Last Night's Blog

Well now, here I am.  6 nights left in Auckland, yay!!  I'm actually genuinely enjoying being here, so far - it's partly Auckland, partly the company, and partly the overnight allowance.  I get to buy ready-prepared food every day instead of making my own, I get to dump my used towel on the floor of the bathroom and find it removed, a new one replaced, and my bed made, every evening.  I would, however, absolutely hate to live in a hotel, but a week is ok.

I won't actually be able to post this blog until tomorrow morning, as the internet is so limited at the hotel.  The good news is that the place we go for breakfast gives free wifi, and there is also wifi available in the simulator building.

I was strangely excited walking in to the simulator building this afternoon. Despite it being just 3 months since I last was in the sim, this is my first time ever in the Southern Hemisphere, and I was looking forward to it.  Another bonus being that there were three of us vying dor two seats, and ML was gentlemanly enough to take the hot seat and allow me to observe for the day.  I had a few minutes' opportunity at the end to practise, but really my day one is te day after tomorrow (by which time this blog should be posted).

Tomorrow is a free day, so the instructor, who from now on I will refer to as Mr C, has offered to take us sightseeing.  He has a car here, so he will drive us around Auckland showing us lots of interesting stuff - hopefully.  He has already pointed out a extinct terraced volcano, which used to be a Maori settlement, which I forget the name of and also have no photos of, as we were driving at the time.  (Does that count as a preposition at the end of a sentence -  or was the explanation sufficient to neutralise the bad grammar, Mum?) 

I'm really excited to see Auckland tomorrow, and I promise I will take photos, although I will be unable to blog these until I return home on the 3rd, at which point you will wish you never asked!!!  I also need to get lots of revising done, so I shall do a bit of both, after posting this update in the morning, and you will probably not get to hear about my day until some other time! - sorry!

I must close off now as it is already 0040 and I am meeting the others for breakfast (and wifi so that I can post this) at 0900.  Unlike some of you, I cannot function on 3-4 hours of sleep!!

TTFN!

Part 2

Part 2 Disclaimer - I took tons of pics to post on the food blog but blogger is being dumb so It's not happening! sorry!! I am now checked in to my hotel in Auckland.  The instructor met us at the airport, and in all but voice reminded us all immensely of a certain TRE back home, the only one who owns a hat, without mentioning any names!  From the glasses to the moustache to the black leather jacket, the resemblance was uncanny - until he opened his mouth, that is, and started talking in a thick NZ accent! The hotel room is almost identical to the HIX back home, although the hotel itself is immense in size.  Similar to the HIX as far as internet access is concerned too, although we fo get 20m free access per day in the lobby!  So now I will head to the lobby and post this. TTFN!

Part 1 - the flight

Currently, I am sitting on board an airplane, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, on my way to Auckland.  I presume that the wet stuff between Australia and New Zealand is the Pacific Ocean, but I could well be wrong - geography was never my forté.   This is the first time that I have ever travelled business class.  I find myself not knowing what to do first, feeling like a fish out of water and surrepticiously observing others' actions to determine the correct way to go about things.  Does one use the footstool during takeoff and landing?  Can one adjust the seat at this time?  How does the electronic tray table work?  Wine before lunch - yes, please, red.  Pinot noir or merlot?  Well, frankly I have no idea what the difference is, as long as it's red and not too dry...  I figure if I make my decision straight away and sound confident about it, theymay get the impression that I know what I'm talking about.  Merlot, please! I think it is relatively impossible to remain sober on a business class flight, especially a 3h one.  What if I had to hire a car or something at the other end?  Would I have to decline the glass of champagne on boarding?  Say no to the glass of merlot before lunch?  What if they offer something else with lunch - or afterwards?  Some port or Baileys to polish it all off, perhaps? The waiter - or rather, flight attendant, who insists on addressing me as Ms ----, while consulting a list in his hand, extends the table in front of me and covers it with a white tablecloth.  The cloth is slightly larger than the table, pergaps 1.5ft square, and not quite large enough to droop down at the sides, which gives it a rather untidy look.  My glass of merlot is pooling scarlet on its serviette, and the attendant apologises profusely for the clumsiness.   The starter has now arrived, a small platter of smoked salmon, dribbled elegantly with tartare sauce, sprinkled with fresh cress( and accompanied by a pad of butter and some freshly (yesterday?) ground pepper.  I presume that the bread is yet to come, and on cue it arrives, a little wooden basket offering a selection of garlic, brown, rye and sourdough.  More wine?  A top up of water?  Ah yes, madam, sparkling Perrier is no problem, here you are. I pick up the silverware - two forks and two knives, startlingly cold, and cut open my bread roll, which is soft, fresh and warm.  I have decided to make an exception to my hitherto unbroken rule - never eat airline food that is not in a sealed wrapper.  The smoked salmon does not have much flavour, and could do with some lemon juice, but as far as lemon juice is concerned, it's not bad. What would you like for your main course, madam?  Steak, please.  Now I shall sit back, relax, and hope that the fillet eye is not overdone - how dare they not ask how I prefer it cooked?  I paid good money for this flight!  Well - someone did. GR and ML, both sitting in front pf me, are watching a movie while eating their meal.  Personally, I think the audio on airplanes is terrible, and continue to refuse it even in business class. It's not a bad main course, by all accounts.  A typically sized airplane meal, although in a rectangular china dish, as opposed to the tinfoil or plastic of cattle class.  Sweet potato au gratin on one side - which ML is kindly polishing off for me, as I am opposed to sweet potato, and fresh - not even overcooked - french beans on the other side.  The fillet eye is medium rare, fairly tender and not bad going, considering it is being offered however many miles up in the sky.  I now await my dessert, and considering I was not in the least bit hungry to begin with (I ate a considerable amount of complimentary breakfast and lunch in the business lounge before boarding) I think I am doing well. I cannot imagine going back to cattle class, perhaps from now I will pay an extra few grand to enjoy this sort of comfort - or not.  I think that despite how good this is right now, it's pretty obvious I could spend an awful lot less and get a far better experience by just going out to a restaurant!  However, considering how much I truly hate travelling, this really isn't bad at all.  In fact, I havn't even arrived in Auckland and I am already looking forward to the return flight - and doing it all over again in a couple of months!  Actually, I'd even say that I am looking forward to travelling back to Europe - the seat/bed I am assigned to is pretty much the same size as the room I had in Rivervalley - which isn't saying much! Icecream or cheese, madam?  Well icecream of course, you nincompoop,  who do you think I am???  The icecream is vanilla and berry flavoured - as I am feeling fairly full, I eat the berry scoop and leave the vanilla - sorry, Dad!   I presume that shortly they'll be around once again to ask if I would like another drink - well I would, but... maaaybe on the way back!?  Now I will recline my seat once again, rest my head on the soft pillow, and doze for an hour or so until we descend into Auckland.  Apparently we get 20 minutes of free wifi a day in the hotel, so I should be able to post this, otherwise you will only see it once I return home... which will rather spoil the fun - don't you think?? TTFN!  

Outta Here

Im out of here in 25 minutes, just thought I'd write a quick post to let you know, just in case you wondered!  Welcome home to my sister who has just travelled all the way back from Switzerland, I hope you had a great time.  Sorry I couldn't call you but I've been manically trying to pack and organise myself in the very little time I left myself after I was done procrastinating.

It is difficult for me to fit a week's supply of shoes into a tiny hand luggage bag, but I think I have finally managed it.  It hasn't left much room for anything else, but that's okay!  I'm a little worried that Auckland is going to be really cold - and I haven't brought any warm clothes with me!  Perhaps this means I will have to go shopping in Auckland - hoorah !  (The problem then being that I've nowhere to put my purchases)

TTFN!

Last Day

Today is my last day in Australia.  Okay, okay, until next week, but still, it is my last day in Australia.  Tomorrow I'm heading off to Auckland for a week, which I am really looking forward to!  Business class, for the first time in my life!  

Today, I bought a chest of drawers - not the chest I actually wanted, but rather the cheapest one available!  So exciting - not.  Also, we got internet installed at the house - although no one has been kind enough to tell me the password so I'm still using my stupid dongle.  GRR.

Today, I reflected on how much I really ought to study, and also how I really ought to clean my car.  Needless to say, I did neither, but I did get quite a bit of shopping done!  My

Right, now I will go to get something done!  A bit of packing, perhaps, or maybe a few memory items?

TTFN!

Blogging etc.

I like blogging.  I like writing something, publishing it and knowing that it might possibly be read by someone else.  I find it enjoyable to proof read my posts to hopefully eliminate grammatical errors, and I like to try to make my writing humorous and include interesting photographs.  However, I don’t particularly like blogging about how I feel.  

I don’t like putting pen to paper (or rather, fingers to keyboard) and writing down emotions.  It feels like an intrusion of personal space, and I am in awe of those who have the courage to spill out what’s going on inside for public criticism.  I would never criticise, you might say - but in reality I think everyone does, at least to some extent.  

I enjoy reading other people’s blogs, and reading those that do delve into their inner feelings.  I like to see that I am not the only person who feels a particular way, or even that other people think entirely differently to myself.  I would, however, hesitate before doing so myself.  In the same way, I find it very hard to talk to other people about how I feel about something.  It’s difficult to confront people, and much easier just to go along with the flow.  Indeed, it’s much easier to have a conversation with someone via text rather than verbally, and verbally is much easier than face to face.  

You will be happy to know that it will be a long time before I consider writing anything personal on this blog - if ever !  For now, it is back to the mundane.

This afternoon we’re going shopping.  Like, proper shopping.  Like, proper shopping for whatever takes my fancy.  So excited - it’s been waaay too long !  So now I must go and get myself ready - riot shield, helmet, taser... I think this blog has been way too serious so far today, so I must make an end to such things.  Did I mention that someone stole my cat?  The rudeness of people nowadays daring to steal things from my possession.  Do they not realise that possession is 9/10ths of the law?

Also, did I mention how much I like bats?

TTFN!

My New Friend Part 2

hi baby !