Firstly what a tragedy it was to wake up this morning and hear about the Pike River miners. I guess after the recent Chile trapped miners I probably just thought everything would be fine, I was wrong. For such a small nation as NZ that’s a tremendous loss and being half way across the world I can only read about it on the news but my condolences are with all those West Coast families affected by this tragedy, I can only imagine what it’s like back home.
So we had our first snow fall a few day’s back, unfortunately it didn’t last long and was all gone by around 9am, but it was a snow fall none the less and even though some may argue it was only sleet, I’m claiming it as the first snow! Even though it’s not even winter yet I’m prepping up for another solid next few months of white out, fingers crossed it happens now.
So we had our first snow fall a few day’s back, unfortunately it didn’t last long and was all gone by around 9am, but it was a snow fall none the less and even though some may argue it was only sleet, I’m claiming it as the first snow! Even though it’s not even winter yet I’m prepping up for another solid next few months of white out, fingers crossed it happens now.
I didn’t have long to prepare though as last night put on a good helping of around 4 cm’s of fresh snow. As chance would have it I just so happened to be heading out the door to indoor football, around 20mins cycle ride north. Now snow by itself is fine, no problem cycling through that if it’s falling vertical, however last night’s fall was accompanied by a solid wind which made things nasty. Cycling into a headwind with snow falling isn’t the most pleasant experience in the world and one that I now need to prepare a little more for in future. So this weekend it’s off to buy a helmet (in case of slippage) and a balaclava (in case of more horizontal snow)! We were lucky enough for the snow to hang around all day and likely there will be another helping tonight.Some first timer tips on surviving the snow on a road bike:
1. Don’t use a road bike.
2. Always cycle in a straight line.
3. If you have to turn a corner, stick your foot out and glide round.
4. Going faster only increases the risk of bailing but it does mean you’re out in the cold longer, your call.
1. Don’t use a road bike.
2. Always cycle in a straight line.
3. If you have to turn a corner, stick your foot out and glide round.
4. Going faster only increases the risk of bailing but it does mean you’re out in the cold longer, your call.
With the first big dump of winter also comes the first accident and tonight cycling home was when I saw it. Thankfully it was not me, instead as I was driving past the lakes on the way home I saw a car that had slid in some ice, gone over the bike lane, down a 5 meter hill and ended right way up in the 1m deep lake. They must have been travelling pretty fast to get all the way to the lake so one has to laugh at the stupidity of the whole thing.
If anyone read my previous blog (many weeks ago) I mentioned that we were gearing up for the Maersk super cup, a big indoor football tournament. Obviously my team didn’t win or you would certainly have heard about it sooner, but it was a great event all around followed by a big night out! Our team didn’t make it through qualifying and ended up coming away with a win and two losses, well beaten in the final game by none other than the team who sit just down the hall from me, gutted…
This week is now my last week with my current project, from next week 
I begin a new project that should take me through to August next year, about time to head home to see the Rugby World Cup maybe, how coincidental. We’re having our team xmas party this Friday though and it’s really doubling up as a project closure and farewell to some like myself who are heading out a month early to join other projects so it should be a hell of a night. Only thing is that this Friday also doubles as the coldest forecasted night since last winter! The one thing with moving to the new job is that I sacrifice the ex-pat role I currently enjoy and have to turn local. I’ll be searching for a place to live in the next month, hopefully not too far out from the city but likely a bit further away from where I am now.
I begin a new project that should take me through to August next year, about time to head home to see the Rugby World Cup maybe, how coincidental. We’re having our team xmas party this Friday though and it’s really doubling up as a project closure and farewell to some like myself who are heading out a month early to join other projects so it should be a hell of a night. Only thing is that this Friday also doubles as the coldest forecasted night since last winter! The one thing with moving to the new job is that I sacrifice the ex-pat role I currently enjoy and have to turn local. I’ll be searching for a place to live in the next month, hopefully not too far out from the city but likely a bit further away from where I am now.This weekend just been I was lucky enough to put another tick on the bucket list for attending a local FCK match. Me and a few of the boys headed to the FC Kobenhavn game just down the road at Parken stadium. It was a great Sunday out, game was average itself but I think we probably spent most of the time watching the local fans bust out their dance moves! Next on the list is a weekend skiing in the Swiss Alps in December with Wiebke, can’t wait!
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois, (j’etudie le Français)
Stu
Jusqu'à la prochaine fois, (j’etudie le Français)
Stu
