Bungy

Last day

I won't pretend I'm not super happy to be going home, I can't wait to see Patrick, my friends, my house, my job and all that again, but I have to say goodbye to James and T again - and this is a big one. It will be years before I see them again.
I've had a wicked time, and seen some amazing places, and been to a fantastic wedding. I have loved it - but it's time to go home now, all inspired, creative and flowy of juices!

New Zealand is raining today, like it's sad we're going.

Last full day in NZ

Well here it is, the end of the holiday. We're going into Wellington tomorrow and dropping off the car by 5, then flying at about 8pm. It will take about 24 hours to fly home (via LA) and then I'll be back in Cardiff around 4pm on Friday. I am SO excited to see Patrick that I can hardly stop myself from crying. I've missed him so much, and that teary phone call on his bithday was horrible. He made me promise to never go anywhere, ever again. So I promised.

South Island

Well, today is our last full day on the South Island, and marks the end of the busy part of the holiday. We're sailing back up north tomorrow, and the wedding is on Saturday the 7th. After the wedding we're just going to bum around looking at Lord of the Rings locations before flying home on the 12th.
I'm having a great time, but I'm really homesick now. This is the longest and furthest I've ever been away from home and the ones I love, and it's quite difficult, I don't mind admitting.
It's Waitangi day on the 6th, but more importantly for me - it's Patrick's birthday on the 6th. I'm so gutted I'm not there to be celebrating it with him, I'm counting on his friends and family to make sure he has a good time, and I've made sure that I'm back in Wales for Valentine's day!
He wrote in an email to me that this time apart has been good, as his feelings have grown even stronger. So, yes, I ended up crying over another email!

Pines Beach - Kaiapoi

Spending a few days with T's Auntie Julie and Uncle Matt at Kaiapoi. I've never been so relaxed, or so bloody hot! At least I'm getting a tan.

South Island

Here we come. We're going to bungee jump, do some glacier walking, swim in the sea... can't wait. I burnt my shoulders yesterday.

Arrived

Well bugger me, I'm here in New Zealand! The flights (all four of them) weren't as bad as I imagined they would be. The up-in-the-air bits were okay, but the takeoffs and landings were pretty hairy. I was stuck in Tokyo airport for 8 and half hours, but I enjoyed looking at the Pikachu toys and kokeshi dolls. I'm at James and T's house now and the views are gorgeous, all blue mountain hills and massive alien plants - eep! I'm in Middle Earth.
I'm going to have a shower now, my skin is dry and itchy and I smell like a rancid dog.

Last day

In work for three weeks. Whoop! New Zealand here I come.

I'm so nervous about the flight that I've had to go and get valium. I'm also taking my Nintendo DS, 6 books, magazines, sudoku and a notebook. Should keep me entertained for 23 hours!

I'm planning to update my blog, my flickr, my twitter, my facebook and all my other geeky online versions of me, so this isn't the last post yet... unless I die, but I'm not planning to.

Hwyl fawr am y tro
Xx

Review of the Year

What a busy year. Highlights include:

My new job (obviously). I love working for RNIB Cymru, and even though my opinion of it has changed a little since my colleague Ian left, I still love it here (and god knows it's better than working in fucking Blackhorse).

The new skills I've acquired this year: people, project and event management; audio recording and editing; podcasting; felting; delivering presentations to hundreds of people/youth groups; interviewing, recruiting and training over 300 people; getting better on my ukulele.

Falling in love again.

My ideas for THREADS 2009 - Blodeuben and how he was made.

I'm excited about next year - the funding for my job only lasts until 31st of March; now I've always been super apprehensive about taking on temporary jobs, but doing this one has made me realise how much freedom they allow, so I'm not scared of them any more. I'm also looking forward to James and Tarina's wedding in New Zealand (but hellish scared about the flight). Something else I'm looking forward to, is seeing where me and Patrick go from here: our first holiday together, our first camping trip together... soppy things like that.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Loads of love
Cariad mawr

Andrew x