrified having him in the house, I was pleased the police might be able to catch him. Periodically Colin would pin him down again when he got threatening but mostly he was just wandering around the house and I was trying to hide from him.

And then, it turned into a dream full of cats and dogs that had to be registered by the government and I was carying Alfie (my cat) through line after line of airport type security checks. And THEN we got to the end and all the people from poor countries had to sit on the floor in one room, but were being seen quite quickly, while all the people from rich countries had another room and got to sit on chairs but the lines never moved for the final check, but all my family were in the room with me already waiting on the chairs. And THEN there were fireworks and a little boy of about 10 I had sat next to smiled at me and gave me two sparklers. And we all ran off to have firework and sparkler fun.

So that was the dream, or maybe it was two that ran together. It was very strange indeed, but often my dreams are. I suppose most people's are. They're usually more like the second one than the first one though. It left me feeling really weird this morning.

So, things from today:

1. I miss my mum today.
2. I went shopping with my new strange friend and bought a skirt, top, jacket and shoes for work. I look very nice in them :o)
3. I went to see the latest Harry Potter film and almost cried a bit at the end. I managed not to cry but I did blink a contact lens out. My new strange friend kept talking to me loudly throughout though and that was rather annoying.
4. I owe Monica (who works at City Uni where I used to work for those that don't know) a big thank you for sending me a positive and encouraging e-mail that was a bit of a kick up the butt reminding me I am very lucky and can do whatever I like out here so not to get silly about feeling home sick or working. Thank you Monica, it made me smile and made me feel better! All you guys at City have another postcard coming soon that will make you rather jealous by the picture on the front....

Ups and Downs

I am feeling better again! Not 100% but anyway, better than I was earlier. The reasons are:

1. I have found somewhere to live! It's a central flat with 2 Australian girls. The flat is nice and they seem very friendly, they are both mid/late twenties. Rent is cheap here, it's $600 a month which is 300GBP. But I guess that reflects the salaries. Also, the bedroom comes fuilly furnished which is much better. I move in on Monday night.

2. I am feeling better about the temp job I am being put forward for. It's not so boring I guess. And will be good to get working again in a way.

3. I have made friends with a woman in my dorm room. She's maybe in her fifties and originally from Malaysia but has been in NZ for 10 years. She's funny and a bit strange. She told me a story tonight about going to a convent school and when she was 16 the nuns tried to get her to marry an ugly, rich man in his early 40s.... so she and her friends tunnelled out under the school wall and she ran away!! We are going to see the latest Harry Potter film tomorrow and then go to the museum, so that will be nice.

4. I cooked myself a nice dinner. The first time I've cooked since I got here. Lamb with mint jelly and roasted vegetables.

So that's all for now. I am OK and not, after all, ready to run home just yet :o)

xxx

Bored with Boarding

Right, that's it. I want my own room in my own flat. This dorming malarky is starting to annoy me. I have another room to see tonight, it's sharing with two Australian girls in a very central flat, but best of all the room is already furnished. My fall back option is the other one I saw, but it would be so much easier not to have to buy any furniture.

I went to an agency today and had a good chat about my CV. They have a contract project admin role that they want to put me forward for. It looks a bit boring to be honest, but beggars can't be choosers. On the plus side I did the best ever in the tests they gave me (97% for word, 100% for excel and 51 words per minute typing with 0 mistakes) which was nice, and that was with a hangover, no coffee and no breakfast. Or lunch.

So, last night something funny happened. I was feeling rather bored on my own so i decided to go down to the hostel bar again and sit and read my book. It was about 10.30pm and it was a lot busier than before. I'd only been there about 10 minutes when a girl ran up to me and said "are you Fiona?" which confused me for a second, she looked familiar but I couldn't place her. And then I realised it was a girl I met in Fiji! She was there with a guy who was also at beachcomber resort and they had met up again by chance in Auckland when they arrived for the same bus tour. They were there with the Kiwi Experience bus, which is full of youngsters and rather rambunctious by all accounts. There were about 20 of them and they were playing a rather complicated drinking game, for which I needed rules (there were about 12 of them) written down. It was things like you weren't allowed to point at anything, you couldn't say the word 'drink', whenever anyone shouted 'shark' you had to get off the floor, or 'sniper' and you had to get down on the floor. It was silly but kind of fun. So I hung out with them for a couple of hours and we did a pub crawl. I chatted for most of the time to an Alaskan from the Airforce, which was pretty interesting. Then, almost simultaneously he caught me smoking and found out I'm 32. After that he completly ignored me. I don't know if it was the cigarette or my age, or both, but it was a little disconcerting! He was 27 and even at that age he was noticeably older than the rest of them.

Um.... reality is starting to bite now. I'm slipping out of holiday mode and for the first time in the last couple of days I have felt the faintest of twinges of homesickness. They're fairly quickly dismissed as I simply can't let myself get maudlin, I've got no-one to pull me out of it so I need to just not get there in the first place. But anyway, I'm reassuring myself that it's totally normal and to be fair I probably have been lucky to not feel it up to now. It's officially a month since I left and I hope you all miss me more than words can say :o)

But I'm starting to wonder if maybe travelling around wouldn't be more fun than going back to work? Well, I mean, of course it would be. It's easier to meet people in hostels than settled in a flat I think, although harder to form any lasting friendships. And I don't feel like going back to work!! Or if I do, I feel like doing something completely different. Volunteering maybe. Or working for a charity. Of course, I could do that. I think I'll look into it..... I've been reading 'Half the Sky' and it's very moving and motivational, it's all about women and how they're marginalised and brutalised, and more importantly, what you can do to help. I really, really recommend you read it. I might have said that before, but anyway, that's because I mean it! And it's not just for women. Have a look: http://www.halftheskymovement.org/

Right, I'll stop rambling now :o)

xxx

Catchup...

So, I have some time and here are a few of the things I have been storing up to tell you all and kept not getting time to (please forgive any repititions from earlier posts, in case I did already tell you any of this...):

1. I was sad on 5th november, which was the day I flew from Sydney to Fiji, becuase it was Bonfire night and I love, love, love firewarks. They are one of my favourite ever things. And I love going to the displays in London. And I knew they wouldn't have it in Fiji or anywhere else  and I felt rather glum about that. But then, imagine my amazement when I got out from that man locking me in the office and into the taxi - there were fireworks going off everywhere!!! And really pretty lights strung everywhere. I was a bit confused, but then the taxi driver explained it was Diwali. What a coincidence! That really cheered me up and I got my fireworks after all, I got to watch them from the beach that night!

2. Japan has no Diet Coke. Strange but true. It has plenty of 'full fat' coke and also the coke zero, but no diet. No diet any drinks actually.

3. In NZ sweet potatoes are called Kumara. They eat avocado with nearly everything and burgers have beetroot in. And they do have diet coke, but it comes in 600ml bottles instead of 500ml ones. They have no walkers crisps. It's the small differences that you really notice... Oh and they have Woolworths here! Not sure if it's the same chain or not.

4. I can now have a shower in less than 10 minutes as opposed to over 20. I find it much easier to talk to strangers and to ask people questions without feeling shy. I can sleep through pretty much anything even after only a couple of weeks in dorms.

5. My hair hates travelling. Hates it, hates it. Hates me for making it come to all these strange hot countries and is punishing me by not behaving at all well. It has not looked 'normal' even once since I left the UK.

Couple's massage and facial

Well, it has been a fun couple of days! Monday night was quiet, as was Tuesday during the day. I wandered round a bit and did some flat hunting and job hunting. I've applied for an executive assistant position to 2 GMs which needs Lotus notes experience. I used Lotus Notes in two of my jobs over a 6.5 year period and I prefer it to Outlook so that should be fine. It actually looked as thought hte position had already been filled as the expiry date for it was 9th nov, but I thought I'd apply anyway. The recruiter got straight on the phone to me though and wants to meet up soon, so that's good news. Today I've been applying for an IRD number (like an NI number) and applying for a bank account. Plus yesterday I went to see this house: http://wellington.gumtree.co.nz/c-Flat-House-Share-flatshare-houseshare-Room-for-rent-in-2-bedroom-villa-in-Mount-Victoria-W0QQAdIdZ241176647 and am thinking about tkaing the room there. Pluses are: it's central, the house is really sweet, the girl living there is 36 and seems really nice (mostly it's 18 and 20 year olds, something I found quite strange - there are two unis here and it seems that it's pretty much only students who flatshare, and I don't want to live with children!!). Minuses are: it's quite expensive ($800NZ - OK, it's only about 400GBP but salaries here are less and most places are closer to $600 a month), there is no outside space and the room does not come furnished (also common here) so I'd have a to buy a bed.

So, I'm undecided - what do you guys think? Should I keep looking or take it?

So, what else? On Tuesday night I was sat in the hostel bar on my own with a glass of wine and reading a book when a boy ran up to me and said hello. He sat down and we starting chatting and within 10 minutes he said that he was thinking of getting a massage the next day. If you know me at all well you will know I love my massages and I had been thinking all day that I wanted one, so it seemed like a sign! We agreed that we would go together the next day and he looked somewhere up on his iphone... and came up with a 'couples massage and facial' deal. Now this might sound a bit odd, but I didn't hesitate for a second and I booked it for 3pm the next afternoon. You have the treatments on couches right next to each other, naked except for pants and towels. It could have been awkward, but it wasn't. It was really nice actually, although Graham (that's his name) was being tortured and I could hear the pain he was in! It was two small balinese women doing it, but they were very, very strong and liked giving really firm pressure. We both had bruises today from it :o) And of course, they assumed we were a couple, and looked fairly perplexed when Graham told them we had only met each other the night before. How funny....

So that was good and we had dinner together and a few drinks last night as well. Unfortunately he's gone, carrying on his holiday, but it was really nice to hang out with someone fun for a day and a half. Also, he has lent me his ipod! I said I was really missing having one (I came away with a CD player of all things!) as I had lost mine and so he gave me his spare one. I need to return it in May when I am back, which I will do of course. But that was really very kind of him. I hope I like his music taste.....

So, what to do today....  Might go and buy some work clothes. Need to get properly settled. Actually there's lots to do in Wellington. There are loads of leaflets in all the cafes and I'm thinking about going to yoga and medidation classes as well as the theatre and a comedy show. And an art-house cinema. I won't get bored!!

Here's a pic of Wellington harbour and the Mount Victoria part of town:


Wellington harbour



Mount Victoria, Wellington



The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and....

So I have had fun in triplicate today.

10 hours on a bus. I was bored. I was restless.

It wasn't all bad though. We drove past Mount Doom, looking a lot less forbiding than in the Lord of the Rings, but still ever so very slightly menacing. It wa a gorgeous day and it was nice to watch the countryside go by. Here's a Mt Doom pic from t'internet: (it was chosen i heard for it's near perfect cone shape)

http://www.nzaccommodation.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/volcanic_mt_ngauruhoe.jpg

Anyway... I'm here, in Wellington and it's every bit as gorgeous as I remember. Actually, on second viewing it has similarities with Sydney - with the harbour and inlets and islets, and lots of detached houses sitting on steep hills overlooking the water. Let me find a picture on the web for you...

http://www.bildungsservice.at/faecher/geo/Staaten%20und%20Landschaften/Neuseeland/NZ%202003%20-%20Wellington%20-%20DSCF6158.JPG

http://dailyoffice.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/wellingtonnz-450.jpg

Um... OK that's all for today. a 10 hour bus ride only gives you so much to talk about.

Thanks again for the comments - keep them coming :o)

xxx

My favourite picture...

One last post for today.... this is, I think, my favourite picture so far. Whenever I'm stressed, it's the one I'm going to look at to chill out....

Happy Birthday Madre!!!

Another personal post to my lovely mummy to say happy, happy birthday. Sorry I can't be there, hope the other kids are lovely to you and you have a great day :o)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A new life in New Zealand

So, I am finally here. I arrived yesterday in Auckland and am staying with my friend Daran Stokes and his wife Karen. I used to work with him at GenRe between 2005 and 2009. He is in Cambridge, which is about 2.5 hours south of Auckland and less than 30 minutes from Hamilton, where George, who I worked with more recently, used to work. I'm feeling quite chilled out here but also it feels quite strange... it still feels like a continuation of my massive holiday but I am aware that this is actually a new life that I need to start for a while. I head to Wellington on Monday and need to start working hard getting a place to live first - I only have accommodation for 7 days - and then a job.

Anyway, Daran and Karen took me to a lovely wildlife/conservtion park in Roturua which had amazing trees, rivers, fish and wildlife.

Also, I am brown. Well, red brown. And I finally got to weigh myself and I have lost 6 lbs. Yay! Long may it continue.

I have lots more to say (you know, the little things, things I keep meaning to mention), but I also don't want to keep hogging the laptop that Daran and Karen are letting me use! So I will just say I am well and happy and I will write more from Tuesday when I have nothing else to occupy me in the evenings...

xxx

A village by the Sea

So my last day in Fiji consisted of a visit to the local village, on the other side of the Island. It was quite a shock to see the poverty they live in, and such a contrast from the luxury of the resort we lived in just 15 minutes walk away. We visited the school and the children were so very sweet, they sang nursary rhymes for us. If I went again I would take some things to give to them... but anyway, there was a market after, just the local women and children with blankets spread out on the beach. I bought a rug, two shells and two necklaces. Here's some pics:

local school children

local village, Fiji

local village, Fiji

local village, Fiji

As ever, more pics here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=563441&id=799440229&l=9c5e8ebaa8

 

And a quick explanation - I am storing all of my pics on facebook and nowhere else, so they are all there, that's why there are so many! Stick to the ones here for a boredom free picture browsing session...

Pictures!

So, today I'm going to concentrate on pictures as I don't have much to say (it rained a tiny bit this morning, that was some excitement). I'm a bit sunburnt, have over 30 very itchy bites and ...well, the sun is out now. I'm onto my second book, made no friends but fine with it this time. I'm leaving tomorrow and I can manage fine until then! The food here is quite good, a la carte as opposed to buffet in the last place.

So, here you go!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=563441&id=799440229&l=9c5e8ebaa8

 

I think I'm in Lost!

So, I moved to the Octopus resort today. I had a bit of a palava getting here.. I overslept and was woken by my friend at 8.55am. I had a 9am boat. I got ready and packed in 8 minutes... 8 MINUTES!! and actually the bpat came about 9.10 so all was well.... except that I had a hangover and for the first time ever I was sea-sick! Made it to the bathroom in time though.

So, this island is Waya and it is much bigger than the last one. You could walk around Beachcomber in about 10 minutes and there was nothing else there, just the one small resort. This Island looks like the scenery in Lost... so like Hawaii really. Not surprising I guess as it is a chain of volcanoes around here too. I found some steps leading up into the hillside and followed them up (forgetting that I had no water, a hangover and no sunscreen on, but hey, it was worth it!). The view was incredible!!! I love this island and this resort, it's much nicer than the last one. Costs a bit more, but totally worth it. I'm here for 2 days and then back to the mainland for my flight on Friday to Auckland.

By the way, I am bitten all over. Midgie bites, mosquito bites, ant bites....  I itch everywhere. I've counted over 20 of them and that's just the ones I can see!

Having some uploading trouble... more photos to come. This is the view from the top of the hill.... but for more pics you can have a look here: www.octopusresort.com or google Waya Island!

Fi's Fijian fish fear

Hi everyone - I just thought I've been slightly rude and not said thank you yet for any comments. Thank you very much - they are all read and very much appreciated!!

So, I just thought I'd write today about the little things. The things that run through your head sometimes and usually you share with your flatmates, friends, colleagues.... well, they've all been building up in my head! So out they come...

I went swimming yesterday. Only for about 10 minutes. I was doing quite well, keeping close to the shore, the water is really warm but the waves and currents can be quite strong. Then, all of a sudden... there was a FISH in front of me. And then 2, and they were swimming at me... from a shoal of about 50 of them! They were only a few feet away from me when I noticed them. They were silver and about 15 to 20cm long mostly. I totally freaked out - I am a bit afraid of fish. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. So I scrambled to get out of the sea and nearly stepped on a big ray floating along the sand. That was enough for me. I ran out, shaking and have no plans to go back in.

Um... Nadi, where the airport is, on one of the 2 main islands, is actually pronounced 'Nahn-di' with a ah as in father. This really confused me at first as I thought they must be talking about a different town in Fiji, but luckily I was but right by Isabel before I landed.

All the Fijians on the resort... or anywhere in the tourist industry, wear hibiscus flowers behind one ear. They all smile a LOT (more than me even, and I smile quite a lot!) and say Bula! Which is hello (actually it is m-bula with an almost silent m).

And... we were all greeted at the airport by a local band of 5 or 6 men, singing, playing ucalayles (I have no idea how to spell that, sorry - the very small guitars), smiling a lot, in sarongs and with the hibiscus flowers behind their ears. They should bring that in at Heathrow I say.

For all worried about my lack of reading material, I think it might be OK. I read almost nothing yesterday and just hung out with my new friend. I still have not finished the book I have, have maybe 100 pages t go and then another big book after that. I think I should be OK. And there is a swap shop mum, but all the books are in German or Japanese. Think the English ones must all have been taken already...

Right, that's all for now... it is 12.55pm here (five minutes to midnight your time on Sunday night) and I'm about to spend my Monday lunchtime at the bar, reading, in the shade (it's just too hot in the sun) by the sea with a foot massage afterwards. Hope your Mondays are.... well... er, hope it's not too cold wherever you are :o)

A more chilled out Fi...

OK, I'm feeling better now :o) I found a little friend, she is 22 and on a gap year before she starts her solicitor training. Just as an interesting aside, she thought she was older than me. She looks about 15. Hmm....

So last night we sat and chatted and some more today. Sometimes all it takes is a smile and a quick chat with someone to make you feel better. The massage helped too.

It is so hot, I just cannot explain it. Althugh it's about 31 degrees there is no breeze today. The sweat is pourng off me as if I had just stepped out of the shower. In fact, I've had 4 showers today!

So it's not all so bad. It's only a week after all. Things could be worse :o) We also had a show last night of traditional south pacific island dancing - hoola dancing girls and fire breathing men, it was really good.

Here are some pics...

The island next to mine, taken on boat journey

My dorm room

The beach at Beachcomber

Some traditional dancing

Some traditional dancing

And here is a link to the rest:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=563441&id=799440229&l=9c5e8ebaa8

Thank you Isabel!!

This is a special post to say THANK YOU ISABEL!!!

Isabel looked after me very well indeed in Sydney and we had a lovely time together. And all the poor thing asked in return was a bit of chocolate from England (it's tastes different in OZ - preservatives we think) and what did I forget to get at the airport? The chocolate. Luckily my parents are posting some over for me...

Anyway, thank you so much Isabel for a lovely time!!!

Putting the Fi in Fiji

Hi guys,

I am in Fiji and I am going to have a moan. Yes, I know you can't believe it... what could I possibly have to moan or complain about? I am on a desert island in the middle of the South Pacfic, it has white sand and palm trees and everything, but...

When I got to the airpoty last night, I was walking from the plane to the terminal and I saw a lovely rainbow. It's such a small thing, but I really wanted to share that rainbow with someone. I wanted to be able to say to someone 'look at that rainbow!'. But I couldn't. I considered pointing out the rainbow to strangers, but no-one was even walking close to me. So I didn't.

I was due to be picked up for free by the hostel I had book into. A man came straight up to me, and I thought it was him... he asked if I wanted to book anything for the rest of my trip and before I knew it he had whisked me away to a deserted office in the top florr and locked me in with him. I started to feel uncomfortable and realsied it certainly wasn't the driver from the hostel. He was showing me brochures and offering to book anything I wanted. He said there was no commission but I would just pay him a deposit, but I still wasn't sure about it. He did quote the right price for Beachcobmer Island though - I checked it all out on the internet although I didn't book anything but my first night. But I was worried the deposit he took wouldn't count and I'd still have to pay the full amount. Then I said I was thinking about 1 night at Navutu Stars, which is a luxury spa place. And luckily i had already checked out the rate - 525 Fijian dollars which is about 180 GBP for one night. He quoted me 645 FJD which included a deposit of 120 FJD. I did some quick maths and that decided me.

But I was in an office, locked in on the top floor! I was worried he would be weird but in the end I said I just wanted to book my first three night and that was it. I paid a deposit of about 90 FJD and we left. He had said he would drive me to my hostel but then just put me in a taxi (annoying as the pick up would have been free) but I was glad to be away from him!!

So, yes, I know, I'm an idiot. You've all been groaning and rolling your eyes and thinking how you would never have done anything so stupid. What can I say... clearly in this situation I am better travelling with someone than on my own!

Anyway, the good news is that the deposit did work for the resort I am at now. I just paid the difference between the deposit and advertised rate, so I'm happy with that. I shall just decide tomorrow maybe where I will head to next.

And also... I'm sort of a bit bored. There's very little to do, and although I love reading and have a couple of books with me, it's not... I don't know. There's couples and big groups everywhere, not so many single travellers... it's harder to meet people and I'm feeling just a tiny bit lonely for the first time since I left London. I don't know, maybe that's pretty good going.

I didn't bring enough beach clothes with me either. And all the girls are thin and in bikinis.

OK, moan over.

Here is whre I am staying:
www.beachcomberfiji.com

Here is a photo of the Island I am on:
www.travel247.ie/images/products/FJ_NAN_Beachcomber.jpg

I will uploaded my own photos soon....

:o( xxx

Be jealous, be very jealous...

Right you lot, I am off to Fiji tomorrow. I plan to spend my first and probably last mights in nadi, the capital (I think... where the airport is anyway) and then spend the rest of the week Island hopping on the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands. Please google images of these and make yourself green with envy :o)

I may be rather extravagant and stay just one night in a luxury private spa resort...

Oh, it's a hard life.

Bondi Beach Baby

So, today was BONDI BEACH!!! Not sunbathing or anything,a lthough the weather was much better and we had sunshine. No, Isabel and I did the Bondi caostal walk as there is a 'sculpture by the sea' exhibition on currently of modern ... you guessed it, sculpture! It took us 2.5 hours there and back and we loved every second of it. Then we had hot chocolate in a cafe and came home. Pics below....

Also, on the way there we stopped off in a district called 'Beauty Point' where it kind of looks like the French Riviera! All harbours, expensive houses and yachts, plus some pelicans... gorgeous. Someone please find me a millionaire who will adore me and buy me a house overlooking the sea there,

Finally, got home to a couple of 'white tip' spiders. Lovely creatures who have venom which dissolves your flesh. I don't have a pic as they scared the crap out of me, but Isabel kindly killed them with some spray. I now have a can next to my bed, just in case.... (gulp)

Beauty Point, Sydney

Bondi Beach, Sydney

Me eating lunch at Bondi Beach

This is a swimming pool next to the sea, full of sea water!

Beauty Point, Sydney

A sculpture near Bondi Beach

A sculpture near Bondi Beach

More photos to make you thoroughly jealous!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=558445&id=799440229&l=56b744e1ba

Cats and Dogs

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring...

We had a proper big thunderstorm yesterday and it rained all day. A lot. Stiill, I did make it out as I was determined to get out and see Australia. I made it to the beach where I saw dozens of surfers taking advantage of the wind and ignoring the rain:

Crazy surfers

Today was another totally fab day. Isabel took me to a wildlife centre where you get to interact with the animals a lot, the wallabies and kangaroos and emus all wander around trying to eat things out of your pockets and bags. The emus are a bit scary as they're taller than me! Not that difficult I know, but still... I saw qall manner of fantastic, fabulous, amazing birds and animals - here are a couple of my favourites but if you like animals I recommend you follow the link below!

Wallaby and joey!

Albino peacock

Rainbow Lorikeet

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=558445&id=799440229&l=56b744e1ba

After that we went for a drive into the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Fab views:


Blue Mountains west of Sydney

















And then dinner at a really quaint little cafe where I had pumpkin soup. Clearly, with Halloween gone, they're needing to get rid of all the pumpkins...