emily@besottied.com
one girl, a bit of knitting and the great outdoors
Welcome!
Hello hello my petit chum, and welcome to beSottied!
My name is Emily. I'm 26 and I like to adventure. I work in social care communications and I'm gunning for a first at York St John University.
My heart is split between Northumberland and New Zealand and I'm not too bad on a horse.
The Year of Adventure!
2012 is my third Year of Adventure. I'm trying loads of mad stuff - why don't you try it, too?!
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New Zealand Diaries - part three
- April 22nd 2012
Well, you’ve put up with two days’ worth of me writing about plane journeys. The good news is, in part three of the New Zealand diary, I’m actually in New Zealand! I look terrible, and my photos are blurry, but I’m there. Hurrah!
Thursday 14 April 2011, Auckland, New Zealand
My first full day in Auckland! Last night’s “2-hour nap” turned in to a 4-hour sleep. After setting my alarm for 5.30pm, I woke up - with no recollection of having heard my alarm clock go off - at about 7.45pm, which was a surprise. I quickly got dressed and, looking a bit ropey (I have shadows under my eyes that look as though they’ve been drawn on with marker pen), headed out to explore. My hotel’s in a good location, in the central business district [CBD] and close to the Sky Tower, but on what seems to be a pretty quiet street.
With a guidebook and map stashed away in my handbag I trotted down Queen Street towards what turned out to be the Viaduct harbour and ended up in a restaurant called the V Grill. The waiter was really friendly and asked about my travel plans, and I told him my body clock was still all out of kilter and how I wasn’t hungry, which made it a bit embarrassing when I polished off almost all of the seared snapper and prawn risotto I ordered. It honestly was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten: it would’ve been even better with a glass of wine, but I didn’t dare have any alcohol in case I fell asleep with my head on the restaurant table!
I did a fair bit of exploring around the Viaduct Harbour area and the CBD, and took some pretty blurry photos. There were a lot of people out and about, and some very lively-sounding bars, and it all felt very safe. I thought about going in one of the bars to sample the nightlife but felt a bit too scruffy. Sometimes [my mum and sister] call me The Brown Mouse, after the mouse in the children’s book The Gruffalo, and I felt pretty Mouseish last night! I’m sure I’ll get braver as time goes on, but last night I just headed back to my hotel (which earns extra points for having pre-stocked the fridge with water and a bottle of milk - simple pleasures!). I had a good sleep and now I’m up, dressed, sun-lotioned and ready to roll! Following the unwritten rule of travelling to a new city - find the tallest thing there and climb it - my first stop is going to be the tallest building in all of NZ, the Sky Tower.
Arriving yesterday was great. We flew in over the city around lunchtime and I was ridiculously happy to see Auckland from my plane window. [Auckland] looked quite a lot like the UK - very green - but hilly and with bright blue water. As to be expected in the “City of Sails” there were lots of boats in the water, too. Taxiing to the terminal was strange - it was bright and sunny, like Spain, but with green grass, like home, jutting out in to the blue bay. I couldn’t quite control my plane nerdiness and snapped a quick photo on my phone when I spotted an Emirates A380 taxiing past a fleet or Air New Zealands to its stand at the airport…
[Had to declare] my [horse] riding gear to customs on arrival. I was in a bit of a panic about it but they were all nice chaps. I think that the immigration officials in New York could learn a lot from their NZ counterparts! They disinfected my riding boots and chaps and asked about my plans, but in an “interested” sort of way rather than a “scary customs” sort of way! The worst thing about it was trying to get my case zipped back up once I’d put my chaps and boots back in! All was well, though, and I toddled out of the terminal building and in to the waiting Super Shuttle that I’d pre-booked [before leaving home]. Hurrah for planning ahead!
I suppose I’m just a little bit apprehensive about going places on my own, but I just have to tell myself that I know everything’ll be fine once I do it. Walking back to the hotel last night I felt truly, genuinely happy. Home is so far away and it feels like so long since I left Newcastle airport. I’m off to find somewhere to grab some breakfast then have a touristy day with my fully-charged camera!
Comments are currently disabled. If you’d like to leave a message or ask a question, please drop me an email (you’ll find my address at the top of the page!) or contact me through Twitter. I’m @besottied.
New Zealand Diaries - part two
- April 20th 2012
I’m afraid I wrote almost all of this second part of my NZ diary on planes and in airports. I’m a bit of a plane nerd so happily chirruped on to myself about Boeings and Airbuses and in-flight entertainment. I’ll spare you those details!
Rest assured, by the end of this post I’ll finally be in New Zealand (hurrah). I’ll post part three on Sunday 22 April.
Tuesday 12 Aprill* 2011, Malaysia
* I have no idea why I just spelled ‘April’ with two Ls. I’ll blame tiredness.
In Kuala Lumpur waiting to re-board my flight to Melbourne. Not in a big rush to get back on, though. We switched to a Boeing 777 in Dubai and I’ve been allocated the middle seat of 3 between two big (but sadly, not hot) Aussie guys. I’m going to let everyone else get back on the plane before I do!
I think I dozed a little bit on the Dubai - KL leg but I’m not sure. It definitely didn’t pass as quickly as the first leg. Also, I’ll never have chicken chop suey for breakfast ever again! The two Aussies were right to turn it down. The plane was cool, with a starry ceiling and a sort-of sunrise lighting effect as we flew towards dawn. I don’t have a phone signal here but there is free internet, so I whizzed a quick email to Mutti and [my friend at work] to let them know that all is well, despite my slightly swollen legs and the fact that KL airport has SQUAT TOILETS!!!
12 April 2011/13 April 2011, EK408 en route to Melbourne
Definitely the best bit of the journey so far! Not many people got back on the flight in Kuala Lumpur so, shortly before take off, I left my two Australian chums and chose an empty row of four seats to call my own for the next seven hours. I don’t think I’ve slept but I’ve managed to build myself a lovely comfy nest of pillows and blankets.
I feel as though it’s breakfast time but I think it’s coming up to midnight in Melbourne, which is just over an hour away. The best thing, though, is on the in-flight map showing where the plane is in relation to Melbourne. I can see Auckland on the map, peeking out of the right-hand side of the screen. Not too far now!
Wednesday 13 April 2011, Australia
G’day, mates! I landed here in Melbourne at about half past one in the morning local time, which I think was 4.30 in the afternoon in the UK. I’ve stopped looking at times now really as I’m totally baffled by it all. Anyway, I’ve had a text from [my friends at work] who are still tracking my flights online. They say they can’t believe I’m still travelling. Believe me: neither can I!
I didn’t have any sort of issues at security or customs, thank God. Imagine getting all this way then getting sent back! I followed signs for international transfers and ended up down some corridor that was a bit too reminiscent of The X Files for my liking, with a frosted glass door and intercom at the end. Once I rang the intercom and a man answered (by saying “G’day”!!) saying he’d be down in a few minutes, it all seemed a bit more friendly and much less X Filey. Now all I have to worry about is my case turning up in Auckland at the same time I do!
I’m worn out and looking pretty scary: trying to get comfy by stretching out on a sofa in the departure lounge but I’m thinking quite passionate thoughts about my hotel room in Auckland! Really hope the rest of my journey passes as smoothly as the rest of it has.
Wednesday 13 Aprill* 2011. New Zealand!
* Arrrgh! Why two Ls? Why?!
Just a quick note to say I’m finally here!
Despite plans to go straight out I’ve checked in to my hotel here on Hobson Street in Auckland. I’ve showered, made a cup of tea (you can take a girl out of England…) and am now stretching out in bed! There are blackout curtains, so I’m going to get a couple of hours’ sleep and head out in the early evening. Perhaps not the best idea to venture out as it’s getting dark but I’m not going out now and definitely don’t want to wait until morning. I’m so excited to finally be here!
Comments are currently disabled. If you’d like to leave a message or ask a question, please drop me an email (you’ll find my address at the top of the page!) or contact me through Twitter. I’m @besottied.
New Zealand Diaries - part one
- April 18th 2012
When I went on holiday to New Zealand last year I decided to keep a handwritten journal each day. As proven by my very sporadic blogging, I’m not really a diary-writing kind of person, but this felt a bit different. I felt as though I was making such a huge journey all on my little lonesome, and wanted a way to record what I did and what I was feeling.
I’m sure some of you are quite sick of seeing the words ‘New’ and ‘Zealand’ in my blog posts and tweets, but after reading some of the journal one lunchtime earlier this week, I decided it might be quite fun to share parts of it on beSottied.
When I went away, it was quite spur-of-the-moment. I’d had an emotional few months and felt the need to have an adventure on my own. I took advantage of all the bank holidays we had last April (thanks, Will and Kate!) and booked my trip at quite short notice. My mum and friends were a bit worried about me - I think they thought I was going a bit loopy! - which is why I mention emails and texts from them quite a lot in my journal. I’ll miss out any majorly boring details, though!
I know that there are people who’ve travelled a lot more than I have, and who’ve spent a lot longer in NZ. I’m not pretending to be a travel expert and I didn’t get to do half the things I really wanted to when I was away, but hopefully you’ll enjoy my (shortened!) scribbles and snapshots of NZ. I’ve added links to websites you may find helpful, and used square brackets [] to explain things that might not make that much sense on their own!
Monday 11 April 2011, UK
Sat on Emirates Newcastle - Dubai. Just taken off. Felt relatively calm at the airport - just a little cry when Mutti [my mum] left. She cunningly distracted me with a dog that had been left outside the terminal while its owner waited inside. Lots of messages from people saying how brave I am to be going alone! I don’t feel brave: at first I didn’t think this was such a big deal but I’m starting to get it now. I don’t feel scared, just a bit… funny. Not really a diary-writing kind of girl but wanted to try to write at least a bit every few days [during my trip]. It’s the little things - like fussing over scruffy dogs outside terminal buildings - that you can forget too easily!
…
Perhaps an hour or so into the flight and feeling much happier. Only had one vodka, so it can’t be [down to alcohol]. Suppose I’ve realised that I’m on a big Adventure and I’m very lucky to have been able to save up and flee the country for so long on a whim.
Tuesday 12 April 2011, Dubai, UAE
So it’s 12.40am here at gate 222, Dubai. Shame my layover is too short and too late at night to visit [our friends who live in Dubai]. First leg of my journey passed really quickly but I didn’t sleep. On a sunlounger-type thing at the gate, which is nice. Would be even better if there could be more padding - and a duvet! I’m the only young European girl here at the moment and I’m feeling it! Not in an intimidating way but I do feel as though I’m of interest to a few people here! I’m very aware of how I’m sat and what’s showing [I've been to the UAE a few times and know the importance of keeping covered up and 'decent'].
I’ve a while to go [until I board for my next flight to Melbourne, via Kuala Lumpur] so have just switched on my phone. A raft of texts have come through from people who are tracking my flights online. It feels like such a long time since I left the UK! Going to enjoy the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk I bought in Newcastle, pop in some earplugs and try to catch some sleep before my next flight.
I’ll post the next part of my NZ Diary on Friday 20 April. Comments are currently disabled. If you’d like to leave a message or ask a question, please contact me through Twitter. I’m @besottied.
Getting ready, getting set (and some random photos)
- August 9th 2011
Moving house proved to be a lot more awkward than I ever thought it would be.
I’m one of those terrible young people who still lives with her mum aged 25. It’s partly to do with the lack of deposit but mostly to do with the fact I don’t want to spend the rest of my life living where I’m living. I have to stay where I am for at least the next 18 months until I finish university or am made redundant (whichever comes first!). As I don’t want to buy a house here and have yet to see anywhere worth renting, for the time being I’m staying at home with Mutti and saving my pennies for when the time comes for me to leave.
Our last house sold at Easter time, when I was busy gallivanting around New Zealand. The couple buying our house were expecting a baby and wanted to move in as soon as possible. The house my mum wanted to buy wouldn’t be built until August. Not wanting to lost the sale, my mum decided that we should move in to a family friends’ home, as they are expats currently living in the Middle East, so that our buyers could move in licketty-split.
So since the beginning of July, that’s where I’ve been. It’s been pretty good, really: I’m back living in my hometown so am closer to my friends and can walk or cycle to work, instead of having to drive. It’s just been a bit awkward as most of my belongings have been (and still are) in storage, including my hiking boots, my knitting supplies and the ‘how to’ notes I wrote about making a custom Wordpress theme. I haven’t spent much time online as, once our friends came home, I felt quite rude sitting in their house clacking away on my laptop.
Anyway! We finally have the keys to our new house! Mucho excito. Various workmen (and women) have been in laying floors and hanging curtains, and all of the things we put in storage in July will be coming back out of storage tomorrow.
I’ve decided I need to hit the ground running.
My Year of Adventure has slipped slightly. Since my last post, Laura and I went on a brilliant bike ride in the Lake District and I attended a ‘live and work in New Zealand’ expo in Leeds. That wasn’t really what I was expecting, but as I didn’t really know what to expect it was a bit hard to judge! I’m glad I went to it but I wouldn’t necessarily bother again. It was run by a company called Working In and it was more geared toward people slightly older than myself who are planning to emigrate with their families. Still, it was interesting and I got some good tips, as well as an ANZ frisbee(!). I’ve also started dating someone (*whispers so as not to make a big thing of it and scare him off*) and have been pedalling around Dalby Forest with him - another thing to tick off my to-do list. We also went for waffles (that’s the photo at the top of this post: they were huge!).
These past couple of days I’ve restarted my Year of Adventure list-writing. This was an activity I was quite heavily into at the beginning of the year and it definitely paid off. However, as my Big Book of Lists is currently languishing in a cardboard box in a sotrage unit somewhere, the number of Adventures I’ve had has dwindled somewhat. Though I’ve barbecued this year (yay) a combination of lots of different things means my new tent remains unused. I haven’t been wild swimming since we moved out of our old house. I still haven’t been to Go Ape - which is something I’ve been banging on about doing for about two years now - and I still need to make this blog match the rest of my website, looks-wise.
I have been doing a bit of knitting, but only on my NZ possum scarf. My Nevis hat features on my Year of Adventure list, so I need to get cracking with that slightly-secret project. I also want to finish putting my New Zealand photos into their album, which is something I thought I’d have stacks of time to do in between houses. I thought wrong, though, and they’re still sitting in their envelopes in a plastic bag in the bottom of my temporary wardrobe.
Whilst all of this may sound daunting, I’m looking forward to getting up and about a bit once more. I need a shot of energy, and reading through my Adventure list is a good motivational method. Happily, Laura has decided she needs a few more Adventures before the summer is over, too, so hopefully we can get something planned for this weekend.
Right now, though, the the fire is lit and there’s red wine on the go - there’s an autumnal feel to the night! - and my sister informs me I’ve got a bit more work to do on some invitations and party favours I made for a friend’s baby’s Christening. A little bit of Photoshop time I think, before climbing into bed for a mighty good sleep.
Happy Tuesday everybody =)
Checking in
- June 29th 2011
Aloha!
Thought I’d best drop in and leave a quick message to say I’m moving house this week, which is why I’ve gone so quiet. We should be moved in to our friends’ house by Saturday, and I’ll be staying there for about a month until my mum’s new house is ready.
I’ve had to put a lot of stuff in to storage but have kept hold of my tent, wetsuit, bike and walking stuff so I’ll be sure to update in July. I’ve also set aside a pair of knitting needles and some yarn I bought in New Zealand - possum and merino, in case you’re wondering! - so that I can get started on my first autumn project. I know that autumn is ages away but it’ll be nice to get started on something and work on it at a leisurely pace: I’ve almost 100% decided on Kim Hargreaves’ Haven scarf from The Dark House Collection. My NZ yarn is double-knitting weight, though, so I’ll have to tweak the pattern a bit - not exactly sure how though!
I’ve a lot planned for July including cycling in the Lakes, camping and a wild swim, a visit to a ‘Live and Work in New Zealand Expo’ (v scary/exciting), moving house, my friend’s housewarming party and a Tarot card reading (oo-er!) so I will most definitely be popping back here through the month with a good supply of photos!
** In the ongoing saga of my website redesign, I can prove that I have been working on it, I swear! I haven’t coded my blog yet but the rest of the site is up and running, including my free knitting patterns. Feel free to test it out =) **
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