The Misadventures of Canterbury Chris

This is the end

2007-11-28T22:22:00.000-08:00

Kia ora whanau,

Well, as Muse and the Doors said, "This is the end." I have less than 3 weeks in the country - the bags are packed, the tickets have been paid for, school is nearly finished... Now it's just a few classes to teach, an expedition to take, and a triathlon to complete.

Yep...next week I'm taking an expedition to Great Barrier Island. Myself, another teacher, and 9 students are leaving Saturday, taking the ferry across to the island, then walking and camping around the island for a week. It's the last place that I really want to see before coming home so I am really excited.

When I return from the expedition I am participating in the Taupo Half Ironman. I'm a little worried because I haven't been doing much running. My knee has been giving me grief for almost a month. Hopefully it holds out on the day... I hope to finish in around 6 hours. Wish me luck.

After the triathlon I have one more week of school (which I'm hoping will fly by.) Then it's up to Tauranga and onto Auckland, then home.

So this will probably be my last blog post from New Zealand. I hope that those of you who have continued to read it have been satisfied. I have enjoyed writing it. Anyone know how to make it into a photo album?

See everyone soon!

C

Good news and bad news

2007-10-04T00:46:00.000-07:00

Bad news first - I suck at updating this thing. Not really news as most of you have noticed this fact lately. But I have excuses! (who doesn't!?!) The first is, I can't access Blogger at school anymore. The second is, that I have been really, really busy preparing for the end of the year - i.e. coming home, half ironman triathlon, etc.

Good news now - I am updating the blog now AND adding some pictures. My sister has arrived for her 2.5month working holiday and we did some travelling so I have some stories and photos from that.

My last post was in July, during the term 2 holiday. I mentioned that we were going to Tahiti during that holiday. We did and it was incredible. We were mostly on the island of Moorea. The weather was awesome, the scenery was great, and it wasn't as expensive as we thought it was going to be (it definitely could be expensive but our room had a kitchen and we drank duty free alcohol every night.) The place we stayed at was owned by two American guys who were some of the first foreign owners in Tahiti. (They bought/built the first Club Bali Hai in the 60's.) One of the owners hosts happy hour every night at 5:30 (BYOB) and he had some great stories. I would recommend Tahiti to anyone looking for a beautiful, relaxing holiday.

After Tahiti, we were right back into school. Term 3 is the longest and toughest term in my opinion - there are no holidays and it is packed full of academic "stuff" that needs to get done. Luckily I made it through with no scratches or bruises.

Shae arrived near the end of term 3 and we have been doing some travelling together. Last week Jess, Shae and I went up to Northland and toured around. Rain was forecast for the entire week, and we did get some, but not enough to put a damper on the trip. On the first day we went to the Auckland Zoo. It's not a big zoo but it is well kept. (There is a TV show here every Sunday on the happenings at the zoo and it was good to see it for real.) Then we went up the West coast, stopping at the massive trees in Waipoua Forest - Tane Mahuta and Te Matua Ngahere. We stayed in a sleepy little town called Omapere the first night. Day 2 saw us sandboarding on the massive sand dunes across from Opononi. It was great fun - like being on another planet almost. We crossed the ferry at Rawene and drove onwards and upwards to Kaitaia via the scenic route. We decided that since the weather was still cooperating we would go up the cape and try to stay nearer Cape Reinga. We made it to Pukenui, found a hostel and the weather was still good so we sped up to Cape Reinga. On day 3 we took our time down the east coast, stopping at cafes, wineries, cheese shops, and a confectionary. All were very yum. We made it to Paihia and decided to stay for 2 nights there since we had been going hard up until that point. That night Jess and I went fishing. We were wandering down to the water and a kayak rental guy yelled that we wouldn't catch anything with our setup. He gave me one of the kayaks with a lure and line attached and set me in the right direction. Long story short, Jess caught a small Kahawai soon after throwing her line in and I caught fish, after fish, after fish in the kayak. We kept 2 good-size fish for dinner. I think it was the highlight of my trip. Day 4 we laid low - kayaking, wandering, eating, drinking, general merriment really. Day 5 we had a long driving day all the way to Coromandel Town. We stopped at the Hundertvasser toilets in Kawakawa (they are these public toilets that a one huge mosaic,) Sylvia Park, and along the coast. Day 6 we went to Cathedral Cove and Whitianga and back to Tauranga. It seems like all our road trips end sooner than we plan for but it was still a great trip and Shae really enjoyed it (I think...)

This week I'm preparing to go back to school for term 4. It's another 10 week term but my seniors are only around until week 5 so I lose 3 classes and my tutor group. I'm also trying to catch up on some training this week. I'm planning on doing the Taupo Half Ironman on December 8th (2km swim, 90km bike, 21km run.) This sees me training almost every day (2 training days for each discipline per week.) And I'm reading heaps of graphic novels - I just finished the first 4 Y:The Last Man compilations and Torso. Both are great reads.

I'm counting down the days until I come home. (76!) The boxes have been sent, the tickets are booked, I just have to make it through 10 weeks of school and a couple triathlons. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

My pictures have been moved to Flickr since Yahoo! Photos is shutting down. The link is http://www.flickr.com/photos/laheychris/ and I will change it in my links section too.

Well that's about it for me folks. Hopefully another update will come soon.

Halfway there!

2007-07-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Howdy all!

Just a quick note to let you all know what's new with me.

We have just finished term 2 over here and now have a 2 week holiday. The term was a looonnng one, let me tell you, but I made it through relatively unscathed. Highlights included completing my first marathon (42.2km!) I ran the whole thing in 3 hours and 55 minutes. It was by far the toughest thing that I have ever done but I have recovered fully now and am looking forward to doing another. (maybe Ottawa next May?!?) Another highlight was booking my flight home. Jess and I fly out of NZ on December 19th so we will be home for Christmas. I bounce between thinking I should stay and being really happy that I'm leaving. So that means if anyone is still thinking about coming over to see me you only have about 6 months to do it! Finally, we went to see the All Blacks play Canada. Of course Canada lost (what do you expect when you play the best team in the world?) but it was an awesome experience.

As I mentioned, we are on holiday for 2 weeks now. I have been nursing a cold for the last few days but I am going up to Jess' today. On Friday we leave for Tahiti! We are staying on the island of Moorea at Club Bali Hai. I don't really know what to expect but it will be nice to leave the cold, wet weather of Taupo behind for a little while. We plan on doing a tour or two, and basically eating, drinking and being merry. Everyone says that it is really expensive ("Did you take out a second mortgage?") but hopefully we can do it for somewhat cheap - bring some food with us, duty free alcohol, lots of lazing around on the beach, etc. Anyway, I will put some pics up when we return, along with some of the All Blacks-Canada test.

Well, that's about it from this side of the Earth. Look out for those pics in a week or so!

Good news or bad news?

2007-05-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well everyone...I've got some good news and some bad news. Good news is I'm doing well. Bad news is I can't access my blog at school anymore so I can't add updates as frequently as I said I was going to.

Yes...we are halfway through term 2 now and life is cruising along finely. I'm busy as ever but it makes the days feel short. I'm training for my first marathon (Wellington: June 24th) and it is having it's ups and downs. I'm doing anywhere from 40 to 60km a week and the kilometres are taking their toll. I have been hurt the last two weeks! But I just got some new shoes and I'm going to change my training plan to give me more recovery days. I'm also doing another couple half marathons in the next couple months as well. Hope my legs hold up!

Not much else really Just thought I would drop everyone a line and let them know I'm still alive.

Take care of yourselves.

Wa Wa We Wa!

2007-04-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

Holidays have arrived...thanks be to the great hawk!

The last week of term 1 I was lucky enough to help out with this year's Kiwi Forever program. I attended last year, but only the first 3 days. The idea of the program is to teach senior students about conservation and sustainability, within the context of the Kiwi. We stayed at the Tirorangi Marae outside of Ohakune and did our work in the Karioi Rahui. We set traps and did a study on the plants to see if anything was eating them - all with the goal of checking the health of the forest. We tagged along with Kerry Oates from Enviro Research and did a health check on a Kiwi chick. We even released a Kiwi into the wild. It was a great week - great kids, great weather, great food, beautiful scenery. A good recharge before term 2!

I attended the first Iron Virgins meeting a couple weeks ago. I'm thinking about doing the Taupo Half Ironman this year and then seeing how I get along before I decide if I want to do a full Ironman. The group was started about 7 or 8 years ago by this guy, Steve Jacobs. He's a very, very, very enthusiastic person so the meetings are always fun and eventful. There is another meeting this week. I'll let you all know how I get along.

As I mentioned, holidays are upon us here in NZ. I'm laying low this week until Thursday - doing school work and hanging out at home. On Thursday Jess and I are heading to Auckland to see The Magic Numbers. We are staying in town that night too so it will for sure be a good night. This weekend we are heading to Waikaremoana to do the tramp. I'm looking forward to it - hopefully the weather cooperates! Then back to Tauranga and onto Auckland to pick Randy and Alicea up on Friday April 20th. It's great not having to worry about school and students!

That's about all for now. Just picking away at school work, training, and relaxing. Happy Easter everyone!

Almost there!

2007-03-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

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

2007-03-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

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.

Back to school...back to school...to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool

2007-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

Well...Summer is over. Well, not officially, just...metaphorically? Rhetorically? Any philosophers out there? School started back this week and I am hard at it again for the next 8 weeks and 1 day (until term 1 holidays - Gotta love those school holidays!) This year I have 2 year 10 classes, 2 year 11 classes and a year 12 Chemistry class. So far so good, the kids all seem like genuinely good kids.

The running routine has started again as well. It's amazing how easily you get out of shape and how hard it is to get back into shape. I'm running a leg in the "Around the Lake relay" next weekend, then perhaps a short triathlon in March, and an off-road run or multisport race in April. That's all for this term. The crummy part of all the races is how much they cost. For example, the multisport race in April costs 115$!!! They expect you to pay that much to kill yourself swimming, biking, and running for 4 hours?!

Anyway, back to school.

New Year New Resolve

2007-01-28T14:58:00.000-08:00

Everyone! I figured it was about time for an update.

Much has happened since the last update (November 28th, 2006!?!?) I finished school last year on a positive note - I organized a group to go Whitewater Rafting for a week on the Motu River. It was awesome. Very remote and beautiful.

Once school finished I went back to Aussie for Christmas and New Years to see all I wanted to see in that grand continent before I leave this corner of the world. So I flew out December 24th to Cairns, where I spent Christmas Day. Adjusting to the heat was tough. The hostel I was at put on a massive Christmas breakfast. It was great. Later Christmas Day I flew to Darwin where I stayed for 2 days before my tour left. I didn't really like Darwin too much - the hostel I was at was crap, the town didn't have much happening, and it was really hot and humid.

I left Darwin for my first tour to Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks. The first day we drove to Litchfield to see the massive termite mounds and swim at Florence Falls and Buley Rockhole (they were croc-free of course.) Later that day we drove to the Mary River (highest concentration of saltwater crocs in the world) for a river cruise. We saw heaps of birdlife and quite a few crocs. That night we camped at Point Stuart. Next day we went to Ubirr in Kakadu National Park. It has some awesome examples of Aboriginal rock art and was also a filming location for "Crocodile Dundee." It was awesome. The afternoon of day 2 we went swimming again at another waterfall. Day 3 we swam at Motorcar Falls and another rock hole (I can't remember the name) and then drove back to Darwin. I would highly recommend a tour of these National parks - if only for the swimming holes!

Day 4 I left Darwin for Katherine, where we spent New Years Eve. We got to the campsite for lunch and got settled, then went to Katherine Gorge for a swim, but the gorge had become croc infested so we went to the Katherine pool instead. We headed back to the campsite late afternoon for dinner and lots of drinks. It was a New Years Eve I won't soon forget. Day 5 we headed to Mataranka thermals pools, where there was a huge colony of flying foxes. We stopped at Daly Waters pub for lunch - the oldest in the Northern Territories - and then carried on to Tennant Creek, where we camped for the night. Day 6 we headed out early to the "Devil's Marbles." The Aborginal people believe that they are the Rainbow Serpent's eggs (the Rainbow Serpent is a very prominent figure in Aborginal people's history.) However they got there they were pretty awesome. We end up in Alice Spings that day.

On Day 7 I left Alice Springs for Uluru (Ayer's Rock.) We made it there around mid-afternoon and did a driveby and stopped at the cultural centre. We headed to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) for a short walk and then back to Uluru for sunset. Someone told me that if you see Uluru and don't get some sort of emotional respone that something is wrong with you. It was definitely an amazing sight. We camped in Yulara - a purpose-built town to cater for the tourists going to Uluru - that night so we could get up early for sunrise at Uluru. Apparently during the right sunrise and sunsets Uluru changes colour but we didn't see it happen. After sunrise I walked around the monolith and then we drove to King's Canyon. We camped at the King's Canyon Resort that night, where I slept under the stars. Early day 9 we headed to King's Canyon for a short walk and then drove back to Alice Springs, ending my 9 day tour of the Northern Territories.

You may have noticed the "swimming" trend thoughout the tour - it was at least 40 degrees everyday and that was the only way to survive the heat. Unbelievable, oppressive heat.

From Alice Springs I flew to Brisbane where I wandered for an afternoon. That night I hopped on an overnight (18hour) bus ride to Airlie Beach. Airlie Beach was where I recovered from the past 10 days of moving. I got myself settled, and laid by the lagoon (you can't swim anywhere in Northern Aussie because of jellyfish or crocs.) I did a tour around the Whitsunday Island on an 80 foot Maxi yacht to Whitehaven Beach and back. I also went to the Great Barrier Reef where I dove for my very first time. The reef was so amazing and vibrant - everything was so colourful and alive. I can only imagine a reef that isn't so touristy!

From Airlie Beach I returned to Cairns to fly back to Auckland where I met Jess. She spent Christmas and New Years in Thailand and loved it. I can't wait to go myself.We came back to life in NZ and got ourselves sorted for a 4 day tramp, the Tongariro Northern Circuit, but the weather packed in and we cancelled it. Another time.

So that pretty much brings us to present day. The 2007 school year starts next week so I'm going to be at school everyday this week getting ready.

There is a picture update at my photo site as well. Follow the link on the right called "My Photos" or this link Aussie Photos.

I will try to make more updates this year (one of my resolutions.) Also, I figured out how to "moderate" the comments so I can now see my comments (before I couldn't see the comments so sorry to everyone that commented and didn't get a response.)

That's all that's on my mind. Happy and Healthy 2007 everyone!

Movember

2006-11-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

Hey all...just a quick note to tell you that I added some Movember pictures to my picture site. Check them out.

I have 2.5 weeks left in my first year of teaching. That's 4 classes. Unbelievable.

Keep on keepin' on.

Ashamed

2006-11-13T16:26:00.000-08:00

Just read this article "Canada called environmental 'fossil' at UN summit"

Shameful. Just shameful.

Sorry so long

2006-11-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Howdy all, been a while since I've rapped at ya so here we go.

Well...term 4 of school is upon us and in only 6 weeks I will be free of this place. Nice! Things have been busy for about the last 5 weeks though as there is so much to get done before the end of school.

Mom and Dad were here from September 22 to October 17. It was great seeing some familiar faces and reverting back to childhood (sometimes it's nice not to be the most responsible person in the room.) We loaded up Warrick (my car) and put on about 4500km touring the South and North Islands. It was good to get back down South and see some friends and familiar places. I think the parents really enjoyed the trip.

The first week back to school I was fortunate to be asked to tag along with 3 students from my school to the inaugaural Kiwi Forever program in Tongariro National Park. We had some wild weather - from brilliant sunshine, to wicked wind and snow - but it was really great hanging out with a bunch of passionate, dedicated students. They got to release a Kiwi chick into the Karioi Rahui the day after I left and some are making a presentation to the Bank of New Zealand for more funding today.

Last weekend another teacher and I took a group of students for a tramp into Pureora State Forest Park. It was a pretty leisurely walk in and out but it is always nice to go bush.

This weekend it is Guy Fawkes weekend. There will be heaps of fireworks all over the place. Jess and I are hitting up a friend's ACDC themed party on Saturday in the Kaimai's. Fireworks, Lemon trees, '80s get-ups...should be fun.

I'm going to keep it on the rails though - in fact, no drinking at all! - because I am running another half marathon the following weekend in Napier. My goal is to run a sub-2 hour half marathon. This will be my last race for the year.

I'm also in the midst of planning a trip back to Aussie for the summer holidays. The plan is to fly to Cairns, then Darwin, do an Outback Safari from Darwin to Alice Springs, fly to Brisbane, bus up to the Whitsundays, cruise around there, then back to Cairns to dive the Great Barrier Reef. I'm there for a total of 21 days so it will be a whirlwind but it encompasses everything else that I want to see in Oz - Ayers Rock, Kakadu National Park, White-sand beaches, and the reef.

Well, that's all on my plate and the leftovers in my fridge I guess. Take care everyone. More to come when I have more time.

I think I might join

2006-08-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of the Annals of Improbable Research? They have a "Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists™." Wonder if they will take Science teachers?

Check it out.

Topp 200

2006-08-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

If you are cruising the interweb looking for something interesting, look no further. Pitchfork has made a list of the top 200 songs of the '60s. It is a good read even if you're not a rock snob.

Check it out here: The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s

Happy reading.

East As 2006

2006-07-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hi all, been busy as of late so I haven't had time to update you on my holiday road trip yet. Here we go.

So it was school holidays about 3 weeks ago now and over that time Jess and I rented a campervan and toured the east coast of the North Island. There is much folklore about this part of NZ - bareback Maori horsemen, no electricity, road gangs holding you up for money, etc., so we just had to see if any of it was true for ourselves.

After the science conference I attended (geeky sounding but uber interesting AND great food and drink) I hopped a bus to Auckland to pick up "Elroy" our Spaceship (see the East As pictures.) I then travelled to Tauranga to pick up Jess and begin our roadie. So on Saturday (July 8th) we left Tauranga for bigger (read: smaller) and better things. We stopped in Whakatane first where we toured the town and harbour. Re-mounting our steed we drove to Opotiki where we stopped for the first night. Outside of Opotiki was a short little nature walk with the highlight being a 2000 year old Puriri tree that ancient Maori tribes used to bury their dead in. The thing (Taketakerau) was amazing. I hope I can live 2000 years and be as gnarled and disfigured. Speaking of gnarled, I bought the Gnarls Barkley CD for the trip. Very good, although it took a few listens.

On the second day we wanted to stay at the East Cape lighthouse and be the first (in the world?) to see the sun rise. So we blasted off in that direction stopping heaps of times for photo oportunities. We made it to Te Awaroa (the closest town to the lighthouse) for lunch and then headed out to the lighthouse after a bite. On the way we encountered a ROAD CLOSED sign and began to turn back when we saw other cars go through. So being the adventurers that we were we carried on. On making it to the lighthouse we found a Kiwi Experience bus and all its british travellers. The bus driver, in a fairly gruff manner, proceded to quiz us if "we had seen the ROAD CLOSED sign?" and "did any road gangs stop us?" Apparently these gangs stop tourist looking cars and demand money to pass. We said "No, no road gangs" but sufficiently spooked we ran the 750 steps to the lighthouse, took the required number of photos, ran back down and got the hell out. We didn't stop until we hit Waipiro Bay (which by the way means alcohol in Te Reo) where we stopped for the night.

Day three saw us leave Booze Bay and drive south to Gisborne. Gisborne holds the distinction as being "the first city in NZ to see the sun." True or not we really liked the place. Good museum, good coffee, good parking, what more can you ask for? We left Gisborne late in the afternoon and drove to Mahia on the Mahia peninsula where we stayed that night. (We stayed in a sweet as holiday park, with showers and toilets - up until then we had been "roughing it" at road side stops. Rough it is in quote because the road side stops were possibly the most scenic places to sleep ever.)

On the morning of day four I went for an early morning run. (I'm training for a half-marathon which is next weekend, thanks for asking.) I ran along the only road in or out and then decided to cut across to the beach and run back the beach to the holiday park. Not 5 minutes into my run back I came across a beached whale - still flipping it's flipper and blinking it's big black eye. I circled the whale two or three times trying to decide what to do and decided my best bet was to go get help from someone who probably knew more than me about stranded whales. So I ran (rather more briskly now) towards the motor camp. I came across another whale about one kilometre farther but this one was much larger and much deader (the sea gulls were already working it over.) I carried on back to the camp and told the lady at the front desk who called the Department of Conservation. I got cleaned up and ate breakfast and drove back out. There was a DOC truck at the spot so I stopped hoping to help or at least get some answers to the many questions in my head. The DOC lady said it was probably a Pygmy Sperm Whale calve and the dead one its mother. She said there was nothing to do for it because it stresses them too much and they almost always re-strand themselves - her partener was bringing a rifle. We left when the partener arrived but didn't speak much for the rest of the morning. It was all a very amazing and odd experience. And by the way, if you want to see one too (a beached whale that is) just go to Mahia and stay for a while. The DOC lady said the Mahia peninsula has the second highest rate of strandings in the world.

So carrying on...day four we passed through a number of scenic little villages, including the town (Whangara) where "Whale Rider" was filmed/set. We made it to Napier at around lunchtime and toured the city for the afternoon. Napier was destroyed in 1931 by a huge earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt in the style of the time, which was Art Deco. So most of the downtown is all Art Deco. It's kinda neat. We stayed at a little reserve outside Napier that night.

The fifth day we went to Bay Espresso for breakfast and then headed back to Taupo. On arriving in Taupo I shaved my beard and unloaded some of my dirty clothes. After that ordeal we drove on to Rotorua, where we were planning on staying the night. We went to the Rotorua museum because it was raining in sheets at that time. We tried to find a good place to stop but all had "NO CAMPING" regulations. So since Rotorua was just an hour from Tauranga we drove back to Jess' house. But don't worry, we didn't waste the campervan, we slept in it in her driveway.

So that's the trip. Again, so everyone knows, there is a photo album of it at My photos site.

Much aroha.

More photos added

2006-06-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

My adventures! In colour!

New photos added.

While my kids are writing a test...

2006-06-29T14:38:00.001-07:00

So since I have a free moment, while my students are writing a test, I thought I would put a blog entry up. Again I apologize for the massive stretches of time between updates but a) i'm a busy man and b) i'm sure none of you want to hear about my lame teaching life.

But while there are things happening I will blog about them. Today is the last day of term 2. It has flown by. We have 2 weeks of holidays now. I'm heading to the New Zealand Association of Science Educators Science Conference next week. It sounds pretty nerder but I'm excited about it. There are heaps of interesting lectures scheduled and lots of happy hour drinks and nibbles. The second week Jess and I have rented a campervan and are heading around the East Cape. It is the last place that I have to see in NZ so I'm relatively excited.

I just bought tickets to see Jose Gonzalez next month. He's playing in Auckland on Thursday July 20th. Jess and I are going to go down after school and then take a "mental health day" on the Friday. I have heard good things about his live performances (just recently from KEXP) so I'm stoked to finally catch a good concert.

I'm back running after a 3 week break. I apparently strain my Tibialis posterior tendon and that was keeping me down. It's back to normal and I'm trying to get back to the fitness level I was at before the injury. It was really, really depressing because I am registered to run a half marathon on August 6th and I wasn't able to train. Everything will work out though.

It is mid winter here but as far as winter goes it is pretty tame. The nights drop down to about -2 and since the houses have little to no insulation it feels cold. However, here in Taupo the days get up to about 11 or 12 and are really clear. Just last Sunday I went paddling for 2 hours on the lake (I will put some pictures up on the photo site,) something you wouldn't think about doing in the middle of winter in Canada.

Well...that's about it for now. There are some worried glances my way as I scan the class so I better go lend a helping hand.

The lighter side

2006-06-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

This is worth a look at. Pitchfork's 100 Bestest Videos. Good stuff here. Especially Electric Six' "Danger! High Voltage!" I almost died the first time I saw this video.

Enjoy!

An open letter to the Japanese

2006-06-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Japanese,

Stop trying to kill all the whale you jerks. I mean seriously.

Sincerely,

Chris Lahey
Concerned World Citizen

Abre los ojos

2006-05-01T19:37:00.000-07:00

I stole that from a movie - actually it is the original "Vanilla Sky" in Spanish.

Anyway, I just read a series that Jan Wong wrote about living below the poverty level. It was really eye-openning (hence the title.) I try to live meagrely but in comparison to Jan's month my meagre is opulence.

Check out the article if you want here: maid for a month

5 good things and 2 bad

2006-04-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

1. Good - The last two weeks have been school holidays here in NZ. All secondary schools were off from April 13th until tomorrow, May 1. The school system is great here (well...the holidays part of it anyway,) work for 10 weeks then break for 2.

The first part of the first week of holidays Jess and I paddled the Whanganui river. We started at Whakahoro and paddled to Pipiriki, 88km downriver. It was amazing, and not as much work as I thought. The scenery was beautiful - waterfalls, native bush and limestone cliffs surrounded us. The huts and campsites were really flash - flasher than I've seen on most of my tramps. And the best part was that you could "carry" a lot more than usual because you just threw it into waterproof barrels and tied it to the canoe! I would really like to do some more canoe tripping in the future.

At the end of the first week we drove to the Waitomo region to go caving and see the glowworms. We went Tumo Tumo Toobing and were underground for about 2 hours. It was amazing seeing the glowworms so close - you could get about a foot away from some of the glowworms. They are a pretty amazing creature.

The second week of holidays was mostly taken up with planning for the upcoming school term. It was really nice going in and getting so much done! It is amazing what you can get done with no students around!

2. Good - Jazz. The first weekend of holidays was Easter weekend and Tauranga has an annual Jazz fest that weekend. Like the Montreal Jazz fest, the Tauranga Jazz fest has heaps of free concerts. They close off a few blocks and you can get a drink and walk between bars and open air venues to listen to live music. We caught a few shows but Thrive was the one the impressed me the most. I mentioned it a few times to Jess - I don't really like the bands or trios that play the over-rehearsed, big-band, jazz favourites. I would rather hear a group play original stuff that they improv on the spot. That is jazz to me. Thrive was really good at this.

3. Good - Arrested Development. I love that TV show. The video store near Jess' house has season 1 on DVD [we recently found out] and we have been renting each DVD over the last 3 weekends. There aren't a lot of TV shows that I watch anymore (in fact the only one here is Lost...I know...it's cheesy, suspenseful crap but it's got me hooked) but Arrested Development is pure genius. David Cross can make you laugh without even saying a single word! If you haven't seen this show, rent the DVDs, if you have seen it, it can't hurt to watch it again.

4. Good - Outdoor Education. I am helping out as much as I can with the Outdoor Ed. department at school. Last term we organized a group to learn Slalom kayking and one of the students went on to participate in the NZ Secondary Schools Slalom Championship last weekend. We are trying to get a Sea Kayaking group started at school, and hopefully we will be doing some overnight trips by the end of this term. We are trying to get a Tramping Club up and running as well. Next weekend I am taking a Kayaking skills course which the school is paying for, and the following weekend I am taking a group whitewater kayaking with the Outdoor Pursuits Centre. I am organizing a 4 day white water rafting expedition for the end of the year and may be taking a group whitewater rafting in June as well. I don't have a lot of training in these areas but I'm keen to get out there.

5. Good - Neko Case. I bought her new album ("Fox Confessor Brings the Flood") last week on iTunes and was really impressed with it. She doesn't give her voice enough credit - I just read an article where she said if she was trying to make it in the 60's and 70's when the voice was more of an instrument she would starve. I really like her voice though - it's strong and edgy but tender and sweet at the same time. I really like her songwriting on this album as well. I have always found her lyrics to be quite quirky but now she is starting to tell more stories in her songs.

6. Bad - Spanglish. We rented Spanglish lastnight and it sucked pretty hard. I know, I know...I should have known. But look, I'm an Adam Sandler sucker. Honestly, I really like him in dramas. He just seems really truthful. But overall, don't watch it.

7. Bad - 9 weeks of school. I have to go back to school tomorrow and I'm not really looking forward to it. The good part about it (I guess) is that the weeks just fly by and before no time I will be on holidays again. Baby steps.

Anyway, that's about all I know. Check out my photo site. I just added some more pictures in the "Taupo" album and a new album "April School Holidays."

What? Who cares what Morrisey thinks anyway?!?

2006-03-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

Check this out. Morrissey Hates Canada, Loves Seals

I'm just about fed up with all these celebrities and their lame-brain opinions.

The ins and out of show business

2006-03-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

Er teaching. Aren't they one in the same?

I realize that I am possibly the worst blog owner ever - one update a month - and I really have no excuse for it. I really do apologize to all those that would really like daily or at least weekly updates from old Taupo town but hey, you get what you pay for.

Things are cruising along at mach speed these days. I am already 7 weeks into school, 3 more to go until holidays. It seems to be getting easier - lastnight I didn't return from Tauranga until 8:30pm, threw a couple lessons together, went to bed, got up and came to school. I am helping out with the Slalom Kayaking club (and getting free whitewater kayaking lessons) and I am helping out with the school's Environment Committee (here's to molding a few youths in my image!) I was also asked to help out with the Basketball team but that was on Friday afternoons so I said "no-can-do!" I booked a trip down the Whanganui River last week - for the first week of holidays. I'm very excited about it.

The weather is heading for the hills. Australia was hit with a tropical cyclone last week and we are feeling the affects of another one this week. Rain, rain and more rain. I think I'm starting to get S.A.D. (Seasonal Affected Disorder.) However, Saturday was quite nice on the west coast - we visited Raglan for the day. Hopefully I can return to surf in the near future.

Over the weekend I watched 3 flicks (because of the weather), 2 of which I would recommend: "Maria Full of Grace" and "The Dreamers." Both were really good for different reasons. Parental guidance is suggested for any who are thinking about renting either.

That's about all really. I am alive and well and that's all.

Teacher Man

2006-02-25T18:42:00.002-08:00

Hello everyone.

So far so good eh. It is all going pretty well so far. If you didn't know I have year 9, 10, and 11 science classes and a year 12 chemistry class. The whole thing is really busy - planning, teaching, meetings, duties, extra-curriculars - all in a days work. But the good thing is that being busy makes the days fly by. I can't believe that it is already week 4. (Six more till holidays!) The other thing I can't believe is how uptight I get about my classes missing school! Term 1 is full of athletics days and camps and assemblies and all that and every week it seems I miss a lesson with classes. It is really hard to keep up with what I should be teaching when there are so many days off. Oh well...any day off is a good day off I guess because it means I am getting paid and not having to teach.

On the weekend I paddled along side some of the students participating in the "Across the Lake Swim." Jess and I were up at 6am to be at the starting point at 6:30am for the 7am start. The morning turned out to be cold and windy. I was wet and cold in the kayak and I felt sorry for the swimmers. Our school did really well though - I think I heard that 2 of our students were the first and second women across the line.

Also on the weekend I signed up for the Xterra 11km trail run on April 8th. I am training for a Half-Marathon so this race will be a good goal to help in training. It should be fun. I even bought new shoes to get me there.

Not much else is new. I added a few more pictures to my picture site at my sister's request. There aren't very many, don't get your hopes up.

I hope everyone is well. I need a nap before volleyball - all this typing has tired me out.

last days

2006-02-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

no...i haven't been diagnosed with some sort of terminal disease. i was speaking of my last days as a bum student. i'm still broke - don't get me wrong - but i'm not longer just a student.

yes...i had my first day of school on friday - it was a teacher only day but it was still the start of the school year. the kids come on tuesday (monday is our first holiday, waitangi day) and we are in school until april 13th from now on. i think i'm ready. i have some lessons planned for all my classes - year 9, 10, 11 science and year 12 chemistry. i don't really feel worried - well maybe a little - more so anxious i guess? yeah...that's it. i also have a year 10 tutor group - basically it's like home room but instead of being in your first class like at my alma mater, it is a separate class.

i think the main thing that i have to worry about or stress over is getting my students into routines. if they have routines to adhere to it leaves less time for them to be miss-b-haven. that's my goal for the first um...3 weeks. set specific routines.

not much else is new. i haven't gotten paid yet so i'm living on credit which means i'm living meagrely. i however did go to see "river queen" last weekend. if you haven't heard of it, it is a kiwi film set in the late 1800's during the land wars. i enjoyed it even though there were some minor irritations. i would recommend it overall.

i am trying to motivate myself to train for a half-marathon this year. there is one in town in july that i am planning on doing. i have been trying to get active and am starting to get a training plan together. it seems like such an ordeal but i want to do it if only to see if i can.

i will put some pictures on my photo site soon. i was going to do it today but i forgot my camera in jess's/my car's glove box. next week...

take care everyone.

settling in

2006-01-15T14:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new year on "The Misadventures of Canterbury Chris!" I should really change that since I no longer live in Canterbury. But it has such a nice ring to it...

I have made it home, safe and sound, to Taupo. I bought a bed and a bike and a few other things that start with the letter B. My house is great. I should put some pictures up to make everyone jealous - great views, lots of space, and a greenhouse for my pepper plants. Taupo is great - loads of outdoorsy stuff to do. Last week some friends and I went to Spa Thermal Park and lazed around in the natural hot springs. I brought Jess up to Tauranga and got her settled. She just bought a car yesterday - a 1994 Mazda Eunos (not a Eunich.) It is manual and she doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission automobile so I will be running classes all this week. (If anyone else wants to join, please send me your contact and credit card details and I will get back to you.) If she can't get the knack for driving the stick I will inherit the car. Part of me is hoping she hates it because the radio is oh so much nicer than the one in my car and I would really like a manual transmission auto. (It's just so much more fun!)

I still need a work visa. Jess and I went to Hamilton last Monday, with applications and documentation in hand, to attempt to capture the elusive work visa. We waited for 2 hours only to find out that the formidable New Zealand Immigration Service had changed their policy, so that now we must get a full medical (including blood work and chest X-rays) before we can get the work visa. So we turned around, returned to Taupo, and booked a medical with the local medical centre (cursing all the way.) So we have medicals this Wednesday at 8:30am (at a cost of 150$ for the examination and god-only-knows-how-much for the blood work and X-rays) and if the results come in quickly, we will return to Hamilton as early as possible to try and get our work visas (at an additional cost of 280$.) Honestly for a week or so there I was regretting the decision to stay and teach here. Oh well...all will work out.

That is all for now.

is this what hell's like?

2005-12-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

38 degrees! what the? tomorrow it is supposed to be 42! this is not right. i want to go home.

so my holidays have been...eventful to say the least. i was in Sydney for a week, then took the train to Melbourne, then (the next day) drove to Torquay (pronounced Tore-Kee?!?) where I spent 4 days, then back to Melbourne until the first. let me say that it was nice to just rest for 4 days in Torquay. it is about 90km outside of Melbourne. the place where we stayed was really nice - too nice for me because i am happy with so little. i went for a jog on the beach on Christmas Day and read more of "A Short History of Nearly Everything." we went surfing on Boxing Day though, and i talked to my family, which were both good.

i just got back from a bit of a mini-solo-roadtrip. i rented a car and left yesterday to drive the Great Ocean Road. i drove to port campbell yesterday, stopping at most of the sights along the way. then today i drove back, stopping a few more times at a few beaches. the drag of it all is that it's 38 today and i don't feeling being out in the searing heat. anyway...i got back today, filled the tank (70$!!!,) dropped the car off, and tried to walk home. my flip-flops broke and i realized i forgot my knife. walked back to avis, barefoot, got the knife, walked to the tram barefoot, then finally got back to my friend's house. do i need to tell you how hot the pavement is today? it was all an ordeal. so now i'm sitting at a computer drinking loads of water and trying not to get skin cancer. phew.

i have no plans for new years. i might go downtown to wherever the fireworks are and see them and then come home. i fly out at 7pm on the first back to NZ (which i'm so looking forward too - the heat and flies are starting to get to me!!)

i don't think i have anything else. i hope everyone's christmas was all that it could be. have a happy and safe new years.

32 degrees and climbing

2005-12-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

hey everyone in that winter wonderland i call home!

this message is coming straight at ya from the corner of liverpool street and castlereagh street in sydney, australia. i've been here in sydney for a week now and been busy i guess. i've been to the zoo, the aquarium, to hunter valley for a wine tour, to the blue mountains for a walk, to the eastern beaches, to manly, and all over this town. it's amazingly large, coming from small town new zealand, and although i like all it has to offer i like nothing more than getting out of the city. it has been good to catch up with mj. one highlight to leave you all with happened at the zoo - i was watching the chimps, standing next to a woman and her daughter. one of the chimps pooped into his hand and ate it. the little girl gave her mom and i a play by play of the whole scene. it was histerical. "he's touching his bum! he's pooing! into his hand! he's...he's eating it!" the mom and i just laughed.

tonight i'm on my way to melbourne to visit another friend or two. it looks like i will be spending christmas at a beach house on st. kilda beach with a few other people of canadian descent. should be fun. i hope to do some more surfing and find a good book to pass the time with.

i head back to nz on the 1st of january to meet jees (that's how they pronounce it) in auckland. i moved up to taupo the week before i came over here so now it is a matter of getting settled. i also found a place to live, went into my school and met a bunch of my coworkers. i think it will be a great place to live for the next couple years. i have already been hit up to help with the snowboarding team and the hoiwaka (sp?) team. (tis like dragon boat racing but in a massive maori canoe - should be fun.) i start school on february 7th but i will probably be there from early january till when school starts.

that's about all i guess. merry christmas everyone. have a great new years as well.

christmas time is here again

2005-12-05T12:06:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the long stretchs of inactivity on my blog. Honestly...when nothing happens I don't write then when things happen I'm too busy to write.

So I'm spending my last week in Christchurch getting things settled for next year and squaring away everything that I can. I have my room packed into boxes, ready to be loaded into the car for the voyage north on Friday. I'm planning on going to Taupo for a few days to see the school, meet the staff, and try to find a place to live next year. Then I'm going to pop over to Oz to visit friends for Christmas and be back the first week in January. That's the plan right now anyway.

Last week was perhaps the greatest week yet in New Zealand. Myself and 7 other supervisors took a group of students to Blumine Island. The Untouched World Foundation sends groups of students there for an environmental education experience and to help with conservation work. It was a great experience - the most relaxing week I've had in a long time. We would get up eat, do some work, eat, do some more work, swim, eat, then play cards. The wildlife was amazing too. Penguins kept me awake at night as they scampered around our tent. There were Tomtits that you could feed right out of your hand. And on the last day there was a massive pod of dolphins that put on a pretty good show for us. I don't know if any of the students will take anything away from it but I hope so. I'm really glad I got to help out with the trip.

Not much else is new with my life. All my friends have either gone back to Canada or moved up to where they will be teaching next year so it is pretty quiet in ChCh. I just watched the first season of 24. I think I watch 13 hours on Sunday then the last 11 yesterday. The show is ridiculous and I don't like it at all but once I got watching the episodes I had to see it through. Remind me never to do that again. If anything it was a good way to waste 24 hours.

Okay...breakfast time. Take care everyone.

Vroom! Pssht!

2005-11-13T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hey check out my new (to me) car. It's okay. There are pictures on my photo site.

One less job vacancy

2005-11-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

So I took a job this week. I am Taupo-nui-a-tia College's newest Chemistry and Science teacher. Weird eh? Yeah...I start next February. It's in the centre of the North Island and the town, Taupo, has been described as the Queenstown of the North. The town lies on the biggest lake/volcano in NZ.

I finished teacher's college today and thusly I am a real teacher. It is scary as. I have emotions of excitement and fear coursing through me.

Getting a job has lifted some weight off my shoulders but almost then added twice as much. I have to now send off my application to the New Zealand Teachers Council, file for a Work Visa, get myself sorted as to how I'm going to get up to Taupo, apply for moving expenses, and so on. I'm sure it will all work out but I hate paperwork eh. I feel so helpless filling stuff out and sending stuff away.

Helloweenie

2005-10-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

I just added a few pics from Halloween. We went to a couple parties. They were good times. Highlights: Degrassi Reunion, Phil Collins, Patsy and Edie from Abso-Fab and Santa Claus.

Happy Halloween everyone.

See me doing things with people

2005-10-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all you out there in tv land...i just added some more photos to "My Photos". Sorry it took so long.

Not much is new. Here's the run-down: 11 days of school left, 2 assignments to finish, 3 No's from the interviews last week, 2 shifts at work before I am done, many things left to see.

That's it.

Won't anybody think of the falafel!?!

Jet settee

2005-10-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

So I've been applying to jobs all over this small-town-country in the middle of nowhere and things have been going pretty well with that. I'd say that I've applied to about 12 or 15 jobs all around the North Island and I've had 3 interviews thus far with 2 more to come. That's almost better than any coop records I've ever set!

So in the last 2 days I've covered a lot of ground. On Monday I flew from ChCh to Wellington, then Wellington to Tauranga, for an interview at Tauranga Boys' College. Then I flew from Tauranga to Auckland and Auckland to ChCh. THEN yesterday I flew from ChCh to Nelson, then Nelson to New Plymouth for an interview at New Plymouth Boys' High School and finally home via the same route. The flight to New Plymouth gave me an excellent view of Mt. Taranaki - it was amazing to see the peak of a mountain so close. On Thursday I have to fly back to Wellington for an interview at Kuranui College and next week I have to get to Wanganui for an interview there too. So much for learning anything at teacher's college eh? Oh well...I don't really want to be there anyway.

Alright...I must go now and get some photocopying done.

I'm a sucker for a swing bridge

2005-10-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hey all...it's been a while since I've rapped at ya so here I go. For some of you this may be a review of my mass email that I sent out. I'll try to spice it up a little just in case.

So I just finished my last teaching practice at Westland High School in Hokitika. It ended up really well. My tutor observed a pretty craptacular lesson (It was a really nice day and the class was all on drugs...or so I told myself) and I was worried about failing the placement. But the fretting was for nothing because my associates gave me great reviews. I really enjoyed living in Hokitika...it was nice and small and had amazing views on clear days. The only rub was that it was so small that I always ran into students around town - at the pub, the grocery store, or just on the street. I realized mighty quick that it is nice to get away from everything school related. (I left Hoki too early because today there was an earthquake just outside of it. I have always wanted to be in an earthquake.)

After teaching practice I made my way North via Westport and Karamea to the Heaphy track. As previously mentioned the Heaphy is a 77km track through Kahurangi National Park. We didn't get started on the first day until 2 pm because of the ridiculous shuttle trip slash mail run that got us to the track so we were practically running to get to the first hut before night fall. The first (or last...depending on how you walk it) day is along the coast and there were so many great views. Oh and the first of many swing bridges. We made it to the hut just before nightfall and had to cook dinner in near darkness. We were relieved however. The second day was wet when we got up so I put on my 8.83$ water proof pants. I figured it would be wet at least one of the days so I picked up a pair before I left civilization. The first 2 hours of the second day were great - you walk along the Heaphy river, crossing it back and forth, over a number of really good swing bridges. After those 2 hours I ditched the waterproof pants because I soon realized they were the WORST 8 dollars I had ever spent. The next 4 hours were uphill to Mackay Hut. It started raining pretty hard and we hadn't stopped for lunch so we were wet, cold and running on no fuel. It was a long day to say the least. But we made it to the hut, which was already warming when we got there. The best line of the day was from Jess - we were within sight of the hut, after walking for 4 hours, and I was motivating her to get there at this point pretty much every step. I saw the hut and said "Look! We're almost there!" to which she replied"That's not almost!" It was literally 10 minutes away. We can laugh about it now. The next day started off cold but warmed up nicely. We walked for 6.5 hours in glorious sunshine. We made it to the last hut and collasped on our bunks - by this time my achilles' were screaming in pain and Jess' knee was giving her trouble. The final day was a 5 hour march downhill to the last hut and carpark. It was another beautiful day which only could have been made better if we both weren't sore and there was a car waiting for us at the bottom. The fine ladies at the Westport Info Centre said it would be "no problem" to find a ride back to civilization after we walked the track. I couldn't agree less. Since it still isn't peak season a lot of the shuttle operators aren't running so it turned out the only thing we could do is call a taxi. The ride cost 90$ but we were glad to get to a hostel (with a hot tub) and clean ourselves up. All in all it was a good time - a long walk but a good time. It was a real learning experience though. Next time I think I will be better prepared.

So after the Heaphy we made our way to Motueka with the hopes of doing some sea kayaking in Able Tasman National Park. We were lucky enough to get a deal on a day-long kayak (we paid 115$ for a 175$ trip!) I wasn't so excited about it because my bank account is on it's dying breathes but it turned out to be a great day. A water taxi took us and our kayaks out to Onetahuti Bay, then we kayaked for a few hours to another bay where we had lunch. Then we got back into the kayaks and kayaked for a few more hours to another bay where the water taxi picked us up. It was a gorgeous day and we saw all sorts of wildlife. PLUS it was a great chance to rest the lower half of our bodies.

Now I'm back in ChCh. I had to get back for a First Aid course and work. Not much else to say really. I start school on Monday and go until November 11. I have 2 interviews for teaching positions in the North Island sometime during the first week of school so I am looking forward to flying up to the cities for those. Fingers crossed everyone!

That's about all for now. I think I need a nap.

Drop it like it's hot

2005-07-31T00:06:00.000-07:00

Lastnight I caught Fat Freddy's Drop here in ChCh. Everyone should check these characters out. The critics agree that they are good - some say the 'quintessential' Kiwi band. When I go to a concert normally I stand there, arms crossed and pensive, but you couldn't help but bust a move. Mothers, fathers, and unborn children were seen breaking it down. It was real good times.

The rest of the story is that Block 3 of school is into week 2. It doesn't look like a bad block either. I found out that I'm heading back to the West Coast for my next/last teaching practice. Part of me wanted to stay here to keep the job and be close to the femme but that other part is pretty excited to go back. They are always crying for teachers over there too so hopefully it ends in a job.

That's all that is new. Oh...except today I went to the only arena in ChCh to see the Canadian under 14s beat the Canterbury under 19s team. I think all the Canadians in town turned out to the game. Canada won of course.

Extra...extra...see all about it!

2005-07-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

There is a West Coast update in my photos. If anyone cares...anyone?

The West Coast is indeed the Best Coast

2005-07-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from a whirlwind of a tour of the west coast of the South Island and let me tell you right here and now...you must see it too. It was very refreshing. I was really starting to get sick of this country and especially this city but I feel better now about staying here next year. I should warn you though that you better not expect much besides incredible scenery and rain because that's about it. Some places don't have electricity!

So we left ChCh a week ago today and went south to Dunedin. I had already been there but I wanted to go see Larnach Castle. We drove out to see it and found that it cost 18$ a person to tour it. I made the executive decision to nix it right there. So we wandered around Dunedin until parking wasn't free anymore then headed to a friend's house for dinner. It was really nice to be in a home home. We played Scrabble and had dinner and wine and sat by the fire. It was a good start.

Leaving Dunedin we headed west via Wanaka and then the Haast Pass to Haast (not really a town, more of a couple houses, a cafe, and a backpackers.) The trip was wild. We left rain and wind in Dunedin, then hit a snowstorm about 15 minutes outside of Dunedin, then the day cleared up to glorious sunshine. The Haast pass had so many incredible views along the way - waterfalls, rivers, mountains - I think I saw what heaven looks like at one point.

The third day we left Haast and started driving north. The plan was to see the glaciers then see how we feel. We made it to Fox Glacier and did a little walk around Lake Matheson which purportedly has some of the best views in NZ on a good day. We did a tour to the glacier lookout and then headed north to Franz Joseph Glacier. We did another walk and got quite close to the glacier. After lunch and coffee we got back on the road and headed to Hokitika.

Day four - we awoke to rain - Apocalypse style rain. We toured the town and met up with some friends who had just bought a cafe in town. We left Hokitika behind and kept going North. The plan was to get as far as we could so that we could take it easy the next day. We stopped at Punikaiki to see the famous Pancake Rocks and got wet. We kept driving to Buller Gorge and did a little hike across NZ's largest swing bridge and got wet. (Check out the pics of this bridge. It was capitol fun.) We kept driving against better judgment and made it all the way to Collingwood. The plan was to stay at a hostel I heard about called the Inn-let. Upon arrivel it was closed. We went back to Collingwood and couldn't find anything with a vacancy or that was still open. We found a holiday park and got a cabin there but on inspection it looked like it could have been from some sort of slasher film so we got our money back and drove back to Takaka. There were no vacancy signs everywhere. Finally I made Jess go and ask at one hotel. They gave us somebody's room who hadn't showed up. We took it without even asking how much. It was the nicest place we stayed in the whole trip. (Not to give the wrong idea because we found some incredible hostels at each stop. Check out Bird Song in Hokitika and Somerset House in Collingwood.) We got some succulent takeaways (Pumpkin and Spinach Burgers and fries - Amazing), got into bed, got drunk, and watched Extreme Home Makeover. It rained the entire day and apparently Takaka (where we stayed that night) got something like 42 cms of rain.

The next day we went back to Collingwood and found a hostel and booked a Farewell spit tour for the next day. With a day to kill we went to Wharariki Beach and found seal pups playing tag in a little creek. The beach was so windswept and violent. We didn't stay long. We went back to Pu Pu Springs (I didn't really want to go with a name like that) but it was NZ's largest freshwater spring. It was a peaceful stop. On the way back to the hostel we stopped at the Mussel Inn which is now my favourite bar in the world. They brew their own beer and make some great food. One of their beer's, Captain Cooker's Maunka Beer, is ranked as the best beer in NZ - the only beer to recieve 10 out of 10 in the rankings. It was a great wooden place with a huge fireplace and mulching toilets and cell phones staked to trees. The 10% pint of Monkey Puzzler pretty much ended the day.

We toured up to Farewell Spit at the tip of the South Island on the sixth day. The giant AWD bus took us out on the Spit and all the way down to the Lighthouse at the end. We saw all sorts of wildlife (alive and dead - there were seal carcasses and whale skeletons littering the beach.) It was like a desert. And it was a calm day - the wind was practically sandblasting the paint off the bus. The tour guide had some amazing stories about the wildlife and the lighthouse keepers and ship wrecks. They had found the world's largest intact specimen of a Giant Squid on the Spit last August - I was hoping we'd see another. After the tour we headed back to Nelson for the night. We found a hostel and bumped into some friends from ChCh. Dinner and drinks took up most of the night.

Yesterday we left Nelson and travelled back to ChCh. I was not looking forward to returning home to the constant greyness of this place. Low and behold it is windy, grey, and drizzly today.

It was an awesome trip. Only nine weeks till the next school break. Also, I was thinking while driving that I have less than 45 days in school and only 20 days teaching before I am a real teacher. Doesn't seem right somehow.

More from me earlier

2005-07-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

Alright...so I just got home from a rad roadtrip and I will add an update later re: it but first off...I have to discuss with yall some things that I have noticed lately.

Some of you may or may not know this but I love cowboy shirts. You know...the kind that have the embroidered bits on the breasts...that Roy Rogers used to wear. Anyway...I love them. I have been looking for a brand new second hand C&W shirt for a while now and they are pretty hard to come by here in NZ. However, while in Auckland, I found a store that had a bunch; not a bunch in Kensington Market standards but more than I had seen anywhere else in NZ. But (the catch) they were all expensive as - the cheapest being about $45NZD (again...not even close to the $15CND standard set by Kensington Market.) Anyway, I was browsing through the rack of shirts and came upon "THE BEST SHIRT EVER." It didn't say that or anything. That is what I named it. It was red with white shoulders and over each breast was a royal flush (Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10.) On the upper back was a Riverboat/Gambling scene but in the foreground there was a sign that said "No Gambling." It was exquisite (and I don't think I have ever used that adjective before.) But...alas...I couldn't part with $120NZD for it. That's my story. I just wanted to share.

Everyday I walk home I walk down a walkway next to some train tracks and everyday it seems there is more and more terrible graffiti. I strongly feel that uncreative and untalented graffiti artists are the bane of the world right now. I really wouldn't mind if the tags were creative and appealing to the eye. But they're not. Like one...in pink paint (what kind of tough tagger paints only in pink?!?) says "We take drugs" and has a picture of a pig next to it. Now...I get the police reference but...wtf? Crap...utter crap.

I went to the airport the other day to meet my girlfriend upon her arrival home from Napier. I went straight from a party and all I had with me was a daypack filled with a half empty 12 pack of Carling beer. (Is a daypack still a daypack at night time?) As I was wandering through the airport I got thinking...how great would it be to just show up at an airport with only a box of beer as a carry-on then just fly somewhere. Radical.

Hives. Never had em but boy do I like them. I have been stealing a lot of music lately and one of the newest thefts was the Hives discography. I really really really like these guys - tight, fun punk music the way your parents used to listen to. Check this band out if you haven't already.

Finally, a few weeks ago I went to see the John Butler Trio here in ChCh. John Butler is originally from California but hails from Austrailia now where he started as a busker many years back. He's kinda like Ben Harper and John Mayer rolled into a dread-locked, slide-guitar- playing, white boy. I'm not really sold on all his material but it had been a while since I had been to a concert. Anyway, the show was pretty good - the band was musically excellent and the crowd was really into it. What ruined it for me was the high number of dudes at the show. I don't know where these guys get off thinking they belong anywhere where I'm at. (A dude here is defined a basically your run-of-the-mill yuppie; leather jacket, trendy jeans, shiny leather shoes, usually discussing stocks and/or bonds.) Anyway...I just get uncomfortable when I'm surrounded by these people. There was one guy (an aformentioned dude,) who at a break in the concert, expelled some sort of sound that could only be described as a meow. It was really weird - especially because it was no louder than a whisper. I think that only my mate and I heard it. We both chalked this up to him being high on something. This was further proven by his and his girlfriend's terrible dancing. Dudes and their significant crow-eyed others need to stay home in their trendy townhouse, listening to U2 and discussing their new BMW or said stocks and/or bonds.

It feels good to get these things off my chest

3 to go...

2005-07-04T18:26:00.000-07:00

2 in one week! Hell hath freezen over!

Man howdy...I can't wait to be done this teaching practice. I have not been looking forward to something so much since my 13th birthday when I found my Nintendo Entertainment System in my parents closet. I don't know why I have this urge to run far, far away from this school but I do. And come Friday 1500 hours...I will. One of my associates is taking off Thursday and Friday and he jokingly said that he recommended me for relief. I almost strangled him. (That would have been a bit of a black mark on my teaching record!) Nope...I'm just going to finish the next 3 days (10 classes, ~10hours, 600 minutes) and walk away with my head held high (right across the street to the beer store! 24 Speights for 27$!!!)

I was cruising the internet at lunch today, checkin out the happenings at home, and found that the Net Nanny software that the school uses won't let me look at The Globe and Mail. What in the hell?!? I can't read Canada's national paper because it "contains inappropriate material." So I made a bit of a U-turn to Yahoo.ca news. As I was scanning down the headlines I found one that said "Deep Impact [spacecraft] ready for climax..." No wonder the Net Nanny sounded the buzzers and strobes! Oh and I also can't check out the New Pornographers website to hear their new album. (That one kinda makes sense I guess.) Censorship has finally affected yours truly and I don't like it one bit.

In other news...I have to go make photocopies.

PS - now I can't view my blog on the school's computers.

Finally...with a sigh of relief comes an update

2005-06-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

So without further ado here is another post. I'm tired of all the non-existent emails, imaginary phone calls, and phony txt messages telling me to update my blog. So here we go.

Well...umm...I knit some mittens. That's new.

Alright...that's it...talk to you all again soon!

No...just kidding. Well...I'm almost done my fourth week at Hornby Highschool and all I can say is..."Phew!" It has been a long road to hoe. The school is a low decile institution (which means it gets less money) and it is surrounded by a very working class area. Now don't jump up me with all your class war ideals people...I'm just sayin is all...that the area around it doesn't value education very much and this rubs off on the kids. So the first week and a half were especially rough. I was doing ooddles of lesson planning and it just wasn't working and consequently I was getting all uptight. I have a couple rough classes too. So yeah...I've learned some more classroom management skills that I didn't have before and I've learned that our future is bleak. Or that teaching can't and won't be the only thing in my life. If it was...I'd opt out I think.

So other than that I haven't been up to very much. I've been teaching Monday to Friday from 8 till 3 then working at Science Alive! pretty much every day during the weekend. I haven't been going out much. New Zealand is currently in the grips of Lions tour fever. The British and Irish Lions are the best players in the Northern Hemisphere. They are travelling all over NZ playing our teams. And losing most of the time. But the Lions come with their own fans - the Barmy Army. The Barmy Army make it their deal to get really drunk (we're talkin fall down, breakin limbs drunk) and cheer for their team. Kinda like the Superfans I guess but in red...not yellow and black. So last weekend the Lions were in ChCh for the first test against the All Blacks. The town went haywire - people and camper vans everywhere! I went out Saturday night to watch the game and, long story short, 8 bars later and 10 hours later made it home, a little lighter in the pocket and a little heavier in the gullet. It was my first night out in a while and boy howdy did it feel good to unwind. PS, the Lions lost 21 - 3.

Tomorrow is Friday. And Canada Day. There is a street hockey/Neil Young concert party at a friend's house. I think I'm going to wear my obnoxious Canada tie to work (I call it work but I ain't gettin paid) and to the party. Should be fun. Happy Canada Day everyone!

My Current Fixation

2005-06-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

This is a great site.

http://www.tremble.com/

Check it out.

Halftime

2005-05-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well everyone. It's been a long time since you've let me rap at ya so here we go.

The last update was from the deep depths of a pre-winter depression I think. The weather was cold, the skies were grey, the city was preparing for hibernation. Things are much better now. Much, much better. For starters I have been downloading some new music (new music makes me happy.) I've been downloading like a fiend actually-the new Plaskett and Sufjan are wonderful, Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal are getting some well deserved rotation time, and Bloc Party is batting home runs out of the park (just to name a few.)

Also, school is almost finished up for this block. I have 3 days left and then I am back in a high school moulding young minds. I get to stay here in ChCh for this placement and I'm at a 'rough' high school out in the suburbs. I'm sure it will be fine. I'm just stoked I don't have school for the next 7 weeks and that I don't have to move this time since ski season starts June 4th at the nearby mountain. So starting next week I have 5 weeks of teaching, followed by a 2 week break (which I'm trying to get to Fiji for,) and after all that I will be well over halfway done my schooling here. Time has flown by. Maybe I should start thinking about what I want to do next year...

Thirdly, I found myself a jobby-job at a place downtown called Science Alive! Science Alive! is somewhat like the Ontario Science Center but a lot smaller. I originally applied to an educator position for the Saturday Science program but I arrived on-scene a little late. Anyway...I volunteered one Saturday and they liked me (how could they not?!?) So some strings were pulled and now I work as a presenter in the Interactive Area. Basically I wander around and make sure people are having fun and not getting hurt. There is a vertical slide (a 30" high slide that starts completely vertical and ends up with a curve to slow you down,) a climbing wall, a human gyroscope, and a blacklight mini-golf course. So far it's really good. And it might turn into something more long term if I manage to become an educator.

Finally, I met a girl. It is amazing how humans of the female persuasion can lift the spirits. Yeah...I don't know what to say really...we're having fun. The whole thing is a long story that I might get into someday with some of you but not here and not now.

That's about it. A more high spirited message than the last. Take care everyone.

Check this out

2005-05-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is pretty amazing.

http://www.local10.com/education/4490802/detail.html

My bicycle is my home.

2005-05-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

One day I was walking through the park and I saw this guy with a bike covered in luggage carriers. There were heaps. I thought it would be funny if that bike was his home. Probably not so funny for him. But I think it is funny to say "My bicycle is my home."

Here is some random stuff. I'm random like Rando Calrissian. Some is pretty old.

a) When you drag your feet across hard, dry sand you can make a sound similar to a zipper zipping. It is really neato.

b) Maori kids love low-rider bicycles. I have seen some ridiculously awesome cycles.

c) Seashells are incredible. Each one is so unique and perfect at the same time. I don't know how anyone could not be amazed by them.

d) You know when you were a kid and you went to the beach or a swimming pool, remember when you would have your parents or friends throw a ball or a frisbee into the water and you would try to catch the thing in the most all-star of all-star fashion? Yeah...I still do that. And damn is it fun. You should have seen some of my snags. This Week in Baseball worthy, let me tell you.

5) Sometimes New Zealand feels about 10 years behind Canada. But in other aspects they try so hard to be super ahead of the times. For example, no windows have screens on them...so if you have your window open at night and the light on then your house becomes a bug sanctuary. On the other side, everyone has a cell phone and a DVD player and satellite TV. It's like they try to overcompensate or something and make believe that éverything is normal.

6) Moving to New Zealand and bringing a tuba is ridiculous. Who plays the tuba anyway?!?

Yeah. So I've been at school for about a week and a half and I think the blahs have set it. I don't really know what the blahs are, or why I even wrote "the blahs" but I just feel kinda ho-hum. I think maybe I'm bored of it all right now. All of it. I was talking to a friend and she said how her peeps back home always ask why she isn't more excited to be in New Zealand. She was like, "it's just like anywhere else. It feels like about 2 hours from home." And I can totally agree. It is so much like home. Just 13000 km away. But what's different really? The drivers drive on the left, no screens in windows, and an accent (that I don't really notice at all anymore.) I wish I could find a job that involved travelling to places (other than this place-more exotic) and getting paid to do it. I really don't know if I can stay here another year. I'm sure you are reading this right now and saying "You ingrate!" but sorry folks...that's how it goes sometimes.

I'm trying to end with some brighter but I have nothing. Although, it was 20°C and sunny today, which is a welcomed change from the ~13° and cloud bs we have had lately. And i am making eggplant parmagiano for dinner. Speaking of which...

The Long Road Home

2005-04-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad, bad correspondent lately but I will try to make up for it here and now. (Enter Van Halen's "Right Here, Right Now.")

Well...since I left Mt. Maunganui behind I've covered a few thousand kilometers or so of some pretty picturesque New Zealand countryside. On the 17th I met up with a friend who was touring up the Coromandel peninsula by car. We went up the East coast of the strip through Waihi, Pauanui and Tairua. We made a stop at Hot Water Beach. There you can dig a hole in the sand at low tide and let hot water rise up into the hole. It's like your very own hot pool sans leathery Germans and foreign Asians. I could have sat there all day-watching kids surfing, soaking up the last bit of sun, generally reveling in my freedom from school. It was all very idyllic. We headed on up the road to Cathedral Cove named for the huge Cathedral-like space carved out of the rock by the ocean. It was pretty wild. Huge. After that we cut across the cape by way of a sketchy logging road (which my friend felt the need to practice his rally driving skills. I saw my life flash before my eyes on more than one occasion.) In the middle of this stretch of highway there is a scenic reserve where you can walk for 5 minutes or so into a grove of Kauri trees. Kauris are like the Redwoods of the West coast of North America. They are huge, wide, tall, beautiful trees. They can grow hundreds of feet high and hundreds of years old. The oldest Kauri in New Zealand was 4000 years old! Then it went up in smoke in a forest fire. The trees I hugged were only about 2 meters in diameter and about 700 years old. We stayed that night in Coromandel town at the best hostel I have stayed at yet. Tui Lodge. Tell 'em Chris sent ya'.

The next day we walked around the town, which by the way is a charming little village. It is really interesting how your opinion of places is so affected by the circumstances in which you experience the surroundings. If it is cold and dreary it is almost certain that the town most certainly will not be appealing. On the other hand I probably like some crap-hole towns just because the day was perfect when I toured them. This might be the case with Coromandel Town. Regardless…I liked the place. We left Coromandel and went North all the way to Cape Colville at the tip of the peninsula. The road North followed the coast and was lined by magnificent pohutukawa. We hiked up the mountain at the cape and lunched there. It was a stunning view. We made the drive back down the cape to Thames along the West Coast. That night we dined on massive amounts of Indian food and had the hostel to ourselves.

I parted ways with my traveling companions (thankfully…I really would rather be on my own) in Thames and caught a couple of buses up to Paihia via Auckland. I spent 4 nights and 3 days there, which I filled with Waitangi one day, Russell another, and a bus trip to the Far North on the final. Waitangi is where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. This is a document created by ole Mother England to screw the Maori out of their land. It is still being contested by lawyers and protestors today. There is a great exhibit in Waitangi as well as a nice bush walk to a so-so waterfall (me being a waterfall connoisseur.) Russell is a quaint, historic town filled with retirees; I can’t blame them really-it’s really nice and quiet. The bus trip to Cape Reinga is something to remember. Leaving Paihia it is about a 3 hour trip up to the Cape. You go through more Kauri forests and follow the coast through some historic, rugged towns (like Taipa where is it said that Maui, the first Maori, came with his wife from Hawaiki.) The lighthouse at the point is a very powerful sight. The elements seem so powerful around you-2 oceans mix in a massive whirlpool of froth and foam, the wind howls around you, the waves batter the rock. On the way back down the peninsula we crossed the quicksand of Te Paki stream and sand boarded down the gigantic sand dunes there. We traveled down the 90 mile beach (actually only about 60) where the Tasman sea pounds the beach on one side and the wild horses roam the largest forest in New Zealand on the other. It is possible to dig your hand into the sand on the beach and come up with a handful of tuatua (a relative of the mussel) that you can pry open and eat. It is a mind-boggling place where you can find all the things you need for a feed on the beach and in the bush around you.

After Paihia I traveled back down to Auckland where I spent 5 nights and 4 days. Auckland is a pretty alright little cosmo city says I. I guess I did all the stuff that you do when you are in Auckland-the museum, the art gallery, the Skytower, Kelly Tarlton’s, climb a volcano, etc. The aquarium was a highlite. Kelly Tarlton was the man who had the idea to put a glass tunnel through an aquarium. It is a pretty rad sight to see shark and mammoth rays swimming around you. I did a lot of wandering too (I like wandering in new cities. It is how you see the most interesting things I think.) Ponsonby Rd and K Rd are like Queen St in T dot. Parnell is like Yorkville. They are both charming areas of the city. I spent a day on Waiheke Island, the largest of the Islands in the Hauraki Gulf around Auckland. On the ferry ride to the island we were accompanied by a pod of dolphins that played in the wake of the boat. The island is pretty much a suburb of the city now but it does still maintain it’s slow pace of life (in agreement with the guidebook.) There are a lot of artists that took up residence on the island so there is all sorts of art to see, as well as hundreds of amazing secluded bays to find. If you were partial to skinny dipping this would be the place.

And Saturday morning I begrudgingly flew home to Christchurch. I didn’t want to come back here because everyone was saying how cold and miserable it was. Luckily, yesterday and today have been sunny and relatively warm so the adjustment has been as gradual as possible. I’m pretty well settled back in now-bought a heater, some slippers, some flannelette sheets, and stocked my shelf in the fridge. I start back to school tomorrow. It will be good to compare stories with all the other student teachers. Shop talk. I now understand why my Dad hated it so. I start the whole routine over again; 5 weeks of school (read vacation) and 5 weeks teaching.

Thanks to everyone that sent me stuff while I was away. I was chuffed to return to a pile of mail to open.

I added some new photos to my photo album. The ones called “Go North” are what you are looking for.

That’s it for now.

On the mend

2005-04-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well...look where we are.

I'm at school, in the Mount, on my last day, and I have nothing to do. All my requirements have been filled, all my classes have been taught, all the resources I want stolen. I am bored out of my mind and tired as hell from a long night last night.

So what have I learnt? Well...I've learnt a few things about teaching I guess - how to control a class, deliver material, etc. I've learnt that this is one of the best areas in New Zealand and I want to return here. I've learnt that high schoolers over here know that Canada has moose and that no one locks their doors. And most importantly I've learned to relax. Now...some of you may be thinking "Chris seemed like a pretty relaxed guy already?!? Wha!?!" Well...I feel even more so now. Looking back on that kid that started university 6 years ago, I realize how far I've come. Working and worryin were shortening my life and destroying my sanity. I think somewhere between first and second term I made a realization and from then and there I didn't worry about things as much. This time here has helped that journey even more. If you get up in front of a class and nothing goes your way...you just have to forget it and move on because you have another class coming in the door. And when you walk out the front door at the end of the day...you leave all the baggage there.

The Best Day Ever

2005-04-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

Alright...so I can't remember that far back...like maybe last Tuesday or so... but I think today is the best day of my time in New Zealand. Maybe even my life.

The day started off with my favourite breakfast, an egg sandwich with tomato (toe - may - toe...not toe - ma - toe,) which I ate while watching a very interesting documentary on the history of the Vatican (which I have been wondering about since reading "The DaVinci Code.")

Next up I had a surf lesson scheduled. This had been postponed from last weekend until this weekend because there hasn't been anything out there lately. It went ahead today (thankfully.) We got all suited up and walked from the surf shop to the beach. I learned some stuff on the beach and then "got thrown in" so to speak. We paddled out and nervously I attempted to catch some waves. After numerous near drownings I learned how to avoid the waves and paddle with the ocean and all sorts of stuff that makes the surfing life an easier life. So I tried and I tried to ride a wave (actually it took about 5 or 6 failed attempts.) Then...the skys opened up (figuratively) and I was able to stand up and ride a wave all the way to the beach. This is one of the best feelings that I can ever remember having. Similar to getting the hang of windsurfing maybe but different. So with this under my belt I paddled back out and tried again and again and again. In the 2 hours that I was out I rode about 5 waves. No...it was 5 waves exactly. Each time was just as amazing as the last.

I learned a few things. The first being that my shoulders are weak as. All the work in surfing is done with your shoulders and your upper chest-paddling and pushing yourself up. I also learned that the surfing that you see on TV is way harder than it looks (and I always thought it looked butt hard.) Most of surfing is spent paddling and waiting...but the time that you're actually riding is radical. I learned that the learning curves in surfing are a lot steeper and there are a lot more of them than any other board sport that I have tried. (Although I think because of my experience in other board sports, I might have better balance than some which is a big part of the first curve in surfing. But don't get me wrong though, I suck, and not just at surfing, at most of these board sports.) And I learned that I'm a dumbass for not learning sooner. It really is awesome.

So next, after the lesson, I met a friend at the Mount Mellick pub for a couple of the best tasting pints that I have ever had the pleasure of imbibing.

Upon arriving home I found the package that my Mom had sent me for my brithday-filled will all sorts of correspondence and Canadiana. postage on the front made me laugh-31 $1.40 stamps, 2 $0.10 stamps and 1 $0.25 cent stamp. So be warned...it costs a metric butt-load to send stuff here. But that makes it all that much better recieving stuff (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, no what I mean.)

After sorting through the "Birthday Package Extravaganza" (to be read in the Monster Truck rally announcer voice it started to rain down in sheets. I took full advantage of this by sitting in the solarium, in the hot tub, reading, and listening to the rain on the corrugated plastic roof. There really is no better sound than that.

After all this I stood in the rain, looking to the heavens, thanking whatever forces brought me to this point in life.

I need a nap.

P.S. - On a nerdier note, teaching is going really well. This past week I taught every class that I have in my schedule (all 16.) That was pretty hefty. I only have one week left at Mt. Maunganui College. This week I am going to take it easy and start pillaging the school for resources.

P.P.S - I think I have finally figured out myself for the 2 weeks of holidays starting the week after next. I am going to take my diving certificate in Tauranga for the first week. It is the cheapest I have seen...ever. It is something that I have always wanted to do. The only catch is I have to find out what a "Diving Medical" is and get one. Then the next week I am going to chase the good weather up the North Cape. Put off going back down to cold ChCh for as long as I can. Maybe dive and see the Rainbow Warrior. I'll keep you all up to date.

Snap, Flash, Pictures!

2005-03-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

Everyone

I just updated a bunch of new pics that have been a long time coming. The New Plymouth ones are the most recent. Some are good, some aren't so good. Such is life. Everything is pretty much self explanatory. The link again is http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/laheychris/my_photos

One note that I forgot to put in the last update. After the show, backstage, I was sure that Bright Eyes (aka Conor) came out to shake some babies and kiss some hands at the meet'n greet. I told one of the guys "Hey, that's Bright Eyes!" and he proceded to yell "Hey, Bright Eyes! Bright Eyes!" The guy turned around with the most disgusted look on his face and simply said "Bright Eyes left 20 minutes ago." It was and still is so damn funny.

Have a good weekend.

Daughters...lock up your teenage fathers

2005-03-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

My people,

Well...the last post that I put up is almost 10 days old now. That is a long time in computer time. And just as many things have happened on the dub, dub, dub, many things have happened to me.

Teaching is going well. Really well. My liason/advisor person came last week and watched one of my lessons. She had nothing but kind words to say. She was amazed that I was able to keep the lesson on track even though it was the last period before a 6 day weekend. (Can you believe that? A 6 day weekend? How amazing would that be?) I am now half-way done my first teaching practice. I don't go back until Wednesday this week and then I just have 2.5 weeks left. My life is passing me by.

This weekend that surrounds me is Easter weekend here. Schools are off from Friday to Tuesday (mine was off Thursday to Tuesday...hence the 6 day weekend.) A friend of mine who teaches at another school in the area befriended some cool cats from Montana (who are also teaching in the area) and have a bitchin' hot rod (read 1980-something Toyota Corona that drags her ass on every speed bump and now smells like something from some deep ocean abyss.) Anyway...we all piled into Wilma Friday morning and made the tour to New Plymouth on the East coast of the North Island. The drive started out as somethin' special-pouring rain, gusting winds, grey skies-but the day got better the closer we got to NP. On the way the road winds it's way through some of the most incredible native bush that you will ever get to see in NZ. (The South Island has soooo much reforestation everywhere!) Anyway...reaching NP the skies parted (at least for a little while) and we were able to find Fitzroy beach and some sun to watch some people try to shred the whitewash that was rolling in. One of the reasons for heading to the coast is that the Montana boys wanted to try their newly learned surfing skilz on some world renowned waves. We headed to Oakura which is South of NP on the "Surf Highway 45" where the beach was a little more protected however the rains came back. The Surf highway is another famous little bit of Kiwi-ana because it is about 100km of the best surfing and windsurfing in the world.

Did I mention that we got to New Plymouth without any accomodation arrangements? This fact came to be one of the weekend's downfalls because not only was there a Master's Surf Competetion but also an REM concert (more on this later.) So we tried and tried to find somewhere to stay but everything was full. What we did find was "Lucy's Gully" in Egmont National park. Mt. Egmont in one of the tallest peaks on the North Island and Lucy's Gully is a fantastic little rest area just inside the park. So 2 of us slept in a tent and 2 of us slept in Wilma. I was lucky enough to sleep in Wilma and will forever have the neck pain to show for it.

So Friday night was filled up with all-you-can-eat Chinese food, euchre, gin and tonics, and rugby. You can't really find a better time anywhere. The downfall was that since it was Good Friday, establishments can't sell you alcohol without you ordering a meal. (I think Nova Scotia has the same law.) This meant that we had to stay at the Chinese food restaurant all night because we didn't want to buy another plate of food in order to get another drink.

We got an early start on Saturday. Wilma isn't the most comfortable sleep so we were ready and raring to get out of her. We found the Master's competition and chillaxed on the beach while watching some surfing greats rip it up. These guys were Master's...everything about them said Masterful...from their long hair, long boards, and radical facial hair. Someday man...someday... While at the beach my pal Teryn managed to get ahold of his brother who was able to get ahold of REM who was nice enough to donate some free backstage tickets to the weekend. We did some touristy stuff to fill in time then went back to Oakura to try to surf, start imbibing, and to clean up in the public showers (which by-the-way was the coldest shower I have ever had. I got 2 cold-headaches while trying to get all the soap on and off me.) We got to the concert all primed up (literally and figuratively) and tail-gated a little more before the show. Our tickets were "Gold Circle" which meant they were the closest you could get to the stage without standing in the pond right in front of the stage (which many poor souls chose to do...I figure most are fighting a bout of beaver fever as we speak.) The Check started the night out. They are a NZ pop-punk band. They were really good. Then Bright Eyes came out and blew my mind. He was possibly my favourite part of night (it is hard to say because there were so many.) Then REM came on stage. Now...let's get this straight...I have never been a fan of REM and probably never will be but I do respect those characters. And they put on a great show, playing a huge assortment of new tracks and old classics. The rain came back during the show but no one cared...it was wonderful. It really was great. Oh...did I mention we got backstage passes? Yeah...we did. So after the show we went backstage. It wasn't really as cool as I expected (there wasn't any Cristal flowin' and there weren't any celebrities to schmooze with-god knows at that point in the night I was way past being able to schmooze,) but it was still pretty cool. We talked to the guitarist but Micheal Stipe was too cool for school and didn't come out to meet and greet. Oh and they had free Heineken. After the show we got lost, got found, found a bar that would let us in, narrowly escaped a fight in the bar and got ourselves back to Lucy's Gully. More hijinks ensued but we'll leave those to the imaginations in order to protect those involved.

Sunday..oh Sunday is a morning that I would rather forget. Those that slept in Wilma had more than some aches and pains. We found a little place that was open and had some breakfast and got ourselves figured out. The rain and the wind returned (they never really left...really) and we decided instead of having another rain filled day and a rapture filled evening with Wilma we would rather just drive back here to Mount Maunganui. We toured out to Oakura to see if the waves were anymore ride-able than the days prior but they weren't. The four of us left Taranaki without ever riding one wave, sleeping in a backpackers or even seeing Mt. Taranaki come out from it's hiding place in the rain clouds. Don't get me wrong though...I don't regret going to New Plymouth, I just don't think I will go back again.

We made it back to the Mount safe, sound and smelly. Spent the night watching movies and today on the beach. It is amazing...I met the Montana boys on Thursday night and we have spent the last 3 days together without incident. I have never met anyone more compatible and easy to travel with. Friend's for life. It has been a great weekend.

This weekend I started and finished "The DaVinci Code." I guess I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was good-a quick, entertaining read. I guess the thing that bothered me was that there were just too many twists, too many made-for-movie turns. Why is it that people need so much stimulation? Slice-of-life dramas never make anyone's bestseller list. Anyway...if action, adventure, and suspense are your thing then check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Well...tomorrow I need to get some lesson plans down on paper and lay on the beach and read. Tough life.

Out of the loop

2005-03-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

So I almost drowned again today. It was really scary. The ocean was swelling pretty big but I didn't think it looked that bad so I went in for a dip. Next thing I know I''m about 50 metres off shore and struggling to get back because the waves are just washing me out again. I have never swallowed so much salt water in all my life. I made it back to shore exhausted but alive. Did I mention it was really scary?

So my first week of my first teaching practice came and went with no big mishaps. I have only taught 2 classes thus far but next week it really starts. I start a new unit the my yr 13 Chem class and continue with my yr 11 class. The week after Easter I start a new unit with my yr 12 Chem class and the yr 11 class will have a test. It is sweet cause this week and next week are only 3 days long since the students get a 6 day holiday for Easter. After school on Friday I walked into the staff room and there was booze all over the counter. The staff room turns into a bar on Friday afternoons so the teachers can have a drink to unwind. It was phenomenal. I think this is the only school in New Zealand and maybe the world that this happens.

Lastnight we went to a small town called Waihi Beach which is located east of the Mount to hang out with some friends of the guy that I am staying with. We went out to the local hotel and saw a really good reggae band called Katchafire. It was a great show. There were 9 of them and they were all really good. The lead singer was cover in tattoos and had a really cool moko. The bar was a pretty funny place. Definitely some high quality accomdations. It reminded me of the Silver Spur except with more burly Moari types. And chili gin (gin with chilis in it...I know...a match made in heaven.) I passed out lastnight on a full stomach of brie, avocado and crackers and woke up this morning throwing off layers because of the sun had turned house into an oven. From the second floor of the house you could see the beach and the ocean and even Mount Maunganui in the distance. It was incredible. The Bay of PLenty is definitely tops on my list of places to visit if you come to NZ. Maybe I can find a job here after school...

Thanks alot, we've been great.

The Great Mount North

2005-03-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

Ya dig that...it's like a play on "The Great White North." Pretty tricky...I know.

Well...I made it up to Mount Maunganui after 2 grand days of travelling. We left ChCh at about 10:30am Saturday morning after a blowout, send off party. We were given a brand new, fully loaded Mazda 6 to return to Picton. It was nice. We listened to Cds and gazed at the scenery all the way. We made it to Picton with a few hours to spare so we had some dinner and drinks and waited for the ferry. The ferry left Picton at 7pm. It was a wild rild through the Marlbourough Sounds, across Cook Strait to Wellington. For the record, I didn't get sea-sick but it is amazing how much a boat can screw with your sense of balance. Once we got to Wellington we found the hostel via a free cab sent by the hostel. (If only the cabbie didn't drop us off 100 numbers downhill of the place.) And finally after dropping off our bags we hit a party that a friend had invited us too. (The party was fun. Like all the randoms in Wellington showed up at this one loft. There was a swing in the middle of it and a live band. And samosas. More Converse All-Stars per square meter than anywhere else in the world at the time. Unless there was some indie band playing in Toronto at the same time.) The next day I met up with another friend and we drove from Wellington to Mount Maunganui where I am now. It was a long day in the car but we saw some nice sites. Huka falls and the mountain that is Mt. Doom in "Lord of the Rings. (Aside: if you found that the only interesting thing in the update you are a nerd.)

The Mount is a nice little place. Only about 16000 people on the off days. It gets really busy when a cruise ship comes into port or there is a competition or something at the beach. The rub of it is that it is really spread out and I haven't figured out the bus system yet. The people that I am staying with are great. The guy teaches at the school so I have a ride everyday. The wife works at a veggie stand so I've got a good line on fresh veggies to keep my vegetarian habit satisfied. And I have a queen bed and a hot-tub. Can't complain about much.

Today was my first day of school. That was good too. The school is nice and sunny and open. Some of the facilities are a little run down but that's what happens. The school is a decile 4 (on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the best. Private schools are automatically a ten.) A lower decile school is more like the real world though because no one be misbehavin at private schools. Everyone on staff is really good. And so far the students haven't made me turn to the drink.

Although Saturday was a great day full of traveling, site-seeing and partying, I think it was my first homesick-feeling-day as well. But it wasn't homesick for Canada. No...I was homesick for ChCh. I recently met some cool people that I wanted to spend more time with in ChCh and as soon as I do...I have to leave. Life isn't fair sometimes. I guess it gives me a good reason to go back to ChCh.

The mobile debate rages once again. My phone bill was huge cuz the only numbers i call are mobile numbers. It might save me money cause I would just use it to text. But then again...I really hate mobiles and most of the people that use them. Why oh why has the world gone cuckoo for mobiles!

Oh...my new contact info is as follows. I will be here for the next 5 weeks (until April 15.

Chris Lahey
64 07 575 9177
32 Carysfort Street
Mount Maunganui
New Zealand

Alright...that is all the things in my head for now.

Chris of the dead

2005-03-07T20:24:00.001-08:00

Kia Ora Koutou.

This is going to be my last post before I head up North. Hopefully I will have access to a computer so I can add some posts and some pictures. I think I've done pretty well updating this here blog so often. I don't know if anyone reads it but I sure like writin to y'all.

So rugby...yeah...it's a good time folks. Our tickets were 16$ and we were 2 rows from one of the end zones. We were even on TV! The teams switch ends at halftime so we got to see each team make some tries. Beers are 18$ for 4 x 400ml plastic bottles. What a deal compared to the Skydome's 13$ beers. When the wave comes around (here it is called the 'Mexican Wave') people just throw their empty plastic bottles. It is fun.

So our driver dropped out today and we were without transportation up North for a while. Now I have booked a rental car that needs to be back in Picton so we get it for free (almost free...16$ for insurance.) Then we are going to leave the car in Picton, take the ferry across, crash in Wellington for the night, and then meet up with some friends that are heading to the Bay of Plenty. Everything always works out, now if the school comes through and finds me a place to live it will be purrfect.

As you might have guessed (or probably didn't) I just watched "Shaun of the Dead" lastnight. For those of you that have no idea what this is, it's an English zombie spoof movie. Except is is great! There are a lot of cameos by famous english sit-com stars. Also, on Saturday, I watched "The Life Aquatic." I enjoyed it more than a kick in the teeth...that's for sure. Maybe even more than "The Royal Tannenbaums." I don't know...it was good. Really good.

Well...yeah...that's all she wrote for now. Hold all your packages for me until I have an address up North. (I know you all have something to send me.)

Oh yeah...I added some links to my page. One is for My Pictures and the others are to friends' blogs'. Happy Travels.

There's something about it. There just is.

2005-03-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

Tena Koutou everyone out there in shouting distance.

Well...here is the scoop. I'm being sent up to Mt. Maunganui for my first teaching practice and I have to tell you I'm pretty chuffed about it. Everyone I ask where they are going they tell me in some humdrum voice-no emotion just the name. But everyone I tell where I'm going they get excited and tell me that it's great. So...yeah. It should be good. Myself, 2 other Canadians and a Kiwi friend are all going to the same area so we are car-pooling on up. The bestest part is that the school gives us transportation funds and a weekly subsidy (subsidity?) for rent. This amount more than covers travel and hopefully some rent while up there. This you can't beat (not even with a stick.) So I'm there for 5 weeks (March 14 until April 15.) Then I'm hitting the open road with nothing more than a backpack, a rental car and some friends. I am excited to go trippin again and take some more pictures. Sittin still makes life dull but moving makes sittin still all the nicer.

I'm reading Chronicles by Bob Dylan right now and it's not what I expected. But I guess that is the way with Mr. D (any Mr. D...not just him.) If you are expecting a beginning to end, auto-bio type event well then you will be in my shoes. Don't get me wrong...Bob's random story approach is still an interesting read. What gets me most is his use of language. He really is a poet-a gem of americana. Like this "As I stepped out of the elevator, a call girl was coming towards me in the hallway-pale yellow hair wearing a fox coat-high heeled shoes that could pierce you heart." This line could of been a lyric somewhere, sometime. It sure is something...

Hitting a rugby test this weekend. Should be a good time. I got here and didn't think much of rugby and thought even less of cricket. But after a few diehards explained the virtues of both sports I'm somewhat of a convert. Rugby is pretty awesome when you watch good players play it-like good soccer players playing soccer. The match tomorrow is just one of the various leagues that are playing all the time. The best part is actually going to the games. They are just a big party. The people in the cheapest seats just get ridiculous and start throwing beer (and other fluids, ahem) in their empty/half empty beer bottles (plastic beer bottles.) We chose not to sit in the silly seats as they will now be titled. But it still should be a good time minus the urine.

Well...that about does it for my quota tonight. I need to figure myself out for this eve.

Gorilla warfare

2005-02-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Germs,

What's new with everyone?

Me? Oh...the same. We found out where we are going for our teaching practice. I am heading to Mt. Maunganui it looks like. It is a little town on the coast up in the Bay of PLenty area. It is about a 15 hour drive from here (including ferry) and about 4 hours from Auckland. It should be good. I'm looking forward to it.

If anyone has some free time (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, Gall and Rooney) could you send me Joel Plaskett's Truthfully, Truthfully (the copy I have here is incomplete) and the new Mars Volta album. I've heard good things. Oh...and if anyone has figured women out...let me know the secret too. That'd be grand.

Things that I miss. A list by Chris Lahey.
1. Mayonaisse. The mayo here sucks. It is sweet and runny and gross all over.
2. Clamato. I have been wanting a caeser for so long.
Yeah...I guess that's about it. I thought there was more. Oh well.

Heffy, I recieved your package last week. Thank you so much. I have a letter and some stuff for you too I just have to get some envelopes this week.

Alright. I have to go get some work done on a few lesson plans.

Everyone be cool.

Whakarongo mai!

2005-02-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

Kia ora, now that I have all of your attention.

Well...things are still good. Life is flying past at break neck speed. I'm hoping it will slow down so I can enjoy it. Enjoy more anyway. The truth is that I wouldn't trade anything to be here now.

Lastnight my Professional Studies class went out to "Lone Star" for dinner. It amazed me for a number of reasons.
1. Isn't there like 4 Lone Stars in Ottawa?
2. The place was packed to the rafters on a Monday night.
3. Plates were on average 25$. That is not a 'student' place by any stretch of the imagination.
4. Who goes to NZ to go to a Texas/Americana bar?

Today was 'Bi-Cultural Day.' It was great. We didn't have class but instead we had a number of lectures on Te Kete o Aoraki (an education curriculum made by the local tribe,) the Treaty of Waitangi (kind of like the constitution of NZ,) and Te Reo and Tikanga (language and customs.) I learned a butt load considering I knew next to nothing before. I know a lot more than most now. Probably more than most Kiwis. Anyway, it was the last lecture of the day and the principal of the school was doing his wrap-up speil and this guy, this idiot, shit-disturbing racist, who sat through all the lectures like the rest of us asks, "Could it be that the Maori are less intelligent than Pakeha?" and quoted racist paper where they found African-Americans less intelligent than honkys. I can say for myself and the rest of the people in the room we just about died. I couldn't believe that anyone could actually think that let alone utter it amongst a room of teachers, principals and soon-to-be teachers. That is something that you keep in your head. Idiot.

Enough for now.

Po Marie.

The mind works in mysterious ways

2005-02-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

So look at...whoever told you that ChCh sucks may try to tell you that The Shins suck too. Well I'm here to say don't listen to him. The Shins will rock your socks off and probably your shoes and maybe even your pants. I think I saw some pants a-flyin. Seriously folks...there ain't nuthin better than some fun, upbeat pop music every now and then and this band will fulfill that need.

Also, if you have the chance, Conan and the Moccasins put on a pretty good show.

What did everyone do today? Me? Oh...I went to the beach, drank some beer,laid in the sun, and wrote some postcards. Yeah...it was a good time, thanks for asking. Alright...gotta go.

Good, and you?

2005-02-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

So there is this cat that lives on campus in the library. Apparently he just showed here about 5 years ago and never left. There were a bunch of people that wanted to get rid of him for "health issues" or whatever because it just wandered all over; into classrooms, kitchens, etc. But a bunch of other people petitioned to keep it around and they won. Now it lives in the library on a pile of pillows and actually has a position here...I think it is "Customer Service Representative." His name is Andy. He still wanders around - today he wandered into a friend's class, did a tour, then left 10 minutes later - but mostly he sleeps in the library. He looks just like Capone except with a fully functional tail and I haven't seen him 'pleasure' himself yet. Hopefully this story doesn't affect anyone's ideas on the reputation of this instution.

So I did manage to get a ticket to see the Shins. No one wanted to go with me though so it will be a solo mission. I am pretty excited about the show.

This weekend there are too many things to do. On Saturday and Sunday there is a Roxy surf competition at the beach. On Saturday night there is a thing in the park called Starry Night. It is in celebration of the last night of summer and there is music and stuff. People just bring a picnic and hang out. On Sunday there is a street party in a little town called Lyttleton that is near ChCh. And also there is a lecture on the Life and Times of everyone's favourite physicist, Albert Einstein. So much to do, so little time. It is a good thing I don't have any work to get in the way of all this.

Holy Shins!

2005-02-12T18:42:00.000-08:00

Christchurch is great. Don't let anyone tell you different.

So we went out lastnight to a few places. This place called Warner's has this huge old bar in it. Also, we know one of the bartenders so drinks were pretty cheap (nudge, nudge, wink, wink.) We had a very raucous New Zealand vs. Canada billiards match. Then we went to a place on the strip, which is this row of bars and cafes along the Avon river. There we met a bunch more kids we knew and drank the night away. But the real reason this is a great city is today after sleeping a hangover off...I went downtown to get some postcards and ran into a few friends at this Tsunami benefit concert that was going on in the Arts Centre. So we hung out there for a while and bathed in the sunlight. On the way back to my house, walking through the Botanic Gardens, there were numerous outdoors concerts and event to see. Also I found out today that The Shins are playing at the University of Canterbury's orientation this week. I am going to get a ticket now.

So to sum up...Rooney, quit spreading the bad word on this city.

The pictures, Boss

2005-02-09T23:07:00.000-08:00

To All the World,

Alright...now is the moment you have all been waiting for. The pictures have arrived. Well more specifically I figured out how to put them on that thar interweb.

They are at Yahoo Photos which is accessible at http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/laheychris/my_photos. I hope this works.

And sorry guys (read sorry Pete)...there are no pictures of Japanese girls giving peace symbols or thumbs up in Kareoke bars.

Some other things I forgot to mention

2005-02-07T13:25:00.000-08:00

So why the hell do all New Zealand bathrooms have their hot and cold water on different taps? This seems like the most backward idea ever. Why can't they mix the water in the faucet like normal countries?

And why the hell are there so many little sinks around? These sinks are about half the size of normals sink so it is impossible to wash your hands or your face or whatever without getting water everywhere.

There was something else...it will come to me later.

It just came to me...right now there are adverts for an "RPS Championship." That's right...a rock, paper, scissors world championship. I laughed my ass off when I first heard about this but I found out later that the world champion is a Kiwi and the runner up is a Canadian. Hilarious.

Everyone should be able to post comments easier now. I hope. Keep 'em coming.

they built this city on rock and roll

2005-02-06T22:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry to get your hopes up...this post is not about rocking or rolling. It has been so long since I have heard or seen either.

Well...I finally have a home. At least a home until I move in 5 weeks for my first practicum. I moved in Saturday and used the weekend to get cleaned and settled. I now have a bed and a desk and a make-shift book shelf. I think I have also acquired all the kitchen stuff that I need. It is nice to have a home, let me tell you. Backpacking and sleeping in hostels (with the loudest snoorers ever to grace New Zealand) makes you appreciate what you have. My address is:

67 Brockworth Place
Apt. 3
Riccarton
Christchurch
8004
New Zealand
Ph. No.: 064 03 348 8411

I expect all of you to mail me stuff, even if it is just anthrax.

Today was the first day of school. I didn't have that dream that I usually have either...you know the one where you get lost and then get to class late. I guess it really isn't much of a nightmare. There was a Mihi Whakatau today for the new students also. It is a Maori welcoming ceremony but different than the kind that you would be welcomed to a marae (Maori meeting hall.) I met some cool kids and some not so cool kids. It is funny...but I think I can tell the students in my Chemistry class that will be the type of teachers that students hate and therefore makes students hate Chemistry. I hope I don't turn out to be one of those. I 've only had 2 classes so far and they seem alright. They could get really boring, really quick I'm afraid but we'll hope for the best. I met a few more people today...actual Kiwi's. I have met a ri-cock-ulous number of Canadians here. I'm in school for 5 weeks (until March 9) and then I head out on a practicum somewhere.

I really need to get used to the New Zealand way that all the New Zealanders talk about. For example, the school didn't have the classrooms posted for the first class until 15 minutes before the first class. Oh and in my Chemistry class there were 23 people. Which is about 12 more than the prof had materials for. But everyone says...that is how it is. Sometime I think the New Zealand laid-back-attitude borders on incompetence but that is just coming from a self-proclaimed laid back Canadian.

There is a rumbling in my stomach region. Dinner time.

P.S. Here a the shout-out I promised Mr. Andrew Gall. For being so damn goodlooking he sure asks for a lot. Just kidding Gall.

The world from here

2005-02-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

Alright...it's been a while I guess. So here I go...

The last post was probably from this same computer in this same internet cafe. But don't let that fool you. I haven't been sitting here, doing nuthin, running up a huge tab. Oh no. [Some kid just ran by with a bag of NOS. That is huge here. Everyone doing their whippets with their NOS.] Anyway, this week I went North. I got up to Picton on Tuesday. It was raining and blowing. But it was a cute little town, not just a dirty port city like I had thought. Then from there I went to Nelson for a couple of days. Nelson was great. I would love to do a practicum there. It is the geographical centre of New Zealand (obviously) and therefore there is all sorts of stuff to do. I did some hiking and some exploring and hope to make it back because Nelson is a good jumping off spot for the Able Tasman National Park. In Nelson I met a fellow Canuck that has worked on Baffin Island for the last 10 years AND he was a mediation instructor (i think you would have to be to be there for that long.) Needless to say he was pretty interesting. I also met a girl from Newfoundland and we are going to do the Milford Track together I think. Today I cam back to CHCH beacuse I finally get to move in tomorrow. I also found out from a friend at my hostel that there is a party tomorrow night. Can it get any better?

Lastnight a bunch of people from the hostel I was in went out to hear some live music in Nelson. I got in with shorts and jandels so it was already a win situation. What I noticed about the live music was that is was all North American hits. The usual you know...the Stones, Coldplay, Cat Stevens, etc. (Now I know someone is going to call me on this and say "Um...the Stones and Coldplay are both from the UK dumbass" but I still think that if it wasn't for American record companies they wouldn't have 'caught on.' Anyway, what I found interesting was the the Danish guy, the Norwegian girls, and the German girl that I went with knew all the words. So I asked the musicians and the other kids how is it that all these North American hits are so popular everywhere in the world and that I don't know one Danish, German or Norwegian song word-for word. Why is it that it is so hard to be a local (to your country) and get airplay. We decided that the answer was that the music industry is dominated by the 'big' record companies Sony, Emi, Universal, etc. And it is these companies that dictate what gets played over the entire world. I feel bad for local (here meaning anywhere from out of North America) musicians who can't get air time because some dick at Sony or whatever thinks that the new Nickelback song should be heard by everyone and his dog instead of some great New Zealand or German band.

So I'm thinking harder and harder about getting a car. A few people I talked to had nothing but good things to say. You can get a good one for as cheap as 1000$ and they have to be safe or you can't sell them. And you don't need insurance. If you don't have insurance and you get in an accident, the other insurance company pays. Weird eh? Anyway, I think it would be really helpful to see all the sites I am missing on a bus.

Yeah...so I think that is about it for now. Goodbye cruel world.

The Art of Small Talk

2005-01-29T18:17:00.000-08:00

Where did that come from? That is definitely not original. Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that I am not a very proficient small talk artist. Does this reflect my interest in more meaningful conversation? Or just that I really and truly suck at making small talk. If anyone is reading this please post or email me your best ideas for small talk because I need help.

Well...things have been rolling along here in CHCH. Me and some of the people that I will be going to school with went out Friday night...to some of the worst bars I have ever been too. First I had to go home and put pants on (don't worry...I was wearing shorts.) Then I had to go home again to put shoes on (don't worry...I was wearing sandles. Although I find it awesome that there are so many people here that don't wear shoes anywhere. Like even grocery stores. You'll find dudes walking around sans shirt and shoes.) So I finally got into this bar and it sucked...so hard. The music (Shania Twain followed by Lou Bega?) The expensive drinks. The lameo club kids. It all sucked. The night got better though. I don't know why we didn't just stay at the bar with 2 for 1 beer. We went out lastnight again but kept the wheels on the cart.

I met a kid through a girl that I am going to school with who just finished Teacher's college in Auckland. He went to Mount Allison and played football with a kid I went to highschool with. And was coached by a guy that my dad coached. Could the world get any smaller? He is good people. He Kept me from blowing up at the craptacular club we went to on Friday night.

There is a Busker's Festival on right now here. I have been catching a few random acts over the past few days. CHCH has the reputation of being kind of stuffy and repressed but I don't see any of that. The town goes off on Friday and Saturday nights and seems to have a very lively arts scene. I'm pretty glad about that.

Alright...that's it for now. I am going to read in a nearby park.

Take care everyone. I'm starting to miss you.

Chris

The daily breeze

2005-01-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

Peeps,

Well I made it back to CHCH lastnight and luckily found the last bed in a hostel. I was starting to get worried cause everything, EVERYTHING, was full. Anyway, I came from Queenstown on a 7 hour bus ride. No one has told the Kiwis that the fastest route is a straight line, not over mountains. It was 34°C yesterday in the valley we came through and the bus' air conditioning was broken. I almost melted. The only thing that saved me was the ice cream. Sweet, sweet ice cream.

Queenstown was fun. I did end up going jet boating which was fun but didn't get my adrenaline flowing as much as I would have liked. I need someone to come over a push me off a bungy ledge. It was hot and expensive and the hostels sucked. But the scenery was sweet-as. I went on a few good hikes too.

I had an information session at the school today so I met some other hosers. We are heading out for drinks tonight and to check out the World Busker's Fest that is on here right now. I hope I don't get pidgeon-holed into hanging out with just the Canadians cause that would suck. Don't get me wrong...I like most Canadians (most...not all...you know who you are) but I didn't come 10000 miles to talk about the benefits and drawbacks of Toronto or play the do-you-know-this-person-game. Although I kick asss at it. Randy, I met a guy, Ben, that went to Cass. And I met another kid that knew Jordan K (from Animal...for those that went to Waterloo.)

I opened a bank account today so if anyone wants to help the Chris in New Zealand fund I will give you my account number. Also I got my student card. AND...and, found a theatre like the Princess. So Christchurch is starting to brighten up.

Alright, I will be leaving now.

Chris

The highs and lows

2005-01-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Well...I made it to Queenstown. It is a hot, expensive, touristy place reminiscent of Interlocken or Banff. The Scenery is quite beautiful though. It is flanked my Lake Wakitpu and the Remarkable mountain range. The Remarkables are the only other mountain chain that runs North to South (Our own Rockies are the other.) I went hiking today and took a ride on the Shotover Jet boat. It was good times. It ran at 70Km/h through a canyon about 8 metres wide. I don't know if it was worth 95$ but it was something that you won't find anywhere else. I don't think I want to Bungy jump. The only way I would is someone else was here to urge me on.

The bus ride here from Dunedin was great. The bus was flanked by Snow-capped mountains and fruit orchards, waving hay fields and blue-green lakes. The bus driver explained points of interest all along the way too. It reminded me of that scene in Wayne's World where Chris Farley goes on and on about Mr. Bigg.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to CHCH for some school related stuff...Induction day I think. Then I am going to go to KaiKoura for the weekend to do some hiking and back to CHCH for Monday for more school stuff. Then I have next week to do something else. I'm thinking of heading to Mt. Cook National park and Lake Tekapo. I can't wait to move in. I may have said it before but as nice as backpacking is, it is even nicer to have a home where you can sleep in your own bed, wake up, have a coffee, and read the paper.

Alright...that's it for now. The sun has rotted my brain.

Chris

Around, around he goes...

2005-01-23T16:51:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

So here I am in Dunedin after numerous adventures and excursions. Arrived here Friday and laid low. Cleaned myself for battle. Recharged the batteries. Saturday was punctuated with a stop at the Moeraki boulders. They are giant spherical boulders strewn along the beach between Oamaru and Dunedin. Giants marbles. Then we tripped on down the coast to Shag point (Tee-Hee,) an old coal mining port where fur seals have now staked their claim. After Port Chalmers, we called it a day. Sunday was another day for the books as we toured down to the Catlins. This day was broken up by stops at Kaka point (Tee-hee,) Nugget point (an often fotographed local where the fur seals played amongst the kelp and Purakanui Bay for a picnic lunch. At Purakanui Bay the rock is all covered in small, round holes. I don't know what from for sure but I would hazard a guess that is was all magma that solidified and gases escaped from the bubbles. But that's just a guess. After Purakanui Bay, Purakanui falls was the next stop; a beautiful but crowded waterfall. And finally, we stopped at Florence Hill overlooking Tautuku Bay, which has a very welcoming crescent shaped sand beach. So that has been my tour of the Southeast corner of the courty. Christchurch to the Catlins.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Queenstown for some hiking and other fun. I'm thinking jetboating looks like a good time. Maybe street luge.

Thought du jour: Now I like fudge as much as the next guy but I've noticed fudge shops everywhere try to advertise themselves as the world's only, often offering tours and tastings. Don't be duped people, there will always be another fudge shop. Don't waste your time in a new city exploring fudge shops.

Anyway, that's it for today. It's about 20° so I think I'm going to go buy a sleeping bag.

Back at ya,
Chris

So here's the thing...

2005-01-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

I missed my bus yesterday from Timaru to Oamaru. Luckily a guy that worked at the bus depot drove me to where the bus was waiting for me. But the reason I missed the bus was because when the driver called out where he was going, or more precisely, asked where other passengers were going, he called "Christchurch?" Which is contrary to his destination of Dunedin. Now suppose you were a bus driver, which do you think would be the more efficient way of getting people on the bus? Calling out your destination? Or calling out another bus' destination?

Anyway, once on the bus I realized that double-decker buses are great. Oh...except for when they reek of stale urine and every other passenger on the bus hates you for making them nore late than they already were. Another thing occurred to me on the bus, why the hell doesn't olafactory fatigue occur with the aroma of pee-pee? It seems to me from an evolutionary standpoint that human waste would be one of the first smells you would not want to smell. Luckily the ride was only about 45 miutes and I hope to never see those other, glaring passengers or that putrid smelling bus ever again. (Keep your fingers crossed that I don't have to take it again today.)

Chris

P.S. - These hostels with free internet are great. If you are a huge inter-nerd like me.

P.P.S. - Rooney, thanks a lot for those mp3s. They have saved my sanity a few times. The new Decemberists is incredible.

Been a while...

2005-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

I guess it's been a while since I have updated this. So let me rap at ya. I arrived in Christchurch (chch for short) after a ricockulously long journey. 5 hours to LA, 12 hours to Auckland, and 1 hour to chch. After I arrived I made my way to the hostel that I booked and got set up. The hostel turned out to be one of the best that I have ever stayed at. Huge kitchen, garden, 2 lounges, movies, very helpful staff. After getting settled I started exploring my new home for the next year. There is a great downtown with all sorts of patios and outdoor cafes. There is a huge park with the Botanic Gardens and Canterbury Museum. And low and behold, there are Indian restaurants and Sushi restaurants everywhere. I thought my last plate of sushi was going to come from LAX. Phew! I also did some exploring around chch. Lyttleton is a tiny port town nearby. Akaroa is a French settlement on the Banks Penninsula.

I found the College that I will be attending. The first day that I went out to see it there was a Air show at the airport nearby so there were all sorts of planes doing fly-bys and sky-divers jumping out of planes. The college is near the University of Canterbury in a quiet little suburb.

I also found a place to live. I called a bunch of places and all were taken already. I found 2 that weren't full-up and checked out both. The first was in a sketchy student ghetto. There were 2 houses on the property. The first (which I thought was the one) had all the windows broken out and plaster was falling off the walls. Needless to say I didn't stick around to check out the second. The second place I checked out was a find. It was new and clean and in a lot nicer area and right beside Hagley park. So Iam living there. My roommates are a German, a Malaysian, and a New Zealaner. It should be fun. Now I jsut have to find a bed and a space heater (because this house, like most in NZ, doesn't have heat. Luckily the coldest it gets in the winter is about
-1°C.

Now I am killing time by doing a little traveling until I can move in and school start. I am currently in Timaru and I will head to Oamaru tomorrow. Oamaru is known for it's penguin colonies that you can see by just walking to . After that I am heading to Dunedin and Queenstown.

Anyway, If anyone is actually checking this for updates, there you go. The room I am in is covered with writings from various backpackers who have stayed at this hostel. I'm going to add my name to it now.

The First Post

2005-01-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

So this is a blog eh? Computers huh?