I did not call my brother a geek because he writes everyday. I did call him a dork but that's different. I'm sorry Charles, writing everyday doesn't make you a geek (maybe gek), it just shows you're too scared of mumsy not to write.

Another week down. It was absolutely mad at work. I guess I should be clearer about what I do. They hang doors in the frame (a fact for the ignorant like me: when building you buy the frame with the door as one unit). So they order the doors from other companies, stick them in the frame and sell them. Well no, they are all made to order. Doors aren't nearly as standard as you expect. Anyways, I think this was week 5 there (meaning I've been in Chch 8 weeks already!). I started off just answering the phones and taking messages, assisting with the odd bit of filing (eeee!!! filing!!!). Gradually, I've picked up more knowledge so that now I can price standard doors and process orders and handle some walk-in customers. So it is still a reception job, but with increasingly more customer service roles and always loads more to learn. And fun people. Love the people. Not sure how much longer I am there but am keeping my fingers crossed that they will need me for the next month. (everyone say your prayers)

And in a month... that's when Mr. Mark & Sarah come and we get to travel more of this incredible country!!! And remember, all of you with your wonderful birthday presents (a mere 2 weeks away) can send hem down with Mark! Or, if you just want to send a card or note (as my wonderful sister did - cheers Sweetums, I got it today!) My mailing address is:

Foley Towers
208 Kilmore St
Christchurch
New Zealand

Just in case you were wondering! (Insert evil grin) And for those of you expecting something from me... a little lesson about the postal system in NZ - it's crap! Just joking, but it is VERY difficult to get to. Post offices are only open M-F 9-4 and Sat mornings or something impossible like that. I did find an outlet in a shop the other day but when I went there right after work it was already closed too! Booooo... And so if more than 2 or 3 weeks beyond the date when you really should have seen something from me, blame the post for umm.. losing it or something. Yeah, their fault. ALL their fault.

Fascinating facts about the post:
1. All post offices are also Kiwi Bank offices. Assuming Bank is federally run, seems bizarre
2. There is only airmail for international things - no cheap boat freight

I know, I know, with facts like this you can only begin to understand the wonder of NZ.

More exciting things... driving! So fun, get used to really quickly. Although last night I had about 3 times where I was instinctively about to turn onto the wrong side of the road, I caught myself well before. Strangest driving rule in the world: When turning left you have to give way to someone coming in the opposite direction making a right turn on the same road. (Now for those of you who think that's normal, backwards it. The person crossing traffic has the right away). First night I drove my friend was following me. I got to the corner and made a left only to realize I shouldn't have done that. Especially not to a cop. Oh well, he didn't pull me over. And you can't make a left (right for you) turn on a red. And there's quite a few roundabouts but luckily I haven't come to a busy one yet. I only got Cat to explain last night how to signal on a roundabout (it depends on the number of roads going off it and whether it's a 1 or 2 lane).

Tax is GST here as well. 12.5%, included in the price of everything, yet when making major purchases the price is always quoted exclusive of GST.

Things I have been tormented for saying in the last week:
liquid paper (white out or "tweek")
tomato (toe-mat-o)
oregano (or-a-gan-o)
basil as in stewart (bah-sil)
charlie horse (cramp, so unoriginal)
dessert (pudding)
pudding (custard)
pylon (cone)
And everyone's favourite that I have to say about 10 time in the run of a day...
aluminum (al-u-min-e-um) They actually spell it aluminium (as do the Brits) and are thoroughly amused that I absolutely can not say it the way they do (it's like Debbie and processor).

Freaky shit going on round here. Some of my posts that disappeared into blogger blogger land have reappeared. See below to catch up. If anyone in blogger land is listening, I'm not adapting well to the new changes.

Happy Queen's birthday! No Victoria Day here, Kiwis celebrate their current queen (of England, same as us). I don't think today is her actual b-day seeing as in Oz they celebrate it next week or last week or Wednesday or something. But Australians always prove to be difficult. (Kiwi-Aussie relations are highly comparable to Canadian-American).

Speaking of birthdays, happy 75th Grumps! (Not 75? Must be close!) Hope that you're enjoying it to the utmost!

Long weekend, what to do, what to do... Friday I ended up on bus tour. Sounds respectable but bus tour is just another word for pubcrawl. It was with some friends from work and their friends and was an absolute riot. So much fun to be had. It took us to all these dives around the city and for most of the night I had no clue where I was as I don't know the suburbs at all. Another friend from work kept calling to see where we were and meet up with us but I was no help in trying to inform him. Eventually we ended up in the city centre and I was given a proper tour of some of the local haunts uninhabited by tourists. (Being the only foreigner in the group, guessing my accent was the game of the night. South African??)

Saturday I took a nice drive and ended up in New Brighton, a highly commercialized beach area on the out skirts of the city. Really beautiful views and lovely beach but too commercial. They've built a massive pier extending at least 1000m into the sea which looks like a miniature Confederation Bridge. There was an artist making this incredible design in the sand that was massive and only really visible from the pier which gave it all a little more character. How he could envision what he was doing from the ground is pretty astounding. Still looking for Old Brighton. Feel it would be more natural.

I really have to get off my ass and post some of these pics don't I?

Saturday night was a respectable one. Adrianne VanLunen, another UPEI Co-op student is doing her summer work term in Dunedin and made it to Chch for the holiday, so we went for a drink with a few others from the hostel, Andrea (a fellow east coaster from Kentville, NS) and Emma (N. Ireland) and Anne & Sol, British friends. 2 quiet pints and we were done in for. Or I was!

Yesterday Gemma & I slowly made our way to Akaroa (Sherilyn & I went down way back when she was here), stopping for coffee and meandering about. We met some people in the hostel and had a few drinks at the pub with them and others we met along the way. The entertainment value of a small town local is like no other. The weather was absolute crap down there today which we were disappointed in, but it gave us the chance to do exactly what Akaroa is best known for - lounge in the cafes - and forget this hiking and exercise business! We had a great breakfast, then went straight to the bakery for coffee and to wait for Anne & Sol. Once they arrived we wandered the shops a bit and walked around a little in between hailstorms before being forced into another cafe. It was just lovely. A scenic trip back and we played a quick game of scrabble in the hostel before Gemma guilted me into swimming off at least one latte. And that was my weekend. Another bunch of nothingness that combines into a fab time with loads of laughs. It really doesn't get better than this!