Things I Have Learned Abroad

A (somewhat) concise list of all the things I have learned, both culturally and practically, in my travels abroad in Australia and New Zealand.

-To Be Compiled-

Home At Last

Well, here I am, safe and sound in the house that I have not been able to call home for just a little over 2 months. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest. I haven't been surrounded by quite so familiar settings in what seems like a dog's age, and now I'm looking at them with new eyes, like an artist whose looking back on a sketch they did some years in the past and realizing the achievements and failures of that sketch anew.

I'm looking at my room and it feels so CLUTTERED, cramped for space by the sheer amount of stuff. I have a feeling I'll be looking to do some purging, going through old documents and attire to try and clear things up a bit. especially after living off so little in the past several weeks.

I'm doing laundry, and I'm getting in contact with the people I haven't been in a great long while, primary importance being Devin, my lovely beau, and my friend Casey's mother, who's going to be helping me get a job in the next few weeks or so (I hope).

Oh, and looking to order me a new computer. As nice as the desktop is in the front room, it's not the same thing as having my own personal computer. That I will be backing up on a secondary hard drive from now on.

Maybe I could drag up that desktop from downstairs that we haven't used since moving in...

I dunno if it have wireless capability, though, that'll be interesting to deal with.

Anyway, I better go finish getting cleaned up and unpacked, no need to leave things hanging around.

Heading Home

Quick update from the Auckland Airport to give my folks and all those looking to pick me up at the airport in Seattle.
Flight UA5557, Sat, March 10th
I'm boarding in San Francisco at 2 in the afternoon, so I should be in Seatac somewhere between 4 and 5 depending upon delays and all that.

I can't believe it's all over now.
Just two flights and a car drive and I'l be back home...

FATAL COMPUTER ISSUES

Sorry folks, looks like the blog is on hiatus from here on in.
My laptop of 4 years has at long last given up the ghost with a graphics card failure that is causing the computer to halt its boot up sequence, making it utterly useless.
A repair job is possible, but would be upwards of $300 for parts alone, and the repair would only last for another 6 to 12 months before needing a second replacement.
The data is all whole and fine, no worries there, but Cortana has officially bit the dust, much to my chagrin.
So, now I have three major electronic issues to deal with when I get home:
1) Recover data from backup external harddrive
2) Recover data from laptop
3) Purchase new laptop
Thankfully, I've already done the research for the replacement (my panic prior to leaving), so I'll be able to take care of that without too much issue.

So, until next time-
Sayonara my lovelies~!

PS. Borrowing my friend's laptop to post this, just in case you're wondering.

On our way~

In Wellington on our way to Queenstown then Christchurch, our base of operations for camping on the South Island.

Found a really nice YHA Backpacker in town, cheap and quality accommodation, will certainly be looking into it if we make it back into the area and need a place to stay overnight (again). Gosh, but it feels good to be clean after the past couple days of running around...

Out Camping~!

Just want to give the folks and family a quick notification to say that I'm out and about, and though updates may be scarce, I'll do what I can to keep folks updated on my comings and goings for the next several days until I come home.

I'll be closing this blog when I do return home, so there's that.

At present, I'm in Otorohunga, 3 hours drive South of Auckland, at a place called Camp Kiwi. It's a really nice spot next door to a bird sanctuary, Corwin and I will be going on a hike later tonight to see the stars and check out a couple places that might have glowworms.

I'll post pictures when I can.

I went in a Hobbit hole

So Corwin and I went to the Hobbiton set in Matamata.

It was absolutely beautiful.

Quick Update before rush of photos

Pardon the delay, distracted with schoolwork and stuff.

Will be posting photos of the adventure on Ragitoto eventually.