Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Nelson!!!

Well...

I now live in Nelson...

Things I don't like about Nelson:
*Food prices... A comparison... ave hamilton shop for four people for a week $3.20... Ave Nelson shop for four people for a week $3.2 million...(Auckland in the middle!)
*Prices of everything else... even the No. 1 shoe warehouse is more expensive
*Isolation... the nearest Borders is 5 hours drive away
*Lack of up to date travel books in the public library...
*Its too hot
*Kevin's dvd player is broken
*The travel agency is far, far away
*Hamilton is even further away!

Things I like about Nelson:
*My brother is here
*Free bags at Pak'N'Save
*Extreme natural beauty
*The movie theatre is really cute!!! Like old fashioned leather seats and stuff
*Because it is a popular backpacker/ traveller destination it is set up for them - therefore it has a cool 'feel'
*Near my favourite cafe in the entire world (Up The Garden Path in Motueka) is nearby
*Church looks like eastside so I can pretend I'm back in Hamilton
*My mates are obliged to visit me and go on roadtrips
*Not a huge selection of lollies at pak'n'save so I will spend less on lollies and have an amazing waistline
*Amazing swimming holes extremely close
*Nice beaches
*It's not auckland (:

Monday, January 19, 2009

Climate change DUN DUN DUN!!!

Wow - So, have been thinking about and reflecting on travel recently...

As a Christian I believe that we DO have a responsibility to look after the planet, and my 'carbon footprint' is huge, due to the amount of flying I do (and other lifestyle factors. Regardless of whether the global warming thing is as accurate as it is made out to be, or, like some people say, it is a natural phenomenon or hoax, I still believe that there s environmental damage done by the way we live our lives and it is our responsibility to look after the planet.

I have been thinking and researching about this a lot recently and these were the conclusions I drew...

1. I should be doing SOMETHING to offset the carbon that I create when flying, as well as my everyday life. I know that I cannot negate the damage done, but I still think that it is a way of minimalising the risks... I will investigate different environmental options and perhaps make a small but regular donation... I am not necessarily going to do it to a 'carbon offset' scheme as some of these have been proven to be hoaxes, but look at investing into renewable sources of energy etc...

2. Travel should still happen!!!!! Travel employs, directly or indirectly, one in 8 people worldwide - this is big business, and a lot of jobs. Travel boosts local economies. It is often the poorer nations that rely on tourism more to build their ecomonomy...

Anyway... have a nice day...

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Happy pretend Christmas...

Hey all...

It is 'pretend Christmas' at my house today, where I am celebrating Christmas with my darling Daddy and Stepmum...

Merry 'pretend Christmas' to you all..

Also, I may be back in the wonderful land of Hamilton sooner than I anticipated... Glyndal is becomming legal :) (That is Glen and Lyndal's wedding).

Have a great day

Laura

My Update

Wow,

It has been a long time since I last posed - wow - Well... I have left Auckland, moved to the South Island, and will be moving in with my darling brother for the net 6 months in Nelson (I am curently in Christchurch)... If all goes according to plan I will have a super time relief teaching, attempting to study German (DIY) and hanging out in Kevin's Church...

In June (22nd...) I have a fantastic plane ticket booked... I will be flying to Asia for a few days, then flying into London, spending 4 weeks Eurailing around Europe (secific countries to come..), then working in Germany at an ESL camp, going on a short trip to ?!?!?!, then going to Spain to be part of Vaughan Village, then onto somewhere (I am hoping Morocco) for a couple of weeks, then on to California, then home to NZ....

Hooray... sounds fun to me..