I’m very fortunate with the friends I have in NZ. Dave very kindly
lent me ice-axes boots and crampons for the weekend and off I went to
Franz Josef to play around on the glaciers.
Headed over there in a party of 9. Up and off by 8:30 each day so
that we could beat the tours to the glacier. I felt slightly rude as
the glacier has fresh steps cut each day for the tours – and there we
were arriving early and having everything prepared as if it was just
for us!
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So spent a few hours practicing ice-climbing.. it’s definitely a fun
sport.. mind you I wasn’t saying that on the Saturday afternoon when
my borrowed boots had given me pretty nasty blisters on both heels –
and also on the front of my shin. Fortuntely one of the other members
of the party (thanks Bronwyn) had strapping tape and I was able to
tape myself up for Sundays adventures.
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Definitely odd places glaciers. It was wonderful walking amongst the
cliffs of blue blue ice, there’s a certain majesty to glaciers.
What else.. I’ve joined a group here in ChCh called Age Concern.
Basically you’re paired up with an old person who lives in your area
and you’ve to spend (at least) an hour a week with them. I’m not
quite sure when I’ll start but I’ve had the orientation so it could be
any time now.
It’s funny.. I’m really not feeling (at the moment) like getting back
into software. Probably mostly ‘cos I got out of it for so long and my
skills have really deteriorated. I’m still thinking about the teaching
thing – and intend doing some shadowing over the next few weeks to see
whether it could be something I’d enjoy. But then maybe I’ll find I
love the Age Concern thing and should try to find a job in that area.
The problem with those sorts of jobs is that they’re ridiculously
badly paid if at all.
We’ll see.. I’m quite nervous about making a change away from software
‘cos it is all I’ve done for my entire college & working life. Mind
you, if I could do the teaching thing I think it’d be a very rewarding
job. Also I’ve been getting emails from my friend Richie who is off
exploring S.America on his very long teachers holidays.. certainly a
bonus of the job!
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