Update







View of the Port Hills from my place in the mornings



Lets start with the apologies then! Its been a fair few months since my last blog instalment but I have valid excuses.

Im working harder than I ever have in my entire life, ive got deadlines closing in, ive got projects to plan, meetings and the never ending pile of laundry to contend with and ive never felt better. Its is stressful but its progressive and I feel like im climbing a ladder as opposed to climbing up half way and having a quick stop and a glance at the view.

I t is abit intimidating sometimes working in an architectural deisgn office as everyone there is shit hot at what they do and im very much an intermediate. But im learning new skills and taking on info all the time. I do arrive and leave work most days with a smile.



The Man, The Myth, The Legend.
Mr Pembrokeshire 2008
Rhys Williams



So the Christchurch scene as it stands today is developing, there more bars opening, more places closer to the city centre, which has now partly re-opened. My good mate Rhys is now a store manager for the Kathmandu outlet there. He’s working like dog and I think he’s enjoying it but were both pretty zapped by the end of the days work so it’s a brief hello and bed. We’ve had a fair few guests over the past 4 months or so. Starting off with The Captain Rob Taylor, he was here for a several glorious weeks. When asked if he’d like to walk up the port hills above Christchurch he replied, ‘Fuckin no chance Douglas’. When asked if wanted to go for a jog around the local park in the fading sunshine before a BBQ he replied, ‘Don’t be a dull c**t Douglas’. I miss him so much already. He was however dead keen on getting down the pub and chatting up loads of women!! I remember one night, Rob, Rhys and myself befriended some girl, myself and Rhys when home with 2 of them. But Rob lucked out on this occasion. I remember hearing him ask the girl Rhys was chatting, ‘Are you one of the lose slutty girls’? He wasn’t invited in for a drink.

My parents and younger brother showed up over September and it was amazing to see my family. After moving here and the earthquake it was all I needed. Its mad how much we rely on our rents. 14 days with mum and dad in an RV travelling across the south island of NZ was amazing and I’ll have those memories forever. I will also remember the day my brother Ben brought to our attention that he had no money left after 1 month of his 3 month travelling adventure. He told us this after id paid for his fuckin days skiing!! Even so, it was good to see him and his travel buddy Rhodri. Who by the end of it was acting as Ben caretaker/boyfriend. And the there was the surprise arrival of Mr Josh Owen aka Fire Cracker. We had him here on the sofa for a ripe old 3 weeks and we got on the beers. A lot. He was stopping by on his way to Aussie to start his new working life down under.



The peak neighbouring Mount Bradley



So after that lot left we had a quiet spell and as I write this we have a Miss Joanna McHugh staying with while she prepares herself for her tour of nz in the camper she has purchased today!! So its all systems go!! I have made many new friends from all over the world. As far a field as England. That’s right, Rhys and myself now hang out with 2 English doctors, Cat and Fee. Also Fees husband Jason who’s an engineer and then there is the bloke from Sheffield with legs bigger than his upper half called Joe who completes the weekly binge drinking trio down at The Brewery aka The Local.



But anyway besides all that im planning an adventure across NZ. Much the same route I drove with my ma and pa, im going to cycle from Christchurch to Queenstown in 4 days over the Christmas holidays. Ive arranged a bike to buy to get me there, ive got some paniers and a rack to carry all my luggage. Which will mostly be 1 change of clothes, spares and tools and some cereal bars!! Im going to video and photograph the whole thing so keep an eye out for some amazing photography!

Im pretty excited by this one, a solo mission across NZ in some nice weather!! Cant wait!!



Traversing Mount Bradley



So funny stories…………struggling to think of one. Well I think this is funny. There was Rhys, Joe, Joanna, The Doctors and myself at the pub and we were all very hammered. So i thought to up the anti and play a drinking. The rules to playing the game ‘My Vagina Is………’ are pretty easy to grasp. You start with the sentence…..my vagina is…..and then a word beginning with the letter A then B…..

Now its 2am ish and we are drunk but there are tables full of people on both sides of us and Joanna is trashed with her head In her hands and she is mostly sitting out this game but now an then joining in. The game rolled around to her spot at the table and she lept up right in her chair and shouted, ‘MY VAGINA……….WANTS A MASSIVE COCK’!!!

And all the tables in the pub turned to our little corner with very mixed facial expressions. The ladies were not to impressed but all the lads in the place were pretty psyched!!!

She then decided she was going to be ill and outside was the place to do it and in the process nearly fell into a river but was saved by Joe who had seen her disappear off.



Im writing this part of the post after having trekked around the biggest mountain in Cantebury which is mount Bradley. It took 7 hours and that was with 1 or 2 stop along the way. There was some epic scenery which you can see from the photos.

Thats me and Joe after a spot of bouldering

That’s all I have for now. Expect the many more updates and posts in the coming weeks!!!

TD

Well over due!

So im really sorry I havent updated the ol blog in a while!! I have been working none stop down here.
So im guna tell you a little about my job first and then I’ll get into some stories!! So the job is working for Arrow International who are a project solutions company hired by the AMI insurance company. So near enough everyone in Christchurch and Canterbury as a region has their homes insured by AMI. This means that when everyones homes that got damaged in the earthquakes that all the houses in Canterbury have to be structurally assessed and tendered. So my jobs is to go into these buildings, measure it up and note down all details and structurally assess the building. Then write it up in a report an chuck it over to the quantity surveyors!! Simple!! Its not, its very detailed and it takes 11 hours to complete a report and survey each house. Its dangerous as well as all these buildings are coming down anyway after the Sept and Feb quakes.
So Christchurch is getting into its winter and the first stage of the clean up is over for the city, threes the demolitions to complete and clear all the rubble away from the fallen brick buildings. We had more quakes on Monday the 13^th . The office got trashed and we were all sent home. But the aftershock that followed that was worse. I was working along the street to my house and the aftershock came and pulled a church from the 1900’s down to the ground right next to me.
Its been a crazy 6 months in NZ. And as I write this I will have to let you all know im ill with man flu. So if this piece of the blog comes across slightly soppy then you’ll all know why!
So work is still amazing and I think the work ive put in, with the people im surrounded by is worth a degree in itself. Ive learnt so much and its crazy to think how ‘basic’ some of my previous methods were. I work with 2 outstanding chaps called Jay, who’s from India and Romeo who’s from NZ but was born in the Philippines. And between us we’ve been assessing all the damaged buildings across Christchurch. Id be lying if I told you it hasn’t ground me down slightly. Having to walk into peoples homes and deem their properties damaged and un-inhabitable and then to come home and face an area that over the past few months has spent more time shaking than standing still. There isn’t an escape from it and it does ware you down. I visited a property, one of many, over the past few months. And inside was this sweet old woman in her early 70’s. The house was in one of the worst conditions and she was still living there, by herself. When we go into these properties we make an effort to speak to the people inside and not make it like some regimented walk around. This old woman, living by herself had lost her husband a few years past. It was really tough to sit there and listen to her and to know that she’d loose her house in the coming months due its condition and the recent land status the PM John Key announced to CHCH. Its tougher again when you cant tell them due to legal stuff. Its really wrecked me on that side of things.
So there have been some party antics, and if you’ve read the above I think you’d agree ive needed a pint here an there!! As times gone on ive met more and more people and im not going to lie….the accent work well. Theres been a few wild nights out. The most recent was by far the most entertaining. But theres a wee story before hand just so we get on the straight and narrow.
So when I first rocked up in CHCH, my landlady, Natasha took me too Sophies Café. And there I met my friend Marina who is Sophies daughter. Now Marina invited me to her birthday party, which was a Mexican party and I drank far to much tequila with a bunch of strangers. Could of ended worse. Anyway there I met my good mate Amy and sometime after that got to know her boyfriend Callum. They’ve been awesome to me and invited me to a few of their house parties where ive got to meet even more people again!!. So the last party I went to at Amy and Callums it was Amys birthday and I returned the favour of tequila to Amy because she made me drink a fair amount at Marinas some months before. But even though I brought the tequila, I still didn’t turn up with a present for. So I promised a ‘boozey lunch’. Which was an attempt to sound sophisticated but as the stories continues you’ll clearly see that there was nothing sophisticated left of me by the end of it.
So Amy, myself, Callum and Amys friend Martine arrived at Winnie Bagoes for our Boozey Lunch. I think the mistakes started around now as I thought it would be a good idea to avoid breakfast and just go all out on lunch. A chicken salad readers does not cut it when your drinking all day. So we smashed back the food, and we all had 2 or 3 pints. Then we started getting in the pitchers full of booze. And then Callum came up with the best/worst idea of the day/evening. ‘Lets get some of those cocktails……the ones with all the shots in…….a Long Island thingy’. Now remember its 2.30pm and were already doing well from havin a few lagers. So we get a round in of the long island ice teas…..then another………..and then another. For a break we decided to have another pitcher of lager. Then the long islands came back out again. And im pretty swurly now. What followed was me and Callum tryin to haggle, with the clerk at the offy, a price for the Jagermeister footie shirt….(note: go back and get jagermeister footie shirt.)
Never the less I was totalled by now and its around 8pm and we’ve still got a party to get to. We arrived wasted and as I got there I was handed a pen by some woman who was asking to sign this box. So in my pissed state I drew a great big, black penis on this box and signed my name. What id actually done was get handed a pen by the birthday girls mother……who was walking around with her daughters 3D 21^st birthday card and asking all of her friends at the party to sign it. Not a good look. Leavin the party we made a pit stop at mac d’s and asking for the cream-of-some-young-guy over the drive-thru speaker aint cool. The next day wasn’t good. It was a new low when you have to warm up the burger from mac d’s in the microwave because you couldn’t pull together enough minerals to eat it once you got in.
Anyway, ive got some more stuff written down. I’ll let you know more sooner than you think.
PEACE
TD

The Video Blog everyone!

The Video Blog....Q & A

Well ive promised a video blog for my blog page i got goin on here. But i cant think of that many things to talk about or what to say because ive pretty much said everything i can say in the blogs below.

So on further inspection of the 'traffic' on my site, and ive had a fair few views from around the world now, i was wondering if you lot would like me to answer some question of yours. Ask me anything you like in the comments box below and i will answer them in a video blog next week!! Howsthat sound??

PEACE

TD

Females.

Tough subject to write about this one. I could quite easily upset a few people here. But have no fear, I’ll approach this piece of work like I approach a lady. Very Delicately.

I think it all boils down to your weaknesses. Im pretty sure Women are my weakness. I love chicks….what can I say.

I once had women described to me as Kryptonite. And that is 100% truth. Their the reason why were here in the first place lads, but if your not careful and you get to close they’ll take away your super powers……or in a real world, your house.

Ive met a lot of very beautiful women on my travels, and im also friends with some outstanding beauties back in good ol’ sunny Wales. But all of them are these fantastic sexy figures. The euro chicks out in Lanka were stunning. There was a bit of a shortage though once the plane touched down in NZ. Some diamonds in the rough have been spotted.

Their very tough here. Tough to talk to…….kind but very direct. As a bloke your more likely to be chatted up, have drinks bought for you, brought back to theirs and ‘used’ and then rushed out in the morning.

I watch one chick threaten a bloke the other night. I was out with my landlady, Natasha, and I was sitting down quietly havin a pint and watchin the pub flow around with people. And I saw this bloke go over to some girls, all seemed fine, looked like a pretty natural greeting from where I was planted. And I was distracted shortly by the waitress and here cheeky smile. But I looked back over and this chick, this petite, well dressed chick had this chap by the throat with the other hand clenched ready to spark him one!! They aint fuckin around over here. Im abit scared to be honest.

Ive been thinking why people smoke. Its just observations really but its puzzled me while ive been down to the local tavern, hunched over a glass half full, with the ends of my last cigarette pressed up to some cold lips thanks to a southern hemisphere winter.
Its seems that people who smoke are indecisive people, who require more time to process them selves to any obstacles. They must sit and smoke, sit behind and eagerly awaited Benson before they can apply their attentions elsewhere.

Ive began to think they need a ciggy, partly because of addiction, as a way to shelter themselves. Describing the general processes of a smoker is a person holding a short stick of tobacco between their index and middle and pressing it up against their mouth with means to inhale the flavoured fumes of the lit tobacco. Palms facing inwards, as to nearly hide their face, eyes fixed, down, on the ‘cherry’ just in case it drops off and burns though your jeans. Their arm supporting their hand, still held up to their face, is placed across the torso and again closing themselves off to any interaction. Its shouts unsociable. The body language smoking causes shuts you away from you objective. The ladies. Or the lads.
For some personalities smoking is a haven. It’s a type of shield put up to hide themselves for a few drags of comfort. Insecure people could be smokers. Their inabilities to function are hidden behind packs of GV. That confidence to interact is shadowed…..no, fogged by bellowing fumes, recycled out from your inside bagpipes.

And then it all flipped back around on me. I was sat there judging people how they smoke, why they smoke while the whole time I was nested ina cloud of smoke. And then I worried myself and thought for a while I was the insecure chap hiding. So to prove myself wrong I binned the remaining smokes I had in my pocket, handed over my lighter and went for another pint. From then on I wasn’t shadowing myself behind cigarettes, I was sat up and chatting away.
I have smoked since, I will admit. I don’t have the strongest of will powers. But it still puzzles me. I know of the addiction stuff thats tied with smoking and all the shit that’s pumped out on the tele. But there was a reason why people started to smoke. Partly image……fitting in……who knows. But like I said this is all observations and I did sorta prove a negative image to smoking. That its indirectly segregating yourself from new people. Theres another thought…..smokers smoke in ‘packs’. Like wolves, not packets!
　
Anyway, work situation went from shit, shitter and then unbelievably good. I was luggin barrow after barrow of bricks from a fallen down church for 3 days and then I got a phone call asking if I would like to accept a position for an assistant design engineer for a metal fabrication firm. I said yes. So it’s a job slightly different from what ive trained for but its working with engineers on machinery designs. And I get to help fabricate and build prototypes an all sorts, rad-dandy. Then following that call I had another later that afternoon about attending an interview with one of the leading architect firms in CHCH. Went to the interview the following day, had them laughing, flirted abit with the head of design. Wore the ‘twice-ironed’ trousers.

So all that happened and im still waiting for the metal fabrication company to get some paper work together for me, havent heard back just yet from the architect. Was getting slightly nervous now, 3 days, no call and I was not looking forward to calling up Hays asking for more labouring work. I got a call then from a business owner, who owns 2 or 3 of the top night spots in CHCH asking for a draughtsman to replicate some plans for his existing buildings and also some signage. So it was all going well over the phone, turned out he’s good mates with my landlady. So I was then offered to work with them as a type of structural/modification/consulting chap. So seemed good. But again we havent tied down a date for things to begin etc etc. So im still not in the fast flowing current, im still paddling out kinda thing.
I did have to ring Hays back up for some labouring duties. Im not complaining to much mind, ive been goin to some very beautiful, remote places around CHCH and its awesome. And its good to be being physical. I feel very good after a proper days graft. And also the bills need to be paid and ive got a bag of salad and 7 slices of white bread to last me a few days!! Lovely.

But all that is irrelevant as I was offered a job as a Draughtsman working for a local Cantebury firm called AP Designs. Damn excited now, get some bloody money in the bank. I was interviewed at their offices in Belfast, sat in there for a good 1 hour, grilled on building regs and knowledge of this an that. They went through 12 people and decided I was the best fitting for the position! Stoked aint the word. I actually ran around afterward. Stupid I know but I was very relieved I didn’t have to work on/in buildings that were barely standing. Been a very edgy 6 or 7 weeks. But ye, im all shirt an tie now.
I was one hell of an experience working on site though. I got a lot of respect from the other guys opn the sites aswell. They expect the POMS to leg it first sign of danger, but like I keep telling them, ‘Im from Wales butt’.



Lyttelton = Munted

 Check out those pics!

Ohh ye. The Cooking. Ive been getting pretty handy in the kitchen. Well its nothing special but im cooking for my flatmates aswell so it been abit of an experience judging how much food to cook for 3 people. Sound pathetic but you know…….my most famous meal is a Dominos pizza and a 6 pack of Fosters.
So ive made this chicken and tomato stir fry thing, with herbs and stuff. Bit of rice, maybe pasta, whatever. Goes down a treat. Ive bumped it up this week though. After watching a Jamie Oliver program where he was cooking as a cowboy got me thinking of some tasty spin off dishes…

Spaghetti and Meatballs but cowboy style…….bare with it ok. If it turns out good I’ll drop the recipe up on here an see what you think. Mite even do a blog cooking episode!!

And ye the video blog I promised…..still abit unsure about that. I’ll wait till some seriously funny goings on happen I think. But I still do promise a video blog at some point.

Right then I think that’s all ive got for you right now. Catch you on the next one.

PEACE

TD

Little Jinder - Youth Blood (12th Planet and Flinch Remix)

Modern Age Power Track

Running with it.

Ive been running for a while. Whether its 2 miles around the block or a 6 miler where I really push myself. Its always provided me with a confidence, that I know how well my body is working when I feel the buzz after a run. Its always something for me to do when I need to focus, to block away other life shit for a short while.

I run with music; I think I can run for longer when I listen to music, as if im getting powered along to the tracks when im out at 6am. Takes my mind away from the cold air that’s biting at my legs and to take my mind away from my thumping heart when im racing along to Little Jinder on repeat. Or Krafty Kuts, Illustrate, Gangstarr, DJ Yoda and Pharoahe Monch. They all work for me when im running.

I can run to different beats. Some days I’ll run faster and some days not quite as fast. I like pushing myself and always seem to set small goals while I running. ‘Get to the next post before the beat drops‘ , ‘Get to the end of the road before the track ends‘…..music fuels my competitive nature. I can see victory when I run, even when im not running against anyone or for anything. it’s a mental accomplishment when you performed to the best of you abilities. That knowledge you hold, yourself, of what you just did, the boost that its gives you that no one else will understand. I say that because people run for different reasons. I know why I run. For Me, Myself and I.
…….and the some smoking hot chicks that go joggin in Hagley Park!!

Its always the same when your alone for a period of time. Like I am now, I don’t know many people where im living and right now in Christchurch its not the best environment in light of what’s gone on in the past few weeks. But I have walked myself down to the pub for a few Kiwi Ciders and meet some people but I seem to spend a lot of time alone with my thoughts, which is soothing sometimes. You can really think about the fine details of whatever is on your mind when you have that time alone. Assess your goals and aims, qualities and flaws. Establish your direction.

This is something ive been thinking about while ive been over here. Some of those classic emotions you get when your away. I did find myself missing my Mum the other day. I got back from work on Friday at 6pm. And at home Mum will usually have dinner all set up ready for me, my bro and dad to come in and fuel up. But here I had 6 tomato’s in the fridge and some white bread. Cant say it was as good as my mums lasagne with boiled, new pembs’ spuds and some salad!! That’s the business right there.

Did miss the lil pep talks from the old man aswell. I normally thought that most of the shite he tells me would just go over my head, but ive been ina few situations here where Big Doug has said some stuff that made some sense of what was goin on.
My bro and sister aswell. Ben and Phoebe. Missing their bitchin an moaning about fuck all. I do miss the comedy you get from a family of 5.
But all that is something to look forward to when its time to go home. Thinking about my goals, I know that stayin here is everything to me right now, even though im not able to do what I set out here to do yet. I’m just guna run with it.
　
　

Jim from California: A Tale of a silly Welsh Man in NZ: So I dragged myself over to the next neighbourhood called Ferrymead. There’s some bars over there I thought id go check out, as recommended by my landlady.
So i was in there for around 2 hours, had about 4 pints and a few cigs. Built up the confidence a smidge.

So was at the bar when 2 ladies passed and I asked how their night was going, what was happening with their dresses coz they were fuck-ugly. All in good taste, they were questioning the level of my trouser waist. Anyway they were there with their boyfriends (FUCK) and I was promptly introduced. 2 boxers, massive fuckin stacked out lads. Intimidated as I was I put on the deep voice, ‘hello……..hows things’. They both replied with the highest pitched, squeaky voices ever. It was like our whole conversation had been dubbed by The Smurfs. After id spoken to them for a while we were getting on well and just chattin rubbish.

So they were expecting friends and as they told me this I saw 2 more ladies walk in, waving in our direction. So the 2 boxers grabbed me and said, ‘Right Tom, your names Jim and you’ve just moved here from California…ok, ….ready’, So there was me being introduced to 2 random kiwi chicks as a Californian called Jim….so I ran with it. ’Hi, hello, im Jim from California, how you doin…..’. The lads nearly cracked up laughin from the get go, and both their girlfriends were holding back the laughs as their 2 friends shook their heads understandingly at me, not 100% sure of my accent because believe me it was piss poor. It was a fuckin disaster. But I hung on to it before owning up to them.
The funniest bit about it was the look on the 2 ladies faces. They were relieved to find out that I was just messing about and, I quote, ’not retarded or something….can we get you a drink’.
I few more pints and a conversation regarding one anothers phone numbers. And I was on my way home. Not one of my best stories but ive got 2 more years here so look out!!

A poor mans shopping list:Big thing of milk x1
Bread x4
Butterx1
Ham, cheese……..maybe pickle?
Pasta x3
Pasta sauce x3
Chicken
Pot Noodles x20
Half bag salad x1
24 pack of chips x1
Fruit - pears or sumin?
Pack of shit rags x!
Shower gel x1
Condoms x100


OK, thats all i got for now, but i will have some pics from a skatepark session up asap!!
Love to everyone back in Wales.

Life in Christchurch

Life in Christchurch.


Dated or waa!!

So its now March 10^th and I’ve moved to my apartment in Hillbourgh, south of the city. Im right at the base of the Port Hills. That’s where all the mountain biking goes on so today I took a short ride up, across and down!! Got given an 1997 Giant ATX bike by my family friends. This things a shed of a bike but it pedals fine and is getting me from A to B. I think its another months before I can afford some wheels!!

The work situation is better, got hold of work for a building firm. So its back on site for a few months. I think any technicain work will start around chrimbo time. There is so much to do in Christchurch its unreal. It was announced on the news that it will 4 to 6 years before any domestic homes and structures are rebuilt.



So with work looking more positive ive started to hear from the firms I contacted before the quake, most of which are for technicians positions. Everything was slowed down once the quake hit and has taken 18 days for society to get itself back in place. So I shall see how long I’ll be working on site for. Went and picked up some new tools last week aswell so im itchin to try out my new hammer!!

One of the best things about NZ is that it supports any sports. And with all action sports in NZ having a large following the city council allows for skate park developments all over the city. On most of the city blocks there are skate plaza style skate parks full equipped for BMX and Skaters. I’m on the case already to get my hands on BMX. Theres one hell of a park at the corner of Waltham and Moorhouse which is a 20 minute walk from my flat. Went and had a look down there today and there were about a dozen groms there bunkin off school to go skate. This one kid who was 11 could do 360 flips. I skated on and off for 3 years and all i can show for it is a dodgy kick flip. Shows what can be achieved once one of these skate parks are put in place. (Take note Narberth/Pembrokeshire County Council).

Think its about time though that I bought myself a BMX again. After Cardiff I kow there good city cruisers and I can have play about on the thing aswell. Spotted a full scale BMX track 20mins away from the flat so I reckon I’ll be attending some regionals once the season kicks off. The Troy Lee lid is already in the airmail!! Woop woop!!

Just up the road from me place. This is piss all to the CBD

So im back on the building site, working as a Fixer. Which is basically just standard carpentry stuff. So ive been whippin up a few stud walls and plaster boarding. The chap that I ended up working with on my first day was THE biggest pot head ive ever met. He had a bag of weed the side a bin in his car and spent half the day disappearing off for 15 minute and coming back to work pretty glazed over.
The foremans been a prick all week aswell. He was getting his knickers ina twist about the dust etc and it ended up my boss nearly crackin him one!! Would have been a wild first day at work!!

Think I’ll be stickin with these guys for a while, for the next 2/3 months and build up some dollars before headin to Queenstown for a ski season!! But ive been offered lots of jobs with Hays Construction who I now work for.

Aparently theres plenty of skiing and mountain biking year round down there. And hopefully plenty of chicks aswell!! It has been very quiet on the ladies side of things, but I but havent been out on the piss much. Went for a few ciders the other night. Caught abit of the rugby aswell which was good.

All in all its not a bad place to be, im pretty damn happy with how things are working out. But like ive said in the other posts. Just need a bike for some adventures!!

Right that’s all I got for now, I’ll throw some flavour into the next one. Big Love from Christchurch



Good packaging there Mummy Doug



PEACE

TD









In Wake of the Quake

Chapter 7 - In wake of the Quake.

So its February 26^th, its 4 days since the earthquake that struck Littleton, Christchurch. Im sure most of you that read this will have seen images and reports of the disaster that occurred on Tuesday 22^nd of Feb. It’s a tragic time here, for all those families that have just lost their loved ones, their homes and the normality and structure of their own lives.
Today was a hard day. Friends of friends had lost their house during the quake and had asked myself and Steve to help salvage belongings from their shell of a home. When we turned up in the truck, after having driven through the destruction ing CHCH centre, we were presented with a destroyed family home, with exterior cladding torn away from the buildings frame, glass and roof tiles just spread everywhere. The drive was looked like a maze of stepping stones spread out over the lawn. Ashley, the guy who’s house it was, was there in good spirits but soon told us of how this has affected his children, his wife and their lives. He soon broke down not long after we began moving his belongings. It was hard for all of us to hold back tears. Looking around afterwards other family men had shown up with friends and trucks, like us, to help collect stuff.

The drive back was again awful, so many buildings, roads, cars, buses just destroyed. I couldn’t look anymore and once we got further back into the Canterbury Planes then the tension eased in the truck.
So id managed to get a job, Monday the 21^st, called up and architects studio and was granted work instantly. I was advised to call again the next day to arrange a meeting and continue the small chat me and my boss Warren were having. I rang the morning of the quake, about 11.30am and spoke, confirmed and agreed on a time and a place to meet and begin work. I was excited to say the least. But at 1.21pm the 6.3 quake happened 10k under Lyttleton. The quake spread as far as Kaikoura, 115 miles away and affect electricity and water systems county wide.

When the quake hit id just return home from CHCH, I was by myself and just pissin about on facebook. Id had experience with tremors the week before and didn’t find the quake, to begin with, all that scary. But this thing just got more and more violent. And its just like you’ve seen in film, pictures on walls are falling, chairs drop, glass, plates, cups smashing. A tremor is normal, deep from the ground and only lasts 5 seconds, this quake went on for 14minutes. The quake was measured with the number of activity bursts. There were 64 individual minor quakes, amounting to a 14 minute quake.
Like the tool that I am I decided that I would be slightly helpful and hang on to a trophy cabinet in the living room during the quake!! The glass inside was being thrown about inside and I thought, ‘best grab hold of that en’.
About 15mins passed and the 2^nd quake arrived. Its was shorter, but it also finished off a lot of buildings the 1^st quake had disrupted. The historic buildings Christchurch parades in all tourist shops, all the great buildings that hold this countries heritage were grounded to piles of stone and dust. The concerns then turned to the people in those buildings. The news showed people surviving, being carried away but from a person who works in building design, to see the way these buildings fell was unreal. A total failure of steel and concrete, regarded as solid materials. I was glued to the tv all night, and I wanted to be awake to let my parents know I was safe. I ended up ringin them in the early hours as I didn’t want them to see any of the images I was seeing and panicking and worrying about me. I later found out the offices id visited the day before was gone, and I have yet to find out if my work colleges are well or alive.

The feeling of an earthquake is very strange, and initially the feeling is pretty funny. it’s a short wobble and the tremors don’t prepare you for a real quake. You know when it’s a serious situation when the shaking is growing, in time and in force. Its enough to bring you down to the floor. The shock afterwards was the worst, and when there isn’t a pack of fags hangin about its very stressful.
But the focus of the city is to search and survive. Demolish and then rebuild. The attitudes of the people are so inspiring and its so hard not to be caught up in haste of the challenge. To help others so that we can then help each other rebuild our home. To rebuild Christchurch.
This blog isn’t going to hold any photos, I don’t think it appropriate for this time. And the images of the city are all over the web anyway. I just wanted you lot to know how I saw it. This is the first part of my quake story so check in when I let you all know.
PEACE TD.

Country Life

Chapter 6 - Country Life.

So im here in Christchurch (CHCH) and its my final destination. Well with regards living settling. Its been a long time that ive spoken about going to New Zealand. I remember as a 10 year old claiming im going to new Zealand to visit my ‘uncle’ nick.

I remember him coming back from long stay down here an telling me all about his mountain bike adventures. At the time aswell he was rockin a pony tail which I thought was badass!! So automatically I wanted to be ‘cool’ like nick.

But mountain biking through out school, either riding or racing, I knew I was going to be here at some point and that’s what has drawn me here. But having spent more time seeing the county I know its somewhere I see myself. Some qualifications were needed and I spent the 5 years just past gaining them. So after all those boxes got ticked….I was left to follow the dream an fly down here!

Its almost like all my favourite places have been combined into one country and only a week in the south island has made me realise that. There is everything at my disposal from bikes to boards its everything. Even a good job which I will be starting soon. The past few days has been reading up on NZ ways of construction and getting back into the lingo of when your on site, my own lil refresher course before the pay slips start rollin in!!

Ive had free rein of a bike while in Christchurch, its not a mountain bike but im not fussy. Its been nice to hack away at some tarmac an put some miles down on a road bike. Ive knocked out a few 15 an 20 mile rides around the Gerrard house hold, its very flat around here so my times that I know from doing the same distances back home are completely different. Doing 10 miles on flat takes 20 minutes but doing 10 miles on hills takes 30 to 40 minutes. And ive found myself not as tired?? NZ air more than likely!
A job was lined up for me before venturing out here but I didn’t throw all me eggs in one basket and sent out a few CV docs on a recruitment website so today 14^th of Feb I had 4 replies out of 5. Nice to know someone notices the skills eh!!

Got a few days now of emails and phone calls and sus out what’s the best job. The job at the architects still stands but if I get a better offer then I’ll have done some home work in other career paths. Quantity surveyors and structural management to name a few.
But all that’s pretty boring for you lot. Its been nice having some busy/quiet few days out here in the sticks. I can sort my work situation out peacefully. A nice bit of time to think.
I also got put in touch with friends of friends and I have an apartment…well its more of a deluxe shed.
Its near the city centre and its makes it an easy commute to work so im eager to get there now. Everything has slowed down over the last 2 weeks. Everything has been full speed and now its just back to regular pace I think. Back to the same old worries, money, work, food, flat, and now car….this job better pay up.

Now when I got here I found out that little Rhodri and Steve were set to go to Nitro Circus. I was very envious of them but a small stroke of luck happened later on an Steve couldn’t take Rhodri to Nitro Circus…..so me being the good Samaritan i offered to take him.
It was a crazy show and seeing one of my heroes, Travis Pastrana in the flesh was pretty rad. Cam McCaul was there representing the mountain bikers over the mega ramp which was awesome to see. And there was also the kid that was in his wheelchair. He was incredible and he went for the double back flip over the mega ramp gap but ended up buckling his wheel on the landing. Even so everyone in the stadium when mental. Awesome atmosphere and they delivered a wild show but I was a littler gutted I missed the after show party!
Went to the skate park aswell with Rhodri. Theres a local park in the town of Rangiora where im stay just out side of. Pretty tidy skate-plaza style park. Had a good hour skating for the first time in ages. Managed to knock out a few kick flips here an there so I was happy!!

that’s all ive got to report on so far everyone, im sure things will liven up once I get stuck into city life!!

PEACE

TD

POM-CAM - Turn your iPhone into a Point of View Camera | Vital MTB

POM-CAM - Turn your iPhone into a Point of View Camera Vital MTB

The 2011 Miss Reef Calendar

what can i say........

The Tale of The Tongue and the Bellybutton.

Chapter 5 - Wellington and the ferry!
So its now the 8^th of February 2011 and we’ve left our hostel, Wellywood backpackers. Thanks to all the Yank girls for makin my stay very entertaining, felt like one of the girls!!
Anyway, after a 4 nights stay at possibly the best hostel yet, we’ve set off along the Wellington harbour front, which included a gorgeous inner-city skate park with a deep as peanut bowl and all the ledges you’d want….I was pretty gutted that I didn’t have a bike or board to sample it. But if anything that’s fuelled the fire because around Wellington are endless amounts of awesome downhill and xc trail and its seriously getting my back up now, passing all these place by and not having ridden at one of them. But like I said, fuelling the fire.
Now as Eli has been helping me out with the money were now both on our arses with cash and the phone calls home haven’t been for a catch up but were soldiering on through down to Christchurch, or CHCH from now on.

I’ve been offered a sweet as job aswell. Slightly different from what I set out here to do. Now a Design Technician basically works on drawings created by Architects. As a technician my job is to apply regulations and construction notes to all final copies of structural plans for domestic or commercial use! Thought I mite aswell outline what I do for a living.
But the job ive been offered is working with Kiwi Rail and they need a structure inspector…..so whats that en? Well basically all the tunnels that you pass through on trains or bridges that you’d travel under while on the train, these are all owned by the train company. In this case, Kiwi Rail. So my job would be to inspect the conditions of different track site structures and claim them safe etc etc. So it’s a little less than what id earn with M&W but I think maybe it would be cool tryin sumin different than what ive been lookin at day in, day out for 3 or 4 years now. But that’s all talk and nothings down on paper yet!

Got in contact with one of the girlies back home this morning, Nici Ridge. Needed to get a contact from her for an old family friend who lived out here for years an years. Nick Gibbon, who’s pretty much responsible for me getting into cycling, which to this day has been a massive part of my life as most of you will know, its not that odd to see me on a bike plastered in cack from down Canaston is it!! But I needed to get a number off Nick for some ride contacts in the south island. Ive got the itch that bad to ride im already planning rides before I even have a fuckin bike ready!!
So I take it most of you have been enjoying the blog so far, I have been checkin the ‘stats’! its odd finding out where people are reading my blog from though. Theres 37 people in America who’ve been reading it and I only know 3 Americans!! Theres been a few from Sri Lanka aswell which is cool as.
I wana say its hard to write stuff out but its been cool writing about what ive been doing, just jogs your memory about what a wild time ive had when you sit down to write it out. And im always remembering parts id maybe forgotten if I hadnt thought of that night……and that chick was there…….and then there was that fight…….and a Tuk Tuk race. Just endless amount of crazy.

Anyway im on the InterIslander ferry now, we’ve left Wellington and were now in the open sea between the 2 islands of New Zealand. Im sorry I have no idea what the sea is actually called because im still half asleep as its 7am now but me and Eli have been up since 5am and the ‘jog’ with the bags was pretty hardcore. We’ll be on the ferry for a good 3 to 4 hours and then a lovely 5 hour train ride direct to CHCH. There were going to meet and stay with the Geds!! Steve and Helen Gerrard and their 2 children Megan and Rhodri. From the few phone calls and emails ive shared with Steve they live about 40minutes outside of CHCH central in a beautiful small holding of land. Steve is a carpenter and Helen works in employment. It was only a year ago I saw Steve and told him that I was going to be coming to NZ for a long stint. Don’t get me wrong though, ive known Steve for years and he’s always been around when I was growing up and the stories to back up his awesome character are just what you expect from the man. I recall most Friday nights when me and my baby bro were only 6 and 7 and Steve would turn up outside mum and dads flat plastered at 4am because he was our neighbour at that time, and me and Ben would wait up for him nearly an hoax chocolate biscuits out of him!! And now im here on my way to meet him……doesn’t feel like years have gone by though. But there was enough shit in 2010 for me to forget about anyway!! So Im guessin time flies when you done give a fuck.

　
Found out the other day that my best mate from Sri Lanka, Rhys Williams aka Mr Pembrokeshire 08, wont be coming out to NZ to stay with me. Was very much looking forward to be sharing the experience with him, one top fella I must say.
I’ll tell you a story about Rhys ok, because I think its worthy of blog status!

The Tale of the Tongue and the Belly Button - By Tom Douglas.

So this story begins with a chat up line. Most of you will know what a chat up line is but for you that do not I shall help you out. A chat up line is a revised sentence with the intent to seduce a member of the opposite sex.

Now there are some good ones and there are some bad ones and then there are some damn right rude ones.

So it all began with Rob ‘Pete’ Taylor claiming he had the chat up line to end all chat up lines. Every man at the bar ears twitched and heads turned with a pissed off, slow motion sorta action. And their eyes said, ‘you fuckin what..’. What proceeded was a bunch of blokes reciting their own, personal, perfect, fool proof chat up lines. As pissed as we were it seem great at the time but for anyone sober looking in must have though what a bunch of planks.
So Pete and his chat up line, it stood out from the rest and is apparently a classic up in Dale. I was in stitches , either due to alcohol or the fact that you couldn’t say that chat up line to any female without a really hard smack in the mouth. It was that iconic to some of the boys that it was revised within hearing just the once.

Some days past before we returned to the bar. The hangovers had kept us well away. On our return though, Rhys and Myself sat at the bar still giggling about that night, the chicks that were there and the general shit that went on. I asked Rhys, ‘has anyone of you lot used that chat up line then’?, Rhys, with a confused look on his face said, ‘what chat up line’, ‘you know the belly button one Pete told us the other night, have you even said it to any chicks before’?. The immediate answer was no. But a challenge was brewing in my head and I wanted to see it unleashed.
The night we all heard the chat up line, some hot chick from Norway was talking to Rhys and on further inspection was grabbin his arse. So at the same bar on a different night, much the same setting I was introduced to ’the lady’ and we got to talking about how people approach people in bars etc. She claimed she knew a thing or two but I made it very clear ... She didn’t.

So after some time and a few Arrack and colas, the topic of chat up lines came up, between Rhys, myself and ‘the lady’. There was the standard ,’have you got a map….’no’……..that’s a shame, because I just got lost in your eyes…’ (fact: never fails).

So then I turned to Rhys and said, ‘go on tell her the bellybutton one..’, Rhys, ‘naa mate, I duno….’, I wasn’t prepared to let this go so some persuasion followed until the bellybutton line was used……

So your all probably wondering what the hell is this chat up line. I want to make it very clear that this chat up line is not my own and that I do not proceed to use it. Any attempt at this chat up line may result in serious injury or a dangerous ‘dry spell’.

‘Excuse me, have you ever had your bellybutton licked……from the inside….’

Now for most chicks to have that said to you would be bordering offensive, if not massively offensive.
And what makes this story amusing is the reaction we got from ‘the lady’.

Her reply to Rhys once he’d been pressured and persuaded into repeating ‘that’ was, and I quote,
‘how bigs your tongue then…?’

Jaws dropped and the groms took note. High fives occurred the following day when the war stories came out. But the chick turned out to be a twat and we never spoke to her much again.
The End.

It’s a story that’s firmly lodged in my mind and I it may not have been the best read, or you may not have found it funny and is possibly one of those, ’you really had to have been there’, type of stories. But the Sri Lanka boys will all know what im on about. Rhys Williams, you Leg-End.

So anyway im an hour into my ferry crossing and im hungry as hell so im guna chase down a sausage roll and a can of fanta!!

PEACE
TD　
　
　
　
　
　
　

Doug & Claire Dancing

Ever wondered where i got all my dance moves from............check the old man go!!

Rotorua to Wellington

Chapter 4 - Rotorua

I hate wasps. On the 30^th me and Elinos got invited to Lake Tarawera by some friends who we met in Auckland and its nothing like any other lake we’ve ever seen. Puts Llys-y-Fran to shame mate!

From where we were on shore we over looked a rolling NZ country side in the back ground and an erupted volcano which had that much pressure under it that it actually blew the top off the mountain.

We spent the most amazing after noon on the paddle boards and kayaks and even The Biscuit. An inflatable, round object that attached to the back of power boats and the object is to simply stay on it while the driver, Chris, tries to whip you around the lake. Its safe to say I toughed it out at full revs ina complete circle!! But the arms and back are so soar today. With regards to the wasps, I got stung right on the fuckin shin bone but I was looked after properly by the generous people of Tarawera.

We spent the afternoon also with the family who owned the house on the lake with their children playin cricket and golf where I looked a right twat as a 10 year old girl was getting better distance that me. But her dads a golf pro so I wasn’t to gutted ( I was ).

We checked out the natural hot springs aswell, it was a 40 minute drive up into the mountains with our hangover driver. Watched this Gyzer shoots off a 20 metre high burst of boiling water. Was pretty amazing, and the landscape again was unreal but 60 dollars wasn’t what I was looking to spend and was abit pissed of that Elinos hadn’t said more about, know full well I was on a budget.

I am now on my arse with money, mum and dad lent me another £100 and that went really quickly and now im poor again so tonight im guna try my luck and see if they need some bar staff for the next 2 nights while were in Taupo but the odds are stacked against me as Ive just learnt that the Kiwi Experience bus mopped up all the open place at most of the cool bars. And I don’t think anyone really employs anyone for 2 nights work….but you can be hopeful.

CH - 4.1 Taupo

So Taupo really is a mini Rotorua, with all the activities that the same theres only one thing that separate the 2 places and that’s the size of Lake Taupo. it’s the size of Singapore and features the mountain they used as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings!! But Taupo is skydive central with 4 or 5 competing firms that have covered Taupo in advertisement. Luckily we had yet another contact here in Taupo, a top Welshman called Stacey who was one of the advertising directors for a skydive firm. He hooked me and Elinos up with a limo ride to the jump site where Elinos would be confronting her fear of heights!!!
I wont lie I was nervous for her, she was very quiet in the days leading up to the jump but she was not going to back down and watching her jump video was amazing. So very proud of her and im sure shes very proud of herself. 15.000ft is a long way down!!
That night a few beers were in order as you would expect and it was a 4am finish for yours truly. Well a 4am finish with some European chick. 2 works everyone - Shower Sex.
Anyway me an Eli had some seriously bad heads the next morning and we had to meet our lift down to Wellington. A crackin 5 hour trip through some amazing country side. But it was all damned by the girl friggin snoring the roof of the estate for most of it. Ipod was firmly plugged in for the whole journey.

Chapter 5 Wellington

So we’ve rocked up in Wellington, capital city!! it’s a fuckin crazy place and we’ve timed it so that were here for the rugby 7s tournament! But the whole city treats this weekend like a festival and hand on my heart everyone as far as I can see is in fancy dress, group after group of pissed out their minds kiwis dressed as avatar things. Saw a storm trooper spewin out from under his helmet!! Very gutted the camera was back in the room because you know I would have filmed that stunt!!
Me and Elinos are havin a nice break apart for a few days, we’ve been no more than 10ft away from one another since Colombo so its nice shes goin out with some peeps an im just chillin an savin the pennies! Had a short shift in a bar last night an hopefully get a longer one tonight but its guna be a huge street party tonight so I mite just go out late for a few ciders and chat up some lovely kiwi chick!

I am really fallin in love with this place though, New Zealand just feels like back home but it doesn’t at the same time. Its just a great culture to be in and I cant wait to be able to go see it once ive got my shit sorted.

Theres no sort of middle ground with Kiwis though. Their either fitness crazy or the get on the session most days. They have the widest selection of alcohol ever and then their favourite past time other that rugby is doing Tri-fuckin-Athlons!! They do em on the weekends for a laugh!! People train for months to gear up for one of those an these nutters do it on the casual every weekend!!

So ye that’s the update so far, I’ll have to blog you some more once I cross over down to the south island!

PEACE

TD.

Heres what i woke up to this morning.......a broken, wet and windy city.

one more thing....

Here's a website i got sent, live radio from the surf capital of France, Hossegor.

http://www.radiosurf.fr/

a way off live feed of tunes, check it!

some pics..

Heres a few snaps from Sri Lanka...enjoy.

mmmmmmmm............

Thats the fucker i caught cruisin through the house.

Ferrari 9.11

Art pictures eh!

Mr Pembrokeshire 2008. Rhys Williams.

Disco Deejays - Stayin Alive (Disco Fever Studio 54 Remix)

High Rollin NZ

Chapter 3 - All Change!!

 Well due to reasons of privacy I aint guna tell you whats wrong with who and why things have panned out the way they have. Im now in Rotorua, having travelled from Auckland. Me an Eli both jumped on a NakedBus, which isn’t what it sounds like, I was very disappointed about that. We travelled out of Aucks on the 27^th, smashed out the 4hr trip down to the amazing Rotorua. It does smell her mind, rich with bastard sulphur. You get a serious injection of eggy rank shit now and again. Theres a lot to do here and we have 4 days to sample everything. Well maybe not myself as the money situation, that I mentioned in the previous chapters is still very much the same. But I think me cooperation with Elinos and agreeing to travel with her has meant ive won her trust back and shes lending me money for travel and food, which im so grateful for. We’ve had a few really good heart to heart chats over the past 8 days and its defo made to friendship stronger. I think I’ll be able to pay her back in full within a week or 2 of starting work.

The coach trip down here was awesome aswell. The landscape is completely exaggerated and full of relentlessly rolling hills. Its encouraging to see when you know your entering one the world best mountain bike locations!! The bus didnt take that long, it really didn’t feel like 4 hours had passed even if I had slept through half of it.

Now we’ve just got back from the shops with a nicely sized stack of food, guna make her a carbonara later!! Bought some tasty NZ wine aswell. The one thing we’ve both noticed is how well were doing without drink or smoke because sri lanka was mainly drinkin an blazin and now since we reached New Zealand we barely even notice it. We have had a few lil sessions but last night we had 2 pints and tonight we’ll have a bottle of red and maybe a film. Ahh yes, heres a tip. Don’t rent anything Called Shred. it’s the shittest film ive ever seen. Tom Green can piss off. It was crap.
Im dead set on hiring a bike out here. Rotorua held the 05 World Champs for Downhill. Even as we drove into the town I saw the 4X track up on the hill in all its glory!! I checked out the leaflets at the info place today an there are trails all over the place. One of the advanced trails starts from right outside our hostel!
Now……..our hostel……..we enquired about a room for 2, ’2 single beds mate, not to fussed on sharing a bathroom or kitchen, do you have anything’??, when we went to book they said there was a problem but we were granted a room. So we began to think we were sharing some shitty room with some weird people……….no, as I write this were in a room for 4 with 4 single bed, our own kitchen and bathroom!! All this for near enough £10 a night!! We were very stoked to say the least but we still arent sure if the chick down at the desk has made a mistake so were trying to avoid her at all costs!!
We were fuckin starving last night an as soon as we saw the PizzaHut sign down by the lake we were in there like swimwear!! 2 massive pizzas later an we couldn’t really move and got a slammin nights sleep, full 12 hours. I think we slept so well as the last week stayin with Tucker and Andrea we were sharing a double bed and that’s always a little uncomfortable, unless your use to sleeping next to someone. So last night and for the next 3 nights we’ve got a double bed each!!
Our room is pretty sweet though, and its right around everything we need for a few shorts days in Rotorua before we shoot it down to Taupo, where elinos is going to jump out of a plane!! Im tempted by a bungee myself personally, but a skydive sounds pretty fuckin scary!!!
Eli took off horse riding earlier and now shes back and ive started her off writing her own blog. Made her some din dins like I said and the red wine was very tasty indeed!! So much so that I felt the urge to go get a beer from down at the hostel bar….it was very busy and full of people travelling. While I was cookin up a storm in the shared kitchen I got talking to the short chick English girl call Hayley who was struggling with her pasta so I happily helped her. She managed to keep dropping her fork into the boiling water(ive come to the conclusion it was all on purpose), an then trying to go after it and grab it!? She was sweet anyway an asked if I was guna be around later at the bar, I told her maybe and that id see how well the red wine went down!! I popped my head in for a pint but no sign, chatted to the English lot who arrived the other day and they were pretty sound lads, really loud in the kitchen!

Its now the 29^th and its around 9am and its raining. Pissed it down all last night aswell so I didn’t have the greatest sleep. Theres talks of museums and stuff today so its guna be very touristy

Peace.

TD

Video Blog Intro

Theres my small vid intro and heres a pic from the fishin scene down in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. Check out the idiot white boy tryin to help!!