goodbyeanimosity

six months and counting

2012-01-31T10:01:00.001+13:00

We've been in Vancouver for six months now and have just found out that we'll only be here another six. Originally we were planning on staying longer so we could save a little extra money and see a few extra places but we've just found out that Neil won't qualify for his second year Canadian visa as he hasn't resided habitually in the UK for 18 months in the past 3 years. So at the end of July we will try and get in some travelling; we have a list of places we want to see before we leave and they are:

Banff/Jasper and the Rocky Mountains in Alberta

Montreal, Quebec the French speaking province of Canada

Toronto, Ontario and the Niagra Falls

New York, USA

We will most likely fly out of NY to the UK where we will then create another temporary home for around 12 months (although this is always subject to change). Although we have enjoyed Vancouver/Canada, we have struggled to really feel 'at home' here so I think we are both looking forward to moving to England where Neil's family and friends are. At this stage we are thinking of living in Bristol, but we still have a lot of research to do before deciding on where we want to reside. First thing's first though, I need to start organising my UK working visa!

One thing that I find difficult about travelling is being in the middle of winter here in Canada but the peak of summer back home in Australia. Some days when it's freezing cold, pouring with rain and I can't go outside without wearing at least 2 layers of clothing and a huge winter jacket, I long to be at home, dancing around in a summer dress, my sun kissed hair and honey brown skin. But just a few weeks ago it snowed in Metro Vancouver and snow in the city means perfect conditions up on the mountains. We've both bought out own ski gear and we have a choice of four different places to ski, 3 that are within 30 minutes drive from downtown and 1 which is 2 hours out (Whister) which has been ranked one of the best ski resorts in the world. So when I find myself feeling miserably cold, looking at everyone's photos on Facebook of them at the local beach or the local pub, I think to myself that I will be one of the very few who will get to experience a true snowy winter and that is something that will never happen back in Australia.

say my name, and every colour illuminates

2012-01-16T13:52:00.000+13:00

a couple of weeks ago we hired a car and drove up to Whistler, a very popular ski resort, especially amongst the Australians. apart from getting temporarily stranded in the (what felt like) wilderness without snow chains or snow tires, we had a very exciting time up there playing in the snow.

much to our delight, we actually received some of our very own residential snow over the weekend. photos will be posted some time in the next couple of weeks (given my non-productivity maintaining this blog). we even made our very own snowman at the park across the road at 1:30am Saturday morning!

separate's always better when there's feelings involved

2012-01-12T10:40:00.004+13:00

hey ya - outkast

photos from my iPhone

Merry Christmas

2011-12-28T13:55:00.004+13:00

So this is Christmas; another year over, a new one just begun.

I’ve included a few pictures from our Christmas weekend to share with you. We were supposed to go skiing both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but it turns out I’m not the pro skier I thought I was, so I was and still am quite black and blue. We decided to stay in, eat a big feast of roast vegetables, Yorkshire Puddings, gravy and bread rolls with caramelized pears for desert (and much candy and chocolate in between).

This morning it is 10 degrees celcius (opposed to the usual 2 degrees) in Vancouver which I’m hoping means the weather will start warming up a bit, now that the days are starting to get longer as well.

We have hired a car for the 30th Dec – 1st Jan so we can do a little bit of site seeing around the areas we can’t quite get to on transit. Now we just need to familiarize ourselves with driving on the opposite side of the road, on the opposite side of the car…. Should be interesting!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your break, if you were lucky enough to have one. Make sure to bring 2012 in with a bang! ^__^

festival of lights, van dusen gardens

2011-12-19T18:49:00.003+13:00

christmas is a busy time of year for us, even thousands of miles from home. we're house/cat sitting our friends place for two weeks, so will spend christmas and new years here. we are skiing christmas eve and day which will be an interesting way to spend it! then when our friends are back, we move straight into our new house. although it's a difficult time to be away from home, it's also really exhillarating to be experiencing a cold, crisp christmas on the other side of the world.

we're going to head to another lantern festival this week so stay tuned for another low light, bokeh extravaganza! until then, stay safe and merry christmas.

and i am done with my graceless heart

2011-12-06T16:51:00.001+13:00

I left Melbourne/Australia ten months ago today. I can't say I'm surprised that I've lasted this long. Of course I miss home every now and then, and I find myself nostalgic whenever time I see a photo of my friends, family or familiar places. But I've also had a really amazing time so far. I've met some awesome people, seen some beautiful places and made some great friends. I know that when I am ready, home will be there waiting, perhaps not exactly the same way it was when I left, but I know the foundations I built will always be there for me. Someday.

tonight we are young, so let's set the world on fire

2011-11-14T17:28:00.003+13:00

we can burn brighter than the sun

San Francisco, CA - Part Four / The Finale

2011-11-07T18:20:00.001+13:00

So this is the final instalment of San Francisco photos. To be honest I was a bit slack and left a few out, but maybe one day when I've caught up with all my editing and posting I'll go back and relive our time in California.

We've just turned the clocks back an hour here in Vancouver so we're looking forward to the colder and shorter days (not). It's turned mightily brisk too, as in, as cold as the winter I'm used to in Melbourne/Australia and it's still only Autumn in Canada.... eep! I'm excited for my first white Christmas.. if it snows of course!

I'll be processing and uploading some Vancouver shots soon, so stay tuned.

Until then, be happy.

taken on Alcatraz Island

Beautiful ceiling,Westfield Union Square (after seeing and crying at 50/50)

Seriously the most delicious thing ever; thick and creamy tomato soup in a bread bowl!

Long exposure of Bay Bridge

San Francisco, CA - Part Three

2011-10-31T16:52:00.000+13:00

I'm thinking there will be one more San Francisco post after this, and then I'll have to catch up with the back log of Vancouver photos. It's turned cold over in this part of the world, but we still get a few clear, sunny days.

This area of San Francisco was called The Mission / Mission District. Although it's a popular area for the homeless, it's also an amazingly quirky suburb. It was easily my favourite district outside the CBD. The alleys and streets were lined with murals, the cafes were unique and delicious and the stores were just as amazing (lots of thrift stores). I'd go back to SF just to explore Mission a little bit further.

San Francisco, CA - Part Two

2011-10-22T14:29:00.001+13:00

still more to come :)

forgotten memories flooded back, seeping through the celotaped crevases in my dishevelled mind. i sat unmoving as the pain enveloped me, just like it had done in the beginning. all the words i should have said danced lightly on my tongue. never did i realise it was so hard to forget.

San Francisco, CA - Part One

2011-10-18T16:36:00.003+13:00

Sorry for the major delay; was having some issues with Photoshop but all is well now.

There is something very charismatic about San Francisco. I think it could easily become one of my favourite cities - alongside Melbourne of course. I've never come across such friendly people.

Stay tuned for the next few instalments, which I should (hopefully) post over the coming weeks.

that's the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance there, behind all the infamous SF fog

Bay Bridge (which I almost think is prettier than the Golden Gate)

P.S I've recently become addicted to Instagram, so if you are too, find me and say hello!

http://statigr.am/katieleighbradley

all the leaves are brown

2011-10-10T17:35:00.004+13:00

So we made it back from San Francisco, California unscathed - although I did manage to catch a cold in our final few days. Six days on and I'm still coughing and sniffling but luckily we have Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend which means a three day weekend! We have a big roast vegetable feast (w/ vegetarian gravy) planned for lunch tomorrow with chocolate rum balls/truffles for dessert.

I have approximately 600 photos of San Francisco to sift through and edit/resize so hopefully they will feature in my next few posts. Until then, it's 'Fall' (or Autumn as we call it in Australia/England) in Canada and all the leaves are starting to turn beautiful shades of orange, red, yellow and brown so please enjoy the first set of Autumn shots (I assume there will be many more over the coming months).

P.S. In case you couldn't tell, I bought some (hunters) rain boots in preparation for the 5 months of rain we're expected to have here in Vancouver..... yay.....

>.<

renfrew ravine moon festival 2011

2011-09-26T17:26:00.001+13:00

The Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival was held in our local community so we decided to go and check it out. What an interesting experience! It was a very intimate event which started at Slocan Park just a few minutes walk from where we live - then at dusk everyone lit their lanterns and we all paraded through the Renfrew Ravine forest where the fences were lined with unique and hand made lanterns. We ate Moon Cake and drank hot chocolate, feeling the first real chill of Vancouver fall (or autumn) whilst watching the fire twirlers. A very sweet and extraordinary adventure that I am glad to have been a part of.

We head to San Francisco on Wednesday and are staying for 7 nights. Vancouver is situated very close (an hours drive) to the US border which makes for great travelling opportunities. Stay tuned for, what I assume will be, many posts of San Fran!

take what the water gave me

2011-09-19T16:10:00.004+12:00

i found a little bit of home not too far from where we live

now that summer has ended i should have a chance to catch up with my photographs.

vancouver is known for its rain so we're getting geared up for a lot of wet weather and then hopefully some snow come winter.

although, before then we still have a week in san francisco to look forward to.

now you're just somebody that i used to know

2011-09-08T15:31:00.003+12:00

from lonely to lonely, i wonder if i am where i am because of it. my fingers wrapped around another's allowing the pain to trickle endlessly through the gaps that will always remain holes in my existence. so far away from comfort & familiarity, telling myself that it's good for me, that it's the right thing. the solace that once was, is now so far gone i don't even recognise myself. was this always me - or am i just an ever changing product, morphing and adapting, never whole, never grounded.

bits & pieces

2011-09-02T16:50:00.001+12:00

i'm pretty happy to be doing something different with my life.

Vancouver Celebration of Light 2011

2011-08-29T03:36:00.000+12:00

I took these about 3 weeks ago at the Celebration of Light, where 3 countries compete for the 'best fireworks' title. China won this year.

Unfortunately because the show started after 10pm I couldn't really avoid the smoke clouds. It was a great display though and the shoreline was packed to the brim with viewers.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a new lens. For some reason I've not been using my Canon 10-22mm as my Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 has hardly ever left my camera body. I'm considering the Canon 60mm macro for it's compact size and diversity. They retail for around $400+ Canadian dollars so we'll see how the money situation goes over the next couple of weeks.

We've booked our flights to San Francisco for the end of September so I'm looking forward to my first trip to the US (international air space doesn't count). I'm sure there will be many photos to follow.

On another note, my dear boyfriend has been a great companion photographer after purchasing the Panasonic Lumix LX5 (and his own tripod!). I must admit, he's giving me a run for his money... but I like to think he's learned from the best. ;)

Vancouver Zombie Walk 2011

2011-08-22T15:54:00.000+12:00

Similar to the Melbourne Zombie Shuffle; Vancouverites also take part in a annual zombie walk where every-day (I kind of use that term loosely) people dress up as the dead and parade through the city streets.

This time I took part and I must admit, it was pretty difficult being both a zombie and a photographer.

Some pictures of me in my zombie get up :)

I still have a lot of other photos from our travels in/around Vancouver to sift through. It's so beautiful here that I can't even keep up with my own photography... stay tuned!

after all this time

2011-08-15T06:38:00.005+12:00

quick update;

We've found a place to live just 10 minutes out of Vancouver city (by skytrain). We have a big bedroom, a big bed, and a TV with (pretty awful) cable. We share the house with a few other travellers and there is also an extra fully equipped house downstairs where a couple of other people live. We have two stray cats that seem to have taken occupancy here which, of course, doesn't bother me.

We're in love with dogs and have found ourselves commenting on every single one as it trundles past. We've hired bikes; riding around from dusk to dawn. We've soaked up the rays on the beach. We've caught the seabus to Granville Island and North Vancouver. We've watched the fireworks festival at English Bay. We've visited the beluga whales at the Vancouver aquarium. We've eaten new and exciting chocolate bars and we've already found a few favourite places to eat. We've walked, and walked, and walked until our legs have ached. We're planning a trip for my birthday in September (hopefully san francisco). And just two days ago we hiked two hours up a mountain where there were grizzly bears and handfuls of snow left over from the winter at the top.

I can't say I'm enthused about having to eventually go back to work but i'm hopeful that neither of us will have /too/ much trouble finding a job. We still have plenty of things we want to do, and more than enough places to visit.

All in all, Vancouver was definitely worth the wait.

edit:// There's only a couple of negatives I've found so far about being here... I'm not sure if it's an 'American' thing but some people are so rude (!). No one (well hardly anyone) moves out of the way for you walking on the street, even when you go out of your way to move for them. Sometimes the accent can be really harsh and obnoxious i.e. when people talk it feels like they're being horrible to me but maybe I will get used to that.

There is a HUGE coffee culture and not enough bins to cope with the amount of "to-go" coffee cups. Seriously, there is a Starbucks on /every/ corner and then between those corners there are other major coffee store chains like Blenz or Tim Hortons (who make really awesome cheap donuts). Every bin (aka trash can) on Granville Street is overflowing with rubbish and there is always someone ferreting around in it to collect the recycling which I'm still not sure as to why.

Lastly, there are a lot of people on the streets, seemingly homeless. I'm used to a few here and there but there are areas in Vancouver that are a bit what-the-hell-this-is-a-bit-surreal-and-awful-and-scary-let's-not-stumble-here-again. Not only are there lots of people without money or a home, there is also the other extreme where you often see a brand new Lamborghini, Porsche, Corvette or Mustang parked on every block. The marina is full of expensive yachts which never seem to leave the dock but there's always someone down there waxing or maintaining them. And there is no respect for each other.. the other day Neil saw someone kick over a homeless man's cup of 1 cent coins, which went flying all over the footpath and then the man who kicked into them just turned around and kept walking. We went straight over and helped the homeless man who was scurrying around, pick up his coins and only one other person had the decency to stop and assist. Everyone else had no problem in turning a blind eye and walking on.

Maybe I am not used to the different culture or lifestyle but I've never experienced such hostility, to the point where it makes me cry in the middle of the street because it is so upsetting and confronting. All I know is that this place is definitely going to toughen me up.

Anyway, regardless of any of the negatives, I definitely love it here and have no intentions to leave any time soon.

beluga whale

just two kids soaking up the sun :)

8197 miles from home

2011-08-02T15:36:00.002+12:00

well we've finally made it to Vancouver, after a gruelling 24 hours of travelling.
the weather has been absolutely glorious and the city is simply amazing. i am definitely in love.

sorry for the overload of photos in one hit. i'm sure there will be many more to come as well :)

missing in action

2011-07-18T20:48:00.000+12:00

well my laptop of 7 months has pooped itself so i'm hoping to get it fixed before we leave for vancouver. until then i'm using my 5 year old one which has probably proven itself to be more trusting, ironically.

we fly out next tuesday morning before the sun is up, travel/fly for over 20 hours but still manage to get to Canada on tuesday in the early afternoon.

still a little bit to do before then... but i guess the whole process is a little bit exciting (to say the least).

until then... hope everyone is well :)

wellington by reflection

2011-07-13T21:05:00.001+12:00

i found these reflections from a cafe window to be very enchanting

our home away from home for the past six months

breaking bad

2011-07-03T22:05:00.001+12:00

taken at various places around the north island of new zealand.

can't even keep track anymore

three hundred and sixty six

2011-06-19T19:08:00.002+12:00

surprised, but glad we made it

japanese for dinner & super 8 for dessert; a pretty good anniversary date if you ask me.

blue, black and broken

2011-06-12T21:59:00.001+12:00

We leave for Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday 26 July. At this stage I have no idea what to expect, I've been in-between lives for some time now, waiting to embark. Everything for the last 8 months has been riding on this and now I'm finally here, counting down the weeks, the days.

I'm a little bit terrified, but a lot excited.

back to the start

2011-06-08T22:21:00.011+12:00

a very pretty cat i stumbled upon in havelock, new zealand;

i find it difficult not being able to express myself here as openly as i would like.

tem·per·a·men·tal/ ˌ temp(ə)rəˈmentl , adjective

2011-06-07T21:43:00.002+12:00

(finding) the beauty within the ugly | part one

images from the ferry journey from wellington to picton

and unfortunately, happiness tends to write a white page

2011-05-29T22:37:00.000+12:00

the weekend; drinks with friends at southern cross, sleep, blue skies, paranoia, food show (hungover), chips and veggie rolls, exhaustion, sleep at five to eight pm, toast with (food show purchase) raspberry jam, sleep from nine pm to nine am, exhaustion, blue skies, indecisiveness, wholly bagel with latte, island bay, three games of pool, aunty menas, frankie magazine, photoshop, exhaustion, blog.

things to come; frankie magazine, dinner and alice bar, booking flights to vancouver, four day weekend, south island (marlborough sounds, hamner springs, franz josef and all that's in between), vancouver, developing second roll of film, raspberry jam, a visit from my parents at the end of june, rotorua and the bay of plenty.

things to dread; potentially horrid cook strait crossing on the ferry times two, zombie neil, awful hire car that shakes between 80-100kmph, work.

the end.

road trip part two plus good news

2011-05-22T23:07:00.003+12:00

so the canadian embassy finally decided the boy was worthy, and approved his visa application. we're hoping to head over to live/work in vancouver city towards the end of july - just in time for summer.

we're pretty glad to be out of limbo.

this shot wasn't taken on the road trip but thought i'd include it anyway.

the bitter taste of sunlight traces her shoulder, as she lay with her back against the grass; a singular blade connects softly with her skin through a gap in her knitted sweater. a nearby breeze carries a selection of bronze leaves down a cobblestone pathway where she envisions herself in a light summer dress, dancing effortlessly, alone and almost breathless. she is at peace, she is one with the elements. forgiven. forgotten.

taupo/hastings/napier part one

2011-05-16T21:44:00.003+12:00

road trip up north to taupo via hawkes bay (hastings/napier). part two to follow shortly.

toast, hash browns and scones with jam & cream

where silly people throw themselves off a bridge in taupo

hastings

napier sand (?)

the view from our hotel

our hotel room. amazing.

we're already thinking about the upcoming long weekend in june; skiing/snowboarding at mt ruapehu.

stuck in second gear

2011-05-08T20:54:00.004+12:00

snickers slice. i don't like to think about the amount of calories it contained.

we've been in Wellington (aka Welly) for over three months now and we're still waiting for the boy's Canadian visa to be approved. it's currently at the final processing stage and has been sent to the high commission in London but it seems we're just playing a waiting game now. it's a little frustrating being stuck in limbo but we're trying to make the most of it - fingers crossed we'll be able to make a small trip to taupo this weekend.

some of my favourite things in Wellington so far are*; aunty mena's vegetarian restaurant, strictly ballroom pool hall, the waterfront, wholly bagels, banana smoothies, $1 movie rentals, midnight espresso, porirua adrenalin course, reading cinemas, new world supermarket, newlands bus service, neil's ability to finish reading a novel in the time i've read a chapter, chip shop dinner combined with pre drinks, dancing, shopping for new shoes, VIP big kumara cards, tickle fights, whitey, spending all day in bed courtesy of the night before, morning trips to work, st peirres sushi, home made pancakes, swonderful, convincing neil that mc chickens are better than quarter pounders despite me being a vegetarian, mrs higgins' cookies, good luck, 'trim' lattes, snuggles, peep show, shoulder rubs, back tickles, trying a new cafe every weekend, fountains full of bubbles, our landlords amusing 6yo kid, discovering my love for nutella, "hello lad" & "say hello to katie", struggling up glanmire road each and every day without fail, "have you got the key?", mah mah mah, whispering nonsensical words into each others ears, meeting new people and making new friends, toasties.

* not an extensive list.

happy easter

2011-04-25T22:25:00.001+12:00

Sometimes I have to ask myself why it is so difficult to see the 'bigger picture'.

i'll take you anywhere you wanna go

2011-04-17T22:37:00.002+12:00

i forgot to mention some good news; my Canadian visa arrived four weeks after i sent and it was processed and approved in only a few days. we're just waiting for the boy's application to also be approved (fingers crossed) and then we'll be ready to start planning for our next adventure - Vancouver BC. :)

below are a few shots from my digital slr (yet to finish my second roll of film):

after the boy's 'kickabout', we were heading back towards the city when we bumped into the friendliest cat.
it ran straight towards us, meowing with excitement. we got sidetracked for half an hour by our new friend.

inspiration from neil to play with the reflections of puddles

developed

2011-04-11T20:33:00.001+12:00

As my last post mentioned, I picked up an old analogue Canon AV-1 SLR a couple of weeks ago..

This is my first attempt at analogue photography since I elected photography as a subject in Years 9 & 10 (eight years ago).

I love the aura that film manages to capture. Shooting analogue makes you consider all the elements together, as one... it makes you appreciate real, raw, untouched photography.

our new food obsession; wholly bagels

the water really looks like this!

no words

2011-04-03T20:54:00.001+12:00

i managed to pick up this old canon AV-1 online, and received it early last week (along with some bad news from home). i'm in the middle of my first roll of film and will attempt to get it developed in the next few days.

in the interim, however, i have included a few shots from the weekend taken with my canon 60d.

good luck, wellington

2011-03-27T19:41:00.005+13:00

we stumbled upon this interesting japanese/cocktail bar a few weeks ago and decided to return on friday night ($5 house drinks til 11pm - how could we go wrong?).

ironic though, we aren't experiencing much good luck at all. my canadian visa application has gone missing in the post so i potentially need to put together another one (this includes another money order, police check, photos and traffic history report)... aka a massive pain in the behind.

the boy hasn't had much success either; his application arrived at its destination, however it was missing something (we are unaware of what) and now he has to wait to find out what to do next.

thankfully things are picking up in wellington though. we've both been 'temping' in different jobs, but i've managed to secure a 4-6 month contract role with the ministry of education. hopefully we won't be here that long but at least if we are, i've got steady employment. let's not discuss the new zealand dollar though, hey? (petrol is $2.18 NZD per litre! glad we don't have a car...)

at this stage we've pretty much resigned to the fact that wellington (welly) is going to become our temporary home. therefore, i definitely think a weekend away is in order ;)

animals are my friends and i don't eat my friends

2011-03-20T21:53:00.005+13:00

Something I am quite passionate about is animals. I've been a vegetarian since September 2009 and frequently I am asked why I made the decision to exclude meat from my diet. You can find my reasons along with millions of others by viewing the video at the link below:

http://www.meat.org/

What amazes me about this world is that animal cruelty results in years spent in jail along with a very heavy fine (ranging anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 AUD for aggravated cruelty). I still don't understand the difference between hurting a domestic animal and sending thousands of cows, sheep, pigs, fish or chickens to a slaughterhouse to be abused and killed.

I do not judge a person for their choice to consume animals, as long as they are 100% aware of how the meat made its way to their plate. Too often cuts of meat are regarded as just that, and we tend to forget that the fleshy white/red breast actually came from an animal - an animal bred purely for the purposes of human consumption, treated with absolutely no respect or dignity, forced to live and breathe in its own waste amongst a sea of other animals, with no love or affection, to be painfully killed whilst still being completely aware and conscious.

I would not eat my pet cat or dog, therefore I would not eat a cow or a baby lamb.

I have been without meat for almost two years and I feel healthy and happy with my lifestyle and choice.

in limbo

2011-03-13T11:56:00.003+13:00

i've decided to change the tune of my blog/site a bit. instead of focusing only on photography, i'm also going to showcase cute and quirky things i encounter during my travels. this could include but is not limited to; stores, cafes, artwork, cats, films and books.

5 weeks in wellington and we have (finally) managed to submit our canadian visa applications.

fingers and toes crossed.

waiting

2011-02-23T18:08:00.002+13:00

she sits quietly, examining the familiar dirt under her fingernails. the feeling never leaves, but soon it is buried beneath a back-catalogue of suppressed memories. unable to give in to the devastation, her frail hand glides to the empty space beside her where she dearly clasps onto a childhood bear. the fabric is rough against her palm, which is grazed and bruised from falling rubble. she imagines he is still there, his lips dancing around the delicate space she wears her perfume. darkness soon blankets her sadness, and as she lays in solitude for the first time in what seems like an eternity; she accepts her life will be incomplete, her heart displaced and her soul forever lonely.

hello from wellington

2011-02-15T23:44:00.008+13:00

so, let's just say the last few days in melbourne didn't go as smoothly as planned. on the night of my farewell with my friends, my boyfriend got king hit by some angry random in the city out the front of a night club. all in all he was left unconscious with two broken front teeth, one black eye, one bruised and battered cheekbone, one two centimeter gash on his chin which required seven stitches and one very fat and bruised lip. we went to the nearest emergency room where we spent the night, getting home at 8:00am.

the entirety of saturday (the day before we flew out) was thoroughly exhausting. my parents collected us from our flat at 2:00pm and then off to the emergency dentist we went. we waited 40 minutes in the waiting room and the boy was collected by the dentist for all of five minutes before being told he potentially had a broken/displaced jaw and needed to go straight to the royal dental hospital. we made our way to the dental hospital where we stayed for approximately 3 hours whilst his teeth were pushed back into place, braced and capped. next it was almost 3 hours at the fitzroy police station where he made a statement only to find out that it would be difficult to chase up the assault if we were going to be out of the country. we left the police station around 9:00pm to go back to the house and throw all of our belongings into the back of my parents 4WD, whilst deciding whether or not we were going to fly out of the country at 9am the next morning. on no sleep, we packed up our lives and spent the night in the comfort of my childhood home, awoken at 6:30am to make our way to tullamarine airport.

we arrived in wellington last sunday and my boyfriend's face has only just healed, 9 days later. his teeth are still braced and broken and he will need to go to the dentist to have them looked at in 3 weeks.

we have no idea who hit him, why, or whether he was found or felt at all guilty for his actions.

this experience has not only taught us a few valuable lessons, it has brought us closer than ever.

to say i love this boy through thick and thin does not even begin to describe it...

BUT, on a lighter note, i've got some pictures for you which i hope you enjoy. i will be in touch again shortly with more updates on living abroad and the progress on our canada plans.

abandoned metal galvaniser

2011-02-03T02:30:00.002+13:00

four sleeps

missing melbourne

2011-01-28T23:58:00.002+13:00

an update & hipstamatic

2011-01-24T15:28:00.003+13:00

13 sleeps before we jetset to Wellington.

An update so far:
My last day at work was on Friday so I'm feeling very free but unemployed right now.
I handed my car over to the new owner on Saturday; my bank account looks /very/ healthy.
Almost all my furniture has been sold.
My final rental inspection is on 1st February and I should hopefully receive all of my bond back.
I've bought a new tripod for my night photography workshop this Thursday.
I still don't know where to have my bon voyage/farewell.
I've bought my travel/bag suitcase and need to pick it up from the post office tomorrow.
The boy is finally able to apply for his Canadian visa.
I will submit my Canadian visa application over the next day or two, it can take between 4-6 weeks to process.
I'm excited but exhausted.
I want to see Black Swan today.

the great ocean road, australia

2011-01-18T00:07:00.007+13:00

The boy and I went on a road trip over the weekend for his birthday present. We spent two days travelling the Great Ocean Road; it was gorgeous. Only 20 sleeps until I'm out of here...

P.S click the images to view at full size

melba gully state park

lord ard gorge

the twelve apostles

the weirdest but most awesome wildlife park i've ever been to...

a view from the road

split point lighthouse (from 'around the twist')

bells beach

hey katie... this is your life

2011-01-07T20:47:00.002+13:00

I was never a popular girl at school, I never held cool parties, I never really went with a big group of friends to the pub or on a road trip or to the movies. I spent a long time wanting to belong to the type of life where lots of people liked me and wanted to be around me. I specifically remember my mum and dad spending too much on my 13^th birthday, a tacky jukebox, helium balloons and a disco ball were set up in the lounge room. I invited 30 people and only 10 people came..

This day I realised ‘acquaintances’ didn’t count as friends and that ‘friends’ are only the people who you invest time in - knowing that they will reciprocate the investment, whether it be long term or short.

Friendship has always been a difficult topic for me. I know that I am not the easiest or most amicable person to have in your life. I have high expectations, making me hard to please and I am both judgemental and critical. These are my flaws, flaws which I have acknowledged.. flaws which I am perpetually working on.

Irrespective of how difficult I may be, I know that the brand of friendship I offer is raw, honest and meaningful.

Over time I have come to understand that people will come and go in my life and that there is nothing I can do to avoid the heartache and dismay it may bring. It is getting easier to let go as the years fade by. I don’t clutch on to animosity or resentment. I don’t fight unnecessarily to convince them to stay. As one door closes another one opens and so the cycle continues.

With this move, I hope to cement my underlying comprehension. Whether or not I return back home, I trust my true friends will be waiting for me, writing to me, consoling me and emotionally grasping my heart from somewhere on the other side of the world.

And as I stand with all the significant souls on the fourth of February, sharing tears and memories; I will embrace the warm nostalgia and smile whilst tightly embracing the familiar frames of my loved ones.

“It’s not goodbye”, I explain “it’s just /see you later/”.

And with these words, the next chapter of my life begins...

33 days

2011-01-03T19:52:00.005+13:00

I've officially resigned from my job and finish up on the 21st January - two weeks before we fly out. Have also potentially teed up some permanent accommodation just outside Wellington too, for when we arrive. It's all slowly becoming reality now.

it was the boy's 24th birthday yesterday. we're going for a road trip along the great ocean road as a part of his present.

romantic dinner on christmas eve whilst watching carols. roast potato, sweet potato, broccoli, carrots w/ grilled asparagus and zucchini with non meat gravy. delicious.

one of my christmas gifts from the boy

will you still love me, tomorrow?

2010-12-20T23:26:00.005+13:00

i think i've asked you this before, but what defines a good friend, to you? i'm about to leave australia to live abroad and i'm wondering what will happen to the friendships i've developed over the past few years. i know some people will still be there if/when i return, but for those friendships that were based more on company than communication - will they survive?

i'm concerned that because we won't 'see' each other for an extended period of time, we might become distant. i've never believed that how many times you spoke or how many times you saw each other defined your level of friendship, but unfortunately different people have different understandings and expectations of the core mechanics.

i know i will make the effort to keep in touch; regular emails, sms's, video calling. but will the 24,574 km of ocean between us create a divide?

i'm leaving the country to experience what else the world has to offer. i want to live and breathe and experience life outside of melbourne and outside of australia. i want to do this for me.

i envision this will change me.

i envision this will change me and and i might not come back home as the person i am now.

do i have to accept that during this personal journey, i may potentially lose some of the people who mean the most to me? my family will be there to support me, but friends come and go like the blossoms in spring.

her words glued to me like the sand on ocean kissed fingers.. "i might not even see you again.. i know you will come back, but after you come back will there even be a friendship any more? i will still see you on facebook and we might chat here and there.. but will we actually see each other?"

i looked deep inside my heart and i wasn't sure of the answer, i wanted to say yes because i love her and i hope that somewhere underneath the cool exterior she loves me too. but i guess these times, seas and fond memories will either pull us close together or carelessly push us apart.

someone once told me that 'fear' is only the concern for something that hasn't yet happened. how can we be scared of something that may not even become a reality? perhaps all i can do is let go of fear and embrace this whirlwind of change. maybe i will lose someone close to me or maybe i won't.

only after time, will the truth reveal itself.

you're so accessible, now

2010-12-06T21:52:00.010+13:00

our flights are booked for the 6th february 2011. we're making an extended pit stop in wellington (nz). i've always loved new zealand - i like to consider it my second home.

i still have almost everything to finalise, although i'm down one kitty which makes me rather sad. i found buttons (my favourite photographic subject) a new home yesterday with a lovely couple from alphington. the girl was originally from england and left her pets back at home as well so i trust she will take good care of my buttons.

i'm going to try and get a stall at a local market to sell some of my non essential items, such as books, kitchenware, nick-nacks, dvds etc. hopefully i can make a few pennies to put towards the relocation. then after my non essential items are gone, i will start selling off my furniture and my car.

in progress

2010-11-28T21:59:00.005+13:00

night market | shakahari | sovereign hill

2010-11-22T22:30:00.007+13:00

moving on

2010-11-09T01:54:00.010+13:00

so I know this post has been a long time coming.. not only do I have the oldest and slowest laptop in history, I've also been extremely busy over the last month... for those of you who aren't yet aware; we (the new boy in my life and I) are planning to relocate to Vancouver (Canada) at the end of January 2011. there is a lot to arrange but we're slowly ticking items off the to-do-list. the plan is still relatively up in the air i.e. apply for the Canadian WHP, pack up all my things, resign from my job, say goodbye to my family and friends (and cats) and move to a completely foreign country with someone who is almost still completely foreign to me. but this is life, and life calls for spontaneity, trust and excitement and I can't explain to you just how much I'm looking forward to uprooting my life in Melbourne and travelling/living abroad. if I find enough time to breathe I will be sure to keep you informed with the progress of our plans... x

treating myself; Canon EOS 60D

2010-10-08T12:54:00.015+13:00

in case you couldn't tell by the title - I've upgraded my camera body to the new Canon EOS 60D. It has so many buttons and functions that I might need to spend the entire weekend getting used to it. Will post some photos (and possibly videos!) soon x

you & me at the melbourne show

2010-09-27T19:35:00.008+13:00

these photos are kind of in the wrong order because the blogger uploader is annoying.

click each picture to see it full size.

a lot has changed in my life since the beginning of this year. my boyfriend and i of 5 years broke up in april, i spent a couple of months finding my feet whilst living on my own. i got a housemate in and met someone through work who now is a very important part of my life (featured above).

it's hard starting all over again after giving so much to a relationship only to have it fail. i'd almost forgotten what it was like to feel alive. this boy is a breath of fresh air, he is a feeling.

it's as though my toes are hiding under the warm sand, my hair dancing around my shoulders, the spring sun kissing my skin. everything with him is intensified, the water is cooler, the air, crisper.

and like every relationship, there are hurdles (or in this case, mountains). but somewhere in the back of my closet, i've got hiking shoes, hydration and my heart ready to go. because i've finally found someone worth fighting for.

the photo album

2010-09-15T21:55:00.004+12:00

i feel better about myself when i'm with you.

better run, better run, outrun my gun

2010-08-30T22:43:00.003+12:00

time keeps passing - but nothing changes.

please give me something to live for.
please show me that it's not just me here, on my own.

because i need something more than this 'average' life.

rushing like the sea, you've come back to me

2010-08-18T22:09:00.007+12:00

click to view at full size;

i couldn't remember the last time you occupied my mind but you were there last night, in my dreams again. an unfamiliar number telling me she'd left you and immediately i wanted to latch onto your vulnerability. and although we will never have anything to do with each other, i will always cherish the limited time i meant something to you.

but please don't pull be back there.

no literature

2010-08-02T23:21:00.003+12:00

click the images to view them at a larger size;

untitled 2.0

2010-08-01T02:37:00.004+12:00

assistance please?

you're waiting for a train...

2010-07-25T22:36:00.008+12:00

"you're waiting for a train; a train that will take you far away. you know where you hope this train will take you, but you can't be sure. but it doesn't matter - because we'll be together" - inception

i noticed that i had built up a good collection of restaurant/cafe business cards. i couldn't keep them all in my purse any longer so i thought i'd do something creative with them i.e put them all up on a bare wall in my room. a good reminder of all of the really nice/quirky places i've visited and the collage doubles as a great reference guide for when i want to go somewhere good with a friend.

not sure i can be bothered with this anymore.

why don't you need me, when i make me so damn easy to need?

2010-07-21T00:21:00.008+12:00

i feel it break and shatter at my feet, the shards gather into a fine silk powder. i dig my hand in and let my fingers swim around the beauty, the memories etching slowly at my bare skin. somehow, the pain numbs my senses and i am alone, again.

with nowhere to reach and nowhere to run; my heart begins to float endlessly in a sea of doubt. my mind, burning and strangling me, is lost amongst forgotten feelings. my body drifts in and out of consciousness as i grasp the only remnants left of my past. slowly and silently it slips through my embrace. and i ache.

i ache for simplicity

and i ache for closure.

here on my own

2010-07-18T22:14:00.005+12:00

i finally have something to look forward to; 6 weeks in europe august-september 2011

click images to see @ full size;

sarah's birthday breaky at apte

buttons acting like a normal cat should (for a change)

buttons and i (and my new spontaneous ear piercing)

sarah's 25th; celebrating in style

i love her.

/stop pretending you like me. i know you don't; i feel it and breathe it in your every word.

if only you were strong enough to leave me alone/

detached

2010-07-12T00:40:00.004+12:00

you're worth being exhausted

view from the bathroom at level 35 at sofitel, melbourne
unfortunately no tripod handy

tri's one dollar bills from the US; i want to live in NYC

out of touch

2010-07-04T23:00:00.003+12:00

it's been so long since i've taken any photos; i almost didn't remember how to use my camera. i'm going to try and break the drought and put some effort into getting out and about (that rhymed, ha).

hope everyone is well x

merry go round

2010-06-19T01:14:00.007+12:00

never expected to find you here, deep in the crevasses of my damaged and broken mind.

i try fighting it off; the unexplained familiarity, the gravitational pull towards you - but i'm losing

here we are, closer than ever yet oceans and deserts apart.

do you miss me, miss misery?

2010-06-06T23:41:00.005+12:00

the bitter taste of cheap coffee burns my lips,
raindrops dance on the windscreen as I stare into the midnight-blue void.

feels like forever that I've been hoping,
feels like forever that I've been waiting for it to sink in.

I allow familiar music build a stream of memories in my mind - playback,
thoughts and feelings which no longer belong to me.

I drive nowhere, feeling desperate,
I drive everywhere, feeling alone.

what else is there?

we no speak americano

2010-05-24T00:19:00.007+12:00

everything is so different now

i think i'm in love