Hello all
Hows life? is anyone out there? Theres nothing spectacular to report on at the present moment, except for yet another day sucessfuly fullfilled on the planet 🙂 Things are ticking along fine and dandy here in the Netherlands. I guess you are all wallowing in and complain about the heat back home. Still on around 7-9 degrees high in the day here on average. Im having my moments from time to time where the language barrier sends me into lonely isolation, but they’re only phases and tend to pass as fast as they came and im learning to relax and realise that everyone does speak english, i just need to find the guts to insitgate the conversation! Im getting reallly excited about Carnival! One of Pieters friends mother lent me a choice of costumes to choose from over the 4days. Im having to brace myself for our group of friends will start drinking around 1pm i imagine… we will see how many of the four days i can handle! But it sounds like some crazy loose fun so im looking forward to it! Haha! Ive been listening to the Pixies today and queezy loathing memories of our maple syrup skulling aftermath are tricking back into my mind. The Pixies albums on repeat for several hours blasting away while we all lie in sickly sweet consequence, sick to our stomachs! Thank god for the Pixies, im not sure i would have survived otherwise
Currently im trying to arrange myself to and from Montabaur in Germany where i plan to visit Annalena for about 4days … but ive only got this small window of time between a collection of events and carnival kicking off on the 2nd of Feb. so we will see how things unfold.
Best wishes to you all
Filed under: Holland & Europe, Life | Tags: beautiful, Europe, Goodtimes, history, London, photographs, Stories, summary of..., Travel
NB* For those not aware, be sure to read the roll over captions on the photos for content information 🙂
Day one: Stone Henge & Hampton Court Palace
Day Two: The Natural Histroy Museum & The Science Museum
Day Three: London Central, River Thames, Big Ben, Parliment Square, Horse Gaurds, Trafalgar Square & National Gallery
Day Four: The Tower of London
Day Five: Westminter Abby, St Pauls Cathedral and The Green & Hyde Gardens of London
Day Six: Windsor Castle & Buckingham palace
Day Seven: Home time
Filed under: Holland & Europe, Home; New Zealand, Life | Tags: Europe, kiwi, London, Travel
well yet another full on day, im now utterly exhausted and a little under the weather from a series of ciders at Ves bar! Ok.. so sunday is the `hardcores` night for those who fight mondayitis with a hangover! And as for Ves bar its home away from home for any london kiwi. And sure enough i bumped in to Warrick . yes Warrick the bar guy at Tussoc, Massey! aswell as Zara and two other keri high friends. There were two kiwi muso`s playing (maori), and they thoroughly kept the bar packed and moving to anything from Dave Dobin to Rage Against the Machine, solely on guitar and drums. Just awesome. Such a good atmosphere and about 70% kiwi. As for us, we all boogied till our hearts were content and limbs were weak!
Went to the tower of london today… and a ora striking service in the grand presence of St Pauls Cathedral… i didnt know such a spritual/religious place and the voice of a choir could send shivers down my spine like that… breathtakingly beautiful.
Back to the netherlands on the 23rd.. a post-ment of photos will be due then, but prompt movements to germany are likely soon after i arrive.
Well well well… yes its true, London is frightfully easy and to get around, and rather enjoyable i might add! I will be posting photos, but perhaps when im back in the Netherlands because any time off my feet right now is golden.So yesterday i conquered the Natural History Museum after 2.5 hours, and then went on to conquer the Science Museum in 3hours which was totally facinating!
Today i headed in earlier to fit a large part of the bridges and Thames river side in. I got a look at parliment square and with a view of Big Ben obviously! made my way round to the horse guards house, where they were doing their official thing… Mmmmmzz! Stunningly gorgeous horses!!
Hung out in Trafalgar square infront of the National Gallery for lunch before going in and spending 3 hours submersed in 1500-1700 century arts. Cezzanne,Van Gogh, Renior, Dega,Tunner to name a few of the big guns.I had audio guide which gave a critique, summary, history and analyis of the paintings and thier subjects which made it totally facinating and really enjoyable to sit on the gallery suites and study a single painting for about +/-5mins. Another full day tomorrow… St Pauls, Westminster Abby, Tower of London, Buckingham palace, gardens and windsor with a bit of luck before wednesday…
How was the BDO guys!?
Filed under: Holland & Europe, Life | Tags: Europe, kiwi, Life, moments, Nights Out, thoughts
Well.. thou hast just retreated to my aunty`s humble abode at 1am in south west london. My first 24hours in london/England have been eventfully filled with Hampton Court Palace this morning and The Stone Henge this afternoon, whilst recently followed up by night out in Fulham with five Kiwi lassies! I think its fair to say i have had a `minnor pivital moment` several hours ago whilst momentusly listening to Bon Jovi and drinking “Snake Bite*” in an Australian bar by the name of “The Slug” (LOL!). My minnor pivital moment was triggered by the lyrics “It’s my life – It’s now or never – I ain’t gonna live forever – I just want to live while I’m alive!” Haha! woohoo! go Bon Jovi! yeehaa! What a blast my thursday night has been, with the company of two highschool mates and three other kiwis tonight has totally lifted my spirits in the sense of making the most of now. i was experiencing my first mild and initial homesickness during the last few days but ive had a rattle and now things are back on track. Also id like to put a quiet word out there for a close friend that past away on the 17th of january 9yrs ago… always thinking of you xo
hope everyones safe and well back home… xo
NB* “Snake Bite” = A beverage consisting of a blend between Beer, Cider and redcurrent juice. Illegal in most countries except England due to the ambiguity of its alcohol content. … D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S-!
Filed under: Holland & Europe, Life | Tags: Life, London, moments, thoughts, Travel
Today is windy and rainy, and although this dictates my day to the indoors im rather enjoying this quiet time before launching myself into another part the big wide world tomorrow. The thought of London is simutaniously intimidating and enticing me or maybe its more the thought of traveling/disembarking on a journey alone that is causing me to feel that way… Im not judging the way im feeling just conscious of the way lifes situations have effect on me 🙂 Another positive out come of todays indoors weather has lead me to a relapsed appreciation for the Smashing Pumpkins!
Hope you all enjoy the BDO ! I’ll be there with you, front row moshing to Rage! 😛
Update in a week when im back from London.
Filed under: Holland & Europe | Tags: beautiful, Goodtimes, history, Holland, photographs, summary of..., Travel
What a beautful little city oozing with history, style, eliquence and age. We had chosen our day well for there was a huge market on in the central square when we arrived. There was such diverse amount of stalls and a huge variety of gormet food that made it difficult to decide upon where to lunch! However we wisely chose to dine from an Italian cart. It was so simplistically sumptuous that i was almost convinced to make Italy next on my agenda. There were some beautiful churches and the architecture was stunning, it looked as though Rapunzel was going to let down her long hair out of a towering window! 😛
all in all a very pleasant day indeed
Filed under: Holland & Europe, Life | Tags: home sweet home, kiwi, Life, moments, thoughts
It has come to my attention that this blog is more than likely to be subconsciously satsfying my own yearning to stay in contact with everyone back home rather than others to stay in contact with me. However this is a concept that resides with me fine, if indeed it is the case. I am strong diary writter for those who know me well and i tend to keep my lifes contemplations and such like primarly a relationship between paper and pen where i find it more enjoyable. I believe it will probably remain that way, however after reading through others personal ramblings its rather inspiring to purge ones thoughts on random matters of the mind publically too.Perhaps this has all come to surface since my mum gave me a book “The Power of Now ; A Spiritual Guide to Enlightenment”
… anyways photos and a report on my day in Maastricht soon.
Filed under: Holland & Europe | Tags: Holland, Life, moments, photographs, thoughts, Travel
Hey all
These are a few pictures of a 20km loop we biked the other day into Belgium and back to Holland. Im getting back into running and fitness so this is a scenic way to get back into it.
On the 16th Jan im going by train to London , im leaving from Belgium a hop skip across the border becasue its cheaper than leaving from Holland. Im going to stay with my aunty, and meet up with Zara with a bit of luck Sach! shes really keen to catch up, and would like to do a spot of sight seeing and i’ll probably go out with her on thursday night when im there. Im staying a week. Then im back to Holland a probably within a few days heading to Germany to spend 3-5days and causing mischief with Anna Lena. “Carnival” is on in Holland at the begining of feb. Its huge and celebrated everywhere in every town. Basically you dress up suuuuper wacky listen to even crazier spastic carnival music whilst consuming alchol over a duration of 4 days. Pieter and i plan to stay for it and then decide upon a plan of travel over the two weeks he has off work. spain? italy? maybe greece? we will see
peace out dudes
xo
Filed under: Holland & Europe | Tags: beautiful, coolness, Holland, photographs, summary of..., thoughts, Travel
Horray for posting photos for all you precious people back home ! Here they are just for you 🙂
First are of a walk to a sanctury lake in Belgium less than 10 km from pieters home. Then theres the city of Endihoven, Pieter and i went out to dinner there and saw the ice sculpture exhibition thats on as part of a winter festival thing.. It was very impressive… some of the forms took months to complete! as expected when you see the detail!
Nothing too drastic planned at the moment just chilling out and pondering over a trip to London/England soon ish to see my aunty and also making sure i can see Anna-lena in Germany when see arrives in 3weeks ish. That and im reading up on places i’d like to go, but also following up thoughts on job ideas etc…. just letting the days come as they will
Alles goed hier!🙂
Life the universe and everything in between 
