New Zealand with more words this time!
Jan. 27th, 2010 04:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
betRight, I got around to writing some of this stuff down so... here it is.
1. Traveling while fat.
Airline New Zealand has smaller seats than Iceland Air. Apparently we have more big viking men or something because New Zealand also has an obesity problem so I´m guessing the big seats in Iceland Air were to accomodate The World´s Strongest Men! Ho yeah. But yes, I had a bit of a problem because the remote to the in-air entertainment was in the arm rest and I fit very snugly into that seat. Getting the remote? Hassle! Especially when trying not to bother the man sitting next to me. Entirely unfair was that the two people in my row were very thin people but I was the only one with someone in front of me who enjoyed leaning back a lot! Booo. I was fine most of the trip though, very comfortable, slept a lot. It was just those times where I had to eat and mess with the remote that were difficult! There were fatter people than me on the flight, I wonder how they got on.
2. Traveling in general.
I got window seats and they were both by the wing. I was waiting for that imp to appear out there at any given moment. In Heathrow they decided I was a dangerous looking thing (it was the octopus, I just know it) so I was a part of that handful of people who got a surprise extra search. Nothing too invasive fortunately! The girl who went through my bag was very nice. The airports are amusingly different. Iceland has this "You've landed on the moon' feel to it, complete with a very alien like sculpture of a jet coming out of an egg. Þotuhreiður=jet nest. Heathrow is ... gross. You look out the window and all you see is construction and mud. Lots and lots of mud. I didn't see much of the L.A. airport other than it was relatively clean and all techno babble. The Auckland airport in contrast was all shiny and clean, surrounded by green with the ocean near by. Entering the station there was a huge maori carving so it was pretty nice. Also, what's with all the solicitors in Heathrow? It really doesn't feel like a proper airport at all with all the salesmen around there.
3. Ameeeerica.
Wow, Americans are paranoid. So, every airport has layers. There's the outer layer where anyone can come and go as they please. Then the inner layer where you cannot enter without a boarding pass, passport and heavy duty search of luggage and person. And on top of that there's the inner-inner layer where you can only enter after going through all that stuff on the inner layer and then need to show your passport and boarding pass again. Dear L.A. I never got to leave the inner-inner layer of the airport. I didn't get more than about 40 feet away from the airplane at all times. Is it really necessary to take my fingerprints, scan my retina and take my picture? Really? Really really? Highly amused. But security is good, I guess, yes yes.
I kind of wanted to just stop flying when I went through there. Postpone my New Zealand flights for two days and wander off to see if I could track down some lj friends. I was -tired- and omg in the neighborhood of people I never get to see! But on I went, taking my u-turn in the hall, cracking bad jokes at the woman taking my prints and then taking advantage of the free drinks and chips. Thanks America, you may be a bit crazy, but you gave me soda and chips so I forgive you. Also, LAX... Lax means salmon in Icelandic so my brain was, in it's tired punny state, going, "The doubtful Salmon, hahahah". Oh dear..
4. Last word on trip.
Turbulance turns me on and I love watching strangers. Strangers can be very sexy as long as they don't talk to you. It would have been more fun to travel with someone, preferably someone I could have played Top or Bottom with! On the way from L.A. to New Zealand the view of the moon out my window was that of a cheshire grin. Awesomes.
5. New Zealand.
Pretty airport, as stated earlier and awesome weather. The plane was late so I failed at the whole buying a sim-card thing I had planned to do. Walked between terminals in the good weather and made it just in time to board the plane. Fortunately, despite not being able to call, I found dad waiting for me in New Plymouth. HUGGING COMMENCES. Matt joined us there and more hugging commenced. It was great to see them, looking good and very huggable. We drove up to the farm, far shorter a trip than my teenage self had felt it was. Once there I met three lovely ladies I haven't seen in 18 years. Elwyn (that's dad's wife), Janet (her sister) and Barbara (their mom). I took a shower and despite not feeling tired I conked out for a few hours afterward.
6. Family.
That night we went to dinner at Matt's place. Matt is one of my brothers (half of the twins, the other half couldn't make it). My sister Katy was there with her fiance Shannon and there was much rejoicing and reunioning. She's so pretty! Adding to it is how kind she is, she just radiates it. Matt's girlfriend Kendall cooked the most delicious healthy food ever for us, granted she cooked all sorts but I liked the healthy stuff best! Non-fat pizza, loads of veggies and lovely, melty goodness. It's tempting to steal her with me to Iceland but I'll behave. Both So's of siblings are in other words approved of, Shannon was really nice too. Janet took loads of great pictures which have been posted already.
7. Farm.
Not much to do up here but I don't get bored easily and I have GADGETS. I'm mostly just hanging out with Elwyn and dad, chatting, or browsing the net, or playing Zelda on my gameboy... I do try to help a little of course! A walk every day if I can help it, the land around here is so pretty. I've met the cows. Big things that they are, they are scared of me. It is of course their only defense system as dad pointed out - being skeptical of strangers.
It's still hilarious and kind of a relief. These are big things with hooves, I was a little wary of them myself until me merely walking along made them get all jittery and wobble back down the path they were coming up, just so they didn't have to pass me! Ah they're cute, despite their snot and messy nature.
There's also chicken here, or 'chooks' and they have a very old dog called Meg (that's Meeg for you people who don't know the kiwi accent). She's a timid little thing and she has those sad eyes old dogs often have. The chicken in the past have always been let out to run around if they want but these are 'naughty chook' who just attack the gardens so they get to go nowhere. NAUGHTY CHOOKS *amused*. The younger cows that don't milk yet are now in front of the house, right out there on the other side of a hedge. Hah, they're so cute. And noisy!
8. Town.
On Monday dad took me to town to get a sim card and adapters as all my electronics were running out of juice. I thought I needed to stop by the bank first but no. Dad hands me a card and tells me I can use that. Uhm. A bit awkward at first, I've never been that girl who goes shopping with her dad's card and I had no idea how much I could use or how little would be weird and so commence inward flailing. Turns out the card IS FOR ME. He's saved up money and it's... mine. How sweet is that? :o I haven't spent any of my own money since coming here... I feel a bit odd about that but yay!
9. More food.
On Monday night John, Matt, Kendall and Barbara came over for dinner. Jesse cooked super yummi food stuffs, lasagna and potato things with minced meat. Om nom nom nom. Sadly, Katy and Shannon couldn't come, Katy wasn't feeling too great and there was some drama with their friends. Wedding plans were discussed and Kendall assigned as the feminine one in the group. Elwyn and I are tomboys, oh yes.
10. Birds.
There are so many of them here! Finches, Pukikos, sparrows and I even caught a glimpse of a hawk the other day. Elwyn told me a great story of the Pukikos. A few years ago she saw two pukikos attacking a hawk. They had it on its back and were picking at its chest feathers. The hawk had no doubt been after their eggs. Elwyn ran home and got a box and went back out there to get the hawk. She was certain it would just die overnight but hawks are her favorite birds and she felt she had to do something. So she put it in the cupboard with a hot water bottle and towels. The next day she went to check on it (expecting it to be dead) and it's sitting there, looking at her suspiciously. Oops? With some help from the guys she got it out and let it go. Hawk rescuer! So cool.
The pukikos are quite amusing and we forgive them this aggression since they were protecting themselves.
11. Bugs.
"Haha New Zealand is trying to kill you too!" said Deb when I told her about the great Bee(he)moth that was slamming against the window the other night. It was probably four times bigger than the other moths and had a body that reminded me of a bee. Stripey, thin, hairless. Turned out to be a Huhu Beetle. I got Elwyn to verify that the next day with my oh so blurry photos. The damn thing just wouldn't stay still! All in all I'm very glad for the fly-nets that have been installed on all windows. I do have a George. A George is the name I give any and all spiders that decide to take up residence in my room and I do haev one now. As long as George doesn´t spread babies all over, she can stay.
12. Pub.
Last night we went to a pub quiz. Man I thought I'd be good at that but I barely knew a thing! Jesse, my youngest brother, took me to the pub where we met up with the twins and their friends, Amy, Kelly and Simon. Turns out we're the only newcomers and everyone else is a regular. Oh dear. We called ourselves the Eggheads (I wanted puffins but oh well!) and at least we didn't come in LAST. Third last was a bit better. Better than second last too! :P
12. Dreams.
Yeeeah. The other night I dreamt I was someone else and I married Odin. Yes, THE Odin, the god of gods. I wasn't very nice though, my in-dream family wanted to separate us and I ended up killing my in-dream father because of it. Or Odin did, it's a bit fuzzy. Then I terrorized the children because that's "what you're supposed to do in these times". Lovely. But man oh man did I love my man-god. o.O
13. Health.
Ah yes. Well, I've been fairly good but I have also had to fight off a few spells of feeling fat, dumb, out of place and all that. It's going well so far and I think all the light and the bird songs really help. Elwyn is a joy to talk to and that helps too. I've fallen back into just staying in bed for a while even after I wake up but not too dramatically so it doesn't really worry me. I also find I'm fairly content and I find it easy to get things done so that's a plus.
Extra.
Australia. Yeah, I considered going there to visit Deb but holy fuck I can't afford it... :P
Just looked up the prices last night and yeeeeah. Oh well :/
1. Traveling while fat.
Airline New Zealand has smaller seats than Iceland Air. Apparently we have more big viking men or something because New Zealand also has an obesity problem so I´m guessing the big seats in Iceland Air were to accomodate The World´s Strongest Men! Ho yeah. But yes, I had a bit of a problem because the remote to the in-air entertainment was in the arm rest and I fit very snugly into that seat. Getting the remote? Hassle! Especially when trying not to bother the man sitting next to me. Entirely unfair was that the two people in my row were very thin people but I was the only one with someone in front of me who enjoyed leaning back a lot! Booo. I was fine most of the trip though, very comfortable, slept a lot. It was just those times where I had to eat and mess with the remote that were difficult! There were fatter people than me on the flight, I wonder how they got on.
2. Traveling in general.
I got window seats and they were both by the wing. I was waiting for that imp to appear out there at any given moment. In Heathrow they decided I was a dangerous looking thing (it was the octopus, I just know it) so I was a part of that handful of people who got a surprise extra search. Nothing too invasive fortunately! The girl who went through my bag was very nice. The airports are amusingly different. Iceland has this "You've landed on the moon' feel to it, complete with a very alien like sculpture of a jet coming out of an egg. Þotuhreiður=jet nest. Heathrow is ... gross. You look out the window and all you see is construction and mud. Lots and lots of mud. I didn't see much of the L.A. airport other than it was relatively clean and all techno babble. The Auckland airport in contrast was all shiny and clean, surrounded by green with the ocean near by. Entering the station there was a huge maori carving so it was pretty nice. Also, what's with all the solicitors in Heathrow? It really doesn't feel like a proper airport at all with all the salesmen around there.
3. Ameeeerica.
Wow, Americans are paranoid. So, every airport has layers. There's the outer layer where anyone can come and go as they please. Then the inner layer where you cannot enter without a boarding pass, passport and heavy duty search of luggage and person. And on top of that there's the inner-inner layer where you can only enter after going through all that stuff on the inner layer and then need to show your passport and boarding pass again. Dear L.A. I never got to leave the inner-inner layer of the airport. I didn't get more than about 40 feet away from the airplane at all times. Is it really necessary to take my fingerprints, scan my retina and take my picture? Really? Really really? Highly amused. But security is good, I guess, yes yes.
I kind of wanted to just stop flying when I went through there. Postpone my New Zealand flights for two days and wander off to see if I could track down some lj friends. I was -tired- and omg in the neighborhood of people I never get to see! But on I went, taking my u-turn in the hall, cracking bad jokes at the woman taking my prints and then taking advantage of the free drinks and chips. Thanks America, you may be a bit crazy, but you gave me soda and chips so I forgive you. Also, LAX... Lax means salmon in Icelandic so my brain was, in it's tired punny state, going, "The doubtful Salmon, hahahah". Oh dear..
4. Last word on trip.
Turbulance turns me on and I love watching strangers. Strangers can be very sexy as long as they don't talk to you. It would have been more fun to travel with someone, preferably someone I could have played Top or Bottom with! On the way from L.A. to New Zealand the view of the moon out my window was that of a cheshire grin. Awesomes.
5. New Zealand.
Pretty airport, as stated earlier and awesome weather. The plane was late so I failed at the whole buying a sim-card thing I had planned to do. Walked between terminals in the good weather and made it just in time to board the plane. Fortunately, despite not being able to call, I found dad waiting for me in New Plymouth. HUGGING COMMENCES. Matt joined us there and more hugging commenced. It was great to see them, looking good and very huggable. We drove up to the farm, far shorter a trip than my teenage self had felt it was. Once there I met three lovely ladies I haven't seen in 18 years. Elwyn (that's dad's wife), Janet (her sister) and Barbara (their mom). I took a shower and despite not feeling tired I conked out for a few hours afterward.
6. Family.
That night we went to dinner at Matt's place. Matt is one of my brothers (half of the twins, the other half couldn't make it). My sister Katy was there with her fiance Shannon and there was much rejoicing and reunioning. She's so pretty! Adding to it is how kind she is, she just radiates it. Matt's girlfriend Kendall cooked the most delicious healthy food ever for us, granted she cooked all sorts but I liked the healthy stuff best! Non-fat pizza, loads of veggies and lovely, melty goodness. It's tempting to steal her with me to Iceland but I'll behave. Both So's of siblings are in other words approved of, Shannon was really nice too. Janet took loads of great pictures which have been posted already.
7. Farm.
Not much to do up here but I don't get bored easily and I have GADGETS. I'm mostly just hanging out with Elwyn and dad, chatting, or browsing the net, or playing Zelda on my gameboy... I do try to help a little of course! A walk every day if I can help it, the land around here is so pretty. I've met the cows. Big things that they are, they are scared of me. It is of course their only defense system as dad pointed out - being skeptical of strangers. It's still hilarious and kind of a relief. These are big things with hooves, I was a little wary of them myself until me merely walking along made them get all jittery and wobble back down the path they were coming up, just so they didn't have to pass me! Ah they're cute, despite their snot and messy nature.
There's also chicken here, or 'chooks' and they have a very old dog called Meg (that's Meeg for you people who don't know the kiwi accent). She's a timid little thing and she has those sad eyes old dogs often have. The chicken in the past have always been let out to run around if they want but these are 'naughty chook' who just attack the gardens so they get to go nowhere. NAUGHTY CHOOKS *amused*. The younger cows that don't milk yet are now in front of the house, right out there on the other side of a hedge. Hah, they're so cute. And noisy!
8. Town.
On Monday dad took me to town to get a sim card and adapters as all my electronics were running out of juice. I thought I needed to stop by the bank first but no. Dad hands me a card and tells me I can use that. Uhm. A bit awkward at first, I've never been that girl who goes shopping with her dad's card and I had no idea how much I could use or how little would be weird and so commence inward flailing. Turns out the card IS FOR ME. He's saved up money and it's... mine. How sweet is that? :o I haven't spent any of my own money since coming here... I feel a bit odd about that but yay!
9. More food.
On Monday night John, Matt, Kendall and Barbara came over for dinner. Jesse cooked super yummi food stuffs, lasagna and potato things with minced meat. Om nom nom nom. Sadly, Katy and Shannon couldn't come, Katy wasn't feeling too great and there was some drama with their friends. Wedding plans were discussed and Kendall assigned as the feminine one in the group. Elwyn and I are tomboys, oh yes.10. Birds.
There are so many of them here! Finches, Pukikos, sparrows and I even caught a glimpse of a hawk the other day. Elwyn told me a great story of the Pukikos. A few years ago she saw two pukikos attacking a hawk. They had it on its back and were picking at its chest feathers. The hawk had no doubt been after their eggs. Elwyn ran home and got a box and went back out there to get the hawk. She was certain it would just die overnight but hawks are her favorite birds and she felt she had to do something. So she put it in the cupboard with a hot water bottle and towels. The next day she went to check on it (expecting it to be dead) and it's sitting there, looking at her suspiciously. Oops? With some help from the guys she got it out and let it go. Hawk rescuer! So cool.
The pukikos are quite amusing and we forgive them this aggression since they were protecting themselves.
11. Bugs.
"Haha New Zealand is trying to kill you too!" said Deb when I told her about the great Bee(he)moth that was slamming against the window the other night. It was probably four times bigger than the other moths and had a body that reminded me of a bee. Stripey, thin, hairless. Turned out to be a Huhu Beetle. I got Elwyn to verify that the next day with my oh so blurry photos. The damn thing just wouldn't stay still! All in all I'm very glad for the fly-nets that have been installed on all windows. I do have a George. A George is the name I give any and all spiders that decide to take up residence in my room and I do haev one now. As long as George doesn´t spread babies all over, she can stay.
12. Pub.
Last night we went to a pub quiz. Man I thought I'd be good at that but I barely knew a thing! Jesse, my youngest brother, took me to the pub where we met up with the twins and their friends, Amy, Kelly and Simon. Turns out we're the only newcomers and everyone else is a regular. Oh dear. We called ourselves the Eggheads (I wanted puffins but oh well!) and at least we didn't come in LAST. Third last was a bit better. Better than second last too! :P
12. Dreams.
Yeeeah. The other night I dreamt I was someone else and I married Odin. Yes, THE Odin, the god of gods. I wasn't very nice though, my in-dream family wanted to separate us and I ended up killing my in-dream father because of it. Or Odin did, it's a bit fuzzy. Then I terrorized the children because that's "what you're supposed to do in these times". Lovely. But man oh man did I love my man-god. o.O
13. Health.
Ah yes. Well, I've been fairly good but I have also had to fight off a few spells of feeling fat, dumb, out of place and all that. It's going well so far and I think all the light and the bird songs really help. Elwyn is a joy to talk to and that helps too. I've fallen back into just staying in bed for a while even after I wake up but not too dramatically so it doesn't really worry me. I also find I'm fairly content and I find it easy to get things done so that's a plus.
Extra.
Australia. Yeah, I considered going there to visit Deb but holy fuck I can't afford it... :P
Just looked up the prices last night and yeeeeah. Oh well :/