Am Loolah

My move to New Zealand was meant to incorporate a "whole new me" in that I would attempt new and exciting things and live life on a day by day, "can do" basis.

By my very nature, however, I am somewhat of a lazy arse.

And so I find, after two years here, that I've really not been doing the things I had hoped to.

Some would say that with 4 kids, 2 dogs, a house etc what did I hope to fit in other than occasionally the opportunity to paint my toenails. I would respond "More, much more, than I have."

I shall be in the last year of my 30's in *ahem* days/weeks. Before I turn the big 4 0 I want to achieve things. Conquer my fears. Dance the light fantastic. Snog Robbie Williams and shag Jonnie Depp. I want to see places I've only seen in the travel guides. I want to live a lot.

Time is a factor, not age. I am busy, setting up a business and studying. But that aside I don't want my weekends to be spent doing, well, not a fat lot really. I feel I'm not living, life is passing me by. And I'm in grave danger of suffering from commitment fatigue ...

Thus far I've decided;

We are going skiing in Queenstown for a week in July.
I am going to do this
And this

Any other ideas?

Doesn't matter what it is or where in NZ it is, I'd like to get on and try something new and exciting at least every month for the next 12?

pricklykina

I know what you mean...I have been here ten years and still not seen a game of league or rugby and they were high on the list!
But four kids keep you busy and raising them to be sane individuals is an accomplishment to be proud of
So
ideas...
tattoos are fun
and don't need to be trained for
Before I'm 40 I would like to do the tongariro crossing
and get my masters
and know how to build cabinets
Good luck!

lapsed kiwi

Go gliding! Most gliding clubs do trial flights for a very reasonable cost and it's a real experience - very different to power flying.

Am Loolah

Had a tattoo when I was 17! It's faded that much that I thought about getting a Kiwi inspired one over it. But, figured as it's so faded I'd probably be best to leave it alone, rather than draw attention to a new one!

Thank you for your thoughts, shall add Tongariro Crossing to my list for sure! Have a friend who has done it ... obviously some of these will be seasonal!

Lizaberry

Good luck - I am hitting the big 4 0 in just over a week. I wonder where my life has gone. Strange I know, but is often when I go to the hairdressers with my children that I sit and reflect on things - I watch the girls cutting their hair and wonder whether I should've done a trade or trained for something. Until 2007, I spent 16 years working as a civil servant with Jobcentreplus and have only an HND and NVQ 3 to my name as my only achievements.

I can see exactly where you're coming from - the days just pass you by and sometimes you gotta take the bull by the horns and go for it. Good on ya girl!

I have enjoyed my 30's and will miss them. I just hope that I get the chance to go to NZ with my family and fulfil some mini dreams I have - like skiing. I am on my own little mission right now to lose some weight after child no.4 - been doing the 30-day challenge on our Wii EA Sports Active game and am desperate to be fit and toned up before our holiday in the caravan to the South of France in mid August.

Hey, but don't knock yourself though - setting up a business is a real achievement and doing that alongside looking after your family is no walk in the park. Many would admire you for all that you are doing so don't sell yourself short.

Perhaps with another birthday looming (mine's the 22nd) your just going through a reflective time in your life, and that's no bad thing. We all need things to get us out of bed in the morning.

Good Luck (and Happy B'day for whenever it is)

Liz

Am Loolah

I'm terrified of heights. I get scared on a stair lift, the nursery slopes button lift ...

A chair lift will be a horrendous experience for me when we go skiing - but I'll do it.

My biggest achievement in NZ was when I was asked if I wanted to participate in the "mummy's" go-karting race. I said "no." Then thought, sod it, I'll do it, my 10 year old son does it every weekend, he'd want me to do it. I had visions of other mum's having a fag, glass of wine, knitting as they went round - kindred spirits all. I did it. I honestly thought I'd win - Hell, I dreamt I'd win - including the Hubby and son cheerleading me over the finish. They were all semi-professional ... I came last ... but I floored it and it was fun!

Right, instead of gliding (no engine - super scary ) can I add going up in a helicopter? Have a friend who runs helicopter flights from Rotorua to White Island - have never been in a helicopter.

All of the things I WILL do that you suggest I will post photographic proof of!

Am Loolah

Thank you Liz - kind words of encouragement. Good luck to you with your goals after child number 4.

But life is passing me by - I have achieved precisely zero in the last 12 months, unless you count a struggling liver, faulty scales and a general sense of dissatisfaction.

I'm one of those people that unless I actually book things and work to a deadline I'll procrastinate and carry on doing sweet FA ...

But this is good, I can now add helicopter ride to my list ...

Jan n Neil

It,s your lucky day i am the spitting image of Mr Depp and will be in Christchurch soon, have a word with the wife and see when i can fit you in as i,m fairly busy with my Robbie Williams tribute act

Neil xx

PS, U got there wich is more than a lot of people achieve

Tomsk

Oh Am Loolah, what an uplifting thread. Good luck with your plans, I hope that you get to do them all.

Strangely I've been feeling much the same recently. My 12m in NZ anniversary is in just a couple of weeks and it seems like the last few years were filled with planning for NZ & working towards it, then arriving here and settling in and generally getting established. Now I feel like I've done all of that, and I'm at risk of falling into a rut. I need more challenges. So, you've inspired me...thank you, not sure what I'm going to do yet, but it certainly won't be the Lake Taupo half marathon.... good luck with that one . Think I might save myself for next year's Rotorua marathon .

Do please keep this thread updated with what you're doing...it'd be great to hear of your experiences so that we can all cheer you on, and maybe even get inspired to do the same ourselves

TeamEmbo

I felt much the same leading up to my 40th. Turning 40 didn't bother me at all but in the days before I felt kinda sad and frustrated that I hadn't done anything really and the magic '40' milestone was approaching and I was out of time to do anything fantastic or memorable - you know like the traditional list of things you are supposed to have done and I felt really down and with only 3 days to go it I was out of time to climb Everest or get to see the pyramids or the great wall of China. On top of that we'd had high hopes of the things we would be doing in NZ, places to go, things to experience and try out etc and I felt I'd done nothing, been nowhere. Hanmer Springs is only about an hour up the road and I hadn't even got there.

Then I thought hang on a minute. I have done 'stuff'. Nothing earthshattering in the great scheme of things; just little things so I focussed on those instead. Things I had the pleasure to experience, touch, taste, smell, see and horrible moments I'd lived through that at the time seemed like the end of the world. And I realised that actually there has been so much I have had the priviledge to experience I needn't have felt such panic.

And then the day before my 40 birthday my kids had the day off school and my OH took us to Hanmer Springs and I got to relax in the hot springs in zero degree air temps looking up at the clear blue sky and snow capped mountains and the following week my OH had booked for us to going skiing for the day at Porters and he'd organised a fab party with a triple chocolate birthday cake and it was all just perfect.

pixi-dust

I'm a shocker cos I just don't really think about these things I tend not to plan stuff, but things just sort of happen!
I had the big 40 last year and I remember being astounded that I was this old, my party was rained off at the weekend, the marquee pretty much blew away and it was basically pants! But then the sun came out on the day of my birthday and we went to the beach and had fish and chips and I have to say I loved it!

I have done some new things since we got here. Newest is learning to surf, but my proudest achievement is my garden. I am happy working away in it all the time and I love being here so much that sometimes I don't even want to go on holiday! What sort of sad git does that make me!

We are going to Tonga though in a few weeks and the highlight will be watching the whales - fingers crossed they come!

Loolah something I did and loved was a course on glass bead making, you get these rods of glass and a hot burner thing and you melt them into all sorts of creations, it doesn't even matter if they look squint and bumpy cos you made them yourself! it was excellent.

I need to try and think of some things this year.

Good luck with your 2 ideas, they're cool!!
My friend did the Taupo cycle thingy last year and said it was absolutely amazing.

j19fmm

Would reccomend Tongariro crossing, I did it with my friend a couple of years ago and it was brilliant, being scared of heights too I will just say DON'T look over the edge at the top!! I got my tat done in Palmy too. Guess NZ just has that sort of effect, eh? So...next..bungy jump off the Auckland Harbour bridge (or somewhere nearer)? Jet boat? Flying Fox? Horse ride along the beach? Whatever you decide I hope you have fun

pixi-dust

Jet boat! Oh yes you have to! we did the shotover one last year on holiday and we loved it so much we immediately booked it for a second go. ( you get the second one for half price) and we also did one down the Waikato. If you like water and fast things these are brilliant!

Am Loolah

Thanks Neil!

MnB

Hey 3 score years + 10...........and life begins at 40!! so you go for it!!! I think you def get a different outlook on life when you reach this milestone, great to hear yours is so positive!!!
Best wishes for the big day & big hugs!
B x