Well, I survived the long flights to get here, stopping for a couple of hours each in Singapore and Sydney. Sleeping tablets and Stugeron helped. A lot. Flights all went smoothly. Food was good. Film choice was disappointing (although I did watch a beautiful French film called The Intouchables that I'd highly recommend). Can't remember the company I had on two of the flights, which I guess is a good sign in some ways but on one flight I spoke a lot of Italian to a young Belgian girl who is more in love with Italy than me. Headphones became compulsory...
Coming into land at Wellington was actually quite emotional. I could have cried but didn't. I was in such a different place when I came here last. And I'm so proud to be in the place I am now. It was so nice seeing this beautiful country again from the air. And being in summer again. I was happy. After eventually clearing customs and immigration, I went straight to the ATM to get some dollars. Card didn't work. Tried another. Neither did that. Worked out that I had just under $20 to my name so headed out of the terminal to see if that would get me to remotely where I needed to be. Fortunately the shuttle man took pity on me and although I didn't have the full fare he let me hop on anyway. Love the Kiwis! He dropped me at my hotel (West Plaza on Wakefield Street for future reference - I have found that my blog has become a good way to keep track of travel tips) and I checked in, taking a much-needed shower. Resisting the urge to sleep, I made a call to my bank to get my card released. Despite my prolific travelling, I made the classic schoolgirl error of not telling my bank I'd be away in advance. The guy on the phone said, yes madam, unusual activity was noticed on your account. Your card has been used in three countries in 24-hours. Yes dude. Tell me about it! I then had a stroll along the waterfront, reminiscing about the last time I was here and soaking up the deliciously warm sunshine.
I took myself off to Floriditas on Cuba Street for dinner. It's a restaurant Laura took me to last time I was here and I remembered it being good. It didn't disappoint. I managed a main and a glass of red before I started to feel very sleepy and called it a night. I had a really good night's sleep all things considered although I woke up feeling very confused. I accepted the fact I was in a hotel room and knew that some friends were arriving that day but couldn't think where in the world I could be. It took me a while to piece it together - I'd just spent a day on three planes and I was back in NZ for lovely friend Laura's wedding. And my lovely friend Janelle was arriving from Melbourne later that day. I lay in bed feeling very happy indeed.
I passed the time in Wellington until Janelle and her friend Steph arrived to pick me up and we drove about 50 minutes north to Raumati, where Laura and Steve live. They had already left for Laura's parents' farm, where the wedding was going to be held so we had the place to ourselves. We treated ourselves to a coffee. Then a sharing platter and some wine. Then I had a swim. In the sea!!!! It was so amazing. Not necessarily the hottest nor deepest sea I've ever swam in but heaven to be swimming in any sea in February. Then we shared fish and chips and a bottle of wine on the seashore, watching the sun set over the south island in the distance. It was great!
On Friday we drove into the Manawatu to a small town called Feilding and had a small hen's lunch with Laura and her friends and female relatives. It was so good to see Laura again, and to meet her beautiful daughter Rose. One thing I've noticed about social media and the ultra-connected world we now live in, is that when you meet up with overseas friends you don't need to spend much time on the catching up bit as you're already caught up. You can literally pick up where you left off. It definitely didn't feel like three years had passed since I'd seen the girls. I guess that's the thing about good friends too. Time and distance don't matter quite so much.
Gotta go now. Will do the wedding write up soon!
Coming into land at Wellington was actually quite emotional. I could have cried but didn't. I was in such a different place when I came here last. And I'm so proud to be in the place I am now. It was so nice seeing this beautiful country again from the air. And being in summer again. I was happy. After eventually clearing customs and immigration, I went straight to the ATM to get some dollars. Card didn't work. Tried another. Neither did that. Worked out that I had just under $20 to my name so headed out of the terminal to see if that would get me to remotely where I needed to be. Fortunately the shuttle man took pity on me and although I didn't have the full fare he let me hop on anyway. Love the Kiwis! He dropped me at my hotel (West Plaza on Wakefield Street for future reference - I have found that my blog has become a good way to keep track of travel tips) and I checked in, taking a much-needed shower. Resisting the urge to sleep, I made a call to my bank to get my card released. Despite my prolific travelling, I made the classic schoolgirl error of not telling my bank I'd be away in advance. The guy on the phone said, yes madam, unusual activity was noticed on your account. Your card has been used in three countries in 24-hours. Yes dude. Tell me about it! I then had a stroll along the waterfront, reminiscing about the last time I was here and soaking up the deliciously warm sunshine.
I took myself off to Floriditas on Cuba Street for dinner. It's a restaurant Laura took me to last time I was here and I remembered it being good. It didn't disappoint. I managed a main and a glass of red before I started to feel very sleepy and called it a night. I had a really good night's sleep all things considered although I woke up feeling very confused. I accepted the fact I was in a hotel room and knew that some friends were arriving that day but couldn't think where in the world I could be. It took me a while to piece it together - I'd just spent a day on three planes and I was back in NZ for lovely friend Laura's wedding. And my lovely friend Janelle was arriving from Melbourne later that day. I lay in bed feeling very happy indeed.
I passed the time in Wellington until Janelle and her friend Steph arrived to pick me up and we drove about 50 minutes north to Raumati, where Laura and Steve live. They had already left for Laura's parents' farm, where the wedding was going to be held so we had the place to ourselves. We treated ourselves to a coffee. Then a sharing platter and some wine. Then I had a swim. In the sea!!!! It was so amazing. Not necessarily the hottest nor deepest sea I've ever swam in but heaven to be swimming in any sea in February. Then we shared fish and chips and a bottle of wine on the seashore, watching the sun set over the south island in the distance. It was great!
On Friday we drove into the Manawatu to a small town called Feilding and had a small hen's lunch with Laura and her friends and female relatives. It was so good to see Laura again, and to meet her beautiful daughter Rose. One thing I've noticed about social media and the ultra-connected world we now live in, is that when you meet up with overseas friends you don't need to spend much time on the catching up bit as you're already caught up. You can literally pick up where you left off. It definitely didn't feel like three years had passed since I'd seen the girls. I guess that's the thing about good friends too. Time and distance don't matter quite so much.
Gotta go now. Will do the wedding write up soon!
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