NEW ZEALAND – OPPORTUNITY AND EXCELLENT LIFESTYLE

ABIGAIL'S AUSTRALASIA  TOUR - MARCH 2013

COUNTRY 1 – NEW ZEALAND – OPPORTUNITY AND EXCELLENT LIFESTYLE

Awesome New Zealand!   Thanks to typical Kiwi hospitality, my journey started in the modern harbor  City of Auckland.  Within an hour of landing I was boarding a boat to go across to Rangitoto Island  – an extinct volcano with a fantastic view of Auckland.  The boat journey itself was great, with a panoramic view of the city, in the sun.  However, running up then down the volcano was a lovely way to stretch the legs after a long flight.  After which we had a BBQ on the boat, before heading back into Auckland. 

                   View from Boat back at Auckland

The next day I was in a string of meetings with potential employers of accountants.   There are a number of varied really interesting opportunities across New Zealand.   The thing that stood out the most when speaking with employers was that they are very enthusiastic about how the companies they work for look after them.  Companies appear to concentrate on a work life balance, through to providing fruit for staff and a large number of social events.

Another consistent theme seems to be that all the businesses are based in lovely, modern buildings, with good views of the lovely city and its harbor.  I could imagine myself having lunch breaks on the harbour before returned for an afternoon’s work, leaving at a reasonable hour and then off to the gym.

I then headed down to Wellington.  The capital city, also with a lovely waterfront.  Home to the government, most work opportunities there will be either working for the government or providing a service to it.  

However, instead of being a ‘stuffy’ capital, the city has an air of cosmopolitan about it.  Excellent restaurants from Waterfront Sea food and wine bars to trendy funky Mexican to American breakfast diners. 

Wellington is a very hilly city.  It reminds me of Cape Town for the mountains that surround it and of Chicago because it is such a windy city.  However, you don’t have to run up the hills, as I did, you can even take a tram to the top to get the view’s.  

From Wellington I took a ferry across to Picton on the South Island .  Now I am sure you are getting the theme, but yes, I did take place in a run around Picton.  What better way to see all these great places.  Picton has the feel of a small sleepy town.  It is pretty and a great gateway to the wonders of this fun filled beautiful island.

   View from Ferry between North and South Island

The rest of my trip consisted of visiting more remote old fashioned hotels, to walking through forests to the lovely pretty town of Nelson, with its stunning long beaches.  Previous trips have included flying in small planes over the stunning Lord of the Rings type scenery, river surfing down the rapids in Roturua, climbing a volcano near Lake Tapo and watching crazy people bungy jumping against the most scenic backdrops.   There is so much to see and do in this beautiful country, I could go on forever!  

Why wouldn't you want to live and work there?

The Rain in Spain

...apparently doesnt always stay on the plain. 

Headed across to Madrid for a long weekend late Thursday night, curtesy of my favourite airline. EasyJet.   They might be a cheap airline.  However, EJ are the friendliest, most fun and customer orientated airline I have flown on in a long time.  They are also the most ontime airline.  Believe me I get on an airplan more often then a bus..... or potentially even in a car.  Ok Emirates are not far behind.  However, I do business with them, so hope for an above average service.

Back to Madrid.  Landed late Thursday and instict said 'go try the nightlife'.  Head said bed... so I did.

Woke up Friday feeling good and enrgised by amazing sunshine and warmth.   Something I hadnt seen in Edinburgh since the strangely warm March we had.

After breakfast sitting outside in the sun, watching business people grab a bite before their hectic Friday I secided to make the most of my day off and headed into the older part of town. 

I do really enjoy utilising the metro in cities throughout the world.  Knowing they were modelled on our, now ageing, London Underground brings some sense of pride.  I love it that the UK has been pioneers for so many things, despite our wee landmass. 

The metro too me to Sol station and a short wonder around to an old square with great buildings, surrounded by resteraunts with outside tables and of course lots of tourists.  I joines the tourists for a lovely long lunch in the sun. 

After a few hours of eating and sipping nice wine I decided to have more of a wonder.  I walked through winding streets of great old architecture.  Onto larger streets with a tredy modern shopping feel.  Then into a great narrow street crammed with botique type individual shops.  It was fun looking in each and wondering at the wide range of price tags, literally from one end of the spectrum to the next.

After a long afternoon of window shopping and sun, I thought time to head back to my hotel and relax, then get ready for the evening ahead. 
I had booked a hotel in the business district.  Lovely and modern with fun gadgets, sunken bath, funky and clean.   I decided, seeing as the room was so nice, to relax for an hour or two... and so I did....

Suddenly, before I knew it, it was 10pm.   Probably the usual time for adults to go out in Madrid.   However, for some reason I was so very tiered.  Maybe a day off and 'slowing down' confused my system.  Whatever the reason, I decided to stay in the hotel, eat in the bar and get a relatively early night.  After all, I did have a training run set for the next day.  So, that is what I did.  Eat average food in a hotel bar and drink an exceptionally large G@T before going to bed not long past midnight....

Waking with even more energy, I knew I could do a decent training run for the Edinburgh half marathon the following weekend.  On looking at the metro map, I identified that I could travel, without changing lines, to a huge park Casa De Campo.   The internet told me I could easily get a decent 10k run without hills, so off I went.

Casa de Campo is a lovely park.  Everyone was out to burn off the Friday night's excesses before starting again as one does on a Saturday night.  There was mountaim bikers.. 

runners, walkers, tennis, volley ball, canoeing.. you name it. Great to see so many people exercising. Well time has moved on and I am now home, enjoying and even warmer weekend in Edinburgh. I had managed a 10 mile run on the Saturday and a 5 mile run on the Sunday. I visited more of the old parts of the city. Some of the vibrant shopping streets and all in all had a great weekend in Madrid. However, I still feel I need to go back sometime to do the city justice... watch this space. Have you been to Madrid? Do you have recommendations for things to do there or in other European cities? Abigail, happiest in the sun, Not the rain