The past few days have been reasonably uneventful, I think. When did I last update this? Monday?
This week I've started actually working for my keep. Which has been good for me, I think. I nearly almost sort of missed getting up early and doing things by 7am or so. Nearly almost sort of, mind. I still keep staying up far too late talking to people I shouldn't be talking with and getting generally distracted from the whole sleeping thing. I think this is generally unhelped by the whole timezone issue, meaning that my night time is late afternoon the next day back in New Zealand, and a perfect time for everyone I want to be catching up with to be online. Clearly I need to work harder on getting everyone on Skype, so that we can cover more interesting things faster.
I do get a fair amount of time off in the middle of the day, though (like now), which has been used for napping, and catching up on aforementioned sleep. It is time that will hopefully be filled with a few college courses sometime soon, which I expect will be far, far more productive than sitting around home doing very little (It's probably also bad for the homesickness that is likely to kick in at some point). I'm still not sure what sort of papers I want to take, but currently my thinkings are somewhere along the lines of American History (apparently this often involves a bit of travel, too), or the computer programming kind of thing. I think it largely depends on what still has spaces at the right times and things. Sadly they have to be "accredited" courses, meaning that I'm not allowed to take the dance, music, or photography classes I've found. Or knitting. That looked like fun.
I guess the major thing of the week is that I've now started driving, which is certainly an adjustment. My initial thoughts about driving were that being on the wrong side of the road would be incredibly unsettling, but as I've told several people, what I've actually found far, far stranger is being on the wrong side of the car. I need to re-train my instincts to deal with all the extra car I have sticking out of one side, and all the extra space I have on the other.
I seem to be picking it up fairly quickly, for the most part. At least they aren't silly enough to swap the accelerator and the brake around, that would cause far more problems. The handbrakes here are weird, however, as they are not, in fact, handbrakes, but footbrakes, that I seem to mostly call the park brake, and reminisce about how lovely planes are.
I have not killed any small animals (or larger ones), or hit anything thus far, so have deemed this whole driving on the wrong side thing a relative success. At least for now.
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Written in Airports on Thursday
Been a very busy few days, since last I wrote anything for you all. Made it to New Jersey (32 hours of travel all up, it was), had the orientation days, a tour of New York, and then won a trip in to New York again last night. I am currently sitting outside my gate in Newark airport, waiting to board my flight to Dallas.
Currently about half the flight is already standing up and waiting in line to board the plane, even though our boarding call won’t be for at least another five minutes. I don’t quite see the point in being the first to get on the plane. Especially if you have to stand up and wait fifteen minutes for it. It’s much more comfortable out here, and being first on isn’t going to make us get there any faster. Maybe it’s just an American thing that I just don’t get.
Oooh. They’ve called up the first class passengers now. I guess I should turn off my laptop for a little bit, so I can pack it away to get on the plane. My bags are not nearly as well packed this time, so there’s quite a lot of stuff in my laptop bag.
I’m very glad they didn’t want to search through my bags on the way through security, as it would have been a right pain to get all the random things out and back in again.
Have now made it through to Dallas, Texas, and am once again sitting and waiting to board a delayed plane. This is my last flight for quite some time, though, which I have to say I’m glad of. Flights within America are especially not fun, I have discovered. Maybe it’s just my airline, but they don’t do food (aside from the reasonably rubbish stuff you can buy at airline prices), they’re very noisy, don’t do in-flight movies, and are hugely, hugely over-air-conditioned. Ah well.
I suppose a run-down of the past few days could be interesting, rather than just me rabbiting on about planes, yes?
My flight from Los Angeles to New York was about six hours, but it felt like a lot more. I managed to kind of doze a little bit, but not really. When I got to the airport, the shuttle picking me up was nowhere to be found, so I had to find the transport phones and call someone, who transferred me to someone else, who got someone to come and pick me up.
The shuttle turned out to be a very, very nice car, with leather seats, and heaps of legroom. It was really rather lovely after all the time on the planes. The guy was driving me was highly awesome, too. We talked most of the way to the hotel (an hour and a half), and he pointed out some of the landmarks that were visible through the pouring rain. It really was fairly epic rain, and apparently the drainage systems in New York is not the best, as there was an awful lot of flooding on the roads. I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed driving through it quite as much as I did..
Oh hey. We’re starting to board! Guess I’ll write more sometime later.
Currently about half the flight is already standing up and waiting in line to board the plane, even though our boarding call won’t be for at least another five minutes. I don’t quite see the point in being the first to get on the plane. Especially if you have to stand up and wait fifteen minutes for it. It’s much more comfortable out here, and being first on isn’t going to make us get there any faster. Maybe it’s just an American thing that I just don’t get.
Oooh. They’ve called up the first class passengers now. I guess I should turn off my laptop for a little bit, so I can pack it away to get on the plane. My bags are not nearly as well packed this time, so there’s quite a lot of stuff in my laptop bag.
I’m very glad they didn’t want to search through my bags on the way through security, as it would have been a right pain to get all the random things out and back in again.
Have now made it through to Dallas, Texas, and am once again sitting and waiting to board a delayed plane. This is my last flight for quite some time, though, which I have to say I’m glad of. Flights within America are especially not fun, I have discovered. Maybe it’s just my airline, but they don’t do food (aside from the reasonably rubbish stuff you can buy at airline prices), they’re very noisy, don’t do in-flight movies, and are hugely, hugely over-air-conditioned. Ah well.
I suppose a run-down of the past few days could be interesting, rather than just me rabbiting on about planes, yes?
My flight from Los Angeles to New York was about six hours, but it felt like a lot more. I managed to kind of doze a little bit, but not really. When I got to the airport, the shuttle picking me up was nowhere to be found, so I had to find the transport phones and call someone, who transferred me to someone else, who got someone to come and pick me up.
The shuttle turned out to be a very, very nice car, with leather seats, and heaps of legroom. It was really rather lovely after all the time on the planes. The guy was driving me was highly awesome, too. We talked most of the way to the hotel (an hour and a half), and he pointed out some of the landmarks that were visible through the pouring rain. It really was fairly epic rain, and apparently the drainage systems in New York is not the best, as there was an awful lot of flooding on the roads. I probably shouldn’t have enjoyed driving through it quite as much as I did..
Oh hey. We’re starting to board! Guess I’ll write more sometime later.
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
From the Journey Over Here
Written in Auckland: I have now successful made it to Auckland! One step. There’s still ages to go (And by the time I actually get this up I will most likely be through to New Jersey), but I am now properly on my way, and off on adventures. Exciting stuff!
Packing wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated. I figured that packing my entire life into one bag (well, three, I suppose, as there’s my backpack and my laptop case too) would involve an awful lot of squishing, tricky decision making, and weighing of things. But after I’d packed all of the essential things, and a few extras, I was still a good ten kilos under the weight limit, with a fair bit of space to spare! I think all up, my life weighs fifteen kilos, which I am really very stoked with. It also means that my backpack is fairly empty, and my laptop bag only has my laptop in it!
I probably didn’t leave my room back home as tidy as I should have, though (Sorry Mum). Boxed up most things, but there’s still stuff on the walls, bookshelf, and a few things in the cupboards. One of these days I might learn to be a little better organised.
I think part of the problem is that it still hasn’t quite sunk in. I still kind of expect to be able to pop back home for a bit to tidy up the rest of my things. Maybe it’ll hit me once I’m in Los Angeles. Or New York. Cupertino? Maybe it’ll never properly hit me. I guess we’ll see.
The flight up here was pretty good, although I have a bit of a headache from trying not to bawl my eyes out the entire way (I already miss you all like crazy). Fortunately I had the entire row all to myself, so didn’t have to deal with people next to me asking if I was okay and watching me being all weepy in public. I then proceeded to read Billy’s letter, and Katie’s epic card and start looking blubbery again. I really do have the most incredible friends, flatmates, and family.
The plane was all shiny and new, too. It was one of their very new ones with fancy shiny newness. (Very descriptive of me, I know)
I’ve been through customs and security and things and am sitting around in what is technically no longer New Zealand. Haven’t yet set off a detector or been asked to remove articles of clothing, which is nice. We’ll see if I can keep it up once I reach America…
Los Angeles: I have made it to America! I am currently sitting outside my gate in Los Angeles, after having cleared immigration, security, and everything else. I’m not sure exactly what time it is here (my laptop says 3:42am, but that’s because it hasn’t yet realised we’ve travelled back in time.) but I think it’s closing in on 9am (Still Sunday. A very long Sunday it is, too), which gives me another two hours to sit around before my flight to New York. It’s a pity the American airports aren’t as good as New Zealand about having giant clocks everywhere. Although, I shouldn’t make my judgements on one airport alone. I’m sitting outside my gate, so I shan’t miss my flight due to unawareness of time, at any rate.
I definitely prefer New Zealand Airports to American ones thus far. Clearing immigration was always going to be slow, but I didn’t realise getting through security for my domestic flight would be such a pain, too. I had to wait in about five queues, including one very long one to just get up an escalator. I’m becoming increasingly fond of my little island home.
I’ve now been asked to remove clothing, too. So I guess I don’t get to keep that record. It was only my shoes, though, so no dramatic strip search stories for you. It’s very nice not having things in my laptop case, as well, for each time I go through security I have to take it out and hand it to them separately.
The flight over here was… decent. I suppose. Thirteen hours on a plane is never going to be especially fun, but it would have been nice if I hadn’t been served last (subsequently missing my first choice) for both meals. Yay cold, dry cereal and chewy lamb that was mostly gristle and fat! Definitely not convinced on the Qantas food, and the squashed cardboard muffin and supposed fruit salad weren’t great either. The guy I sat next to had his pillow on the armrest the whole time, and squished into my space, while the lady in front had her seat back for nearly the entire flight, and there was a metal box under my seat that halved my foot space.
Sorry. I might be a tiny bit grumpy right now, and grumbling here is better than glaring at people around me.
Couldn’t really sleep on the flight, but then, I didn’t really expect to. Instead I watched three movies, a Stephen Fry stand up thingamy, and listened to some Hamish and Andy. For those of you who are interested, Water for Elephants is decent, as is Arthur, but Paul was definitely my favourite. Dad and Thomas, you’d both definitely like it (I think).
Every ten minutes of so an announcement comes on. *Cue American accent* “Your attention please. Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport. Please maintain visual contact with your personal property at all times, and something else about not leaving things unattended. Thank you for your co-operation.” I don’t know why, but I felt like sharing that with you.
There was a famous boxer on our flight too, I found out. This was discovered when half the flight started taking photos with him in Auckland just before we boarded. Apparently he beat David Tua last night or something. (You can see that I follow boxing very closely…) The guy next to me and the one in front of him were both travelling with him, so he came back from first class to say hi a few times. I’m sure someone who cares about boxing is highly jealous.
The sleepiness is kicking in now (apparently the coke I just had is not doing the whole caffeine thing very well), so I shall stop writing for now and pop this away in favour of a short naptime.
And Diane Keaton just came off the plane I’ll be getting on. Interesting.
Half an hour later: Flight to New York has been delayed an hour. Fantastic. The plane is here, and they were boarding people, and then everyone had to file off again because they’re having issues at the New York end, or something. I don’t know exactly, I just do what they tell me, I suppose. I just hope this doesn’t mean that the shuttle meeting me gets messed up. I don’t really fancy spending more time waiting around in airports than absolutely necessary.
I should probably be using this time to do something productive, but I think I might just conclude that sleep in a place where I can lie down counts as productive.
Oh hey. We just got an update. Apparently we board in fifteen minutes, because they need the gate, but will likely spend about half an hour waiting about on the tarmac. And there’s not much food on board. My stomach is already being a little rumbly. Fabulous.
I think I’ll go get something to eat, or take on the plane with me.
Packing wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated. I figured that packing my entire life into one bag (well, three, I suppose, as there’s my backpack and my laptop case too) would involve an awful lot of squishing, tricky decision making, and weighing of things. But after I’d packed all of the essential things, and a few extras, I was still a good ten kilos under the weight limit, with a fair bit of space to spare! I think all up, my life weighs fifteen kilos, which I am really very stoked with. It also means that my backpack is fairly empty, and my laptop bag only has my laptop in it!
I probably didn’t leave my room back home as tidy as I should have, though (Sorry Mum). Boxed up most things, but there’s still stuff on the walls, bookshelf, and a few things in the cupboards. One of these days I might learn to be a little better organised.
I think part of the problem is that it still hasn’t quite sunk in. I still kind of expect to be able to pop back home for a bit to tidy up the rest of my things. Maybe it’ll hit me once I’m in Los Angeles. Or New York. Cupertino? Maybe it’ll never properly hit me. I guess we’ll see.
The flight up here was pretty good, although I have a bit of a headache from trying not to bawl my eyes out the entire way (I already miss you all like crazy). Fortunately I had the entire row all to myself, so didn’t have to deal with people next to me asking if I was okay and watching me being all weepy in public. I then proceeded to read Billy’s letter, and Katie’s epic card and start looking blubbery again. I really do have the most incredible friends, flatmates, and family.
The plane was all shiny and new, too. It was one of their very new ones with fancy shiny newness. (Very descriptive of me, I know)
I’ve been through customs and security and things and am sitting around in what is technically no longer New Zealand. Haven’t yet set off a detector or been asked to remove articles of clothing, which is nice. We’ll see if I can keep it up once I reach America…
Los Angeles: I have made it to America! I am currently sitting outside my gate in Los Angeles, after having cleared immigration, security, and everything else. I’m not sure exactly what time it is here (my laptop says 3:42am, but that’s because it hasn’t yet realised we’ve travelled back in time.) but I think it’s closing in on 9am (Still Sunday. A very long Sunday it is, too), which gives me another two hours to sit around before my flight to New York. It’s a pity the American airports aren’t as good as New Zealand about having giant clocks everywhere. Although, I shouldn’t make my judgements on one airport alone. I’m sitting outside my gate, so I shan’t miss my flight due to unawareness of time, at any rate.
I definitely prefer New Zealand Airports to American ones thus far. Clearing immigration was always going to be slow, but I didn’t realise getting through security for my domestic flight would be such a pain, too. I had to wait in about five queues, including one very long one to just get up an escalator. I’m becoming increasingly fond of my little island home.
I’ve now been asked to remove clothing, too. So I guess I don’t get to keep that record. It was only my shoes, though, so no dramatic strip search stories for you. It’s very nice not having things in my laptop case, as well, for each time I go through security I have to take it out and hand it to them separately.
The flight over here was… decent. I suppose. Thirteen hours on a plane is never going to be especially fun, but it would have been nice if I hadn’t been served last (subsequently missing my first choice) for both meals. Yay cold, dry cereal and chewy lamb that was mostly gristle and fat! Definitely not convinced on the Qantas food, and the squashed cardboard muffin and supposed fruit salad weren’t great either. The guy I sat next to had his pillow on the armrest the whole time, and squished into my space, while the lady in front had her seat back for nearly the entire flight, and there was a metal box under my seat that halved my foot space.
Sorry. I might be a tiny bit grumpy right now, and grumbling here is better than glaring at people around me.
Couldn’t really sleep on the flight, but then, I didn’t really expect to. Instead I watched three movies, a Stephen Fry stand up thingamy, and listened to some Hamish and Andy. For those of you who are interested, Water for Elephants is decent, as is Arthur, but Paul was definitely my favourite. Dad and Thomas, you’d both definitely like it (I think).
Every ten minutes of so an announcement comes on. *Cue American accent* “Your attention please. Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport. Please maintain visual contact with your personal property at all times, and something else about not leaving things unattended. Thank you for your co-operation.” I don’t know why, but I felt like sharing that with you.
There was a famous boxer on our flight too, I found out. This was discovered when half the flight started taking photos with him in Auckland just before we boarded. Apparently he beat David Tua last night or something. (You can see that I follow boxing very closely…) The guy next to me and the one in front of him were both travelling with him, so he came back from first class to say hi a few times. I’m sure someone who cares about boxing is highly jealous.
The sleepiness is kicking in now (apparently the coke I just had is not doing the whole caffeine thing very well), so I shall stop writing for now and pop this away in favour of a short naptime.
And Diane Keaton just came off the plane I’ll be getting on. Interesting.
Half an hour later: Flight to New York has been delayed an hour. Fantastic. The plane is here, and they were boarding people, and then everyone had to file off again because they’re having issues at the New York end, or something. I don’t know exactly, I just do what they tell me, I suppose. I just hope this doesn’t mean that the shuttle meeting me gets messed up. I don’t really fancy spending more time waiting around in airports than absolutely necessary.
I should probably be using this time to do something productive, but I think I might just conclude that sleep in a place where I can lie down counts as productive.
Oh hey. We just got an update. Apparently we board in fifteen minutes, because they need the gate, but will likely spend about half an hour waiting about on the tarmac. And there’s not much food on board. My stomach is already being a little rumbly. Fabulous.
I think I’ll go get something to eat, or take on the plane with me.
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Auckland Adventures
Three days to go and it's suddenly starting to get very hectic.
Last week I was up in Auckland, mainly to sort out the visa situation (rant on that in a moment), but also for a pre-departure meeting, and to generally catch up with a few people up that way.
I've never really spent much time in Auckland, I think. although I can now figure my way about fairly well, I think. After wanderings in search of cake, and various other foodstuffs (on my last day I was shown the most incredible cake shop), I think I've at least got the city centre mostly figured out. I even managed to figure out public transport on numerous occasions! Although I also forgot to allow for the fact that it was likely to be more than 20 minutes late in the mornings, and so was a tad late for my visa interview.
Not that it seemed to matter in the slightest, as it then proceeded to be even more pointless than I had anticipated. After I had made it there, and left my bag and phone with security, I then had to see a lady, who took my fingerprints with a fancy scanner thing, and took my forms off me. After that, I was directed to take a seat and wait for them to call my name for the interview. I had the absolute delight of waiting for an hour or so (fortunately I had listened to the advice I was given, and had brought a book with me) before being summoned up to the desk for my supposed interview.
This interview, that was so very important that it absolutely had to be in Auckland, and nowhere else, for fear the world might implode, took all of about thirty seconds, and it was quite clear the guy was simply asking polite questions (all two of them) to pass the time while he processed my form.
Other than the infuriating purpose of my trip (and the running around involved to pay their exorbitant fees), I had a very good time up North, and it was very nice to see friends and family before I head off to far away.
In the week since getting back I've spent a fair bit of time in a kind of dead zone, which I seem to have snapped out of a little today, due to one thing or another. Apparently my emotions are a little crazy. It's quite a strange feeling, being almost gone, but not really doing anything towards actually leaving. Although that was largely my own procrastination, and came to a grinding halt today when I finally came to terms with just how much I still need to do.
Today I started the process of moving all my stuff back home, and getting it all sorted so that it can be boxed up and out of the way while I'm overseas. There's still an awful lot of work to do there, and I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to get through it all, but I have to, so it will get done. I guess it's just the quality of work at stake.
I also got my international driving permit today, which is somewhat exciting, as it means I'll be able to drive on the wrong side of the road without breaking the law. Or something.
Last week I was up in Auckland, mainly to sort out the visa situation (rant on that in a moment), but also for a pre-departure meeting, and to generally catch up with a few people up that way.
I've never really spent much time in Auckland, I think. although I can now figure my way about fairly well, I think. After wanderings in search of cake, and various other foodstuffs (on my last day I was shown the most incredible cake shop), I think I've at least got the city centre mostly figured out. I even managed to figure out public transport on numerous occasions! Although I also forgot to allow for the fact that it was likely to be more than 20 minutes late in the mornings, and so was a tad late for my visa interview.
Not that it seemed to matter in the slightest, as it then proceeded to be even more pointless than I had anticipated. After I had made it there, and left my bag and phone with security, I then had to see a lady, who took my fingerprints with a fancy scanner thing, and took my forms off me. After that, I was directed to take a seat and wait for them to call my name for the interview. I had the absolute delight of waiting for an hour or so (fortunately I had listened to the advice I was given, and had brought a book with me) before being summoned up to the desk for my supposed interview.
This interview, that was so very important that it absolutely had to be in Auckland, and nowhere else, for fear the world might implode, took all of about thirty seconds, and it was quite clear the guy was simply asking polite questions (all two of them) to pass the time while he processed my form.
Other than the infuriating purpose of my trip (and the running around involved to pay their exorbitant fees), I had a very good time up North, and it was very nice to see friends and family before I head off to far away.
In the week since getting back I've spent a fair bit of time in a kind of dead zone, which I seem to have snapped out of a little today, due to one thing or another. Apparently my emotions are a little crazy. It's quite a strange feeling, being almost gone, but not really doing anything towards actually leaving. Although that was largely my own procrastination, and came to a grinding halt today when I finally came to terms with just how much I still need to do.
Today I started the process of moving all my stuff back home, and getting it all sorted so that it can be boxed up and out of the way while I'm overseas. There's still an awful lot of work to do there, and I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to get through it all, but I have to, so it will get done. I guess it's just the quality of work at stake.
I also got my international driving permit today, which is somewhat exciting, as it means I'll be able to drive on the wrong side of the road without breaking the law. Or something.
Monday, 1 August 2011
The Travelling Rambles Of Yesterday
I'm writing this while on the Overlander up to Auckland for my visa interview (GrumblemumblesillyAucklandgrumble). My interview isn't until Wednesday, but I've decided to spend a few days up there, so that I can catch up with a few people up that way, and because today was the only day the Overlander goes up.
But Jaime! I hear you exclaim. Why on earth are you subjecting yourself to twelve hours on a train when you could just fly up? Good question, that. And in short, I don't quite know. My brain is clearly a little weird.
Largely because it's a little cheaper to do it this way (albeit, not by very much, and considering I'll probably spend more money on food and things, a not especially legitimate reason), and because it's a journey that I've always wanted to do. Iconic Kiwi railway and all, the Main Trunk Line. I think also, I lacked the ability to realise just how early I'd have to drag myself out of bed this morning. Something that was a tad difficult, considering the hour I got to bed last night. But hey, who needs sleep anyway?
I must say, I'm very much enjoying the trip so far. It's nice to get a different view of the country, and I always rather enjoy having a bit of time out, where I'm removed from life a little bit, something that, for me, comes best with the removal of internet and cell phone coverage. I had hoped to be able to do lots of work on my pre-departure project on the journey up here, but I'm finding most of it fairly difficult, as handwriting things while the train is moving isn't really much of an option if I want it to look nice.
My flights up to Auckland and out of the country are all booked and ready to go (at least, I hope so), and I shall be flying out of Wellington at 8:30am on Sunday the 14t of August, for anyone who feels like getting up very early and coming along to the airport. I then have the absolute joy of spending four hours in the thriving metropolis of Auckland Airport before flying off to LA at 1:30pm. From LA I fly to New York, and head straight to my training course in New Jersey, where I'll be until the Thursday afternoon or so, when I fly off to my new home.
Only two weeks to go now!
Written a while later: 3:30pm, and we’re about eight hours in now. Still rather enjoying the journey, although the large amounts of time spent in the same seat are becoming a little tiresome. New boots are being a bit of a pain, too. Apparently they’re fine when I’m walking about the place, but put a slight strain on the top of my foot when I’m sitting. It’s becoming a little bit owie, but I don’t really have the foot space to take them off, as I seem to have a tendency to carry too much crap with me. Ah well. We shall live, I’m sure. And it’s all likely to help the process of wearing them in.
It’s really rather nice outside today, which makes me very happy, especially as this is a touristy scenic trip and all. It’s very nice to have been able to get an absolutely spectacular view of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruhoe, and currently there is not a cloud to be seen in the sky, very definitely a nice reprieve from the usual winter chilliness. I also very much enjoy seeing my country at its best when I’m surrounded by tourists.
It’s rather interesting seeing New Zealand through a touristy viewpoint, as it’s not how I usually see it, even when I’m travelling about the country. I feel incredibly knowledgeable on the general area (although a little less so the further north we get), simply because I can distinguish between the three mountains, and tell the general direction of Taranaki. I feel surrounded by foreign accents, which I suspect is a tad silly, seeing as I will be far, far more immersed in foreign accents in two weeks time.
But Jaime! I hear you exclaim. Why on earth are you subjecting yourself to twelve hours on a train when you could just fly up? Good question, that. And in short, I don't quite know. My brain is clearly a little weird.
Largely because it's a little cheaper to do it this way (albeit, not by very much, and considering I'll probably spend more money on food and things, a not especially legitimate reason), and because it's a journey that I've always wanted to do. Iconic Kiwi railway and all, the Main Trunk Line. I think also, I lacked the ability to realise just how early I'd have to drag myself out of bed this morning. Something that was a tad difficult, considering the hour I got to bed last night. But hey, who needs sleep anyway?
I must say, I'm very much enjoying the trip so far. It's nice to get a different view of the country, and I always rather enjoy having a bit of time out, where I'm removed from life a little bit, something that, for me, comes best with the removal of internet and cell phone coverage. I had hoped to be able to do lots of work on my pre-departure project on the journey up here, but I'm finding most of it fairly difficult, as handwriting things while the train is moving isn't really much of an option if I want it to look nice.
My flights up to Auckland and out of the country are all booked and ready to go (at least, I hope so), and I shall be flying out of Wellington at 8:30am on Sunday the 14t of August, for anyone who feels like getting up very early and coming along to the airport. I then have the absolute joy of spending four hours in the thriving metropolis of Auckland Airport before flying off to LA at 1:30pm. From LA I fly to New York, and head straight to my training course in New Jersey, where I'll be until the Thursday afternoon or so, when I fly off to my new home.
Only two weeks to go now!
Written a while later: 3:30pm, and we’re about eight hours in now. Still rather enjoying the journey, although the large amounts of time spent in the same seat are becoming a little tiresome. New boots are being a bit of a pain, too. Apparently they’re fine when I’m walking about the place, but put a slight strain on the top of my foot when I’m sitting. It’s becoming a little bit owie, but I don’t really have the foot space to take them off, as I seem to have a tendency to carry too much crap with me. Ah well. We shall live, I’m sure. And it’s all likely to help the process of wearing them in.
It’s really rather nice outside today, which makes me very happy, especially as this is a touristy scenic trip and all. It’s very nice to have been able to get an absolutely spectacular view of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruhoe, and currently there is not a cloud to be seen in the sky, very definitely a nice reprieve from the usual winter chilliness. I also very much enjoy seeing my country at its best when I’m surrounded by tourists.
It’s rather interesting seeing New Zealand through a touristy viewpoint, as it’s not how I usually see it, even when I’m travelling about the country. I feel incredibly knowledgeable on the general area (although a little less so the further north we get), simply because I can distinguish between the three mountains, and tell the general direction of Taranaki. I feel surrounded by foreign accents, which I suspect is a tad silly, seeing as I will be far, far more immersed in foreign accents in two weeks time.
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