Blogs from Parnell, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 4

Here we start working. Housekeeping. It’s a simple job but it’s not easy. First-comer has to pair up with senior housekeeper. We learned how to wash the bathroom on the first 2 days. Yucky… Then how to make up the bed, clean the kitchen…the hardest part is we have to complete everything in a room in half an hour on your own after one week. I thought accommodation and meal would be provided, we were so wrong, it’s all on our own. My God… Staying YHA for the long-term was burning a hole in our pocket. We moved to a cheaper place which is located in Anzac Avenue. So-called “student hostel”, but didn’t see student much, most were travelers. It’s cheap, $80 per person per week. But the conditions were so so bad. A room without ... read more

EMBARKATION DAY 3/1 The Link bus system circles Auckland for $1.60NZ. I got an early start and caught the bus a couple of blocks from the hotel. The route circles the city and I got a flavor of the neighborhoods and locals. First, there are these used bookshops all over town. It says something about a culture that cares so much about reading. Then there’s the art galleries and art schools, almost one on every corner, even the illustrious Texan School of Art has a branch here. Most folks thanked the driver when they got off. Very nice! Rode the circuit until I reached the Auckland Museum. An impressive building houses three major collections. Level three houses the war collection (the full name is the Auckland War Memorial Museum), armaments and artifacts from New Zealand’s wartime ... read more

This will probably be my signoff for 2008. I did a few different Christmas Parties today,two of which I have photos to share. First I went to the Rob and Bromwen's place for lunch and watched a bunch of kids go crazy over one of their first memorable christmases. The Fleming...s have become my extended family and will always be a special part of my life and I hope that it's the same for them. Great lunch and witnessed a traditional christmas meals. We forgot the christmas pudding at home and had to rush back... it's a green light go go go.... After an exhausting morning we came home to open presents. Great mess of wrapping paper all over the floor. From there went on to a music, card/drinking game party, drinks with vodka and gin ... read more

My first photo to ever be in print was published today in the NZ Herald. Attached is the link to the page. On Monday I'll know if my photo is entered in the final voting for top photo. The link is: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501478&objectid=10476493 On Wednesday some of my photos are being displayed at a local opening of new photographers in NZ. Work is full on. Recently I've been working on a geothermal powerplant project that is located in Chile. hope you get to check out my photo. Cheers ... read more

I'm only making this entry because I heard the funniest thing on the equivalent of your 10pm news. New Zealand news tries hard enough to make itself purposeful, let’s be honest there is just so little news worthy events they’ll do almost anything to fill in 30minutes. Well tonight they hit new low (high) of pointlessness. Picture this: New Zealand anchorwoman, the camera cuts away to a news story decidedly American (American accented male commentator, hick’ish group of guy’s staring up a pine tree at a bear they just tranquilized, debating how to get the bear down. Next scene, said hicks stacking up empty boxes from an alcohol store at the base of the tree, all of a sudden you hear a limb crack, hicks look up and then scatter as the bear cartwheels vertically down ... read more