This might seem geeky but a few of you have asked me for some travel tips, so here you go...
1. Take a XL Kathmandu towel & their stretchy clothesline. Key!
2. Utilise the free McDonalds wireless around the world! They are good for something finally (I didnt just say that!). Trains and busses have wireless more often than you think too - and power plugs!
3. Utilize your hand luggage quota (usually 10kg, but check) and do a self check in - just remember not to put in your bottled goodies over 100mls - they will ping you!
4. If you're going around Europe, these are good websites to keep in mind:
skyscanner.net - all airlines. really good!
edreams.co.uk - mainly just for UK, but use it to compare with skyscanner
wizzair.com - really cheap airline from/to quite random but great places esp. in eastern europe
seat61.com - trains
hostelbookers.com
hostelworld.com (cant remember which one, but one of them has no commission fee - but good to compare the availability of different hostels with both too)
couchsurfing.org - just choose to stay with the people with the most amount of recommendations/good feedback and you should be sweet!
5. Wear backpack/satchel/handbag on the front/side of you and try and keep one of your hands over or on it, particularly whilst you are in busy tourist spots. You wont have issues if youre just smart about it - I didnt have any, but I heard of a few people who were just a tad complacent. Pretty obvious stuff really! Bum bags, although they may be making a comeback are actually so unnecessary & make you stand out more I reckon!
6. Take over or buy a cheap phone that takes Sim cards, or use Skype (in McDs) for free calls to computers and very cheap calls to land lines and mobiles everywhere in world! Yabba cards are also very good to use at payphones - like 4c a minute from Europe to NZ. Sheeeep!
7. Have a copy of your passport/visa/insurance & spare visa card
8. Get on the plane and GO EXPLORE!!!
p.s if any of you are going to Europe let me know - I have quite a few friends around the place who would love to look after you!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Schools back kiddies.
My back is aching chronically. The sea was a bit choppy this morning you see.
Got up nice and early and ventured over to the main island in our harbour, Rangitoto, with Sam and Grace in the Thoms' wee inflatable. Such a fun adventure, particularly getting to the summit!
This trip basically reflects the last two weeks being home. It has been FANTASTIC with myself and my friends having totally embraced the beautiful Hauraki Gulf & general surrounds of Auckland. It has certainly helped that the weather has been STUNNING - cannot believe it is wintertime! The atmosphere was certainly different in Sweden during winter where the snow fell for around three months - no boating possible then!
Group trip to Huia Beach and the Waitaks. Perfect day for sausage rolls & pies at the most incredible lookout point!!
View of Auckland city-scape from Paratai Drive - 10 sec walk from my house!
Grace on the boat before one of our trips - this time to Takapuna for a Hot Chocolate.
Dinner together with good friends before we went hardout with the Kareoke!
My friend Malcolm stoked with the adventure over to and up Browns Island. Glorious day.
View from Mt Vic at night. STUNNING 360degree views of all of Ak City.
No girl time can be complete without tea & cupcakes!
The continual days on the water with friends is coming to an end for the time being as most of us start back at university next week. Basically I am taking a whopping 5 papers; Company Law, International Business for Small and Medium sized businesses, IB in Europe, HR and Policies and Geography Research Methods (which includes a tasty little 2 week trip in the mid-semester break!). Should be a pretty full on semester, but since I can see the light at the end of tunnel, with it being my last semester of my Conjoint Bachelor of Commerce (International Business) and Arts (Geography), I think I'll power through, no probs. Well, thats a lie, but you get the idea. Also will be doing some coaching at Murrays Bay closer towards Summer - will be fun to see the gorgeous kids again that I used to coach and introduce some newbies to the great sport that sailing is.
I know I did of an all over the place 'where to' post a week or so ago. Luckily my head is a bit clearer now! Phewf! The general plan following the completion of my degree is to hangout with friends for New Years and the first half of January at both holiday houses in Whangaparoa and Queenstown, then from Queenstown be a traveller again, but this time in my own country for the remainder of Jan and all of Feb. Im thinking working on vineyards or orchards will be the way to do it. Ill probably keep the travel just to the S.Island. Have a few friends keen at this stage to join me for at least a little bit, so we shall see what eventually happens!
In short, I'll end up working in Auckland for all of next year, hopefully at least in part with some interior designers, as I have decided to bite the bullet and head over to Australia for a year to do an Interior Design Diploma at CATC. This will most likely kick off at the beginning of 2012. Really looking forward to both actually LIVING in Auckland, having money to live out of home & pay off loans & save for Oz, as well as having weekends free to hangout with friends, follow my sewing&craft passion and do more sports - something I have felt has not been possible whilst being at university and saving to do my big trip to Sweden.
I absolutely LOVE my friends here in Auckland and it will be the last year in which a large majority will still be around, so I want to embrace the fun vibes and friendship whilst living in the same place! Have a lot of friends planning to move to Oz also around the same time as me, so thats a bit fun! Plus of course my parents, brother Scott & beautiful grandma Emmy live in Auckland, so theres good reason to stick around!
It does seem on the outskirts like a bit of a change of career going from doing International Business and Geography to Interior Design, but the two former certainly have helped in many ways in both areas of personal growth and knowledge that I can definitely use in whatever career path I go on. I have just come to the place where I cannot deny my desire to be in the creative industry - I even started up my own Interior Design business at the age of 10 called Blur Rush (dont know what I was thinking), for goodness sakes!! Dad was pretty much the only one who got my business card. Hopefully when I eventually get my own company, the clientele stretch a bit further than it did then.
Remember you Swedes, that if you can get me a job in Norway over your summer next year that will pay for itself, I'll totally be there in a flash and stay for a few months! AND get to see you wonderful people again! Ohh fun idea!
Speaking of which, I have such affection for both Sweden and the people now. Crazy how much I felt strangely at home in Sweden in many ways - my friends from NZ got a bit offended when I mentioned in a passing comment whilst I was overseas that I almost felt more affiliated with Sweden than NZ. Ouch. Since being back in NZ, I know that I certainly do feel affiliated with NZ (how can I not? I grew up here), but that there are aspects of Sweden that I also love too. None is better, they just are. Golly it was an incredible trip and one I will always remember as being freeing and happy. Im sure you've gathered that from all my posts! I feel extremely blessed and very thankful to the Big Man. Quite overwhelmed actually!
I am so glad that the transition back has not been difficult (yet?). Sure, it was really hard saying goodbye to my close friends that I had made on my travels, but like one of them described it certainly was bittersweet - leaving great people and places, yet being reunited with other great people and places. Plus with good friends (made a solid and top quality handful while in Sweden) its never goodbye, but see you soon instead. Of course with technology these days its quite easy to keep in touch too. I know that I was supposed to be in Sweden for the year been, but i also feel very strongly that NZ and specifically Auckland is where my heart is supposed to be now and in the near future, so that makes things a heck of a lot easier in terms of settling in. I just have to run with it.
Life is fluid too - things dont stop and start as quickly or severely as we make them out to be lots of the time. If we try and live in the short term in a long term way, then it sure is fluid, in a really good way. The person you are, although altering slightly depending on situations and people, at the core remans the same wherever you are geographically. Such a valuable thing to keep aware of and not let it be inhibiting, but freeing instead. I certainly have learnt how to relax into life a lot more by simplifying my life, doing what I truly am passionate about and knowing that things always do work out in the end, as long as we have a good dose of determination and perseverance balanced with the ability to see when to slow down and let things unfold for themselves.
There you go. My life and thoughts in a nutshell. For those of you in NZ, if I havent seen you yet, lets totally meet up soon for a sweet catchup and for those of you in Sweden or in other weird and wonderful places in this weird and wonderful world, let me know how you are! Always love to hear what is going on. Know you are totally welcome to stay and have a personal tour guide if you head over to the Pacific Region!
Thanks again to all of you for your love, support and encouragement. Must go and help mother with creating a family tree - having a big family reunion from mum's side tomorrow night at my place which should be interesting and fun!
x Micheken.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Clouds - Elephant & Castle
Don't you just love clouds? I loved how on my flight from Bangkok to Auckland they looked like castles...or elephants...both actually. Fluffy, voluptuous & creating the most fascinating of forms. I just wanted to go and explore. At least in my delirious state. Maybe that's where the London suburb got its name, I pondered?! Good name for a design company.
Nonetheless, I wont forget the sight.
Check out this blog post about clouds. Looks like there are others out there like me.
Nonetheless, I wont forget the sight.
Check out this blog post about clouds. Looks like there are others out there like me.
Clothing labels: New Zealand
Here is a list of what I think are the best clothing labels in New Zealand. Gosh, we sure do have some talented designers. You Swedes, be sure to check them out - they'll be heading to your shores soon!
Clothing labels: Sweden
This has been a while coming. Have a field day looking through the comprehensive list below of clothing labels from Sweden. Although they all vary in price and functionality, what I love about all of them is their clean yet edgy & deceivingly bold use of cuts, colour & fabric. Having lived there, it seems like the general populous seem to have an innate sense of style and an eye for choosing flattering clothing, so it's no surprise that such neat and more often than not, wearable clothes, come out of Sweden. Must be something in their blood.
Att.
If you are visiting Sweden, be sure to check out the following stores in addition to the self-labelled stores above. Some of these stock a wide range of the labels above and others are great vintage shops. Also fun to have a look at their online catalogues.
More to come soon on Design shops that I discovered whilst living in Sweden. There are many!
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