Return to Siberia

First day in and as reported to me yesterday by Helen the heating groundfloor Reggie is still knackered. Worse than that the penguin family that are inhabiting the library right now seem to have invited a nuclear outfit of polar bears to join them. If a Walrus moves in too then I'm off.

Wake late so car to South Parkway and then train to Reggie. No sign of the Ushanka.

The heating (or lack of... if you prefer) engineers appeal to us to let them do some welding. We're up for it, we could crowd round and get some heat and apparently it's needed to complete the heating repair. A risk assessment holds it up. The suggestion that the risk assessment should read, welder = sparks = fire risk = be wary when you do it ain't good enough. Fairy Nuff. The Walrus may arrive anytime tomorrow. We arrange for everyone else to be elsewhere while I hold the fort. With any luck the heating will be fixed tonight and I'll be in a version of the tropics..... Not gonna put the 'Toucan perch available' sign up just yet.

Work wise, a tickle from the pre-crimbo sexual health gig we did (how can you compete with a Durex stand?) brings work and cold cure advice that matches my usual advice (currently being put into practice with some Bushmill's 1608). The folk at Halton sort some stuff for me as a result. Do a little blog wrangling. FoI is busy. Chat to the Queen of Mortality (usual sick level of conversation which amuses the pair of us) who helps me sort a nice man from the Beeb. Sorts the request. MEN raise their head above the parapet and the Liberals get in on the act to. Some blog advice to Sue. Chat to the other end of the St Halton gig too. So good to chat to some fine folk while sorting stuff.

Meanwhile back at home Monst sorts the decs and does a stunning clean up job on downstairs just leaving the kitchen to me. Shove on some Seasick Steve and sort it.

Balloons and Rest Days

Once we arrived in Queenstown there was some levelof panic about the arrangements for the balloon trip Monst had organised with Sunrise Balloon Advetures, a quic call solved that and warned us to expect a call at 6.45 am this morning to confirm all was goin ahead with pick up at 7.15. Considerably more civilised that the 5'ish start in Egypt and Monst feeling considerably better. Cal though is knaered so we pour him into his clothes.

Andre picks us up and is great with Cal throughout the whole gig on the ground. I get to hold the baloon open as it is inflated. Duller than expected but a touch hot in places. Baloon trip itself was fun, Monst enjoye it more than last time, principally because she could relax and not have to worry about having Pharoah's Revenge. Cal enjoyd it more because he was given a box to stand on and could see over the edge. Me I just snap away.

Pic borowed from a previous passenger one Ian Smith. Will replace it as soon as I can, but that'll require access to a CD drive. On landing a fine champagne breakfast that my cold prevents me from fully enjoying. Return to the hotel, Cal wants to veg and Monst wants a kip. I head to town. Listen to a copy of Don McGlashan's 'Warm Hand' as I travel. Mighty fine it is too.

Get the memory discs from Monst's old digital camera burnt onto CD at the Happy Snappa in downtown Queenstown. Refreshing honesty as they tell me that the resolution of the photo's is duff and the pictures will be shite if we print them. I'm a bit more dubious about this but liked their style.

Said I' return to the hotel for 12.00 and we'd winkle Cal out to do summat. Both Monst and he still exhasted so I head back to town and hit the Gondola and try the luge, good stuff. Even find time for anotehr loony jump. Then head into cyber cafe to blo. Much relief at finding Firefox, makes the job so much easier than explorer. Amend day's earlier entry accordingly.

Fetch me some 'Codral cough cold & flu Day/Night' to fight winter cold. It is apperently a controlled drug C3 whateverthat means. Makes me feel better about it though. If it's controlled it must have lots of good stuff in it and I'd fail an olympic drugs test with it. Yippee placebo a-go-go.

L&P enters my life, odd stuff, can't deide if I like it or not.

Technorati Tags: Queenstown, Ballooning, Balloons, Gondola, Don McGlashan, Happy Snappa, Luge, L&P, Codral, Winter Cold

For Vengeance They All Cried

Greymouth Cops On My Back Blues

'Tis true, pride comes before a fall and having been chuffed at our progress of the day before today as we travel to Fox Glacier I am on a straight road, the sun is shining and the Plod pull me over and fine me for speeding. It was a fair cop guv' and the plod in question was perfectly civil and pleasant and didn't give me a lecture just a fine and information on where to pay it!

Somewhat slower than planned we found our way to Fox Glacier. Check into the motel, grab food at Neve's Cafe and Monst attempts to sort a helicopter flight for that day. Doesn't happen it's too windy up top so instead we tramp to the base of the Glacier (I look for bears and fox's muttering things about mints but nothing doing) and head to a Gillespies beach that promises seals but delivers driftwood.

Eat later in the Saddle Pack and virtually exhaust the local eateries... Hobnail Cafe and Bakery we leave out.

Whirly Birds to Queenstown

Flight up to Jackson's shelf above Fox Glacier. The helicopter is a glorified vibrator! Still the family enjoy it and it's good to see waht from it's foot looks like a very grubby glacier more pristine up top. Snow landing is an opportunity for photies, Cal to throw the obligatory snow balls and for me to slip and fall on my arse. Coming down don't half hurt the ears.

Drive to Queenstown is long and slow obeying speed limits. Scenery is breathtaking, Monst and Cal kip out back and miss a treat. We stop for lunch. I have my first winter cold so arrival at Queenstown is a relief to say the least.

Chinese for tea then Irish Coffee to try and chase away the cold.

Technorati Tags: Greymouth, Speeding Ticket, Fox Glacier, Shantytown, Glacier Tramp, Tramping, Helicopter Flight, Jackson's Shelf, Gillespie's Beach, Queenstown, Irish Coffee, Winter Cold