Was back on the phones in the office this week “Welcome to the Companies office you’re speaking with Patrick” – first time in about a year. Was actually quite fun.. esp as David sat across from me so that when I got stuck (which happened a lot) he could answer my questions!

The reason for being back on the phones was that alternately, 1/3 of the staff were out on a Team Building & Leadership course. I went on Thursday and Friday, and actually really enjoyed it, especially the practical exercises… which I’ll explain in detail – but not for a week in case anyone from work sees what the games are about!

On Wed, my friend Aoife was in town – as she flew back to Ireland on Thursday… it’s amazing really how time flies – I can remember when she left Dublin back in Jan 04.. seems not so long ago. And I hardly feel like I’ve been here anytime at all (well, sometimes anyway).

We had a party on Thursday night for Till – a sort of flatwarming for him. Great turnout for a Thursday..

Then Friday – had the second day of the training, and then a (quite sad) leaving party for 3 people from the office. About 50 years of collective ministry experience leaving. There were quite a few tears. Then it was on to (German) Florians leaving party.. he’s off on a months trip around the S.Island with his friend Fabian (Laura- thanks for sending out the Fruit and Nut cadburys with Fabian :) Finally to a home-brew party (tramping club ppl). I’m getting old though, was pretty wrecked by the end of the night!

Then this morning – Steve and Yvonne left 39 Fendalton – after living here for – oh 4 years or something. They’re off to their own house now, they’re excited I know, but also quite sad to leave the – well – amazing group of friends and sense of community that there is here.

I have really mixed feelings about leaving here in August.. I do want to travel, and I am wondering about living in back in Europe (though Dublin I’m just not sure yet) but I will really miss all the amazing, fun, outdoorsy and inclusive! friends from here. But on the flip side, it’d be kinda great to see family and Irish friends again… esp my brothers twins who I’ve not seen yet! I guess it’s a win/win situation.. but then if I leave ChCh, I mean where will I find in Europe where I can have a relatively stress free job, lots of flexibility with unpaid holidays, an hour from ski-fields, 2 hours from quality hiking and mountaineering, caving, mountain biking, etc. etc. (I’m repeating myself).

Teleportation really is the way forward.

A ChCh weekend.. Twas Dave Aubreys bday party on Sat. Lots of fun. Played a fun game they invented.. get everyone to think of a mode of transport (car,bike,toboggan etc.) and then once that’s done – you tell them that they have to make it out of lego.. two people choose randomly and have to make it.. best likeness wins. Fun.

Then Sat went off to Castle Hill with Till

I was not having the best day, but it was fun to get out there anyway. Apparently Chris Sharma was there too…. See, NZ really is the place to come.

So just a few random things to post about. Firstly, I forgot to put up a couple of pics from the recent trip – one was a picture showing the amount of available land before and after the Napier earthquake.

As you can see, after the quake there was a lot more land, which is one of the reasons Napier became so successful as a town (compared to Hastings which is 15km away and just didn’t get back on its feet quite as well)

The other pic is off the precurser to the stress-ball – the dammit doll

Other things – my flatmate Till has a blog here. Beware, it’s all in German. Of interest to climbers (and it really should be ;) Is a video he made of bouldering at castle hill.. it’s 3 mins long or something, and is quite high quality (so about 25 meg download). It’s available for download here. Leave a post on his website I guess if you like it…

Also.. quite silly, but funny.. here’s a link to a sorta skit on Rocky.. it’s a 7 meg flash video I think.. and you can see it here

Finally.. Glynn got tickets to the Banff Film Festival, so going to see that in a couple of weeks. Also, there’s a bunch of us (geekily) going to see the final episode of Star Wars when it comes out. At 00:01 on the 17th I think it is. Supposedly it’s a simultanious release worldwide… and so seeing as NZ is +13GMT I guess we see it first. But then I dunno really. Either way quite looking forward to that!

So a fun few days in Palmerston North, hanging out (and loosing the scrabble championship to Thomas.. 2:1.. ahh well) I’ll look forward to visiting him in Peru sometime within the next 2 years (hopefully) (this pic of Thomas and his wife Paula)

Had a delicious family dinner last night – really was excellent food and company… One does look forward to seeing ones family again ;)

Often in Wellington I saw stencils on the pavement.. I did think this one was quite clever though.

Anyway, now back in ChCh, and it is good to be back, though I will miss the N.Island a bit.. but now getting slightly itchy feet (more than usual ;) to travel..

Back Northwards then, via a walk at Cape Kidnappers. We’d not checked it out, so didn’t know getting all the way to the gannet colony was dependent on tides. Mhairi ran most of the way to the end and did see the colony.. I had a good walk, but didn’t try to get all the way.. next time. There were tractors ferrying ppl up and down the beach.. and I’d hoped that one might have taken Mb to the end (as the tide was coming in).. but not that time. I think it was there to rescue another engine which had broken down.

After that, on to the Mahia Peninsula. We were really lucky, as driving along we passed a lovely wooden chalet with an ‘accommodation’ sign up. Luckily they had space, and for $20 pp we had a huge room to ourselves, looking right out over the Pacific. It really was a great place.

Then the next morning, mb discovered the crafts shop, and we got to talking with the owners. Bill is a total craftsman. He’d made the chalets himself. Almost all the fabulous furniture he’d made himself

They had a collection of spoons from all around the world (they’ve lapped it twice)… including one from a wreck sunk just off the peninsula.

This pic..

is of an octopus lure. I forget from which island it came from, but perhaps you can see it looks like a mouse? Well the legend does, that the mouse asked the octopus to ferry it across the water.. and the octopus (being an accommodating chap) said ‘OK’ (in the way that octopus’ can’t), with the idea of eating it midway. However, he got too close to the land, and the mouse jumped off early and ran away (with the octopus snatching at him). And ever since, he has wanted to get the mouse, hence the lure.

And a million other excellent memorabilia.

So after leaving there, time to make our way to Gisbourne, where we played more mini-golf (this time ending on a draw, which was perfect I think) And out for a fabulous meal at ‘The Marina’, a quick stop into Scottys Bar (Mhairis nickname, unfortunately the bar wasn’t quite as cool).

And then a bus back to Palmy at 9am the next day. So a really fun week all in all (ta mb)… wonder where to next!