Where in the World is Saura

Mt Cavendish Overlook

We went up the gondola, located south east of Christchurch, with Doreen today and had lunch at the top. Unfortunately we didn’t see any snow, but it was a fairly clear day and I was told the view was pretty good for winter. At the top you see the city from one side, the ocean next to the right, then the hardor farther around, and then you look over the Bridle Path before returning back to where you started. The Bridle Path is a hiking trail that was once used by settlers to get from the harbor over the Port Hills to Christchurch (or at least to the plain that would become Christchurch, don’t know the timeline too well). The mountains toward the center of the country are still covered with beautiful white snow and Al and I drove out of town to have a good look yesterday. I don’t bring my camera as it was a spur of the moment trip, but I’ll try to get some photos before it all melts.

Tonight our friend from Ireland is coming through Christchurch for the last time before she heads back home, so we’ll probably be out on the town looking for some pubs to drink Guinness in in honor of Ciara’s farewell. I’m sad to see her go, but I’m also very happy that I now know someone who lives in Dublin.

Al and I start classes on the 10th of July and our enrollment is coming along fine as far as I can tell. I’m really not sure how everything works around here, so I’m just assuming my classes, all the official acceptances, and the student loans will all just work themselves out in the next 10 days or so. Hopefully I will be able to plead ignorance if anything goes wrong, but I don’t expect that to happen.

In the meantime, we’ve been watching tennis and soccer, and soon we’ll add cycling to the mix. Can’t wait to see the next big star of le tour and it seems that the bandwagon has picked up Basso, but I’ll faithfull cheer on Discovery (and most likely Salvordelli?) as well. Weatherwise, its still cold but hopefully an early spring is around the corner. Early winter early spring? I can’t wait, I’ve been waiting over a year for that season. Until then, I’ll have to rely on Saura to keep me warm!

We awoke earlier this week to some cold slushy snow. We were pretty lucky since other areas of Canterbury had about a meter of snow dumped on them and some still have no power.

Currently, Al and I are sorting out the paperwork for student loans as well as organizing our class schedules for July. We’re experiencing the calm before the storm and we’re both doing our best to prepare our bodies and minds for our first classes in two years. Written, that doesn’t seem like a long time, but it feels like ages. I’ve lost touch with ‘Christen the student’. I really hope the reunion goes smoothly.

For those who haven’t heard, Alan is getting his Masters of Science in Computer Security and I am getting my Masters of Health Sciences and will focus on Pain Management. We’ve already begun to read up in these areas to get in the right mindset and to get prepared to dive right into our classes. My Masters incorporates some general health care courses, like Health Information Mangagement, which I consider the “increase your employability” courses. These degrees will take us two years, and from there I will either go on to medical school or get my PhD. At this moment I have absolutely no idea which direction I will go, and I’m going to give it a year before I start to seriously decide.

Well, that’s the news from here, we’ll give an update once we start our classes. Its a few days early, but Happy Father’s Day to Dad, Papa, Devlin, and all the other fathers out there. Love you all!

Here it is. Almost three months after we walked the Abel Tasman I've finally put this together. The walk was absolutely gorgeous, and its touted as the easiest of New Zealands Great ... [Continue reading this entry]