Random thoughts

Hi,

Nothing new to report here in Wellington. We're still having a hard time warming to the place, and are still discussing going to Brisbane for the winter. In the meantime, Rory has an interview early this week.

I made a list of random thoughts this morning, and here they are:

1. The Swedish people in the flat below us like to party between 3 and 5 am. Rory and I tried sleeping with earplugs last night.
2. Rory and I eat Uncle Toby’s Oats every morning. We couldn’t agree on cereal, so we tried porridge, and now we’re hooked.
3. Midnight Espresso on Cuba Street is really, really good. Great coffee and amazing vegan cakes. There are pictures of Fidel covering the walls.
4. Kiwi television is awful. The worst American shows and the worst British shows, combined with some strange talk shows that are really infomercials in disguise. The most interesting thing I’ve watched was a public service announcement against female circumcision on the Islamic channel.
5. We finally decided that we wanted to go out for dinner to treat ourselves, and then walked around for hours because every restaurant was booked out. We ended up at a little Mexican café instead.
6. I miss my family and friends, but I don’t miss the States. I find myself being homesick for Brighton. I think we were spoiled by living in the coolest cities on the planet. I keep seeing pictures of it around here, it’s weird.
7. Punch killed a mouse yesterday. I was grossed out, but Sam was proud.
8. I’m having a hard time warming up to Kiwi music. There is this guy named Tiki who is quite good, but otherwise they listen to American pop such as Jordin Sparks.
9. Rindless bacon, like the kind they eat in England, is called “Euro bacon” here. Luckily, it’s cheaper than the streaky stuff.
10. The suburbs don’t have many shops at all, and no pubs. Maybe this has to do with zoning issues? I’d kill for a Sunday afternoon in the pub.
11. Tui beer is alright, Mac’s is very good, Steinlager is below average, Steinlager Pure is good, Speight’s is pretty good, and Monteith’s is better off the tap.
12. Kiwi wine is more expensive than imports here, and even more expensive than it is in the States. Apparently it is very heavily taxed.
13. Kiwis are still very fond of the ol’ UK. Today is the Queen’s birthday, and it is a national holiday. It isn’t even a national holiday in England.
14. Dairy prices are astronomical. Paying 7 dollars for a little block of cheese is about average.
15. Oriental Bay is really lovely. It has a promenade, trees with lights, and a little beach. I think it’s my favorite part of town, closely followed by Cuba Street.
16. Whittaker’s is awesome chocolate. We bought a bar with macadamia nuts, and it was delicious.
17. Oh, how I missed Cash Converters! I went there all the time when I lived in Perth, and then they saved the day here by having an adapter in stock.
18. I can’t find any charity shops in town. There are a few second hand boutiques, but they still charge 50 dollars for a vintage dress. Looks like I’m stuck with what I brought.
19. I can’t believe I’ve already been in New Zealand for a month.

Rory still hasn't blogged, as you may have noticed. He says he will when he has something important to say...

Love, Amy