I’m getting to know and love London more and more each day.

The initial ‘love’ that was due to ‘wide-eyed’ overwhelm and excitement is starting to wear off, but – like going from a short-term love affair into a more intimate relationship, I’m learning to appreciate it on a deeper level.

I’m also building my roots deeper – both at home and work, and of course in relationships. Meeting and getting to know people is definitely the highlight. I mean, without people, how much fun can one have? Aren’t human beings are the most fun you can have in this life! So in the garden of my life, I now own a new plot of land where I get to choose what types of seeds I plant, in order to grow some beautiful new flowers and fruit. Friendships, business relationships, productivity and success, in many areas.

Have met so many great people! Have had a couple of Spanish lessons with a Trainer at work – in exchange for business ideas/lessons. I have made a great friend Helena from Sydney who runs with me sometimes, plus a new training partner Hani, which is great for extra push. Have also been hanging with my kiwi mates Mieke and Kath, and Vicki’s old flatmate Sarah (you are!!) who is awesome and funny. Andthe other trainers at the gym are fun and make me feel welcome (even though they constantly hassle my accent). I miss having lots of people around me who know me on a deeper level though. One of the downfalls of moving countries I guess?!

I’m the only one home my flatmates have gone to watch Avatar but I’m seeing it tomorrow with Mieke. Saw Sherlock Holmes the other day. It had good bits and was well done, but I found it a bit boring.

I’ve been cooking up a storm, watching Dragon’s Den (love that show!) and contemplating my coming year.

I’m starting a strict eating plan on Monday – absolutely no junk, no alcohol, and loads of veges – doing research for recipes at the moment on the Internet. Have been pretty good, but too much wine. I really want to feel hugely energetic every day, mainly as I know business will start really picking up at this time of year! Yesterday I’m sitting in Starbucks drinking a black coffee and sneaking raw green beans out of my handbag while the guy next to me has a latte with cream and a scone with butter. For some reason, the thought of the possible coming depravation, is exciting me.

I have many New Years Resolutions of course – and think I’ve done pretty well this year on setting realistic ones that I will actually achieve.

There is a lot of desire and passion boiling inside me – mainly about how to balance building and maintaining a successful business as well as doing lots of travel!

The rebellious child in me who wants it all is rising up and can’t understand why she can’t have it! So I will continue to mull over how to make it work. It will be interesting to watch the weeks and months unfold as I start to dig my way out of depth. London is very expensive and challenging. I’m getting a lot tougher that’s for sure!

Christmas was fun, really missed everyone heaps of course! Denver said on the phone “Wish you were here for a snuggle” and that made me a bit teary. It was fun hanging with friends but I missed the family jokes, laughs, talking to friends and the big spread – the whole day I pretty much just had scrambled eggs, vegan sausage rolls and dessert haha. And champagne. We got given some real misletoe by a dude at the dairy (the ‘offie’ they call them here) so that was pretty cool! And played Twister and danced!

New Years Eve I went to a party of about 350 people with my flatmate Leanne and some new friends – great venue right on the Thames with pretty lights and view of the water. It was organized by a guy at Hillsong so lots of crew from there. It was £30 and you got 2 drinks and food all night. Plus they had fireworks, red carpet entry, table football (I won yessss) and champagne at midnight. The DJ wasn’t that great but some songs were crackin so had a good boogie. Fun fun.

It’s been nice having a break from the gym – 4 days both weeks, so I went up to the local gym cos I go crazy if I miss a day and have also been running quite a bit.

Well better go, miss you all heaps and would love to chat soon! Skype anyone?

Love Kat xoxo

Wow, I can’t believe how much I’m learning and growing every day!

I spent my last 127 pounds on an awesome CD investment on success and how to grow your business and man, am I learning a lot of things that I never would have, had I not left my cosy comfortable (awesome!) life behind in NZ!

I’m listening to audiobooks on my Ipod on the way to work each day, the one today just resonated so strongly with me! A guy Wayne Dyer has a book called Inspiration, I’m gonna get it out of the library or buy it, and it talks about ‘squeezing the orange’.
About not knowing what kind of ‘juice’ is inside you, until you get squeezed. Then you know what you’re made of.
And if you are too comfortable, to go do something uncomfortable. Put yourself under some pressure – cos that’s when change comes (like turning coal into diamonds? Another analogy I think I heard?)

Wow, so true. Kinda like sink or swim I guess!
I am really opening up my mind to a whole lot of new things because of the challenges I’m going through. Every day I get either a dirty look, or ignored, or pushed, or have someone out-rightly be quite rude to me – something I was soooo not used to at Les Mills New Lynn! But they don’t know me, and I’m learning to not take it personally, and to use it to make me tougher.
It’s good for me, it really is!

I met some fab girls at church the other day who were talking about how ‘stretching’ is always uncomfortable and painful, but then you get to be ‘bigger’ and stronger, and that means you can take on bigger challenges! You ‘move up the ranks’! Wicked!

Dad has come to the rescue with a loan to get me through until I get paid clients, but I tell ya – this is a TOUGH market!!!

I’m mainly fighting mindsets, where literally people don’t even want FREE sessions, they just think Personal trainers = PAIN! (which we do, but so much more!!!) So I have to spend a lot more time explaining results and how a trainer (a good trainer) can get them the body they want so much faster and more effectively, and make it fun etc. etc.
It seems there have been lots of bad trainers here giving the rest of us a bad name!
So, that’s what I’m contending with!

But, as they say, if you don’t have great battles, you can’t have great victories!
(And as LB says, some battles you’re not gonna win, but you know you’re going to win the final war!)

So even though these are hard, tough times, I’m happy! I don’t have any regrets! I’m positive! I know I’m gonna come through this so much better off, I’m where I’m at for a reason and a season – and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Ok, now for other London updates -

What’s hot
- Free Sugar-free hazelnut syrup, wifi and extra caffeine shots with the Starbucks reward card!
- The music at the gym – it’s a good mix of rock, pop, dance and great tunes you’d hear at Vanilla bar
- Half price happy hour meals at Soup and Salad down the road from gym – amazing food like salmon with pumpkin and broccoli or chicken japanese soup and amazing salads, 3.50 instead of 7 pounds, yeaarrr…
- I’ve figured out I’m currently in perfect weather temperature for me – 17 degrees most days. I LOVE IT! Not too hot, not too cold. Perfect for running! And after the gym I walk to the tube station in just singlet and shorts, it’s nice!
- Always looking for new places that remind me of people I know. I studied the tube map the other day and discovered…
* Romford – Fleur
* Victoria – Vicki (obviously)
* Lee – Michelle
* Great Portland – Kimberley (Porter)
* St. Paul’s – Paul (of course)
* Rotherhithe – Shne (haha, jokes)
*Angel – Amy (awwwww)
* White Hart Lane – Barbie (and Kevin and Glenn)
* Palmer’s Lane – Uncle Geoff
* Earl’s Court – Earl
* Catford – Me (Kat) – ?
* Turkey Street – Tash (he he jokes again)
* Blackheath (well, couldn’t find whiteheath haha) – Matt, Charlie, Barry (Barack Obama)

Sorry I couldn’t find you all, doesn’t seem to be anything relating to Braydon, Denver, Noah, Grace, Jo, Nikki, Richard, Nga, Lani, Midi, Kirsty or others, but I’ll keep looking …

What’s not
- Man smoking in an alleyway that I had to walk through, he blows smoke right into my face, I smile at him, he doesn’t smile back…
- I ask a girl what she’s up to at the gym today, as I do with most members, and she says “Why?”
- I ask a man at the gym how his day is going and he replies “Are you trying to get business?”
- In a hurry to find my money at Tesco’s because of a massive queue of people behind me, I fling a tampon across the counter at the embarrassed-looking teenage cashier… oops!
- Standing in the tube at peak hour with literally 5 different people’s bodies pressed into mine and dropping a pile of my papers onto a ladies shoe. Couldn’t bend down to pick them up so I had to wait until the train stop, I lean down, it lurches forward and I’m head into her thigh. So not cool… – How vain a lot of people here are when they’re not even crackin! I find it so amusing!
- The ladies voice in the Tufnell park lift – exactly like old women on Harry Potter and telling everyone off NO SMOKING it cracks me up
- Drunk guy on the tube saying to me “You don’t get service on the Underground, are you pretending to text?” and cracks up, I say no, I’m writing on my calendar, he replies “You have a gorgeous butt” – huh?! Weirdo!

Other than that, London life is cool and  fabulous and because everything’s so new, it’s still so exciting to me!

Even the bad parts of it all, I just take as part of the travel buzz … Staying up late having wines with Sarah and Katie, going on random missions, wandering through new shops and streets, getting lost! Meeting up with friends from my past that I don’t know all that well but that help me broaden my networks, putting myself out there etc.
I even went to a bar on my own after church (cos I knew Hillsong people hung-out there) and introduced myself to some girls and ended up having a great time, meeting some fab people(who invited me to a dress up party tomorrow night!)
I love random!!
Life really is great

All in all, London life is fun. And no matter what happens, it’s all life experience

Over and out!
KM

Wow, I’m full swing into the depth of working in the heart of London! Woah…

I think I can honestly say it’s been one of the hardest weeks of my life!

Work is TOUGH!!! It’s very competitive here, a lot of clients at the gym assume the worst about Personal Trainers and are quite defensive! Added to this is pressure and criticism from my ‘Manager’ (younger than me with less experience – ?!) who says I’m too chatty and need to get numbers and close the sale. SO different to the style I’m used to!
Have been evaluating my values lately and what I love and hate, I’m realising my major hates are fear of failure and fear of rejection – and I’ve been full throttley (like my new word?!) tested in both these areas all week!

I’m realising I have to take a whole different approach here, as the ‘cruisey kiwi style’ just doesn’t cut it in cut-throat downtown London amongst busy, stressed, bankers and lawyers…

Plus, the trainers – although nice, are very competitive and all looking for business too so I really have to get out and sell myself more. Quite a few of them are very new to the industry, and I have the most experience out of all of the trainers although I charge the same. Feeling very very grateful right now about how good NZ gyms and members are! But in saying all this, there are many nice friendly people I just have to ‘hunt them out’ and I have met some great people too

I’m learning heaps and growing every day and will just keep striving and pushing on – determined to make it work!!!

I bought a laminator today to make my own posters (very excited, haha!) and will also be going to local businesses in the area (there are companies all round the gym that have thousands of staff members) to promote getslim and weight loss coaching, and hopefully that will be a niche that can set me apart at the gym too.

Really looking forward to moving to my new place next Saturday!
It’s a nice airy 2 storey flat in a complex which you need a card to access, so nice and safe (ish?)
Sharing with 2 girls that go to Hillsong church, one is a Nanny from Oz, the other a graphic designer from NZ (!?!) which is great to be able to share common ground about London life with others from down-under.
It’s got a nice balcony with a bbq over-looking a yard and is just down from the river Thames which has paths all the way along, can’t wait for a run along there! Comes with broadband and digital heaps of channel TV (dunno what it’s called but it’s cool) and my room is quite big – has a double bed and furniture already in it including a computer desk – yay!
There is a tube station just over the bridge which is handy and overland trains from about 10 mins walk away.
Heaps of cool shops, bars, pubs and restaurants, it’s just got such a great feel to the place!

Weather here is still pretty warm, I’m in short sleeves today, mostly around 17 degrees but mega HOT in the tubes and shops (currently sweating in starbucks!) and haven’t seen much rain – yay! Gotta enjoy it while it lasts!
Daylight savings ends tomorrow so we’ll be 13 hours behind NZ.

Better be off, think I achieved a semi-short blog again – woohoo!

Would love to chat with you all – gmail video chat is cool!

Love me

x

Starting to get the hang of things a lot more now though! At first everything was so new and confusing, but now I feel like it’s starting to click into place. I’m learning some valuable lessons!
Namely -

*Sore feet is a given – at the end of every day! Just learn to expect and enjoy it
*When you head out to see a flat, go to the gym, and do some food shopping, allow at least 7 hours
*If you want to do more walking in your life than you’ve ever done before, move to London!
*ALWAYS have your oyster (travel) card ready to swipe through to the underground – or you’ll get totally swept up the crowd and bailed into by everyone! And DON’T stand still anywhere in the Underground flow or you’ll actually get bowled over – or given very rude looks
*Whenever possible, avoid tubes at peak times i.e 6pm to avoid standing under a guy in a business suit’s stinky arm pits
*Don’t expect eye contact or a friendly hello from anyone serving you in a busy supermarket. But give them a smile anyway
*Walk up the escalator every time. Everyone just stands there. Unless they’re in a MAJOR hurry, in which case they’ll POUND through ignoring anyone in their way. But my mission is to walk it. Imagine how many extra calories I’ll burn over the 2 years! Might (please?!) make up for the extra beer drinking!

What’s Cool!!!
*Starting a charades game on the tube late at night – strangers actually join in! Thanks to Sarah making them!
*The Arts bar at Soho. Fun
*A cafe guy after I’d ordered my breakfast asks where I’m sitting and I say “Where’s the bathroom?” meaning, if it’s upstairs, I’ll sit upstairs – do ya know what I mean? He ACTUALLY says “You can’t eat in the bathroom” Hahaha! How funny is that! I just cracked up and he thought I was weird!
*Clothes shops where EVERYTHING is 5 pounds! So cool! Probably clothes will fall apart next week but ahhhh well, love a bargain!
*Playing Monopoly at the pub, good times
*Making up raps for strangers!
*The ‘covers’ band at the Walkabout Ozzie bar on Saturday night. Very cool
*Mini mini dog running down the road wearing leg warmers! Made me smile all Sunday!
*Casual wandering through Portobello Road markets on a Sunday
*The ‘London Lite’ – free newspaper when you’ve forgotten your Ipod / book / magazine / laptop / journal entertainment

What’s NOT!!!
*Mobile phone providers you STINGING you until you’re on a contract. I’ve spent over 45 pounds in 2 weeks on my cellphone – suck!
*Getting on tube and texting – or reading through my lovely saved texts – and forgetting where I am! Looking up and I’m waaaay past my stop! Woops, haha. Done it quite a few times
*Getting a text back from potential flatmate when I asked where the flat is saying “Yes but were are you” – aye??? Then a few texts later “Look, I’m at London Bridge”. I told her I wasn’t keen, can kinda tell she’s not my idea flatmate if ya know what I’m saying!
*The new people I met who weren’t into my game of ‘Top 3′ I tried to get everyone to play! Boring!!
*Guy after church complaining full on to Waiter how he should have told him how hot his meal was and he couldn’t possibly eat it!!!! I ordered the same I found it was sweet as, like 6/10 hotness – and was on a high after church, I couldn’t imagine being so horrible to someone! Anyhoo…

*SO many combo meal deals here with a clash of purpose – e.g grilled chicken, salad and a LARGE serving of FRIES – Why??
Or a JUMBO sausage roll served with salad – Whaaaaat…

Well, I’m getting myself nicely sorted for work! I have a feeling it’s all gonna be GREAT! I’m hopeful anyway!
Have set my goals – weekly, monthly, 3 monthly and yearly – what income I want to earn, how many holidays i want to take, how many hours and people I want to see per week etc.
Have a few plans in mind for building up clients so now I just have to GO FOR IT!! Feeling very ready and amped!

Having a wine with my new awesome London friend Sarah, while we both sit on the couch and watch crappy Monday TV and tap away on our laptops! Love it! Oh and found an awesome shop today bought a COOL jacket that I LOVE it says Bench Bench Bench – will be great for the gym!!! Over-excited, sorry as if you probably care, haha

Ok, off now! Thanks for reading my blog!

K

Can’t believe how just making this decision has injected a HEFTY dose of energy and motivation into me, it’s UNBELIEVABLE!
Yesterday after I decided I went running and got my best ever time – total Personal best, I was just GUNNING I mean reeeeeally RUNNING, I was so excited and energetic and FULL of ideas! Jumped on my laptop for hours afterwards updating my systems, creating my marketing plans etc. LOVE IT LOVE IT!
Being self-employed is SO ME! It has been a fascinating journey looking at all the options available, seeing how sucky the pay is for most of the jobs I could get outside of the gym (around 8 pounds an hour – no way!!!)
Plus, I really am MUCH better and happier being my own boss! I love working hard, but cos I choose too – not cos someone is making me! I dunno, it’s just right for me – it’s the way I’m wired.
SO, have kinda done full circle and am going back to what I’m used to. HOWEVER – I am starting with a clean slate. My calendar is completely clear so I can now build my life and my business exactly how I want it to be. Having a long (loooooong) holiday has helped me evaluate my priorities when it comes to my life and I can start working with a fresh new set of values in place. Things like not working Saturdays for a change, not doing early mornings – cos it’s a city gym, everyone goes lunchtime and evenings which suits me PERFECTLY! And the gym closes at 10.30pm so I can do my own workouts after work and in my downtime.
Plus St. Pauls is suuuuch a nice place to hang in-between clients, and there’s a Starbucks close. PRIORITIES!!

I’m so amped about working, I just CAN’T WAIT!!! Am I crazy?! Nooooo, just all ‘leisured’ out!

I have a training course on Wed and Thurs, then I start the following Monday, the 19th.
Please check out www.club-training.co.uk and searching for moi! Click on ‘Find a trainer’, then location and club is LA Fitness, St Pauls. Having trouble updating it at present but they will show me how to do it on the course.

The rent is MONDO high – 949 pounds per month! (I can’t find a pounds symbol on my keyboard?), which is over $2,000NZ (I was paying $720 a month in NZ). However, the opportunity to make good money is very high and the demographic is of a higher calibre and an affluent area, so I should make the rent back fairly quickly.
In the UK there’s a register for trainers and you can do certain things to increase your profile such as getting your clients to rate you – so will have to prove myself and get them onto that asap! The higher up your ranking is, the less rent you pay. So some good opportunities to cut my costs.

Anyhoo, ENOUGH about work already, it’s just that it’s my main excitement at the moment!!

Last night went out to an awesome old pub in Kentish Town with Mieke and Cole and played Monopoly (I lost) then met Sarah and her friend Rain in King’s cross and carried on to Soho – a place called the Arts. Very pretty! Had a good boogie, twas fun!
Tonight I’m going to High Kensington with Earl (old school mate) and his friends. Tomorrow – church and chilling!

I’ve been offered the place in Putney bridge, it’s the most expensive that I’ve seen – 620 pounds a month, but once I’m earning I would like to spend a bit more to have a great place and a great lifestyle! It’s got awesome shops, bars and restaurants and is right by the Thames for running. Only problem is that it’s quite a far commute, but I can always listen to my Ipod, get on my laptop and work, read a book? hmmm, will look at a couple more just to be sure (to be sure to be sure) but I think I’ll take it. It’s with an Ozzie and a kiwi?!! So much for London experience! But no doubt I will get a lot of that from the people I work with.

The English people I find cool and different and I love their accents! Sarah and Katie who I’m living with do their dishes in a bucket in a sink – quite common here, creates like an extra sink – I like it. And they are forever making cups of tea, and their sayings crack me up! Half of the time we don’t know what each other are on about!

Had THE most awesome run EVER the other day, down one of the richest streets in the world! AMAZING houses, worth like 5 million pounds – so HUGE and glorious looking! Got to Kenwood house gardens – so pretty and lush! Very leafy and green with a pond and bridge, kinda like Western Springs. I loved it! Was 10kms there and back, will definitely be doing it more!

Well I best get moving, one day I’ll actually write a short blog haha – it’s way too hard!

Needing some more love people, so feel free to text me anytime!
In case you haven’t saved my number – tut tut +447762 262 567

HUGS
K x

It has been pretty overwhelming and challenging being here!
But hey – most things that are worthwhile can be eh! I’m really enjoying the adventure though, it’s fun!!!
Even learning to like and appreciate the unknowns!
Things get better all the time as I am starting to watch things slowly unfold
I’m learning lots – about this city and about myself! And unraveling some of the mysteries of English life!! Very different!

Plus it’s quite creative setting up a whole new life and figuring out how you want it to be!
LOVING going exploring every day!

I’m missing everyone heaps, it’s hard!!
But also really coooool and exciting!!

I still haven’t earned ANY income for nearly 3 months – woooooahhhhh… still lady of leisure – fun fun!
But really looking forward to working! I bought some new stationery today for work to get me in the frame of mind (as well as some awesome boots, yay!).

It’s looking like I will start work as a Personal Trainer soon. There’s heaps of options available to me here as a Trainer, so I just have to choose what I’m going to go for – then work REAL hard to build up a client database again! I haven’t even had to show many gyms my qualifications – they bend over backwards to ‘talk up’ their gym to try and make me want to work there.
To be honest the standard of trainer’s I’ve seen so far isn’t great! One guy at a huge busy corporate gym right in the city was training a guy next to me, and the whole set he just counted his reps – from 1 up to 15 in a monotonous tone too! He didn’t say a single thing else! Yeah, real motivating dude – THAT’s worth 40 pound an hour?!

One great thing about feeling a bit ‘in demand’ is that I ask for a workout at each new gym I go to, to ‘test the facilities’ haha.. so I’m going to a new gym every day and seeing what it’s like – as well as getting a free gym session – yeeearr!! Happy days!

The best opportunity I can see so far is at a gym LA Fitness in St. Pauls in the city. They are mainly busy corporates so it could be high stress, but I’m fairly used to working that fast paced/back-to-back style – so I think I’d be ok and I’m up for a challenge.
It’s a cool gym, quite big with a spiral staircase going into a basement. Has a pool and some cool facilities – and best part, I’d be the ONLY female trainer there! How crazy is that?!
Now I don’t know if there’s a good reason why women don’t personal train there, but I see it as a great marketing advantage for me – to have a market for everyone there that only wanted or prefered a female trainer.
They seem like a fun group and the PT Manager said they all earn 45-50 pound an hour – he clears 6,000 pound a month (woah!). Would take a lot of time to build up and ideally I only want to work 30ish hours, so I can still have an awesome London experience and not just be working all the time!
Plus I’d only work Mon-Fri since the club isn’t open on a Saturday. I looooovee the idea of having a 2 day weekend again!!!!

Flat wise – I’m loving living in East Finchley, it’s so suburbia and green and lush! Today I’m going for a run down one of the richest roads in the world with like 5 million dollar houses – cooool!

The local pub is hilarious with old fashioned carpet and feels very Coronation street-ish.
You can go looking casual as cos everyone is, which is a nice change They have ‘lock in’ after hours, where they let the locals stay after the pub has closed. I’m a local now. Haha.. not.. But I’m not really going out much until I get a job, and even then I want to save for travel so will try and be behaved on that front.
The girls I’m staying with are hilarious and awesome! It’s great having a room until I find something more permanent. Yay!

Today was a mission day – shoes got wet in the morning and I was missioning around all day, forgot my umbrella (the 3rd time I’ve had to buy one haha), got completely lost and everyone I asked didn’t have a clue where I was! Got stuck on the phone for 40 mins to a mobile provider setting me up a contract grrrr. I talked to 3 people and not one of them got my name right. Literally it went like this -

My name’s Kat,
Hi Ket,
No it’s Kat,
Oh sorry, Kit?
NO Kat!
That’s what I said! Kit!
No it’s not Kit, it’s KAT!!
That’s what I said – Kit – K for kite, I for Island, T for tango

NOOOOooooo…. NO-ONE just says KAT! Annoy! I think I actually have to put on an accent and pronounce it ‘Kut’ just to end the hassle!

Anyhoo, here’s more about my day -

What’s BULL -
*Trying to get around London the day after a heavy leg workout!! NOT crackin! Sooo many stairs and escalators to navigate and congestion means the likelihood of getting a seat on the tube? Slim to nil!
*Wet shoes and bottom of pants alllll day, a million puddles, everyone banging into each other’s umbrellas haha
*Lost with no directions, forgot my London AtoZ map, phone battery dead, no money to buy an umbrella or even stop at an internet cafe to look up directions, can’t find a bank anywhere – arrrghh! lol
*An hour and a half on the tube to get from East Finchley to my job interview at Balham. This is when writing raps for your friends comes in handy. Who wants to hear yours?? You all have one written about you!!
*Finishing an interview with a handshake and saying “Thanks man” – Oh nooooo, why did I say that!? Luckily the gym was in a ghetto area and I wasn’t keen on the job!
*A lady trying to accuse me of stealing her umbrella at Tescos – hilarious! It was in my basket and she goes “That’s not your umbrella, is it” And I said “yes it is” and then she saw hers sitting next to mine. Both black and plain. As IF!! Then she kinda hmmpphed and marched off! Ha ha!
*Everyone’s grumpy tube faces – cracks me up!

Ha ha, all of the above was kinda funny and made for an adventurous day. I was in a great mood and chuckling to myself so all good!

Well that’s my news for now. Pretty lengthy for not saying a lot really ha ha oh well

Bye until next time!
Kat
That’s K-A-T

What a rollercoaster of emotions being here is! I love it, but it’s hard. Can’t wait to feel settled!
But it’s very exciting!

Still staying at Kath’s house in Muswell hill which is gorgeous! But tomorrow I’m going to stay with Sarah who was Vicki’s flatmate in Sydney. She is AWESOME! She took me out on Sunday it was so cool, met her after church and we went to Covent garden for a coffee and watched the street performers, then went to Leon for lunch (mega healthy – yay) then Starbucks again and walked down Southbank over the river Thames and saw the London eye, the gherkin, and other touristy attractions. Sat on the water and chatted then went to the pub Was lovely!

Have been for a few runs, the best is down the road from Kath’s house in the woods – they are like actual English woods – sooo nice with wide paths and gorgeous trees. Saw squirrels too – sooo cute!

Went for a job interview today at an awwwwesome gym – check it out – www.esporta.com/friernbarnet
Such a cool environment, the weights area was like being in an old church, all spacious It even has a bar haha
The position is Exercise and Lifestyle Supervisor, I’d be working with the Personal Trainers to make sure they’re making their targets, looking after group exercise numbers and marketing and can do some Personal training too.
I got a second interview but I’m not sure about it – I would have to teach a fitness class (eek!), do a full on fitness test (she said it was one of the most rigorous she’s seen with sprinting, shuttles etc.) and would have to learn to teach spin classes etc.
It sounds amazing but I’m not sure I want to be tied down to employment, it kinda freaked me out the thought of not having flexibility to travel as much as I could as a freelance trainer. So I’ve got a few interviews for Personal training roles this week and will see

Finding the flat hunting a mish, some places are hideous but I still feel like I have to pretend to be interested. Yesterday was one at Kentish town with 2 geeky guys and they kept me there for ages I wasn’t keen as soon as I walked in but didn’t know how to leave, dum!
Another place in Canada water was nice but room far too small. One in Wood green – ghetto as! Another in Willesden green with a few musos. It was nice but didn’t feel homely. My favourite so far is in Putney and it’s available in 2 weeks. Will look at some more and decide. She’s had heaps of people look at the room but said it’s mine if I want it – yay!

Now it’s down to where I’ll be working. Hopefully I can get something not on the other side of town!

This morning it took me 2 and a half hours to get home. Was staying at Dougie Mackie’s house (X-air – remember him foamies?) Was a great night he lives with lots of Europeans they were a laugh, made me crepes and i took red wine and we sang NoFX as loud as we could all night – FUN TIMES! Slept on couch in sleeping bag – sore back!
Got up at 8am and had to walk in the rain to get a bus to the Tube station, got on the tube going the wrong way (DUM) then 2 more tube journeys – felt like vomiting at one stage and had to get out the train and go outside and get some fresh air cos Kings Cross was so congested there were people all squashed around me and I couldn’t breathe (was singing Jordin Sparks song ‘No air no air’) Then got out at Archway station and got a bus back to Kath’s. Mission! Hahaha, can’t wait to know my way round better and establish my hood!

Well better be off. Miss everyone immensely and think about you all – All the time!
And really feel like talking to everyone – especially when I know you’re all sleeping and can’t haha

Please ring or text anytime as I love hearing NZ updates!!!

Kat x

Can’t believe I’m in London!!!!!

Finally!!! Not that I minded waiting! It was the best ever! Time of my life And so perfect having such an awesome holiday between jobs!

I’m amped (and nervous) about my new life – the plane ride was great for having the time to write out my goals and plans, things to do and buy, places to see etc. Couldn’t sleep at all, too squashed, so I managed to watch nearly 4 movies, Duplicity – Clive Owen and Julia Roberts – spy movie, a Science fiction type movie called Push – it was cool, and set in Hong Kong so it was nice reminising about the places I’d just seen! I love you man – funny, and half of a Russell Crowe one. Flight to Hong Kong I watched 6 episodes of friends and played about 1550 games of Tetris haha.

Mieke is an amazing host! She cooked me dinner and breakfast, got me set up on internet, comfiest couch ever, lush duvet, London map, house keys, food in fridge, answering my millions of questions – soooo good! It’s been really REALLY great to stay with someone I know that is so wonderful, what a blessing

Looking outside the window the buildings are like Coro Street!

I am already feeling quite homesick, it’s so weird not having my texts beep all day, my phone is rather silent! But I REFUSE to let myself get too sad about what I have left behind, because it had it’s time – it played it’s part and was soooo awesome for the time. But now there are new wonderful people to meet and things to do that I would never have done if I’d stayed in my comfort zone and my safe shore line. Sailing away to my new adventure and new chapter feels so right, and as hard as missing everyone is (paaaaaainful… ) I’m so ready for this. Very exciting to see what unfolds!

What’s crackin -

*Low fat low cal meal on the plane – so plain and healthy, gonna do it every time now!

*Seeing Mieke and Kath

*Cider

*Going to see a NZ band on my 2nd night here haha (The Datsuns) – Fun!

*New supermarkets- sooo excited haha

*Camden markets

*Asking “Do you know where the tube is?” and foreign girl saying “Tumour?” hahaha

What’s not crackin -

*Hong Kong – Water dripping on you from scaffolding from dirty looking building above – as if!!

*Not knowing where any public toilets are and it taking ages to work way through crowd to get anywhere when busting!

*Forgetting to lock plane toilet and Asian man discovering me on toilet – oops.. shame!

*Baby screaming – not crackin..

*London – No flat whites

*No one knowing what ‘trim’ milk is haha

*Over an hour on the phone trying to work out how to set up a limited company grrrr

*Everyone trying to hand you advertising

*Getting on tube going the wrong direction haha – has to be done eh!

Right, I’m off to buy some tan – feeling too white, and find a gym

Kat xox

*Most of the people in Hong Kong! It’s a very good looking country!

*Hong Kong – it’s sooo hot all day and night!

*Star ferry boat ride – 40 cents yessss

*Korean McDonalds style, $3.20 for a chicken vege noodle bowl and a drink. Just add flavour and it’d be perfect

*Everyone banging into each other on the packed train when it takes off and lurches forward hahaha

*Ben, one of the porters at the hotel falling asleep in the lift. Hahaha it’s a long lift, but asleep??? Didn’t even wake up when I tapped him on the arm and said “Wake up Ben!!!!” hehehe… Then he was all embarrased when he woke up

*Water being only around $1.20 a bottle – cos I’m onto my 7^th bottle today – parched!

*Japanese restaurant with a paint brush you paint your soy sauce on instead of dipping. Crackin!

*Being told BEFORE they brought it to me, that the Taku shooter I ordered was made with salmon. Eeeeeurrwww!

What’s NOT –

*Not being able to get yoghurt or porridge anywhere. And protein bars??? They’re like looking for gold here!

*Missioning to Lan Kwai Fong with some Germans to find some bars and when we finally got there I found out the last train back to Kowloon was at 12.30pm, and it was 12.10pm… Scull!!

*Me (to lady in shop) “Do you have a lid please?” – Lady “Thank you” – Me “Do you have lid? You threw mine in bin” – Lady “Thank you, bye!” ahaha…

*Missing out on the day trip up to China that I’d been looking forward to for ages (Shenzhen has 1 hour massages for $4, yeeaarr) but finding out the visa office is closed this week due to national holiday… Me and visas – pfffftttt….

*Realising all my money is in my money wallet strapped around my waist under my clothes when I’m in a hurry to pay – and I’m wearing a dress…

*Smell wafting out of the drains in the streets in certain areas – no wonder so many people wear masks…

*The heat under cover – it’s hotter than when in the actual sun – whaaat??!? How can some people wear long sleeves??

*Walking into Japanese restaurant in Soho and realizing it’s waaaay too overpriced for me, getting the cheapest thing I could get away with – 2 pieces of sushi for $24NZ and about 2 bites of squid – total bill $35 NZ and I left still hungry – not crackin!

*Bars don’t give you your change unless you ask for it, they just start serving someone else until you say ‘Excuse me’

*Public toilets – generally have no toilet paper

*No seats in the city unless you go inside somewhere and buy something – and even then there are often no seats!

*Can’t find any Laundromats and at the hotel they charge you per item – $5 per 1x undies – (hmmm, even though mine are pretty small?!)

*Unless I’m exercising, I haaaate sweating! Gross! I’m running out of clothes as all of mine are winter for London!

 Hahahaha it sounds like I’m moaning but I’m really not, there are a LOT of things I’ve put as NOT HOT but they really don’t bother me they are just good for a laugh, cos it’s all part of the adventure and the fun and I just find them all interesting and funny!

It’s so interesting seeing the blend of rich and poor. You can get a main at the Sheraton for $220NZ for steak (I went to the sky lounge to watch the light show but they had a minimum spend which was like the rest of my money so I didn’t stay long! haha)
Apparently the average wage of expats in Hong Kong is $30,000 a month! That’s like $360,000 a year – average! But the poor people are reeeeeally poor, bones sticking out and rumaging through bins, I saw one guy licking somones KFC bones out of the rubbish…

I went to the light show last night and didn’t take much money with me cos was gonna come straight back to my hotel afterwards but it’s a mission to get anywhere so I went out and after I got a taxi, dinner and a wine I realised I only had a few coins left – and was on Hong Kong Island, so had to walk for ages instead of getting a taxi to the ferry. Oops, scary!
Met some English guys who lived in Hong Kong, it was interesting talking to them and they gave me some good input about how to spend my last day.

Apparently with the temperature, the lowest it ever gets here is around 16 degrees in winter, if it gets to around 13 degrees they put out an extreme cold weather warning!
And they’ve already started advertising hats and scarves here! Old people die from cold here cos there’s basically no heating in Hong Kong.
Crazy!

Right, better get back out and amongst it being my last day here!

Next post probably London!