I completely forgot about the pancakes yesterday, but last night at midnight there were the coolest fireworks to celebrate Chinese New Year. It’s good that NZ sometimes remembers that it’s closer to Asia than Europe. Also yesterday I wandered around the Museum, which was partially closed due to flooding from the excellent rains the day before. As were quite a few shops in the city centre.

Yesterday was moderately uneventful, except that when I left the internet cafe there was a massive black cloud obscuring all light, and I eventually got caught in the mother of all downpours. It was great. Thunder, lightening, massive raindrops and rivers instead of streets! I got back to the hostel and was so soaking wet that I put my bag down and ran straight back out again.

Good afternoon,

This morning I decided to take a sickie from work because I was tired and not feeling the best. So I called in sick, changed my doctor’s appointment to today and crawled back to bed. Whereupon the phone rang. It was my dad, telling me that my grandfather had died. I still don’t know when exactly. And I’m not exactly sure of the details except that he was out on the farm, picking apples on a lovely November day.

It’s funny to think that it’s November-y back home. Here it’s summer holiday weather. We sat outside O’Carrolls, an Irish bar, for a few hours this evening, in t-shirts or string tops, and jandals. Myself, Caroline, Liz and Gary and Phil decided to bring lots of randoms along to the pub with us. So we were joined by what turned out to be 5 Hot Guys.