Week 35 - Dan makes the local news, Do I really look under 18? & The Dangers of Being 'healthy'!

Me sporting my Xmas present from Germany - Jose & Helen's Cheerleaders Group!

Hello Everybody! I hear England is waking up to mass snow falls and a really winter feel, whilst here in New Zealand (Wellington) we are getting blown away by the wind! The wind is a real talking point in Wellington! When people say oh 'Windy Wellington' - they are not exaggerating. It was so windy last week, I that whilst going to the gym, I literally had to physically hold on to a post during one extreme gust of wind! It explains the lack of any serious stick up hair styles, and free flowing dresses! 

upcoming events!

The other most wind related issue is the waterfront, and sailing activities. There are all kinds of amazing  activities on offer by the water, windsurfing, sailing, kayaks, pedalos, swimming - including the dragon boat races as you can see in the poster - my aim is to try and get funding for a team of clients to participate in this event!! You do have to be a little bit careful thought because it's not uncommon to come across schools of jellyfish or surprising Stingrays! Yes the creature that killed the Australian animal adventurer Steve Irwin, can be seen in decent numbers swimming around the bays of Wellington - and I do mean big ones! 

Despite the cancelation of last week's sea kayaking, I have been able to book on a indoor wall climbing event this coming week, and a brilliant $250 entire weekend of adventure stuff in February (white water rafting, gorging, abseiling and caving - food and accommodation included!) That's with one of the 'Meet-up' groups I joined (The Wonders of Wellington & Adventure Wellington). So add the bike rides and gym, and you can see why I have lost weight and feel the most healthy I have been for quite a few years! Don't worry I have stopped short of wearing tight lycra (as is common here) - remember, lycra is a privilege not a right! Having taken some advice I booked a few sessions with a personal trainer - which started tonight, and almost killed me! I took some advice to buy some protein shake, but kind of made a mistake with the quantity I ordered I'd get fit just carrying the tub around!! See below! (My work mates have not stopped laughing at me all day when this delivery arrived for me!). 

oops... I think I ordered too much protein shake?!

Saturday was flat hunting day! Yes that's right I shall hope to be on the move to a cheaper flat next month and have flat mates for the first time in a while. My soon-to-be flatmates Tibo & Kala seemed less shocked than I was at the number of people looking around the first flat we saw, (we took the first one we saw because it was with our current property company). I couldn't believe how many people were looking around, and last week we called 7 places we had seen advertised, and they had all been taken already! Clearly it's the season to be flat hunting!  

Sunday meanwhile was football time with the Wellington Phoenix playing the West Sydney Warriors! (or Sydney 'B') as the Wellington fans like to chant. The atmosphere was almost carnival-esk with a special promotion, 3 kids get in FREE with only 1 paying adult! Just $32 for four - not bad. I was really lucky again to get a $20 ticket as some guy had spare tickets he was trying to get some money back from. (I would later be very relieved I had not paid $32). 

The first half of the match Wellington played well, and we were a happy crowd, expecting to get the win in the second half - it didn't quite work out that way losing 0-2 and a really awful performance! So bad intact, that the local paper (see below) wrote how bad they were and showed how frustrated the fans were!

The local paper!

Football headline

Now take a closer look at the photo and spot the guy in the green, slightly to the left of centre! Yes that's right, I made the paper! Not quite how I imagined, but not a bad start!

Spot the guy in green!

I also got up at 02:30 Monday Morning to watch the Man Utd vs Liverpool game! It's hard to watch your team lose to their closest rivals and play so badly - even worse at 02:30 am!
So time is ticking on and I want to start writing abstracts for the NZ OT conference and the World/ WFOT conference in Japan next year - the worst that can happen can only say no! Its going to be a very busy month too!

P.S. I got asked for ID (age identification) Friday night as I going into a bar! Then the guy said my UK drivers license was not valid ID! He suggested I get an 'over 18 proof card' - needles to say I just laughed at him, then said thanks mate - you made my day!

Regards from New Zealand!