Blogs from New Zealand, Oceania - page 2324

Dr Mary Warren, Sponsored by the Christchurch Club Mary is a General Practitioner, currently employed by the Royal NZ college of General Practitioners as a registrar in their continuing education programme. She graduated from Otago University in 2000 and since has worked in hospitals both here and in England. Mary will be keen to study the health system in Missouri, particularly the role of the GP equivalent.... read more

Nik Kneale Sponsored by the Christchurch West Club Nik is a Landscape Architect in the Christchurch office of the Isthmus Group Ltd, a nationwide Landscape Architecture practice. He graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture with Honours in 2001 and worked in the Wellington office before coming to Christchurch a year ago. Nik has won several national awards for the Oriental Bay Enhancement, the New Plymouth Foreshore project and others. He is also an accomplished photographer with work exhibited or published internationally. He will be interested in all aspects of landscape but particularly urban and foreshore design.... read more

Adding the update on the 30/03/06, but this is from the beginning of march. So yes another long update, after another few very eventfull weeks. This time I did so many things, and so important as well that I need to split the mail into parts, for your reading pleasures. I finished the last update when going to queenstown, the main tourist city in New Zealand and one that actually has a bit of nightlife. Right on the arrival to queenstown, Daniel was all excited all he could talk about is jumping the NEVIS the 134 meter bungi in queenstown, one of the highest bungi jumps in the world. To tell you the truth I was really scared, but I decided I got to get over my fear and if so I should do it with ... read more

After our extended stay in Raglan we set off for Rotorua via Waitomo Caves.... ...now here's the thing... I decided it was time to face my fear and head deep under ground! Kitted out in our rather attractive wetsuits and white gum boots (wellies to you and me) we treked across the fields a bit like the Thunderbirds towards the caves. All was going well...wading and crawling through water, a wee tea break to warm up and look at the glow worms, fondly known as "cannabilistic maggots with shiny shit" and then floating along on rubber rings enjoying a rendition of "Yellow Submarine", a wee bit of Opera and by far the best an in tune version of "Stand By Me" (beautifully sang Boys!). Lying back we were looking up at the glowing ceiling ...and that's ... read more

Plans eh? Made to be broken and I arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand with my arrangements in tatters. The additional unscheduled trip to Alice Springs meant that I had no time to activate my Working Holiday Visa and settle for a while in Wellington with the lads. If my committment to meet Enda in Asia was to be honoured, I had a little over a month to explore New Zealand and this was one country that I just wasn't prepared to rush. The planned rendezvous with my talismanic travel-buddy Kenny Mc was bizarrely scuppered by his inspired challenge to traverse the South Island by bicycle so I faced yet another leg of my trip as a 'single traveller'. However, by now, I was well-accustomed to this form of travelling and if my previous experiences were anything ... read more