Taxi drivers

I have some fun with the lovely taxi drivers of Wellington. They are an interesting mix of cultures and being the accent queen, I notice theirs. Just like the taxi drivers overseas notice mine. The where are you from question comes before I can stop myself and conversations follow.

Conversations where I learn a lot about other parts of the world, the politics, the religion and the diversity of cultures. I am a social anthropologist at heart and would love to travel the globe sharing the stories of others. I do that now, debunking myths about the Arabic peoples who have welcomed me into their communities.

My trip to Melbourne came with taxi rides. The one there was a quick jump off the airport bus and into a taxi so I wouldn't miss my plane. The driver was from Iraq. He was Shia and we had a conversation about the Shia and Suni conflicts. Interesting as I've not really explored the Shia side too much. He gave me a website to look at, I will get there some day soon.

On the way home, complete with some duty free for my drinks cupboard, I hitched a ride in a taxi with a man who jumped the queue. The taxi driver was accommodating, the other passenger not so. Bet he's telling his friends in Aus about this cheeky New Zealander who jumped in the back. The driver and I had a chuckle after we had dropped him off. He paid of course.

Seems the driver was Serbian, just like the driver I had had on a previous trip. They knew each other well of course. The previous driver shared the history of conflict in his country, very interesting. He was heading off home for the winter, home to his farm and vineyard to do the necessary summer work.

My favourite so far is the driver originally from Egypt. We sat outside chatting for a while after we had arrived at my place. Talking about the troubles in Egypt and the general destabilisation of the Middle East by other nations. Now there's news from Palestine, more news that should make us all feel outrage. Military sanctioned murder. News that made my heart hurt this morning.

So every ride is an adventure, an opportunity to learn some more about this wonderfully diverse world we live in. I've also met a new friend from Iran. He's Jewish, Persian, and very knowledgable about the history and struggles of his beautiful country and it's neighbours. It's so interesting to learn about Jewish history, about the places in the world where there are original populations of Jewish peoples.

So it's turned out that far  from being isolated and away from the world in New Zealand, this small  welcoming country just east of Australia, the diversity in this city means debate and conversation is not far away. I just need to call a taxi.

Sunrise at the edge of Rub Al Khali

Melbourne

I love Melbourne, could totally enjoy living here. The cafés are lovely, excellent coffee and food. The restaurants are too. Most important are the ones I love who live in Melbourne. Number 2 son, his lovely wife and their soon to be born daughter. My soon to be born granddaughter. I love being a grandma, that surprised me at first. I'm not quite old enough for that title, not exactly an LOL (little ol' lady). I don't exactly live the lifestyle of a traditional grandma.

So what is a traditional grandma? Many different types of people it seems. A small grey bun is not necessary. The new addition has two younger grandmas, one becoming so for the first time. A very, very excited new grandma to join the grandma fraternity. When grandmas gather the pics come out, iPhones and iPads and all sorts of portable devices. We speak our own speak, admiring each other's off springs offspring. A bit exclusive really.

We went out exploring the suburbs today, looking for a new home for the new family. Enjoying a lunch out in a trendy cafe. The best coffee I've had in a while with a yummy pide. A taste of Turkey that made me sigh with delight as I closed my eyes and went back in time. It's 10 years since I was last in Turkey, a revisit might just be on my list for next year.

This year it's baby central and wedding time, the family time I so value. So I will be back in Melbourne soon to meet the new one. To spend time bonding with number 4. That's my call, it's time to board. TTFN, Melbourne, I will be back.

Hibernation

One of the downfalls of returning to a land of seasons is that one of those seasons is chilly and, recently, sunless. That does not really suit me, the change of seasons has been gorgeous with autumn colours and nights beginning early. Cosy inside through dreary days. Last evening and this morning it's just plain cold, no redeeming sun streaming through the foggy windows.

My solar batteries need recharging already and it's only May. Early May. The up side is I'm getting plenty of excercise, plenty of rugged up outside time wandering with friends. Exploring this lovely city. And then there's the days out on the harbour enjoying the lively breezes Wellington is so famous for.

It seems like ages since I wrote, blame my need to hibernate sometimes. Cold times. This past month has been busy with a trip to Brisbane to meet Aria, a trip to Christchurch to play pirates and one to Auckland for work. A nice day out in the big city visiting children's hospitals and putting faces to the names of those I write to.

A highlight of Auckland was catching up with Sandy. Sandy my traveling companion in Italy. Of course being the small world it is, one of those I was meeting was a friend of hers. I'm off to Melbourne next weekend for a family catch up and hope to see Sue and others as well. It might be a busy one.

Today Kate and Mike are in town so this evening promises to be a social one, like last evening was with a pub dinner, excellent company and the Chiefs winning. And here I sit after a lay in, enjoying summer tomatoes on yummy toast with a pot of tea. It's time I made a move really, procrastinating and enjoying the view of the harbour and city out my window, the leafless trees opening up the vista. The hill I climb each day made worthwhile. 

Fine Friday

Thank goodness for a fine Friday, Good Friday so therefore a home Friday. It's rained pretty much constantly since I've been back from Brisbane and it had rained all the week before too. My bed was damp when I arrived home, I've been sick all week and the clothes dryer that came as part of this house is broken. The landlady is doing her best to replace this essential item.

So a fine Friday with the right amount of breeze was just what the doctor ordered. A dose of vitamin D as I lay on the couch basking while my loads and loads of washing dried on the line and in the sun room. It was a home day. A day when the value of Internet shopping was reinforced. That's continued today. All I needed were some photos and an electric blanket, Snapfish and Briscoes were good enough to make it simple for me.

It was a day I refused a sail, I thought my coughing might be annoying and the wind looked a little fierce out on the water for someone not quite well. I can see the harbour from my living room, now the trees in front have lost their leaves. I had glimpses, now it's more panoramic. An autumn bonus.

Sorting through my photos and choosing some to print and share was interesting. It took a while and I didn't really get past my November time in Australia. The travel ones will take a bit more sorting, they are out of order and not fully uploaded after my big computer crash. So it's trolling through the memory cards to see what I've missed.

I will see how Snapfish are with my first order and may use them to print some photos for my wall, boards that will hang easily. It seems I've lost all of my photos from Aperture, I looked on my hard drives and couldn't find the ones I'd backed up. That could be because the programme is no longer operating on my computer so I'm not stressing too much yet. Luckily I have published a few of the best in various places.

I also test drove at a car to buy. I do need one as rentals are not so easy to come by, a weekend car for weekend adventures.  So my sunny Friday was a productive one, even got a touch of colour from being outside for a bit sweeping away the autumn leaves.

Feeling reflective, Venice 2013

Patience

Or patient today. I'm not very good at being sick, I don't have the patience not to rush getting better. Maybe it comes from my childhood where sick wasn't really much of an option, missing out didn't come easily to me. Maybe it comes from my hardy Scottish stock or that I keep myself well rather than deal with being sick.

The two, almost three, year old's bug has come to haunt me. All that being coughed on and sneezed on and snotted over had to take it's toll. Then the baby got it as well, tough for a small one. I've managed to miss all the bugs at work so far, so am kind enough not to take this Australian strain with me this morning. The forbidding day seemed to be one to miss, steel gray skies with drizzle at times.

So now I'm a little bored. Not that there's not plenty to do, photos to sort, Easter weekend to organise, a house to get at least a little tidier. Lots of blog posts to write about my trip here. There's a photo below of one of my favourite stops. Bored and really only up to laying on the couch after short bursts of energy. Difficult to concentrate for too long on my book or any other task and I'm not exactly feeling the warmth as I need to.

I need to stop grumbling and get over myself, go and buy one of those lovely fleecy electric blankets for my bed and a heater for my bedroom. It's actually not that cold yet, just damp and after being away for a week of rain, my house needs some sun.

Easter weekend, I have plans forming. Plans that need a car. It seems there are none left to hire here so it's plan B. I'm thinking I need to buy a car soon, for winter. As Keri's son said to me on Saturday, how do you get out of Wellington? He looked a bit horrified that I only used public transport. He's right, to get out of Wellington and go exploring I do need a car. Just a weekend car.

Keri came to visit on the weekend, ferried over from Nelson via Picton. It was so lovely to see her, even if I was a bit too sick to be best company. Ruby stayed the weekend too and we managed to miss each other completely with my early hours arrival and the purpose of her trip. It doesn't seem that long ago since she was small like Aria.

So Easter. If I can get a car then I'm heading on a cruise around Martinborough and surounds, calling in to see Auntie Karen in Masterton. If not, then it's the train to Masterton. There's a sail on offer, the weather does need to improve for that, and time catching up on Diana's cruise. I'm looking forward to a long weekend at home.

My next few promise to be interesting. A trip to Auckland for work followed by, just maybe, a road trip back to Wellington; off to Melbourne for Nick and Liberty's baby shower; down to Christchurch again. And that's just April and May. So plenty to look forward to really. Time for a lie down again, this thinking stuff is taxing, sigh. Hope I'm okay to go to work tomorrow.

Evening rest - Cascais Portugal

From pirates to princesses

From a four year old to a two, almost three year old and her baby sister. Quite exhausting really and more than quite amazing. Special little folks who are fun to spend time with, even when they are grouchy like the little princess has been this week. Sore ears and a cold don't help.

My time here in the warmth of Brisbane is soon done. I've enjoyed being here, sleeping in the new garage room and getting plenty of baby time.

The joys of it

You win some and you lose some. My cunning plan for today didn't work, despite great sacrifice on my part. Not being particularly stellar in the mornings, I had the taxi ordered, my clothes laid out, my bags packed and at the door before I went to bed. Rising at 3.30am is actually pre morning so worse still. Why oh why did I book that 6am flight?

The idea was excellent. A whole Saturday with Kieran, Sasi, Eve and Aria. My first cuddle of Aria, our bonding time. Duly checked in according to plan, when it was announced. The 6am flight was now leaving at 9am. I was not best pleased. I did share this with the Virgin Australia staff, along with others. It seems someone called in sick, possibly the bloke meant to be flying the plane, so they had to bring staff down from Auckland to crew the flight.

Buggar and double buggar. Not enough time to get home and back so through I went to the comfy couches and had a wee lie down. Not ideal but I did have free wifi and an excellent book. The Lumanaries by Eleanor Catton has had rave reviews so it was my to read on holiday purchase. And read I have. It really is that good, enthralling, complex and very well written. 

It's also set in Hokitika, a place I know so well. The street names so familiar I can picture them as I read. I still remember Revell Street, higglety piggilty with the old shops poking out onto the narrow road.  I got lost there as a small child, lost sight of family and was a little afraid. So enjoying reading about the old days, what it might have been like for the miners and the merchants and the hardy women who made up the community.

So here I sit in Brisbane in the sun, warm to the bones in a delicious way I've not been warm for a while, waiting for everyone to get home. A temporary peace and quiet.