haiku day

autumn leaves falling

i am a rainbow. wish you

were a golden leaf

baby i'm falling

don't follow me, i'm falling

a golden leafahh.

Photo Thursday

Sunset after a long day cruising down the Mekong River

Photo Thursday

I have been slacking with my blog which is a real shame because I have a lot to talk about. I have a real life job now here in Auckland. Communications Manager. Oh yeah! Marketing stuff, is that a fancy way of saying marketing? Not sure. It has kinda taken over my life, but not really. The last 7 months have kinda been just one big weekend so its good to be back working...

After the longest time, my working holiday visa finally came through. I had to get a chest x-ray because I had spent 3 months of more in TB countries on my way here. Fair enough. I got the original one in Melbourne but of course the radiologist didn't do his paperwork correctly so this meant more time, and more money and lots of waiting! But finally, I can legally work here.

It was granted on the date of my original flight home... Weird, right?

the tits.

Risotto. One of my fave dishes to cook, and one of those dishes you can make vegetarian but still tasty as.

Ok, let's do this for 2 people

1/2 onion

2 gloves garlic

Get some of those big portobello mushrooms. So meaty, just great.

Small handful of button mushrooms

1/2 courgette

Wee splash of white wine

200g risotto rice

600mls veg stock

Knob of butter

Parmesan cheese

Black pepper, and salt for seasoning

1. Dice your onion, and really chop up that garlic. Prep all the veg- I like to dice the portobello mushrooms, and quarter the button mushrooms. Slice up the courgette.

2. Preheat the pan. Heat up a knob of butter. Fry up the onion until its a lovely clear texture then add the garlic. After this add the risotto rice and keep stirring until its a nice clear texture too. At this point, you can add some wine but allow the wine to vapourise i.e. the wine is all absorbed.

3. I like to add the veg now, mix it all up. After the veg looks like its beginning to cook, add a 1/5 of the stock, and keep mixing until it is completely absorbed. Repeat this process until all the stock is used up. Always a small amount of stock at a time. The risotto rice will start looking bigger. You can taste it at this point, and ideally we want it to be al dente.

4. Season to taste. Add a knob of butter, and a generous sprinkle of parmesan.

So simple. I fell asleep after writing this. A risotto and wine coma of sorts. Enjoy!

based on http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/gourmet-mushroom-risotto

Indoor netball

I found it quite funny when I found out that guys play netball here in NZ. In the UK, it's one of those female only sports, like synchronised swimming? Do men compete in synchronised swimming!?? I don't think so. Not traditionally anyway.

My friend Mark plays with his work every week, and he invited me along because they needed a female player. I love team sports, and it had been about 13 years since I last played netball... In my school team. We were a great team though. We even won a medal. I left my netball career on a high.

I discovered a week or so previous that Mark's car has some overheating problem so I was ready for the smoking bonnet. It just added to the pre game nerves. I told him to fill it up with water before he came to get me but he said he didn't have time so I kept my eye on the temperature gauge. It started edging up to H so I pointed this out to Mark with my arms out in front of me bracing myself for the windscreen to implode. I'm a scaredy cat, yep but I also like to take precaution. You can't play netball if you have broken glass in your face. I don't even know what happens if the engine overheats too much - would it just stop working, or would it make a small boom? Anyways, to solve the problem, Mark just turns off the engine so we are coasting down the hill, he's laughing and assuring me we're nearly there. Very good. I'm freaking out.

We pull into the car park, and get out to hear the car sighing a big sigh of relief in a smokey kinda phewww way. It's too hot to put water in now so we decide to do it after the game.

There was two courts in this big hall, both netted off, and sure enough there were guys playing. The first thing I noticed was that the games were really fast paced. The court is divided into two halves rather than thirds; and the teams are made up of two attack; two centre; and two defence. A lot more flexibility so everyone can get involved.

As we were about to begin, a guy walks up to me with his hands up so I just assumed he wanted a high 10 hahah but he was checking for my nails- if they were too long I would have to wear gloves. Then he told me I had to take off my bracelet, and I said why, and he said, someone might get their fingers caught in it. Probs not though eh. I would have taken off all jewellery anyway, and I would only describe my bracelet as non offensive. It was a present from a monk in Thailand, so it was simple but meaningful. Taking it off would have been bad luck for me (it has to fall off naturally) so I went to put on some of the oversized garden gloves which they have on supply.

The game is made up of quarters of 8mins. Fast paced, non stop. We had no substitutes so I took turns in all three positions. The other team were good, we were destroyed but maybe because we were a new team i.e. I had never played with them, and we had to ask another girl to play for us to make up the numbers. A few other differences:

- you can bounce the ball off the net/wall,

- once you touch the ball unless you catch it, you have to give it up,

- attacking players can shoot too

- you can shoot from outside of the semi circle for more points.

It was really great. I hope I get the chance to play again, and if I can get in a regular team that would be even better. I like that the teams were mixed too. There's not that many mixed sex sports. Some of the guys had big rugby player quads. So there are guys here who play rugby, and netball. I love it. Welcome to NZ.

http://www.nzindoorsports.org.nz/

Photo Thursday

This was taken a few days ago in Mission Bay, Auckland. The moon was so bright. It was mesmerizing! I couldn't stop looking at it so I thought I would share it here.

Tongariro! Tongariro! Part 2.

Mt. Ngauruhoe

This is taken from the other side of Mt. Ngauruhoe. Its an absolute BEAST, and even as we were looking back at it, I was like, I don't believe we just climbed that monster. Ughhh so crazy. It was so tough. There's something beautifully eerie about barren volcanic land. I love it. You really need to experience it to understand I think. It's amazing, everything is so calm, and quiet...

It was 2.30pm at this point, and we were not even half way through the trek yet. The map said another 4-5hrs at least so there was concern that we wouldn't finish before dark. We were the last ones from the group who set out at 8.30am. Even the guys with the big 60l packs were in front of us. One of the girls (Hi Michal) was on a diet so she had only eaten vegetables the night before. She just needed a piece of bread. I would have been struggling (a lot more) if I didn't have any carbs for fuel.

Okay, onwards! There was another steep rise, it was one of the last ones. We could see a lake from the top of Ngauruhoe so we already knew what was waiting ahead. I kept looking back at Ngauruhoe, and felt a real sense of accomplishment. It already looked so far away. I think all the waiting at the bottom of Ngauruhoe had drained spirits a little. Maybe we were getting tired? I dug out my iPod, and put on some music which gave me a lift. Dancing along.

The red crater was waiting at the top. It's great that there's something at the top to make you go whoaaaa. The emerald lakes are here too. The colours were unreal. Our bus driver at the beginning of the day said there was a lot of sulphur in these pools, and advised us not to swim in them. One of the 60l guys put his pack down, and went towards the water to have a closer look. Then he dipped his hands in, and cupped up some water. Maybe I should have said something to him? His hands were still there when they came back out so nae danger! He was cupping them like he wanted to wash his face though. I think I would have cried out then. Wow, imagine if his hands had melted off... There were helicopters circling the area during our climb up Ngauruhoe but I didn't notice them in the late afternoon. I don't actually know what happens when sulphur touches the skin so I might be speaking rubbish.

Emerald lakes

Not bad. Colours were amazing. The smaller one behind had red around its edge. Not bad at all.

Mt. Ngauruhoe, and the smoking red crater

Clear lake

From here, we followed a path along a cliff edge... The descent was coming up, I could sense it. The bus driver had warned us it was the hardest part, and my memories from Aso, in Japan reminded me that going downhill is rubbish. Constantly catching yourself.

Lake Taupo in the background

Nil at this point had raced ahead because he was fed up of waiting. What really peeved me a little was that the path down would wind from one side to the other. If they just made it straight DOWN, fine. Or maybe not... but I hope you can understand my stress. I could just see the path weaving from one side to the other. We were probs about 8.5hrs into the trek at the point. I wanted to sit down again. And then the path took us up some steps, I was like, what is going on?!?! We're going down!! Meanwhile, Nil had reached the hut, and we could see him. Also apparently the hills are alive with echoes, and the man in front of us could hear everything we were talking about. We were talking about tampons. One of the girls thought Scotland would not have applicator tampons, (we do) but yes random chat, I agree.

This is the view back up. Ngauruhoe, the emerald lakes, the red crater are all behind that mountain. My snacks were finished, I was tired, and my feet hurt but we still had like 1.5hrs of downhill left. There is a hut on the way down with 20 bunks but a crazy wind up there. We pushed on through.

The end of the trek goes through woodland so we had to hurry before it got dark. We only had one torch if it came to that so we had to move on. Down, down hill. It felt like a couple of my toe nails were going to fall off. I wish I had some sort of sponge at the top of my shoes to cushion the constant downward walking.

The forest walk lasts forever!! I thought it was a trap, walking through this woodland forever, the path to nowhere. We did see some deer, or apparently horses are more common in the woods though. We scared them so didn't get to say hi.

It felt so good to come back into the clearing. Our car was still there, phew, apparently there is lots of crime in these car parks. Only 3 cars left so we weren't the last ones after all. I was completely drained at this point. I took my shoes straight off to check my toe nails were still there, and did some stretching while we waited for the others.

We were a colourful team. Nil was not colourful enough to make it. He did make it, just not into the photo. I think he took this photo. Photo by Nil on Annie Leavitt's camera!

Tongariro Crossing (click for the track). One of the best things I've done to date.

All photos by Sue Tsang, unless otherwise stated.

New feature- Photo Thursday

I always get told off for being 'so Asian' when I take pictures of food. What's everyones beef?!?! Food is supposed to be visually appealing, right? The chefs want you to look at the food, and go nom nom. When you're eating out with friends, you can't touch your food until everyone else's plate has arrived. Its that anticipation! There is a story behind every photo.

Xiabu Xiabu

I'm quite sad to say this but Pete and I just couldn't find any decent food in Beijing. We were cold, and STARVING, haha a tiny exaggeration but you get the idea. We stumbled across this hot pot restaurant after going into the basement of a shopping mall. It was busy so we were like, yeah this must be good! After requesting the English menu, we decided on the 50 Yuan set (only 5 Queen's faces, only 5 shiny UK Sterling pounds!) noodles, dumplings, veg, and meat, miso sauce dip, and a drink. It fed us both but the people around us were ordering a platter each!

How it works is there is a round counter with hot pots in front of each seat. So you order a platter and then cook your own food, and you can make your own delicious soup. Lots of fun. It was COLD in Beijing in October and I remember we felt so warm, full and content after. Afterwards, we agreed that we would have to come back again for a decent feed but after exploring the city a bit more, we discovered it was a chain so ate with them a further 3 times haha. Loved it.

Good memories.

Does anyone have any ideas for next Thursday? Or I might make it 'Food Thursday' hehe, watch this space!

Spin class- to hell and back.

No more beach volleyball, no more yoga classes beside rice paddies, no more swims in the sea... such good times, I love all that stuff but its harder now I'm in the city.

I got a free week's trial at one of the gyms here so I was like, let's goooo. I get such a buzz from training, and I love pushing myself so after a quick tour of the gym, I decided to join the spin class.

I picked the seat closest to the door, and it was relatively close to the stage where the instructor's bike was. I was introduced to the instructor and since it was my first time, she helped me set up my bike with the right height for the seat, handlebars and making sure there was a good distance between the two. She strapped my shoes in real tight. There was no escaping, I had no choice but to just spin with it.

On each bike there is a knob which you turn to change the intensity of the rotations, and throughout the class, the instructor talks you through imaginary hills, turning the intensity up and taking you off your seat, or lowering the intensity to seated sprints. It was pretty intense. I could feel the burn very soon into the class.

This girl's imagination was hilly for sure. It was ok for the most part but I did feel like I was cycling through HELL for a while. 'Ok, this is just a short hell guys, let's push it!' she had SO much energy, encouraging us, singing?!?, and her legs were non stop. Meanwhile, my legs were working slower and slower. I'm not exaggerating when I say, it was like death. Spinning to a slow death, and I was thinking about bailing at one point but I couldn't. I hate that stuff, giving up, so I kept on pushing on. I took it easy on one of the hills, in that I imagined a flat one haha just so I could recover a little then I joined in for the next round. Made a huge difference and I kept up until the end. The instructor didn't even stop long enough for a photo at the top of these hills. She was buzzing!! Very inspirational.

All this lasted for about 50 minutes. I was a little worried at the end when climbing off my bike that I would fall straight off it like Bridget Jones' but my legs were not too wobbly at all, and after some stretching my legs felt fine. For now. My butt hurts from the seat though which is not ideal.

I struggled through that class but it has just made me realise that I need to improve my fitness. Workinonit like Dilla. And after all that bitchin, I think I will do another one. It should always be a struggle because you're pushing yourself but maybe next time I can do it without taking a round out.

Thanks to Chris for the coffee, and pep talk beforehand.

http://www.cityfitness.co.nz/