Thursday 30 August 2018

Achilles

This is a guest post from Ross. I went to play squash with some ex-colleagues from HSBC up at Cloudlands on the peak one Saturday morning. First time I had played squash in, um, 30 years? Sounded like fun anyway. The day before I went I joked to colleague that perhaps I'd do what everyone on my project had seemingly done - rupture their Achilles.

After an hour of uneventful play (apart from the fact that I failed to win a single match - unsurprisingly!), I had "one last match". The fateful "one last. First ball, went to run for it and collapsed on the ground. My first thought was wondering why my friend and hit my ankle with his racket, but that was followed about 2 seconds later by the realisation that that's what everyone says when they do their achilles.

All this was back on August 4th, and it's 3 and a half weeks later now and I've just started with a Vacoped boot and can begin to hobble around. I think this is going to be a lengthy recovery.
A Vacoped boot

So, Cloudlands is pretty awesome, right up high next to the peak with amazing views both north and south, and a pool.
A building below Cloudlands

The pool with a view

The view to the south, Plantation Road below

Monday 16 April 2018

New Zealand - Easter 2018




We had an awesome time in New Zealand - I've made some notes about what we ended up doing, along with some links, which might be helpful for someone!
As well as doing lots of fantastic activities, I really loved the amount of space, the peace and quiet, the friendliness and the amazingly dark sky - perfect for star-gazing!

Friday 30 March

  • HKG > AKL
  • AKL > WEL
Stayed at Set-up on Manners, 57 Manners Street, Wellington

Sporting some attractive headgear on the plane! We flew HK Airlines, which was cheaper than NZ Air, but not great. Long delay taking off with no communication, crap food, crap entertainment options (and remote control broken)

Felix took this pic out of the window on the flight from Auckland to Wellington.

And this one



Saturday 31 March






Outside Te Papa, the museum in Wellington

Jumping off things, like true kiwis!


Stayed at Set-up on Manners, 57 Manners Street, Wellington



Sunday 1 April





















Stayed at Set-up on Manners, 57 Manners Street, Wellington





















Set-up on Manners, 57 Manners Street, Wellington
Monday 2 April
  • Check-out of the Set-up on Manners
  • Collect car from Apex car hire
  • Drive to Palmerston North Rugby museum, also Lego display
  • Raurimu Rail Spiral
  • Check into Shearer’s Quarters
  • Roast chicken for dinner
  • Amazing star-gazing!
Shearer’s Quarters, 1240 Rangitoto Road, Te Kuiti
Tuesday 3 April
  • Waitomo Glowworm caves - fully booked
  • Waitomo Walkway tramp
  • Flat tyre
  • Spellbound tour with Hop
    • glowworm cave, teabreak, dry cave.
    • Big fat eels in the creek
    • Moa bones
  • Pasta for dinner
Shearer’s Quarters, 1240 Rangitoto Road, Te Kuiti
Wednesday 4 April
Lazy Lakeside, 3 Manuariki Road, Rotorua
Thursday 5 April
Lazy Lakeside, 3 Manuariki Road, Rotorua
Friday 6 April
  • Lunch there - hangi pie and sweetcorn cooked in thermal pool
  • Got tyre fixed
  • Kayaking on Lake Rotorua
Lazy Lakeside, 3 Manuariki Road, Rotorua
Saturday 7 April
  • Mountain Biking Rotorua in Whakarewarewa forest - Josh really liked the Dipper
  • Shopping for waterproof coats and hats, Rotorua (Kathmandu)
  • Polynesian Spa
  • NZ Pizza for dinner
Lazy Lakeside, 3 Manuariki Road, Rotorua
Sunday 8 April
  • Checked out of Lazy Lakeside
  • Drove to Hamurana Springs, but didn’t stay, quiet expensive and weather wasn’t great
  • Coffee and muffin at Four14
  • Lunch at the Refinery, Paeroa
  • Antiques shops
  • Stopped at Coroglen public bathroom, by river where Tairu - Whitianga road crosses Waiwawa river
  • Checked in to Ocean View B&B
  • Squids for dinner
Ocean View B&B, 8 Landel Place, Whitianga
Monday 9 April
Ocean View B&B, 8 Landel Place, Whitianga
Tuesday 10 April
Ocean View B&B, 8 Landel Place, Whitianga

Wednesday 11 April
Ocean View B&B, 8 Landel Place, Whitianga


Lots of trips to New World
Listening to Harry Potter
Seeing lots of Jucy vans - the glass is half full, and the other half was delicious
Boys playing at Lazy Lakeside - Josh is Grandpa (who is Graham’s number years old) and needs to go to the doctor
Boys making a train track
Reading Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats
Watching the Commonwealth Games updates
Advert for The Warehouse
Public holiday supplement over Easter Weekend at cafes
Daylight savings time