A lovely little award

Last month I participated in the A-Z Blogging Challenge... and what a challenge it was. A post, associated with a letter of the alphabet, every single day of April (bar Sundays). No problem said I when I signed up, I have all the time in the world, and it's only 6 posts a week. Well, we all know how quickly weeks go by, and before I knew it I would be scrambling to post enough letters to keep up with the alphabet.

But during the challenge, I came across some interesting blogs (there were over 800 bloggers participating!). One particular blog that caught my eye was that of Talei at Musings of an Aspiring Scribe. Her posts were always inventive and lots of fun. And I've just found out she not only received a Versatile Blogger award, but has kindly passed it on to me! 

I'm told this award requires me to share seven interesting facts about myself. Now, I can't promise these are going to be interesting but I'll give it a go:

1. My first car was a 1978 Hillman Avenger - metallic silver in colour (the insurance company called it grey!) It was given to me on my 16th birthday, by my 90-something-year-old grandfather. The instructions that came with it told me the petrol gauge didn't work but I'd get 200km out of a tank, the bucket by the feet of the passenger were to catch the drips from the leak in the windscreen, and one of the side mirrors could be found in the glove box because it had fallen off when my aunt was driving the car up a hill. But oh how I loved that car!

2. I have visited as many countries as I've had birthdays (and more!)

Upon moving to London four years ago I took up the challenge of travelling to as many countries as I had birthdays. As my 28th birthday approached, I was sitting on 26 countries. A trip was planned to Denmark for my actual celebrations, so I just needed to find a country to visit quickly, and cheaply, in 10 days. Thankfully, the wonderful city of Basel in Switzerland was a short flight away that weekend, and upon arriving in Denmark one week later, I had clocked up 28 countries for 28 birthdays!

3. There's a cook in me waiting to come out

I burn toast - it's a fact. And only recently have I graduated from making porridge in the microwave to porridge on the stove top (it actually tastes much better!). But I don't enjoy cooking, and I can't cook - yet that doesn't stop me hoping. One day....

4. I have a half iron man to my name

Which means I have - voluntarily!!!, so yes I only have myself to blame - swum 2km, cycled 90km and run 21km one after another all in a day. Thankfully, family were at hand to pass me bananas from the side of the road as I cycled past, and lemonade iceblocks from the car window as I ran/jogged/plodded along at km number 14! 

5. My favourite colours are...

... lime green and pink! (But I surprised everyone at our wedding last year by dressing the bridesmaids in black!) 

6. I have a soft spot for Winnie the Pooh

Pooh and all his friends would have to be my favourite among the childhood friends. There's just something about that round little orange bear that gets me every time - so cuddly and sweet.

7. I love going on tiki tours

That's what us Kiwis call little excursions, usually when we decide to take the scenic route. 

The Urban Dictionary definition has it at:

1.	tiki tour
	(New Zealand slang)  1. a sight-seeing journey with no particular destination in mind. 2. taking the scenic route to a destination. 3. to wander aimlessly. The rellies came over for a visit and I took them on a tiki tour of the city.