Blue skies, sun, and warm enough for Chelfyn and I to wear shorts/T-shirts, get the hosepipe out and clean the windows (think more water ended up on him as the hose was being a little temperamental). It's the equivalent of January here so need I say anything else. The longer I'm here the more I realize how little I miss the UK, as in the way of life (rat race), and the weather. New Zealand is inherently more laid back, chilled, less controlling, the cost of living is cheap, the scenery is breath-taking and the people up-front, friendly and sincere. If any of you ever get the chance to come here just do it. The one thing that does make me feel home-sick are all the friends I've left behind; I just have to keep thinking that you're still all out there and we'll have lots of stories to swap when I next see you...

Found a shop in Pukekohe that sells funky clothes and club gear so I've left some jewellery samples for them to look at. I go back tomorrow to see what they say (fingers crossed) - en route to Auckland. Want to scout out a part-time job in the big city and have an explore. Now that I have Mick on the road I fancy getting a job in a clothes shop or something, firstly to meet more people, and secondly I'm feeling broke!

Well going to go back and be sociable - we've got visitors for the next couple of days. A UK DJ, D.A.V.E the Drummer (aka Henry) is over for some gigs and he's using the house as a home from home. The best thing is he brought beer, gorgeous ice-cold beer - I haven't had a beer since getting here and that was over a month ago so suffice to say I was gagging for it!

Can't believe it's Monday again, but at least it's sunny - the weather outside resembles a beautiful summer day, complete with blue skies and little fluffy clouds.

Saturday evening Helen and I headed into Auckland to watch '24 Hour Party People' at the 34th International Film Festival. The festival was surrounding by a great deal of controversy this year with a local group trying to dictate what films the rest of us should see - read the press releases.

Bloody hell, if people find something like a film offensive then don't watch it - I don't want to be wrapped up in cotton wool, I want to be challenged. If groups like this want the rest of us to be kept in the dark thinking that nothing bad ever happens then how the hell are things ever going to get better? "If ignorance is bliss then why aren't more people happy?" Anyway rant over! The film was good but left me with more questions than answers but the location - the Civic Theatre - was amazing, with the ceiling in the main hall designed to look like the night sky, complete with stars and clouds.

After the film we went to meet Demitri - a Russian/Australian DJ on the Tmet books - who was playing at DV8 an Asian club night. The venue was a small shopping mall temporarily converted into a huge club teeming with about 2000 Japanese. Definately an experience!

Sunday was a day for lazing. None of us left the house or even got round to getting out of our pajamas - it was great!

Hehe check this out, Aqua got taken to court over their Barbie song! "Barbie must accept that being parodied is part of the job, a US judge has ruled after the manufacturer of the famous leggy blonde took legal action against a pop song which mocked her." You have to giggle at how seriously they must take themselves.

Just got back from a hard day shopping with Helen. Over here charity shops are known as op shops (opportunity shops) and you can pick up some amazing bargins and I am now the proud owner of a very foxy little fitted jacket made of very soft honey-coloured leather, ummm... happy bunny.

Of to go and chill in the spa before getting ready for a Friday night at MonkeyFeather.

I've had one of those weeks where you seem to be busy but you don't really have anything to show for it. However, I did finish painting my room white and moved back in while I decide which colours to use to finish off and make it all funky. Also took Mick to the garage to get some rust sorted out. That cost me all of $101.25 - which is about £30; in the UK they'd charge you that for just looking at the car let alone doing any work on it! He's booked in to get a 'warrant of fitness' tomorrow, and then I'm legally, independently mobile. Guess I'll have to come up with more creative excuses to drive LWSC... suggestions welcome, just email me.

Have managed to arrange a summer job helping out on a caravan site by one of the North Islands most picturesque beaches, Pakiri [just above Kawau Island and Leigh]. Looking forward to being a beach bum all windswept and interesting, playing on the beach or surfing when I'm not working. Who needs an office job?!

On the down-side, Cass's evening at Chemistry fell through and so my jewellery didn't make it onto the stall. Next time I guess...

Went to play in boats with Sam and Craig over the weekend; little tippy kayaks in 'ouch, chilly toes' cold water. We went to the Rotorua region, in central North Island. It's very volcanically active due to a thin crust, with lots of thermal activity - good for hot water, but also verrry smelly due to sulphur [Rotorua is nicknamed 'Sulphur City'].

We stayed on a campsite in Awakeri (A-wa-kerry), about an hours drive from Rotorua, where they had a hot pool filled from a geothermal geyser... of course we spent far too much time relaxing in there! Went kayaking for the first time Saturday afternoon - yes capsized the canoe and got wet. Sunday - more time in the hot pools, then got taken to a river fed by a hydro-electric station, complete with rapids. Ended up very wet, learnt to capsize (not voluntarily), get out of boat and keep hold of it and paddle so I didn't loose them both down the river! All good fun, but think I need time playing in nice still water where I can get confident with the boat and fall out without worrying about loosing the boat in the water currents.

Something has been occurring the last few days; making me feel quiet odd. It's hard to explain, and I mention it here only because I sense a need to record this. In brief it feels as though part of me which has so far spent it's time snoozing, casting a lazy eye on the world, is beginning to get a sniff of something interesting and waking up. More on this another time but I think I'm going to set-up another blog to explore my thoughts.