Hi peeps. Just a quick one to let you know that I’m still actually here and haven’t forgotten about you. Squage is currently half way through a huuuuge blog entry, which’ll bring things up to date, but that might not get finished until Thursday so you’ll have to wait until then!

In the mean time, here’s a quick overview of things:

• I’ve been doing all sorts of stuff since Squage last blogged:
  • Horse Riding (frustrating)
  • Glacier Exploring (amazing)
  • Fancy Dressing (hilarious)
  • Film Watching (also hilarious)
  • Hill Trekking (great fun)
  • Eating (mmm)
  • Drinking (too much)
  • Sitting on coaches (far too much)
• I’ve been generally in great spirits, with only a day feeling rubbish through a lack of sleep
• I’m going to have to get rich and buy a place in Wanaka
• Small hostels are lovely
• Local pubs and bars in tiny towns have really friendly people in them
• Kiwi beer is gooood
• Being a Veggie in New Zealand’s surprisingly easy
• Duct tape is amazing…
• …and can be used to force a camera lens cap open
• Karaoke is hilarious
• The Poo Pub is cool
• The South Island is quite cold
• This country is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. Apart from Tilbury.

Tomorrow is my 27th Birthday and I’m feeling very old. I keep thinking about the fact that I’m nearly going to be 28 when I return to England and that I really ought to be getting on with something… just what, I’m still not 100% sure of yet. Still, it’s early days, I’ve only been travelling a month!

To be honest, I don’t know why I’m worrying – I probably won’t last until tomorrow night anyway as, for some reason, I’ve signed up to do a Bungy Jump off the Kawarau Suspension Bridge tomorrow. It’s going to be amazing, but I’m not exactly looking forward to it :-)

Right, I’m off to get some lunch (it’s 3pm already and Squage has kept me here since about 12pm with his bleedin’ blogging) – do check out my photos as I’ve just uploaded about 200 of them. Hooray for having a working camera again!

I hope things are good back in the UK / Ireland (Paul n Em) / USA (Stu B) – I look forward to catch up with y’all as soon as I can!

Toodles,

Pat

No Updates. Correct. No. In that order.

Fact is I’ve been really busy out and about on the Kiwi Experience doing all sorts of fun activities during the day, partying into the evening and not really getting a great deal of chance to use the net for long enough to write-I mean, er, for Squage to write the massive amount of catching up that needs to be done.

Anyway, to summarise:

1. I’m having great fun
2. There are lots of cool people
3. I’ve been drinking a lot
4. I’ve been doing lots of cool activities (including – shock – exercise to try and cancel out the beer)
5. I’ve probably not been getting enough sleep
6. Luging is fuh-kin great fun
7. Rotorua smalls a bit of rotten eggs

I’m in Rotorua today, having come down from Aukland via Mercury Bay. Before that I’d been up to the Bay Of Islands and up 90 Mile Beach.

It’s been very hectic but I’m hoping to have some more time over the weekend to do a proper catch up.

Please don’t fret if you don’t hear from Squage or myself for over a week or so, it’s not because I’ve forgotten about you, it’s simply because a) I probably haven’t got time inbetween grabbing coach rides at stupid-O’Clock in the morning, doing activities during the day and socialising in the evening and b) I really hate computers :-)

Hope all is well back in Good Ol’ Blighty ™!

Toodles,

Pat

Well, that was a very good 6 days!

As Squage as bored you to tears with, we got up to lots of things. A quick (actually, this time) summary of the things I’ve observed about New York is below:

People
Whilst a bit brash, New Yorkers seemed to be a generally friendly bunch.
They seem an honest and generous group of folks – irrelevant of their particular background (there’s a LOT of cultural diversity in NYC)
Waiters/waitresses were much keener to help than I’m used to in England, but I think that’s down to the culture here surrounding tipping etc.

Food
Whilst not as ridiculous in size as I was expecting, New York food portitions were certainly sizeable, such that after a couple of meals I learned it really wasn’t worth having starters as you’d generally be full after them.
There was a wide choice, I think helped by the cultural diversity, but of course the good ol’ chain restuarant favourites were very much apparently whereever I went.
New York Pizza places rock.

Money
Everywhere in New York wants your money. It’s bloody expensive.
Tipping is pretty much mandatory everywhere, and generally ranges from 15-20%
ATMs charge you for withdrawals
It’s bloody expensive.

Transport
The subway network is really pretty good. It covers most of Manhattan and there are frequent trains on all of the lines.
One of the few “great value” things in New York, I’d say. For instance, you can get a 7 day subway(+bus) pass for $24 – which allows you to get anywhere in New York – not just Manhattan – so, for example, you could go from the Bronx, through Manhattan, through Brooklyn and pretty much to JFK airport every day for a week with that pass… Oh and also they seem to have tie-ins with various stops/attractions/restaurants, so that with a subway pass you get various discounts. Now why can’t Transport for LondON do something similar?

TV
Programme wise it’s not awful and there’re plenty of movie channels around.
Adverts, however, are TERRIBLE. What’s particuarly annoying is that lots of them seem to take the approach of showing the ad, then repeating the whole damned thing again. Nnngh.

Language
It’s almost like English but different. I still don’t understand why somewhere you go to take a crap is called a Rest Room.

Anyway, my eyes and fingers are hurting (despite Squage doing all the typing previously, how odd… so I’m outa here)

Toodles,

Pat

Dear oh dear. The pub by our office no longer has spotted dick on its menu. It now has:

“Spotted Richard”

Here’s a question for you: is it PC gone mad or is it actually the real name of the dessert and I’m just ignorant?

Yours befuddledly,

Pat

You know, it’s funny. When I – sorry, when Squage – set up this blog, I was very very excited about the Australia trip.

I’ve been excited for the majority of the past month.

But the day when I’m feeling all unsure, I wrote a blog entry about it. Looking back at this blog so far makes it look as though I’m really not convinced this is a great idea.

Well, I am.

And it’s going to rock ass. I’ll be able to actually be free, wander around on my own accord, meet some amazing people, see some amazing things- and, essentially, REALLY ENJOY life for a change.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t live a life of misery, I just don’t feel that sitting in an office doing what I do for 8 hours a day is what I was put on this Earth for. I feel the need to go out there and have fun. To enjoy life. To see what I enjoy most given the opportunity.

And besides, I’ve got no ties at the moment (well, I’ve got a few but they’re not worth mentioning bar the great Homer Simpson “D’oh!” one – ah, the fashion!) so why the hell not go and do some crazy, fun stuff now?

No reason, as far as I can see. Aside from being scared. And I’m sick of letting that stop me doing something amazing.

You know, there’s a chance that I’ll hate it. I’ll be miserable and lonely. I’ll wish I’d never done something so stupid. But that’s as likely as there being an episode of Titty Titty Bang Bang that makes me smile, let alone laugh. So I’m not too worried :-)

6th November, here we come!

Strewth.

It’s funny. I’ve been at work for five years and throughout most of that time I’ve wished I was doing something else. Something I enjoyed. Seeing the world. Relaxing in a bar by the beach without a care in the world. Having a job that I found fun and rewarding.

Now that I’ve finally handed in my notice (admittedly for a one year break, but there’s no guarantee I’ll get a job back at the end) with the intention of doing the above I can’t help but feel very, very worried that I’m throwing everything away.

I have a horrible feeling that I’ve become rather complacent and that I’ll suddenly wake up in the middle of Sydney thinking “Oh GOD, what have I done??!?”.

I’ll potentially have thrown away a good job, spent my savings for a house on travelling… basically gone right back to how I was when I left Uni back in 2001. Only 5 years older – and not as thin.

I guess these feelings are to be expected, though. It’s a very big step to take, particuarly for someone who’s not exactly been known for making giant leaps in most of his life.

But, hey, I feel that I’ve got to for the reasons at the start of this entry.

I think this’ll really help me get some more confidence, a more positive view on life and, if nothing else, give me the perspective I need to have more of an understanding what the hell it is I want from this life.

Everyone tells me I’m going to have an unbelievably ace time.

In my gut I know they’re right, but I’m a pescimist and still quite scared of taking risks. Ironically, that’s one of the key forces driving me to doing this. :-)

Anyway, enough rambling (for now at least)… back to planning…

Toodles,

Pat