Ngarunui Beach

I have been remiss, haven’t I? So long without writing to you may have made you feel that I had lost interest or forgotten about you. I apologise for the delay between posts, but life has just been too full and enjoyable to catch a moment to sit down and write.

What’s been pulling me along so fast? I hear you ask. To that question, there is no definitive answer except a series of enjoyable events, with brief periods of recovery in between. Let’s start from late November when our dear Dutch friend Rina, paid us a visit here in New Zealand. Her yearly jaunt to Australia has been switched to a New Zealand adventure. Soon after Rina left us, Phil and I headed off to Christchurch on the South Island. A few days rambling around the city and its surrounding hills kept the energy levels depleted. Upon our return was the 40^th birthday event, which turned in to a week of eating nice food with excuses such as pre-birthday and post-birthday celebrations. And now, it is the Christmas/New Year period and I have just worked 2 and half weeks with 2 days off! The New Year will see my mum and niece, Chelsea, visit here in New Zealand, followed by a trip for Phil and I in March to Niue. In April, I am back to Australia for a few days as part of a course I am studying. So, I had better get to it………..XXXX

We are what we repeatedly do. (Aristotle 384 BC – 322 BC)

It’s always been satisfying to go home to see my family and friends. I love my family and adore my friends and think myself blessed beyond worthiness of their presence in my life. For much of my life though, home has been a great distance from where I find myself travelling and working. I used to be concerned that I was missing out on sharing the special occasions because I was somewhere else, other than home. I would worry that I was in some small way letting everyone else down with my absence, and was creating gulfs between myself and home and all of its entities. Worried that friendships would wither and family bonds would fade. Except when I do return home, I realise that it has all been my insecurities which have allowed these thoughts to creep in to existence. For when I go home, there is no evidence of resentment, shame or guilt. No questions about my reasons for being elsewhere, for not being home more often. All I get is love and warmth and hugs and smiles, everything that makes me feel centred and calm and the very reason why I still call it home.
So to all the family and friends whose company I enjoyed last week, thanks for the great times. I truly relive the moments every day and feel warm and restful. For all my family and friends including the ones I rarely see and the ones who live on the other side of the globe, thanks for being part of my life. It is because of you all that I continue to live and laugh and grow. Together, you are the water in the river of my life, carrying me gently to the ocean of eternal bliss.
My mother used to say that there are no strangers, only friends you haven't met yet. She's now in a maximum security twilight home in Australia. Dame Edna Everage (1934- )

Hamilton Zoo

As I sit writing this, it rains outside. In the past two and a half weeks we have had 359 mm's, that's more than the yearly rainfall where we lived in Australia.

One of the preliminary postings I was going t o make on this blog was a brief introduction to Hamilton Zoo so all and sundry can see the environment I have been working in. Almost a year after arriving here, I have remembered this and so in a lame attempt to create ‘the bigger picture’ here is a short introduction to Hamilton Zoo. I have used a few figures of comparison to Adelaide and Monarto Zoos, for those who know or work there can use these as a comparison to augment the impression.Hamilton Zoo is a moderately new zoo. Started in 1969 (the year I was born) it was originally a game farm where birds such as pheasants were bred for release for hunting. Not a very pleasant beginning to the story. There were also numerous other bird displays as the owners were avid bird keepers. Eventually a few exotic mammals come in to the collection and there you have it, a Zoo. The Hamilton City Council stepped in during the 70’s to prop it up financially and when the Zoo faced financial ruin, the Council took it on board completely, rejuvenated it and has run it ever since. Now it is 25 hectares in size (Adelaide Zoo (AZ) 8 hectares, Monarto Zoo 1000+ hectares), holds approximately 450 animals (AZ 1800, MZ 400) of 95 species (AZ 200, MZ 40+). Unlike Adelaide Zoo though, the collection is not filled with little critters like fish or invertebrates or small birds, but larger species of mammals as well as numerous birds, especially waterfowl and parrots. It is just outside the city set among thickets of native and exotic vegetation on low undulating hills, peppered with lakes, stream and waterfalls. The zoo is involved heavily in native New Zealand conservation programs as well as being highly regarded for its success in breeding White Rhinoceros. The zoo is about to expand in size by about another 10 hectares, with the land already fenced off and ready to be developed. This area will become the new African section with the addition of Lions, amongst others. There will also be safari tent accommodation and educational facilities. One of the best things about Hamilton Zoo is the size of the enclosures. Nothing is being kept in tiny cages for the ease of the viewing public. The African section at the moment is a large field, which from different locations you can see herds of Zebras, Giraffe, Blackbuck, and Nilgai mixing with Ostriches and Guinea Fowl as they would naturally. There is walkthrough aviary which is the largest in the southern hemisphere and a series of lakes which are home to numerous waterfowl in a natural environment.

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. (Albert Einstein)

Following on to my previos post taking the piss out of New Zealand, here is an add with a similar angle about Australia.

"Where the bloody hell are ya?"

For any Aussies who remeber the "Where the bloody hell are ya?" Australian Tourism campaign, with Lara Bingle, here is the New Zealand version. No offence to anyone, just a giggle.

Me? Snowboard??

Here I am, roaring down the slopes of Mt Ruapehu. The person that falls over in about half way through, is not me. I am the one zooming past in the orange jacket. Anyone else impressed? Or just me....?

Water restrictions? What a strange and foreign concept. Growing up in rural Australia, water was always seen as finite resource and restriction were commonplace. It is now at point where it is no longer a question of whether there are restrictions in place or not, but at what level the restrictions are. Furthermore, the restrictions are no longer seen as a temporary state but a permanent part of life – all year round. Farmers can no longer to ever expect to get 100% of their water allocations, summer watering hours are enforced as harsh as speeding fines or other minor criminal offences, and green lush lawns are frowned upon even in public spaces. This is what I left behind in Australia, this new cancer firmly chiselled in to the Australian psyche.

Leaving Australia in November last year, we flew over vast plains of dry, brown grass and dust. Nothing too unusual for the south of the continent at the end of spring though. Arriving in New Zealand, we drifted over great swathes of dark green grass, not a patch of bear earth to be seen anywhere. Brown was not a colour clearly visible in the New Zealand landscape. Instead, it is a palate of shades of green, surrounded and mottled by various hues of blue. These were the colours which assaulted my eyes in every direction I looked. Even in the height of summer, everything was green and lush helped along by summer storms between the long fine runs of sunny days. Come winter, it turned colder and then the skies delivered the real reason behind this perpetual greenness. The rain tumbled down, filling all the creeks and rivers and creating other temporary ones. The fields became marshes and soil remained sodden. The opposite of water restrictions and preservation were methods to drain the land as quickly as the rain falls. Channels and drains criss cross the landscape to allow the water to remove itself and its inconveniences with it.

So, water restrictions? Still pretty much unheard of in this part of the world. We clean with water blasting machines, not brooms, we have shower heads that deliver enough water to fill the Sydney Harbour in seconds and everyone has dishwashers, swimming pools, and washes their cars and driveways with hoses. Just one of the many minor differences that remind us that even though a form of English is spoken over here, we are not in Australia anymore.

Be great in act, as you have been in thought. (Shakespeare 1564-1616)

What I learnt today.

A recent rest from work has reminded me why I wanted to move to New Zealand and inspired me to get even more motivated to experience the new and challenge my self-perception. Since deciding to stay on indefinitely in this country, I have noticed my mind become more work focussed and life has been taking on a new rhythm revolving around getting the most out of my job and finding satisfaction in the routine. All good, but this was about to change.

When friends recently visited from Australia, we headed off on a road trip and ended up spending the last few days on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu snowboarding. Downhill skiing I had accomplished back while studying in USA, and had many opportunities since. Cross country skiing was the mode of transport over winter when working in Norway. Snowboarding was that uninspiring activity that I saw all the young kids creating havoc on the ski slopes with. Not for me. It’s a fad and it will never last anyway.

But last it did, and even flourished you might say. Ski down any number of slopes these days, and the boarders equal if not outnumber, the skiers. I needed to see if it really was that much fun, or were all these people just doing it for the tough image of being a rebel, of one who walks to a different beat, or should I say of one who slides down a different slope? Either way, the board was on my feet, the appropriate gear was donned, the German instructor was ready to instruct and the fun began. Fun trying to stand up, fun trying to stay standing, fun trying to move right, fun trying to move left, fun trying to turn, fun trying to stop, fun getting on the lift and then fun doing it all over again…..and again with a few falls…..and again with 2 falls….and again with no falls…..and again. And then it sunk in why there were so many people boarding than skiing these days. It was loads of fun! Snowboarding was so much more challenging and rigorous than I imagined, yet a strong sense of grace and smoothness – unable to be compared to skiing at all really. Inspiring!In the aftermath of this latest adventure, my mind went in to inspiration overdrive. I had experienced something new and stimulating and loved it. This posed the question - what else am I missing out on? Everywhere I looked, I came up with ideas and new challenges I wanted to attempt. Surfing, dancing, painting. Writing, singing, documentary making! It’s all there for the brave and all I needed to do was step forward and make the most of my privileged situation. So next time you are travelling around the New Zealand countryside look out for the singing, juggling artist and author who plays the guitar with a distinctive Latin American dance rhythm while surfing the breaks along the coast of Raglan. It could be me.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

If you like to travel....

I found this website about travel quotes, but it also has so much more including free volunteer opportunities, advice, suggestions and everything else you that may interest fellow travel minded people. The link goes to the quotes page, but it is an inspiring palce to start.
Brave New Traveller

Also, for those who do not have access to facebook yet, I have created a Picasa album of our recent road trip with Lisa and Richard. have alook here.

What winter?

“Watch out for the Waikato Winter” I was inform many times when I arrived in New Zealand. With steady reminders about how cold and wet it gets here, I was braced for a daily confrontation against cold, icy mornings, constant rain, driving winds and bad moods. Ready to conquer the predications that a mere Aussie will not cope with the onslaught and will be pointed at and teased, eventually forever being shunned as a fool. So I waited for the intensity of winter to bring on its wrath, I waited to step up to the challenge of showing my capacity to adapt to the climatic extremes of New Zealand, and I waited to see spring arrive so I could exultantly call myself the victor of this battle against the elements. And I am still waiting. It did get cold. It was minus 4 degrees Celsius a few mornings, it definitely did rain more frequently than my place of origin in Australia, and I can see snow on the distant volcanic peaks. But now the daily temperatures are in the mid to high teens again, and rising. The nights are mild enough to start the day in a short sleave and vest. The grass is growing, the birds are singing, the bulbs are flowering, the days are getting much longer, and yes, spring has pounced upon our paradise. So why don’t I feel triumphant, like I survived the nastiest weather experience ever and want to run up the hills shouting “Victory to the Aussie, Victory I say!”. I think it is because many locals have this idea that all of Australia is sunny and warm year round. Many have relatives living in Queensland, which of course is not the best representation of Australia, so that is what they know best. Every time you see a travel advertisement or a holiday package deal it is also to Queensland, yet again spreading the rumour that all of Australia is warm and sunny. Full stop. It is unacknowledged that places like Adelaide and Melbourne can get icy cold in winter, and that it snows in Canberra and Hobart. Queensland is not Australia, but it is what many people over here seem to identify with. So, I did survive the winter unscathed, and upon hearing a few locals say that was the most terrible winter they recall, my confidence is enhance to endure the next few winters with less struggle than the last. I guess that still signifies I can get into my boots, ascend the nearest knoll, and roar “Victory is upon us, let’s celebrate!”.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. (St. Augustine)

Our local beach, Raglan

Memories.....

It goes without saying how much I miss my family and friends; hence they are not discussed here. It is a little debilitating not being able to dash up to see my family for a few days at short notice or to be able to call friends to spontaneously invite them over to dinner that night. It’s a different world for me here. Despite those two mammoth elements that I miss in my new life here, it has become apparent that there are several more and I realise what an important part of my life they were. The fact that I miss these physical elements of living in Australia is by no way intended as a criticism or disrespectful in any way of what I do have here in New Zealand. I love it here and wouldn’t want to change anything. These ramblings are solely about what I miss about Australia, not what I think would improve my experience here.

Horizons and a sense of space. A bit hard when there are hills and mountains all around even though they are still really beautiful hills and mountains, every time I get to a place where I can see for miles, something becomes really familiar and comfortable.

The colours. Everything is green over here, bright green, which again is really beautiful, but I do miss the contrasts of the dry earth with the grey green gum leaves and their mottled trunks, the dark green of the Australian bush and the blue sky which over sees it all.

Birds. There are only 51 species of birds found in NZ, 37of them introduced such as sparrows, starling, blackbirds etc. There are no huge flocks of colourful parrots or cockatoos screeching overhead, nor vibrant finches darting through the undergrowth or wrens with shimmering blue and melodic warbles. None of the avian colour and vibrancy which we take for granted in Australia brings the New Zealand landscape to life in the same way.

Mammals. Prior to humans arriving, NZ was largely uninhabited by mammals apart from a few bats and marine species. Since the arrival of humans however, there has been a large number of species successfully introduced including pigs and rats right through to mountain goats, hedgehogs, stoats, cats and foxes. A lot of these animals go unseen except for the dead possums and hedgehogs added to the road sides each morning. Driving through beautiful countryside and spotting sheep and cows doesn’t quite make a good wildlife spotting experience. Coming from our farm in Rockleigh we had a host of bats, kangaroos, wallaroos, possums, echidnas and even a few wombats. Not a day would go by without something hopping past the window, or racing alongside the the car down the dirt road to the freeway. I realise now, one of life’s simple pleasures.

Reptiles. As with birds and mammals, NZ has a tiny number of species compared to Australia. There are no big sleepy lizards, blue tongue lizards or bearded dragons to dodge on the roads, no 3 metre long deadly snakes relaxing on the doorstep and no startled lizards scurrying in every direction in the gardens.

And finally - Pub meals with snitzel nights, homemade burgers and crispy chips served with seasonal vegies which all taste the same as they are drowned in a white sauce.

But remember, things are never better or worse, just different!

Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise.

A view from a hill.....

The excitemnt of Auckalnd Domestic Airport

Mums revent visit to Bridal Veil Falls near Raglan

The flight to Wellington

Earthquake Safety Tips

Earthquakes can strike without warning, and being prepared for such a disaster can mean the difference between life and death. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones make it through a quake:

§ Those living in areas not prone to earthquakes can respond quickly to the plight of disaster victims in quake zones by complacently smirking and saying, "I told you so."

§ To minimize loss and damage in a quake, try not to own things.

§ Experiencing an earthquake is terrifying, but a majority of people caught in one do survive. During the tremors, try to resist the temptation to have sex with pets or houseplants.

§ Practice your burrowing-out-from-under-40-tons-of-rubble skills ahead of time.

§ Look out your window often. If you see a large, zig-zag-shaped crevasse moving rapidly from the horizon toward your home, step either to the right or the left.

§ Do you have a treasured childhood toy? Perhaps a stuffed animal, such as a teddy bear? Well, let's see Mr. Bear help you now.

§ For those who fear earthquakes, it may comfort you to know that a majority of the damage during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake did not come from the tremors themselves. Instead, it was from the raging, out-of-control fires that consumed most of the city.

§ A doorway is the safest place to be during a quake. Eat, sleep and work in doorways.

§ Be sure to mail your house-insurance payments a full five business days before a major earthquake strikes.

§ In the event of a quake, get under something heavy, such as a desk, a table or your uncle.

§ If you are caught in a major earthquake in Southern California and are part of the entertainment industry, take a moment or two to reflect on how grossly you've wasted your life.

Information courtesy of The Onion and click here to see the latest earthquake activity in New Zealand.

A sunny day out!

Brave Phil

The Kiwi has landed: Part 3

....and so the story enters its final stages......

Which brings me to the point that it was strange having this woman approach and talk to me because I was in a world of my own. Despite being in the middle of a city, in a crowded supermarket car park, I was alone. The reason being that for the past hour, I had managed to go grocery shopping and get petrol without having to talk to another person. One of the surprising things about this particular supermarket is that you can do everything without the help of any staff member. After selecting all of my groceries, I proceeded through the checkout. This is no ordinary checkout though, I had to scan all of the items and pack them myself. To pay I simply interfaced with a computer which takes cash or cards before sending you on your way. I didn’t need to utter a word, less I draw strange looks for trying to start a conversation with the machine. With my discount fuel docket in hand, I headed to fill up with petrol. Again, a silent computer offered me instructions on what to do and what codes to enter before allowing the fuel to flow. Unbeknown to me, without the annoying distraction of having to communicate with living souls, my mind had shut down. Then, out of the corner of my eye I see a woman approaching me and she must have mistaken me for another human because she………talked to me! I was totally unprepared for this new type of interface in my day, but it made me feel alive like I had just woken up in a sunny new world.

What you will do matters. All you need is to do it. (Judy Grahn)

Mt Karioi, Raglan

The Kiwi has landed: Part 2

....and the stroy continues......
A long story, but how is it relevant to my time here in New Zealand? Well, the same thing happened to me here a few days ago. Once again cars were involved, and a strangers questions, but it wasn’t a new language that I realised had been a barrier; it was a collection of little things. Since arriving I have been getting used to all the small differences in comparison to Australia. A few examples -there are some very unusual traffic rules, plus if you have an accident the government pays for all of your health care but if you just want to visit a doctor because you are sick then you have to pay everything, it’s also up to you to decide whether to send in a tax return or not, and they call Australia “Aussie” and Australians “Aussies”. While these things are not cultural divides that are impossible to fathom, they do make me realise that this is a different country from Australia and things are not to be assumed or taken for granted. So once again, a spectator watching from the sidelines just waiting for his chance to get called up to the game. The call up recently came at a petrol station where there are no operators to take your money, it is all done by automated teller machines (more about that in Part 3 of this tale). This particular station was one of the places I dreaded. As there was no one to show me how to use the system, the first few times I tried to get fuel I ended up driving off in frustration and embarrassment and finding one of the old fashioned petrol stations with human operators. Having got the hang of this new system recently though, I was filling up my car while watching a young couple go through exactly the same motions as I did upon my first attempts. How could something so simple be so foreign I thought to myself? Upon catching my eye, the girl approached me and uncomfortably asked how it works and I duly told her the secret to winning the fight with the machines so she could get her fuel. Driving off, it was a moment where I realised I had crossed over from being the learner of everything Kiwi and had become enlightened enough to be a teacher. It doesn’t quite make me a local, but it sure gave me a renewed sense of belonging and strength.

The Kiwi has landed: Part 1

The following entry is part one to a three part story. The other parts will be published on this very site soon. Lets call it "Spreading the Joy"?

A long, long time ago in a far distant land.........when I was working in Norway, I remember the exact moment when I felt I crossed the line between being a visitor to that grand country and feeling like a local. I had struggled a bit with the language since arriving and most of the locals in the remote area I lived could only speak Norwegian. As a result, I really felt like I was constantly battling to establish a sense of self identity within myself, and therefore the community. It was a time where I learnt Language is the single most impenetrable barrier to a new culture. One day however, while walking the few kilometres of country roads back from the local shop, contemplating life’s gifts and marvelling at the ruins of ancient roads which ran parallel to the stream, it hit me! Without warning a vehicle rushed up beside me and a man opened the window and shouted a question at me. He was obviously in a hurry and I felt a little intimidated with the urgency, so I gave him the directions that he so desperately needed. With that done, he sped off in the direction from where he came and I was left alone again. Then I began to smile. I started as a tingle inside but ended in an arm raising release of joy. I could feel my spirit guides dancing around me in support as I swallowed the reason I was experiencing this feeling. The albeit brief yet intense conversation I had with this man, was in Norwegian. Not my usual effort of - Think about what you need to say, how do I say it? Is this the right tense? The right tone? No, none of that. The situation was so spontaneous and unexpected, I didn’t have time to think anything, I just blurted out my responses, in Norwegian! That was the point, with that realisation and that confidence, when I began to feel that I was no longer a spectator on the sidelines of this game, I was in it. The rest that say, is history.

(To be continued....)

Being in authority does not make you a good leader, it is an opportunity to be one. (Anon)

Random things I love about working for the New Zealand Government

Everyone can get free copies of the latest release computer software programs. I recently received a copy of the latest Microsoft programs – most of which I have never heard of, but the email program is great.

We get a paid day off a year to go and volunteer in the community somewhere.

We get a paid family day just to do whatever we want with family i.e. a mother visiting from overseas, maybe?

We get a free health and fitness medical once a year.

There are dozens of free courses which we can choose from if we want to improve our skills. I am off to a ‘Resilience at Work’ course in a few weeks to learn about conflict resolution, negotiating and similar workplace tools. They will also pay for tertiary fees if the study is relevant to our position.

We receive council subsidies to play sport and to be fit and active.

We get a free paid day off to attend NZ’s biggest Agricultural Field Day.

The council will pay for our membership fees to any relevant groups and organisations.
As council employees, we get discounts at a large range of businesses and services including gyms, hairdressers, health and medical practitioners, hire outlets, accommodation and car rentals

And finally, the best of all……

We have a masseuse comes in to the zoo once a week to soothe our aches and pains!

So it’s not only about the working outside and running around with exotic animals that is great about this job. There are a number of little things like these which kind of fill in the gaps between the bigger aspects of the job.

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. (Margaret Thatcher)

I lost a good friend of mine a few weeks ago. We hadn’t been friends for too long, but I considered him one of my best mates. We spent a good part of my last year in Adelaide Zoo talking every day, me more than him of course, but it was always good conversations. We didn’t always speak though, a lot of time was also spent just enjoying each other’s company, just sitting, listening and watching what the other was doing and trying to sense each other’s thoughts and moods. You may have met him if you were one of the many who visited Adelaide Zoo, his name was Pusung and he was the male Sumatran Orang-utan. It was a gentle friendship which grew in to a trusting bond that I cherished, and was my greatest loss when I left for New Zealand. He died a few weeks ago, due to a medical condition in his throat which lead to other complications and I never got to say goodbye or even see him. I didn’t even know how ill he was until after it was all over. I feel so alone because no one over her knew him and so my sadness remains inside.

When I first started working in the industry, a supervisor told me that the golden rule is to never get attached to the animals in your care. It was seen as a flaw or a sign of weakness. I have never believed in this, and indeed have strived for the complete opposite. I would challenge anyone who says a good animal keeper must remain disconnected from their charges for fear of becoming emotional involved in making decisions based on this, not on reason or ethics. The loss of Pusung is devastating, but I have no regrets in becoming so attached to him.
This isn’t just a personal loss either; everyone who worked with him over the years is feeling sad right now. Even people who had brief encounters with him through tours and visits to the zoo are overwhelmed.
Pusung trusted me enough to allow me to do some training with him. He would open his mouth wide and I could check all of his teeth and make sure he was taking care of them. He would push his nose in my direction so I could clean it when he had a cold. I could clean his eyes, check his hands and feet for injuries and prod and poke him almost anywhere to make sure he was all OK. With minimal training, he learnt a lot. This isn’t a reflection on me, it was he who had to do all of the learning and hard work, I was just the weird human that wanted to clean his nose.
So now, his imposing presence and personality have gone from my former workplace. No longer can he turn his back when offered celery instead of banana. No more shutting his den door to indicate that he doesn’t like the person that came to see him. No more offering his head for a kind pat. No more gentle throat rumblings to say he has had a good nights’ sleep. Nothing. Only the memories I have, the pictures I saved and this feeling of sadness and loss remain.

It’s hard not to feel philosophical and poetic about the most recent twist to this adventure in New Zealand. I neve imagined that when we first talked about moving somewhere else for a year of experience and adventure, that it would end up in the situation we are now in. This week we officially resigned from our positions at Monarto and Adelaide Zoos back in Australia. The opportunity of securing permanent and long term employment here at Hamilton Zoo was too great to pass up, and unfortunately this meant we had to resign from our Aussie jobs. It was a decision that slowly crept up on us, but was the right decision to make. I felt stuck between two zoos so to speak, unable to embrace the new until I had said goodbye to the old. So the goodbye was said and it is time to keep on moving. There are many opportunities for us here to grow and develop, with the support and encouragement of fellow keepers and management. We have been given responsibilities and challenges which we yearned for to stay focused and committed. The entire journey from the initial suggestion of an adventure to this very point in time has been great so far, and as I said in the beginning, it is difficult not to feel philosophical and wonder what guided us to this fantastic and extraordinary point because it indeed was not planned.
It’s not all about work either. You have seen the photos of what we are doing, where we are living and these all add up to the momentous feeling of being that I experience each day. I won’t describe the setting to you again, but it is idyllic and peaceful. We have our 2 dogs here now, plus 4 chooks, 3 peacocks and 4 Galloway cows.
What is missing though, are out families and friends. Slowly we become more familiar with the new people around us, but there is not yet that complete connection that you have with people that you share a history with. There are no spontaneous calls for dinner catch-ups, and chats over coffee are sorely missed. These may come and until then, I have more time to be poetic and philosophical.

What a wonderful experience it was to visit Samoa. It wasn’t a holiday, nor a visit, not even an adventure, but a wonderful experience that I will always look back on as precious gift. Why is this so? I will explain later. For now, the run down of our Samoan experience. Coming straight off the back of working 7 days in a row, it was hard to get psyched up for the trip. Driving to the airport after work on day 7 it started to kick in that we were going somewhere. Landing several hours later in a humid and tropical atmosphere a day ‘before’ we actually left Auckland threw the senses in to a state of utter confusion. A short sleep later, followed by a peek out the room windows confirmed that yes indeed, we were no longer in Kansas, Toto. Palm trees swayed over the blue waters of Samoa’s coast, with local people scurrying about their daily business. Waves were gently crashing below, strange and beautiful birds fluttered between the trees and small fluffy clouds dotted the horizon as only they do on tropical seas. We spent 6 days in this tranquil place and here are some of the highlights: coral reefs with colourful fish, churches on every corner with everyone dressed in their best fine white clothes singing with powerful and harmonic voices, friendly and gentle people everywhere with a smile, markets full of fruit and vegetables of every colour, shape and size with people talking singing and laughing with those big smiles again, old ford buses that look like they have been jacked up with music pumping out of the open chassis and people crammed in to every corner, tropical rainforests complete with down pours of tropical rain, coconut served with everything, boiled bananas as a potato substitute, roadside BBQ’s, everyone sleeps outside in open walled ‘fales’ which are colourful and tidy as much as the gardens, more whipper snipper’s per head than cars makes them very garden proud……………and there is more, a lot more, but it is really to be experienced to fully understand just how grand the island of Samoa and its people is.

So why was it more of an experience than just a holiday? It was the people, the culture which they maintain and the results this all produces. Everyone was so pleasant and friendly, it was a little awkward at first. They were reserved and polite, which was easy to think at first was disinterest and rudeness. As soon as they saw you smile though, it became an open, gregarious and happy atmosphere and nothing was too much to ask of. Once I realised this, I swung in to fine form with my questions, asking questions of everyone I got a chance to. Coupled with this welcoming and hospitable treatment of visitors, was the evidence of their strong sense of tradition and commitment to family. Everyone lived in their large family groups in small communities within the village, and time was spent with each other. No one did chores alone, no one sat around relaxing alone, and it was all about community and family. Even the families are allowed to go to the schools where the children in their brightly coloured uniforms can see their families and join them during breaks. While the morning was for gardening, cleaning, fishing and so on, the afternoons are often spent relaxing in the tropical heat. Sitting around talking and laughing, they must have so many stories to tell as conversations were constant. Like my stories of Samoa………….

It is never too late to be what you might have been. (George Eliot)

Mum's visit

There's nothing like the family to make things real. A recent visit by mother was what made this adventure in New Zealand become confirmed to my senses that this is now where I live and work. Showing her around as a proud local helped me feel that I do live here and I do relate to new environment in a familiar and comfortable way. My mum and cousin ,Shirley, spent almost two weeks with us and we tried to get out and look around as much as we could despite both Phil and I working for much of the time. We saw the local area as well as making the pilgrimage down to Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms. Overall, it was nice but brief time. I am hoping to be making regular future visits to Auckland airport to meet my mum and enjoy the warmth of my family.
We cannot destroy kindred: our chains stretch a little sometimes, but they never break. (Marquise de Sévigné)

At last our dogs have arrived and what an immeasurable sensation it was to see them again. After scampering between various offices within Auckland International Airport to acquire the right stamps and signatures of approval, we were finally allowed to see them. We hadn’t quite completed the processes when a door opened and there was Renner, pulling at the leash attempting to go somewhere, anywhere, just get me outa here! Then she saw me and got really excited…..for a second……then headed to the grass areas for the first of many comfort stops. Poor girl. I felt even worse for Phil who was denied this first opportunity to be with Renner because he got called in to the office to pay the final ‘fee’. While one of the quarantine folks walked Renner, I went and got Flinders, who was equally as oblivious to everything, just wanted the grass area. Phil eventually came out of the office and we were all reunited and free to leave. After one fit of running up the road and back to the car, we headed off for home, the dogs hanging out of the window with all of the new smells to inhale. Tiredness took its toll, and eventually they fell asleep. At home they were so tired, there was little else to do except let them recover from their travelling ordeal, and sleep. The next morning they were different dogs completely, all rested and revved up they were crazy and full of energy bouncing from Phil to me and back again, not knowing which way to run or turn, so just running everywhere and barking with glee. It was so comforting and reassuring to see after the previous nights lack lustre reunion.So, they are now settling in very well. Renner loves the creek and all the puddles that are around. We take them for little walks each night to try and get them used to the fact that the creek is only to be visited with Phil and I around as it can flood with rain, going from several centimetres to about one and a half metres deep of raging water. They run through the tall green grass as if it brings them great pleasure and cool relief. I know it does for me.

You will never plough a field if you only turn it over in your mind.(Irish Proverb)

Prior to writing this entry, I went back and read several of my earliest entries leading up to our departure from Australia. I was brimming with enthusiasm and looking forward to the unknown challenges, both good and bad. I was optimistic about what potential adventures were in store for me and ready to embrace opportunities to go forward in my life, emotionally, physically and mentally. We have just passed the three month mark of our stay and I have got to say, all of those feelings and emotions I was experiencing prior to arriving in New Zealand are just as robust now if not more so. The transition period has been swift and full of activity yet nowhere near over. I can’t see this new environment ever becoming a staid and routine one, where everyday life takes over from the excitement of what each day is going to bring. Of course, not every day is full of vibrancy and awe with exuberance and happy smiles. Life is life after all. But there is no concern that things will grow old and comfortable because of the nature of what we are doing, who we are and where we are. Off the top of my head, here are a few of the big positives that keep me on this high:

We live in lovely cottage set in a beautiful location, summer is mild, the grass is green, crickets and cicadas chirp musically all day and night, the flowing stream near the house lulls me to sleep at night and wakes me gently in the morning, I work independently with the same goals at my colleagues, I can travel without having to reorganise my entire life, I have less reasons to be bound to the home on days off, I live less than 10 minutes to the Tasman Ocean with its beaches and rugged coastline, it rains, I get to go tramping regularly, we are saving lots of money so travel lots of travelling to do, our dogs are arriving next week from Australia, several family and friends are visiting us during the year beginning with my mum on Thursday!, I go to the gym every week and have lost almost 9kg since leaving Australia, I eat better and live healthier, we are off to the South Pacific island of Samoa next month, we have 5 chooks and to top it all off……….I feel great!

It's not how long you live, but how you live, that is the most important thing.

It is time to answer some frequent questions I have been getting so here are some specifics about our new work environment. For those not working in the zoo industry, some of these aspects may not mean anything at all. For fellow keepers, they may wet themselves with glee!
The Zoo – Hamilton Zoo is 14 hectares in size (approx 36 acres) compared to Adelaide Zoo's 8 hectares (approx 20 acres). It is situated amongst a low hilly area just outside of Hamilton, with room to grow and indeed already has a lot of land earmarked for future developments. It is a network of paths and boardwalks which criss cross through landscaped native forest and gardens, across lakes and through the biggest walk through bird aviary in the southern hemisphere - complete with waterfalls.

Browse – These are the trees and bushes that the animals eat and for keepers, good browse can be like gold to find. The zoo is so big that there are pockets of browse trees scattered around the zoo. This includes poplar, willow, paulownias, lucerne tree and mulberry. It is so easy to get enough browse, freshly picked, any time of the day. It’s such a luxury.

Again relating to the size of the zoo, we have gators and kobotas (two types of little buggies) with tray backs and trailers to zip around the zoo in. It’s great on a warm day to drive fast along the boundary roads to get a cool breeze blowing through your hair! It’s downright fun too!

The working roster is over a two week period. It is 3 days on, 2 off, 7 on, 2 off, then back to 3 on. If you don’t like the 7 days in a row, you can swap it with one of your other days off to break it up. Phil and I are both on the first roster I described, which is great for us as it allows us to go away for overnight trips on our time off. The hours are we start at 8am and finish at 5pm, with a morning and afternoon break and a lunch break. People tend to take a longer morning break or longer lunch and skip the afternoon break, which works really well. It is a very flexible working environment.

There is enough staff to cover all of the working areas each day, but we could always use more to allow for development and extra jobs that need doing. We have brief morning meetings each morning, just to get a feel for the big picture of the day ahead and sort out any extra jobs or issues that need to be dealt with. We have section meetings at least once a month, then all staff meetings every few months. Twice a year we have appraisals where we sit down with our supervisors and talk about our jobs, our roles, how we are doing and what do we want to achieve in the next 6/12/24 months. Our next one is in March and I am looking forward to that!

Please ask any questions you have about my New Zealand experience, as there is so much to tell I run the risk of boring you all to death. Better to be avoided, me thinks!

Never confuse motion with action. Benjamin Franklin

It is so liberating to promote dramatic change in your life. I am going through an unconditional new phase of my life and loving everything about it. What is one of the greatest feelings is the sensation of familiarity of the process I am going through. Despite being in an entirely new environment with all of its fresh challenges, different people, enjoyable routines and so on, there is something comfortably familiar about what I am experiencing. I realise now that this is an old feeling I have harnessed once again, a feeling I have had several times before – of leaving everything I know and going off in to the unknown, where no one knows me, my past or my plans. By taking only my physical self into these new situations, I have shaken off all the personal baggage I have accumulated – the worries, the misdeeds, the negatives. I have chosen what to take with me, and what to discard. The end result is a clean palate on which to paint the next story. It is just so liberating.

Not that I had things I needed to run away from, but we all get weighed down in our current lifestyles without even knowing it. It is only with such breathtaking changes can we become aware of how heavy our loads have become without noticing. Additionally, with even modest changes comes the realisation that much of this tedious load is unnecessary and oppressive. Forcing ourselves to regularly reassess our loads can free our minds and souls. Of course not everybody is in a position to pack up house, leave their jobs and take off towards the horizon in search of new adventures. But we would all be better off if we stopped once in a while, remembered who we are deep down inside where no-one and nothing else can touch us. Then consider for an instant about where we have come from and the experiences and relationships that have helped shape us. Finally, combine these whole emotions and thoughts to clarify a plan for the future. Once we do this, we can then take a deep breath and progress confidently along our selected paths. Smiling assists the sense of liberation to set in.

To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can't just accept the ones you like. (Mike Gafka)

Everywhere I look I see apes, and I don’t simply mean hairy folks with low IQ’s. On the work front, I have been living and breathing Chimps since arriving in New Zealand. For those unaware of the situation, two of the Chimps from Adelaide Zoo coincidentally arrived at Hamilton Zoo the same week I did. It has been years in the planning, and an example of how life continuously weaves a magic tapestry. So, just when these two females think they have seen the last of me and heard their last Aussie accent, there I was when they pooped out of their boxes on the other side of the Tasman. Shock? Horror? Disbelief? Disappointment? Well, it was actually reassuring and comforting for them and very importantly me, to have familiar face to bond with in this new country. Since then, there was a 30 day quarantine period (for the chimps, not me) with intensive contact and interaction, followed by a process of introducing them to the existing troop of 6 chimps. For the uninitiated, Chimps are not all cute and cuddly like the Chimps in old movies or Disney films. They can be viscous, manipulative, cognitive killers just waiting and watching to cement their place in the world by asserting dominance over others. Of course, they can also be hilarious, peaceful and loving animals, given the right social mix and stimulating environment. So, at the moment, we started off with the former and we are aiming for the latter. As the chimps begin to mix and match their personalities and preferences within the group the dynamics will change. The tension will develop and unfold to create a stable and respected social hierarchy, which will keep everyone (including the keepers), happy. Along the way there has been blood, tears and lots of screaming, and that was just from me. The chimps all have a assortment of wounds of numerous descriptions and some are playing mind games with others, testing who is to be feared, who can they persuade to be on their side, who will make the strongest team when it comes to defending themselves against the bully boys and so on. It’s a complicated process of matching personalities and strengths with others and guessing the top twenty possible outcomes and being prepared with a plan B, plan C and plan D for every possible one. The screaming is blood chilling and not something you’d want to experience without warning, then their physical strength is astounding as they throw each other from elevated platforms and their speed is blinding as they bounce of the walls like spider man. It’s all too much for a soft head like me.

As a result, I dream of chimps, or sometimes Orang-utans, almost every night. They are usually escaping out of their exhibit and I am typically the only person around to get them back in. Last night however, I dreamt of taking a bunch of Orang-utans to see a movie?!? I took them home early because they needed to go to the toilet and they didn’t know how to use the public ones in the cinema. OK, someone analyse me quick and sort this head out.

Life is an opportunity and not an obligation.