Sheffield

Explored and shopped in Sheffield today, lovely place but I wouldn't want to live there, could see myself living in Manchester I think though :)

Sheffield Cathedral

Sheffield Town Hall and Peace Garden

The Winter Gardens

A lil bit of nothing much

I have been enjoying this thing called not working a lot. Not sure I want a job again really but seeing as I don't have a thing called mum and dads to go crash at when I run out of money I guess I need one eventually :( man being a grown up can suck sometimes lol. 

Have explored a lil and read a lot. Finished the first game of thrones book on Monday morning and have already read two other books (it's Tuesday evening now hehe), work definitely has been getting in the way of me doing what I love :) 

Went to Manchester on Thursday with Zan. We went to quite a few cool places like the MOSI (museum of science and industry) which is where her and Noel got married, it's a very cool place with a train and heaps of other fun stuff. Then we went to a old as library, The John Rylands Library, also mega cool and has books that are way old, and some cool old jewelry as well. We then shopped for a bit and wandered to the town hall (photo below) and the Central Library that has a reading room which reminded me of the Council Chambers (lol) and a awesome music library, there were books and CDs and DVDs and sheet music you could borrow and a couple pianos you could play in the library :)

We then met her cousin and went for dinner at a place called Tea 4/2 and I could eat everything on the menu (actually could order anything including any dessert). Zan and I ended up having the 5 course dinner as it was only £25, so much food and all of it super yum. We basically rolled to the train station to get home hehe. 

On Friday we went to Sheffield to have a look around, I plan to go back there this week to go shopping and get some photos of the old church, though to be honest the old buildings are already losing some of their awesomeness as am seeing so many. 

Saturday was Eurovision lol we had a BBQ then opened the alcohol to sit back and enjoy the craziness that is Eurovision. I am def a fan and my fav song won (Sweden) so I'm happy :)

Today Noel, his mum (who is visiting for a couple of days) and I went to Chatsworth to go for a walk through the grounds and see the house. The house is massive and gorgeous as and was the star (Pemberley aka Mr Darcy's house) in Pride and Prejudice, unfortunately not in my P&P but in the movie version starring Keira Knightly but still Pemberley is Pemberley :)

Manchester Town Hall

My dessert at Tea 4/2 - double chocolate something with caramel popcorn on top :)

Photos of Chatsworth House and grounds

Dronfield

I went out exploring the local town of Dronfield this morning. A few things that I noticed was that there were no verandahs over the shops, this I had been warned about but it still seemed strange. Was kinda hard to tell what shop was what as well as most did not have anything outside on display and you had to peer in the windows to have a look. Also there doesn't seem to be any old dunger cars, not sure if it's the area I'm in or what but here Sparts would not fit in :( and to me he's a pretty awesome car, prob the nicest I've owned lol. Plus all the houses look the same, am very glad I have a good sense of direction else I think it would be easy to get lost. Noel said that you wouldn't be able to get a mortgage to build a wooden house here when I asked why they were all brick, it seems weird to me but to him a wooden house seemed strange. 

Went to one of the supermarkets and almost jumped for joy when I saw the gluten free range, haha that alone almost makes me never want to go back to NZ but I know I'll miss it soon enough so will be back. Bought me a couple of chocolate cupcakes and they were pretty much inhaled they tasted that good :)

Got me a UK SIM card for my phone and it works so no need for me to spend money on a UK phone which I'm glad about. And yes when I went to buy a top up voucher I asked for a $20 one not a £20 one lol. The guy serving me was nice about it and just smiled and corrected me lol :)

Checked out some second hand shops as well, so tempting to buy a bunch of new clothes and books and DVDs but then I remembered that I have to still travel and find a job so I left all the cool stuff behind :( am tempted to go back and get one dress if it's still there tho, it's a purple maxi dress that I am sure I would look amazing in :) hehe

This here's the Dronfield Library, a very nice library inside as well, small and cosy with very friendly staff

I also had a wander around the Parish Church of St John the Baptist, it was old and so pretty and random having so many graves that appeared to have no real order to them. The following photos are of the church and grounds. 

I've arrived, let the adventures begin :)

I have landed safely in the UK and made it to my friend Zan's place. It was a lovely drive through the Peak District to get there although there were no peaks by NZ standards just some hills haha Zan did warn me before we started the drive but I still expected to see some bigger hills. 

The flights were long (as expected) but in my last flight I was sitting next to a planner and thanks to Bridie I could hold a pretty good conversation with her lol. She's from Aussie but now lives in Wales working for a Council there. I think the last flight was the longest, in part cos I was ready to be there already and partly cos the GF meals weren't 100% GF so I was feeling pretty crappy. Not even sleeping could make me feel better :( dumb airlines. 

I am definitely considering coming home the old school way when the time comes. Atlst on a boat you can have a room and chill out and go for a wander, ok so it might take a few days (lots of few days really) longer but I think you'd be more relaxed and happy when you arrived. 

I am just spending today chilling out, currently reading my book on the couch, was reading it in bed before that and before that sleeping hehe. Tomorrow I might explore Dronfield (where I am staying) a bit, Noel has loaned me a map so I don't get lost. Zan has Thursday and Friday off so we can explore as well, plan is to go to Manchester on Thursday to check it out and there is a cafe there that has just opened and is being run by someone who is celiac so I can eat almost everything :) def looking forward to that. On Saturday we are hoping Noel will take us for a walk in the Peak District, he is training to be a volunteer ranger so knows the best walks. It is also the final of Eurovison on Saturday so we are having a BBQ and some drinks (drinking makes it better I understand lol).

Zan got me some bread and breakfast cereal and I am amazed by how yum it is. Sorry NZ but you are way behind the UK and I've only been here half a day. The GF bread here is soft and not stale :) so yum. Had my first peanut butter sandwich in years, no toasting of the bread required. The cereal was also super tasty :) and there is a takeaway pizza place here I can't wait to try that has been approved by Celiac UK as they make the GF pizzas in a separate area with a separate oven so no cross contamination like in NZ. 

I have vaguely started the job hunt but not really, found a website that is the Scottish version of Seek basically, cept this one also does online dating as well as jobs lol. Gotta love that they have combined the two :) oh and I can buy a house through them as well, maybe thats for when the job hunt and dating have worked out ok hehe

One chapter done, next about to start

The current chapter of my story is almost over, just a drive to Auckland and a last catch up with a couple mates then it's intermission time while I fly to the UK for the next chapter. Am super excited but a lil sad at all the goodbyes that I've had to say. 

What is real crazy is how little I am taking with me. For someone who likes to horde and have a bunch of choices this sure is going to be interesting. Lol Bridie is not impressed I have 6 hoodies but they fitted and they are all ones I need and love and couldn't leave behind haha. Only got 2 pairs of pants but hey who needs to have options with them :) hehe

I will keep you all posted with how things are going, obviously :) 

Remember to take care of yourself, I expect hugs from you all when I get back in a few years :) 

xoxox