Estrella of my life

Back in NZ well at least for a few months

2007-10-21T02:21:00.000-07:00

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

2007-07-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-10T06:05:00.001-07:00

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

2007-05-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

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

Arabic engagement???!?!?!

2007-05-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-04-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-03-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-03-08T04:28:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

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.

2007-02-14T03:28:00.000-08:00

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............

2007-02-08T06:16:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-25T06:16:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

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 :)

2007-01-03T02:08:00.000-08:00

:) 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

old school

2006-12-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

How funny. I just found a blog from about a year ago which I had only added 2 posts to... Last night I didnt get up to much but will probably go out for a few drinks tonight although I dont really feel like it. Anyways I have to go and buy an angel outfit for the party tomorrow night. Much love. So I will add it now, its funny how life changes. Anyways added are some london fotos. Much love to all over the new years time.
11-10-05
Once upon a time, a girl asked a guy
"Will you marry me?"
The guy said, "NO!"
And the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, dancing,camping, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook,had s*x with whomever she pleased and farted whenever she wanted.
THE END
Ok. My life is a little random at the moment. Im sick but I have had so many plans which has been tyring me out sososo much! I thought I was close to a breakdown.
The thing is its just so hard to decide weather I should go out(and have loads of fun) or stay home and get better.(I know which one makes more sense but I have been choosing the going out one. My life has been a little random so if you havent heard the beginings of it it will be a little random. But Ive been a bit of a slut with this NZ guy and a South African guy. The NZ guy and me both know(im sure especially since he keeps talking to me about this girl that he has a crush on) So its just a really weird experience in which I dont really want to end.

The South African guy I actually met at a party that I went to on the weekend at a Brasilian friends house, it was quality since it was the 1st house party since I have been here. As you can imagine I got a little drunkish. But it was just so much fun not to be going out to the clubs where you have to make your way home afterwards. I just ended up crashing on these guys floor and sleeping there til about 2 in the afternoon.

.current situation.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Ok. Things are weird at the moment.Ive moved to London. Great Step. Im having some of the most funtimes in my life>But theres still something missing>Thoughts on my mind at the moment>Troy, Troy, Troy. 1st love who I feel like I will love forever. Ive gotten over him. But I cant let go.Maybe it would just be better to stop contact?Travel. The whole reason I came to Europe was to travel and explore. But im just so freaking broke.How do people do it?......... Ive booked a ticket for 15 December to Sweden and then my plans are to go to Sweden and onto Denmark. Im sure that Im going to do it.
Ive got the All Blacks vs. Scotland game on 25th November which I am REALLY looking forward to.Going out. Working. Sleeping. Im always tired. I just cant seem to get out of the routine of sleeping.
Marco. This Brasilian guy that im sort of seeing. Ideally I like how the situation is, I see him every once and a while, I stay at his. We have fun. Hes cute. We talk, We sleep together. But sometimes I find myself missing him.I dont know if I want that. I want to be single. Independent. Am I one of those people who cant be without a guy>But the snuggling is so perfect. And the kisses on my neck.
I dont know.

Finlandy xmas

2006-12-29T03:12:00.000-08:00

Did you know that NZ school children are allowed to write in Text languages in exams. I had no idea about it. I am so ashamed of my coutry for that. Its ridiculous! I was in Finland when my friend told me.

Anyways onto brighter news. I hope that everyones xmas was really nice. I was in Finland with Eeva and her family. It was honestly so nice! It snowed and it was so nice. Sauna was actually nicer than I remembered in summer and I was much more relaxed that I have been in ages. We went for walks and ate way too much food including those Karelin Pirkka which I love!!! And slept and all the time. It was a really nice xmas. Apart from the fact that it literally took me the whole day to get home with all different types of transport (Car, train, bus, plane, bus, tube, walk…home!) after waking up at 9 in the morning with a mild hangover. But it was all worth it.

Coming into work the next day was a bit of a downer but it really cheered me up when it only took 20 mins to get into work compared with the normal 40+! And Eeva is going to come to London in February so that’s really nice! Am not so sure what im up to for new years yet but I will keep you posted. x

Fortrum & Mason

2006-12-20T01:30:00.000-08:00

Is amazing! I went there last night, I could have stayed there looking at the food forever! The packaging. There was a huge honey with the honeycomb in. Its just gorgeous! x Merry xmas.

Emo

2006-12-19T07:42:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little blah and tired but excited about all my travel plans. I Am honestly counting down the days until Friday when I go to Finland!! Then a few days slogging it out at work & im off to South Africa.

Am going to walk to Fortrum & Mason tonight with a girl from work as shes trying to help me xmas shop. (I was bitching about not being able to earlier) It will be nice, shes older and I need a mother figure conversation. Surrounded by people her own age all the time a girl could go crazy! Definitely missing the hug factor with Ralph away. He is like my family here. Tonight am going to catch up with a friend who is leaving before I get back from South Africa, we flatted together awhile ago, its so weird the turnover of people in London, at first its really sad when people leave and then you are upset but its just so normal to have people going all over the place all the time. Tomorrow night im going to crash at my friends ebs house and do dinner and a sleepover type thing. She is my closest friend in London but we seem to have drifted apart a little with our lives so it will be nice to have a chat.

Then Thursday I plan to devote soley to packing & Friday its flying time. X .g.

sending you my letter home.

2006-12-19T04:58:00.000-08:00

Good morning my querida family, friends & randoms conocidos that are receiving this email :)
Just sending you out the thoughts and hugs, kisses, imaginary presents that I have to give! Wishing you a merry xmas and a fabulous new year! I Hope that you really do enjoy the warmer weather that there is to offer if your in the sun! BBQs and please someone eat a packet of twist

I hope that you have a marvelous xmas. I have been troubled by thoughts lately that I possibly placed my parcels & xmas cards in the wrong bag when I went to the post office, (so typical of me, spend the money to send them home & stick them in the wrong bag!) SO it would be really nice to know if you or you hear of anyone receiving theirs. Just to calm me. I sent them last Wednesday.

Xmas life here is hectic. You can hardley move in central london for all the shoppers etc. Traffic basically come to a standstill & you would not believe the amount of tourists that there are! behind that all it is still nice. People are giving out free cups of coffee & tea & hot chocolates in the morning outside the tube which is really nice! I really love having a hot drink to start me off in the morning, It really is getting to be really freezing here. Everywhere is cold. They have this amazing thing they call central heating but as far as I can see its just a load of crock really. No place I have been it works properly! (true story!!!) Its either so hot that you are going to suffocate (much better in some ways) or you feel on slightly hotter than you would outside….

How are things on your side of the world? I hope that they are not too cold! Global warming can be a bitch right? I am looking forward to this Friday so I can go to Finland yayayayyay! Another white xmas… Although I didn’t ask if its snowing…..It was funny because I was talking with sis yesterday about what I should wear and she was all like. Warm clothes but its not that cold this year, its only -5deg. I was like, you do know that in NZ it would NEVER EVER GET THAT COLD! So wish me luck! |ts out in the country so it will just be hugely relaxing and hanging out with Eeva & her family. I cant wait to go! I fly out quite early in the morning but still late enough to have sufficient sleep. I think it’s the 1st time ive ever actually had a sensible flight! I mean I normally fly out at like 6 in the morning and back like 1ish… Cheap flights :) which just means that you have to gt up at 3 in the morning or stay up until 3 in the mornnig to get there on time…

Madrid was really nice, as I have been there before it was more about tapas/drinks/cafes all the things that I really enjoy! And everytime I go back to spain I just want to move there! Mum if you ever do go to live there im definitely coming. Its amazing the difference in temperature from the summer to the winter! In summer the temps are around 45degs. But they were around more like 0deg this time. Summer was unbearable. But I found this weather really nice. Although temps were colder than london there was still sun which you don’t really see in London.

Anyway ive been babbling on about nothing really. I really hope that you all have a fabulous xmas and new year and eat loads of yummy nz food! X

Gabrielle

To everyone that’s also away from home have a great xmas whatever your doing eat drink & be merry!

Madrid

2006-12-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Well I just got back from my weekend in Madrid and I loved it. It was the total opposite of when I was there last summer. American tourists were replaced with spanish tourists & spanish locals toting wigs (pelucas) & masks. The unbearable heat was replaced with a cold chill but the sun was a nice relief. As I feel like I havent had sun touch my face in what feels like months in London. The sightseeing trek was replaced with more coffees and tapas and delicious food overall. (perfect for a real foodie) and speaking with random spanish people. I just had a wonderful weekend just what I needed.

I have always found travelling relaxing, from the moment I get into the airport I feel like im at home. I feel calm waiting for my flight and love the time out on the flight where you cant really be interupted by normal life for a few hours. I love just knowing the way that airports work and how to get from A-B.
However as my flight left rather early in the morning for luton. As I live rather close to Brent Cross & a night bus goes there I decided to catch the green line from there. But ive never found anything harder to find than that greenline bus stop! I ended up wandering around all these random bridges and underpasses trying to find it! In the end I rung up TFL and I really want to put this out there. They were so amazingly helpful unlike ever before! I just wanted to hug the guy when he told me where the bus stop was even though it wasn’t a TFL bus. So go TFL!

The day I arrived I found the girls camped out in this cute little café/coffeeshop/bar. It was nice, we walked around Madrid etc that day and took off to Salamanca. Salamanca is gorgeous! I loved it. I think the people were just so friendly & I had such a good time! But I don’t mean to go on too much!
X
Sending holiday wishes home to everyone everywhere. x

My life exsists in the weekend

2006-12-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

Well my life in London has been all over the place lately. Ralph headed home for his xmas break last Monday so I have been all alone :(. Which has been quite an experience. Ive been sick so Friday night I spent the night in watching DVDs with the girl whose sharing my room for the moment helping out with rent etc. Saturday I decided it was finally time that I caught up with ebs so I went round to her house for lunch which was really nice. She made fish etc. Then I headed to the spanish meetup meeting which I love. I always manage to meet really interesting people there and its loads of fun to speak spanish etc.

As previously planned I had to head off to my cousins bday party. I was so not in the mood, I was still feeling a little sick and I just couldn’t be bothered. I ended up meeting up with Charlotte and her boyfriend Jimmy which ended up being loads of fun. We went all over town. Yates, trash, pitcher & piano, revolution bar to the garden bar in convent garden. But everything kept closing on us. Hard to believe that in a big cosmopolitan city things are closing earlier than or at the same time as my small; NZ city. After the Garden Bar closed we ended up meeting up with Char & Jimmys gay work collegue outside astoria. So we ended up going out to this gay bar in Vauxhall fire. It was so much fun. Dancing like mad, gay guys(fit gay guys) with their tops off everywhere and loads of straight guys aswell! It was just so randomly not like the normal Saturday night.

Ive been to gay bars before but nothing like this.I think it was so beautiful. The way everyone just was so themselves. Like they normally cant be. Anyway we eneded up leaving at around 9.45 in the morning, As I had previously had plans to go and meet a friend at 10 to show him around London(newbie) I decided to go and meet him at Buckingham Palace where we had planned to meet the night before when I was sober. So I rock up to Buckingham Palace off my tits. Just one of those funny moments, you know your standing outside the queens house absolutely trashed. :) I liked it :). Haha Anyways I was too tired to walk around with him so we just took off to Camden to eat some chinese and then I headed home to sleep for the rest of the day. Bliss. Got up at 6ish to watch the holiday which I throughly enjoyed. Im a romantic comedy freak.
So weekend was nice. Im tired and off. x

living for food & good times :)

2006-11-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

Well I had one of those great weekends where everything and nothing happens all at once!
Friday night we had our netball prizegiving we had won our grade so being the only person there from my team I must have been a hysterical sight struggling to run for the last tubes with 10 trophies a little pissed so laughing hysterically at everything…. :) But the trophies arrived home safe which is good as last time I fell flat on my face on the district line, lost the back of my cell and smashed 1/2 of the trophies.. So just to know that this time they arrived intact! :)
Saturday was a pretty relaxing a rugby day. Missioned it to Putney to meet up with the antipoedian crowd to watch the All Blacks play the Welsh, after all the drama about the Haka not being done on the field we finally settled down and managed to get well drunk. Ended up in She bu belushis and munched on an Aussie pie on my way home….. I really have to stop going to She bu, I always get so wasted there, thank god I don’t live there!
Sunday was my favourite type of day. I met up with about 8 couchsurfers and we went to for Dim Sum, this cute little chinese guy steve took us to one of his favourite restaurants, ordered nearly most of the menu for us to try and it was orgasmically good! I loved the food, it was amazing! I have never had chinese as good. We sat having good conversation and the best meal out I have had in a long time. Afterwards we just went for coffee and I went home…to sleep :) I love weekends in London, so much to do!
I also managed to finally sign up for the american green card lottery, so wish me luck! I wanna go to New York! X

X
.g.

2006-11-21T06:53:00.000-08:00

I just got back from Dublin for a netball tournament against some teams there, which was fun as always its quite nice going back to a place that you know. I love going away for the weekend. Getting there was a total mission though, I didn’t end up catching up with everyone in Dublin until around 9 and I left work at about 1 so it took forever. The security is so tight at the moment in the airports. I had my showergel and shampoo and impulses taken off me. (I always try to travel just with handluggage on short trips.)
Overall the weekend was so much fun we went out on Friday night in temple (tourist mecca of Dublin) and played netball all Saturday. (My body is aching!) and then went out again on Saturday night(this time on the other side of the river.)I didn’t do any sightseeing this time as I have on my other trips but I met this really nice Irish guy who was hanging out with some of the other players when I said as my flight was so late on Sunday that I could hang with him the next day and to my surprise he did come and pick me up! We just laxed out watching TV all day, yum cooked eggs & Bacon breakfast & then went to have dinner drinks & watch the \Aussie, Irish Rugby game. I was pretty neutral but it was a nice game.. Got to know the other MNA players better aswell. Were back to work again now so hopefully this week flies by as im already sick of working!
X
.g.

inspiration from the past.

2006-11-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

Random thoughtsIm sitting at work.It just makes me feel quite useless at the moment theres not really any challenge.I pass my time planning my trips away and emailing other people who do nothing in their jobs either.Have been thinking a lot about going to New York to live after here, its just looking a little impossible at the moment. Im going to enter the Greencard lottery for 2008.Going out for dinner with the girls tonight to a surprise venue with a happy hour(always a must). Should be nice, I feel like getting tipsy. Ive been loving walking around the London streets lately, it actually hit me soon after I started this blog that I have started to take all these things for granted that are amazing.
I remember getting with Alice out of the tube at Picadilly circus and being so extatically happy running and jumping and just marvelling at everything, laughing when it started raining, eatting lunch in a little coffee shop off a random alley way. Try as I might I cant refind this shop! As we were so lost that day I have no idea were it was, although it must have been somewhere close to leister sq, piccadilly area.Now I just complain about the rain and walk with my head down. Most of the time, every once in a while the beauty of London hits you and you just smile :) Have a good day.

weekend meanderings

2006-11-14T04:47:00.000-08:00

Well Ralph is finally getting better! Am V.happy. My weekend was nice/busy/not too drunken for a change. Friday night we just relaxed with a DVD, Longstory short, Docu about geeky american trying to get a date with Drew Barrymore. Actually quite funny. http://www.mydatewithdrew.com Saturday we had to be out of the house due to some problem with the heating (don’t you love shared houses) while my sick bf went to lax out with his mates, I finally entered the great museum land of London (After 1 1/2 years), I went to the V&A to see the exhitbiton about Leonardo DiVinci and looked around, I was so entrigued by everything, I like how they have set it all out. Then went to the Shakespeare globe and did the tour. I cant wait until May when the season shows start again. Our guide was so excited about everything. It was so nice to just be by myself for a change as im always with Ralph/friends/at work or on the tube.
Then popped to the spanish meetin for about an hour as I had an hour to kill…that speaks for itself, tis always enjoyable to speak spanish…
Then went to the Clapham Grand to see a comedy show. It was actually quite crap! Drunk Canadians trying to be comedians just doesn’t float my boat. The Bethnal Green one is so much better! So we just got drunk :)
Sunday was nice aswell, Tea on Edgeware Road with Ebs, then to the football in Acton to watch the game with Ralph & Friends.
Later that night me and Ralph went to see all lights on Oxford Street. I love them! I think they are amazing! They are definitely better than the Feilding lights which used to excite me so much as a kid! Now im a bit giant adult kid jumping up and down to be in London.
Last night we went to a Caburlesque show again in Clapham which was really groovy, old school dances, singing to an old school music hall theme. V.cool. So you can see I was really loving having the zone1-2 pass this week instead of my normal bus pass! :)
x.g.

Flying high in the sky!

2006-11-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

Its funny how some days you can be so down and then something totally turns it around. I was having such a crap day due to Ralph being all sick with his unknown disease. (We spent the other night in A&E as they were concerned he had menegitis) But now they have no idea whats wrong and he is just getting worse and worse. So was sitting in work just worrying about that.
Anyways The evening Standard just called me and told me that I won a trip for 2 on a hot air Balloon! That’s so cool and exciting as I only brought the paper so I had a chance to win :) I cant stop smiling! I cant wait to tell Ralph, maybe that will make him feel a little better!
Am glad it’s the weekend as it’s a chance to relax after the week of work etc! :) Are going to the Comedy Carnival in Clapham tomorrow night with some friends so that should be funny, Kiwi/Aussie people are usually funny whether theyre comedians or not!
May also go and check out the tour at the Shakespeares Globe. Sending out much love.
X .g.

Season with a smile

2006-11-09T02:42:00.000-08:00

I absolutely loved summer in London, I loved all the free festivals, The sitting in beer gardens, BBQs(or Braiis for my boyfriend), sunbathing on the roof with my flatmates, beach trips, Free BBQs at the redback, The english people who I had previously believed were a semi dead race of sorrys and pardons that only came alive with a few drinks of alcohol began to have personalitys in the summer, the clothes were brighter and people greeted each other. Every corner that you turned there were things going on. I think Europeans just appreciate summer much more than we do at home. I remember being in Birmingham visiting a friend of mine, on one of the 1st Summer days she is a typically white british girl and got totally sunburnt but she couldn’t make herself stop sitting in the sun. I managed to forget some of the long dreary days of the winter I had just lived through…. And now its started again! And its all coming back to me! Its dark when I get up in the morning! Dark when I leave work at night, theres a chill inside of me which doesn’t go away once it starts….. But ive lived through this before, there are some good things about winter aswell! I means xmas is coming up (Finland Trip yay) and New Years, its no wonder that everyone gets so excited by them here! And if things are looking too dreary I cant forget that im going to the South African summer for 2 weeks in January! And if it gets too bad I can alwys watch a DVD. So bring it on winter! I can take it. X .G.

Blogging in London

2006-11-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

After discovering a post on gumtree during my working hours which seem to consist of 10 minutes work here and there inbetween internet time. (This system of hiring people who do no work amazes me, having talked to so many people also working in offices who do nothing all day aswell) Anyway I have decided at long last to create a blog of the random moments and thoughts that happen in London. The world of blogs has long been intriguing me. So lets see how it goes. Wish me luck.
Much love .G.