Normality is finding it's place again in my life, whatever that means. One thing's for sure, I'm back on UK soil. I've seen a lot of my friends and family again and been integrated back in to life. Although after three weeks home I'm definitely missing my life in NZ and the people still there. Still, what I've done and what I've learned has come home with me. Here's to the next set of adventures! :-)
To round of my unforgettable journey I've essentially made some lists. But it's more exciting than it sounds. I know for sure that everyone loves a top ten, so here's mine. This has been in the making for a few months now and sums up my year in list form. A quick and easy summary if you like, including lots of things never before mentioned in my blog.
Songs
- Haddaway- What Is Love
- Taylor Swift- Blank Space
- Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars- Uptown Funk
- Ed Sheeran- Bloodstream
- The Madden Brothers- We Are Done
- Brenda Lee- Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
- George Ezra- Listen to the Man
- Maroon 5- Sugar
- Chuckie- Who Is Ready to Jump
- Hozier- Take Me to Church
TV Series
- Game of Thrones
- Suits
- The Walking Dead
- Brooklyn Nine Nine
- The Big Bang Theory
- My Kitchen Rules: Australia
- Masterchef: Australia
- The Inbetweeners
- Flight of the Concords
- The Bachelor NZ (for Marion) / Neighbors (for Soph)
Films
- The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
- Les Intouchables
- The Theory of Everything
- The Avengers: Age of Ultron
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- Sunshine on Leith
- Social Network
- Before I Go to Sleep
- Now You See Me
- Bad Boy Bubby (for Romain)
Best Meals Out
- Fergburger, Queenstown
- Orejano Platter + Grilled Provolone Cheese, El Sizzling Chorizo (the definition of gluttony. The biggest meat platter with a second main course at an Argentinian BBQ restaurant, happily shared with Adrian in Ponsonby, plus a side order of chips!)
- Half meter pizza, Dunedin
- Hunger Buster Burger, Tongariro pub, with friends
- Ice Cream, Giappos, The best ice cream ever!
- Sals Pizza, Auckland, every time
- Mexacali, Auckland Docks, with friends
- Vegan meals, Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Penne Con Pollo, Elliot Stables
- The Ultimate Seafood Bouillabaisse, Princes Wharf, a treat from Dannii
Best Meals In
- European Christmas dinner, Coromandel
- British/NZ Christmas dinner, Coromandel
- Roast Dinner, Ellas Grandma
- Butter Chicken, 2E, cooked by Ella
- Haggis Lasagne, 2C, cooked by Soph
- Thai curry, 2E, cooked by me
- Chicken Pie, 2E, cooked by Dannii
- Cinnamon Rolls, Carlaw, made by Hanne
- Lamb leg, Carlaw, cooked by Thomas
- Korean Stew, 2E, cooked by Ella
Some Surprises
- Helicopter rescue ride at Mt Cook
- Haddaway coming on the radio returning from Taranaki!
- Seeing Dusky Dolphins in Kaikoura
- Sunset near Mt Cook
- Waking up in the car for the sunrise at Lake Tekapo
- The Southern hemisphere stars at Henderson Bay
- Discovering luging in Queenstown and Rotorua- so much fun!
- A surprise meal on Auckland coastline, courtesy of Dannii
- Brandi Dog is an amazing game!
- So is Goucha!
Tips for others coming to NZ
- Eat at Fergburger whenever possible. Its worth an extra flight
- Do not book a return ticket with your initial flight
- If flatting, keep looking and wait for the right one!
- But don't live in Auckland if you don't have too!
- Be prepared for Germans EVERYWHERE!
- Make the most of Tim Tams! I'm going to miss these back home
- Leave plenty of time to explore random avenues across the country!
- Make the most of the summer by tramping, using tents often or the huts built!
- Keep meeting people. They are amazing! Easy going and diverse.
- Seriously everybody, eat at Fergburger!
Unsung moments
- Living at 2C and 2E!
- Learning French
- Casual Football and Ultimate Frisbee matches
- Going to the gym with Snore
- Running along the Auckland shoreline
- Haircuts from Kelly :-)
- Romains theories!
- Pauline trying to convert me to One Direction
- Photo-bombing everybody!
- Head changing on the Bachelor
Games
- Goucha
- Brandi Dog
- Wearwolf
- Yahtze
- Marens Christmas Party Extravaganza
- Ring of Fire
- Risk
- Cards Against Humanity
- Snakes and Ladders
- Sevens
Quotes
- "Well this is shit." Five minutes later of awkward driving... "This is amazing"
Dannii, Comments on the weather on the drive to Hobbiton - "Salope"
2C, A favourite insult - "Hi I'm Kelly!"
Kelly, rolling in drunk, not recognizing Pauline and introducing herself - "Did you know I'm from Africa"
Adrian, announcing his heritage as everyone else went quiet - "Never trust the French bro"
Skydiving Instructor, his advise on learning it was Paulines idea to do the jump - "BRIDGE!"
Adele, shouting every time we crossed a bridge in the south island - "Ella with a fella who likes to eat Nutella"
Me, deciding to come up with some rhymes - "Sweet as bro. You've got the whole of NZ to reverse in to bro."
Me, Being useful as Pauline reversed throughout the south island trip part II - "This is Kev"
Kev the Kea, Liams discovery of a video in Franz Joseph spoken over with the best kiwi accent - "By the end of the year you're gonna like One Direction"
Pauline, Her least accurate prediction but something she tried to make happen up to the last week
University Moments
- Submitting a semester-long project on the Ports of Auckland with Sam
- Vegan lunches
- Meat club
- Revision in the Law library
- Maori welcome
- SPIES BBQ
- Lighting project for a building
- Ports of Auckland Systems project
- Getting audio for the first time out of wireless headphones
- Being FREE to travel!!!
Thank you for reading my blog. It will live here forever as a reminder of how lucky I have been. So, for one last time,Kia Ora,
Ben
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