When I was five, Mum sent away for my first atlas, which was so brutalised by frequent browsing that it soon had to be held together with sticky tape. On a shopping trip in downtown Auckland soon after, she bought me an inflatable globe, which hangs above my bed. Then, a month or two ago, she fulfilled an old dream of min by getting me a large globe on a stand, discoloured brown, that spins! All of which proves that,

1. I've always been extremely spolied, and
2. if I've been possessed by Wanderlust for as long as I can remember, it's ALL HER FAULT! (Sigmund would agree.)

I've been calling myself "Peregrina Australis" ("southern traveller" in Latin; no, not Australian seabird!) on the internet for a few years now, though that has been little more than wishful thinking; my complete travel experience consists of two years in Auckland, five years on Waiheke Island, a few months in Picton, nearly fourteen years in Christchurch (with brief excursions to Rapaki, Waipara, O'Kains Bay and Dunsandel nearby, each of only a couple of days), three or four days in Wellington and about ten minutes in Dunedin! All in New Zealand! I haven't even been to Aussie! AUGH!

So Mum (yes, the aforementioned instiller of itchy-feetedness) is getting me my first passport as a Christmas present, and I'm busy working all the hours Dog gave, saving up so that I can spend 2006 in the UK and, if all goes to plan, 2007 in wider Europe. [Several exclamation marks excised.]

I'm reviving this blog now so that I can keep track of my preparations and, in a few months' time, of my actual trip.

Posted from: Christchurch, New Zealand
The time is: 9:30pm
The weather is: chilllllly. Summer's decided to end prematurely.
Number of non-NZ countries visited to date: ZERO :(