The Ninth: Land of the Long White Cloud

Correct. I am in New Zealand. It seems appropriate for me to write an entry about my time here, because that is the purpose of a blog, right? To write posts about your travels and whatnot? Well that's what I'm doing anyway.

Me and my immediate family of 11 others arrived about 6 days ago in Auckland, NZ, where we spent a night there before heading out on the ferry to Waiheke Island, where I am currently residing. Waiheke is quite lovely. The weather has been kind to us, with fairly hot temperatures and a lot of sunlight. I've discovered that the sun here has a lot more bite to it than the Australian sun. Tilt of the Earth or something. As I write this, the afternoon sun is kissing my legs, casually browning them as it sets.

My dear sister Nadia has taken a seat next to me on the balcony. We've been doing nothing for a while now. Literally, nothing. This is one of those holidays where you sit around in the sun and talk about stupid things with people who you don't get to see too often. Christmas day was a bit like that. Sitting around, catching up with family. Paige is lovely. If she ever reads this, she'll understand the sentiment.

But yes. We've visited the village, gone to some beaches, cooked lots of food, drank LOTS of wine and had many laughs. Hopefully there will be more of that in the next few days.

The Eighth: Choice

When you are faced with tough choices in your life, ones that you didn't think you'd ever have to consider, it's hard to talk about them. It's even hard to think about them within your own mind. You're not sure who to discuss these choices with, and if you did tell someone, you don't know what they might think of you. It begins to consume your thoughts, and you grow fearful of yourself. Doubt becomes second nature, and you wonder why you ever had to have the stupid thoughts in the first place.

At least, this is what I experienced recently. Luckily though, I am surrounded by the most amazing friends. Who, despite not having the same train of thoughts and feelings as I, are totally willing to accept and understand what I'm thinking. Who can ask for anything else? I know that I feel blessed (by what I don't know, considering I don't believe in religion).

On another note entirely, I spent the last week down south with my hilarious but totally fabulous friends. 12 of us ventured to Dunsborough and into the wine regions where we spent copious amounts of time playing drinking games and eating in each other's company. I have some of the most hilarious video footage of them, but I assure you, the footage taken of me is worse.

If I could live down south with my friends, I would.