Snowflakes dust world's steepest street, Baldwin Street, New Zealand
When I woke up this morning, I looked out the window and saw giant snowflakes zooming past my window. No tourists, just snowflakes. They were moving so fast, and the snow storm so thick, I wondered if it was going to stop!
Mt Cargill is a white-out.
It was more of a surprise when Saturday morning ensured the whole street, the steepest street in the world was covered from top to bottom in the thick white snow.
It would be,according to an older resident who lives in the street, and has lived here for thirty years, only the third time
the drive down the hill would not be attempted.
I think I will be right. Snow boots, Silkbody's, woolly hat? All I need now is a cup of milo.
As I look out the window now, the snow has settled, and the snow flurries have stopped.
But just for the moment.
It is the biggest snow storm in the deep south of New Zealand I can ever remember.

Books?

It's winter, and a trip to the library presented the opportunity to witness the local library packed to the gunnells with fellow library nerds. The thing is, the library really is a great place to go on a cold winter's day. I mean, what else are people doing when it's 0 degrees?
I'm re-reading Emma by Jane Austen, are about to tackle War and Peace, and perusing loads of magazines to study for research purposes. I also got out Robert Fisk's new book, some english grammar books, and others.

I've read most recently "The blind watchmaker" by Richard Dawkins, which is a thoroughly excellent read, and I hope, some time in the future hope to get my hands on my own copy.

However, on Saturday night, little did I know I was about to watch the greatest film of all time "All our President's Men" about Watergate, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. I admit to knowing about Watergate, but not really knowing what it actually was. So now I'm alot wiser, and what a thriller it was, perfect for any young rookie journalist.
This I also wish to get a copy of for my own library. Of course, these books are now on my horizons.
Tea is now calling, after what has been a feast of a day already, and it's only Monday, consisting of home-made leek and potatoe soup!

I posted a list in 2005 of city's I have visited throughout my life to date, and thought it was time to update it.
I also considered, this would be an excellent task for today, given my fingers just about froze up for our first real
Jack Frost this winter. This morning, I can attest to running outside, hacking the car door away from it's seal, while a friend
poured cold water from the jug over the car's windscreen, rear windows and side windows!

So, anyway, an updated list for June 2007
Okarito
Fox Glacier
Haast
Jackson Bay
Hokitika
Berlin
Santiago, Chile
Tokyo
Isla Negra, Chile
Villa 20, Buenos Aires
Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires
La Habana, Cuba
Mexico City
London
Auckland
New Plymouth
Gisborne
Napier
Hastings
Berlin
Munich
Koln
Dortmond
Bochem Hovel, Germany
Amsterdam
Purmerend
Edam
Edinburgh
Inverness,Scotland
Fort William, Scotland
Belfast, Ireland
Kinsale, Ireland
Gort, Ireland
Galway
Rio de Janeiro
San Paulo
Buenos Aires
Punta del Esta
Los Angeles
Perth
Sydney
Melbourne
Adelaide
Oxford, UK
Bath
Dublin
Belfast
Killarney
Inverness
Salzburg
Roma
Nice
Florence
Monaco
Paris
Brugge
Invercargill
Tuatapere
Te Anau
Milford Sound
Warrington
Nelson
Auckland
Bay of Islands
Honolulu
Budapest
Kumara
Karamea
Westport
Ross
Haast
Trentham
Linton
Burnham
Whenuapai
Dorset
Twizel
Queenstown
Arrowtown
Monkey Mia
Vienna
The Vatican
Riverton
Waitangi
Tutukaka
Devonport
Auckland
Ngangaruru
Napier
Hastings
Masterton
Palmerston North
Taihape
Taupo
Waiouru
Ohakune
Levin
Wellington
Picton
Blenhiem
Nelson
Kaikoura
Waimate
Twizel
Luggate
Alexandra
The Catlins
Curio Bay
Porpoise Bay
Owaka
Otago Pennisula
Warrington
Dunedin
Port Chalmers
Christchurch

Airlines I have flown
Air New Zealand
KLM
Pan Am
Mexicana
Varig
Aerolineas Argentina
British Airways (Love British Airways!)
NAC (1970's NZ airline)
Qantas
Liberia
NZ Airforce
LAN (Love LAN!)
Qantas New Zealand

Scary moments
The most scariest moment was when I was coming home from Argentina the first time around, and this guy sitting next to me, decided to tell me he was thinking of opening the doors (that being the emergency exit door we were next too).
Needless to say, I laughed, otherwise I would've been shitting myself.

Other scary moment was coming into Dunedin, and dropping about 100 ft in the air. Umm, that gave me quite somethiing to think about.

Best service
British Airways - arriving in Mexico City with no boarding pass, and a million people around, I was treated wonderfully.
We even managed to call home from Mexico city airport!

Air New Zealand for assisting me during a work trip once, when I really really needed assistance due to ill health.

Funny memoir of flying
Mexicana, and arriving into Sao Paulo aboard Aerolinas Argentinas after a 15 hour flight.
My fellow compatriot passengers all clapped loudly for the safe landing by the pilot!
Hearing spanish is highly entertaining when you don't know a word of it!

No worries flying
After commuting regularly between Wellington and Auckland, coming into Wellington's reknown windy airport, becomes all a bit blasay at times, you don't even consider it for a moment!
On one special occasion, I shared a giant 767 jumbo from Auckland - Wellington with vitually no-one, after the airport had been closed and more planes were put on.

FIRST SNOW 2007
I'm wrapped up in my woolley blue hat, white coat, gym shoes, track-suit pants and anything else I could find before I disappeared out the front door and played in the snow.
Now the blue sky has come out, after the southerly forced big balls of the stuff through North East Valley in the last ten minutes.
This is though, only melting stuff. Mt Cargill is dusted with snow, Pine Hill, and I'm supposed to go to Port Chalmers today!
Word has it power is down in far away Clinton, and it's only 8 June 2007.
I've got stories to write so there is no excuses today to escape the fate of being in front of my brand new iMAC to get out in the sunshine, because it's freezing cold!
Thank god for the heat-pump which has been going full-bore for the past few weeks.
Don't you just love New Zealand, in winter?