Circus Freaks

I am so incredibly happy I was able to show Estie, Wian and my sister Marelie what a night at the pole studio is like. It was so much fun to have you all there!!

From the smiles on all your faces it looks like you enjoyed it just as much as I did.

Cheers! To a family of Circus Freaks;

Thanks a million to Amy Richardson-Impey from Pole RevolutioNZ for making it such a great night!

The Illusion of Time

Once again, I find myself staring at the clock on wall, waiting for the last hour or so to pass on by. Work is demanding, yet utterly boring, and I can’t help but wonder why; why we continue to walk through that door five days a week.

The answer is simple, cold and selfish; because of the pay cheque at the end of every month.

Although it sounds terrible, there are few things possible without it.

It’s a shame the amount of time we spend at work every day, every year. And yet the time we have away on holiday, spending that hard earned cash seems like an extremely small slice of sweetener that is simply too short to satisfy one fully; it is nothing more than a teaser.

Merely a few weeks ago I was counting down the days, wishing them away, and now I am struggling to cope when I realise another day has gone by. You’re leaving on the 11^th… that’s so soon! I feel like we haven’t even accomplished half of what we should have. There is so much more to be done.. So many more things you will need to see before leaving!!

That little white rabbit is me, forever fighting against the time instead of finding peace with it. Forever wishing it would pass by faster or to crawl by slower. Never happy with the consistent speed, which has never and will never change. Still, I look at the clock every 5 minutes; as if simply knowing the time will cause the universe to slow down or speed up, to match the speed of MY own heart beat.

Though, there is still time. Time is misleading. There are still days; 19 Days.

Christmas is approaching fast. Everything is just about ready for the family, 20 of us this year. It’s going to be messy for sure, no doubt about it.

Shortly after Christmas we have the Boxing-Day Races and new years, followed by the last week of tourist sites and pub crawls. We still need to do a one day road trip for your eyebrow piercing, and my tongue; we will fit it in. We will do everything.

After all, the days are longer in summer, aren’t they?

Matarangi - photo blog

Pit-stops along the way..

       

 Walking to the beach; we don't need the sun, we will swim in the rain!

 

Exploring by the rock pools...

Some itty-bitty starfish and hermit crab that we found in the rock pools.

Flight or Fight - The many choices between

Today: Thursday: 16 December 2010
Arrived in NZ: Monday 13 December 2010 (the plane landed at 23:30...so depends on how you want to see it...)

Racking my brain for the details that was our entire reality a few days ago - for over 24 hours; another world, another lifetime...

Experience is a marvelous teacher! As it turns out, the 100ml containers with LAGs (Liquids, Aerosols and Gels) are only for HAND luggage and one can pack other "normal" containers into checked-in luggage...that wasn't so hard, now was it...to write that out expicitely!? But now we KNOW...

The flight from Johannesburg to Singapore was between 9 and 10 hours...but with each seat (even in economy class) having an individual LCD screen with 80 movies to choose from, as well as series, sport, music and games...one could hardly complain of being bored...or rather complain of lack of entertainment...in terms of audio and visual...environmental, perhaps...since a plane is only that big.

Our stay-over in Singapore before our flight to Auckland was only about 3 hours (this included getting off the previous plane, checking in and boarding the next plane). Singapore airport is huge! or that was my perception at least...it has travelators (as did the airport in Johannesburg), but Singapore also had Skytrains! It was awesome! I felt like I was in an anime movie. The skytrains only travel between different terminals of the airport...it is possible to walk or ride/walk on a travelator, but if you could take the Skytrain...why would you do that!? The waiting area for the boarding gate for the plane only opens about 70 minutes before the plane is to lift-off. So we watched MythBusters on Discovery! How cool is that!? The couches we sat on had speakers on both sides of the arm rests (on the insides)...how very smart! thus the television need not be very hard and you can hear, regardless of whether you are sitting close to or far away from the television set.

The flight from Singapore to Auckland was about of the same duration: between 9 to 10 hours. This time the plane had a tail wind of over 100km/h and exceeded speeds of 1070km/h... :-) Brilliant!

I slept really well on this flight, read a bit (the book I'm reading at the moment is brilliant...We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver) and I met Max, he turned one (1) a couple of days before the flight. I had a lot of fun playing with Max...walking down the aisle, making him laugh and talking to his parents.

The airplanes fascinated me, I'm interested in the field of ergonomics and to "see it in action" and have appreciation for how many iterations and case studies must have gone into the design...The trays have a sort of "sticky" layer (it has to be the type of material, post possibly a type of plastic, it doesn't come off from washing or touching) to ensure that nothing moves - one's glass, plate etc, doesn't move AT ALL. The necessities fit into the tray...mostly made out of square or rectangular shaped items. There are footrests; the overhead compartments have a mirror at exactly the right place so that one can see if there is anything still left in the compartment and works with hydrolics (or from a certain point, one need only push the compartment to a certain point and then it closes "by itself"). The headrests can "fold" slightly, but enough that you can turn your head to the side and without having a spasm in your neck by the time you wake up from your nap. Then the trolley the airhostesses use...brilliant! The amount of food and drink that fit into that seemingly tiny vehicle is almost scary if it weren't so ingenious!

I decided that I'm not particularly fond of the words "Other Passports" at Auckland Airport (but I suppose there is such a queue at all airports, I just haven't experienced it yet...), as this constitutes the "whole world" except people with New Zealand or Australian passports. It was a moving queue, only problem is I only realised by the time we got to the front of the queue that I'd forgotten my ring in the bathroom (why did I take it off when I washed my hands?) and I tragically discovered that slippers (stokies) are not the ideal shoes to run in...yes, I did run, in the airport - to the bathroom...(chuckle). And got back to customs (with my ring) before my parents and brother were finished.

I hope the aircon wasn't working, because if it was, I cringe to think of the humidity and heat when it isn't working...or maybe it was only because I was because I was running? After a (longer) queue at the x-ray machines I got waved off after a question about my Wellingtons (gumboots)... - most of NZ's GDP comes from agriculture and they cannot risk disease coming in from foreign countries - whether they were used or not, answering that I used them at varsity and that they're pink...

And then finally...REUNION!

Tonight is THE Night..

Soooo excited! Only a few more hours to go!! Estie, you are either boarding the plane at Singapore or you are already on your way!

I simply cannot focus at work today. Much, much too excited.

See you soon! xxx

Traveling and 'Beam me up Scotty'

I admit it, I have been in denial...as in the river in Egypt...
Don't get me wrong...I'm really excited about NZ and even the flight there is not deterring my enthusiasm...but (of course there is a but, there is always a but, a however or perhaps maybe a sometimes) I am not looking forward to the packing, the driving to the airport, the boarding or the security measures...

Doubtless, I have thought that I can be thankful that we are not traveling to the US and subject to TSA (Transportation Security Administration)...

We are flying via Singapore and then to NZ...the implications being that we have to know what the regulations for both countries (airports) are. The ambiguity of the language and the differences between websites are very nearly driving me insane (it is however driving me to denial...) - not only to try and figure out what is and what is not allowed, but the lists of liquids that have to be in (sealed) ziploc bags and only be a maximum of 100ml each (do you know how hard it is to find containers with shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash etc etc that is ONLY 100ml - or slightly less - and not say 125ml!!)
Fortunately it has been planned that we will arrive at the airport 4 hours before our plane it due to leave...so my "normal" problem with speed might not be an issue (which is excellent!...I think it annoys me almost as much as it annoys other people). My frequent near-running to class in an attempt to be on time for class or meetings has had me wish, hope, dream and whisper: 'Beam me up Scotty'...

It is however not going to happen...Quantum Teleportation...(sign)...I could even leave the word Quantum and just call it Teleportation...it however doesn't change a thing: it's not going to happen...

Today is Thursday, 9 December and we will be flying (via plane...) on Sunday, 11 December...and we will be transported as a whole, and not particle for particle or electron per electron...

Are the days getting shorter, or is time going faster?

So, as the days are passing, I cant help but notice that they are rolling by much faster than usual, it seems like only a few weeks ago that I found out the family was coming for a visit.. and now… it’s less than a week until they arrive in New Zealand!

Which poses the question; are the days getting shorter, or is time going faster?
I have a HUGE to do list, and very, very little time. I find myself wishing for a ‘pause’ button (so that I can complete everything that needs to be done) and a ‘fast forward’ button at the same time. The first road trip has already been planned and I simply cannot wait until everyone is here!!

Isn’t Christmas wonderful? Just look around; the shops are filled with decorations and Christmas cheer, everyone has a slight smile that wasn’t always there before – even the mail lady – diaries are at their last few pages, school goers are nearly done for the year, the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing and the summer sun is out. This has got to be my favourite time of year.

The Christmas tree for the flat has already been arranged (a REAL one this year!!)

Today's Date: 07 December 2010 

The Introduction

So, I am Elmarie. I live in Auckland, New Zealand (the tiny portion of land on the right-hand side of the below map). I moved to New Zealand, from South Africa, when I was 10 years of age and I have lived here ever since.

Estie is my beloved cousin, who lives approximately 12,214 kilometres away, in South Africa. She will be coming to New Zealand in mid December for a holiday.

As a result of Estie’s genius-like tendencies; this little space will be our pre/post holiday diary. It will include photos and updates before, during, and after the holiday.

Cheers! To the beginning of something wonderful!!

Today’s Date: 12 November 2010
Arriving in Auckland: 33 sleeps

...and I'm Estie...(17 November)...a princess is never late, everyone else is simply early...
My genius-like tendencies...I like that, Elmarie, I think I'll keep you :-) Do not be fooled, though, my dearest cousin is also very bright...luminous, actually!

And thanks to her, we will not be browsing through travel magazines and going to all the o-so-lovely tourist sites...we will be doing some of that and having some unconventional, eccentric fun along the way...

Super excited no longer covers it!