lust list

forever21.com

topshop.com

americanapparel.net

apple.com

lonelyplanet.com

amazon.com

rayban.com

pandora.com

jbhifi.com.au

wildpair.co.nz

anthropologie.com

christianlouboutin.com

that time of the year.

So, it's christmas time.
A time for us to eat, drink and be merry. A time to spend with loved ones. A time to reflect on the year gone by.

Every christmas the media mourn the loss of traditional christian values.
The church states that the commercialisation of religious holidays by conglomerates such as coca cola has made what was traditionally a time for reverence and reflection into a time of excess and greed.

In western cultures, this may be technically true. The orignal meaning of christmas has been lost by many young people. But is this really a bad thing?
Everyday we talk about society moving forward. We talk about demolishing the racial and religous divides that have created so many problems for so many years. We talk about a harmonious world - one that is open, one in which people have freedom of speech and freedom of belief.
But how can we do this when we stubbornly cling to old traditions, that have ultimately played a large part in so many conflicts? Christmas is a part of christian history, and that's where it should stay, in the past. Yes, we should recognise it, yes we should learn from it. But in a society that is changing so rapidly, we should also have the ability to evolve.

merry christmas :)

When God kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, everyone was pretty pissed off at Eve. Fair enough I suppose, I mean she did eat the forbidden fruit, even though she was told not to and millennia’s later, women are still being forced to pay for that supposed lapse in judgment (childbirth, anyone?!). Yes, when it comes to temptation, Eve screwed up big time. But is temptation really that bad? It seems to me that temptation (whether you ‘give in’ or not) builds character, so why avoid it like we do?

I found myself faced with a similar temptation just yesterday. I got something in the mail. It wasn’t an angry letter from the library demanding money, nor was it a bank statement.
I got a Christmas package.
And it’s taking every ounce of self control I have not to open it.
Ok, so I’m not dooming an entire species to an eternity of pain and misfortune (hello, childbirth…), but that’s beside the point. Temptation, in whatever form it may take, is temptation.

When faced with temptation such as this, most people (normal people), would take the “out of sight, out of mind” option. By hiding said temptation, they can basically deny its existence. But that sounds like a bit of a cop out to me. Temptation is about discovering inner strength and creating some self control. To hide from temptation is to remove any challenge from life.

I could have taken this route. I could have put my Christmas package in a high cupboard, or I could have pushed it into a deep dark corner, away from my prying eyes and curious mind. But where’s the fun in that? For the next 11 days, my Christmas package will take pride of place underneath our tree in the living room, staring me down and willing me to open it every time I enter the room.

Like I said, this is no Adam and Eve scenario, but it’s definitely going to be tough.
Good luck? Yes please.

hello, temptation...

change.

"Change is not merely neccesity to life - it is life."

That Alvin Toffler is a smart bloke. But.. I wish it wasn't true.

Change is a funny thing. You can't live with it, can't live without it. As soon as I begin to feel comfortable, and happy, and at peace, the cosmos just have to shake everything up.

To be able to trust someone is a big deal, especially for someone like me who finds it so hard to trust. This past year especially has been a rollercoaster. Constantly being thrown in to different situations and strange places. Having to befriend new people all the time. Learning to trust only to have them wrenched away from your grip is hard. And draining. And sad.

I'm in limbo. Auckland and its wonderful craziness is a distant memory and i'm back in the country. Hicktown. No Mans Land.

Square. Freaking. One.

Two years away from this place has certainly changed me, and for the good. But now i'm stuck. I've changed too much to really feel at home, at ease. And i've changed too much to be myself around my old friends. But I haven't changed enough to move on.

The few people who know the real me, love the real me and above all ACCEPT me for who I am are thousands of miles away, some I will see again, some I will not. And no matter how many stars I wish upon, I can't change that fact.

Change is supposed to be evidence of growth. But what if I don't want to grow? All I wanted was to stay in that little bubble of contentedness that the last two weeks of school brought me. Friends, laughter, and an understanding that it was all going to be sweet. That's what I wanted. Just for a little bit longer.

I can't wait to get back to Auckland. But I know, like everything else, it will all have changed. I keep on imagining this perfect little place and situation, but I know when I get there, everything will be different. New friends. New classes. New home. New flatmates. It will all be so very different, but so eerily familiar. I think that's the hardest thing to grasp.

You know, change may be inevitable, it may be essential to growth, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

the map

is underway. maybe i can get all states coloured by the end of next year?

procrastination = new best friend

Don't make me study.

Please don't make me study.

What should I be doing right now?

Studying.

What have I been doing?

Facebooking, skyping and writing this.

Obviously.

Exams in less than a week?

Pfffft.

You know for someone who desperately needs to maintain a decent grade average, i'm not doing much to achieve that right now! But you know what? I'm soooo over it. The sun is shining, the birds are tweeting and I can practically smell summer and freedom approaching.

I'm saying freedom in the loosest way possible, because when I say freedom I actually mean working my butt off towards my next goal. I've spent all weekend flashing my smile (and on occasion my cleavage) to potential employers. Why? Well as I said before, new year, new goal.

As much as I love NZ, I really can't stand the thought of being here for two straight years. And lets just say, stuff has happened this year that's really made me question my personal values. I'm not entirely happy with myself, and I need to shake things up a bit.

At this point we arrive at the new goal.

Study Abroad.

Yep, at the moment i'm in the process of applying to study Journalism and University of Missouri for a semester next year. And you know what? I CAN'T WAIT. It's just what I need, a new environment, somewhere where I can completely reinvent myself. No one will know me, I can be whoever I want with no expectations.

I'm lucky enough to have many good friends all over the US, and have had countless offers of transportation and accomodation throughout the country which will make everything a lot cheaper and a much more enjoyable experience!

So, this summer, the goal.

9 months to save $10,000... at least.

Good luck?

I'm gonna need it.

let me feel wind in my hair and sand between my toes

travel photogs.

since i haven't done this in a while.

that one time with the egg beater...

I’m sure my mother was perplexed when she walked in on the scene. My 18 year old brother, transfixed, with a look of terror on his face as he desperately tried to remove the egg beater from his mouth as I watched on with great satisfaction. Knowing all to well his foolish endeavour was down to my genius.

It all began with a bet, a dare, a challenge.
I was in the kitchen cooking. My brother walked in with a swagger. He knew he was older, wiser, stronger and could easily get his way. He nudged my 9 year old self aside, and fiddled with my baking utensils. As he stared intently at the electric egg beater a sudden moment of brilliance came over me, “I bet you couldn’t fit that in your mouth”.
The challenge.
His face flickered and for a brief moment I saw some uncertainty beneath that haughty façade. He knew that by rejecting the challenge he was consequently giving up his position of power.
He had to accept.

This was too good to miss, I watched with anticipation as he opened his mouth to accommodate the awkwardly shaped egg beater. This was going to be difficult. Much to my surprise, he managed it. A look of triumph crossed his face as he emitted a muffled cheer. He proceeded to remove the beater.
It wouldn’t budge.
Glee quickly turned to shock, confusion and finally fear as the realisation of what had just occurred hit him. I leant against the bench, arms crossed, chuckling with satisfaction as Mum hurried in to the room to see what all the noise was about.

I had done it. I managed to topple the one person I constantly have to live up to. It may have only been for a small moment in time and space, but the fact I can always say that at one point in my life I had the upper hand is all I need. I conquered the mountain, even if only for a day.

don't believe the hype

Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall have no other gods before Me. The bible is the cornerstone of Western society, the basis upon which millions of people live their lives by. An instrumental part of many people’s upbringing it has certainly influenced the development of world history and social order, but is religion held in the same regard as it was in today’s fast-paced, commercial society? Or is it just used as a tool to induce fear into the masses and capitalise on those people who know no better?

The history of the church is long and bloodied. Originally a source of support for the wearied and a home away from home, the church and its doctrines were the heart of the community. Though today’s world is very different, the ideals of the church are much the same. Brian Tamaki describes Destiny Church as a forward-thinking church for ‘the breakthrough generation’. A generation who are pressured to pay at least 10% of their income to the church (though this is called a ‘donation’), a generation that rather than subscribing to scriptures has to subscribe to a V.I.P club to receive the holy word (for a very small price of course, this is God’s word after all). It seems nothing these days, not even heaven itself is exempt from a cover charge.

American Pastor Creflo Dollar wants to change the world. He wants to do away with the immorality in today’s society and return to the spiritual roots we all share. A nice sentiment, but how to do this? Well, you could read his book Restoring Godly Families… fancy a change? Try Spiritual Makeover. Have a visual impairment? No problem, there’s an audio book. Who needs the Bible when you can read Creflo’s 8 Steps To Enlightenment. While you’re at it, make a donation. In 2006, Creflo’s ministries received nearly 70 million U.S dollars in donations. Enough to feed countless starving children in Africa… or enough for a swanky Malibu apartment, private Jet and college education for Pastor Creflo’s five charming children (all the epitome of grace and good breeding, I’m sure).

Belief in religion or a higher power often comes from fear of the unknown. ‘What if heaven exists?’, ‘What if there is a God?’, ‘What if I spend an eternity in hell because I stole a lollipop when I was 5 and didn’t repent?’. While living a moral and upstanding life is all well and good, living in constant fear of offending some higher power is not the way to live your life. Especially if you have more money than sense, and are willing to buy into the Jesus-hype.

Religion is not what it once was. It has changed from being an integral part of the community to being an excuse for people’s motives and judgements. It is not the charitable organisation it once was, it’s a commercialised, money-making scam that prays on the vulnerable, those who have nowhere else to go and those who have no-one to turn to. Religious leaders no longer care about guiding their congregation, all they care about is selling their merchandise and profiting on the misfortunes of the public. As a mass we need to question these self-proclaimed leaders and return to the original written word “for everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world”

why play it safe?

According to a famous Moroccan proverb, “He who has nothing to die for, has nothing to live for”. Society is constantly being told to live a life without regret, to live for the moment, to never look back. Easier said than done, we all seem to embrace these sentiments, yet they are never followed through. We continue to accept situations as they are, to work with what we have rather than fight for what we want. We all know, that in life it is better to err on the side of adventure than play it safe, so why don’t we follow through?

Life is about growth, to be able to emotionally grow and mature is a rite every human-being is entitled to. When you live a life without adventure, you are unlikely to realise your full potential. By constantly playing it safe, you may live a decent life, you may be content to a certain extent, but you will never truly know what you are capable of. When you push the boundaries, ask things people long to hear but are to afraid to ask and always try to live a life that you can look back on without regret of opportunities missed, not only do you continually learn about human nature and the people around you, you also learn a great deal about yourself and your capabilities. It is only through recognising your own strengths and faults, and having the ability to accept and improve on them, that you will be able to blossom into adulthood.

A part of living life on the adventurous side is taking risks. Risk comes from the fear of the undecided and is something that will be avoided at all costs by anyone who wants to play it safe. However, taking risks often bears the greatest rewards. When you plunge head first into something with no idea on what the outcome will be, whether it’s a risky business enterprise or throwing yourself out of an aeroplane, every emotion is magnified. The exhilaration of taking the first step. The happiness in the realisation that you can achieve more than you thought you could. The feeling of fulfilment and pride in the knowledge that instead of following the path set out for you, you took a chance, and it paid off. To take a risk, is to take a chance in life, and in yourself.

High achievers are often the ones that take risks, this is what separates them from ‘ordinary folk’. Virgil wrote over 2,000 years ago that “Fortune sides with him who dares”. Good fortune doesn’t come to us, we are the ones that need to go to it through taking risks and making the most out of the only life we have. By leaving the security net behind, and deciding to face the fears we are constantly trapped behind, you are only strengthening your own inner resolve.

Yes, by living on the adventurous side of life you will be scared. Terrified, even. There will be times where you have no idea what is going to appear around the corner. There will be risk involved, and it will not always pay off. But aren’t all these things what make being a human so unique? We have the choice, and the opportunity to be whoever we want to be and do whatever we want to do. We only live once, so why just feel content? Or mediocre? When you play it safe, follow a plan, don’t occasionally take the gravel road, you will never truly know what it’s like to experience life.

they say a picture says a thousand words

which is lucky because i've done a lot and can't really be bothered writing about it, so my life in pictures, thus far...

So that's the past month and a bit in a nutshell, saying goodbye to my beautiful american friends was hard... but I know it isn't the last time i'm seeing them which makes things so much easier. I have so many opportunities to travel or do whatever I want. It's not like it's used be, i'm not expected to just marry and have children. I can have a career, if I want. I can travel, if I want... the world is my oyster and it's such a liberating, wonderful feeling.

This won't be updated for a few more weeks. I've just started back at classes and have 4 assignments (that's one for each paper) all due in the same week in 3 weeks time. You would think the paper coordinators would at least consult each other to see when assignments were due... but no.

Oh well, I guess I just gotta get it done.

xo :)

Mad TV- Can I have ur number? (mad funny)

own dat ponytail! WORK DAT UP DO!

Mark Watson - Cracker Highlights (2008)

Mark Watson is coming to NZ.

12-17 of May I believe.

I tried to get tickets to see him at the Edinburgh Fringe fest but he sold out in like a day. Anyone keen???

living the dream

In a haze of illness, stress, assignments, parties, beer pong, alcohol, crazy dancing and fun I seemed to have arrived at the end of the first half of semester one!

I am completely in love with my life in auckland, I love the city, I love my flat, I love all of the amazing people i've met.... pretty much i've just got a lot of love to give! For now though I am back in good old Morrinsville, surrounded by trees, cows and not much else! It's very different to bustling Auckland but I like its serenity. I'm here for around 10 days before I go back to the big smoke.

The past few weeks have been crazy busy, I was sick on and off for a couple of weeks which was not fun. I ended up surrendering and going to the (free) doctor who gave me steroids which cleared everything up the day I started taking them. Go figure.

I've also handed my first assignments in for each class, 3 essays. So now i've got a bit of breathing space but in the 3 weeks after I get back I have 2 essays, 1 oral presentation and a short film to hand in (along with my birthday). Then later I have exams and 2 more assignments and i'm all done for the semester!

Socially, i've also been having a great time. A few weeks ago we took over a bus and headed out to one tree hill where we ate, drank and were merry. Of course in typical Fran style I managed to fall over and make a dick out of myself. Can't even blame it on the alcohol because I hadn't been drinking.... it was 100% me!! Ah well, my clumsiness was bound to come out sometime, better earlier than later!

I've also been out several times, most recently was Bethy's birthday extravaganza over wednesday and thursday night. Wednesday night included beer pong, a fantastic cake, 2-for-1 drinks and globe and the obligatory white lady:

Thursday night was party time at Cassette Number Nine, cocktails in teapots, park shenannigans, drinking wine the classy way (ie straight out of the bottle), naked man, sign stealing (almost) and a game of drunk soccer.

Speaking of Wednesday night beer pong, I lost my pong virginity about 3 weeks ago. So so SO much fun! I'm rubbish but i'll pick it up quickly. I need to. Gotta catch my skills up, it's an art form I tell you!

That's all from me for now, i've been far too lazy this last week. Am kind of lagging behind so this weekend will be lots of work I think! Will hopefully write before I head back to Auckland. If I have anything interesting to write, that is.

Bye for now :)

right in the deep end!

Two weeks into my uni course and like the title says i've been thrown right in the deep end! I said I would write once i've found something interesting to talk about but to be honest i've been so preoccupied with my essays (all three of them) that all my writing energy has been going into those!
My first week of uni was pretty laid back, not a lot of work more just introduction to the various papers which was good. This semester i'm taking:
Interpersonal Communication
Applied Media Ethics
Image and Sound
and a Media Production Workshop which goes all year and consists of three 8 week blocks of Video Production, Radio Production and Creative Industries.

Image and Sound I already know will not be my "thing"... i'm not great at writing about stuff that's just about analysing things. I'm more into having ideas and being able to back them up with facts and applying theories to ideas/situations.
I completely LOVED my last IPCom lecture, we learnt all about Intercultural Communication which was really interesting, as is my Media Ethics paper -I love Ethics! Wish I had the brains to do Philosophy!

This week started with a bang when I kind of broke a $10,000 production camera... whoops haha. Luckily it wasn't entirely my fault and luckily it was only a little bit broken and luckily they have insurance!! However to make up for it all they said our final short looked the most professional and actually evoked emotion so yay for that!

O-week(s) have been pretty crazy, went to see midnight youth who were pretty good and Katchafire who were FANTASTIC. Have consumed a lot of alcohol the past couple of weeks and I seem to be paying for it now! So i'm on a bit of a detox at the moment, lots of water and lots of vege haha. Oh! I also went to a foam party:

It got very very messy towards the end of the night haha. It was fun but I think i've fufilled my foam party quota for this lifetime anyway!

So that's all i've been up to at present, will finish with some photos I took on my trip to the beach last sunday (it was heavenly) yay for the north shore! Bye for now!

the first day of the rest of my life: part deux

Four days into my new life in Auckland and I have been inundated with questions about how I’m enjoying it. So, for the moment I will endeavour to answer the most common ones.

What’s Auckland like?

It’s hilly, Queen st is seedy after 9.30pm, the wind makes it nearly impossible for me to wear skirts, the humidity makes my hair frizz and my make up run. The buses are always late and their drivers are grumpy.

On the other hand, I’ll never get bored here. The city is brimming full of bars, clubs and music to suit anyone’s tastes. From indie rock to showtunes and go-go dancers, you’ll find it in Auckland. The beaches are gorgeous and full of beautiful people and the shopping is great (Dress Mart, booyah!)

What’s it like being a student again / How’s uni life?

To be honest, I have no idea! The last few days have been such a blur. New people, new faces, new names. Moving in, unpacking, orientation, course info, getting lost, finding a job and of course lots and lots of vodka!

I’m looking forward to my course, but I’ve heard it’s extremely competitive and I know it will be initially hard. I’ve been out of school for nearly a year and a half so I’ll have to get back into the swing of things and remember where that competitive spirit lies!

Have you made any friends?

I always find making new friends difficult, I always seem very confident but I do find it hard approaching people, especially if they already have a group! But we’re all in the same position and I’ve met some really really cool people from all over the world! Though I do really look forward to getting into study and joining some groups so I can meet more like-minded people!

So, that’s my current situation in a nutshell! I’m still waiting for internet to be installed in my room so this will be the last post for a while. Once I have something interesting to write about I’ll be back (cue Terminator music). the internet arrived today, hurrah!

For now, So long, Farewell, etc etc.

x

I've landed!

Up in the big smoke now.

Won't be writing again until I get internet in my flat though.

Am loving auckland so far. Yay for backpacker bars and two V&Ts for 10 bucks!

Will write something proper soon... maybe... xx

the first day of the rest of my life

My bags are packed, i'm ready to go.

To Auckland, that is.

Tomorrow is the big day, i'm moving into my new digs and i'm starting University! Which will mean no internet for awhile :(

I'm so excited for this, I feel like i'm entering the next stage of my life. I can't wait to get my mind working and thinking critically again but it's going to be tough to get into the swing of study again!

In typical fran fashion I am completely unprepared. I thought today I better start packing (since i'm leaving 10am tomorrow!) and about half way through I realised how much I actually had to do!! Also got a call this arvo -i've got a job interview next Tuesday so I spent a lot of time fretting about how i'm going to organise getting there and what i'm going to wear!

So next week is O Week, orientation monday, job interview tuesday, wednesday free (woohoo), thursday and friday I have an Academic Writing paper (can't WAIT) plus i'm sure lots of socialising and various shennanigans, maybe a toga party. It is O Week after all!!

So I probably won't be on here for a while. Not until we get internet in the flat anyway.

But before I go, I need to introduce you to my baby....

My new red BlackBerry. As you can see i'm pretty happy about it :)

And with that I better be off.

So long, for now.

The challenge = 30 countries. 30 years.

I stole this idea from my friend Mel, who I met on a Contiki in New York.

As previously mentioned, I like planning. I also like goals, but have never really had a long term goal. I remember my brother always saying that by the time he was 30 he wanted to own a new BMW –which I guess would act as a visual sign of the level of success he wanted to attain by that age.

Personally, I’m not really into cars. And since I don’t know exactly what path I’m going to follow career wise, I don’t really want to make any career related goals. That’s when I came across Mel’s goal… it’s so perfect I’m going to have to steal it for myself.

30 COUNTRIES BEFORE I TURN 30

A pretty big ask, In a nutshell I have 10 years and 2 months to visit 18 countries more countries! The countdown begins….

THINGS I’VE ALREADY DONE:
Fed Kangaroos in Australia
Hugged the worlds biggest Kauri tree in New Zealand
Learnt about sugar cane plantations in Fiji
Chewed gum in Singapore
Had a proper Greek salad in Greece
Got lost in Pompeii, Italy
Said hello to the Mona Lisa in France
Sat in King Henry’s chair in England
Had a Baileys in Ireland
Lived practically next door to Edinburgh castle in Scotland
Been an underage drinker in the USA
Driven on the wrong side of the road in Canada

AND ON THE TO-DO LIST……
Drink Vodka in Russia
Eat a proper curry in India
Learn to play soccer in Brazil
Cruise in a vintage Ford in Cuba
See the pyramids of Giza in Egypt
Spend an ANZAC day at Gallipoli, Turkey
Eat a Toblerone in Switzerland
Visit the site of the crucifixion, Israel
Trawl the markets of Hungary
Go sailing in Sweden
Visit Anne Franks House in Amsterdam
Sleep in Count Draculas house, Albania
Ride the bullet train in Japan
Visit the worlds largest brewery in Belgium
Watch Marlene Dietrich films in Germany
Walk the Great Wall of China
Learn to Argentine Tango in Argentina
Go on a safari in South Africa

So there it is. The challenge. Good luck me.

OH MY GOD ROB LOWE JUST LOOKED AT ME!

There isn't a lot I miss about England... apart from this...

Fran's guide to... LONDON on the cheap!

Lets get something clear first. London is NOT a cheap city. Even if you're earning pounds like I was on my last visit it's still 5 times more expensive than the rest of the country. One pint in London will probably buy you 3 up north.

HOWEVER, if you know where to go and what to do you can stretch your pounds (a little bit)

VITAL STATS FOR LONDON, ENGLAND
Population: 7,556,900 (as of July 07)

Area: 659 sq miles

Mayor: Boris Johnson

Time Zone: GMT

Accomodation:
Staying in London is pretty expensive, i'm lucky enough to have a couple of contacts there so I can pretty much always get free accomodation. Obviously, that isn't the case for everyone -but I would say, if you know of ANYONE that lives there -a distant cousin, friend of a friend... see if you can stay with them, even if only for part of your stay, you could save a decent amount of money. If you are dossing and the person you're staying with is in a shared flat/house it is etiquette to offer to put in at least a fiver per day -which is nothing in the scheme of things.

COUCHSURFING: Now, i've never done this whole couch surfing thing before... it just sounds a bit dodge to me but I did meet a guy up in Edinburgh who'd spent 2 months couchsurfing his way around the UK... so it's definately possible, and of course a great way to meet the locals and some new friends, especially if you're travelling solo! Find out more here: http://www.couchsurfing.com/
GUMTREE: While searching for a flat on gumtree, I came across heaps of people offering rooms in their flat/house for rent on a temporary basis. If you're travelling solo -this will probably be wayyy to expensive, however if you're travelling with a couple of people it would probably work out quite cheap. As well as holiday rentals, they also have couch surfing and home swap sections. http://www.gumtree.com/london (tip: as well as looking at holiday rentals, also try short term houses to let under the offered category)HOSTELS: And last but not least, the trusty old hostel. There are MILLIONS of hostels in London, all varying in price and dodgyness. If you're a solo traveller hostels are a fantastic place to meet people -i've met so many cool, fun people at the various hostels i've stayed at. Now, I would say the average for a single-sex six bed dorm would be about 19 pounds, but if you feel comfertable in a mixed dorm or don't mind sleeping in the huge 24 bed dorms then you could probably find one for under a tenner per night. Just remember, on friday and saturday and during special events (ie st patricks day) prices will soar!

Transport:

There are several main transport options for your stay in London.

The Tube (london underground)

The mainline train

Buses

Black cabs
and... walking!

The tube is by far the quickest way of getting around, but it is no way to get to know London which has so many important historical landmarks and some really stunning architecture! The tube also gets VERY busy, especially the Piccadilly, Central and Circle lines, so try to avoid them during rush hour!

The best way to see london is to either walk, or take a bus. If you've got quite a distance to travel, but no major time restrictions i'd take the bus -it's about 90p on an Oyster card and if you go to the top level at the front you get some great views of the city without having to pay 15 quid for one of the tourist busses! If you're right in the city, just walk! Touristy areas have MILLIONS of signs pointing to all the main attractions and it's practically impossible to get lost. Plus it burns calories, bonus!

And... I know this is all about staying in London on the cheap, but I really would travel in a black cab at least once, it's just SO iconic! I'm sorry but you can't go to London and NOT travel in a black cab... it's like going to Italy and not having Pizza!

If you're staying in London for more than 3 or 4 days i'd seriously consider getting an Oyster card to use on the tube and bus, they cost 5 pound, and you just top up at any tube station or oyster card stockist. You'll save a lot of money in the long run and it saves you buying tickets all the time!

Food:

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Food is expensive. Always will be. An unfortunately, while most of us can live without the gorgeous 150 quid topshop dress, we can't live without food. Like every other city, in every other country the most economical thing to do is to buy food from the supermarket and cook it yourself. For healthy food on the run, Food chain EAT does some really good healthy salads/sandwhiches/soups and cakes at reasonable prices. Other than that pub meals are usually pretty decent or you could go get some take away... McDonalds anyone?! (On a slightly whingy note PLEASE don't go to McDonalds/KFC/BK etc etc during a trip to London! There are so many other places to eat!!)

Attractions:

There are so many places to go in London, however, many cost an arm and a leg. So this section is dedicated to some pretty awesome FREE attractions.

MUSEUMS: News flash! Museums are free!! You heard me, FREE.

There are millions of museums in London covering nearly every subject possible, some privately owned museums may have a charge of some sort but all national ones are free to the public. My two favourites are the Natural History Museum and Tate Modern. I'm not going to talk about the Natural History Museum because i'm going to bask in the glory that is the Tate Modern. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It is incredible. You must go there, even if you're not a fan of modern art this building is worth a visit.

HYDE PARK: This park is gorgeous, especially nice during the summer. And right across the road from my beloved NZ War Memorial.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE: I think it speaks for itself really.... I mean the Queen lives there for crying out loud.

COVENT GARDEN: This is such a cool area, nice little stores and cafes, cool outdoor stores selling all sorts of interesting things. Some pretty spectacular buskers and a great vibe. Can get busy as HELL during the summer though. And it's right near Chinatown which is always worth a look.

BIG BEN/WESTMINSTER: Now, Westminster costs 12 pounds to look inside BUT if you go to a church service it's free! Even if you're not religious it's a great experience and hey... how many people can say they've been to church at Westminster Abbey??!

Shopping:

OXFORD ST: aka Tourist haven! If you're claustriphobic then avoid it like the plague! It's big, bolshy and completely and utterly mental. However, it is also home to a few flagship stores like Selfridges, Topshop and of course, stingy-person heaven, Primark!

WESTFIELD, SHEPARDS BUSH: Europes biggest shopping mall, worth a look just to check out the size. If you get there early (like 9/9:30) you'll avoid the crowds and it may even be quite pleasant :)

PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET: This place is fantastic, The food part of the market is open all week. But the antiques/clothing section is only open during the weekends. Now, when I went I heard that the clothing section started closing at midday and that everything was buzzing by 8:30am. SO That's what I did, I was there by 8:30 and it was dead! Food stalls all set up and some antiques but everything else didn't really properly start rolling until about 9:30. So take your time! The antique section is fantastic, great costume jewellery. Some is quite pricey but you can find some good bargains, like any market though you have to be prepared to trawl!

CAMDEN MARKET: Another very popular market, I wasn't as taken by it. Most of the stalls had very similar stuff. But it's still worth a look.

The Plan

There is something you should know about me.

I like to plan.

Wall charts, colour coding, lists written in alphabetical order AND in order of preference. Ven diagrams, timetables by the hour, those little clouds with the title in the middle and things going off the side -you name it, i'll do it.

Usually, blogs i've had in the past have just been random musings... a funny joke i'd been told on the bus, a little anecdote involving my cat, the latest trip to A&E, that kind of stuff.
This time though, I really feel like I need a plan... this blog needs a purpose.

Step in, The Wayfarer. Yes, I will probably still share some little anecdotes concerning my cats, I will definately comment on current events that interest me, but I would primarily like to use this as a sort of travel related blog. I've done a fair bit of travelling, and those that know me will know how passionate I am about discovering other cultures. Those who know me will also know I LOVE shopping, but HATE spending money with a passion (I think it's the scottish in me) and will do nearly anything to get out of parting with my money.

So, I thought, why don't I combine the two things i'm best at (travelling and being stingy) into one 'how to' sort of guide!

So. There you have it. THE PLAN.

Coming up, the city I love to loathe (but will always love)... LONDON.

My gap year: A Retrospective

There comes a point in every young persons life where you have to make some decisions about what you're actually going to do with your life. 

Uni? Tech? Work? Travel? Nothing???

The red pill, or the blue pill. The first major crossroads in my life. Who knew such a seemingly straightforward decision could have so many consequences??

I am a planner. I like to know exactly what I'm doing. So when the time came to plan my future I already knew exactly what I was going to do, I was going to go to England. Work in a boarding school and live it up in the school holidays, from Berlin to Budapest I was going to see it all, do it all, and love every minute of it. 

I guess the first slight flaw in my plan was when I didn't get a gap placement. That completely threw me into chaos, and should have alerted me of things to come. However, I wasn't deterred. I mean, how hard is it to get a well-paid job (flexible for traveling of course) in london, right? I mean, I have no experience, but i'm enthusiastic, and that's all that counts.... right??!

Apparently not.

I worked crappy minimum wage jobs, was yelled at by drunk men, made sandwiches for pervy builders, and worked 75 hours a week cleaning other peoples shit and fishing used condoms out of toilets. And I still could barely afford to pay my rent let alone fund travels to far off exotic places. So while my friends were sunning themselves in Morocco and discovering the pyramids of Giza I was stuck in grey old England, dreaming of sunny weather and excitement.

I guess my GAP year was a bit different.  But would I change anything??? No way in hell. It changed me in so many positive ways and all my experiences outweighed the minimal crap I had to go through. Of course there had been times where I've wished that i'd been able to do the 'conventional' gap year i'd planned but doing it this way really made me a better person. I've learnt not to stress the small stuff, I can't control everything and don't want to. Plus, sometimes the most rewarding experiences can come from cock-ups. It also made me you can't rely on others to create your own success -having an aptitude for something doesn't equal automatic success which has given me loads more drive to make something of myself. I want to have a life full of passion and I want to live to work, not work to live.

So now i'm off to Uni, three years of hard slog. I would much rather be traveling but I know I need grab this opportunity while it's still around. I'll be nearly 23 when Uni is done with, plenty of time to travel and immerse myself in other people's cultures.

All i'm focusing on now is getting over the post travel slump!!

New Year, New Blog??

I'm hoping this one will last!!

4th time lucky, that's what they say right???