Slightly harried

Ah it is October and the weird sense of foreboding I felt on Monday is slowly coming to fruition. A lecture to be written, an annual review to be arranged, and possibly travel overseas? Just to name a few. Ah stress. You would think I would have better time management, but maybe I just work better with that bitter edge of stress? Better than a caffeine hit. And here I am blogging of course, true procastination.

Good deed of the day: stopped my car and herded a dozen paradise ducklings off the road after being scatterd by the postie's bike.

Mess

Hmm need to tidy up. Rosellas outside window remind of of oz.

Unsettled

Weather has turned to custard. Left my dive gear out this morning to dry and now it is wet again. Ah well I guess it will be thoroughly rinsed of salt by the end of it!

Feeling slightly unsettled today.

Keep looking at my clock, which tells it is 4:57pm, then remember silly laptop has not rolled over to daylight savings yet. So I am an hour late to all my appointments, which isn't far off my mindset right now, really...

Rising panic on eve of last day of September... I have an ominous feeling about October. A stressful month for those who have not finished their PhD and need to start making decisions and flight bookings and thinking about the future, as much as they'd rather live in the now.

Sugar free times

For some inexplicable reason I have stopped taking sugar in my coffee (and tea). With the exception of chai tea anyway.

All started around the 7th-8th September after a slightly boozy weekend. Usually this lasts for a day or two before I revert back to my white-with-one routine. But so far, I have not reverted! Once or twice in the last week or two, I've added sugar purely out of habit and it has honestly tasted pretty awful.

I wonder what has happened to my taste buds....?! I used to take TWO sugars!!

Ah well. I still crave caffeine and chocolate... surely it can only mean good things, perhaps I will eventually become a short black?

Why I am not in policy

What policy adviser says:
"....The information management disciplines we are imposing are a simple tool to capture the static or dynamic picture, within the fluid occupancy of the New Model..."

Huh?!

I'm still stuck on the fluid occupancy thing. Is the glass half full or half empty?!

long time no blog

thought I'd have a look to see if they'd deleted this but hey! it's still here! Sweet! so much has happened since I last wrote I'm not even gonna try and update this... besides, i'm pretty sure everyone has stopped looking. which reminds me, i wonder if my mydivinglife blog is still running....?

Thoughts = chemical reactions and electrical signals. well probably anyway. wish I had some control over them. they tend to bowl me over sometimes. then i wonder, are they really emotions? what's the difference? are thoughts somehow logical, while emotions something that are beyond our control? I find it difficult to control either sometimes!!!!

Kaikoura = eating crayfish!!

Went down to Christchurch for Queen's birthday and spent a day on the KAikoura Coast. Ben was keen to hunt for crays and generally provide... I opted to stay onshore and make sure the seals didn't steal the car. well, you never know...

Ben, algae-eater extraordinaire, wrestling through kelp to hunt and provide...

Go Green Fins, go!

Hullo, Seal....

Rock pool

Tongariro Crossing April 07

Edit (25-o2-2009): According to my SiteMeter most of my hits are people searching for info on doing the Crossing in April. So, for you peoples who have arrived at my blog because of this, here are some links to help you out :)

http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/ - good site on general info with a forum to post your questions

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/tongariro-taupo/ruapehu-area/tongariro-alpine-crossing/ - Department of Conservation information on the Crossing, including what weather conditions to expect, what gear to take and how to be prepared. It is not called and "alpine" crossing for nothing. Please respect the mountain and take heed of their advice!

http://www.thetongarirocrossing.co.nz/ - this is the shuttle we used. there are loads of transport options available, these are just one option. Their website has some fairly useful info on it as well.

Accommodation: Of course I'm not going to even try listing all the accommodation options, but the closest places to stay are Whakapapa Village, National Park and Ohakune. Note that these are very small localities and can book out in peak season (especially during the ski season, which runs from around beginning of July to the end of October). There are more options available at Turangi and Taupo, which are still within about an hour or so of the starting point. Handy tip: if you want to soak your tired aching bones afterwards, aim to stay in Taupo ;)

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the weekend, Nadene and I went and did the Tongariro Crossing in the middle of the North Is, reputably NZ's best day walk. To say it was challenging would be an understatement for us, but we are so pleased to have done it, even if we couldn't walk the next day...

Bottom of Mt Ngauruhoe, after climbing the Devil's Ladder

Steep! (and a tiny patch of snow)

Note how steep Mt Ngauruhoe is behind me!

Hmm, now do we get down from here....!

AKA Mt Doom. We made it as far as the red rocks near the top before we ran out of time to do reach the summit... :(

Mt Tongariro from Mt Ngauruhoe

Nadene and I, top of Red Crater looking across to Mt Ngauruhoe

Top of Red Crater.

Emerald Lakes.

Nadene by and Emerald Lake

Looking across Central Crater to the Red Crater.

Reaching the last of the climbs.

Yay we made the last bus home!

Back from Oz

Hi all, long time no post I know. Been flat out with work and just got back from a 2 week stint in Oz. Apologies to those I missed out on catching up on!! Flew to Brisbane first where I stayed with the family for the weekend. Timed it so I could attend Kel & Dan's engagement party. It was awesome to see them so happy, and also to catch up with Matene & Mel (and her partner Bear) at the same time. After many Toohey's Olds, we ended back at Kel & Dan's house playing bocce from the light of the moon in their backyard. Somehow I managed to step in dog poo (this was no easy feat - as far as I know they don't even have a dog?!), I can't even manage to be a lady-like for one night!! Thanks to mum for cleaning my heels in the morning (while I was still in bed) and to Matene for bringing the bocce set!

The happy couple.

Marine Biology reunion.

Why does my brother have better hair than me?!

A not-so-dignified Oscar sporting his collar after nasty run in with the fence (?!).

After Brissie I flew on to Adelaide to complete a gruelling 2 weeks of parasite counting. Lizzie kindly let me camp at her place. Honestly, I don't know how I would've got it done without her - many thanks for running around after me, keeping me motivated, helping me out in the lab, keeping me well fed and taking me out diving!! She made sure I was in at uni by 8am every day (except Good Friday when we got in at 9!) and because of that I managed to squeeze 2 dives in with my favourite dive club. It was awesome to go down to Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula, camp out with the club (I'd forgotten how much I like camping!) and dive with the NZ fur seals (ironic I was diving with NZ fur seals in Australia...?!).

I really enjoyed being back in Adelaide and catching up with people and generally slotting right back into the university lifestyle. I felt like a real tourist, gawking at the emu's at Innes National Park and the various parrots (rosellas, galahs, lorikeets and corellas) in the parklands on the way to uni! The cute little ringtail possums were a welcome change to the feral brushtails NZ has to deal with. All in all it was an refreshing if hectic visit and I'm looking forward to heading back in the near future, hopefully for the final draft and hand in!

I am a dreamer

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My roots

Kooringal, looking North towards the Sandhills. Photo: J. Riddell

Photo: J. Riddell

... just thought I'd put up some photos of where I spent my childhood, Moreton Is. Unfortunately I can't take any credit for them, but many thanks to Jodie for sending them to me. Will have to get back there someday...

another weekend

Well I've had a pretty crap weekend, I won't elaborate but I am feeling all alone over here at the moment!! You people out there reading this - leave a comment and say g'day! I'd love to hear from you.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Oz to do an epidemiology course in Geelong - don't ask! - but it's for work. Not sure if it will be "fun", looks like a fair bit of stats and stuff, but hopefully will learn something! I love travelling for whatever reason, so I'm looking forward to it if only for that.

Apart from that, doesn't look like I'll be doing too much travelling, so might be a while before I put anymore interesting pictures up. I'll be in Adelaide again in April, doing lab work for my PhD, but I might try and get some happy snaps of you Adelaideans, I haven't got enough pictures of my friends!

Anyway, I am starving, haven't eaten much, so I might go grab a sammie....

Tschuess!

To the health of our parents...

Just read Rundave's update on his blog. His dad just had a triple bypass, so I'm glad to hear he's recovering well. I dont like hospitals at all. As my Dad says, "Hospitals are for sick people!"! Makes me wonder about my own dad, he has smoked since he was 12 (yes, since when they were free around the war years....!) and he's now 76. Apart from being a heavy smoker he's always been pretty active, and although I wouldn't call him diet-conscious, his diet isn't terrible. He and Mum religiously have half a grapefruit with breakfast every morning! I can't recall a time in my life when Dad hasn't had a project of some sort on the go, some of his more recent ones... installing a downstairs toilet (!), restoring all our fishing reels, repairing the pavers in the driveway, making biodiesel, landscaping the garden... Hopefully I will be blessed with same longevity, health and vitality that my dad has. My mum hasn't done too bad herself and has come into her own in more recent years. She used to spend a lot of time in the house, but nowadays she has done exceptionally well to give up coffee, monitor her diet and start regular walking and lose a lot of weight. She does several km every day, much more than I can manage at my current fitness level! I am missing my beach volleyball that's for sure, so maybe I'll have to look into starting up netball again. I am also considering going to the gym, but I want to be sure I will use it enough to make it worthwhile!! It's not like I need to lose weight, but I am young and in good health so I should make the most of it!

North Island Road Trip

Did a bit of a road trip on the weekend from Wellington to Auckland and back with a few side detours... went to Big Day Out, my first one, which was lots of fun!! Then came back via Waitomo caves (about 2 2/1 hours southwest of Auckland) and Ohakune. Weather was fantastic - singlets and shorts, except this time we remembered to slip, slop, slap! Did the Black Water rafting at Waitomo (floating through caves on tyre tubes) and the glow worms were amazing!! Highly recommended. Also were lucky to catch sight of the comet over Lake Taupo on the drive up which was magical. Here are a couple of images, will get a few more off Ben's camera as well....

Mt Ruapehu from Desert Rd

Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe from Desert Rd

Our feet in a stream.

Mt Ruapehu from waterfall walk, on road to Turoa ski field.

More photos

I discovered I had some photos left on my camera - some from Adelaide! - so thought I'd put them up.

Mum & Dad, KI in background

Mum & Dad, Williams Rd

Almond St Crew

Rissa & Sarah, Almond St

Christmas 2006

Christmas is over... but here's to a great 2007!

Mum & Dad

Our latest addition - Oscar.

Jimmy & I at Surfers'.

Yay! Summer...

Seasons greetings from Brisbane. Loving the weather here! I was afraid I had gotten too used to the cold after 6 months in NZ, but I took to the heat like I had never left. Weather has been quite pleasant actually, around 27-28deg by day, and nice breeze in the arvo. Saw Ben yesterday at the airport, passing through from Bowen to Chch. He was loving the weather too!Decked out in a wife beater (aka singlet) and thongs (aka jandals/flipflops!). Wish we could move to QLD! Went to watch my brother play beach volleyball and I felt like a tourist, kookaburras and stuff in the gums, sandflies buzzing my ankles. Love it. Be great to go diving in the warm water too. Apparently water temp is a balmy 24deg on the Gold Coast. Anyway, just thought I'd say g'day, Merry Christmas and all the rest! better help mum with the roast and start getting ready for Midnight Mass....

Abel Tasman photos

Just outside Anchorage Bay

Anchorage

Rissa

Sarah

Cleopatra's Pool

Abel Tasman

I met up with Sarah in Nelson on the weekend and we headed over to Abel Tasman National Park for some sea kayaking and walking. What a top spot - emerald waters and spectacular boulders, not to mention REAL golden beaches - that's right, sand! None of these pebbles you get in Wellington.

Saturday we hired a double kayak and joined a guided tour, which I am not a huge fan of, but the guide was ok. Cheesy jokes galore, but it was good to have someone make you a plunger coffee on the beach. At one stage we all rafted together and got out a large piece of tarp and literally sailed across one of the bays, which was a nice rest from paddling.

Saturday night we stayed on this floating backpackers which was quite a novelty for both of us. It was quite busy but because we were late arriving all the bunks were full, meaning we got a double room all to ourselves, which was nice. All meals were included and they put on a good BBQ that night. Breakfast was good ole Weetbix and toast then we made our own sandwiches and jumped in the dinghy to be dropped on the beach for our 2nd day - the walk.

We got started reasonably early, but we spent a little too long exploring sites around Anchorage, meaning we didn't really leave the area until 11am, and we had to meet a water taxi at 3pm! The walking times as a guide were 4-5hrs, so we really powered into it. The first leg, Torrent Bay to Bark Bay, wasn't too bad and we arrived at 12:45pm. By this stage we were starving and had talked about nothing but food the whole way, so we paused here & devoured our sandwiches. This was the longest leg, 7.8km, so we though we had made pretty good time. If we could keep up this pace, we thought the 6.1km from Bark Bay to Onetahuti would be achievable in 2hrs.

Not wanting to leave it to chance, we set off after our 15min break and were met with a steep climb. With full tummies & legs more accustomed to pushing the pedals in a car than climbing hills, we were puffing! After an hour, it seemed the climbing part was over, but it didn't feel like we had made a lot of ground, and we appeared to be quite a long way inland, with only an hour to get to the beach and meet our water taxi!!! So we stepped kept the momentum up & pushed on, much to the protest of our knees on the sometimes steep downward slope. We reached our pickup point with 20min to spare and flopped on the beach. It was so nice to dig our hot feet into the cool sand. Our water taxi arrived right on time, and we climbed aboard along with a couple of other walkers and kayakers. Somehow the skipper managed to load 6 double kayaks and 2 singles along with all the passengers and the gear... must have been a sight to see! we got back to base and drank copious amounts of tea before heading back to Nelson, where I left Sarah to explore.

I am getting some photos developed today - yes, developed!! - they were shot on FILM!! - so hopefully some of them turned out ok. They are being scanned and burned onto CD as well, so I'll put some up here later.

First day of Summer...

Sarah arrived on Friday night and brought with her some lovely weather, so we can actually say we've had at least one day of Summer weather now. Any show of sun here brings out the teenies with their weenie shorts and singlets but not me... the wind was stilly chilly!! but I did manage to get a good dose of sun and Sarah even a little burnt on her nose. Saturday we went to Petone and wandered along Jackson St, and Sarah had lots of fun taking photos of the buildings. We had lunch in my favourite cafe, Lemon Squeeze, before heading into town, where we spent most of the time shopping!!

Here is a photo of some of the public sculpture in the city... ball of koru (ferns) is suspended over a square near the performing arts complex.

Sunday we returned to the city and hired a double kayak and spent an hour paddling around the yacht squadron, avoiding getting run over by cray boats and the like!!! Lots of fun though. We then spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around Te Papa (I think we managed to see about 2 exhibitions - the place is huge!!!).

Today Sarah is braving it alone and finding out some more about travelling down South - working out bus passes and stuff. While she's keen to stick around Welly, I'm going to try and get her out and down South to see more of real NZ. This weekend I'm hoping to team up with her either in Nelson to do the Abel Tasman National Park, or perhaps further South to get down to one of the glaciers.... we'll see. :-)