Twin Beach. Heaphy Track. Kahurangi National Park. New Zealand. 2012.

"End of the World". Dunedin. New Zealand. 1012.

Some black and white ruin inspiration for your Wednesday.

|Old Wharf. St Clairs Beach. Dunedin. New Zealand. 2012|Old Water Castle. Yogyakarta. Indonesia. 2012|

Wharariki Beach. Aotearoa. 2012. I miss you.

Walking with Frodo

It was early. It was foggy. It was rainy. It was windy. It was cold. It was steep. It was exhausting. It was clearing. It was sunny. It was beautiful. It was the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

New Zealand Update

I thought I would give you a small update on my past, present and future here in New Zealand. First of all I am no longer working as an au pair. I finished about a month ago and even though I miss the kid sometimes it feels good good good gooood to be done with that. One of the first and best friends I made here has left. It feels a bit weird not having her around anymore but time flies and soon we will meet again. My lovely family came to visit me over Christmas and New Year’s and we had so much fun. “Omaha! Omaha! Omaha. . .” Best time ever and I miss you already. Other than that I have been travelling around North Island during the weekends. Done a lot, seen even more (when not falling asleep in the car^^).

Right now I am staying with a friend and her host family in their boat shed. (They used to have it as an office so it is nicer than it sounds.) Plus it is great falling asleep and waking up to the sound of waves. Tomorrow we are leaving to do the Tongariro Crossing which is a one day track up the mountain. Before we go back to Auckland we will stop at the Waitamo Caves for some black water rafting and to have a look at the glowworm caves.

Next week I am going to wellington for a beach handball tournament. So excited! After that the plans are to somehow get to Farewell Spit and work on a horse farm there. Cannot wait for that either! I do not know for how long I will stay there so the plans are a bit uncertain. I will definitely travel South Island and I want to go to Australia before I head home. With no income it will probably be sooner rather than later;)

C is for Colour

| Knitted sweater Second hand Selma Collection | Skirt DIY |

Good morning Auckland

Sometimes mornings just make you want to stay in bed. And somethimes, they put a smile on your face.

Waiheke Faceplant

Beautiful day at Waiheke... Flying over the white sand... Down to the clear blue ocean... Wondering if it's warm... Turn around to tell Rosie something... WOOSH. SMACK. The faceplant is a fact. Just so unexpected but so much fun! Hahaha Hope everyone is having a great time!

One Tree Hill

Yesterday I went to One Tree Hill with some friends to have a picnic. We were to meet at around 1pm. We arrived at 2.30.

First I was to pick up this girl who I had never met before near Newmarket. I underestimated the traffic and was 20 min early, so I went to have a wander in the second hand store right across the street, which is quite good. When I got out I met up with this 'new' girl and we got in the car. We found our way back to the highway and the traffic was now just horrid! We took the correct exit from the highway and the correct exit in the roundabout it led up to, but did not know where the park was so (of course) we went too far. When we eventually find the hill, and just had parked the car, we find out one of the girls could not get a bus there and decide to go pick her up in Ponsonby. The car was out of petrol so before we could go get her we had to fill it up.  We can not make a right turn into the gas station so we have to go back to the roundabout, turn around there, and then turn in to the station. All the places where full and, not very surprisingly, we take the slowest line. When we finally are ready to get going we, again, cannot make a right turn so we have to go the other direction and make a beautiful U-turn to get back on track. Out on the motorway it is just crowded with cars so we have to drive really slow. We have basically no idea where we are supposed to be going so we just take a random exit, get lost, park the car too look at the map and find our way again. Now the big problem is that we do not know where on Ponsonby Road we are to pick up this girl. She texts us where she is, but we cannot see the place. Again we park the car to locate where we are and luckily she sees us and we hurry to the hill. Takes quite a long time, though, due to the traffic. When we finally get to the top of One Tree Hill it is as said 2.30 and everyone else is already there. They are going to a rugby game later so quite soon they have to leave. During the picnic everyone is freezing because it is cold and really windy.

Other than that I would say the whole thing was a success! At least I had a great time meeting some new people, catching up with those I had met before and enjoying a beutiful view:) Hopefully we can do it again when it is a bit warmer! And hopefully, we will be on time;)

Piha & Hats

This Saturday I went to Piha with two other au pairs. We were extremely luckt with the weather since it only rained once, when we were all in the car. We walked to this beautiful waretfall, crossed the small stream bellow, went back to the beach and up on a hill.

Took all day since we parked the car waaay to far away from the acctual trail and had to walk probably as long as the whole trail, both there and back. Since the weather was nice we did not mind:)

Today I tried to watch 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas' but it was far to jerky. Tomorrow I will go back to the library and see if they have another copy of it. I also managed to go to the gym today. Felt akward since I did not know how any of the machines worked so I stayed to the crosstrainer and the stationary bike;) Tomorrow I will go test the Zumba class. Excited!

After my smaller workout I met up with R for lunch at the mall. We had a really nice time and when the food was gone we did some shopping. My intention was to not buy anything but when I found 'buy one get one free' on hats I really could not resist. I've been thinking of buying a hat for quite some time but do not really think I look good in it so I've never come to acctually do it. But since I now could get two has for 20NZD I really had no choise^^ Cannot show you, though. Still unable to transfer photos to the computer so these are from facebook..

Nice view? Oh, I think so;)
                                                                                                                

Heading Downtown

Today was my first day alone in NZ. The hostfamily have gone to Fiji for almost a week and so the exploring of Auckland begins. I woke up quite early and said goodbye and could not go back to sleep after that. So I stayed up and read 'Ninas Resa' by Lena Einhorn. Really good and interesting, but of course terrible.

I had some stuff on my to-do list today so I took the bus down to Auckland City and started my small adventure. I walked wrong a lot but bumped into the library on one of tose "extra trips". I sill have qutie a few books that I brought from Sweden to read so borrowed two movies instead. 'Pirates' and 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas'. I also bought a pig bank to try to save up some money during my time here. Good luck...

A project that I have been thinking of is to create a big photoalbum with pictures from vacations and journies, or just really fun moments I want to remember. I want one where you can put the pages in yourself, so that I can start with the pictures I am taking here but later be able to compiment with earlier trips. No store that I looked in had one of those so that will just have to wait. Anyone who knows where I can buy one?

In the meantime I still have a knitting I started on last autumn that needs to be finnished, and a friend just yesterday told me about this knitting-thing her host mom is organizing. She is to cover a handrail in a long knitted thing and every day people from all over the world is sending in their contribution to her. I want to as well! How about you making one too?;)

I also activated my gym membership at the university yesterday so with two knitting projects, a month membership at the gym, plenty of books from Sweden, a library card, new friends, a tree-year-old to take care of, working extra at a defence lawyer's office, keeping contact with family and friends and try to post some here not too rarely it might even be a good thing that I do not have that photoalbum to make as well;)

Now I am off to buy some dinner and then it will just be me, the crazy cat, the food, unhealthy chocolatey things and a movie:) After walking around as much, and walking wrong as much, as I have today I think I deserve it;) Have a great weekend everyone! Bye bye..

                                                                                                                 

Winter, Just Like Swedish Summer

It is winter and I can wear a cardigan without a jacket. Sure it is quite cold as it has been raining all day but still, I can do it. The last few days have been so much fun even though I have been quite tired from the long trip and some jetlag. I have not really had time to post and I do not know when I will be able to do it regularly since I cannot transfer photos from my camera to my computer, but I will try to fix it as fast as possible. The one here is from google.

Luckily, I have made a smaller interview with the lovely girl over at Marmalade so a feature post will come up soon if the time is given me to put it together:) Have a great weekend everyone!
                                                                                                                  

Down At The Lake

These photos I took a couple of weeks ago, I think. Tomorrow I am leaving for Halmstad with my friends and hopefully we will get the same weather. It is not very likely, but still hoping! I do know for sure we will have the Best Time Ever, no matter what weather we get:D

Today I also booked my ticket for NZ! I'll be going July 8th wich is only like 15 days away!! I am terrifyed and So excited. I have no idea of how long I will be gone... hopefully I will stay for six months, at least;) No more than a year, though, because the visa expires. Now I really have to go pack for tomorrow! Spent the time I should have been packing baking cinnamon and vanilla buns for the trip instead.. I am such a nice friend! haha^^ Bye bye..  

| Dress Forgotten | Bag Charity Shop | Bikini H&M | Book Matildas sista vals |