Out with the Old & In with the New (Bike that is)

Today saw a turn of the wind or change in the tides, well may be not quite but it did see a new bike in the garage anyway.
Unforunantly due to a rear end bang in central London back in May I later discovered that the rear triangle was slightly bent. Not to much but enough to cause speed wobbles at 50km’s.

So with several major events coming up and a kiwi summer riding period ahead I figured it was time to trade in my pride & joy of 3 years (Trek 2300) for a new 2006 Trek 5200 model. The main difference is a change of mateials from an aluminium to carbon frame, not to mention the weight difference of 2.5kg’s.

Now that I have my early birthday present in the garage I’ll be a bit more confident on the decents.

A New Addition

As mentioned on the last blog we had two noticed two new lambs a week ago, well unfortunantly the new born didn’t see the night through but this one did and is doing well.

Over the last week we’ve noticed how much stronger and confident he’s become on his pegs. Before he would stumble around, now he’s skippy around and chasing anything that moves!

Anyway watching this little lamb develop is keeping be from getting to bored out in the country at the moment.

Two New Lambs Down on the Farm

After my parents decided back in 1998 to subdivide our 16acre home block into three 5acre lifestyle blocks and subsiquently disband our export quality orchard (which I had only ever known for 21 years), it was almost the start of a transformation into a “Mini Farm” in New Zealand terms.

These days Dad operates his own building company and runs about 120 sheep off our three 4acre paddocks in his spare time.

Today we went out to round up the current 20 flock for dagging (sheep term for a Brazilian shave) and found two additional little ones! One we think was born within that last week as it is skipping around the paddock like a new kid on the block (paddock) but the other looked as if it had been born today!

Once Dad checked through his “Good Sheep Farming Guide” we relised that there haven’t been any funny games in our paddocks but before they arrived.

So tonight we’re hoping the little one is going to servive the night tucked up in a bundle of freshly shaved sheep’s wool but as from tomorrow onwards, I could be responsible for bottle feeding it. Which is a far cry from the hussle and bussle of London life only two weeks ago.

The Kiwi has Landed

Yes the kiwi has landed but unlike the bird it was during the day. Arrived back in New Zealand (Auckland) yesterday to some good hospitality from a close friend. I'm Beginning to relise already the many differences between London life and a New Zealand one.
Luckily I’ve been lent a vechicle to get around for a few days before heading south to Wellington otherwise I’d be absolutily stuck in this city. The public transport system doesn’t exist, buses are one a penny and there’s not a tube or metro system.

The weather is also probably better in London currently as the end of winter sting is gripping the country. The famous Crowd House song “Four Seaons in One Day” is so true, one minute it’s raining then it’s sunny and next it’s blowing a gayle.

So today I had my first well possibly only interview! the company looks alright with some decent work but nothing comparied to Umist and the giant hospitals produced at Anshen Dyer. Work, budgets and staff sizes are all smaller in New Zealand which is something I’d need to adjust too if I’m going to stay here for any given period.

On that note I need to sign off as I’ve got a impending flight to book to get myself down to Wellington to the family.

Until then,

Farewell to London

Farewell to London………….well where to start.

November 2001 I set out to see the world and landed in London. To begin with I found it to be a very tough city to survive in. Although I found a job in two weeks, it’s was far from ideal but still a good start. Accomodation was the second thing to sort and like most experiences of this sort it wasn’t fun. But after a couple of frustrating weeks of looking at either grungy flat’s, or places just out of my price range it was a nice shared flat with large bedrooms which I landed in Shepherd’s Bush.
This place became my home for the next ten months until I moved further west to Hammersmith in another smaller flat share ex-council second floor flat.
A year later I heard a calling to Fulham (Cassidy Road) and got selected! (panel interview situation) to share with three top Australians, George (Adelaide fella), Karla (Sydney girly) & Jane (Melbourne girly).
The four of us took London in our stride and enjoyed some fantastic nights out, birthdays, travels and typical London experiences.
The flat remained as one unit until Jane moved to Bristol to be with Vern (her English boyfriend), Karla headed home (Feb this year) and George followed suit in March. Since then Leigh & Kylie (Georges friends from Adelaide), Melinda, Sooz, Kelly, Catherine and Wesley & Margaret have been my flaties.

Of course not to mention all the friends and my girlfriend Grigoria have made my London experience just that much better.

I think London is a tough city that doesn’t suit everyone, you need to be a bit tough skinned to survive and enjoy the many treats of the big city. It is crowded, busy and sometimes frustrating but still it can be an amazing time spent here.
Despite my routes and kiwi heritage, London has and will always feel a bit like home, a home away from home for most Kiwi’s & Australian’s.

So it’s October 2005 and I’m leaving London behind, for how long? I’m not sure but time will tell and maybe I'll be back to this great city in the not to distant future.