An end has a start

Greetings blog fans!

As usual, I have been somewhat neglecting my blogging duties. I would love to tell you that this was due to a variety of exciting adventures, but I'd be lying. The truth is I have been exceptionally busy, but for a variety of complex reasons. A lot has happened since my last update. I'm not really keen to discuss a lot of this on the old bloggy-woggy, but I'll give you a quick update on the latest developments.

As you may have guessed from my last entry, I didn't like Australia much. I really can't tell you why...I just didn't. When I got to Sydney, I really didn't feel like hanging about. It was a cool city, but by that point I had become a bit 'scunnered' with kangaroo land. So, I made the decision to come back to NZ. Although it was fairly cheap to fly back, it was a far from simple process. I originally arrived in NZ with a 1 year Working Holiday Visa. By the time I got to Sydney my visa only had 2 weeks left to run. Although the visa could be extended by another 11 months, I had to apply in person. I also had to go through a full immigration medical (blood tests, chest x-rays, physical) which was less than fun and just a wee bit pricey. By the time I had got all my results and put together my application I only had 11 days left on the visa! I asked the nice lady at immigration how long it would take to process my application and I was told that their 'target' was 30 days! It was rapidly looking like I was going to get the chance to experience life as an illegal immigrant (not something on my 'to do before I'm 30 list'). However, all credit to the normally less than efficient Kiwis, I was granted my visa extension 24 hours before my stay became officially 'unlawful'.

So, here I am back in NZ. I have moved into a new place in Mount Eden with views over the city. I also managed to get another temp assignment at AUT university, this time in the research office. There has been a lot of other stuff going on, but I'll tell you about all that when I see you.....

Which leads me on nicely to some exciting news (for me anyway) - I'm coming home! I will be leaving NZ on 3rd Dec, stopping in Bangkok for a few nights of hot lady-boy action. I will be back on UK soil on 8th December. I have mixed feelings about coming home. At lot has happened, a lot has changed, and to be honest I really don't know what to expect. I'll be extremely sad to leave, but I think the time has come. See you in Dec chums!

Tambo x

Welcome to paradise

Hello blog fans!

Where to start. Have you looked at my photos? Okay, lets start with the boring job stuff first. I have now 'downsized' from 3 jobs to 1. You may remember that I mentioned in the last blog that there were some interesting job developments on the horizon. Thankfully I was a flooky b*stard once again and I am now an employee of AUT University. Yes, I've travelled to the other side of the world and I'm still working for a bloody university! I'm working on a nice wee project creating online handbooks for the faculty of design and creative technology. The contract is full time through to the end of November....perfect timing for me to check out the job market for a while and use the last few weeks of the year to explore the North Island before my good chum Alan arrives and we embark on our South Island tour. Sweet as!

You will notice from my photos that I've been spending a lot of time at the beach. If you haven't had a look at the photos from Karekare yet, go and have a swatch now. Looks good eh? Trust me, those photos do it absolutely no justice whatsoever. It is the beach where the piano was filmed and is possibly the most stunning place I've ever seen. If you had told me a few months back that I'd get a bit emotional over the sight of a baby seal sunbathing on the rocks I'd have laughed in your face. I did though. That said, I had been drinking for 15 hours straight the night before and I was a bit 'tired and emotional'. Seriously though, this country can be quite overwhelming at times....in an entirely good way.

I've just returned from a weekend at the bach. A bach is an NZ family holiday home, generally near the beach. My very generous flat mate kindly invited me up to her family bach for the weekend. The trip was fantastic, although my watch met a sad demise when my flatmate unleashed a high impact 80s power ballad interpretive dance move. Photos from that adventure will be up shortly. The flatmates have been very good to me and contintue to put up with my drunken antics. Bizzarely one flatmate is my birthday twin, so we are celebrating with a visit to Waiheke Island (vinyard tour and dinner on a boat - woohoo). She has also kindly invited me down to New Plymouth for Christmas. I hope she knows what she's letting herself in for!

How are things going? Bloody great thanks!