Welly at last!

Hello again!

I arrived in Wellington on a rather rainy day (11^th June) at about 1.30pm – I was v. tired and actually alone for pretty much the first time since I got on that 4.10 National Express coach. Hence the first afternoon/evening did not go well (much weeping ensued, and even a gin & tonic produced a negative effect). After a Skype call home and a hot shower I felt far better, and took everyone's advice to go to sleep! This helped even more, and I woke today to lovely sunshine and a sense of “HURRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!”

First I skyped home again and then toddled off to find myself some gluten-free breakfast, which Meow provided extremely well. Eggs Benedict on gluten-free toast with cappuccino? HELLO!

Thus fuelled like a atherosclerotic Spartan army, I then set off in search of the food market. Once I found it I nearly fainted, because there turned out to be a stall selling pretty much only goats cheese! BOOM! Excitedly ran around like a small child in a sweet shop buying kiwis (massive home-grown ones), satsumas, ingredients for butternut squash-tomato-goats cheese-sage risotto. Everything's pretty cheap too - $6 for 2 bags of veg/fruit, which is probably as cheap or cheaper than the Grainger Market!

I spent the rest of the afternoon exploring some more, buying a phone with sim card (because it turns out you can't put Vodafone sims in locked Orange phones – doh), checking out the library, making plans for travelling down the South Island. This evening, by a massive stroke of luck, I got myself invited to a concert with one of the loveliest families ever (my friend Leila's third cousin Liz and her husband John and their 3 adorable kids, Simon, Micah and Annika – apologies for any misspellings!) Despite all having horrible colds, they took me to a children's concert and back to their house for a cuppa tea, and then Liz took me out for dinner in Wellington! A bit of family time was just what I needed and so I am very grateful indeed :)

Also Liz drove me up Mt Victoria, a look-out point from which you can see the whole of Welly like a glittering sparkly carpet round the bay! It's soooo pretty – and again I forgot to take any photos. I really am going to have to step up my photographic game.

Now am sitting in bed about to Skype home again, then get some zzz's before going to learn about haematology tomorrow. Whoop! Feeling much more settled; big thanks to everyone who's sent me a calming facebook message – much appreciated! xxx