The Night Train to Mundo Fine

The actual train we took.....or something like it

My dearest loveliest friend Karina requested that I write a story about one of our adventures in NZ, so here it is.....

Karina and I had decided to take a much needed break from school and go to Wellington (a one hour flight from Auckland) Karina, who is so skilled in the ways of travel bookings, decided that it would be significantly cheaper to take a train back to Auckland rather than a plane, besides it was only meant to be 8 hours, and wouldn't it be fun???

We had a great time in Wellington. We stayed at a great hostel on the beach called Moana Lodge. We had one rule, that the windows must be kept open at night so that we could hear the surf. The train stop was quite a distance from our hostel but the walk was so beautiful. Everyday we'd pass the house of "the childhood we never had" where the happy blonde children played in the yard whilst Daddy worked in the garden and Mummy made dinner (10 bucks says the dad left the mum for another woman and one of the kids is on P) On our journeys along the coast we also got to encounter the FBI agents who were suspiciously walking in front of us, on the beach, in full suits, shades, ear pieces, the whole deal, talking to themselves in wispers and who also suspiciously disappeared within a few moments of our attention being diverted from them......hmmm strange things indeed.

Another great part of our trip was going to The Lord of The Rings set. Karinas brother-in-law works with Peter Jackson as a gaffer (is that the term?) and got us onto the set for a few hours of delicious snooping.....I have the same bra size as Liv yeah! Our trip however was nearing an end and we were both sad to say goodbye to Wellington. However, we still had our exciting trip back to Auckland by train, oh how we waited in anticipation.

Ahhh yes, we rose early on our last day and wearily made our way to the train station. But spirits were high as I munched on my sausage roll (damn you canada for not selling them) We got on board our home for the next 8 hours and were please to find that we were in the last carriage and the back of it was a giant window with some nice comfy sofas. Oh yes Karina, your decision was looking fine indeed.

Now one would think that a train carrying many people for many hours would sell beaucoup de nourriture but alas, the cafeteria was pretty much sold out. Hmmmm, this did seem a little odd. However, we bought what we could, and Karina defied her Atkins diet for the day (and thankfully defied the whole stupid diet soon after). As we settled back into our seats we overheard a conversation happening in the aisle next to us. A lady was making friends with some of the passengers, nice right.....well no, in fact it wasn't nice. It was damn well torture! Do you know what we learnt on our 13 hour trip on the train, oh yes, 13 hours, not 8! We learnt that she was a teacher and liked the colour green........because thats the only damn thing she spoke about, for 13 hours!!!!

Did he just say we have to take the train home?

By hour 4 we were already going a little crazy.....as we approached hour 8 we were clawing at the doors. For some reason we believed ourselves to be Gollum and we continued our journey in this manner.....yes precious it was a long insane journey for sure precious. By hour 10 we had grown such deteste for our fellow passengers we started giving them evil looks (if the erratic behaviour hadn't tipped them off already this would do the trick) All I can say is that after 13 hours when we finally got off the train I had made a personal vow to never enter one again.

So whilst Karina does have a talent for travel bookings, she has learnt a tough lesson on taking financial shortcuts. And the moral of the story? Is it to take the plane instead? Or perhaps it is to pack your own lunch when travelling on a train.....no, these are simple suggestions. The actual moral of the story is that if you do happen to find yourself on a long distance travel with Karina and I you had better beware, gollum is not the only character we like to take on!

Merry Christmas

Well I just finished my last exam. I think it went well, at least after all the drinks I've just had I think it went well. I'm so glad that the exams are over. Now I can relax and enjoy Christmas. So I just wanted to send out a very Merry Christmas to all, no matter where you are. I hope that you have a wonderful time these holidays. And remember: enjoy responsibly!

I present to you the Cellar Bug

THAT Josh is a household centipede! That is the lovely species that keeps showing up in my basement. Once you get past the long legs and antenna it's really quite lovely...NOT! It's frightening and it doesn't matter how many times you see them, it never gets better.

You see it all started many months ago as Alex and I were enjoying a movie downstairs. In the corner of my eye I saw something with long legs moving rapidly across my floor. Woman intuition told me to run, and so I did. I refused to go back down there until the perpetrator was caught and dare I say it killed. So Alex spent a good 15 minutes down there on the hunt, those things are fast! Finally it was sent to a better place and peace was restored.

I told my roommates about it, even got Alex to draw a picture but they didn't believe me. "It's just a cockroach" they would say. Even after I saw another one in the basement they still didn't believe me. It may have had something to do witht he fact that I would flee the area and not collect any evidence. However, they're sweet ignorance was soon gone after one of these "cellar bug" (as we've taken to calling it) showed up in the kitchen. Since then they've seen them in the kitchen, in the bedroom and even in the studio.

Because we don't actually know where they're coming from (I live in a duplex) we don't quite know what we can do about the problem. All I know is that they frighten me something fierce. I just sit, and wait, and hope and quietly chant to myself "this house is ours, this house is ours."

Retrace your steps

I have to retrace my steps

Because I've lost something dear to me

Lost is not the word to use

I disregarded it knowingly

At the time it felt too heavy

So I thought I'd put it aside

It disappeared in the distance

With each step I took with pride

Like all journeys do mine came to pass

I found myself alone

The pride I'd felt so strong before

Left me the fear of what I'd sown

I closed my eyes that moment

I let the words flow from my heart

I picked up all that was left of me

And journeyed back to the start

I had to retrace my steps

Only through blindness could I see

That the very thing I'd forgotten

Is the only the only thing I need.

Jack frost fell out of the sky

It's beginning to look a lot like winter

Ok, so the sun didn't exactly come out today. In fact the sky opened up and poured out some freezing rain. I've been wondering where winter has been hiding and now it's starting to show itself. Today the sidewalks are covered in ice and it's finally getting below zero (last year this time is was at least 10 degrees less) Hopefully the real snow will arrive in time for Christmas.

I know that the Vancouverites have been having a rough time with the weather lately. Usually it only snows around late December and early January. But just be thankful that you don't have to deal with this:

Ahhhh, now that looks like a Montreal winter

Winters in montreal are, how do you say, ah yes, rough! It gets to at least minus 30 in Montreal, and it lasts from December up until at least March. I do love living here but sometimes NZ seems like a tropical island compared to this frozen kingdom. The trick though is to have fun with it. There's a nice little game I like to play called "how quick can I run to the Metro without falling on my ass?" and "how quick will my body freeze if I only wear 5 layers?" So much fun. Now I know you're all probably rushing to get your tickets to come out here, but I think you should maybe wait about 5 months, then you can enjoy the 40+ degree days. Ahhh yes Montreal, a city of extreme seasons.

The sun will come out tomorrow

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes the sun doesn't come out the minute you wake up in the morning. Sometimes you have to try a little harder to smile. And that's ok. Sometimes it's ok to not be ok. Sometimes you do just have to grin and bear it and know that the sun will come out tomorrow. And if you need a little help then just sing along with Annie:

The sun'll come outTomorrow
Bet your bottom dollarThat tomorrowThere'll be sun!
Just thinkin' about Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,And the sorrow'Til there's none!
When I'm stuck a dayThat's gray,And lonely,
I just stick out my chinAnd Grin,And Say,
OhThe sun'll come out Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow!
I love ya
Tomorrow!
You're always A day A way!