So finally finished a Google Earth tour of my round the world trip. First click on that link (or go to earth.google.com) and download the free Google earth program. It’s amazing. Basically it gives you satellite images of the whole world. In some places it is possible to zoom in to building level.

Then download the google earth bookmarks that I made. It plugs into google earth and you can see all the places that I went on the way back home to Europe (and back again to NZ – up to the White Water trip).

Matt sent me a couple of interesting links on the whole Google in China thing.

Search Tiananmen from Google Images:

http://images.google.com/images?q=tiananmen

Search Tiananmen from Google China:

http://images.google.cn/images?q=tiananmen

Oh, and the first day back at work went well!

Photos in this post reproduced with permission from Chee Chang Ho and Darren Rooney! so thanks to them.

All organised at last. Well, pretty much anyway. Chee Chang and Annabel, two friends of Andrews (my boss) picked me up on Friday and we drove down to Haast on the West Coast – an hours drive or so South of the glaciers. Andrew having done himself an injury (2 broken ribs) just after Christmas wasn’t able to join for the trip which was a shame.

However, the trip itself totally rocked. SO much fun. We even got helicoptered in. There was a bit of excitement at the start as one of the raft guides hadn’t turned up – and there wasn’t a repair kit for the two rafts that we did have. This meant the trip – at least for the people who were to raft – was going to be cancelled… Now, I’ve just finished reading Against the wall and Yates is quite honest in that book – so I thought I might try that too. I was.. honestly! ;) momentarily, slightly relieved that this meant I mightn’t have to terrify myself for the long weekend! However, it passed as I couldn’t bare the thought of spending the weekend in ChCh either…

So the helicopters came in to pick up the gear. A blue one and a black one. The guy in the black one did a really steep dive coming in, so I decided that was the one I wanted a go in. The guys in the WWCC (White Water Canoe Club) were really really friendly – and even let me have a go in the front. Our guy on the final approach went with the rotors perpendicular to the ground. It was amazing. Afterwards all I wanted was to quit the day job and become a helicopter pilot. It was so so so so so much fun.

We were around about 250-300 feet above ground (according to the altimeter). The rapids don’t look so munchy from up there.

Then it was straight onto the river (after being told the various calls etc which everyone got quite confused by). The first day had one pretty big rapid at the start – 3+ anyway, and then a long flat section (thankfully with the wind) before some more challenging 3+/4 rapids. Our boat got stuck a few times, filled with water etc. etc. but never flipped. Darren – from 39 Fendalton – was our guide. He’d been roped in at the last minute – but was super.

The first two pics are before and during a rapid. I’m the one in the blue climbing helmet! The below left pic is L->R Kirsty, Darren and Anna.

My petrifiedness subsided over the course of the day, and I was quite enjoying it really by the time we got to our camp. It felt really great actually to take out my trusty trangia stove – from old scouting days, fire it up, and cook a delicious meal of packet noodle stuff. Ok, while I was a lazy cook this time, that’s another leaf I’m determined to turn over once and for all. In fact, I made a resolution this week which I’ve managed to carry out so far.

No personal emails / skype from 9->5

Just incase I ever do return to working in Europe, I feel that if I can keep that resolution it’ll make the transition all the easier. And in fact I’m quite enjoying it so far.

Those two pics were of random scenery and the camp. After the drive down, and being out there in the wilderness again, seeing waterfalls coming out of the valleys, terminal moraines from glaciers perched high above the river.. I remembered pretty rapidly what I do love about this place. It’s funny – I mean I’d been back 6 days and I was rafting down a river in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of people I’d never ever met before (except Darren) and it was all totally natural and friendly. I love it!

So the second day.. I’ll just put up a bunch of pics. The main scariness this day was when we got stuck on a rock at the top of one of the rapids. A really nasty one actually. The boat totally filled with water, and we had lines thrown to us and we swam off the boat. Darren and Fletch (one of the other guides who hopped onto our boat) rigged lines, and with the help of pulleys we pulled the boat off the rocks.

Getting back on again to head back into the munching rapid (we had got stuck close to the top) took a little determination. Sorry! but it did (I’m not really that heroic!)

In this last one you can see our raft right up on its side.. really thought we’d had it at this stage (though in this case falling out would have been ok as we were at the end of this partic piece of white water)

Many pints were consumed that eveni
ng.. and then it was time for the long drive back to ChCh this evening. All in all an excellent trip – just so much fun.

Though.. after 6 months of holiday.. it’s strange, but I really am looking forward to being back in work!

Is summer here.. which makes for a pleasant change!. This pic from flying out of Minneapolis – the lakes are all frozen.

To be honest.. the last few days have been busy – getting my room sorted out etc, bike fixed, stuff unpacked – and meeting up with a few friends..

And defrosting the fridge

It was nice sitting down by the river, feeding the ducks, and generally enjoying the sunshine (have started reading Against The Wall by Simon Yates).

I am excited to be going rafting this weekend, and the Stewart Island trip is going to be amazing. But it was.. it is strange being back again.. it was really great seeing family and friends again back in Europe.. I don’t think that Dublin is where I’ll end up living.. but maybe Europe. I never felt – and don’t really – homesick at all while being over here.. but maybe it was my sister constantly saying how little I’ll see family if I live here.. (which is exactly why I want family to move here… then life’ll be perfecto!)

Mind you, it’s only been two days.. and I suppose it’ll take a little while longer to settle back in again and sure then I may never want to leave again!

So the holiday has finally come to an end. Or- in another very real way is just starting again.

I’m being a geek and writing this on my ancient (but still very functional ) Palm Vx on the flight to Auckland!! .. And some kiwi comedy music has just come onto my mp3 player The Flight Of The Concords. Hilarious if you get the chance to see them.

Anyway – yes the holiday starts again. With a few changes (I plan to be more productive! – but still have heaps of fun!).

I am easing myself back into work gently… I’m off rafting for 3 days when I get back (boss’ idea!). Then a week of work and off for a weeks sea kayaking around Stewart Island (Indiana Jones music just came on.. Seems appropriate!)….

Mind you, while it all sounds very (break for in-flight movie — Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride) adventurous…. I have just finished The Endurance – an account of Shakletons attempt at crossing Antarctica – the failure of the crossing – and the awesome (in the real sense) achievement of saving all the people involved. He was Irish by the way!! When you read about their exploits – what they endured, battled through & won. Amazing. These days we’d just use satellite GPS, make a cuppa and wait for rescue. 6 of them set out in a tichy boat to cross 600 odd miles of the most inhospitable and treacherous seas imaginable to hit a 20 mile long island (this after months on the ice). Really worth reading. We are all worms by comparison!!

Too much time for rambling thoughts on a 12 hour flight (already have had 5 hours before this one). Fortunately I have a row of seats to myself so am off to stretch out.

And stretch out I did – I think about 5 hours sleep or so. Which for me is a record! Also watched Wallace and Gromitt – curse of the were-rabbit. Good fun.

Minneapolis has a sister town (older) called St. Paul. I think the cathedral was named after the city.. Either way it was an large impressive cathedral.

Around behind the alter, there were some patron saints representing some of the different countries whose people have moved to St. Paul. St. Patrick was there representing the Irish.

Now I’d always thought that St. Patrick was originally from Wales (captured and brought to Ireland as a slave), my sister Liz thought he was from France.. but this poster (and the Internet) seem to think he came from Scotland.. I guess some good people have come out of Scotland ;)

hehe, ehem.. right so that was St. Paul. Also visited the state capital and had an interesting tour of the building. Also got to see the portrait of their latest governor – Jesse Ventura. That link is to wikipedia – this link is far more interesting and funny! It shows some of the pics from when the governor of Minnesota was a WWF Wrestling star. Excellent.

One of the other days Liz and I went to visit the Modern Art museum there. I must admit – I don’t get modern art at all.. not at all.. sheets of blue canvas mean something though.. if you’re into minimalist art. In fact all it did was make me angry at myself thinking that I’m just not smart enough to ‘get it’. Ahhh well, at least I know now!

There was also a good restaurant – each of the deserts was modeled on one of the sculptures in the garden.