Eruption? What eruption?

People are so keen to get back to skiing, you would think the mountain never erupted. But there are still plenty of signs (other than the ash all over the top and the bloody great lahar over the far west): one lift is still closed as it's in the immediate danger zone, the snow report includes a well-phrased paragraph with warnings and soothing words, a lahar viewing point has been set up, and the groomer that was caught in it all (and, incidentally, was key in saving the crushed mountaineer's life) continues to be hounded by the media, but has also been given loads of freebies by the makers of the grooming cats, cashing in on his new hero status.

But are people concerned they're skiing on a mountain that only 72 hours ago was spewing out rocks and volcanic mud, registering 2.9 Richter? No. They're back to being more concerned about having lost their black glove, complaining about queue lengths and wondering about the price of rentals and lift passes.

See, natural disasters need only be another small blip in an otherwise lovely skibreak.

This is a lahar emergency

My workplace erupted last night. It's always a possibility when you work on a volcano, but you never REALLY expect it to happen.

And what's it like? Well, this wasn't a huge explosive fireworks display - although some pretty big rocks were thrown around (one crushing a mountaineer's leg, and so that rock now dominates most of the news reports) and 2 fairly mean lahars (volcanic mudslides) came down the mountain. One of the lahars went through our ski area and missed a snow groomer by metres. But when Bex yelled out for me to 'get up, get up, get up' at 10.30pm, the news told us the mountain had gone up, but, well, that was about it. You couldn't see, hear or feel anything, so we just went back to bed.

In the morning it was a bit more obvious - a large area on the top of the mountain is black with ash and the lahar forms a horrible black gash through the far west of our ski area. There are even white ski tracks through the ash where some keen (or crazy?) skier made his mark early in the morning. There's still snow on the mountain, so at night it looks really weird, as though someone's eaten a chunk out of the top of it.

All the staff gathered this morning to be told by our Operations Manager we were closed for the day, not to speak to the media, and to come back up in the evening for an eruption barbeque party (very appropriate). The media is everywhere, along with the usual hordes of rubberneckers. We all cheered on the news report at the party earlier this evening and we've been told tomorrow we'll be back to business as usual.

Oh, and what did I do with the extra day off? Well, myself and 10 pals decided we wanted a different perspective on our newly erupted home, and figured the appropriate response was to strap ourselves to a stranger and throw ourselves out of a plane at 15,000ft. Skydiving. Wicked!

Over it

I'm getting a wee bit tired of this view, this weather, this job. I think the worst is that I'm getting bored of the lack of variety of activities, people and places. Also, the weather's slowly getting warmer, but all it's bringing is more mist and rain. I can't wait to be able to walk round barefoot again, to no longer need to wear thermals, to not have to spend at least half an hour a day trying to get the fire started.

Lost property

K comes in to Customer Services this morning to report the keys to his expensive car missing. When he comes back a couple of hours later, they've been brought in by someone. He asks us to hold on to them for him to pick up at the end of the day, because he's more than likely just to lose them again otherwise.

Later that afternoon he returns.

J: "Hi there, how are you?"
K: "My name's K, I've lost my car keys."
J: "Oh, that's right, yes, we've got them here for you."
K: "No, no, I know about them. I've lost the other set too."
J: "Ah, ok, well if you leave us your mobile number, we can get in touch if they turn up."
K: "I'd love to, but I actually lost my phone up here last month. If you look in your folder the form's in there. I'll just pop in in a wee bit to see if they've been handed in."

When he comes back later, the second set of keys, incredibly, has turned up. K is not as overjoyed as might be expected - his car is almost out of petrol and he's now also lost his only bank card, so has no money to fill up his tank.

Anniversary

I made it. I've been away from home a year. It's the same feeling I always get: It seems impossible that it could have been that long already, while at the same time, I feel like I've been away forever.

This is the longest I've ever been away from home in one stretch, and it's also the furthest away from home I've ever been. Yet it doesn't bother me. Admittedly it's a bit crazy to think how long I've still got to go, but in an exciting way, not scary.

Innige deelneming

At the best of times, I find myself pretty stumped as to what to say to a friend who's lost a loved one. Other than the obvious 'I'm so sorry', it's a case of haul out my most sensitive, careful English and hope I don't put my foot in it.

A dear Belgian friend is mourning the loss of a very close family member who died unexpectedly. What do I say to her when our main language of communication is her mother tongue, but to me has become rusty enough for me to no longer be sure I possess sufficient tactful and delicate vocabulary?

It's becoming slowly tougher for me to fully convey my emotions in Dutch, and it scares and frustrates me.

Legend

My housemate rocks. She really does. Next week is the Whakapapa Ball, 1920s theme and we're both going. I don't have any dresses or anything else suitable to wear here in New Zealand, so we'd discussed ideas, bought nasty dresses and fabric from 'Opshops' (kiwi for 'charity shop'). I came from work today and Bex has made me my very own Charleston flapper dress, complete with lace, sequins and flowers. Handy to live with a trained fashion designer...

My housemate ROCKS!

Senseless stress

I was so proud of myself 6 months ago. I'd lightened up, I'd let plans become spontaneous decisions, I'd taken or left people without taking anything too personally, I'd de-stressed.

I'm back in the workplace, albeit temporarily, and it's almost as though none of it happened. I've become uptight, frustrated, paranoid and, quite frankly, probably a pain in the arse to be around and to work with. I'm possibly worse than I ever was at home because I'm out of my comfort zone.
So here's my fresh challenge: to lighten up, to loosen up at work, and quit worrying so much about what everyone else is doing or thinking. I'll hopefully make my own and everyone else's life so much easier!

Location, location, location

Mt Ruapehu is an active volcano, surrounded by three other active volcanoes.

Mt Ruapehu is situated in Tongariro National Park, meaning there are all sorts of restrictions on what can and can't be built here - such as newer, more reliable ski lifts, sufficient cafe and toilet facilities, better medical facilities etc.

Mt Ruapehu is extremely craggy and rocky, meaning you need a snow base of at least 1.5m to allow for safe and adequate ski runs.

What an obviously brilliant place to build a ski resort.

September already?! (group email)

September already. In a couple of weeks I'll have been away from home a year and in NZ 6 months. Two thirds of the mountain staff finish in a month. I'm here until 28 th October. Then it's up to Auckland for Crowded House. I've made a decision too. I miss Asia, I've got the flexibility, so I'm going back there for the month of November. Back to NZ for Christmas before, well, no idea what next.

It's going to be tough to leave the mountain. I've made good friends, I enjoy the stability in many ways, and it's so beautiful. At the same time, it's so isolated here. In the midst of my horizon-broadening adventure, my world feels like it has shrunk to the smallest it has ever been. I'm looking forward to seeing more of what the rest of the North Island has to offer.

We've continued to enjoy ourselves here in the meantime as well as work. One pal, Matt Ham, is a local and took us on a wee tour of his old stomping grounds and important places in relation to his (maori) ancestry. Our side of the mountain (Whakapapa) competed with the other side (Turoa) in a huge tug of war competition. Each department had at least one team that pulled against its counterpart from the other side. We had a proper official tug of war table and everything! It was a brilliant night, despite the fact we lost (but only just). Last night at a ski club house thank you do for mountain staff, I got a guy's number! OK, so he's 75 and it came with the offer of free Auckland accommodation with him and his wife, but I can't complain!