Almost there!

So I'm one week to holidays and I can hardly contain myself. It's been a long term.

Since the last time I updated you all I: completed my first triathlon (goto http://www.smileclick.co.nz/gallery/index.cfm?dir=/content/gallery/Triathlons/Bayfair%20Tri%2011%20Mar%2007 and search for race number 181 for proof!) in 1 hour 17 minutes, took a school group tramping into Whareorino Forest Park and got soaked, made it through dozens of painful classes, and planned my holidays. Pretty busy.

Next week I'm away from school with a group in Tongariro National Park for the Kiwi Forever Programme. It looks to teach students about conservation and environmental issues within the context of saving those loveable flightless birds, the Kiwis. We actually get to release a chick into the wild! I'm excited about being around for that.

Then holidays are upon us. I'm going to see the Magic Numbers in Auckland on April 12th, then walking the Waikaremoana great walk, then back to Auckland to pick up Randy and Alicea. It will be good times.

The weather is turning cold here - daylight savings has ended and the nights are getting longer and cooler. We certainly don't have the winters to worry about here that we do at home, but it's still a drag to have to worry about winter coats!

That's all for this update. Hope everyone is well.

Just tri me

Hey all, halfway through term one I am. Holidays are looming large on all us teachers' minds I think. Mine anyway.

It's going well, my second year here. Well and busy. I have one more class than last year and have taken on more responsibilities - I'm the teacher in charge of the environmental committee, the teacher in charge of recycling, and I'm organizing a tramp and a kayaking course for this term. Add on meetings, duties, marking, and reports and that makes Chris a dull boy.

Still staying active. NZ Ironman was last weekend here in Taupo and I was inspired. It's pretty awesome seeing these people exert themselves like that and then get a heros welcome when they make it down the chute. I will do an Ironman someday. So anyway, I did my first triathlon this week. It was only a short one - 200m swim, 11.1km bike, 2.5km run - but it was good fun. I'm doing another this weekend in Tauranga. It's about twice as long though - 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run. It will be good. My flatmate is trying to convince me to do the half Ironman here in December but I really need a road bike for it. 90km on a mountain bike would be too painful.

That's about all for now. Take care. Wish me luck.