Tag Archives: travel

Losing Them American Pounds With Local Wine

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I’ve been home for a week and a half now, and my routine has settled back to more or less what it was before I flew out. But it’s time for a proper shake up because my food choices in America have meant I’ve come back more and I want to be less.

On the day I arrived home I was five American pounds pounds heavi than when I left. Why ‘American pounds’ and not kilograms? Because they’re on loan – they’ll never really be mine. America can have them back.

I’m 2 pounds down already – yay for water weight! But I have a far more stubborn 2 and a bit more to go.

So I’m going to really watch my consumption of sugary- and fatty-goodness. I’ll be upping my running – and the other training I’ll be getting into next week will be great, too.

After seeing fellow NZ resident supergenericgirl’s post on the kind of runs we need to see (more of) in NZ, I remembered workmates talking about Round the Vines – a 10km (21km) run around Martinborough’s many gorgeous vineyards with the odd bit of sneaky wine tasting drink station.

Running and wine?!
Okay… Not the best combo for weight loss, or hydration, but you only live once, right?)

I signed up with a friend and we’re running it on 17 March – the day after being out on the water for this year’s dragon boating competition. Oh yes, we’re suckers for punishment.

Anyone else in the area who want to join us?
Costumes are optional.

Crazy Week Indeed

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Yes, yes, I’ve been a little quiet here over the last few days.  Can you blame me?  I had to take advantage of the weather while it’s been all sorts of amazing , and there are so many people to see that I missed over the Christmas/ New Year break!

Don’t worry though, I haven’t been wasting my time.  I’ve been keeping as busy(ish)…

…there’s been plenty of reading in the sun…
…trying not to get sunburnt… and failing.

I’ve been running with friends…
…which I loved, even though it turned into more of a gossip session than a workout…
… and the next day I tried my first pilates classes (wearing the peonut.com t-shirt, of course).

I’m still feeling the effects of Thursday’s class today.

I’ve been suckered into a friend’s dragonboating team…
…which is usually reserved for the fittest in any given workplace…
… and I’m terrified… and kind of excited (because there’s no way I’d get on the team at work…).

Enquiries have been made about opportunities to hurl myself out of a plane…
… and I may be speeding back down to earth as soon as this weekend…
… even though I was just in the Wairarapa last weekend, for the Martinborough Fair, and I could have done it then.

And I have plenty to keep me busy coming up, too, but don’t worry about that just yet – I’ll make sure to share those goodies in due course.

What about you guys?
How is life keeping you busy? 
And how are you keeping up?

Amy Meets America: Home Sweet Home

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Woah.  Well, I’m back – much lighter in the wallet but much, much richer nonetheless.   Oh, too cheesy?  Sorry, I’ll stop.

The last couple of days in America were a whirlwind of travel, crab, and copious amounts of alcohol.  Rickhouse in San Francisco make a damn fine Old Fashioned.  They come with complementary hangovers, too – so you get plenty of bang for your buck.

We ate and drank a lot.

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And – a fact that I’m not proud of – my last day in America was spent extremely hungover, gorging on a Big Mac (the ultimate hangover cure), and incorrectly referring to Alcatraz as “Alakazam” and “Azkaban“.  After the boozy night prior, I was unable to actually make it to the ferry out to Alcatraz.  This makes me (and my $50 pre-paid ticket) mighty sad.

I’ve been home for a couple of days now and the last month (and limited sleep on the plane) is catching up with me.  No run yet, but I’ve managed to go out for every meal and hang out with friends at the beach on a very sunny day here in Wellington.

That, I think, is the epitome of success. Or maybe tied for first place with a nap. IMG_1998Work tomorrow!

Just Do It?

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On the train from Seattle to Portland a little girl sitting at the back of the carriage sang the whole way. It was happy singing, the kind that makes you smile and get back to your book, rather than want to hurl a shoe in her general direction (note the use of want, if you ever actually acted on this you’d be a dick. She’s two. Jeez). Every now and then she turned to potty musings, breaking the lyrics about her mum and stuffed dog with the things she liked to do on the potty.

While I won’t share her actual lyrics, I will share the story it prompted from my neighbour.

My neighbour’s husband had always wondered what it was like for kids and using nappies (diapers), not remembering what it was like when he was it that situation. Afterall, who does?

So he and his mates wore adult nappies to a bar where they proceeded to drink beer until they couldn’t physically fit any more down. When the time came – and we all know what time that is – they all looked at each other, gave the eyebrow raise and a nod.

All used their nappies.
At the bar.
At same time.

Grown adults.
Full bladders.

Of course, the diapers couldn’t hold it all. There was a massive mess and the group had made half a dozen puddles on the floor.

With wet pants and heads hanging low, the group left the bar leaving a dripping trail behind them.

So, if you have ever considered trying something similar…you might want to rethink that. The experiment has been done!

And if you haven’t… Giggle away! We did.

Amy Meets America: Getting Comfy in Portland

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After almost a month of staying in hostel dorms of varying quality, I was really looking forward to Portland and getting to stay in a pretty nice hotel. Gotta love those online early-bird sales.

After a last minute change of plans I upped my reservation at Hotel Vintage Plaza from just one night to two. Best decision I’ve made all trip. This place is great.

Sure, it’s got the basics that every hotel has – but it’s the little extras that had me grinning from ear to ear (and throwing myself onto the bed) within minutes of walking into the room.

They included a stuffed animal, suggestions for local jogging routes and robes that were so ugly that they’re actually gorgeous. The winning touch, though, was the note from Laura the housekeeper. See, it’s the little things.

Without a doubt, I would recommend Hotel Vintage Plaza, and by association the other Kimpton hotels, to anyone looking to relax in a new city. A++
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Amy Meets America: Seattle’s Underground

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When I initially arrived in Seattle I asked a friend for suggestions on what to check out. The response I received was (you can kick me later):

“Well my first suggestion would be to avoid Seattle… But in the absence of that… I have no idea.

Starbucks?“

I’ve been here less than 24 hours and I really like the city, and hate Starbucks (original or otherwise).

The highlight of the day was definitely the Underground Tour I took this afternoon.
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The tour was fantastic. Hands down the best tour I’ve taken on this trip, and certainly in the top 5 I’ve ever been on.

Packed full of humour, the history of the city was presented in a captivating format – starting with a talk at the Pioneer Square base location, and further talks as we worked our way through several underground passageways. The tour covered off exploding toilets, the rebuild of Seattle after the big fire, the talented ‘seamstresses’ who earned much more than men of the city in an given hour, and the profitable mischief that only prohibition can inspire.

Intrigued? You should be.

They also do an adults only tour in the evening to cover off the other fun stuff not suitable for an all-ages daytime tour. More on the ‘seamstresses’ and all that. I was tempted, and still might this evening.
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Amy Meets America: An Evening in Chicago

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Thankfully, I’m in Chicago for a little longer than just an evening – but I got to spend my first evening up Willis Tower watching the evening drawer ever closer as the starlings of snow swirled under my feet on the glass balconies of the skydeck.

I rocked up to the building just after 4pm (today being a Wednesday) and there was absolutely no line. I was extremely lucky. And as such, I was able to watch as dark descended on the city. Lights popped up slowly but surely, and the face of the city changed completely.

Chicago, you are a very beautiful city.
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America: Three Hormone Spurred Gripes

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WARNING: The post contains a lot (read: a shit tonne) of hyphens and as such, is not for those with a weak stomach.

If I had to pick three gripes I have with travelling in America they’d be relatively small things, but they’re oh-so-annoying. These three pin-pricks in the big o’ fun are:

1. Pennies. Seriously. What the? Why? At home our smallest coin is 10 cents, and even then we wouldn’t keep a coin smaller than 50 cents.

Money’s dirty – why would you want to handle more of it?

And why are shop keepers surprised when I tell them to keep the change? No I don’t want that 12 cents (and no, I don’t consider 12c a reasonable tip).

2. Spitting. Why do guys in this country spit all the time?! You guys, it’s disgusting.

New Orleans was the worst, where guys waiting at bus stops were spitting at tourists’ feet to watch them jump out of the way. But every city’s had them. Dirty, dirty, spitters.

3. Tampons. What’s with the lack of feminine hygiene choices? I’m not talking brands – you’ve got enough brands to have your own monthly bitchy-time stores. But the choices really only boil down to applicator tampons or pads. Both for the freshly blooming.

Can’t a girl just buy tampons without having to also shove brightly coloured plastic up the wah-hoo?

I asked a lady about this in CVS. She looked at me like OMG-you-didn’t-just-start-a-conversation-about-your-vagina. I felt like telling her that that was nothing – give me an hour and this will be on the Internet.

Sorry, did I just cross a line? Talking about vaginas on the Internet? I just walked into a Chinatown adult sex-shop looking for tampons because it looked like a convenience store from the outside. Nothing makes you feel as dirty as being leered at by half a dozen toothless old men over the top of their dirty magazines. So, really, this post is totally within the realms of ‘sane‘ and ‘normal‘.

Anyway, the lady at CVS had crazy fingernails. Like, pick-your-nose-while-keeping-your-fingers-inches-from-your-face long fingernails. In hindsight, not the best person to ask.