Local knowledge February 28, 2005

Auckland
Sunday morning arrived promising a hot day and, after spending the previous evening at the Lantern Festival with thousands of Chinese, Europeans, Maori and tourists, I was ready for a quieter day with a few less folks for company. Having called ahead the previous day, I had arranged to spend the day in the [...]

Gone bush, mate February 26, 2005

Waitakere Ranges and Helensville
Considering I didn’t arrive until Tuesday, I have had a pretty busy week and managed to stave off the worst of the jet lag to accomplish a fair amount in three days before folks closed for the weekend. This being the case and with little I could practicably do on the [...]

Downtown February 25, 2005

Auckland CBD
If the truth be told, my real first impression of Auckland was how loud the noise of the local cicadas was outside my room … and in the domain where I run … and Albert Park where the local Chinese population are preparing a latern festival to celebrate their New Year tonight. High [...]

I’m here but my bodyclock’s not February 24, 2005

Auckland
Having settled into my room at the lodge (motel), the first thing I did was go for a run. This is probably the last thing on most folks mind when they hit town having flown halfway round the world but it seemed as good to banish the stiff legs and check out the local [...]

In Transit February 23, 2005

London Heathrow
After heart-wrenchingly tearful goodbyes with the family at home, I was not in the brightest of moods or thinking clearly when I arrived at the Emirates check-in desk. The agent looked weary after a long day but was pleasant and helpful, advising me that that I needed to transfer some of the weightier [...]

Locked and loaded February 20, 2005

I had to adopt a ruthless approach to packing in order to bring some order and reduce the weight of this morning’s first attempt (left) to this afternoon’s more acceptable result (right). As well as jettisoning a pair of shoes, a travel guide and a few other bits, I bit the bullet and transferred [...]

In Kupe’s wake February 19, 2005

“New Zealand was the last place in the world to be settled by humans and its isolation and freedom from human interference came it a unique natural environment. The first settlers in New Zealand were the Maori who came from Polynesia. Their arrival from their homeland of Hawaiki is celebrated in myths and legends carried [...]

Putting in the hours February 16, 2005

Since the last post, I have been leading what, to all intents and purposes, constitutes a double life. By day, I have been holding down my usual job and, for the last two weeks, standing in for my boss as well. This has kept me pretty busy, meaning that my eyes are often closing by [...]