The worlds worst traveller award goes to...

I must be the worst traveller of all time! Can't even call myself a backpacker any longer as not able to carry a backpack due to back problems. There must be a curse between me and all the airports in the world. Last time soon as I arrived to the airport to fly off to NZ my suitcase broke! The handle got stuck and there was nothing I could do about it. Ended up travelling two weeks with a broken suitcase. Then in Wellington I was about to spend a night at the airport as had an early flight to Melbourne when the security kicked me out in the middle of the night as they were closing the airport! I couldn't believe my luck.. only option was to pay over hundred dollars to stay in an airport lodge for few hours. Well I wouldn't have bothered to cry about that if I've known what will wait for me in Melbourne airport.. THE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS!!

Yes I am officially one of those dodgy people you see on the border control tv- programme! How embarrassing. I got  my visa and all sorted and after passport control the immigration took me aside and asked lots of questions (they are so mean and scary btw it almost makes you say what they expect to hear) and even called Alex and asked more questions. After about 20 mins of waiting and sweating they let me go telling me I need to get a new visa by the 5th of November or I am not allowed to come back.. Apparently not allowed to use visitor visa to live with my boyfriend. There is not much I can do at the moment as me and Al need to live together another 6 months to be able to apply the de facto  visa. Most of the visa options arent suitable for me at this stage so we started to think maybe we could live and work some other country for 6 months before applying the visa. So now it seems like we are moving to THAILAND! Can you believe my life! I am so all over the place right now!! My stuff is already in three different countries and after 6 weeks they will be spread into four. I reckon I need to sort my shit out during next year for sure. 

Anyways to explain a bit more.. we thought about moving to England, Finland or Estonia even but as I've been having winter for ages now would be nicer to go somewhere warm. Then we played with the idea of Mexico but decided it would be too much effort to try to find work there etc. Then I remembered my cousin and her husband used to live in Thailand, asked them for help and got some contact details. Now it seems like we are getting jobs and will be living in Phuket for some time. Nothing is 100% sure yet but soon as the job situation is confirmed at least for one of us we will book flights and go. Then after working for several months we will head to Finland next May or June and apply the visa from there and stay till it gets granted. That gives me time to get my things from Brighton and organise few other bits too.

Will keep the blog updated from now on and add info about the living situation when I know for sure whats going to happen and when. This stress is giving me wrinkles and big veins :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9MszVE7aR4

xxx

NZ - North Island

Hey you all chicks and chickpeas, I am still alive. So nice some of you been worrying about me or rather my weekly blog updates. I've been occupied by all kinds of issues and travels but better late than never they say.

Went to the North Island of NZ, travelled from top to bottom, had some good times and not so fantastic days. As its still winter the weather was a bit rubbish some days and other travellers seem to leave the country for somewhere warmer climate. Stayed in few hostels (one of them I got bedbugs or some fleas I reckon.. so gross), there was hardly any people so got sick of my own company and decided to go couch surfing (there is a website you can look up people from any areas and they will let you sleep in their house). Very exciting experience indeed. The first guy I stayed with was a bit full on and kept saying 'aye bro' way too much!! The next place was much nicer, stayed with 8 people and felt like I've always known them. Hopefully some of them will come and see me in Melbs or somewhere one day. 

I went to Auckland and some of the islands near by, was very lucky to have warm sunny days then so got the most of the experience. 

Also visited Paihia and the Bay of islands, which I felt was a disappointment but perhaps the bad weather didn't help. Saw four rainbows during that day tho :) oh and some dolphins too. Also I felt the views all over the North island were like from the Lord of the rings movie, very amazing but my photos aren't really doing any justice.

 

 

 

Had a tour in the Waitomo glow worm caves but weren't allowed to take any pictures there. The worms really looked like hundreds of stars, quite pretty although I was scared they would fell down to my neck! Went to Rotorua to see some thermal activity and to smell some eggs. Really smelly town but quite nice on a sunny day. Again missed one day during the rains, good thing found some free pint- vouchers :) Had one night in Napier but as it was pouring down couldn't really do much sightseeing which was shame as wanted to see some art deco stuff. Rest of the trip spent in Wellington, really reminds me of Melbourne.

Plan is to go to South Island one day and hopefully by then I'm into hiking and all sorts so can get the full experience and most out of the amazing scenery. And maybe will save a bit more money as even if NZ was cheap it was so easy to burn a lot of money as they got many activities and tours to offer. Skydiving is on the list for my next visit too. 

 xxx