Trips away

We have just come back from a whirlwind trip to Christchurch. Well, it was for a week, but we fitted so much in and saw so many people, that it felt like a whirlwind. Great fun - that is the way to break up the school holidays! I'm already planning my next school holiday trip, which I think may be a hybrid of back to Christchurch and down to Queenstown for a bit of snow.

I love being able to get on a plane and go somewhere. Maybe because I didn't board my first plane until I was in my early 20's I have never lost the feeling that flying is a bit of a novelty, a bit of a decadent treat, no matter how many flights I take. It doesn't matter that the flight is all of an hour, or that it is back to my hometown. I love all of it - the airport, the takeoff (my favourite bit) and trundling my trolley around purposefully with that smug feeling of "I'm going somewhere!".

We did have a minor hiccup on the way back to Auckland this time. The flight my daughter and I were on was fully booked and for some bizarre reason we hadn't been assigned priority when it came to sitting together. I know people can choose their own seats but I have always assumed that a child and their parent would automatically be prioritised to sit together. But apparently not, as our seats came out four rows apart, and I was unable to change it on the automated check in as the flight was so full.

Upon realising this, my daughter immediately started crying, and I swung into purposeful mummy mode and trotted up to the Air New Zealand counter and very nicely asked the lady there if she could shuffle some other people around so we could sit together. She took one look at my daughter's distressed little face, and said, "Of course! We have to have you sitting next to mum!" Then she pressed some buttons and was also unable to reassign our seats, so she took our boarding passes up to the boarding gate, where they were able to move some other people around so we got to sit together. So thank you Air New Zealand, and especially to the lovely lady who helped us out. Four rows doesn't sound like much to an adult, but it would be a LOT to a six year old surrounded by strangers and completely unable to see mum over the high seats.

Speaking of trips away, I caught up with cesca on my trip down south, and after a couple of coffees we concocted the idea to take a road trip up to the Bay of Islands one school holidays with our kids and Tiki and her kids and rent a bach somewhere and drink lots of wine. (Minor detail: Tiki doesn't actually know anything about this idea yet, she was volunteered to take part without her knowledge).

I have a few other plans for trips soon as well. Moving to the North Island has brought out the adventurer in me again. I love the South Island and think it is spectacular, but I know it so well that going somewhere there for a weekend or week away wasn't really much of an adventure when I lived there. In contrast, the North Island is a bit like an almost unread book to me - I know the first chapters – Auckland and Wellington – and that is about it, so I'm looking forward to finding out more. It's so cool that if I drive out of the city for half an hour I'll be somewhere completely unfamiliar to me.

Barring a lotto win, big overseas trips are likely to be off the agenda for a few more years anyway but it doesn't matter – it's a lot of fun to explore our own country and a lot less expensive. Although I have been telling my daughter since she was two that when she gets old enough I'll take her to Antarctica. I definitely want to do that trip while it is still there to go to.

Bits and pieces

Hmmm. It's been three weeks since I wrote in this blog. Somehow I don't think this is going to turn into one of those blogs that is updated regularly and read avidly by the masses. Particularly since I have spectacularly neglected to point anyone I know in the direction of said blog, so I think I have about three readers (which is still nice).

Busy busy busy lately. All in a good way though. Last weekend my daughter and I did the shore to shore fun run/walk which was fun. Well I enjoyed it. Daughter started complaining about wanting to have a rest about three hundred metres into it and I got her through it by putting on my pushy parent hat and bossily chivvying her along, alternating that tactic with doing the supportive encouragement thing. A bit of good cop/bad cop, but it got us to the end of the five kilometre course.

At least I think we did that last weekend. Maybe it was the weekend before. So much has been happening I've sort of lost track of the weekends a bit. We've had school fairs, get-togethers, an outing to the zoo which was great fun, and various other activities including a sleepover for my daughter at a new friend's house.

I bought a sewing machine last week and am now addicted to finding cool material to make things from. Once I learn to drive the sewing machine that is. I haven't actually got that far yet, but I'm sure it will be easy. Hopefully.

We got a trampoline last week and I surprised myself by managing to assemble it without any help. The instructions said that two adults in good health were required which sounded ominous, so I was going to wait until someone could pop round and give me a hand, but me being me just had to open the box and start pulling bits out and laying them on the ground and seeing if I could do the first few steps. Predictably, before I knew it I was in too deep and had to finish putting the bloody thing up. The best thing is my daughter thinks I'm a bit of a superwoman and thinks girls can do anything. The worst thing is I was a bit sore for a few days afterwards, but no biggie.

I've had a bit of a jump on it as well. I don't know how kids can jump around for hours like they do. The first time I did it I felt like my insides were going to fall out until I figured out the secret was to - ahem - clench while jumping.

I went out on another date with the chap I mentioned in my last blog, decided that I wasn't interested enough to take it further and nicely told him I didn't think we had chemistry. So that was the end of that. I think that was about three weeks ago, give or take. No more men on the horizon at present. No interesting ones anyway.

Also, we are going back to Christchurch for a visit in a few days for a week in the school holidays so that will be fun. Really looking forward to it, and catching up with friends and family. I'll need to work a bit while I'm there, but I still think it is pretty awesome that I can just take my laptop and work anywhere I want in the country as long as I have an internet connection. I always had that vision of a mobile business when I first set up on my own five years ago, but now it has become a reality, and my hours are so flexible, I still haven't got over how cool that is. Cool for me anyway, as I have a low boredom threshold and need to get out of town every once in a while, while still being able to keep my income flowing.

And that's about it. A pretty boring blog post, which is ironic, considering right now I feel my life is anything BUT boring. I think I am happier than I have been for a very, very long time, maybe ever. Yay! I've had enough dark days and tough times to be able to fully appreciate when life is going well and just flowing along nicely. Long may it last.

The happy spinster

Ok, time for a quick update on what has been happening in the life of Chia.

Men....well after going online I was struck by a bout of can't-be-arsed-itis as I surveyed the lacklustre options out there. I think I might just embrace spinsterhood with enthusiasm, although not sure if I can technically be called a spinster when I've already had a sprog. But I have a cat and lots of cat hair about the place so in my opinion that's a cracking start in the spinster stakes.

How can't be arsed am I? Well someone saw my photos and said, "You really need to put better photos up, those ones don't do you justice." Instead of feeling insulted I cheerfully said, "Yes I know, and if I could be bothered I would. But this is great! I don't get as many messages so I don't have to be bothered responding much."

Yes, it hardly sounds like a woman gagging for a date, for the very good reason that I'm just not gagging for a date.

The thing is, I really like being single. OK I know there are great things about being in a couple. It would be nice to have someone to snuggle up to at night, and it would be nice to have another paycheck coming in, and it would be nice to have someone to deal to the spiders. Although just about every guy I've dated is wimpier than me in that department - serves me right for not being attracted to blokey blokes I suppose.

But then there are things I love about being single. I don't have to deal with anyone else trying to mold me into their image of what they think I should be. I don't have to watch their crappy shows on TV. I get the remote to myself and get to watch MY crappy shows instead. I don't have to bother about someone getting in a strop because the house is not tidy enough for them. I get my space. I don't have to worry about what stupid thing they are going to spend our money on. On the other hand I also don't have to deal with someone having an apoplectic fit because I spent $50 on something I like. I don't have to deal with moods or infidelity or power struggles.

And by the way, not all of those things have happened to me in previous relationships, just in case anyone thinks I am the most relationship-challenged woman alive. Some of them have, and the rest have happened (often on a regular basis) to other people I know in their relationships.

Although I do have a date this Saturday with a guy I met last weekend. So I'll let you know how that goes.

I'm kinda lukewarm as the last one I met seemed semi-ok until I discovered he had only just moved out of his parents place, to a house down the road from mummy and daddy. He is 45. Not a turn on.

This one seems a bit more of a grown up but only time will tell whether he is a miasma of weirdness wrapped in a paper thin veneer of normality. I'm a sceptic but we'll see.

But while my dating life may not be firing at the moment, things in general are whirring along nicely. Between my daughter and myself and the school, our calendar is a mad social whirl right now. Barely a weekend until the holidays remains unspoken for. My daughter is being all helpful and gorgeous right now (long may that last). I have a nice tan. I even followed Cesca's example and bought a cleavage dress to show said tan off. And then we are off to Christchurch for a week in the school holidays which we are both looking forward to.

Awesome! I'll make sure I pack all my spinster cardies for the colder weather, cat hair and all. They haven't had much of an airing up here lately.

Oh – and the spider didn't come back and terrorise me again, so that is a bonus. I've no idea where it went (possibly to menace the neighbours) but it isn't on my driveway any more so I don't care. Maybe it's off being a happy spinster as well.

I can't leave my house!!

There is the biggest, gnarliest, ugliest spider in my driveway right now!

It is holding me hostage.

I HATE spiders. Apart from those cute little jumpy ones and daddy-long-legs.

I don't know if it is dead or alive and there is no way I'm poking it with a stick to find out in case it runs up the stick at me. I may go out there and throw rocks at it shortly. From a safe distance.

And no it isn't a huntsman. I don't think anyway. It is about a quarter to a third of the size of a huntsman. Which is plenty big enough!!! Maybe it's a baby huntsman?

OMG! WHERE'S ITS MOTHER?!!

I think if a fully grown huntsman came up my drive I would have a heart attack.

I am not scared of snakes, mice, rats, bugs, wetas, beetles, moths or ANYTHING else creepy crawly. In fact I think all of the above are pretty cool and some make good pets. But spiders do my head in. Big ones anyway.

I am not going to be able to sleep well tonight. It is going to be out there, menacing me. There is NO WAY any of my windows will be open tonight, I don't care how hot it gets.

I'm too wimpy to even kill it. Although I'm considering backing the car up and down the driveway for a bit. But right now I'm really not keen to go into the garage which is probably crawling with all its extended family and hangers on.

If it sets one vile hairy leg in my house I'll have a spider man out tomorrow. It will be a pity for the 50 or so pet daddy-long-legs I have round the house, but if they are smart they would kill and eat it for me and earn their keep. And dispose of all evidence. I hate big dead spiders almost as much as I hate big alive ones.

I don't even want to go and look at it again. Because what if it is NO LONGER THERE???

And yes I'm aware that I'm about 32,000 times bigger than it is. I'm aware that it most likely is not poisonous. I'm aware it is probably just as scared of me as I am of it. (Well actually I doubt that last point, quite frankly). But even if it is true, any spider hater knows that is SO not the point.

Men

Ah, the thorny subject of men.

I've been single for about a year and thought maybe I'd stick my toe back into the dating pool to see what's out there.

Despite what the movies might have you believe, oddly enough there aren't a plethora of attractive single dads at the school just gagging for it, although there are plenty of yummy mummies, it being a bit of a 'posh' area. They probably wouldn't appreciate me trying to nab their meal ticket, I mean husband, and his SUV. I don't have the requisite blond highlights, designer sunnies and spray on tan so I probably wouldn't stand much of a chance anyway.

Anyway it's been a bit of a dating wasteland, so I thought I'd give online dating another try. The response has underwhelmed me to say the least.

Bear in mind I'm 38, and I've been on there a week. So far some of my winners include:

A 59 year old who describes himself as 'cuddly' and has bigger pics of his dogs than of himself.

A 62 year old who is looking for women aged 18 to 50.

A guy who describes himself as a pirate (whatever THAT means)

Oh - and a guy who describes himself as 'not vanilla' and has an extremely explicit description of what he considered 'intimacy' that included a lot of tongue action. He is also partial to a bit of 'E' and prefers that to alcohol.

And several who couldn't spring for the membership fee so they have a note on their profile asking women to message them first as only paying members can make the first move. Yep. A 40 year old man who can't or won't pay a $30 membership fee is soooooo attractive.

So many quality men, how is a girl to choose from all these hot prospects?

I actually haven't been contacted by many in my age range at all. I suspect they are chasing up the 25 year olds. Who are probably blogging and sniggering about this ancient old dude of 40 who has been emailing them.

I have no idea where all the normal men in their late thirties to late forties are! Probably at home with their wives and families.

It's gone from a wasteland to a swamp. Considering the quality of men out there, I find it really funny that MEN are the ones who supposedly don't want to commit.

I just have to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

So bloody over it

How is it that I can drive from one end of the country to the other and never get a scratch on the car, but every time I go into a bloody carpark I scrape the bumper or plow into a concrete pillar?

I just took part of my front bumper off in a supermarket carpart. Again. Which means I can't drive the car this weekend - at least not any distance.

So friggen over my useless spacial skills.

So grumpy right now.

The diet's off tonight. I'm diving into takeaways and a bottle of vino. I might be some time.

"Pick me! Pick me!"

As a new arrival to town, I am now finding I need to find a place to fit in. To be more precise I need friends as currently I am Nigella-no-mates-in-this-town.

Not that it bothers me, yet. I think in time it would though so I've been getting rather proactive in getting out there and meeting people. My main hunting ground at present is the before-and-after-school mum scene.

I hate going in and being faced with a huge crowd of mums who all appear to know one another, and trying to initiate contact. You don't want to be so standoffish that everyone thinks you're a bore or a snob, and you don't want to be so over-eager that people start to edge away from you. It's a fine line to appear friendly without looking a bit desperate. It's also kind of competitive, trying to get in there socially. Coming in as an outsider is intimidating.

Luckily the school has a policy of mixing up the classes each year so kids learn to socialise in different groups. Plus there are quite a few people in my daughter's class who are new arrivals to the area like me. So there were a few of us standing around like lemmings hoping someone would talk to us, and we ended up gravitating to each other. I can see some potential friendships forming here, and I don't feel like so much of an outsider now.

There seems to be quite an active school social scene here - already the entire class have been invited to a BBQ on the beach soon at which I'm hoping alcohol will feature. And the best thing is I won't have to drive home since I only live five minutes away. I can meander drunkenly back up the hill without guilt.

But I've gotta say, it really makes me appreciate the friends I do have at home, and family too. People who I may rarely see, but who I just know are friends, I don't have to wonder about what our 'status' is, and I know I can be myself and not have to watch what I say. I wuv you, people I have known for a long time!

The only other thing I have to say right now is gawd it's hot and humid. Every day and every night. Now I am going to go to bed and attempt to sleep without spontaneously combusting.

"Mum, I know I shouldn't say this but..."

"You're getting fat."

My darling daughter informed me of this last week. My daughter who I consider is directly responsible for the parlous state of my post-childbirth tummy.

In my defence it was pre-period bloat week. But unfortunately, she is right. To be fair I'm not actually fat, but I'm not looking particularly sleek right now either. Which is putting it kindly.

Many years ago when I was young I had a pretty good bod which I maintained by stuffing my face with anything I fancied, doing naff all exercise, and feeling smug about inheriting my mother's skinny genes. 

Those were the days....but childbearing, being a parent, and ageing took care of that. I'm now about six kilos over my ideal weight and out of shape. 

Six kilos doesn't sound like much but when you are a short-arse with a small frame it makes a big difference. Some women can carry extra weight well and still look sexy and strong - I can't. And actually the weight doesn't bother me nearly as much as the out of shape bit. I hate looking flabby and unfit.

Living here I spend half my life in a bathing suit at the moment and shallow it may make me, but I want to look good at the beach, damn it. I don't want to look mumsy and flabby. I've got plenty of time for that when I hit the retirement home.

I'm on a mission to lose about six kilos to get back to my ideal weight of 53 kilos and get fit. I suspect I've lost a bit already. I can't be sure, but my clothes feel a bit looser. I don't actually own any scales so I'm going to have to pop down to the chemist once a week or so and weigh myself to check I'm on track.

God, I can't believe I'm dieting. And about to start an exercise programme. But in a way I'm enjoying the challenge. I'm one of those people who always needs to be striving for something or I get bored. 

On a practical note, I'm quite looking forward to being able to get back into all my 'smaller' clothes again. It saves me having to buy new ones. Which is good, since I am still working on being frugal.

A bit of a trim

Well that was rather terrifying.

I did my budget and discovered my present outgoings are over four figures per week averaged out.

I didn't even realise I earned that much, let alone spent it. And the even scarier thing is, I am not living extravagantly. I went over every item and most of it is necessary. Things like rent, mortgage, insurance, groceries, phone, petrol etc. 

Part of why it is so high is because I am paying rent and a mortgage simultaneously. Fortunately I have a tenant and their rent pretty much covers the mortgage portion. But even with that taken out of the equation I'm still paying out close to a grand each week. Some of those are business costs and therefore deductible, but still it is a scary number. 

I'm now in the process of trimming off a bit here and a bit there, to get the budget down.

 

I've just started an envelope system for home expenses: One for groceries, one for petrol, one for clothing etc. Each envelope gets its allotted amount of cash deposited at the beginning of the week and I use it as I need it. If I don't use it one week it rolls onto the next week and the cash adds up. This system is still in its embryonic stages but I see it will be very effective if I stick to it.

For example I've decided the grocery/takeaways/cafe budget is $100 per week, which is fine for two people. We are herbivorous eaters these days so it helps that we aren't scoffing down expensive bits of dead animals. I enjoy the grocery challenge, although I would probably look a bit weird if I took my envelope to the supermarket.

The petrol budget is $30 per week. At the moment I'm not using that much, so anything left over can accumulate for the next time the car needs a warrant or repairs. Etc. Etc.

I'm also going to start looking at other things like restructuring my mortgage and insurance policies. One thing at a time. It is all a bit overwhelming at once but trimming off a bit here and a bit there should add up to significant savings over time. 

Speaking of trimming, I gave myself a little trim yesterday.

I usually cut my own hair. This didn't actually start as a frugality measure. I just got sick of going to the hairdresser and not getting my hair cut right, or if they did get it right, I had to keep going back regularly and I could never be bothered so most of the time it looked grown out and scruffy. One evening after a wine or two I decided to have a go myself. I hopped on YouTube for a few pointers and off I went. The results were ok. I wouldn't win hairdresser of the year but no-one pointed and laughed either. (At least not to my face.)

Here are the results of yesterdays trimming session. I cut off about two inches of hair. Sorry for the crap picture quality but as I discovered, it is surprisingly hard to take pictures of myself without wobbling the camera and it was far too hot and I was far too lazy to bother with mounting the camera on something stable and doing the whole delayed picture palaver.

If I'm in the mood I can also brush it forward and become a female version of Mr Spock. Always handy.

Frugality and Simplicity

I've been thinking for a while about how high my outgoings have become. Lately I've been haemorrhaging money, largely due to the costs of moving, but also due to just spending because I feel like it. Also, I'm getting a bit worried about the cost of living. I'm not extravagant, but I suspect a lot of dosh is quietly slipping through my fingers.

I want a more simple life. I want to stop spending thoughtlessly.

For example I started to become one of those parents who buys their kid an ice cream whenever they ask, just to avoid hassles, and my daughter had started to expect that whenever we were out she could get a treat of some kind. Not good. We've also spent too much time in cafés eating food that is yummy but overpriced, eating takeaways and just generally frittering money.

Until recently I had an overdraft and credit card, both of which I nibbled away at with inconsequential purchases that I wouldn't have bought if there hadn't been easy money to borrow available. Being self-employed, my income tends to be feast or famine and it was so frustrating to receive a big payment and using it to pay off overdraft or credit card debts. 

I don't think it is teaching my daughter good values, and it definitely isn't doing my finances any good. Just because I can, doesn't necessarily mean I should when it comes to spending money. Especially if I want to get enough dosh to eventually buy a house in the area I'm living in or somewhere similar.

I also have a goal. Part of my mortgage is in a flexi account. I want to have that part of the mortgage paid off this year. In order to do that I'll need to generate a fair bit of income and all the money I save from my frugal habits will go into that account as well. I just want that debt gone.

So my New Years resolution, which is a bit late, but then I have been known to  procrastinate at times, is to have a frugal and simple year and get back to basics.

My biggest weekly expense at the moment is definitely housing, but I like living in an area where I can sleep at night and where there are lots of beaches, parks and walks close by (all free entertainment so I guess that is kinda frugal), so I'm not moving. I bet I can save on lots of other areas though. I've already cancelled the overdraft and paid off the credit card, so that's a start.

I quite enjoy being frugal and appreciating the simple things in life and I think it is better for kids as well. Today Stella and I went down to one of the many beaches around here. We collected shells, made sand sculptures, and didn't spend a cent. We had a great time. Now I'm all inspired to bring frugal habits into some other areas.

The first step is making a budget and working out exactly what I do spend at the moment. Not really looking forward to that, frankly, as I think it is going to be scary. The next bit is the fun part - working out where I can save, and how we can live well on a smaller amount. I've already worked out that for us it makes more sense not to do a big supermarket shop as I tend to buy more than I need, and throw things into the trolley that I wouldn't normally think to buy, or buying too much perishable food and then having it go off. I'm doing our shopping in bits instead and it is working out better. I'll need to keep an eye on how much all the 'bits' are adding up to though. 

If anyone else is interested in frugal living, I use this website for frugal tips and tricks, which includes a forum. Some of the folks on this forum are really frugal, more frugal than I'll ever be!

The good, the bad and the ugly so far

The Good things about living here:

• The weather. It has been fantastic, a perfect 20 to 24 degrees virtually every day since I've been here. I'll be interested to see how winter here compares to a Christchurch winter. 
  
• The beaches. We have several fantastic child friendly beaches either within a five minute walk or a five minute drive. We've been most days to puddle around at one or other of them.
• We enjoyed the hospitality last night of Tiki, and her two lovely girls who entertained Stella while we gossiped. Tiki is a fabulous cook and pressed vino on me at regular intervals. (Clearly the hostess genes DO run in the family). 

The Bad:

• The ants. They are friggen everywhere outside and some places inside. Including in my kitchen although fortunately they confine themselves to one part by the sink, and only when I leave dirty dishes out. I am constantly drowning or squashing the little bastards but I have to admit they are a great incentive to do my dishes straight away. 
  
• Auckland house prices. Say no more. They are insane. How does anybody afford a nice house here? I'll need to figure that one out if I want to stay here.

The Ugly:

• The crap quality of mobile broadband and mobile phone service here. It is so slooooow at times and and just cuts out with no warning. Grrrrrrr. Fume. Many expletives. I was ready to throw the computer at the wall today but refrained considering it would be expensive to replace. But I cannot do business like this so I'm going to have to find another solution. Ironically a lot of the posher areas of Auckland have the crappiest cellphone and broadband because no one wants cell towers near their McMansions. 

I'd better post this before my broadband cuts out again so that's about it for now. Oddly enough I have great TV reception despite the hills. Not that there is much worth watching but that's New Zealand TV for you. 

Road Trip

Here I am, in the big smoke! Although where I am living is really pretty cruisy. Not much smoke at all really, big or otherwise. I'm five minutes walk from the beach, surrounded by huge Pohutakawa trees and Tuis. I even have some friendly Moreporks who serenade us each evening. The house is like a treehouse from the inside as we are on the second level, in the treetops. I love it!

Anyhow, this is a quick blog about the trip up.

I love road trips and this one was pretty good. I departed Christchurch at 6.30am on the first day and pulled into Picton at 11.30am. I made one stop on the way, at Kaikoura to have a second breakfast (the one I had at 5am wasn’t lasting the distance) where I pulled out my laptop to answer some emails.

Next thing, I had a staff member from the café asking me if I was working on a piece for the Lonely Planet. Apparently I look just like someone who works for the Lonely Planet. 

Ha! That means I’m cool, or at least looked cool enough for the half hour I was eating pancakes in the café to fool people. That’s a novelty, because I’ve NEVER been cool, and I'm still not, but working for the Lonely Planet sounds like something cool hip people would do, so I’ll take it.

Anyway as I was driving I had plenty of time to ruminate as I had forgotten to pack any CDs for the journey. At one point, I rummaged around in the glove box and unearthed a Linkin Park CD and an old Dido CD that I’d forgotten about. I know, not the most obvious of musical combinations, but I have eclectic (read bi-polar) taste in music. I’m totally over Dido so that left me with one CD, and although I like Linkin Park, I cannot listen to them for four and a half hours without feeling very aggressive. Not good when one is on the open road and wants to live.

So some of my random ruminations as I tootled benignly along in silence were:

We live in a BEYOOTIFUL country. We really do. Although our cities are in the main, pretty darned ugly (don’t even get me started on the concrete shite piles that pass for architecture here, or the way we randomly tear down the beautiful old buildings we do have, to put up more concrete shite piles) our scenery is world class. It is easy to sit in the city and grizzle about all the things wrong with this country, but I will admit, as I cruised though our countryside, I felt pretty lucky and proud to be a New Zealander.

Also, our roads are really good! The vast majority of our drivers are too, despite all the talk about the road toll. Our roads are in good condition, well signposted – a child could find their way from Christchurch to Picton without a map – and did I mention the scenery was awesome? I was ruminating about the engineering involved in getting the curves and angle in the road just right to maximize smoothness in turning and it occurred to me there is a LOT of work in a road. I don’t mind paying lots of taxes to have such nice roads.

Which led me to the next rumination: taxes and levies. I know people by and large hate paying them, but I really don’t mind. I quite like living in a country where we have decent roads with police to curb the maniac drivers, ACC, and clean running water, (all of which we take for granted).

Anyway, back to the road trip. I loved traveling on the ferry from Picton to Wellies. It gave me the spark of excitement I used to get from getting on a plane, and it was a relaxing way to spend three hours in preparation for the journey from Wellies to Aucks the following day.

Prior to taking this trip I had been warned that it was a bit of a mission to drive from Wellington to Auckland. Not Much Fun at All seemed to be the general consensus, along with It's An Awfully Long Way to Drive in One Day. So I didn't have terribly high expectations of actually enjoying that trip.

Although it would have to be pretty bad to match the Worst Road Journey I Ever Took which was when I was backpacking through Australia's east coast. I spent approximately 24 hours in an Australian bus, sitting bolt upright while squashed by my seatmate, a scary and smelly woman of generous proportions who seemed to feel entitled to half my seat as well as her own, while staring out at the endless Australian desert. Words cannot describe the boredom and discomfort of that journey.

After the memory of that, I found the journey from Wellies to Aucks if not exactly a breeze (the folks were right, it IS an awfully long way), was certainly not nearly as bad as some people made out. I quite enjoyed it actually. I liked stopping at various Tiny Towns in the Backwoods of Nowhere. I liked cruising along and taking in the scenery. 

Although some of my enjoyment may have been to do with the fact that my lovely daughter was taking a plane up to Auckland with her dad so I was driving alone. I didn't have to listen to "MuuuuuuuM!", or "I'm bored!" or "When are we going to get there?" or "I'm hungry/thirsty/too hot/too cold/need the toilet!"

I love her dearly but suspect if she had been with me, the trip might have given my Australian bus trip some stiff competition for its Worst Road Journey I Ever Took crown.

But on my own, it was great. Nothing to do but to get from point A to point B and preferably avoid being part of the holiday road toll. A breeze for a multi-tasking parent. I'd even venture to say that at some points it was downright relaxing.