Day 12 - CA - Meet Dexter

Meet Dexter. This little critter was working some moves as part of a glamor shoot for some other photogs however I managed to get some looks too.

Timid

Cautious

A profile

and Blue Steel

Day 11 - CA - Meet Jo and Steve

Introducing Jo and Steve.

At a Japanese place you're guaranteed of getting good food and good photos

I met Steve when I first started working on Wivenhoe and he married Jo in the following months. At the time he worked for Coffey as a geotechnical engineer. Both Jo and Steve resigned so they could move to Canada however there were visa delays which meant after a months holiday, they were back working as contractors for Coffey. A few months later they moved to Puru to work for the Canadian company while their visas were being finalised.

They finally arrived in Canada where they're enjoying the lifestyle, ice hockey, mountain biking and skiing.

Day 8 - CA - Meet the Crew

(back row) Mitch, Ash, Jeff, Lucas, Cam
(front row) Mel, Pas, Cookie, Inga

Mitch works for Energex in the control room. He started on the lines and has his ticket, has an electrical engineering degree and one in business management as well.

Ash works for a perspex manufacturing company and recently proposed to Mel while in Banff.

Jeff is a government employee. (for security reasons further details cannot be disclosed)

Lucas is a civil engineer working for KBR and was involved with the NSBT planning works.

Cam is a civil engineer with Maunsell and the principal planner of this trip. He is dating Inga.

Mel is an electrical engineer who worked for Maunsell but has since moved to Bassetts. She recently said 'yes' to Ash.

Pas is an environmental engineer with Maunsell and has involvement with the Brisbane second runway prelim design.

Cookie is the principal clown and team nerd.

Inga is a civil engineer working for KBR and is presently working on the Horizon Alliance. Incidently her boss lives nextdoor to Cam's parents in my street and used to be our CEBS leader at St Faiths. She is dating Cam.

The Connections:
Cam, Pas, Jeff and Mitch went to school together at St Paul's (along with Bridgy's famous David Brown). Cam is dating Inga who works with Lucas. Mel worked at Maunsell and is engaged to Ash and I knew Cam from younger years as well as knowing Pas from Maunsell.

Day 4 - CA - Meet the McKellars

McSmile

Introducing Fiona, Kirstin and Cameron. Our families have known each other for a long time having parents that have lived in the same street, kids go to the same playgroup, church and schools up until their teens. Fiona is 3 days younger I, Kirstin went to school with my brother Gavin and Cameron went to school with my sister Megan. Both Fiona and Kirstin have moved over seas to London than New York and London respectively. Kirstin's Liverpludleon boyfriend Matt is on this trip whilst Fiona is on a 12 month sabatical and is quite the lady of leisure. Cameron's girlfriend Inga is also enjoying the time here.

Also, legend has it that Fiona takes with her a photo from her childhood. It contains Fiona, Robert Thiele (now a married father), Robert Ratcliffe (presently living in Canada) and yours truely.

Day 2 - CA - Meet the Board

This one goes out to Mikey.

Bought myself a 162cm Burton Custom Wide and Burton Cartel bindings. Not cheap but for what I paid total, it would probably cover the cost of the board back home. Picked up a travel snowboard bag at the same time although it only just fits the board with the bindings fitted. Think I'll remove them for travel once I'm finished here.

And the iPod is the most important bit of kit here

Quite a good board although I suspect that it's a better board than the owner is rider. It's quite stable at speed and I've managed to manouver around moguls, trees and downed skiers well enough. Also managed to stick jumps better than last year

C is for Cookie

Also, rumour has it that I can claim tax back on purchases when I'm leaving the country - hope so! Now... the question is whether I should buy some new boots :P

Day 6 - NZ - Meet the Kenmore Crew

Cheese!

We first saw them at the airport after we landed at Christchurch and as a couple of them were familiar, we thought we'd say hi. Introducing; Lee (Occupational Therapist), Tim (Freelance Photographer), Scott (Event Management) and Anna (I'm sorry, Anna, I don't yet know what you do).

Useless bit of trivia. Tim and Lee know a guy I started TAFE with back in the summer of 69' (I know, some of you would be quick to believe that I really am that old) I mean, '95. He was one of their youth leaders and now is a youth pastor down the coast.

This isn't their first time on the snow and are enjoying being back pushing white stuff down a hill.

Some more trivia. Lee was a member of the band Opposite Lock. We had them perform for the youth group a few months back and played there that night. He has since left the band.

Day 5 - NZ - Meet Adrian

Mikey, Adrian and I chairpooling

Adrian is another male homosapian from Australia who lives in Melbourne and works for Ford as an automotive designer. He uses Alias to model and style vehicles and if you've seen a Typhoon on the road then you've seen some of his handywork. He enjoys documentaries, likes wildlife and travelling.

Adrian impersonating a seagull

Day 4 - NZ - Meet Gus

Gus only does profile photos

Angus Davis; (male, homosapian) an engineer formally of Australia and presently residing in Fernhill, two minutes west of Queenstown. Gus was part of the legendary 'A Team' on the Wivenhoe Alliance. He is also widely acknowledged as the world record holder for the number of times he's locked his keys in his car. Distinctive features include blonde hair with a natural perm, boyish looks and by now he is probably sporting two black eyes from his girlfriend, Claire (originally from South Africa).