http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , North Island , Auckland , Epsom en-us Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:29:00 +0000 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:29:00 +0000 Hi Jess and Kris this is my blog great isn't it There is no new news but I wanted to send you pictures of the students.They just took pictures of Spike licking the dishes in the dishwasher nicelots of lovejoseph and mum http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-374772.html Thanks for the emails I really appreciate the concern. I've had a rough couple of weeks but I've slowly been getting my head right. I'm going ahead with my travel for now. I still need to spend a lot of time thinking things through and the outdoors is my favorite place to do that so I may as well stay in here. I've haven't talked to many of you in a while but I'm going to try and keep in intern http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-365839.html Roger and Audrey Gudgeon invited all the old employees of McConnell Dowell who had spent time on projects in Asia and the Middle East Regions to a reunion barbecue at The Pines in Epsom Auckland.This was an opportunity for all those who had lost contact with each other to renew friendships.Thankyou Roger and Audrey for a lovely afternoon. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-247809.html Well day two didn't exactly go as planned. Podger was due to get the day off but ended up working so didn't do the plane ride. I went downtown and got set up for the Thialand trip. Took a few pictures of the city and then met himself and we went up to the top of one Mount eden in the centre of the city. One of the 6 volcanos dotted around the city. Mark rosny lives in the shadow of it so we met up http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-240824.html We landed in New Zealand tired disorientated and in Tomrsquos case rather smelly after 2 days of flying and waiting for flights. Unlike UK airports the NZ airport authority employs more than enough people. This allows you to get through a more thorough passport control and customs very quickly and easily which was a bonus. That being said the free transfer from the airport to our hotel arran http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-193881.html We arrived in Auckland New Zealand or Aotearoa meaning The Land of the Long White Cloud on 27th June. We were promised 'freezing' weather so were quite relieved when we got off the plane to be met with just a 'cold chill'. We got a taxi to our hostel which was quite a way out of town. As we pulled up it was rather reminiscent of the hotel from 'The Shining'. We got inside and were a little sh http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Epsom/blog-175398.html