Deep South Travels

It's taken some time I know but I've finally got the photos form my South Island trip uploaded. 2 weeks ago my brother and I drove down all the way to Wanaka (and Dunedin) via National Park, Wellington, Blenheim and Christchurch. It was really nice spending some bro-sis time together after a few years and we discovered a new passion together - wine tasting. Here's a few photos featuring a glistening reflective Lake Wanaka and the surrounding peaks. If you've never visited Wanaka it is a MUST!

Click my flickr badge on the right side for more photos. We couldn't resist a jump off the Kawerau Bridge in Queenstown so we took the plunge and bungy jumped with a water touch, it was freakin' awesome, Nathanael let out the loudest man-scream I've ever heard and I didn't want the jump to finish it was that good!

bed appreciation

I want to post a big shout out of thanks: "THANKS" to all the wonderful friends who gifted money , time and muscle to the making and moving of my bed. Special mention to the builders and designers - Dave & Cam. It was a gift from a number of friends for my 22nd birthday and I love it! In fact I sleep on it every night I love it that much. Photo will follow as soon as I find where I packed my camera in my room shift this weekend. My new bedroom has a fireplace, thats gold on a cold winter night. There will be plenty of marshmallows to be had, roasted to perfection - beat that McCains.

I read a quote this morning:

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there."

It's by Richard Feynman who I know nothing about but I like his quote. The more I learn in this thing called life the more I realise I don't know. I think thats a healthy frame of mind, as soon as I think I know rather a lot I'm walking a dangerous line to arrogant ignorance and I don't fancy that. I'm back to study now. One exam to go and then its time to enjoy the winter break.

the Tongariro crossing, another NZ masterpiece

Last weekend 6 of us drove down to National Park to hike the Tongariro Crossing. On the Thursday before the weekend there were gale-force winds and rain, we took the risk and the morning we arrived at the start of the tramp it was clear skies as far as the eye could see. We could even see Mt Taranaki from the summit! The walk climbed up some steep rocks in the first couple of hours and then levelled out as we crossed the South Crater below Ngauruhoe. There was a bite to the wind but the sun was still shining so it didn't bite too hard!

We took the side track up to the Tongariro summit along some dodgy shifty shint (I think thats the name for that gravel!). We made it in half the allowed time so we stopped for lunch at the top taking in the magnificent views. Trying out our navigation skills we made our own tracks to the North Crater where we made some very strange undiginfied bird and ape sounds to explore the acoustics of the crater which echoed.

It was such a good walk I would really encourage anyone to do it, you can take your time and still do it in a day although you need to pick a clear day if you want to appreciate the views we got to see.

The photos show a few of us on the walk. The station wagon is a demonstration of how I can compact into a boot packed full of gear within 20cm squared, well it felt like that!









Click on the photos for a big 100% size image. soak up those sun rays, feel the wind biting your fingers

Goodbyes

I hate goodbyes. On Saturday I drove out to the airport to say goodbye to Cameron who flew to Japan to live and travel with his girlfriend, Michelle. I know they are going to have the time of their life travelling around Europe and elsewhere together. Here's a few photos of Cam I just uploaded...

- Cameron going for a 'surf', read on for the full story...
- Dave and Cameron
- Cameron playing on the chessboard he made (did you take that heavy thing on the plane?)

Over a month ago we decided we would go for a pre-work surf on a tuesday morning and Cameron could use his new board. We left at some crazy hour (4.30am) and headed out to Piha. It was windy as hell and the rain was thundering down on the van, we kept driving! We got there to discover that it was still pitch black and a real storm had been whipped up, so we decided to wait till there was some light. Once we got out to the surf well, there wasn't any! Its the flattest I've ever seen Piha ever! I went for a swim in the rain and didn't even bother taking my board out... it was all worth it though just for the randomness of it all!

The life and times

Ahh, to be a student. I rewarded myself with a wee sleep in this morning. What for? Err. I've made it to Tuesday, thats a feat in itself surely? I'm really not that lazy!

I spent the weekend at the Navy base in Devonport watching JOIST (Junior Officers Inter Service Tournament)- I think thats what it stands for anyways. It was great to catch up with my fellow officer cadets from Waiouru training and I even played a quarter of netball (my first game in 15years!). Saturday night I enjoyed the priviledge of cheap drinks at the bar, where a night out costs a quarter the price of a night out in Auckland (go Government subsidies).

I watch Tsotsi last night as I've been meaning to for a while. I'd give it ***** top ratings, It's got some wicked music to it and the story really brings you in to it. It's about a South African boy who lives in the slums and gets himself into more trouble than he knows what to do with... see the trailer now It's won a tonne of foreign festival awards now and well deserved too. If you've seen it tell me what you thought.

Tuesday afternoon

I'm liking Daughtry today:



have a listen

Pancakes

It's morning. I've just cooked myself some of my best pancakes yet, I put cinnamon in the mixture as my special ingredient... adds a bit of spice. sorry i had to :o

As part of my morning routine I've been catching up on the world news on http://news.bbc.co.uk/. I'm disheartened to read about the Zimbabwe protest that got ugly, the opposition leader has been beaten up by the national police, what a champion. He came out saying

"For the struggle, I think it's an inspiration to everyone. There is no freedom without struggle, and there is no freedom without sacrifice"

What an insane time we live in, some countries seem to have gained enormous rights for their citizens and others are still living in a time of political and humanitarian oppression. I'm going to keep my eye on Zimbabwe and see how this develops. I hope and pray that their freedom will be won.
Back to my coffee. I'm drinking gotta love it

A new part of my life

I've just returned from 6 weeks in sunny Waiouru, it was sunny too... sometimes too sunny as the DPM top I wore would be sticking to the sweat on my back, charming I know.

I've just completed my initial offier training which has taught me the basics of the nz army soldiering skills. It was an intense time and there were days running up some big hill that I didn't know if I would make it to the end but I did and now I'm inspired to take on my next year of training with my local Auckland Unit alongside my ongoing University studies. Coming back to Auckland was a strange feeling, life here is so relaxed and slower, I had to watch I didn't swing my arms marching down broadway!

I'm not finding the transition too difficult however, I've once again mastered the art of sleeping in and layering my bedroom floor with clothes.

The photo was taken on my marchout day before the parade. 17 Feb 07

oh summer.

Happy New Year readers! When the sun has decided to display it's glory i have been there with bells on... and I have the photos to prove it (go to my flicker badge for more). I spent New Years Eve at Hahei beach, raindancing on the beach and 4-wheel driving with friends through tracks around Tairua. What an wild experience, we took the angle-meter off the scale on the truck! I did a spot more diving on New Years morning and saw a sting ray and some beatiful fish, God didn't leave beauty and originality out of any bit of creation. Here's a few photos from the coromandel. 1. me underwater 2. pohutakawa 3. Jo and I amongst it all.
I've got 4 days left to make the most of my summer freedom before I head off to initial officer training in Waiouru for 7 weeks of a completely different lifestyle!

clockwork orange

I started reading clockwork orange today and I'm a third of the way through already because its riveting. Anthony Burgess has invented tonned of words and his own grammar structure so the first few pages are nothing but confusing but once I got the hang of the style I can see the brilliant-ness of his writing. It's incredibly violent but still a crafty piece which I'm enjoying - will keep you updated on my thoughts.

Aparently there's a movie of it produced by Stanley Kubrick - if you've seen it is it worth me watching? I can't work out how it could accurately replicate the book???