Holiday in NZ (Abridged)

Right, I guess I need to post a new blog post, as I’m sure that everyone is absolutely sick of reading my ramblings.

Graduation: This was the sole purpose of my visit to New Zealand during December, and it went successfully. I got the photo’s that my parents had been hanging out for since I begun university a long four years since. Being as unphotogenic and disliking of photographs as I am, I think that putting up with cameras being pointed at me for hours while I looked like a complete tosser wearing a gown, hood and funny looking hat, was a good effort. The nerves started to flow through me as my parents dispersed prior to the parade – I did not want to be doing that walk alone, but I did find Rhonwyn to walk with (as I hoped I would). It was good to receive congratulations from friends who were both graduating and spectating: thanks Katie, McKillop, Chantelle, Amie, and all others; it was well appreciated. Sitting in the auditorium waiting for my number to be called is tough work, and incredibly boring. The longer the wait was the more the butterflies fluttered, and I was just glad to keep my gaze on my toes as I walked across the stage (which seemed to take longer than the parade), and my gaze did not lift until I had reached my seat. Dunedin has not changed: people still drink, people still ditch you in town, and you leave two-third filled bottles of spirits at friends houses. The best you can hope for is to find somewhere to sleep – which I did, thanks to Ali, Hadley and Stefan – your hospitality and couch were greatly appreciated.

I was bussed home on Monday, and worked on Tues, Wed, and Thursday. It was good to receive the call asking me to come in and earn a weeks worth of wages – everyone appreciates a few hundred dollars and a free lunch. Work was still the same as it always has been – doing menial tasks that help the full time workers out, and make their jobs just that tiny bit easier. I hope that my aid was appreciated, but if not well I couldn’t have done a better job.

Finally Christmas: my origin travel plans a few weeks prior to my visit did not actually include Christmas, as I assumed I would have a job by then and would not want to take the time off. I am not a huge Christmas fan, so would quite happily have not celebrated, but am always up for a well cooked roast lunch, and mum always obliges on Christmas day, so I am thankful for that. In addition, dad always puts on a decent spread for breakfast, so after two large meals within 5 hours of each other I enjoyed the siesta during the afternoon, only wished it was longer. I feel bad for those who were working on Christmas, and would have loved to have cooked them a Christmas eve dinner, had she allowed it. However, this was not to be the case. Christmas day is always a long day, but being woken at 6:30am, plus not getting a real sleep and seeing the dawn (as it is now), and still needing to catch a nigh four hour flight, 30 minute bus, and 45 minute train (plus waiting time) before I can have a sleep makes the journey seem daunting. There is still over an hour for boarding, but I think I shall end this post – as there is nothing more I could possibly add without repeating myself.