Week 31 - A whole new world & drinks with the prime minister!

Christmas Party Venue! 

Hello folks, well it's a little late this week posting the blog, but it's been a pretty amazing week really! It's definitely summer now, with the need to put suncream on most days due to an intense sun, and a very thin ozone layer! 

I've been drinking in the same bar as the Prime Minister, sailing on boats and even managed to fit in watching the Hobbit (which was a bit of a let down to be honest). I rarely write about only on thing in my posts, but I just can't get over the events of the work Christmas party last week, which had me feeling like Aladdin in the Disney movie, feeling like its a 'whole new world'. (All the pictures come from the works Xmas party this week!) 

Pre-sailing drinks! 

 So, being on the other side of the world can bring some issues with adjusting to feeling like everything is 'upside down'. My birthday in June was in Winter, having always been in summer, which means Christmas is in the middle of summer, + light nights, warm weather, and no snow! I'm adjusting slowly to this idea, but one thing that definitely helped with this adjustment was the idea of having a Christmas party on a boat, on the ocean, in summer! Yes, for someone who has never lived by the sea, this idea had me so excited all week, I couldn't help just saying the phrase "Xmas party on a boat, on the ocean... -  I can't believe it!" (all for just $40 (£20) per person for 3 hours, plus food and drink). 

So the team headed out to the dockside and where met by Captain Tim and his lovely assistant, and a Dalmatian dog, on a beautiful catamaran boat (see first picture). After loading all the food and drink on board, we soon set sail giving me my first view's of Wellington from the sea! 

Wellington City Views...

Wellington views by sea...

Not only did we have drinks on board, we had brought a buffet that could have fed the Titanic! After a healthy dose of suncream, it was time to sit back, have a drink, and soak up the views on offer! 

Our boss in the kitchen! 

Enjoying the ride!

Soaking up the sun....

We began to head towards Somes Island where we due to dock, and use it as a wind break, before heading for a swim or indeed a kayak around the island... this day was just getting better and better. The Dalmatian dog was still stowed away below deck, but we were all enjoying the totally gorgeous weather to mind the dog's shyness! As we heard the captain's shout "land ahoy" we arrived at Somes. 

Somes Island

Me with Somes Island behind! 

Some of the team were ken to get into the water, and soon dived in. I felt I should make the most of the opportunity to swim in the ocean for the first time here. I suspected that at 14.5 degrees, it was going to be a little cold, but wasn't quite expecting to have my male parts hide away for 20 minutes whilst I adjusted to the freezing water. My most recently arrived colleague (Brad) had a far better idea - to use one of the Kayaks to paddle around the island and stay reasonably warm! 

Swimming in the ocean...

Me and Jo! Who's the braver! (Jo)

 So, whilst some of us hit the water for some exercise, other enjoyed the feast and BBQ on the boat, Our boss deserved lots of credit for doing most of the cooking on the little BBQ at the back of the boat...

...and the food certainly woke the dog up! 

So a wonderful day came to an end, with a fun sail back to civilisation, and Wellington docks....

Homeward bound!

Back to Wellington Dockside! 

A great day out had by all! As with all adventures there are a few mishaps along the way, and this trip was not without an injury or two... I'll only share my little issue which was after some over enthusiastic (or tipsy) kayaking, I did manage to pull a muscle or two in my back, which meant having a very quiet weekend!  Well worth it though! 

A final tale - on Tuesday I went out for some drinks after work with another group of colleagues from a different part of the DHB (District Health Board) - well drinks with the addictions team, sounds better, right! We went to a little bar, and I do mean little, called 'Cuckoo'. It was a funky little bar by the waterfront, and all the furniture is from 'Op-shop' charity shops, but is available for you to buy from the bar if you like it! Cool eh? Anyway I had noticed a couple of police hanging around (unusual for Wellington), and I also has seen a sign for 'private function' in the upstairs room of the same bar, - well it was only for the bloody Prime Minister... the parliament building is down the road - just goes to show what a small, and different world I live in now!

Well, that's it for this week,  could go on, but pictures tell the story far better than my words this week! 

Regards from New Zealand

Dan