Christmas Light displays Franklin Road Auckland

Franklin Road Auckland during Christmas is full of holiday cheer from all of the houses fully decorated, some even with Christmas movies played on a screen outside, there are also countless groups of carolers etc. It was different walking around a neighbourhood to look at lights when you do this in Canada its in a car because it is cold. Back home around Christmas there definitely isn't anyone outside singing. Virtually every house and store front has a display. I will let the pictures speak for themselves as it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Sorry for the quality of the pictures I will be getting a new camera soon! :)

 

Hello everyone it has been awhile since I have posted. I have a few things to post about soon such as Kiwi culture, Kiwi traditions, Christmas and an unusual way to eat McDonalds fries and Sundaes

Crate Day New Zealand

CRATE DAY COMMANDMENTS

All Crate Day supporters must abide the 10 Commandments of National Crate Day. They're like laws, but more important. So read the rules below, and get your mates to read em over too.

COMMANDMENT #1:  Thou shall begin at midday.

COMMANDMENT #2:  Thou shall listen to The Rock Crate Day Hundy

COMMANDMENT #3:  Thou shall wear thy stubbies and thy singlet

COMMANDMENT #4:  Thou shall support thy Crate of Origin

COMMANDMENT #5:  Thou shalt not toss any salad.

COMMANDMENT #6:  Thou shall respect thy neighbour.

COMMANDMENT #7:   Thou only beef that shall attend National Crate Day is thy beef for thy BBQ

COMMANDMENT #8:  Thou shall look out for thy mates, even Dave

COMMANDMENT #9:  Don’t let’th the sun get thy best of you and your provisions 

COMMANDMENT #10:  Thou shall always keep rules 1-9 top of mind, to ensure we continue The Rock National Crate Day legacy for centuries to come. 

The first Saturday in summer in December is a very important day in New Zealand it is “Crate Day”. Crate day is a day where everyone gets together and gets a crate of beer from their region and well they drink. A crate of beer is 12 stubby bottles they are approximately the size of 2 normal bottles of beers. Crate day was started from a radio station. I think for my fellow Canadians this would be our May two four weekend. When you travel like this you need to experience other peoples cultures....ok yes it was just drinking but hey it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

On a film set....kind of

I walk outside the hostel and I see camera crews and props close by my first thought “awesome maybe they are shooting a movie or a tv show”! I also thought I wonder if there is a chance I can become an extra. I watch curiously as they are filming and you see people walking back and forth again and again. I watch for a while and find out it is a commercial for Volkswagen. Once I found out it was first a commercial I lost some interest but watched for a bit it was interesting to see how much was going into a short commercial I could only imagine what it would be like for a movie or a tv show. Since I am traveling I should actually take a look at opportunities for being an extra who knows what can happen after all it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Fire alarm in a hostel

This is just a quick blog on the reason why fire drills are so important. There was a fire alarm in the hostel everyone realized what was happening and left the hostel in a calm manner then things went bad.

Instead of standing away from the hostel and more importantly the doors everyone was right close to the hostel. Personally if I was a fireman I would have told everyone to step back so they had their space to work. Common sense would tell you to step away from the potentially dangerous area. The second thing was people were standing right in the path of oncoming cars so instead of standing in a safe area across the street where there was no cars they stood right by the street. If this was an actual emergency things could have gone horrible wrong.

Do yourself a favour and be aware of fire exits and muster points and make sure in your home your smoke detectors are working and your kids know what to do.

Tuna Tom

A few pictures from the Santa Clause parade and the skyline in Auckland

After work on a Saturday I went outside the hostel and saw and heard noise coming from down the street. I realized quickly it was the Santa Clause parade so I watched what was the rest of it. I was intrigued to see the differences compared to back home (although I haven't seen one since I was little). It was one of those reality times that I will not be home and it will be a very different Christmas. I am looking forward to a non white Christmas for a change but I know I will also be looking forward to a Christmas on the ski hill again when I get back. For now here are some pictures from the parade. 

Tuna Tom

Another day in paradise

Just living the backpacker life right now....bad jobs, lazy days, sleeping in parks, waiting to go to Hawaii in January for a couple of days. I have a few more pictures to post soon just being lazy and things are quiet for now.....could be big news coming though. This will be a very different Christmas this year being so far away from everyone but for now time to get some rest as it is;

My life
My choice
My time

Tuna Tom

What is new?

I am working a job for accommodation and trying to find work on top of it. I am thankful for the accommodation although, it is interfering with my ability to get a job as the time of the shift. I can now make a bed quicker and better than the average person. Most people hate the one person I am working for the guy does tend to be a micro manager. I am not saying I dislike the guy I do understand the pressure he is on for a daily basis. I only have to deal with this for a few weeks he may be suck in this job for years. I did score a brand new pair of shoes (tags were still on them) that fit me today. Working with him has reminded me of something an old manager of mine said; "Whatever job you have do it and do it well even if it is a job you really hate". I know how much money I can make I know the kind of work I can get. I am doing this job for survival and to continue traveling. It is hard to find the balance between pay and something you really enjoy.

I have dumbed down my resume trying to find unskilled work. Other than that I have slept in an airport, received food from someone leaving the country, shared a meal with a homeless person (who had more intelligence than the average university student), and I have couch surfed. I know I am at a low point in my life but can still smile with my head held high. I am looking at going back to accounting next year when I come back to Auckland. One of the things I am looking at for my future is if I go for my MBA (Master of Business Administration) or if I finish off my accounting designation. I know when I am done traveling I will likely go back to an office position but whatever it takes I will become a presenter. I know presenting is something I can do well it was a skill that was hard for my to achieve and whatever it takes presentations are in my future as it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Train ride to Melbourne

I am on a train on my way down to Melbourne to meet up with one of my Aussie mates. I was able to get a train to Melbourne for 70$ AU. I booked an overnight train back to Sydney to save a night of accommodation for the way back. 

This trip to Australia was the trip I needed. Since being here I have been thinking a lot about my journey so far. It is not that I haven’t enjoyed my trip so far but at times traveling gets tiring. I just needed a reminder of how great traveling is. I was right that leaving Queenstown was the best decision for me. If anything bad has happened over the last 9 months of traveling or over my lifetime I couldn’t tell you. I have realized I have not been doing nearly enough on my trip. This trip is about new experiences which is what I am looking at doing more. I am now looking at combining my passions of hiking (well all outdoors) and traveling together. I am now looking at a trip to The Yukon when I am in Canada in January for some outdoor adventures and to try to catch the Northern Lights. I am looking to see what countries I can do different things in whether hiking, climbing, biking or different things such as cooking classes. For a while I had lost sight that I am on an adventure of a lifetime and can do what I want and when I want to. I got to a point where I took for granted I am traveling. When I get back to New Zealand I need to spend a few weeks working and have to hope I can get something quick. I am looking at some volunteer opportunities for next year as well. I have lots of little projects I am looking at as it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Abercrombie caves

Around Trunkey Creek Australia you will find an area known as Abercrombie Caves. It cost 18 Australian dollars for a self guided tour and it is well worth it. You will learn a little about the caves themselves a little about the history of the caves including some of the dark history. Luckily my friend Joyann always takes me to neat things in her area of Australia. If you are coming here make sure your camera is fully charged this is an amazing spot for photographers to go be warned though you might get better pictures with your mobile phone. Like any amazing spots pictures do not do it justice. You can explore the area in about an hour but this is a place I could spend a whole day in. This is one of those hidden gems while traveling and another one of those you can't see everything out there places. I have included a link for more information on the caves. Since you may never make it there here are a few pictures for you to enjoy of;

My Life
My Choice
My Time

Tuna Tom

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/Abercrombie-Caves-campground

AC/DC Sydney

What can I say about this concert? I grew up on this band and to this day when I hear any of the songs off Back and Black it is like I am hearing it for the first time. On my way to the stadium it was raining (go figure that is half of my trip). It was pretty incredible being able to see a band in the city they came from. I got to see one of the biggest bands in Sydney Australia which is pretty cool to me it reminded me why I was traveling, for those unique experiences.  It rained the whole time but that made for a better experience as they played thunderstruck (I was actually wishing for thunder during that song).  I don’t have many pictures from the concert but wanted to share the few I have. Some upcoming blogs seeing fellow traveler friends from earlier in the trip, exploring the blue mountains region & being spoiled, and a new stage of planning after all it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

The race that stops a nation

I do not know a lot about this but the first Tuesday of every November is the Melbourne cup in Australia The Melbourne cup is horse races. Apparently lots of people get the afternoon off and place bets on the horses. You see a lot of girls dressed to the nines wearing really fancy dresses and hats. I was in Sydney for this but I can just imagine what it would be like in Melbourne. There is supposed to be more money won betting and from the race itself than any other time.

Come back soon for my write up of AC/DC. For now it is time for me to purge some stuff and get ready to meet with friends tonight as it is,

My Life 

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Almost forgot to mention I was able to meet up with a good friend of mine the Rhino in Sydney.....and no Muppets

Time to move on

I am heading to Auckland today and off to Australia tomorrow. This is the longest I have spent in any one country since I started traveling. I have big decisions to make right now in terms of work and my travels. I feel staying in Queenstown more than a week at a time is a waste for my journey. I sometimes think about advice I was given back in January, by a world traveler I have a lot of respect for he told me, "drinking with your buddies will become old and you need to do more then that", well something along those lines. I feel staying in Queenstown will become more of the same and less of seeing and doing new things. Of course as I say all of that I am heading to Australia to visit my friends where I know I will be having beers with them. 

Part of the travelers curse is you want to do more see more and experience new things and right now I feel the need for something new. I will be heading to Sydney in a couple of days and from there maybe Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. There are a few other things I am considering too. 

I am going back to Canada in the next few months just trying to figure out the right time. I have a work visa which I can use until August of next year in New Zealand, and am considering to use my degree and past work experience to do some temping for accounting.

I'm missing the days of Latin America. I have big travel plans to come but need time to figure out the next best route/time. 

Thinking thinking thinking lots to do but for now I am on the move waiting for the next big thing as it is;

My Life

My Choice

My Time

Tuna Tom

Quiet few days but a big weekend coming up

Just a few pics from Queenstown. Halloween weekend coming up with rugby championship at 5:00 am....Going to be a rough couple of days...