NDBT

Well, unless I get bored at the airport tomorrow. (Hint; look for it).

First up; I LOVE New Zealand’s Inland Revenue department. They are courteous, friendly, helpful, competent people. Everytime I’ve called (4 times, maybe?) I’ve spoken with really great people who have been able to answer all of my questions with no trouble. Plus all of their tax forms and guides are really easy to follow. Ok – I realize doing the taxes of 4 million people is easier than doing it for 300 million, but still… so much nicer. Plus! I’m supposed to get a refund! yay! Who knows when it’ll arrive in the states, but that’ll really help ease the couple of weeks before I get a job/ first paycheck in Boston.

I’ve been hearing lots from people in the states; I love how christmas time prompts everyone to reconnect.

In sad Christmas news; A Catholic reviewer might lose his job over positive reviews for the Golden Compass, RENT, and Brokeback Mountain. Because, clearly, the people calling for his firing have seen those films. (Speaking of which, in the holiday spirit; the OBC 10th anniversary seasons of love)
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton

10 years ago today was the opening of the biggest movie in history. Or not.

I love it; there’s a moveon.org petition to bring back the daily show.

Travel stories; the travel editor from the SF Chronicle said every traveler should have one of the following type of stories;

a 3rd world bus story. Obviously this one needs to be a minibus or taxi brousse story. Although the night brousse ride in Madagascar is probably the best story, I’d just like to mention my favourite 3rd world bus; the Rock of Ages minibus in Cape Town. Ah, deafening euro-pop.
a bathroom story. Easily the pit toilets in Madagascar inhabited by 4-5 inch spiders. Right above your head. At night.
an airplane story. My most memorable flight has got to be one of my lags to South Africa, when I had an Indian great-grandmother frantically prying on one side of me, and a guy from Chevron on the other who spent the whole flight trying to convince me to work for an oil company.
an animal story. Umm… where to begin? Between the kiwi, cassowary, lemurs, and safaris, it’s hard to pick just one. The deer in Killarney. Seeing an albatross in Kaikoura. All the little night marsupials in Krakamia. Probably the best story is doing the bush walk in Botswana and running into a pair of Elephants. Or working with the goats at Kervella, if we’re including domestic animals.
a hotel story. The best place I stayed was probably on the edge of Andasibe park, where we got some lemurs coming into the place, and you could occasionally see Indiri across the river. The sketchiest was the place in Tamatave with the cockroaches and evil fan of doom. Actually, the best hotel story is the time I stayed at the Ritz in Boston with GREEN DAY. Have I told that one?
a food story. Hmm… exotic food? I’ve eaten emu. I’m not too big on the eating weird animals thing. I’m trying to think of meals that stand out. Yamamori’s with Kristl in Dublin. Oh!! The Ristorante Accedemia and their warm lamb salad. And the bread at the Casa Lingua. Mmmmm….Man was the food good in Italy.

Oh and the cheesecake in Venice.
and a guide story. My favourite guide was the one we had in Botswana. I can’t post his photo just now, but I’ll see if I can when I get home. And the Stray drivers have all been pretty cool here in NZ. Oh – and Melican (from Crazy Kudu) in Namibia was fantastic. The guy who took us to Kruger was kind of crazy, but super-sweet.
musica; No one- Alicia keys, Don’t shoot me santa – the Killers, Just like Heaven – AFI, CS Lewis Song – Brooke Fraser

Tags: Travel

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 at 9:22 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.