Below are the 15 most recent journal entries recorded in travellingmooz's LiveJournal:

Monday, April 14th, 2008
10:24 am	Home time I travel home today. I am really sad about it but lookin at my bag after one last shopping trip it is probably a good thing because I am running out of space! I love this place. So much to catch up on on here with photos and what not and I'll endeavour to do that when I get back to the UK as I've been having some uploading issues and I've only had time to make bullet points in my journal. Highlight of the trip though? Getting a hands length away from 3 month old seal pups and swimming with 400 dolphins. There are no words to describe how that felt. I lost the swimming in circles race I had with a couple though I was fully expecting that. hehe Not looking forward to the 40 hour trip home I just hope they have changed the films on the plane! Current Mood: sad Current Music: Tappy tappy tappy (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
8:26 pm	I have returned. I am sore but I am happy. The walking hurt my feet - blisters. The biking hurt my legs - I fell off but if you'd seen the track you would not have been surprised, I'm really proud I did it and apparently fairly quickly and well too! The kayaking hurts my arms - currently I cannot lift my arms above my head without pain but the fact that I was less than a hands length away from at least 8 seal pups swimming and sitting on rocks let alone the other lagoons we visited means I really dont give a damn. The biking ended up being just me and the guide - they normally cancel and the kayaking was me, the guide and two others, all excellent paddlers and we had perfect conditions, possibly the best day in the season according to the guide. I'm in Nelson about to go watch a movie and I'm wine tasting tomorrow. Hopefully this shall help the pain ;) Current Mood: Exhausted but in a good way Current Music: Movie (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 6th, 2008
12:23 pm	Fly by post as I wait for the water taxi to arrive. I am off for a day walk today by myself through Abel Tasman, water taxi to Anchorage then I wander back, hopefully before it gets dark! :) Dont worry its a 4 hours walk there will be time. Tomorrow I am doing a hike then mountain biking down from 1000m up then staying on a aquabackpackers hostel - its a boat - and then sea kayak all of the next day. Staying in Abel Tasman longer than planned as its beautiful and should be fun. One net terminal and a lack of time to use it so you prob wont hear from me for the next 3/4 days. I'll come back on and check stuff tonight. Hope all are well. Hugs Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Chatter (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
4:41 pm	Shockingly enough I seem not to have enough time to properly update this as I would want to, methinks I shall be doing a few backdated entries once I have returned. Along with many embedded images which will go something along the lines of: Lakes and Mountains x many Ice x many Skydiving x many Birds x many Dolphins x many I apologise now but I will make sure I dont subject you all to every photo... well not you parentals, you get to see every last one :D I have yet to watch the skydiving dvd, I fear looking like a bit of a prat to be honest. I think I'll leave it till I have got home. In Dunedin atm, its raining, its the first properly grey and rainy day I've had which is not too bad. I've booked to see Penguins, Seals and Albatross (what is the plural of albatross!?) / (insert image of me being crazy lady on a cliff recreating the monty python albatross sketch to an actual albatross) hence the fact that there will be many pictures of birds for people to see as well as scenary :D The hostel is cool, used to be a hopsital and is quite an old building, reminds me a bit of OH :) Am half way through the trip and really dont want to come back. Bugger. Have been hanging around with some excellent people - a lot of whom seem to be Irish so there has been a fair amount of drinking - am doing my best to represent England, so far so good. Am looking forward to wandering around a couple of places by myself, still never been properly alone with the scenery, I want a nice day, my ipod and a good long ponderment, that and a good ol looking at the stars session. I've been amusing one of the lads Paul by getting all excited on a clear night. He thinks I'm a bit mad, he is probably right. The bus journeys are good though I tend to nap, the bus drivers keep telling us information which is lovely but sometimes I'd like them to shut up so I can listen to my music and continue the pondering session. For now I shall go and get a book and read I think. Current Mood: peaceful Current Music: Tappy tappy tappy (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 31st, 2008
9:54 am	I'M ALIVE! :D I am alive! Sorry for not getting in touch! I was trying to jump out of a plane for 3 days and I didnt think you wanted to hear that. I did it, have fab photos and a dvd, havent watched it yet - it was amazing, I want to do it again and again, so quiet up there. Am in Queenstown currently, going to be here for at least today. Been going out with people I have met here - some fab clubs, think I might do the canyon swing somepoint. :) Yeay for scary things that dont seem to actually scare me... worrying! Right gotta run, need to check out of room. Current Music: None :) (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
4:26 pm	I'm alive! People have messaged me cos I didnt send em an email lately, you know who you are, huggles. I'm in Wanaka, I have about 100 photos from the glacier trip - I'm going to deal with that later as I am in a fairly slow and spensive internet cafe atm. But yes just wanted to let people know I am ok. Current Mood: awake Current Music: Random stuff in cafe (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008
6:54 pm	Franz Josef I have sucessfully left Cassie and Coles place, I was alone for all of a minute before I started talking to a girl called Kate. She is also staying at the YHA I am at and we were on the bus together, she has also now booked to be on the same Glacier Walk as me tomorrow morning. Woo. You are never really alone when travelling alone. :) Am at Franz Josef and have seen the start of the Glacier - from about 8km away. There havent been anymore photos on facebook lately but expect a lot more tomorrow. Anyone who is at work who isnt my friend on facebook but wants to see pics let me know and I will give you access. Am currently in a bus on the net. The sun is setting so will go out and take some pics in a bit.  They have wow on here... worrying... Am safe and the hostel is nice, saved self cash by buying microwaveable risotto in Greymouth and having it for tea, shared with Kate as I really wasnt going to eat that much. I think our plan is to wander and buy some wine. I really do like this place. My reading this back it is a disjointed entry.... if I was at work I would bullet point it. Current Mood: amused Current Music: Whatever they have on in the background! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, March 24th, 2008
11:10 pm	Tomorrow I move on from Greymouth, onto Franz Josef the Glacier which takes 3 odd hours to get to. Am all booked in with the hostel and I have my Glacier walk booked for Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it, need to sort some lunch to take. At this point in time Snakes on a Plane is on in the background - the best piece of shit ever to hit the cinema, its so bad its good. But yes the screaming is distracting me! I've been having a very peaceful and relaxed time but now its time to step things up a gear. Lots to see and do. Hopefully less bites to get on my feet. Seriously its like spotting constellations, thank god for Piriton which stops the ridiculous itching. Am starting to miss people at home a little, not homesick just a bit like I want you all here with me. Its the random convos that am missing I think.  I have had so much bad food! I need to embrace exercise and fruit I feel. When I get back I do want / need to get fitter. Hmmm parentals maybe we could look into finally getting the bike to Reading? Anywho gonna write a bit in my journal which I am behind on and then get some sleep before packing up tomorrow. Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Snakes on a Plane (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
1:31 pm	Easter Weekend Here in NZ they dont really do anything special for Easter which is fine by me, the only issue is shops shut. On Friday we went to Punikaiki and yesterday we went to Nelson. Puni was fab, Cass drove me there and we wandered around the beach, it was so lovely and hot. We stopped for lunch then went and looked at the Pancake Rocks, a Cavern and then went in a river to cool down. Well we went to walk in the river a little and Cass splashed me and the war began, I eventually gave in and just sat down in the water :D Nelson was a different day as we left at 6.30 am... this is the reason why I slept till 11 today! Nelson was nice, I finally got a pair of Jandels - Flip flops - and a book. Books here are expensive! Cass and Cole were looking at houses so I wandered around and read in the sun. Today is a rest day, I am gonna have lunch then at 3 we are going out for a walk. Current Mood: sleepy Current Music: Cricket (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 21st, 2008
8:44 am	Its 8.44am......Outing day! Its early morning and Cass woke me up cos she knew I'd want to take pictures :) I am very much in this time zone now, didnt really have jet lag thank god just fell into the timing. There are photos up at facebook, I know some people arent on there so as soon as I can I will link to some on here but I've been chatting on msn for a while and at somepoitn need to go and get dressed so I dont think it will be now that the linking happens. Let me explain the many lots of photos from yesterday, there are Greymouth town and then there is the set from the drive we took around Cole's parents farm. It was huge and gorgeous and I uploaded only a taste of the photos cos I really took a lot more. Then there was food and drink and the set of me and Cass, only uploaded some because quite frankly the others werent flattering... though hilarous hehe This mornings were the 6 from the field over the road, I love my camera, you can see in one the set of trees that I then took a close up of. For a little thing it aitn half bad :) Today we are going on an outing so there will be more! Its called Punaikaikae - (Punakaiki - the kiwis just spent 5 mins trying to spell it, I feel better now) its not spelt like that thats just how you say it... I have no idea how to spell it and I cannae be assed to look it up. Ok a photo from each day... The viaduct on the way back, they didnt have this before 1999 and they went a crazy assed way instead, very steep, lots of rocks, zig zagging, crazy road. I am very pleased I didnt come before 1999!!! Random lake on the drive through, there were about 4 lakes and 12 million rivers.... I love this place This was on the farm, I say farm, the land, not all of it is actually farm. This morning, the paddock - I wrote field.. I was told off - over the road. Ok I lied... one from each day wasnt going to happen Hee! Current Mood: bouncy Current Music: NZ TV (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 19th, 2008
4:36 pm	Here Safe Hello! After what ended up being 39 hours of travelling I am here, I am showered and I am currently minding the 1 month old bulldog :) There will be a more detailed post about the flight and afterwards but my notepad is in the other room ;) Its 4.37pm and I look on track to be awake until tonight, considering I have had 6 hours of very interrupted sleep over the past 48 or so hours I am quite pleased with this!  Cole picked me up at the airport (Cassies husband - Cassie is the girl I met when working at the Ordnance Survey) and drove me to theirs which was a 3 hours or so drive from east coast to west coast through the southern alps. The sky was completely clear and bright blue. I cannot even describe how beautiful it was (yes we stopped to I could take pics a lot!), hopefully later tonight when I have their permission I'll use the comp to upload some pics. But yes am here, am safe. Huggles to all Current Mood: sleepy Current Music: TV (25 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 17th, 2008
8:58 am	45 mins.... Thank you for all the fab messages, I promise I will take care and do everything I can to be safe - well apart from the jumping out of a plan bit but I'll make sure the person I am strapped to knows what cables to pull when. 45 mins till I leave for the airport. See you Wednesday :) Current Mood: loved Current Music: Radio 1 (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 14th, 2008
10:44 am	Ok,  last day at work, taking 5 mins to update this as I know tonight it isnt going to happen. (Yes I realise work people can read this blog hopefully they will forgive me the time ;) ) I tidied last night, gave myself a heartattack not being able to find passport for a minute - it was in fact where I left it but sneakily hiding under a book. I have little piles now but the main packing will be tonight until I get back to Soton where I shall play the game, 'lets pack the bag, change my mind, pack again' which unsurprisingly gets less amusing as time goes on. I'm hoping I can get back to Soton by 8 so I can go to Guides there and see them as its been over 8 months and I miss them! (Yes in Southampton my guides was on a friday night but it was over by 9 allowing for festivities to commence after) Am now in a very anticipatory mood. Excited but also a little unnerved just because I'm not there and people keep talking about me being brave... it really honestly didnt occur to me as a brave thing, I want to go, others cant for various reasons so I'll go by myself. Am I crazy? *shrugs* I know mum thinks so with the jumping out of a plane plan. Anywho more updates at the weekend for now I'm going to chase my last bits of work down. Current Mood: jubilant Current Music: Tappy tappy tappy of the keyboard... (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
4:53 pm	How is February nearly done?! Seriously! Ok so now its 19 days to go... I have nothing properly planned and a slight panic is there that its all going to go horribly wrong. However considering I dont want to book anything till I am there and I know roughly where I want to go its just the what to pack question. I shall address this soon and in worst case I shall address this the weekend before I go.... I really need to call Cassie Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Sam Sparro (Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008
11:48 pm	Starting to plan In 40 days I am going to New Zealand. I have spent the past few hours reading my travel guide and deciding what I want to do. I am beyond excited. I cannot wait. Life here is good but complex and there is just not enough hours in the day to keep up with what I want to and to stay in touch with those I want to, I need a break and some me time. A month sounds like the perfect amount, too long to just be a holiday not so long it eats up all my holiday from work. The fact that I will change jobs then helps too because I'll be able to come back from the trip and just press delete on most things in my work inbox. :D I've had this booked for nearly 6 months, well the flights at least and its come around very quickly. I'm worrying about silly things like keeping my ipod charged during the 24 hours of travelling there and back as I walk to work but quite frankly though stressful its great. Roll on March 16th Current Mood: excited Current Music: Zero 7 (Comment on this)