Rotorua!

Jun. 7th, 2010 05:46 am
patupaiarehe: Jesus would want you to (jesus)
We went, we saw bubbling mud, we played Wii Olympics! And also ate excellent food and soaked in the hot springs (mmm hotsprings).

We unfortunately didn't go raging all night cos Anam wasn't feeling 100%, but we had fun hanging out at the hostel with the other people there instead. FANTASTIC hostel; the staff were really awesome and there was really good free spag bol on Friday and free mudmasks as well.

So all in all, GREAT TIME, pity that the bus ride on the way home took about 15 years/10 hours. It was only supposed to be 7 and a bit, but... didn't quite pull that off. Very tedious.

Also, Palmerstone North is a complete hole and I advise wholeheartedly against going there.

Tomorrow I'm probably heading back to Christchurch for a couple of weeks, assuming my parents actually email me my flight information. Should be good! Looking forward to having a kitchen! And, you know, seeing my family and stuff.

Today has been a bit of a boring day. I was supposed to be meeting up with Paolo for a coffee and I had every intention of dragging him back to Vic and getting friendly, cos Chelsea's already gone home for the holidays, but he cancelled. His loss, I guess.
patupaiarehe: torchwood never sleeps (alone) (torchwood)
These are the good things in my life:

- I am done for this semester! (Apart from my one exam and that's not til the 25th)

- I just did my final test in Italian and I'm feeling reasonably confident!

- I got my Italian essay back - A+, 93%!

- Anam and I are going to Rotorua for the weekend!

- I'm going back to Christchurch and an OVEN and a PANTRY and a DOUBLE BED next Tuesday!
 
patupaiarehe: me and my llama (Default)
Well, I've had a very busy week. Except for yesterday, when I did almost nothing. Out of seven nights, five of them have not been slept in my own bed.

Saturday: Went out for dinner with Christopher and Claudia, who are Cantabrians but came over for the Bienalle cos he was covering it in the Press, then went to Ben's house. There were a bunch of people over to watch the soccer (Ben, Ale, Elvira though she went home to sleep, Pablo, Manuel, Oscar, Eirik, Rocco, other Italian guy, an me). Great fun, and I think I mentioned it in another post, but I did hook up with Ben again.

Sunday: Ming's birthday party, then after that the Mogliano Rugby Club end of season do. That night I did sleep at home, but I slept in Davide's bed because he wasn't there and I couldn't be bothered shifting all the crap off my bed.

Monday: Lauren's school formal, which was really fun. Ok, the formal itself wasn't, because the music was rubbish and I didn't know all that many people, but getting dressed up was fun. I looked HOT.

Tuesday: Last day of school. There was a big party and I ended up sleeping on the floor because all our beds were taken, and given both Lauren and Charlotte had been throwing up EVERYTHING, I didn't wanna take a chance and sleep with them.

Wednesday: Party at Irene's (a friend of Elvira's). Lots of fun and I met a whole bunch of people from Elvira's school, who all seem much more sympathetic than those from my school. I ended up sleeping on the floor AGAIN, but at least there was an airmattress that time. And I was sandwiched between Ben (who I think must have been traumatised from some of the drama earlier in the evening (it wasn't important, but it was very dramatic), so he didn't even 'accidently' feel me up) and Charlotte, who spent most of the night making out with Irene.

Thursday: Half the AFSers from the Triveneto came to Venice for the day which was awesome, so even despite being more or less comatose after the less than excellent sleep I'd been gtting lately, I went and socialised and saw all my friends again, some of them for the last time *sniff*. On the other hand, went to bed in my own bed and slept for thirteen hours (about the same amount as Mon, Tues and Weds put together)! Yay sleep!

Friday: Did very, very little all day. Read my first book ALL MONTH. Made a pavlova and also brownies. Then in the evening I went out to eat pizza with my class, which was fun. It got a bit sad at the end when they gave me an Italian book and some photos of us together and I had to say goodbye to everyone, but still fun.

Saturday (today): Have yet to do anything of particular, but there's the AFS potluck lunch, and after that I'll probably go out with the AFSers in the evening. It's a little sad, because it really feels like Andrea should be here, but he's off doing stupid stuff with stupid other AFSers in stupid Toscana. *pout*
patupaiarehe: me and my llama (Default)
Went to the opening of the Biennale today: una figata, as one can imagine. I met up with Christopher and Claudia in Piazza San Marco, outside Florian’s Cafe (oldest cafe in the world or something), where there was a guy giving a speech in Italian with a very strong kiwi accent. Lauren and I were ushered casually into the VIP area of Florian’s, plied with coffee and cakes, and even prosecco – all offered by the NZ taxpayer, of course. Then there was the band Moana and the Tribe, and some kapa haka, and Lauren fell in love with all the muscled Maori guys in grass skirts. I can understand that; they were nice to look at.

They did their performing thing while we chatted and I was introduced to all the arty people in Christchurch/NZ, including a freshly made Dame and the director of the Christchurch art gallery. Then Christopher had to go off and write his article and Claudia went with him, so Lauren and I pushed off to do our own thing.

We caught the traghetto to the cemetery, which is a little island all on its own, and hung out there for a couple of hours, wandering round and chatting and stuff. It was cool to see all the families and who lived longest and stuff, but to be honest, I find the photos of people on their tombs a bit disconcerting. I certainly wouldn’t go for it.

The performance in the morning was cool in many ways, I think. For one, it was really crazy having everyone speaking in NZ accents around me. But also it was such a neat showcase of everything people ask me about here – the Maori, the haka etc etc – that I really wish more people had come to see it. Andrea would have really liked it, I’m sure, if he wasn’t off living in the arse-end of nowhere i.e. Perugia. Bloody Perugia, why do you have to be so far away?

And I still haven’t talked to Andrea since camp – I know he’s been on Facebook, but we haven’t caught each other online – and listening to Lauren talking about a conversation they had made my stomach hurt. Not because I’m jealous of her, you understand, but only because I miss him, and I want to talk to him again. And Jesus, it’s only been two days. I’m such a mess.
Oh, and Claudia nicked a tablecloth from Fabian’s. Claudia FTW.

In other news, my week ahead is shaping up pretty packed. Saturday night I’m probably going to Ben’s with the rest of us guys and some of the Treviso chapter as well, because there’s an Argentina-Chile match the boys want to watch, and we figured we might as well come along and get drunk. Then on Sunday is Ming’s birthday in the afternoon, Monday night is Lauren’s formal which I’m crashing, Tuesday night is the Vakka Truz, a party organised by the guys at my school, Wednesday we’re probably going to the beach, and Thursday half of AFS Triveneto is coming to hang out in Venice. Hardcore.

I miss Andrea :(
patupaiarehe: me and my llama (Default)

Us in the beautiful Italian countryside. Subtitled: how white is my back?!



Andrea not smiling for the camera



Elvira being a redneck (red EVERYTHING by the end of the day moohaha)



Me and Adrea (it was two in the morning, ok?)



Lauren: I smite you! Me: What? How did I end up on the ground?



Lauren. What a babe



She might be a babe, but I'm like... the superlative form of babe. I'm just that cool
patupaiarehe: me and my llama (Default)
I just had a fantastic weekend... I know I seem to be starting a lot of posts this way lately, but I swear, Italy just keeps getting better.

So ages back, like at the start of April, Lauren, Elvira and I were talking to Andrea, an AFS volunteer. He told us about a bike race through the countryside near where he lives and asked us if we'd be interested in coming. We said yes please! but then naturally forgot all about it. Until last week, when he facebooked us with details and asking if we were still in. Therefore, we all remembered and said volentieri! and so this weekend, we went to his house in a tiny little town called Cavarzere about an hour away from Venice to have an awesome time.

We arrived Saturday afternoon, went to his house, kicked him out of his bedroom so we could get the double bed etc. He lives alone, which is really unusual for a guy of 25 in Italy, but it was excellent not to have 15zillion people underfoot. Plus, he lives in an actual HOUSE all for himself with a garden etc which NO ONE does in Italy. So nice house.

Then we went to the supermarket to get supplies for the weekend (marshmellows x2, chocolate x2, milk, chips, prosecco x2, beer x5... you get the idea, right?), went back to his house to stick everything in the fridge, had a drink, went to the bar and had another drink and also met a bunch of his friends and relatives (Cavarzere is like Reefton - EVERYONE is related), then travelled back in time to go to the most hilarious restaurant.

We were going to go to a sausage festival (hahahaha who DIDN'T gutter that?) but then Andrea mentioned this place he knew which would show us another side to Italy, as he put it. He phoned to check it was open, and ask for the night's menu.

Him: Are you open tonight?
Guy: Yeah, yeah, probably. Even if we aren't, show up and I'll fix you something if you want
Andrea: What kinda food?
Guy: Boh... a nice pasta, no?
Andrea: Second course?
Guy: Prosciutto
Andrea: With what?
Guy: Boh. Prosciutto...
Andrea: *hangs up* I think he was already drunk...

So we rocked up to the restaurant at about eight. It was a tiny place, literally in the arse end of nowhere - the directions given were to take a certain road and 'keep driving til you see the big tree', with a bunch of old men drinking red wine and speaking Venexiano sitting outside. Us girls hopped out of the car and they made a face like O.o girls! which was kinda cute.

We went in and sat down and seriously, I don't think that place has ever seen a vacuum cleaner. I think the dirt outside was probably cleaner, and let's not even TALK about the toilet... but anyway, the table looked clean and the plates did too, so I think we were in the clear. After about a quarter of an hour, the owner of the place wandered over to ask us what we wanted. Food, we replied, and red wine. We got the wine in about 10 seconds, and very good it was too. The food was served at 9.30, after the owner had finished watching the soccer match on TV and decided to cook us something. In the mean time, we talked to each other, talked to the old men (they were the only other people in the place, in case that's not clear, and they were all mates of the owner), drank wine and saw PEACOCKS sitting in TREES which was magical.

Anyway, we ate food and chatted and all got a little sloshed except for Andrea because he was driving. He's such an interesting person! He went to the States on AFS in like, '03, and plus he did a year in Japan through uni, where he met his exgirlfriend*. And he's travelled to a whole lot of other places as well. It was really cool talking to him - he passionately believes in the whole AFS message thing even though he hates the way the Venice chapter is run, and we had a good time hearing all the AFS gossip whch probably isn't interesting to you but it was to us. And plus, you have to think: this guy gave up his weekend to hang out with us. Surely he has better things to do. And yet he didn't act like it, he didn't try to boss us around because we were students and he was a volunteer, he didn't treat us like kids... he's just cool.

After the dinner was finished at about midnight (it was €7 a head, which included two litres of wine and grapa 'corretto' aka with grappa, which is the cheapest I have EVER paid for food in Italy), we headed back to Andrea's and had a BONFIRE with MARSHMELLOWS and music and I fell over the ONLY thing on the entire friggin lawn and cut my leg, but it's ok, still have all ten toes. So we ate junk food USA style, drank a bit more beer and prosecco, then went to bed at about three. I didn't sleep a wink, by the way, because us three girls decided to sleep together in the double bed and Elvira ended up sleeping literally on TOP of me. I mentioned this the next day and she was just like, 'Oh, sorry! I thought you were the duvet!' ...What can you say.

Then Sunday morning, we woke up at the bright and early time of 7.30 because we had a bike race to race - thirty kilometres through the countryside. SO PRETTY. Once I'd woken up a bit, it was fantastically awesome to see a new bit of Italy, all open fields and green and stuff, and 30k isn't actually that far - we started at 9.30 and were finshed at about 12.20, so not even three hours.

We had deep-fried sage for lunch, which is the ultimately best food ever invented in all time, and then spent the afternoon lying around in the sunshine, talking and hanging out. As a result of this and the bike race, I look like I have two red sleeves (I was wearing a T-shirt) and Elvira is stuck in permanent lobster mode. She is burnt EVERYWHERE because she was only in a singlet, and oh does that look painful.

We almost ended up staying another night to go to the sausage festival (giggle giggle), but Elvira had to go to school today, and while Lauren and I were still game, I think Andrea wanted his bed back :p

But all in all, it was insanely fantastic, and I wish I knew more awesome people like Andrea because è veramente forte... da paura :P And he says if he can manage it, he'll take us to Perugia for another weekend to stay at his flat there (where he studies) and see the city. Cool bananas, no?

* Ex gf is very recently so. Ie, Elvira: So where's Morisa? Him: We broke up on Thurs. Elf: Oh. Mi spiace... He didn't seem to cut up about it though; apparently it's been a long time coming.


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