Personally I find statues 46m high intimidating but that's just me...
Personally I find statues 46m high intimidating but that's just me...

Less than two weeks and I’ll be cramped up in cattle class getting my money’s worth of free dinner rolls and gin & tonics as we make our way across the Pacific ocean to touch down at the famed LAX – I can’t wait. I loved backpacking around SE Asia but America seems like more of  a challenge, like this is a place that gets right in your grill and says ‘hey you whaddya looking at’. I’m pretty sure I’ll get mugged, shot at and frisked for drugs before I even get through customs. But I don’t think it’ll phase me – I’ll just be like o wow this is so cool, it’s just like I’m in the movies … yeh!

But since the lovely city of Christchurch will keep the home fires burning while I’m off working on my winter tan in Cancun I’m not leaving without saying ‘hey thanks Christchurch for being such a good sport and letting me go away for three weeks’ … so I’m giving you the gift of good weather. Yep that’s right three weeks of fine sunny typical Christchurch winter weather – the sort of winter weather that makes you think to yourself ‘hey Christchurch winters aren’t really that bad’ as you feel the warm glow of sun so low in the sky it looks like it’s bouncing off house roofs. I can give this because that’s what happens every time I go away and I can already sense the harsh ‘freeze your fingers off’ cold grey weather is lifting … so enjoy, it’s just a little something from me to you.

Anyway that’s next week – this week I have stuff to do like getting into shape for the big skate off at the Ice Dome in the square this Friday night. The website promises that it will be a magical venue – I wonder if that will make us forget all the bruises, bumps and crushed egos that always happen when humans deliberately put themselves in situations involving sharp edges and slippery surfaces? I guess I’ll find out but hey the things I do for romance. I’m going with a crowd from the city council so if anything goes wrong they’ll be sure to know who to sue.

And if that’s not enough putting my body in the line of fire I’m off the next morning to Ohau lodge, which sits conveniently at the foot of Mt Ohau skifields. There’s a beautiful view over Lake Ohau and looking out to Mt Cook but I won’t get much time to admire the view as I carve my way down ripping up the terrain park. By the time I get to rest up I’ll be soaking in the hot tub drinking woodstock and staring at the stars before heading in for the irish hooley going on in the bar. Sunday will be more of the same. Good times!

Hope whereever you happen to be your living large and enjoying life – if not let me know, I know a few fixes! Til next time make time for the things you love!!

Christchurch – My gift to you is good weather!