Mount Doom (group email)

Another leg of my New Zealand adventure begins...

The much awaited and looked forward to holiday with Linds has now finished, goodbyes said and only a couple of tears shed (I'm getting better!). I'm now settling in in the snow and ice of Mt Ruapehu (right next to Mt Ngauruhoe, better known as Mt Doom). I've met my new ski resort colleagues, got my fancy uniform and all ready to go!

Only a few days ago, I was cruising through the beautiful sounds of the top of the South Island, heading back to Wellington and my job here. Charlie was safely parked in the belly of the Interislander Ferry, carrying her brand new clutch and a lighter load. After years of family easter ferry trips to the UK, this was the first time I'd ever driven my own vehicle on to one, personally rather exciting. And I didn't drive it off the ramp into the water as I used to think could happen.

The past couple of weeks have totally flown by. It's been one heck of a journey. We covered 3,612 km and saw so much.

Following on from the previous email:
A glorious day on the Milford Sound (yep, we got INCREDIBLE weather) was followed by a trundle along the Southern Scenic Route, leaving behind the jaggy Southern Alps for more rolling hilly farmy scenery. In Papatowai we found our favourite backpacker hostel - a gorgeous comfy country cottage, middle of nowhere at backpacker rates. And we were the only ones staying there. Brill!
Dunedin was quite a contrast, but a visit to Cadbury World, Speights Brewery and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 soon made up for that. Dunedin's actually a pretty city too: some buildings that look more than 50 years old, a pretty railway station and lovely university with a main building modelled on, and a wee version of, our own alma mater's main building. Good ol' Glesgae. Most importantly in Dunedin (yes, more important than chocolate and albatrosses), I rediscovered the elder of my 2 American cousins. He's doing a semester over there. The last time we saw each other was at least 8 years ago. He's now 20, taller than me (by a long way) and basically a dead nice bloke.
East Coast of the South Island was less enthralling, but we still had a fab time swimming with dolphins, playing crazy golf, lounging in thermal pools, sleeping in old train wagons, going on long walks, exploring museums, hunting albatross, playing scrabble, and consuming moderate to vast amounts of good wine, chocolate and seafood.
Our final outing was an attempted circular walk of the Kaikoura peninsula. We aborted and went to a 'there and back' walk when not the raging tides and rock clambering turned us back, but instead the large colonies of fur seals lying all over the beach and rocks. Instead we barged through a herd of young cows.

It's been great. There are just too many stories to tell. The journey's been more than just distance covered. We've both got to know each other and ourselves in a whole new way - something I never expected. I'll miss you Linds, but I'll be back before you know it.

So now it's a case of settling in here for 4 months. The job's looking like it'll be interesting - with some bits that are exactly like my old job at the SAC, and others that will be completely new.

Very exciting!