First week

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Hi everyone! just thought I would let you know how the fist week has gone!

I was pretty shattered first few days in Auckland but glad to be around family, jenny nigel and the boys took really good care of me and i had a really nice few days with them. spent some time visiting the local beaches which are just beautiful, visited auckland, went up the sky tower, which is a massive land mark in the city, its a big tower which you can go up, it has a restaurant at the top and glass view points all the way around which look out over the city. on the way up the elevator has a glass front, which was pretty cool, but I dont mind heights and it even made my head spin a bit!

enjoyed relaxing there a bit before I came to start work. they have a deck with a swimming pool which is a real sun trap so one day i even made it out there for a bit of sunbathing. such activities stopped abruptly on arriving to hamilton, where it gets to minus 2 at night. New Zealanders seem to think that they live in the tropics, so despite this rather baltic weather that they get in winter, their houses are not insulated, there is no double glazing and no real central heating (not a radiator in sight). its bloody freezing. they are so thick skinned though. i have spent my first few days in the clinic, shivering and the kiwis are wandering in in shorts. i need to man up a bit i think.

chris is pretty heavily involved in the sports teams out here so we have seen a few rugby players and rowers in the clinic. im heading out to the rowers main camp tomorrow, a lake which is supposed to be really beautiful, with his registrar to run the clinic there. then we have the afternoon off and the theatre in the evening. all very civilised!

anyway, dont have too much to report on really, first week has gone well!

hope everyones good back home, miss you all lots and very jealous of the sunshine you are all enjoying!

lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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