South Island Travels

So i've learnt that i'm really bad at updating blogs. *smacks hand* Anyway I think I just need to be in the right mood and set aside the time. Which very rarely happens. So from now on i'll at the very very least try to update every month. But i'm hoping to do it a little more often than that hopefully.

Anyway, back to what i've intended to talk about are my travels around the south island with my friend Capri! We started out on the 21st of November from Palmy Airport. Now this has to have been the EASIEST PLANE JOURNEY IN MY LIFE. All we did was hand over our luggage, wait a little while and stroll onto the plane. No checks, no scanners, barely any waiting or walking. Felt way too relaxed. Definately a different flying experience. On the plane me and Capri enjoyed mucking about and looking out the window, trying to guess where we were on the map she had on her, and in no time we had arrived at Christchurch Airport.

Messing about In Christchurch Airport!


So from there we went to SoHotel just outside the square found in the christchurch town centre. Probably the coolest hotel i've been to. It had mood lighting in the rooms, a function to plug in your mp3 player to play in the room, a cool wake up function, a lovely flatscreen. The best thing is that the 4 nights that we stayed there were all free, thanks to capri winning a competition with the local travel agent "hitch". So we were both in heaven in our hotel room but we got up to lots of things while we were in Christchuirch including, punting on the river Avon, Tram riding, Gondola riding, Market going, shopping, art galleries, museums.

The best night however was when we went to the Diwali celebrations in the Square. It was fantastic1 I got some lovely butter chicken, the dancing was awesome too. It really made me want to watch some Bollywood movies right there and then! After that we headed to the hotel and did some dancing of our own. We went with the alcohol flow and stalked randoms to see where all the clubs were. Just down by the avon were about 3 in a row. I remember dancing to Lady Gaga A LOT aswell as P!nk. Lots of fun.

(Other interesting things that eve include a unicyclist chasing Capri, a free huge can of V along with the discovery of a bicycle in the river!!)

Our travels then lead us to the city of Dunedin, which is basically a minature Scotland in New Zealand! I heard bagpipes on multiple occasions, they have a big statue of Robert Burns in the square and a "Scottish shop" too. We stayed at a nice backpackers called "Kiwi House" which although the owner was lovely, you could tell she would go after your ass if you stepped out of line. We got up to lots of things here too including; camping in a park, couchsurfing with Jackie (a woman we met randomly in the street), museuming it up, going to the steepest street and to the gardens and aviary.


While in Dunedin, we were figuring out how to get to somewhere else... Either by hitchhiking (i happy to say i am and i'm still a hitchhiking virgin) or going on another nakedbus (which doesn't involve being naked thankfully...

But luckily we were in luck as Capri had met Wil, a guy also travelling around New Zealand while at a bar on one of the nights we were in Dunedin. So once we got a hold of him he was lovely enough to take us around a lot of the Island in his car. (Thanks again Wil!)

While with Wil, we managed to travel the coast along the Catlins camping at various locations and seeing some gorgeous scenery! We managed to see rare yellow eyed penguins in the wild along with a seal that had just gave birth! Amazing!



We then went to Invercargill to freshen up at a hostel for an evening before heading off to the Burt Munro challenge which was happening at a local town nearby! (Info On Burt Munro) Then we headed to Te Anau where we decided to take a hike through the Fiordlands. I don't think I was the best prepared person for a 3 day hike, but I think i managed to hold up after hours of hiking through the rain over horrible tree roots and huge pools of cold water. Ugh! So glad I managed to do it though! But after three days of not having had a shower I was glad at the same time as being sad to go to Queenstown on the 3rd day. I had to say my goodbyes to Capri and Wil at the shelter then get a water taxi over the lake to Queenstown where I did some exploration and shopping until I left to come back home to Palmy.

Now that i'm back I notice how crap I look and how badly I feel after all the travelling. Not the best way to greet my parents tomorrow in Wellington, but oh wells.

However I can celebrate in knowing that i've passed all of my exams!!! and can now fully enjoy the rest of my travels with my family!

Love to Everyone back home!

Miss you! (and if I don't get a chance to say it again, have a lovely Xmas!)

P.S. Also Check out my pal Capri's blog HERE to see her entries about our adventures!
P.P.S If you're reading of facebook press view orginal post!

Blair Xxx

Ladyhawke!

The Kiwi Artist that I cannot get enough of at the moment! Her album is out next monday!

Back Of The Van

Paris Is Burning

Dusk Till Dawn

Love :)

Time is going sooo fast! + Mice

Ok so i have an hour break between a lecture and a lab, so i thought i should catch up on my blogsing fiasco! Anyway, it's already the start of the second week of the second half of this semester. I know many of you guys at Edinburgh are not even started yet! It's crazy i know! If you havn't heard, which i'm guessing probably not, i'm doing a behavioural ecology experiment on mice for my course "behavioural ecology" lol. I'm testing whether the presence of predator odour alters the foraging behaviour of mice. So far so good although i dunno how to really analyse the data...eeek. The experiment involves me food depriving the wee things for no more than 12 hours, so i have to go i at night into the ecology building at like 9 or 10 in the evening with a swipe card. The place is well creepy. Just imagine those sorta labs with all the large windows into each room like labs in zombie movies like 28 days later etc etc. Creepy as. Also doesnt help that me angie and elen were watching creepy haunting videos and stuff on youtube beforehand so i got cole and angie to come with me! Ha ha it was funny!




Got a semester test next monday worth 20%, so i guess i should do something for that, or prepare for my computer lab or just muck about on the net and eat chocolate. Hmmm...

Bye for Now Xxx

SYDNEY!

Wow, gotta love Sydney, such a vibrant and beautiful city. Just been back for a few days and it's just really settled in that i was in such a lovely city.

Basically the trip there was rather stressful. The bus to wellington wasn't, but the airport bloody was! When me and Angie got in to check in, the guy at the desk asked us about VISAS, we both like seriously freaked out and were like "we're just going to AUSTRALIA", but seemingly you need to pay for an electronic visa, if you're staying there for more than 8 hours. (I think it's just if you're going from a neighbouring country but i could be wrong!!!) So that cost us then after that we were told we had to purchase travellers tax before we could get on the plane! Really irritating although we managed to sort everything out, just to realise that lots of the flights were getting cancelled due to fog/har! Our flight ended up being delayed by like 2 hours!


When getting into Sydney airport we were just feeling really tired and drained. However the hostel that we booked offers a free pick up service from the airport. So we waited a while after phoning and had random dudes come up to us offering their buses and we were like "NO" we're getting picked up and they tried to be like "I don't think that service goes that late" Yeah thanks for that, make us worried so we just take a ride with them. Eh no, we're not that stupid. So our guy came and dropped us off at our hostel "MAZE backpackers" It's called this cause the corridors end up acting like a giant labyrynth, where you run about and see millions of similar doors. The room was ok, a bunk with a chair and a rubbish bin. The duvets had the Aussie flag on them, which was quite cool. Then i think we just collapsed!!! Later that eve we walked down one of the main streets to the harbour where i got all excited over the harbour bridge and opera house.

The next day was where we explored some shopping centres and took to hyde park (yeah another one!), where we were freaked out by the weird Ibis birds and Angie got asked about Gambling and Personal Appearance for a weird youth TV channel. Twaz interesting though. For the evening we went to a journalist/newspaper sorta themed restaurant which had really yummy food and played good music. After that on the walk home near our hostel we heard some scuffling and shouting ahead of us. My first thought was to cross the street, but then i thought it will just be people being silly. When we reached this group of idiotic hoodlems (i sound like an old woman i know!) they started blurting out "ARE YOU ASIAN?!?" Obviously i'm not, duhh, i didn't understand what they were trying to achieve. I just kept walking briskly with Angie, then one of them brushed me aside and punched me in the face. I was soo shocked, but kept walking as i thought it was better to get away quickly than retaliate! Then Angie saw me with my hand on my face, she couldn't believe i'd been punched. Anywayz, we walked a bit further to our hostel (which is situated right in the middle of China Town) and came across a chinese restaurant thats windows had just been smashed. I'm not a detective, but i think anyone could put the two together and realise what happened! A bunch of racist twats out to just cause trouble for the sake of it! Like anywhere, there's still twats!

The punch incident the night before didn't dampen my time in Sydney, it just made me realise there's idiots and creeps wherever you go and to look after yourself! Yikes! ha ha! So if you're reading this and scared to go to Sydney now, you might as well be scared to go anywhere.. Tuesday me and Angie decided to go across the Harbour in a ferry to Taronga Zoo. It had a great view of the city and was one of the best zoo's i've been to along with Barcelona zoo. I got to pet a Kangaroo and see sleepy stoned Koalas. (due to the Eucalyptus!) I managed to charm a snake, see chimpanzees act like the big brother housemates and sexing elephants. All of which was very entertaining.

Thursday was the day for Window shopping (because we're poor students and designer stuff aint exactly gonna happen!), but still worth looking! In the evening we went to a pub recommended by the hostel called the Gaff in the gay district of sydney. Seemed kinda out of place but the staff were really friendly and ended up playing Guitar hero for the first time infront of people on a big screen. Just imagine the killers "when we were young" being murdered and you'll know how i sounded! We'd previously booked tickets the day before to see a cabaret performance at a bar called Slide. The show was called "Six Quick Chicks". We ended up there pretty early, about 7.30 because it said it started at 7 on the ticket. The place was so swish! Think GHQ but nicer. Really lovely along with confusing Unisex bathrooms.... Or maybe i just got lost! Me and Angie got some nice drinks at the bar from the rather good looking barstaff in Kilts (which seemed a little odd when in Sydney!). Angies drink was like a desert, while i just went for a few gin and tonics. The show started around 9.30 and like most cabaret acts had a fairly random beggining and to my surprise all of the Six wuick Chicks were female (to my knowledge!), which was a change. Each one came on with a totally different act. From gargling french, to singing spoofs of My favourite things and stripping on stage. The youtube links are below to see for yourself! Best night out in Sydney by far!!!!

French Gargling, How do you spell GOD?, My Fave Things

"OPERA IS MY LIFE, because i have the big boobies"

Oh no i shouldn't strip damn these shoes (Angies camera died before it got really entertaining!)

The next day i managed to catch up with my friend capri who studies Ecology back at massey in NZ. (I just found out she was heading to sydney too before the break) Was really cool to see her, so me, her and angie headed over to a 1930's themed amusement park, which was lot of fun. Which can probably seen from the photos!!!

For one day me and Angie headed out to the Blue Mountains on a tour and went up the Sky tower. Both of which were fantastic sight-seeing opportunities.

I think i'll shut up for now, SYDNEY OVERLOAD!

Blair Xx

It's been a long time...

Ok, so I havn't updated this thing in over a month. Thats really bad, cause i've done so much since the last entry. Visiting Bushy Park, going to Auckland, the Hall Ball, Cross Dress Parties, Ice Bars and tomorrow i'll be heading to Sydney, Australia!!!! ^_^

So yeah, i'm feeling pretty settled now, knowing most people in McHardy now and have been going out into town lately with people. It's already the Mid-semester here already, which i can't believe because the Uni back home doesn't start for a while yet even! I've made some great friends already like Sophie, Angie, Cole and Lynelle who all stayed up until 4am in my room one evening just playing spin the bottle. (Only truths though and no drinking because it's McHardy Hall!) I'm spreading the word on artists like Sam Sparro and Dragonette, because they need the attention they deserve...

My courses have been going well too, been getting sorta B grade marks for thing or maybe a bit higher which i've really been pleased with. The lecturers here are also more friendly and get to know their students better compared to back home. But of course Massey is much smaller than Edinburgh, so i guess that could be a reason! One of my courses fieldtrips took us to a nature preserve near Wanganui, where they have Kiwis and Tui's and loads of rare New Zealand birds which was very exciting. Met one of my friends Capri while doing that field trip who is also going to Sydney for the semester break so me and Angie are probably going to meet her over there. Still kinda up in the air what we're gonna do when we get there. Obviously going to go see the Opera House and the Harbour bridge because they're so epic!

The weather over here has been pretty minging. Well very...COLD and WET most days, a bit like home to be honest!! Oooh i have a funny story where I was in one of the ecology experiments we have to do and this guy... who looked like this!>>

He came up across the bench and said are you BLAIR CAMERON? and i was like "Waaaaaaa?" Emmm "Yeah?...." He was from the Ecology department and had seen a picture of me somewhere from registration or something and all the new students get their pictures taken. Was funny though and he was nice telling me about the courses, projects i could possibly do in the summer and how the weather isn't normally this bad!

I've joined the universities fire club too, to spin fire an poi and so on. Went to one of the local beaches with them and took these videos. Hope you likey...

Auckland was fantastic when me and the other international students went up for the weekend to see the All Blacks game (where they won!). The bus ride there and back kinda killed us all slowly. But it was good to get away from palmy for a while and see some more of NZ. While there we also went to an ice bar, which was sooo cool. Everything in there was made out of ice, even the glasses and seats. I don't think we were allowed to take our own photos in there, but i did it anyway!

The hall ball that was Las Vegas themed was a great time. None of the other international students that went, but the kiwis were good fun!! Hence the photos below...
Then since then i've went out with people in the hall to a small club in palmy and then just this week we've had a hall event that was a 80's/90's crossdress party which was hilarious and a night at the china inn doing kareoke. So i'm just looking up places to go in Sydney, so excited. Anyway will let you know how it rolls out. Missing everyone back home in Stonehaven and Edinburgh mates! Have fun with uni starting again.
Oh and for more photos...i've uploaded them ALL to photobucket. Check it out. I'll add a link at the side to check for new ones etc later! CLICK HERE!
Blair xxx

Where EXACTLY Am I?

If you're wondering this question then this post should help you a bit. I'm in a city called Palmerston North on the North Island of New Zealand. I'm in a region called Manawatu.Below is a map showing Palmy North and Massey University Campus!

Here's the Campus close up with some of the things i visit/use!
Oh and here's me at Palmy North Square with the clock tower!

Us waiting for the bus with the sun in our eyes!

Waiting for bus with Shopping done!

Thats a lot of Pineapple!

This is McHardy Hall, where i'm living!

Blair xx

Catch Up

Ok, so i've just been going through all the stupid bits of paper that i've aquired over the past few days and organised them all. In my animal biodiversity lab this morning, i found out that i'll be looking at different types of dead birds to look at their lice etc, to see if they're an example of co-speciation. Sounds cool!

The mid-winter hall/xmas event last night was really cool, it involved outdoor games, santa and lovely dessert!!! Got some funny pictures of some of my fellow residents to (or Cole did, while we all ran about like idiots!)Here are a few...



Anyway next hall even is to film a spoof music video with our assigned groups. Looks like lots of fun. Our group has picked Toxic and Bye Bye Bye. here's a reminder of the originals!!

N'Sync - Bye Bye Bye
by Stella78

N'Sync Bye Bye Bye

Britney Toxic

Neither of them let you embed on youtube... Grr damn record companies...
We have two weeks. lol xx

I'm Here...I'm Here I'm Here!!!

Ok, so i've almost been in New Zealand for a whole two weeks now. I'm pretty much adjusted to the time difference and getting settled. The people over here are really lovely. The RA's, (a bit like HA's back home) are really nice at McHardy, Mai and Cole. Been hanging out with the american international students too, which is good. All in all i'm enjoying everything so far, even though it hasn't been all go yet, due to not everyone being back yet and classes not starting until monday. My timetable is stooopid though, with a packed monday and friday having almost nothing!!!!

Well I went out on saturday evening to one of Cole's friends flats to have some drinks, then headed to a club called Detroit. It was really, really good fun and of course I was pretty drunk. ;)

Havn't taken any photos with my camera yet, although i really should i know! But some of my american friends have... I'll just see if i can nick some of theres and post them here.








*Anyway since starting this post i've actually started my courses on monday and it's wednesday eve now! My ecology courses look really really interesting. We've already started one of our practicals where we are harvesting flour beetles to see how the populations react to it etc. Basically it's a scaled down version of harvesting fish seemingly...or so they say! Behaviour Ecology is cool, we have to design a project to test the behaviour of any animal...there are loads of mallard ducks around here so i was thinking them, or the ant colony that i'm trying to get rid of in my room! (actually a guy just came in and exterminated them, oops!)

I was doing a soil course too, but it was absolute shit. There was 7 of us altogether and the lectures ended up being like tutorials, where we had questions being aimed at us. The course was more directed for those people doing agriculture, so it was more fertiliser, sheep, cows, blah blah blah. Anyway i've managed to change my course to Global Environmental Issues. I spoke with the professor via e-mail and he said it was fine. I went to the lab for GEI after getting mega lost in the agricultural building which is currently being rennovated. It was cool, we just watched a video which showed how they built a large residential block in Boston which was completely green. Really cool, then discussed it afterwards!

Ok so yesterday, i had a bit of a low point where i just ended up stressing out about courses and so on. But i've soon got over that. People are generally very nice and helpful but like anywhere there are people that are less so. lol

Oooooh and we've got a mid-winter xmas hall event tonight. We had to get secret santa gifts that were no more than $4. That was a task and half. But yeah i managed and it's being held later tonight in the common room, so i'll hopefully get some pix from that to flash! :)

It was clubs day today too. So i ended up just having a browse and bumped into Cole and Patrick, Zann and Lynelle. Lynelle was doing fire poi. i.e. where you fling fire balls round your head! Its so cool. They have it back at edinburgh, but i got to have a go with the practice ones and kept hitting my head! I also signed up for the Environmental group and Uni Q. Also got asked by the christian society (Pulse) to fill out a form on how i felt about god. That was pretty hilarious seeing their faces when i handed it in.

Anyway i'm away through to angie's room to help her with her internet. It's being a pain! Grrr. lol Oh and here's a song thats everywhere at the moment! The I Kissed a Girl Song by Katy Perry

Will hopefully do another post soon. And if you're reading this on Facebook. Go view the orginal post as it's so much prettier! :P

Blair xxx

Ok so here goes...

Here's a new blog that i will (hopefully) be updating every so often about my experiences and adventures in New Zealand. It's just over 3 days now until I head off on a plane to the otherside of the world and i'm not gonna lie or hold back but i'm totally bricking it, aswell as being overwhelmingly excited.


Ok, if you're reading this and you don't know me, here are some things you should know!

• I come from a small town in the North East of Scotland called Stonehaven, where the nearest City is Aberdeen.
• I Study Ecological Science at Edinburgh University and have been accepted by the university to go on an exchange with Massey University in New Zealand for my third year of study.
• I shall be staying in University Halls (McHardy Hall) while i'm over there.

I'm currently in the middle of laying out what to take with me, trying not to leave something essential behind. It's all the boring organisational stuff at the moment. Most of it being has been sorted now, like accommodation, visas, banking, insurance, courses and so on...

I never thought I would get this opportunity to do an exchange at university. I've always wanted to do something like this, but I guess i've just not had the confidence until recently. I completely ruled out gap years or anything like that in the past just thinking that I wouldn't cope with the responsibility and looking after myself. But with other friends thinking about exchanges it gave me the confidence to go for it. So glad I did now, although there was the period where I was rejected and never heard back until someone pulled out, but since then it's just been great even with the rush of sorting everything out!

So I had a going away pary or bon voyage party on Saturday with most Stonehaven folk turning up. It was great fun with loads of memorable moments such as being crapped on by a bird in my NEW shirt! lol It was really really funny, but hellishly embarassing too! It also involved Fraser's lovely vodka jelly and miracle berry tablets. (which make everything taste weird, however lemons taste really yummy!)
Anyway now there's a large journey ahead of me...YIKES!

I will miss all you home folk very much♥

This is going to be my travelling to new zealand song.

Blair xx