[this is plucked from FridayQ's archives - i feel like typing but well, i'm doing this so shush]

FQ1: What is your favorite way to escape from everyday life?

You all think I'm going to say "chat" don't you? Chat is like pond water - teeming with life. When I escape life I do one of two things (or sometimes, both of these things): 1) I go to sleep and/or 2) I run away.

Regardless of where I've run to, I guess my most common way of escaping life is to turn inwards and be quiet and look at water. Drive to Piha maybe, or sit on the breakwater in New Plymouth, or walk to the dark sands from the main road at Tongaparutu, or sit against the warm rocks in the cold wind on any Taranaki beach. Mostly I don't like the water around Auckland.

FQ2: When was the last time you made an escape? Where did you go?

I ran away quite often as a child but I'm sure no one ever noticed. I've done it a few times as an adult and eventually - someone noticed. The safest sharable instance was when I ran to Akaroa. Although, like many of the things I do in my life, I planned it: I didn't share my plans until I was about to leave. This has logistical problems that frankly, I didn't give a toss about. Being the primary care giving parent to my three children meant leaving the sudden need for their care to my husband. It was only for a week, but it's still difficult to be thrown into that position and to cope well.

But that's the point of running away, it's to make *me* feel better not everyone else.

Akaroa is a small holiday township 80kms of winding road from Christchurch in the South Island. I stayed at a bed and breakfast and attended a painting class while I was there. Each day walking from where I was staying to paint all day with a watercolourest and other enthusiests was a wonderful way to escape my life. I mostly ate alone, and spent a lot of time looking at the water and the clouds and generally being quiet.

FQ3: If you could escape to anywhere on earth right now, where would that be?

To a white sanded beach on the West Australian coast, dipping my toes into the Indian Ocean. To a purpose made dwelling close to the sand, it's wide open windows and the sound of seabirds. The wonderful colours of clear thinking. With a drawing board and paints and paper to hold the colours of everything I see. With fresh fruit and sunshine, soft breezes and the sound of the waves on the shore. Hell I don't even know if such a place exists outside my head but I want to go there right.now. and stay there a long.time. with you.

FQ DARE: Post your passport photo (or your driver's license photo if you don't have a passport).