An interview with myself: Part 1

Q. So how have you been since we last communicated?

A. Well, busy to put it in one word.  After packing up our lives in New Zealand we now live in Darwin, with a two week long stopover in South Australia.  It was a whirlwind period and I feel like I have lost the past few months.

Q. Are you happy to be back in Australia?  I know you missed it a lot while living in New Zealand.

A. Yes indeed,  I did miss Australia and have written in the past  how I pined for the sounds of the Australian bush, the smell of eucalyptus, the bright wide open spaces and so forth.  Having said that though, there were always going to be things I’d miss about New Zealand once I had left.  So while I am enjoying being back here, I often think about what I have left behind.  I anticipate moving back there again one day, perhaps in the not too distant future.

Q. Wow, breaking news, we will save that for another interview then!  So, what was your first impression of Darwin?

A. Having been here many times as a tour guide, I did have some idea what I was getting myself in to.  It has certainly grown in the past 10 years though, with several high rise buildings now giving a definitive urban outline to the skyline.  It is remains a lovely, tropical and sunny city surrounded by blue ocean and palm trees swaying in the breeze.  The ‘dry’ season has just begun so the savannah woodland which makes up most of the landscape here has begun to dry out.  We live about half an hour south of Darwin, so I enjoy a drive through this harsh environment which then gives way to the tropical parks and gardens of Darwin city.  It’s a nice transition.

TBC in the next post

Leaving.

In less than three weeks’ time, we will be moving back to Australia.  Our one year adventure quickly grew in to more than the three years it has ended up being.  I thought this imminent departure would surely be an exciting time, having made the decision to return to my beloved homeland to be embraced by its warmth once more.  Many months ago, the thought of returning would have generated all sorts of wistful emotions and immediate thoughts of what I miss so much about Australia.  Now, sitting three weeks out from the departure date, I can’t see any of these things.  My vision is impeded by all that is around me now and exactly how much of an amazing place New Zealand is.  It has been a generous home and we have been gifted with far more than deserved by the people we have met and the places we have visited.  I’m not sure how I am going to get through this.

The packing has been largely done.  There was none of the grand shedding of physical belongings which I found so exhilarating and liberating when packing to move over here.  We have accumulated little since arriving, but still it has been sad to discard even the most mundane of belongings.  I have never been so attached to a kettle in my life as I am right now to our current one. I recall purchasing it on our first shopping trip in our new country, along with an assortment of other household items.  The sense of new beginnings and unknown adventures became embodied in this kettle.  It has greeted me each morning, whispering the continuing promises of this new beginning and adventure.  It has been part of every visitor to this house, family and friends from Australia have benefited from its faithful presence.  As I gather it up, ready to be packed for selling, all of these thoughts go through my head; all of these memories are fighting to stay free and continue being remembered.  But as the box of items disappears down the road in the back of someone else’s vehicle, so to do the memories which are attached to them.  Like I said, I’m not sure how I am going to get through this.

I know I am going to be excited to be home in Australia, to catch up with family and friends, see the sights, the experience the heady smell of eucalyptus laden air again.  I know it is going to be great shopping for new cars, going through our storage shed of belongings and re-packing for Darwin.  I know it is going to be exhilarating to arrive in Darwin with its tropical climate, majestic palms, dramatic scenery and outstanding sunsets.  I know it.  I just don’t feel it.  Not while I can see all that I am leaving behind.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” - Seneca (4BC-65D)

Dunedin Art Gallery taught me.....

Art should speak for itself.  That's what I think anyway.  As an art novice I have been lead to believe I was inept.  I was unable to look at art and start waxing lyrical about it, having it consume my consciousness as a result of bearing witness to its powers.  I didn’t comprehend the diminutive descriptions that galleries post next to their collection pieces explaining what the art is or what the artist is representing, communicating and embodying.  How is it those 7 paintings in a row, all white except for a small black dot in the centre of each, can get the label of ‘art’?  We have all had similar experiences when visiting galleries, or seeing the unveiling of a public sculpture or simply flicking through a magazine.  We have all at some stage gawked “that’s art?”

A recent visit to the Dunedin Art Gallery did change my life however.  Not because I saw a piece of art that captivated me and spoke to me.  There wasn’t a piece that epitomised my own conviction that a struggle between colours can mean a struggle between the sexes, or that smooth curves embody the changes in life stages experienced by the artist.  Blah, blah, blah, No.  The visit to Dunedin Art Gallery made me defiantly decide that I cannot be in a minority as someone who fails to understand the intricacies and intimacies of art.  I must be one of millions who are missing the fictitious ‘art’ gene.  There is no rational explanation for why many of the pieces were even held in the gallery.  They all had descriptions, but even they struggled to  make meaning to me.  Some even read like excuses, justifying why a wall of bright coloured oversized sequins with a fan blowing air on them is in an art gallery and not a circus tent or a child’s birthday party.  So, a sense of relief came over me as I left the building.  This ‘art’ did have a massive impact on me after all but I am sure it was not the way as the artist intended.  I will tell you about it next post……

An interview with myself.....part 2.

John Question: Do you see yourself staying in New Zealand for much longer?

John Answer: A little while longer, but not really sure beyond that.  There are a lot of changes going on at work at the moment, within the bigger organisation of the council and even within the New Zealand economy as a whole.  Things aren’t looking promising but we aren’t about to the flee the country in the dead of the night or anything.  We have flight booked to Tahiti next year!

John Question:  What is it you miss about Australia?

John Answer: There are the most obvious things like my family and friends.  They are by far what I miss the most.  Then there are a range of other things which I realise now, after being here for 3 years, that I took for granted.  I miss the wildlife, all the colourful birds with their equally colourful singing all day, I miss waking up to kangaroos staring through my bedroom window, I miss the colourful native flower displays which change with the seasons so there is always something to marvel at, I miss the high wispy clouds of summer and the heady smell of eucalyptus at night….I had better stop there before I do flee the country in the dead of night!

John Question: Is there anything like that which you think you will miss about New Zealand when you leave?

John Answer: Absolutely, I look around and see things that I feel are very unique to New Zealand and my time here and know that once I leave, they will be things I wish I had somehow enjoyed more.  I have met some great people over here, a few even that I would consider lifelong friends, so again, people top my list.  Other things will definitely be the beach at Raglan, it has so many moods and I have spent a lot of time there running around with Phil and the dogs. It’s a black volcanic sand beach and is always so beautiful in a rugged west coast way.  I will also miss the kebabs from the Turkish place on Brice Street; they are simply to die for.  I will miss the regular sound of rain as it falls soothingly all around, the vast expanse of green in a myriad of hues, being able to ski down the sides of a volcano, cheap trips out to tropical Pacific nations and again I will stop there because there really are so many things.

John Question:  Is there any message you would like the readers to take with them today?

John Answer:  Epictetus was a Greek philosopher who lived in the first century AD.  He wrote – “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do”.

An interview with myself.....part 1.

John Question: What’s the best thing you did today?

John Answer: I took the dogs for a predawn walk this morning up to the hill at the end of the road and watched the sunrise.  Stunning way to start the day.

John Question: What are your plans for the rest of this weekend?

John Answer: I have a list of random things I want to do, but probably won’t get to all of them.  I need to update my blog, make sure I do some yoga and some stretches and just generally relax.  I also need to start looking at accommodation in Tahiti for our trip there in February.  Generally, I want to relax and not think about work or anything negative that makes my soul feel heavy.

John Question: What is it about your work that makes your soul feel heavy?  I would imagine working with animals to be very soothing and joyful?

John Answer: And to a large degree it is, which makes the bad things about the job seem even worse (he chuckles).  Keeping animals in a zoo environment poses many challenges for those who work with them.  There is a constant need of enrichment, care, observation and training, not to mention the daily cleaning and feeding.  All of this can be different from one day to the next, so there lays the challenge of keeping on top of it all so in the end you are giving the animals a great life while keeping yourself sane.

John Question:  What would you be doing if you weren’t a zoo keeper?

John Answer: I would imagine I would still be tour guiding, or I may have finally got around to becoming a teacher.

John Question:  What do you think you will be doing in 5 years?

John Answer:  I seriously consider my options for the future because zoo keeping is a very physically demanding job and I have never seen it as the job I will be doing until retirement.  I hope that my next career change will see me back in the tourism industry again, either as a tour guide or a travel agent.  I enjoyed the customer focus of tourism as well as the travel.  I may end up doing a travel agent course sometime soon.

John Question: What do you think you will be doing in 10 years?

John Answer:  Again, tourism would be something to keep me happy for some years, but again I think I would like a change after a while.  Counselling is something I can see myself doing later in life.  The personal contact with people and the issues that they face attracts me to the role.  I have often been the one people come to for help and feel it to be some sort of calling.  Sounds corny but that’s how I feel.

The remainder of the interview will be published soon.

Well it’s about time I hear you say!

Sorry it has been a long time since I last wrote a bit of an update.  There are of course all of the same old excuses of being busy, work and holidays, but none of them can really be considered acceptable reasons to be so slack with keeping you up to date.

It is coming up to three years since we left Australia and headed across to New Zealand for a change of scenery and a bit of an adventure.  And the adventure continues.  Time has moved along at a pace that it hard to distinguish a difference between when we left Australia and what I did last week.  It all seems to have blurred in to one.  Maybe this is a sign of the adventure we are on, or maybe it is a sign of getting older.  Either way, it feels good.

We moved to a new house earlier this year. The little cottage we were living in was the original family home of our landlord, and she wanted to move back in after a relationship break-up.  There was no hurry for us to move so we took our time to search for the next great house to make our home.  We found one in April and moved what little we had with no fuss.  The new house is bigger, much newer and warmer so there were some nice changes.  It is also closer a tiny settlement which has a store and a great coffee shop (the only two buildings in the village) which we can walk to for any last minute supplies or a coffee in the sun on our days off.  It is also closer to the coastal town of Raglan, our most loved corner of New Zealand.  We did sell our cows though, which was a bit sad to see them go.  They all went to the same hobby farm somewhere near Auckland so I am sure they are happy.  The yard is bigger so more room for the dogs to run around and the view looks right out into the landscape compared to our last house which was nestled in a bit of a valley.  So, all up, it has been a good change in scenery.

We have been travelling around as much as time permits.  We spend a little over a week in Vanuatu in April.  We have gone out to a Pacific Island each year we have been here and so we hope to get to Tahiti next time.  We also travelled around the east coast of the north island which was the last of the regions in New Zealand that we had not yet conquered.  Can cross that one off the list now.  The most recent big trip ended just yesterday, after a week-long skiing/snowboarding trip to the South Island staying in Queenstown and Wanaka.  It was sunny the entire time so the skiing was great, although very bright, and school holidays had just finished so the place was relatively stress free.  Wanaka has been a favourite place ever since visiting there on our first trip to NZ and it has proved yet again why.  It was so peaceful and serene.  In many ways it reminded me of when I was living in Norway with the steep glacier formed valleys and countless waterfalls tumbling from the slopes.  Our next trip is already booked and that will again be to the South Island but we will go out to some of the islands that have become refuges for NZ’s rarest of birds as well as a visit to the sounds in Fiordland

Work is going well.  I am currently the acting Team Leader of Mammals which is a long way from what I thought I would get to do over here.  My boss is away on a long holiday and I got nominated to take on the role until she returns.  I have been filling in for her on her days off but nothing for as long as this.  What were they thinking, eh?  It is a good way to learn a lot very quickly and a small part of me will be disappointed when she returns.  There is an opportunity looming to become a team leader in the next few months, but there are so many other things to consider.  Like I started off saying, it has been three years and I find myself thinking of home more and more.  As for Phil, he is also growing a developing himself.  Apart from doing a lot of tiger training and becoming a primary keeper of the carnivore section, he is also one of the heads of the design team involved with building a new gibbon exhibit and modifying the tiger exhibit to accommodate more tigers.  Our year way from Australia to learn a few more tricks is really paying off for both of us.

The dogs are all good.  I am sure Flinders misses having goats to chase like he did in Australia, but we take them to the beach often and walking around the country roads around the house.  There is one goat down the road which likes to chase the dogs if they get too close, so that is their ‘fix’ of herding animals.  We also left our chooks at the previous house, so it’s just us and the dogs now.  A far cry from the days of our farm at Rockleigh back in Oz with all the goats, chooks, peacocks, pigeons, frogs, snakes, geese, emus, fish, guinea fowl and everything else.  I miss having lots of animals around us at home, but we really don’t spend as much time here as we did back in Oz.  Our days off are often used up going places and walking or skiing or just taking the dogs to the beach.  We wouldn’t have time to appreciate or properly care for anything else these days.  It will probably change upon our return to Australia although it has been good not having to organise someone to feed a hoard of critters when we go away.

As always, if you want to know more, I am still maintaining my blog that I started when I left Australia although I don’t update it as much as I would like.  It is now being archived by the National Library of Australia as material which they said was of national significance.  I’m not so sure about that, but just glad to hear that someone is reading it.

On this past holiday I promised I would try to write to family and friends more often so I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy and rest assured that I think of everyone often.

Hugs from Aoteroa

John

What men do.

Aspiring to acquire new skills has been my mantra since moving to New Zealand.  I craved this to be a chance to break away from how I saw myself by challenging this self-perception with new routines and new interests.  Some things have worked well – like snowboarding – others have been epic fails – going to the gym every week.  Other things seem to come and go as they please, and I am happy with this – swimming laps for fitness, reading more books and eating healthy are just a few.  The latest craze for me though has been……mosaic.  Gasp! The domain of bored housewives and childcare centre inmates.  However, I did some research and found it to be one of the most ancient and elaborate art forms in the world, with examples still standing from thousands of years ago all across northern Africa and the old roman empire.  A stash of library books later and an all day work shop saw a new terror unleashed on society.  I was ready to create a formidable artistic impression on the world.  So far though the impression is more of a small dent with only one piece completed – a mirror.  No quite the walled garden of an ancient roman artisan but a comfortable place to begin.  There are a few more pieces lurking unfinished in my ‘studio’  as well as a mountain of tiles, boards, mirrors, glass and assorted utensils – all waiting to rally to generate pieces of enchantment and admiration.  Stay tuned to be enthralled (and guess what you’re all getting for Christmas’ for the rest of you lives)!

Becoming a part of Australian history

Who would have thought, eh?  I started writing this blog as a means of keeping a personal journal of this adventure as well as a way to share the fun with those friends and family who choose to do so.  Along the way I have been giving an honest account of how I feel about it all, as well as putting up a few photos and videos to add to the thrill for the readers chasing of my exploits.  Recently I was contacted by what I thought was yet another junk link to my blog by someone wanting me to contact them.  For those in the dark on such issues, the way to leave 'spam' on a website is to leave a message containing a link back to their own website to generate traffic and interest in their products.  This time however, it was a genuine message, from the National Library of Australia.  My humble entries have been deemed as being "of national importance and significance" and as such they were asking for the copyright permission to archive the entire blog and any future postings.  It still makes me blink when I think about it.  Who would have thought, eh........

A sunburt country no more....

When it rains in New Zealand it really does a good job of it.  My last post, too long ago to be forgivable, I lamented the long dry spell which had been cast upon this alluring green landscape, threatening to turn all things brown and parched.  As nature would have it, not long after that it rained, and then soon after that again, and again and again and…..well you get the picture.  The total rainfall over the last few weeks is close to 300 mm of life giving precipitation thanks to a series of dying cyclones which have been carried south from the Coral Sea off Australia and tropical pacific regions to the north of New Zealand.  This pattern is set to continue, shaping the summer up to be one of the wettest on record for the North Island of the country.  Now that I have said all that, it won't rain again now………

A sunburt country...

When leaving my 'sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains' and moving across the Tasman, I never imagined that the word 'drought' would be used to describe New Zealand.  I understood New Zealand to be the land of green grandeur, rolling hills of lush grass, substantial rainforests, lakes, glacial streams and waterfalls.  Water, water, everywhere. Our first two summers here were described to us as ‘dry’ and drought ridden, which we couldn't balance with our Aussie appreciation of the terms.  The fields remained green the creeks still flowed and it continued to rain enough to maintain these elements of the New Zealand environment.  This summer has changed all of that.  By the end of autumn, the rolling hills had already begun to look unfamiliar to the impression I had acquired up to this point of time.  The local landscape has begun to appear more like our Aussie farm in autumn as the rain dries up and the greases all die – not yet brown, but no longer green either – a painful moment between seasons when I would realise the cool and comfortable winter has passed and the harshness of summer is about to strike.  So, the desire for more rain which played out its annual cycle in Australia has followed us to New Zealand.  You can guess what I will be hoping for Christmas this year……..

Cruising right along......

There is a terribly old cliche "Time flies when you are having fun". Not very eloquent or original, but I can;t think of a more suitable way to explain my absence from my updates here. For the first time, I have skipped a month without posting anything, not even a picture! So, to make up for this I am going post a video each month for the rest of my time here. A recent birthday saw an new ipod with amazing video abilities appear in my bag of technological gadgets. While I am still figuring out how to use it like an expert, it does take decent videos without to much intervention from me. The 'cow' video a few postings ago was an example. So, stay tuned for more snippets of life here.....
Apart from being slack with the updates, life is good. I have been trained on the bird section here, which everyone knows is my passion, so I get to do one weekend a month. Not a lot, but enough to feel like I am still maintaining all I learnt about birds while at Adelaide Zoo. The rest of my time is still divided between the chimp sections and all the other primates. At home, we have been out hiking a few times but looking forward to winter snow so we can go snowboarding again. Today is the end of daylight saving so it will be darker earlier, another milestone towards the changes of season.
OK, a quick update, but more to come soon. I need to keep my audience happy don't I............

Not a great deal has been going on lately. It is nearing the end of February, the second month of the year....almost one sixth of our way through 2010! As a teenager I heard a lot of older people keep talking about how time flies as you get older, as well as the classic ‘Where has the year gone?’ comment, but I never really understood these points of view, so I never really believed them. After all, time can go no faster now that I am 40 than it did when I was 20, right? But somehow, with the magic of experience and wisdom in hand, it does. So when I say ‘Not a great deal has been going on lately", it makes me wonder where has the time gone and why don't I have anything to report? Time does really does fly....
If I break it down though, of course I have been busy and not wasting precious time. The daily routines of life in New Zealand have been circling me and creating a whirlpool of energy and events which remain important yet unremarkable at the same time.
One big event that was remarkable was a recent visit from my mother and my oldest niece, Chelsea. They came over to NZ for a week and we went sightseeing and exploring and just spending time together. Another interesting addition to my weekly routine is I have taken up Spanish again, as part of an advanced group for conversation practice. I have been talking to myself in Spanish for years, hoping to retain some of the years of University study sweat, but it is nice to be able to speak to others again.
What does the future hold? In less than two weeks time we will be submitting ourselves to yet another tranquil tropical isle. This time we are off to Niue for a week. Niue is a tiny island with one flight a week, relatively undeveloped and ignored as far as tourism goes - no plush resorts, noisy scenic flights, roaring jet boats, big markets or the western crowds which blight most of the other marketed pacific islands. After our time in Niue, we have a few weeks back at work and then I am heading back to Australia for a 3 day residential school as part of a course I am studying this year. Coincidently it will be at my old work place, Adelaide Zoo.
So, that’s the report so far for 2010. Time really is flying…….

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)

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)

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.

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.

‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse………unless you can class the sound of our tummies creaking with maximum capacity being pushed to new levels.

Christmas this year will be another adventure. Despite a few lovely invitations to join new friends for Christmas revelry, we had previously elected to have a picnic, a decadent picnic may I add. It is planned for the Hamilton Gardens which we have become so fond of. We are hoping that not too many other people choose to do the same so we will be able to pick our spot – possibly in the walled Italian Renaissance Garden? Or the fragrant herb garden with its lavenders and mints? Perhaps even the 16th century Indian Garden with is stunning colours and unpretentious water fountains? Or maybe all of them even, who knows. With an esky in hand, have food – will travel! As we eat, we will be sure to reminisce about our family and friends and trust that they are doing the same of us.

Everyone here has been so welcoming and outgoing. For the few months prior to arrival, we were made to feel very wanted with offers of accommodation, advice and encouragement. Upon arrival, this has continued and I am confident will stay the case. Our earliest few days were overwhelming with welcomes and smiles all round. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased to have us come in to their small and familiar work environment. I sense that I am at a point now where I am relaxing and joining in on jokes and conversations, not as a stranger trying to fit in, but a recent addition to the team.

I wish everyone a sensational time over the next few days and that the laughter and food continues in abundance. Contemplating the memories of you all will be the best Christmas gift I receive this year. Thankyou, for all of them.

Live as you will have wished to have lived when you are dying.

So whats this all about then?

As many will know, Phabulous Phil and myself are trekking over to New Zealand for a 12 month keeper exchange. We will be working at Hamilton Zoo on the North Island, and two of their keepers will be moving over here, one to work at Adelaide Zoo, the other at Monarto Zoo. We are not only swapping jobs, but also houses, cars and other parts of our lives. Quite a big adventure which is not only going to present some big changes and challenges, but some outstanding opportunities and rewards.

I have always thought I'd like to give blogging a go but never really had any reason to sit down and write mindless drivel for anyone to read. Keeping a journal of the experience for my own benefit will also allow me to share thoughts and experiences with anyone else who wants to keep up with it. There will still be the constant use of facebook, and emails and maybe even an old fashioned post card or two, but this blog is intended to be the more detailed and graphic representation of the experience.

I am starting it now, because the adventure doesn't just begin when we step out of the door, or onto New Zealand soil, it actually began when we decided to do it. This was a few months ago when we decided we had been in one place for long enough and it was time we got out on a journey of some sort. After many years of travelling and tour guiding, staying put was quite a novelty and an enjoyable one at that. We decided to email the major Zoo's in NZ to see if there was any interest in a couple of keepers wanting to do a Zoo exchange. We chose NZ because we loved the country after visiting last year, and also because we originally wanted to take our dogs (no quarantine). Lucky for us, two charmers from Hamilton Zoo jumped at the chance as passionately as we did, and it went on from there. They will be taking on our jobs and our house, with us doing the same in Hamilton.

So that brings us up to today. We are slowly finding new homes for our pets, packing up a lot of the house that has become cluttered with our recently stable lives. I said the journey started a while ago, because all this organising and packing has brought on many thoughts and emotions which can only be caused by this sudden change in our life plan.

Between now and sometime late next year, and maybe even longer, I will regularly add updates, photos, videos and drivel for those who want get a glimpse of our adventure. I hope you can join me........

You must be getting excited by now?

The title of this post is the most common phrase spoken to me this week, in reference of course to the big move to New Zealand. Somehow, somehow the word excitement does not fill the adjective requirement in that particular phrase. There are so many more emotions and thoughts spinning around that one word does not qualify as the sum of all these thoughts. For example, everyone knows about the number of pets we had here on the farm - goats, emus, frogs, dogs, etc. Over the past few weeks we have whittled the whole collection down to a few remaining individuals which will be cared for by our 'replacements'. It has been a little more emotional than either of us though it would be, too. The excitement is a little clouded in sadness and doubts as our lives on the farm get chipped away with each animals departure to new homes. Its so quiet.

As for work, well things are very interesting there with all the developments and changes going on. I would love to be around to see everything unfold, but at the same time it is a little comforting to think that upon my return from NZ, I will be walking into a new Zoo with something like $30 million dollars of new development being planned before the end of 2009! So once again, some more emotions and thoughts to stir into that pot of excitement.

Following on from all of this are the universal experiences of many who have gone before me on these sorts of adventures. Leaving behind family and friends, missing out on big events back home, how will I cope with the weather and whats it all really going to be like?

Over the next year or so, these and other questions will be answered a dozen times over. There is so much unknown at this stage that I am just trying to keep my mind open to every possibility without having any expectations at all. These feelings of anxiety leading up to the departure day will ebb and flow like an wave lapping on the shore, doubts will surface and problems arise. Bobbing around amongst it all though will be that inevitable feeling of excitement.

So, yes, I am getting excited by now.