Thursday, November 27, 2008

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After about 40hours all up of travelling and stopovers I made it back to the two beautiful Islands in the South Pacific(also known as New Zealand!)
I feel very excited to be home!!But also very sad to have finished my amazing trip.

I have been looking back at photos of all the good times I have had!There have been so many good moments and amazing days!
I am now going to go back 7months to when I first left New Zealand and give a small recap of my trip...

It began with a 24hour flight with whitewater kayaker Sam Sutton.
After 5days of English life in Nottingham I flew to meet up with Olympic hopeful James Dawson, and also meet what was soon to be our pride and joy...the Skoda Rapid(Car)!
Me and James spent many weeks kayaking in Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Germany training hard in preperation for the Canoe Slalom World Cups. In this time we were fortunate enough to get to know many of the international kayakers...incl. the Canadians, Slovaks, Czechs and many others.
We met up with the rest of the New Zealand team and competed in the Canoe Slalom World Cups in Germany, Czech Republic and Slovenia.
I then caught a ride with some of the Japanese to La Seu where I spent an awesome week training and then racing at the Pre World Championships!
Soon after I became an au pair on the coast of Spain for a month!I spent 5days a week working with 3 cute kids, taking them to the pool, beach and around town. I lukily got to know some of the locals who helped show me how to party in Barcelona and in true Spanish style;)
I was missing my kayak...so I tripped it to France and camped by the river for a week with some people from the Netherlands.
After my month in Spain with the family I flew to Germany to once again see Kathrin!!and meet up with some other Kiwis Mike Dawson and Mark Youngnickel and of course my true love...the Skoda Rapid!:)
The Kiwi boys and I then drove to Slovakia and stayed in a sweeet apartment!We raced in the Slovak Open and Danubia Cup. We partied in Slovenia(lucky the race was cancelled!).
I then tagged along with the Canadian crew to Germany to compete in the German Open!
And that is where I was fortunate enough to meet joe Morley from Nottingham, who happened to have a spare room in his house!
I cruised the German Autobahn with two British Chicks Hannah Burgess and Sarah Chinoweth. We went all the way across France and hopped on a ferry that took us across the channel into England!
I settled in to Joe's house fairly quickly. I then spent the next two months discovering the English way of life. I was living with Joe, Victoria Richards and Peter Hall. It was a very entertaining 2months! I picked up a job within a week!Many thanks to Louise Donnington who pointed me in the right direction!
I went wakeboarding, kayaking on the whitewater most days and of course discovered the sweet nightlife. I also turned 20!
That about sums up my last 7months in the shortest way I can!
Wow, what an amazing journey, and one I will never forget!

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