Here, there...everywhere!

The latest excuses for not blogging are 2 fold:
1) I don't have time!
2) The couple of times I did try about a month ago - I couldn't upload photos and got in a strop!

So I have switched to new blogger which is connected to our joint gmail account and keeping my fingers crossed I might be able to get some photos up for you.

After an almost 18month drought from flying I found myself on a plane 3 days in a row last week and will be on one later this week too!

I am loving the new job and that's the reason I was away 3 days last week.

I am working for www.gapactivityprojects.org.nz and we arrange voluntary placements for 18-25 year olds overseas. It's such an exciting place to work. We are currently taking applications to go in 2008 and applications close on March 30th.

We (me and the Manager - it's just us as staff in NZ plus we have some volunteers from all over NZ) have been trying to promote the scheme to schools and this means talking to teenages...very scary!

I flew up to Hamilton on an 18 seater plane (they put me right at the back obviously sensing I was likely to be a trouble maker...I was also across the aisle - if you can call it that - from a guy that was not a happy flyer!) It's only a 45 minute flight so it wasn't long before I was in the rental car shack (to be fair it was a portacabin as they are developing the terminal building at the moment) debating whether it would be safe to let me drive away in an automatic tuscan (big four wheel drive thingy) when I am used to driving a manual astra! Most people happily grab the keys to an upgrade but I protested and found myself in an electric blue MANUAL focus - yay! Then I navigated my way around a city I had never been to (only driven round and it wasn't me driving at the time!) and pretended to have an in depth knowledge of everything that we do! It was great - completely out of my comfort zone but fun!

Then on Thursday, I flew to Auckland with my manager where we talked to various schools and stayed overnight in a motel with 2 illuminous plastic light up palm trees (we are talking real class here!). The highlight of this trip was seeing Matthew Ridge (who I had never heard of - sorry!) and Rebecca Loos in the Chinese restaurant we had dinner in. Of course, I only realised who it was once my Manager had pointed out Matthew (NZ rugby player) and we had seen a brunette in denim cut offs right up to her you know what...I then text Graeme and he told me who Matthews girlfriend was. Wow - starstruck! Or maybe just daft!

The talks seemed to go well. We did some more on Friday and I was back in Palmy for tea time.

On sunday we drove up to Mt. Ruapehu - wow! Fantastic views...I will try and upload one. Obviously it's NOT ski season so it was extremely rocky and I can't quite imagine it with snow all over it! We took a ride in a couple of the chairlifts and then sat and had hot chocolate in the cafe near the top!

Yep, no - it's still not letting me upload photos. I will not go in a strop this time though. I am sure you will all be happy just to read my beatifully well chosen words!

Heaps more to tell you but no time to do it! Will try and get back soon.
Take care