I got my A-level results today; I've got a place at Nottingham University!
My firm choice - Sheffield - asked for BBB, but I got ABD, so they couldn't offer me a place. I then phoned up Nottingham - my insurance offer - who initially asked for ABB and they accepted me! =D
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Visas granted, flights booked
So, an update as I near my departure date. I've applied for and been granted work and travel visas for both New Zealand and Australia, plus I've just booked my flights today.
My itinerary works out like this:
10th October 2005 - depart London at 22:00
12th October 2005 - arrive Sydney at 06:05
12th October 2005 - depart Sydney at 07:15
12th October 2005 - arrive Auckland at 13:1511th January 2006 - depart Auckland at 15:50
11th January 2006 - arrive Sydney at 17:102nd July 2006 - depart Sydney at 22:15
3rd July 2006 - arrive London at 12:15
I'll be changing the last flight home to a later date, since I can't book it that early in advance yet.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Exams are over!
After a month of exams, I'm free! My last one was on Friday and so now I just have to wait until August 18th for my results; 7 long weeks away. I think I'm going to enjoy having all this free time and being able to spend it on doing the things I like though. I'll be working for a few days a week, but apart from that, I'm going to have the rest of the time to do work on Thunderbolt, some photography and other bits and pieces.
On the travel front, I need to send in my visa applications before I can book any flights, which should be done soon anyway. After that I guess it's just a matter of researching everything in more detail and planning on what exactly I'm going to take. Anyway, more soon...
On the travel front, I need to send in my visa applications before I can book any flights, which should be done soon anyway. After that I guess it's just a matter of researching everything in more detail and planning on what exactly I'm going to take. Anyway, more soon...
Sunday, April 17, 2005
New Zealand
...is only a fraction larger than the United Kingdom, but contains a fifteenth of the population.
...has 6000 kilometers of coast line and nowhere is more than 120km from the coast.
...was the first western democracy to give women the vote.
...contains the most southerly capital city on the planet, Wellington.
...has a population of which 20% was born overseas.
...has won more Olympic gold medals, per capita, than any other country.
...is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world.
...has a population that is outnumbered by sheep by 10 to 1.
...has 6000 kilometers of coast line and nowhere is more than 120km from the coast.
...was the first western democracy to give women the vote.
...contains the most southerly capital city on the planet, Wellington.
...has a population of which 20% was born overseas.
...has won more Olympic gold medals, per capita, than any other country.
...is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world.
...has a population that is outnumbered by sheep by 10 to 1.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Australia
...is the world's sixth largest country and its largest island.
...is 32 times larger than the United Kingdom, but contains only a third of the population.
...is the world's only island that is also a continent and its only continent that is also a country.
...is the only nation that began as a prison.
...is the home of the largest living thing on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef.
...is the flattest and driest inhabited continent on Earth.
...is one of the world's most urbanised countries, with about 70 per cent of the population living in the 10 largest cities.
...has a population that only 73% of is Australian-born, with the remaining residents hailing from countries like the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Italy.
...is 32 times larger than the United Kingdom, but contains only a third of the population.
...is the world's only island that is also a continent and its only continent that is also a country.
...is the only nation that began as a prison.
...is the home of the largest living thing on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef.
...is the flattest and driest inhabited continent on Earth.
...is one of the world's most urbanised countries, with about 70 per cent of the population living in the 10 largest cities.
...has a population that only 73% of is Australian-born, with the remaining residents hailing from countries like the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Italy.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
The masterplan
I've finally put down my deposit for the Work & Travel Company packages I'm taking. There's no going back; no failing of exams or spending saved money now. The little trip I've been planning is coming together in more and more detail, so for those of you in the dark, here it is:
After the Easter holidays, I only have six weeks of full-time school left. Doesn't time fly? From then I have about five weeks of sudy leave and exams, in which I'll be revising and working like crazy.
When my exams are all done in late June, I'll be straight out into full-time work to earn as much money as possible before I leave. My results (hopefully good ones!) will come out in August and then I plan to leave in October.
The basic gist of the whole trip is this: I fly out to New Zealand, work and travel there for about three months; then fly to Australia, work and travel there for about eight months; then fly back to the UK.
I'll be working and travelling because it'll be so damn expensive if I just go as a tourist. Being a working traveller also gives you twelve months or so in each country, while the tourist visa only allows you about three months.
I'm going to go with (not like a tour, as such) the Work & Travel Company, who provide a support network for travellers. They have a job finding service, sort out your visas, provide 24 hour help, free Internet access, discounts, orientation sessions and all sorts of useful things that are bound to prove useful when I'm out there.
I plan to visit almost all of New Zealand, from North to South, while in Australia I'll be concentrating on the South and East Coasts, plus a detour through the centre of the country. I'd like to obviously go to the main tourist attractions, but also to sample what it's really like by living and working in both countries. Only then, I think, will I be able to truly get a taste of each.
Current money saved - £2557.72
After the Easter holidays, I only have six weeks of full-time school left. Doesn't time fly? From then I have about five weeks of sudy leave and exams, in which I'll be revising and working like crazy.
When my exams are all done in late June, I'll be straight out into full-time work to earn as much money as possible before I leave. My results (hopefully good ones!) will come out in August and then I plan to leave in October.
The basic gist of the whole trip is this: I fly out to New Zealand, work and travel there for about three months; then fly to Australia, work and travel there for about eight months; then fly back to the UK.
I'll be working and travelling because it'll be so damn expensive if I just go as a tourist. Being a working traveller also gives you twelve months or so in each country, while the tourist visa only allows you about three months.
I'm going to go with (not like a tour, as such) the Work & Travel Company, who provide a support network for travellers. They have a job finding service, sort out your visas, provide 24 hour help, free Internet access, discounts, orientation sessions and all sorts of useful things that are bound to prove useful when I'm out there.
I plan to visit almost all of New Zealand, from North to South, while in Australia I'll be concentrating on the South and East Coasts, plus a detour through the centre of the country. I'd like to obviously go to the main tourist attractions, but also to sample what it's really like by living and working in both countries. Only then, I think, will I be able to truly get a taste of each.
Current money saved - £2557.72
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