Travel Anxiety

In 3 weeks I leave not-so-sunny England for New Zealand (via 3 days in Hong Kong) for 9 months! As I told my mother "Some have a baby, I chose a gap year" *cue uncomfortable laughter*.
As the time gets nearer, it is becoming more real. I'm having to save a lot of money (much to the detriment of my current account), make a list of things to pack and struggle through choosing travel insurance. Plus parents/friends are starting to get all quiet when I mention how long it is until I go away, which is kind of sad (apart from one of my aunties who is really excited for me, since she backpacked around Africa via lorry when she was my age.)
The scariest thing that is starting to sink in is that I will be alone. There is no guarantee that I will make firm friends on my BUNAC group flight, or in hostels. I need to find a job and a place to live pretty quickly otherwise my money might run out....

Anyway, I've been having some really weird other anxieties about my life in NZ so.... enjoy.

• There aren't any Costa Coffees. This shouldn't be such a worry but I love Costa because it reminds me of lovely chats with my best friend, so it could cure my homesickness. 
• I'm not sure they celebrate Halloween?? I lovelovelove Halloween, and it would be kind of weird not celebrating it.
• I am scared of spending Christmas alone. I envisage a very sad looking me with a veggie Christmas dinner for one, wearing my L.E.D jumper and reindeer skirt. Oh, and its sunny not snowing outside.
• Do they have Heinz Spaghetti?
• Will there be sufficient WiFi? I've read in some places that NZ has some shocking WiFi.

So yeah basically I'm entering mad panic mode!! Its starting to dawn on me how big and scary this trip is, and that I'm doing it alone. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited. But terrified. 

The next 3 weeks are going to be weird, and I'll sure as hell be turning to this blog to vent some feelings! 

Thanks for reading,

Kitty x

City Dreams

As a non city-dweller, it's a novelty to go to cities. The rush of having all these people around you, the smells, the shops, the general vibe is so different; and I love it. I've been to my fair share of cities over the years as they contain museums and art galleries which my parents have dragged me around for many years.
I've decided to compile a list of my favourite cities because it's summer and you might need some ideas. Or you might value my opinion (ha!), who knows.

My all time favourite city is probably Berlin, for obvious reasons (see this blog post). There is loaaads to do, and it's packed full of interesting history from many different periods! They even have a museum island! It's relatively cheap and the people are absolutely lovely. Best piece of advice? Know polite German like please, thank-you etc. It will get you further than you think.

Paris. Ahhh, Paris- the city of love! Paris is a city which will always be in my heart as it's the foreign city I've visited the most. Paris is so pretentious and disgustingly artistic, it's a bit like that awfully laid-back friend that gets good grades without trying. Paris makes you into the kind of person who one day will be wearing Birkenstocks and socks, and the next you'll be head to toe in Chanel. My advice is to do all the touristy sites first, and then explore. It's a city full of little places of gorgeous wonder.

Copenhagen, the typically Scandinavian city in every sense. Everything is clean and ordered and very innovative, it's a bit like being in a Lego city (fact attack- Lego is a Danish product). Just being there makes you feel safe and relaxed. Oh, and there is a massive amusement park/ normal park in the middle of the city which is worth a trip! My advice- Cycle around this city and you will see the sites and fall in love.

New York- I hate myself a little bit for saying this but you simply have to go to New York if you love cities. It's the pinnacle of 'cities you have to visit', and for good reason. Everything is happening there, 24/7. There is simply not a dull moment. You turn a corner, and you recognise where you are. The art galleries and museums are fab! My advice? Don't bother going up the Statue of Liberty. See it via the Staten Island ferry instead.

There are, of course, many more cities which I love but the list cannot go on forever. And if you're looking at this thinking "where are the British cities", I'm sorry. I love my British cities, I really do. They just don't make this list. I guess I'm not promoting British values, sorry Cameron/Gove.
I hope you enjoyed the lack of wisdom and wit of this post.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Trippin'

Adulthood is scary, which is why I am thoroughly enjoying watching my 18 year old friends flail about whilst I stay on the 'dancing queen young and sweet only 17' boat. Yes I know, being 17 really sucks because you can't go out with your friends or have any legal fun or vote but at least I can still behave like an idiot and say "hey I'm 17. it's okay".
Anyway, it's getting closer and closer until my birthday (less than a month now!!) and I've been thinking about the future and stuff. Mainly my gap year.
I decided to take a gap last year with one of my best friends. Since then, my plans have re-jigged quite a lot. I'm now heading off to New Zealand, on October 23rd (via Hong Kong), alone!
So I've made a quick Q/A based on what I usually get asked (as a protest to people who ask me this, and to be nice and open to y'all).

Why NZ, I hear you cry? I'm not quite sure. Part of it is that my family approve (which shouldn't be factor I know), I have contacts over thanks to my Gran's past family tree finding antics, and also kind of because my ex used to talk about going, so I guess that initially planted the idea in my brain.

Really? Alone? Yup.

What are you gonna do over there? I'm getting a working holiday visa, so that is exactly what I'll be doing. I'll work my arse off, and travel around NZ 'cause it's really lovely.

Where are you going to stay? Who knows?! I'll find out when I'm over there. It's an adventure!

Aren't you scared? I'm absolutely terrified. I've never really traveled on my own, so this is a huge step. But, I'm hoping that the group flight with BUNAC will help me make some friends who are in the same position as me.

And so your parents are paying for it? Not that it's any of your business but no, not all of it. My parents have always given me an allowance but I saved a hell of a lot of money when I was younger (me aged 8-10 was an obsessive saver), and that should cover some travel costs. And I have a full-time job as a waitress.

You probably won't come back, I knew blah blah and they went on a gap year and never came back. Okay so I've already applied to university and (subject to my grades) I will be attending in 2015. I am absolutely desperate to go to uni and train to be a nurse, but I want to grow up and be free for a little bit.

That is sooo brave of you! I don't see why? I'm not seeing this as brave, I see it as running away. I'm so sick and tired of my life in England and all I want to do is get away. I've felt this for a long time, and I really didn't want to use university as an escape because my chosen course is so demanding- it shouldn't be an escape, but a happy and healthy choice.

I hope you've found this update.... interesting. If you are thinking about taking a gap year, pop back to my previous blog post which provides you with loads of really good advice and sites to use. I can personally definitely recommend STA Travel and BUNAC at the moment, as they're organizing my trip and have been super fab.
And if you're doing any exams at the moment like me, keep going.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x