The Rose in the Lily Pond

“Hi Baz, how are you doing? What can I help you with today?” “Hi there Crystal. Sorry to bother you again, but my t-shirts still haven’t arrived.” “Oh no! Let me check on that for you.” “Thanks” “Ok, there must be a problem with the postal service. We have shipped it, but let me resend it to you. If it doesn’t show up this time, then we will give you a refund.” “Thanks Crystal – that’s really helpful.” “How’s the weather where you are?” “Raining, cold, almost snowing! How bout you?” “Yes, it’s the same here in Amsterdam! It’s going to take me awhile to get used to these Dutch winters.” “Summer’s not much better.” Baz sends Crystal a meme of a man talking to a boy on a park bench. The man asks, “Are you looking forward to summer?” With a forlorn face the boy responds, “I live in Holland.”     “Haha, that’s a good one!” “Hey Crystal, you know how we were talking about Star Wars last time? I still haven’t seen the latest movie. And I

A European experience isn’t complete without attending the world famous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. It’s a celebration of Bavarian beer and locals will feverishly argue that their beer is the best. Six Munich breweries set up beer ‘tents’ - the impressive temporary structures look nothing like what you would see on a camping trip - to showcase their Wisen beer brewed specifically for the 18 day event. I had a lot of fun going to the opening weekend but it was nothing like what I thought it was going to be. 1. It's not just about drinking Trashy movies about European backpacking trips had led me to believe that the objective of attending Oktoberfest was to get extremely drunk. With beer served in 1 litre glasses, even one could get you on your merry way, but the objective isn’t to get drunk, it is to have fun. The beer is to be enjoyed instead of downed as quickly as possible. The 2017 festival had an estimated 6.2 million guests - the population of New Zealand an

Bordeaux is probably the sexiest place on earth. Previously I would have awarded that non-scientific and totally subjective title to a South American city - Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Cartegena - due to their heat, language, music and dancing. Of course the ridiculous amount of gorgeous people in those cities doesn’t hurt either. However after being to Bordeaux, I will have to rethink that. Maybe not more sexy, but a different kind of sexy. Sex isn’t so in your face like it is in South America, it is a bit more hidden and subtle, but it is definitely there. It is there in the fashion with men and women having their own individual and unique styles. It is there in the language, which isn’t specific to Bordeaux, but the soft, feminine, inviting tones of French certainly make me a bit giddy. It is there in the food where a 3 euro lunch of bread and cheese, or more complex flavours at a bistro, will have you involuntarily swooning with pleasure and it is there in the wine w

When I was a journalist, I reported on a community effort that saved a Minke whale stranded in West Auckland, New Zealand. We are about as anti-whaling as we are pro-rugby One of the amazing things about travel is that it challenges perspectives. Often at home we are shrouded by our country’s culture, traditions and values and it can be hard to think outside the square and see beyond that. Travelling exposes us to different ideas and viewpoints, it often broadens our horizons and challenges our values, making us think about things on a deeper level. In Norway, whaling is a thing, and to a New Zealander, that is shocking. How can such an advanced country that gets things so right in so many ways still kill such an awe inspiring creature? The sale of the meat is easy to come by with Norwegian restaurants selling it as well as fish markets. Our friends in Norway asked us if we would like to try it. Norway - so beautiful and gained a number one spot in the World Happiness Re

Switzerland. It’s enough to make you don a pinnie and sing, “the hills are alive with the sound of music”, as if you were Julie Andrews. The hills, or more accurately, the mountains, or more accurately again, the Swiss Alps are spectacular. After my boyfriend and I have been living in the Netherlands with not so much as a mound in sight, we were foaming at the mouth at those jagged peaks, not realising how much we missed them until we were among them. It was a taster of home but with a distinct Swiss flavour with an after-taste of Gruyere. We spent a weekend there, staying with a friend in Davos. She lived in a beautiful old farmhouse built in the 1600s located out of the touristy town and in the hills. Their lifestyle seemed idyllic as they were growing their own veges, brewing their own beer and in their backyard was a fire powered hot tub to lay about underneath the night’s sky. She, her boyfriend and flatmate were mountain people with everyone participating in various e

Trevi Fountain There is something a bit magic about Rome. Since returning from a four day sojourn, I have been on a movie binge, watching anything and everything set in Rome. This has led me to watch some terrible romantic-comedies in the process which have made me wish for the 2 hours of my life back, but also some wonderful stories - mostly about love. I got a thrill seeing settings I had just visited such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum and the Vatican City portrayed on screen. The Colosseum And there is definitely a reason that so many love stories (and terrible rom-coms) are set in this city. When the backdrop is Roman ruins, beautiful detailed sculptures, fountains and works of art, it certainly sets the stage for something extraordinary to happen. I found myself walking around with a dopey grin on my face, awe struck most of the time, loving everything I was seeing. Found inside a small church Colourful buildings with purple flowers spilling over t

In the space of eating a waffle on the streets of Brussels, we saw a guy wearing a top hat riding a bike, a homeless man rip up a loaf of bread and throw it in the gutter while yelling obscenities, and a whole lot of other weird and interesting sights. It was like the whole spectrum of human existence was passing our table with every skin tone, culture, subculture, sexuality, social class, and religion imaginable. The capital of the European Union is the second most diverse city in the world, after Dubai, with more than half its residents not born in Belgium. Mural found on the streets of Brussels - destruction while flying a peace flag Coming from Auckland, which is in the top five most diverse cities in the world, it was so refreshing to see an array of people who didn’t look like me. I felt at home among the multi-cultural vibrancy and it also meant we got to try an array of food. Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai - pretty much any cuisine you coul

I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. A day where a city stops churning and everyone takes to the streets, or to the water, to party. People from all over the Netherlands, as well as us tourists, descend on Amsterdam to celebrate King’s Day. The city is transformed into one giant festival for the King’s birthday and whether you support the idea of a monarchy or not, it’s a great day to be a part of. Small stages are set up outside bars with djs and artists playing and party goers dancing to one harmonious positive beat.   Amsterdam is usually a hazard nightmare to walk around - I have developed a fear of trams and imagine my early death getting squished by these frequent and convenient metal trolleys every time I step out of the train station. And if it isn’t the trams that you have to watch out for, it’s the cyclists who seem to have a vendetta against pedestrians. However on King’s Day, pedestrians rule the roost. Public transport stops in Amsterdam and vehicle acc

The Brandenburg Gate wasn't accessible to east and west Beliners during the Cold War, but now it's bustling with activity.   Grit. If I could describe Berlin in one word, this would be it. It has grit. It is grimey and cool. Its residents are diverse in ethnicity and lifestyle with diversity celebrated - after all embracing the differences is what seems to unite them as Berliners. We saw a homeless person selling magazines on the subway interacting with the people on the train - instead of people pretending like he wasn’t there and avoiding eye contact at all costs. The area where we stayed in Neukölln is home to a lot of middle eastern cultures, as well as students, artists, hipsters and punks. For a city that was once the headquarters for one of the most divisive and brutal regimes in history, it has separated from its past, and you get the feeling by all the alternative haircuts and colours that it embraces people as they are. I have never seen a city w

A tulip field on the bike ride to Lisse. Love those cherry blossoms in the background! The Netherlands is in bloom. Yellow and white daffodils, cherry blossoms, and brilliant and radiant tulips of every colour are patched together in the fields to make one giant, colourful quilt. The colour, combined with warmer temperatures and the promise of summer, has moods lifted. People are shedding their winter coats, sitting outside in parks and cafes and enjoying the sun - even if that means shivering in 14 degree temperatures. So much blossom Coming from the temperate climate of Auckland where the changes in the seasons are subtle, it’s wonderful to see Haarlem transform from winter to spring. When even a sniff of sun pokes through the clouds, a festive atmosphere develops, with people queuing for gelatos and playing in the park. Blue sky is something to be cherished and celebrated here, not taken for granted, especially when coming out of a grey and gloomy winter.