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Christchurch is Awesome

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

The view I have of the 14th green at the NZ Womens OpenBuskers at ChristchurchJohn, Cel, Myself, Daniell and Michael in ChristchurchLena and I out on her last night in NZ

Hello all,

 I have been in Christchurch now for about 10 days and have been loving every minute of it.  When i got here it was Jolein’s last day and we had a great night out.  After that i had an awesome night out with Lena and then she left.  I was able to spend a great day with Daniell, Michael, Cel & John who I met in Fiji and then they left.  Next was Ernst to come and go.  The friendships that i have made with these people are fantastic and it has been tough to watch everyone heading in other directions but i am meeting new people and having fun doing it.  I have watched a ton of buskers over the last week and there are some really good ones.  Lots of acrobats and jugglers but this one guy is bending spoons with his mind, it is pretty freaky and i got to see it up close.

The last 2 days i have spent on the golf course volunteering for the NZ Womens Open and having a great time.  The people running the thing can’t beleive that i am helping out but they are starting to understand me and what i am doing.  I have been a spotter/marshal on the 14th hole which is a long par 5 that the ladies are having problems with.  They is a lot of brush that keeps eating up their shots, had at least 20 today in the crap but I found every one of their balls but not one was in a playable lie.  I am not allowed to take pics while i am there but i am doing it anyway.  They gave me a golf shirt and cap and I get lunch everyday.  THe golf is really slow and it is taking about 5-6 hours for a round so we are there for about 8-9 hours helping out.  We get a free BBQ on sunday after everything is ove which should be good.  I have been catching the bus and walking to get to the course but this afternoon the organizer told me that i could go on the players shuttle so I got to chat it up with a few of the players.  Last day tomorrow and hopefully the Canadian in the field (Nancy Harvey) will do a little better than today.  She has a few stokes to catch up but you never know.

I leave for Kaikoura on Monday and will be swimming with a pod of 200-300 dolphins and maybe some whale watching.

 Until next time, Take care all

Happy Birthday Bro!!!

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Jolein, Lena & myself in ChristchurchCathedral in ChristchurchIt’s my brothers (Rodney) birthday!!! and yes me is getting old(er).

Happy, Happy  day Bro!!!

I am in Christchurch NZ and have been for a few days and will be here until at least Wednesday Jan 28th.  This is my favorite city so far in NZ and has a fantastic feel to it.  There is an international buskes festival going on for the next 10 days and i am going to take in some of the acts.  There are at least 5-6 from Canada.  I have had to say good-bye to Jolein and Lena as they are on their way to their homes andI continue to meet new people.  I will also meet up with some other friend from Vorovoro in Fiji later today.  This city has so many attactions that i know mytime will be well spent here.  i am going punting(not with a football) later today in the canal and maybe a tram ride.  Their is a comedy festival along with the buskers and i will take in some of that.

THe weather in NZ has finally turned the way i wanted it to.  i left the raining west and south and now on the east side it has been around 30 degress everyday and the forecast looks good for the near future.

THe one thing that does  not look good is the budget.  NZ is very expensiveand i will probably leave at the start of March and not extend my visa.  All these attractions do get costly and i still have to pay for a skydive which will cost about $400 nz or $261 Cdn. My living budget has been very accurate with rooms about $25nz or $16 cdn and meals depend if i cook or go out.  I have been cooking alot more lately and that has been good.  I would expect to be on budget for the rest of NZ except for the skydive and then we will have to see what Oz brings.  I know that everything is alot cheaper when i get to South East Asia and can make up for most of it there.  I still have planned a dolphin swim, whale watching and flying a plane to do in NZ as well.  It’s only money anyway and more can be earned later if needed.

Take care until next time!!!

Tram in Christchurch

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Sunday, January 11th, 2009
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Mind over Matter

Friday, January 9th, 2009
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This one is for Lee, Roger & Daryl

Sunday, January 4th, 2009
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2009 the Best year of my life!!!

Sunday, January 4th, 2009
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