Back in NZ well at least for a few months

Well ive been pretty crap at keeping up to date with my blog. Whats it been a few months with my travels through south america which were awesome! I had a fabumabulous time travelling through Bolivia, Chile, Peru back to Cuenca for a month or so & to Bogata & San Andres in Colombia which was amazing. Ive never been to the carribean before so that was awesome..

South America really feels so comfortable to me & I just love spending time there.

Coming home as been a little bit of reverse culture shock but its been enjoyable. The hills in Wellington are killing me! Have started working at Te Papa NZs biggest museum in the catering section. Im stacking up 10 hour days so dont really have much of a life outside of that!! lol.. Have just been managing to get the energy to get out of bed & down to work. Anyways the plan is to get enough money to have time off over xmas so I can just relaaaaaax. But who knows. Im going through a few unsurenesses at the moment. Not really sure what I want to do....

South America trip

Wellllllllllllll. This travelling time is alot different than other travels I have been on but I am having a good time, we are at the moment travelling with 100plus students & journalists for the ruta inka.

I actually have no idea where to start or write as things have been so hectic. So many things have gone wrong with the trip. But the people are pulling together & making it through & making it a really good trip. I love the people. Who would ever have thought. At the moment we are in a town in Peru somewhere near the Chile-Peru border, we are sort of stranded due to a strike which is taking place. Today we walked 2 hours into the town to get anywhere as there in no transport. .........

anyways I should really write more but I cant think of the ways to describe how different & unique this trip has been.... Its crazy..

Much love.

Silver....ferns.....netball

Am tired!!! Arrived back from Birmingham about 1.30 last night where we ventured down to watch the Silverferns play Aussie…. I was really excited going down(John drove) and although I havent watched any international Netball on TV or otherwise it was still nice to see some of the old favourites such as Temapara George & Irene Van Dyke playing. Although I must say Irene was outclassed by new GA girl who I cant for the life of me think of her name right now… The Aussies also played a much smarter game with short sharp passes where as we played a lot of unsure passes & the marking from Aussie was fabulous… Although I still cant understand how we don’t get away with a lot of things that they were doing! :) It would never work for us. Such as catching the ball in the air before you actually land! :)
It was sadly a disapointing game, NZ lost by 4 in the end and although they had moments of brilliance they always seemed to throw it away when they had a chance to get ahead…..I was highly emotional swearing & cussing at our team(and a few loud go kiwis thrown in the mix) the english sitting around me were a little confused…..
Although one of the FUNNIEST thing I have ever seen at a netball match. The England A vs. England game was stopped for a good 15mins as there was water leaking from the ceiling!!!!!! Hahahahha, no one knew how to fix the problem so they just sent these ball girls out to the court to wipe everytime a drip dropped. I think in the end it stopped raining so they could resume play… Highly amusing!
Am exhausted today, trying to haggle with our landlord over our bond as he doesn’t think that we have given him enough notice! So ridiculously stupid really! Just unecesary tiredness! Anyways am going to play a quick game at 6.30 then head home to eat & sleep…. Have tuckered myself out!

feeling bored, sick, tired

Have been sick this week. Have done nothing but move from bed - work, work - bed.. Stopping at the supermarket on the way for some soup etc. Feeling much better today but im still really nasal! Have been thinking a lot about things that I want to do when I have my few days off before I take off. Would like to get my future read at mysteries in Convet Garden & just shop around a little in Camden & Notting hill, get some groovy dresses etc. And of course just wander the parks & hang out with Ralph. This weekend am meant to be going out with a few of the netball girls for a posh night out & also on Saturday going to see a Mill Wall game with a friend of mine…… Hes trying to scare me out of going, but I want to see what its all about! Other than that, although ive been sick ive actually enjoyed doing nothing all week
Just found this old part of a blog that I started writing…Will post it now even though its from a few weeks ago.. Am tired!, am over this cold but…. So sick of working

Was meant to be playing netball tonight but its raining. Not sure if its going to be cancelled yet. Am excited that im going to Birmingham to watch the SIlverFerns play Aussie! I cant remember if I wrote that yet but its exciting! hehe, also going to "*Earls Court* to watch England play NZ & Aussie. I am a little netball obsessed lately.. Just trying to keep fit lol. But at least it keeps me fit & I enjoy it!.... I usually like the rain but im in the mood to let off a little steam! :) Some fotos mainly of me & Ralphie. Ralph was working in Windsor last week Sunday So I went out to meet him after his shift, we had a really nice trip & it was the 1st time that ive been out there... Plus had the best Fish & Chips that ive had since I got home! A few other random images from around London aswell... xxxxx

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Arabic engagement???!?!?!

Just saw in the TNT this morning that Keisha Castle-Huges (the girl off whale-rider) has just had a baby at the age of 17. Cant believe it. Although im not really all that sure why, all the girls from school are pregnant too…. Although I guess there is a little bit of an age difference. The weekend just gone was a bank holiday one although I didn’t really get up to that much. Thursday I got so trashed and ended up partying in GAY with some random french gay men I met at a pub when my friends disappeared. (class) I didn’t get home until 4 in the morning… Tried getting up for work in the morning but I was still so trashed that I just fell back asleep. Rocked into work about 12 when I was meant to be there at 8.30. Still drunk & also feeling sich at the same time…. So Friday I really wasn’t able to go out… Spen the night sleeping and then woke up around 9 and packed everything up which I am shipping home. So everything that I am taking home is all packed away! :( How sad…. Saturday was pretty calm. Went to the walkie for some dudes leaving party. It was a nice night, but then we went to a house party and I wasn’t feeling the vibe so went home aroung 1ish….. Sunday spent the day with my stuff trekking to south London( I live in North West) with all my stuff… John came and picked me up at waterloo though so it was all good, I had a carride…. Anyways I went with him on Sunday night to a random arabic engagemetn party. Funny arabic dancing and free bar & food and all dressed up… Weird random pics attached! Anyways, work is dragging im so over it and it must be getting more and more obvious everyday that im doing nothing lol….
Have just booked netball tickets to see the Silverferns play Aussie in Birmingham so John is going to drive us down next Tuesday…. The Thurs am watching the NZvs England game in London so am very excited!
Anyways peace and love! Make the most of everything in life!

boozehag!

Hello one & all how the hell are you?? Have managed to catch up with a lot of you on bebo or facebook to see how you are hanging these days,,.! How are you? How have you been? Do tell!
Anyways this week has been hectic for me, but a lot of fun! I have had 2 different couchsurfers staying. One from Amsterdam & one from the states! It was a good time, one of the girls(the one from Amsterdam) came to exhibit her work in a art expo thing in Brick Lane so that was really nice & inspiring, afterwards we just hung around the area, I really like it a lot around there but since its on the other side of town, don’t end up going there often lol...…On tues we played netball, The team we were meant to play never turned up so we were basically playing this other team who were really good. I ended up playing C as I had a nut at Sam who was playing C because he was going to fast, said we needed to play our lol…own game And he made me play but I really enjoyed it actually although I don’t think I would be the 1st choice for a serious game. I was so tired running up and down!! We got our ass whipped!!!!! Afterwards we went & had some shisah & falafel on Edgware road….. On the Weds night a lot of us got together to support Ramona with her art exhibition & just hung around that area, it’s a really nice area & it was a lot of fun. I debated not going to work on Thurs but managed to get myself out of bed lol. I ended up taking Fri off as it was such a sunny day and I really needed a mental health day as they call them here :) It was really nice, I had the Cser from US (Minesota, not sure if that’s how you spell it) with me. She's really nice & a total oxymoron! But she is really fun, we just walked a lot around the south bank & hung out, ended up having drinks with Nim on the Queen Mary (Big docked ship which is a bar, have been meaning to see how it is for ages…) But then once the sun went down it was freezing! Turns out there isn't much inside area but just a lot of outside area with the Thames air hitting you it isn't so nice lol! Saturday was the Anzac comp a big sports day with rugby touch, aussie rules, netball etc Australia vs NZ to see who is the best sporting nation :) overall.... A good day all around, the weather was amazing, there were a lot of beetroot people walking around at the end of the day. Australia(my team) got wasted by NZ…Lol, there was a huge mixup with the guy that organised the team as he thought I was an aussie(hes a saffa) and I just assumed it was a NZ.. So I ended up playing for Australia!! We played really well last year but this time with the final.. It was a terrible game, 2 of our players hadn't been to sleep from the night before and everyone else wasn’t that well rested even if they had slept. The NZ team showed up in a wall of black & we didn’t even have the same colour t-shirts on. I was taking the piss & wearing one of those outback hats with sunnies… (I won it at the walkie lol). After we lost I quickly jumped off and grabbed my NZ flag courtesy of chessa and starting cheering for the Kiwis for the girls netball games…Everyone was a little confused as I had just played for Aussie! and I think I was on the Aussie supporter side though as that is where we had dumped our stuff and it ended up being a screaming match between me & about 20 aussies lol :)… Although their voice power won out in the end I am now losing my voice!! After the netball game to be honest I couldn’t really work out the score for anything else as it all became mixed up in a haze of conversation and speights in the sun…., but from what I gather NZ won the overall day… Managed to score a free pie for being a player so that was pretty exciting!!!! Haven't had a pie in ages.. Was a weird sight to see about 20ppl all munching in silence on pies with an occasional aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh in the middle…Spent the day lazy in the sun, running into randoms, ran into Ben Doyle as well after hearing from Charlotte that he was here…. Told me all the Goss from home so was a good crack! Cant believe has just arrived & I have to go home soon. Am totally gutted lol!!! But I'm sure that Ill be back! Ended up going home about 8ish as I was knackered lol… Naomi the Cser from Us cooked us a yummy vege lasange! Mmmmmmmm. Sunday I ended up going to the church. (Sunday day club) as we had got tickets for playing the day before… Everyone in the team thought they were too cool to go to the hideously classy club..(by classy I actually mean hideously trashy) Think ballardy music, weird totally unPC comedian, too many pissed people and a stripper who im sure I wasn’t imagining it stuck a marshmellow up her twat!!(too much information I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Anyways I said that I would take the tickets so I took along a few of my friends and a few of their friends… Was a good day, afterwards we headed to eat chinese at Chopchop and then to the walkie to dance the nightaway!!! So at the moment my body totally hates me and wants to curl up into a little ball & go to sleep!!! But im at work pretending to work.. (Well I am actually working inbetween writing all this!)
I cant believe that time has gone so fast! I have just over 7 weeks left to shake my stuff in Londontown! Although this week is going to definitely be a detox week!!!
Havent really got any plans except for going to Rome on the 31st for a few days.. That’s my last hurah really. Am heading off to South America again for 3 months to do a study/trek on the indigeous people and then back to my host family for 1 month… After that a little travel before I get back to NZ 10 Sept.. Will be crashing with Chessa in Wellies so it should be all good in the hood! Looking forward to coming home.. Just to see whats the haps..
Anyways ive run out of steam! I hope that you are keeping well!!! Xxxxoooooo
Love you a million.

wanderlust

I have been feeling a little restless lately! My body wants to be on the road again, am getting over London! I am reading a book by Mary Morris - Nothing to Declare about travels in and around Mexico. That’s probably not helping my soul with its wanderlust! But it’s an amazing book.
I have been helping cease some of the travelling moving… urges(totally the wrong word but hey) by planning a trip to York for easter weekend, it’s a long way off but at least its something to look forward to. This weekend I didn’t really get up to much. On Friday night I went out with one of my work collegues and we got pretty slaughtered, I actually had a really nice night and came home with about 4 st. Patricks hats which I had stolen off peoples heads (oops) and the wrong fittness first bag. It actually worked out well in the end as I didn’t actually feel like going out on St.Patricks day and got to have nice snuggles in bed :)… Willesden Green is a hugely populated irish area though so all the leprochans were out in force and very drunk into the early hours…Prade during the day was ok aswell……
Im not sure if I have said but Ive joined the gym in preperation for my Inka Trek which I will be completing in June. So cross fingers for some fittness results :)… Last night I received my free massage which was gorgeous! X hope everyone is keeping well.

Over working for a living.

Although I will be sad to leave london, one thing that I really want me sad about leaving is my job. I am so over it it isnt even funny! I am sick of the people, although most of them are ok, they are just v.boring and institutionalised! Terribly boring, wife no kids but just so couply! Blah. And the work although ok when its busy is very stoppy starting and half the time I feel like I am killing my brain! I need to save me soul… Haha, ok im talking all very dramatic etc but its really feeling like that at the moment… a brain drain, but not of the country, a drain of my brain from my mind.. You can even see how I am writing that it’s the beginning of the end. However, it does give me a chance to sort out every aspect of my life. I keep getting glimpses in my everyday life etc of what I love doing and what I want to study once I get home but I really have no idea! I just know I don’t want to do this for the rest of the time. Anyway, end of my whinge, im off to try and find out what I want to do with my life. X

travellin thru.

Watched Transamerica last night... I think its a fabulous movie.. And love these lyrics by Dolly Parton.. They are so me. x

Well I can't tell you where I'm going, I'm not sure of where I've been But I know I must keep travelin' till my road comes to an end I'm out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it I'm a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit
Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' on
Questions I have many, answers but a few But we're here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth We've all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree And when I'm born again, you're gonna see a change in me
God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain Oh sweet Jesus if you're listening, keep me ever close to you As I'm stumblin', tumblin', wonderin', as I'm travelin' thru
I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru
Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it's hard to travel on But holdin' to each other, we don't have to walk alone When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly
Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when And I hope I'll see you down the road, you meant more than I knew As I was travelin', travelin', travelin', travelin', travelin' thru
I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', thru
I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru
Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home Oh sweet Jesus if you're out there, keep me ever close to you As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', as I'm travelin' thru

Rock on London

I went to see the Fashion exhibition in the National Potrait gallery on the weekend. I thought it was fabulous! I have just had such a good week in London the last few days. Its my 1st holiday in nearly 2 years (holiday meaning days off work that im not sick) to just be in and look around London. On Saturday night we went to this club/bar in the middle of the Chinatown street which had such nice and chilled music. One of emmis friends Uncles was playing there and it was amazing with the live band and DJ working together. FABULOUS. I loved it. And I really feel like I saw so much even though most of it were things that I had seen before. I mean I havent been to Greenwich in over a year even though I spent a huge chunk of my first few months there due to dossing with a friend there. Walking was so nice to rediscover things that you take for granted. Maybe it was just because I was seeing it through the eyes of my friends who had never been to London before. Very refreshing. HOWEVER This week I am looking forward to doing a whole lot of nothing! X

Rediscovering London.

Ive been having quite a fabulous week. A big change from the downer that I have been on since I got back from South Africa… :) Eeva my honarary sister has come over for a few weeks. On Friday I went up to meet them in Canterbury, So much fun and so quaint. I defiantely felt better going up there, everything the house, buildings streets looked so small compared to London. We had a really nice dinner & look around and went out etc…Its actually quite funny because I nearly ended up in Cambridge as Eeva told me that Emmi was living in Cambridge I had booked the tickets and everything but called emmi before I left work and she mentioned Canterbury…… Good thing that National Express has those supersaver deals!!! I was able to buy another ticket for £5
On Saturday morning we came back to London, although we didn’t get much accomplished throughout the whole day it was still really nice.
As Eevas bday was on Sunday we had a really nice night, we only went out to O'neils but everyone was in such a good drunk, dancing like crazy and just a huge fun night. Sunday I got up at 8am to show Meeri around London as she was leaving that night and it seemed a shame for her not to see stuff. So we did a nice walk, BuckinghamPalace through Green park, westminster & tube to Towerbridge, bus 15 to St. Pauls and back to Victoria where we met the other girls…… It was a really nice day and I ever saw a Pelican for the 1st time!!!! After Meeri left the rest of us went to Camden, the girls loved it and I even found some cute stuff for myself… I work so near there that I don’t often go and look because it seems so normal but it was a really nice night, we then just drunk fruli!! Such a nice fruit flavoured beer….. :) Ive been working this week but I have tomorrow(Thursday) and Friday off so that is really nice! Am looking forward to my 4 day weekend….

well its not poverty but............

Life has been a little random lately. I have yet again confirmed the fact that London sucks when you don’t have any money :) I havent really been up to that much, just trying to save some cash. Working to get more cash and becoming ever more depressed with the fact that soon my visa is going to run out! (well 4 months sounds like forever but its really not. I mean all this time has gone so fast.) January totally slipped by without me realising it! . Anyways that’s all I really have time for. (I know, im thinking the same aswell…. What is the point? ) x

Just some SA pics

Just a few pics from South Africa, its a totally different world from London! it snowed yesterday night, it was so funny I woke up and was making my sandwiches and the whole world was covered in white. V.cool, however in typical style all of it had gone by the time I left work so there was no time to play with it! Ive been a little down since I got back, But hopefully things are on the up.

South Africa

Well coming back to the Uk has been a huge downer after South Africa! I came from the nicest weather ever to some sort of storm which has blown all of london all over the place. South Africa was so amazing. I loved it, I loved the sunshine, the people and Capetown is so amazing, it was so nice to meet Ralphs family also after hearing so much about them but not putting a face to a name, they are the kindest people ever, I cant wait for him to meet my whanau. I think my favourite day was the day when we went on the wine trail. Ive always wanted to do one and to my shame even though im from NZ I never have but it was really amazing. The day was perfect the people were nice, I got to touch a cheeter and we had an amazing night out aswell. Going to SA also made me miss home so much its so similar to NZ but so different at the same time, I guess the whole feel was a lot more similar than a lot of other places that I have been and the going out was pretty much the same. I guess im going through this weird thing now when I feel like settling down here in London and not living the so crazy drunken life that I have been living up until now so I can save money etc. But I know that I cant so im stuck in a little bit of a rut as I just wanna have fun! :) Oh well we will see what happens……In the mean time ill sit here freezing in London! Its so freaking cold at the moment! My ears are so shocked with the climate change. Oh well. Peace love and happiness.
X
Gabrielle
PS fotos to follow they are so gorgeous!

Feliz ano nuevo :)

:) Im off to Souh Africa tonight woop! Just sitting here waiting for this day to pass so that I can get the tube to the airport, doing some of that menial stuff called work. (as well as writing on here) . Its so exciting. I have never been to South Africa before! I also cant wait to see Ralph again. New Years was nice, extremely drunk, but good clean fun. Hope that everyone had a nice one. I cant think im too excited. Best just to buckle down and work! x