1. The happiest of happy birthdays to [livejournal.com profile] la_marquise_de_!
2. Back from a couple of offline days in Hanmer Springs, where I soaked in sulphur and sweated up a snowy hill. (We did not notice the earthquake.)
3. New Zealand ever so therapeutic: am dreaming vividly and unearthing all kinds of oddities in brain. Must be all the fresh air and funny-tasting* water. Or perhaps the wine.

*WITHOUT NASTY CHEMICALS, says hostess

Travel news

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 02:12 am
Accessing the BBC News homepage from here gives me the international version, of course: it also, inexplicably, shows Google Ads.

The ads on the front page of the site are all about panic.
Am here! Brightwater, NZ (birthplace of Ernest Rutherford, to whom a rather unsettling bronze has been erected). Currently 5 degrees Celsius. Stayed up til bedtime, slept (with hotwater bottle) for 13 hours, woke to find that BT Mobile are crap:
"after checking your account it seems that the activation has not been done correctly I have now activated this again for you although it may not work until you are back in the UK as this must be done while you are still in Britain."

To do once back in UK:
- extort compensation
- switch mobile provider

Plans for today:
- chill
- have fun
- do Art

am I nearly there yet?

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 08:06 am
yes I am! Auckland, 8am(ish), 12 degrees C,dark, WINTER.

++GOOD: free coffee in baggage hall.
++UNGOOD: bloody BT bloody MOBILE bloody international roaming not switched on despite their assurances. I swear this number is jinxed! Same problem on last NZ trip -- but then my provider was Virgin. Have sent a firm email.

What you missed because of lack of connectivity: me waiting around in Shanghai Pudong airport ...
++GOOD: decent aircon+ 30 degrees outside, chilly inside
++MEH: AirNZ not opening checkin for ages
++UNGOOD: nah, it was all fine.

Missing kitty cat, bed, personal space (tho' have been lucky in that respect, and had an empty seat next to me on the Shanghai->Auckland leg: yay yoga! I can sleep comfortably in a two-seat space!) But only a few more hours' travel and I shall be THERE.

Not reading LJ just yet, nor email ...

am I nearly there yet?

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 07:59 am
yes I am! Auckland, 8am(ish), 12 degrees C,dark, WINTER.

++GOOD: free coffee in baggage hall.
++UNGOOD: bloody BT bloody MOBILE bloody international roaming not switched on despite their assurances. I swear this number is jinxed! Same problem on last NZ trip -- but then my provider was Virgin. Have sent a firm email.

What you missed because of lack of connectivity: me waiting around in Shanghai Pudong airport ...
++GOOD: decent aircon+ 30 degrees outside, chilly inside
++MEH: AirNZ not opening checkin for ages
++UNGOOD: nah, it was all fine.

Missing kitty cat, bed, personal space (tho' have been lucky in that respect, and had an empty seat next to me on the Shanghai->Auckland leg: yay yoga! I can sleep comfortably in a two-seat space!) But only a few more hours' travel and I shall be THERE.

Not reading LJ just yet, nor email ...

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