Log Twenty, New Zealand from the 27th to the 31st of January

(27th Wednesday January)
Up at 7.40am and to the gym, a good workout, and home by 9.30am and fruit for breakfast. The fog this morning was heavy, by the time I came out of the gym a lot of the fog had lifted. I worked on a synopsis for most of the morning, after lunch, I went down the library to print out what I had just written. Also, I took a few books back and brought out four more, two by Fay Sampson, one by Stephen J. Rivelle the other William Riviêre, my next four reads after the book I’m currently reading.
The sun came out for the rest of the morning and afternoon, but by the evening the clouds were back in force with distant thunder. So I think we are in for more rain before the sun comes back, but it’s still very warm, around 34 Degrees.
(8.50pm) Watching TV, and then to bed, log short and sharp today.
(28th Thursday January)
I woke late this morning, 9am, I was going to the gym but changed my mind, there were clouds in the sky and the forecast was for rain, but up until lunchtime there were clouds but the rain kept off, and for most of the afternoon so I went into town to the library.
Now (9.15pm) the rain is pouring down, there have been 20,000 lightning strikes so far today, nothing more happened today, so a short log.
(Friday 29th January)
I woke at 8am and the weather was sunny and decided to go to Napier. The car journey took me two hours, just follow highway 5 and it is straight into the city centre. The place is smaller than I expected, but the place didn’t disappoint, the town is next the sea, (Pacific Ocean) build in a grid fashion after the earthquake in 1931. Most of the town was destroyed in the quake and was re fashioned.
The houses are quaint, bright colours, and art deco type of environment. Many outdoor cafes line the streets with places to eat and take refreshment.
I sat in the memorial gardens, not a big place, quite small in fact, with small fountain, there is a larger one near the seawater’s edge. The flowers are in abundance. I sat, listened to birds sing, the place is tranquil, it makes one think. I listened to bells playing tunes – campanile I think they are called.
I walked around the town taking in the sights, admiring the houses, and it was fun, and wished I could have gone inside a few and seen how they looked from the inside. I took a stroll along the water front, a fete was going on, music, dancing, stalls, everyone enjoying themselves in the sun, I stay to listen a for awhile and then walked on. Further down there is an Aquarium, I paid the entrance fee and spent a pleasant hour there looking at what was on display. One tank has a huge turtle in it swimming back a forth. The creature looked magnificent but I did feel somewhat sad to see in caged.
These creatures travel thousands of miles in the open sea only coming to land to lay their eggs and then back to sea, they, like many other sea creatures are the gypsies of the sea, and here this one is stuck in a small tank. I have seen turtles in the open ocean, swam with them 30, 40 metres below the sea, once I hitched a ride on one's back and together we swam on for a few minutes. That experience immediately came into my mind as I stood and watched the creature, I looked into its eyes, and I thought I saw sadness there, but perhaps that was just my imagination.
The other exhibits were equally enthralling, the lot of the tanks have open tops and you can look down at the fish, a few had Cray fish, large antennas each side of their heads, for all my conservationism, I felt like picking one out of the water and eating it.
I travelled through a glass tunnel, fish overhead and all around me, sharks, stingrays, barracuda, jacks, were all there on display. Two swimmers moved on the water surface above the glass tunnel snorkeling, if you pay extra you could enter the large tank and swim with the fish. I didn’t, I’ve seen these fish in the open sea many times, and was not motivated to enter their artificial domain.
Leaving there I walked back to the car along the water’s edge for part of the way, the only thing I disliked about the place was the long straight beach being all small pebbles, no sand – but that was to be expected bearing in mind the history of the place.
From sun lotion to rain in a matter of minutes, but I managed to get back to the car in time – well almost, I was a little wet when I ate my lunch, a few crisps with a cheese and onion sandwich I’d made that morning.
At 3.30pm I started for home, the clouds were back in force, the rain belted down, still warm, but grey and I got into Taupo at 5.30 to see the sun again. There was no rain here, people bathed in the lake, boats crossed each other on the water. Picnics abounded on the waterfront. I know I’ve said it a few time before, but this country is still amazing, from sun to rain back to sun in an eye lash, from scorching sun to skiing in no time to thundering storms in the same afternoon. What a contrast, and I love it.
I called into Woolworths for the weekly shopping, didn’t need a lot this week, and home. The evening saw me watching television and reading. And you got it, Taupo weather turned, there was one hell of a storm, rain lashed down, a virtual deluge, lightning, thunder, the Full Monty. I left the window blinds open and watched it overhead, and I enjoyed ever moment – there is something grand and mysterious in watching the power of nature unleash it fury, in bed by 10.20pm, read a little and straight to sleep.
(Saturday 30th January)
I wake a 6.30am, the mist was low, all the rain the day before left the place in fog. I was up and out almost immediately and went to the gym, but it was closed so I walked around the harbour and the lake, when I got back to the gym it was open. It is a twenty-four hour gym, but I am not on that tariff. I worked out for an hour and half: boy did I sweat, got back in the house at 9.30am. The fog had burnt off by then and sun was out: I was very warm, but the gym might have had something to do with that. A quick breakfast and then up to fetch my grandson to go swimming.
We arrived at the pool 10.30am and had a great time, loads of slides and swimming, we were there for 2 and a half hours, and then back to my house, a quick lunch and then his nap. Later we went to Woolworths, we needed ice cream – actually, my grandson insisted we need ice cream, so to the shops we went. He originally wanted to stay the night but changed his mind so I took him home.
The evening saw my reading. The latest E. Chadwick, `The Greatest Knight,’ William Marshal, to date I’ve read five of her novels. I’ll read the others when I get home in Wales.
I’ve taken the complete works of Jane Austin on loan, and I intend to read them over the next few weeks along with the other books I borrowed. I have read a few of her novels in the past, but this time I want to look at her writing from an academic viewpoint.
Her total output was, to my knowledge six novels, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, being the two most successful, her other four novels are Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park – her novels enduring success is down to her characterisation, and to a lesser extent her plots, but I intend to attach her novels with an open mind. So for the next few weeks I have quite a lot of reading to do. But I enjoy it so, it’s no great chore, but I will be reading other novels as well: Austin’s works I will be dipping into periodically - in and out of, so to speak.
The evening saw, rain, lightning and thunder back, and it lasted until I went to bed at 10.30pm after a few glassed of red wine, I read for a while and I slept like a log.
(Sunday 31st January)
I woke at 9am, I don’t thing I moved all night, after the exercise yesterday little wonder. I feel good this morning, energized - the clouds are around with a keen wind, but that matters little. I’m to have a day of rest today - listen to music and read – life is good, but time is moving too quickly for me. I’ll be the 1st of February tomorrow, and I need to start travelling a lot more over the next few weeks if I’m to do all which I have planned.
There is so much I wish to do, writing is but one of them and I need to make time for that also, but I can always do that when I get back to the UK. Normally I am very good at planning my time, but things have gone a little Topsy-turby since I’ve been out here, but I have read authors I would not normally read, so there is also a learning process going on, for me learning is a like owning a dog. It’s for life.
I’m cooking tonight for seven people, (12.20pm) but everything thing is prepared, I had intended making pork shoulder stuffed with apricots – a new recipe I wanted to try, with roasted vegetables, but changed my mind. I want to read this afternoon not cook.
So it’ll be spaghetti bolognas with potato wedges in garlic, oil, and herbs – I have this down to a fine art. For dessert, I am making a coconut cake with chopped apricot-raisin filling (sauntered first in a pan with a little raw sugar) with custard to serve. A tip: place a small amount of Vanilla Essence with the custard, it makes a bit difference to the taste.
(24.50pm) I just made the cake for dessert this evening: coconut with apricot chippings inside, the top of the cake (I’ll turn it upside down) dried apricots, which I boiled and grazed with raw blown sugar which are embedded in the top of the cake – in the over for around 25 minutes, the rest of the time I’ve read.
I’ve tried to get into Fay Samson’s novel, `The Silent Fort,” it’s a short novel, I’ve read 25% of it but that’s it, I can’t get into her writing, I have another of her novels `The Land Of The Angers,` but I’m not reading it, both I’m taking back to the library later this week.
The clouds are in for the day, wind also, the leaves on the trees are moving rather strongly in the wind, outside my window it’s all trees, it’s really beautiful, anyway, back to reading, and then I’ll lay out the evening meal, plenty of time yet.

Log Nineteen, New Zealand from 22nd to the 26th of January.

(Friday 22nd January)
I woke around 8.30am and went straight to the gym in the car, the clouds are still with us and it rained throughout the night, but it’s brighter today and not raining now (10.11am), in fact, I can hear the birds singing. But from the weather forecast it is due to rain later this afternoon so I can’t see me going to Rotorua today, but I haven’t made up my mind yet, I’ll read for awhile and then make a decision.
I went shopping, spent quite a bit, bought loads of mince and a leg of lamb and a few bottles of wine. Later in went swimming, the pool is good, part of the pool is indoors and part outdoors, and you can move from one to the other at will. There is a Sauna and a Steam room: I used them both. I called into Woolworths on the way back and purchased a few items I didn’t pick up this morning and home.
I for my evening meal, potato wedges in garlic and herbs, two eggs and a few beans, most enjoyable indeed.
The rain is still with us, but it did come a little brighter after lunch, but now, it’s rain – rain – rain, but the plus: it’s warm.

Funny really, a few day ago I was watching a television programme on fat people; tonight, there is another on Anorexia, and believe me, it moved me.
Seeing these people make really sad, the same sadness you see in fat people. They want to be different, but just don’t seem to know how. I feel like shouting at them, call them stupid, and to pull themselves together, stop mourning, get on with it, and sort yourself out, with little understanding as to how they feel.
It is easy for someone like me to say, just eat and exercise, count your calories, and there you go, easy really. But it’s not that easy for them. I’m starting to believe it’s a mental problem, these people, without exception are sad, they see themselves as life failures, and that annoys me to hell, negativity and failure I find hard to accept.
They feel inadequate and think they are fat, fat people thing the opposite, and believe they need to be thin – they have no balance in eating, or in lack of eating, their life choices are crap, and that’s exactly what it is, life choices, the key work is CHOICE: THEY HAVE CHOICE, BUT THEY FEEL THEY HAVEN’T, there is an alternative!
The problem is mental: the answer - I haven’t an answer, perhaps support, more understanding, that, coming from me, is indeed a revelation. Normally, I have very little time for people like that who cannot control their life, but I do feel sadness for them. I should thank my lucky stars I am not like that, and instead of looking askew at them and thinking them weak ineffective people that needs a good kick up the backside. I must look and see them as individuals who are not past the pall and need understanding, everyone somewhere inside themselves have their own devils, and just because mine in not diet or weigh, or lack of weigh, there must be an observant acceptance by me. Enough said.
(Saturday 23rd January)

I woke this morning to a knock at the door, my son 7.50am, he is off to work and I’m having my grandson for the day and the night. My son and his wife are spending Saturday night at the Hilton, with all the trimmings.
I spent the morning playing with my grandson and cooking. I did beef and chicken curry and marinated a leg of lamb for cooking tomorrow and sorted out two dishes of lasagne. Later, I took my grandson swimming, we had a great time, they have a long tube slid and we had load of goes, it was stupendous. There are several different pools, you can even hire a small private pool if you so wish. The water is warm, thermally heated from the ground.
The weather is still cloudy but that does not matter, we had a great time. The pool is tremendous and the slid... Well, I could go on for `yonks,’ but I won’t. We arrive back at 5.30pm and we were shattered: had dinner at 7pm, and my grandson went to bed and I had lasagne with a baked potato with a few glasses of red win.

A good day, a very good day, and (8.50pm) I’m watching television now. The novel I’m reading now is by Bernard Cornwell, “The Lords of the North.” The last novel I read; the Agatha Christie novel at the time of the Pharaohs was really good, the time period, quite frankly, was irrelevant, it was a murder, `who done it story’ typical Christie. I have one more novel to read and then, it’s back on to E. Chadwick, “The Greatest Knight.” Late evening, I watched television and in bed my 11.30pm and read for awhile.
(Sunday 24th January)

Up at 8am, my grandson must have been tired after yesterday, normally he’s up a 6.30am; we had porridge for breakfast and I read a little when he played with his toys. I will be freezing the meals I prepared yesterday. Later, there will around 29 meals in all, the cost, around $2 per portion, so quite good.
I must cook the meal, leg of lamb - later. I will be doing it with a herby crust in tomato and red wine. I know this meal. I’ve prepared in many times with roasted vegetable. Pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, boiled and roasted, peas, plus mixed vegetables, all done in the oven. There’ll be six for dinner tonight. For dessert, I’m frying whole bananas in butter caramelised with brown raw sugar and topped with syrup to serve, accompanied by a whole meal biscuit.
The weather today has changed, the sun is out in force, there a few clouds in the sky but not many, it’ll be a warm sunny day today, and after the rain the last few days, welcome it is, I can tell you. Need to go out shortly to do a little shopping at Woolworths, don’t need a lot, mushrooms, a few peppers, raisins and currents – that’s about it.
(Monday 25th January)

The meal last night went well, we had a few beers and a few more and finished with a glass of port. I woke at 8am and felt good, slept like a log last night and after breakfast and a little read I went to Rotorua, just got back (4pm), The smell is quit powerful when you get there, sulphur permeates the air and smell a lot like rotten eggs.
The lake is lot small then Taupo but large enough to have a few quite large boats, a water plane and a helicopter. But the water is not as clean as Taupo, the water quality is getting better but it will take a few years yet. Because of the fallout from land fertilisers, and until quite recently sewerage went untreated into the lake. All that has now stopped, but it will take many years for the bacteria in the lake to break down. Don’t get me wrong, the water is clean enough to swim in, but this country is after pristine in its water quality and goes out of its way to make it so.
This weather is funny and takes quite a bit of getting used to, this morning, I was using factor 30 against the sun: this afternoon, I was in a thunder storm, thunder and lightning everywhere. I can’t see me ever going back to Rotorua, I was a little disappointed with it. Not sure yet where I’m going tomorrow, I’ll see what the weather is like first in the morning. But despite the weather I did a lot of walking.
(26th Tuesday, January)

I woke to rain and more rain, thunder and lightning filled the sky all day, the noise - crashing and flashing without stop, clouds low and grey, the last day and a half has seen over 15,000 separate lightning strikes.
I didn’t leave the house for the whole of the day, but I quite enjoyed it, I just read, finished the Cornwell novel and almost finished the E. Chadwick, quite a substantial novel, dressed only in a pair of shorts. From the weather forecast it looks to be the same tomorrow, the storm has been overhead since yesterday afternoon and is still going on (6.05pm) with no sign of stopping, at this rate I’ll never get round the island.
I was going down the library but decided against it, I need to update my log, perhaps tomorrow. But I’m not particularly worried; I have another two months out here so there is no rush.

Log Eighteen New Zealand 21st of January 2010

(21st January Thursday)
I was up like a lark this morning at 7am and straight down the gym, the weather was as expected, it rained heavily throughout the night and is still with us this morning, glad I didn’t have to walk to the gym in this weather; it’s around a 1000 steps from my door to the gym door. Worked out for over an hour and a half, got back just before 9 am, and had breakfast. I will not be going to Rotorua today, it’ll take around an hour and twenty minutes to get there, and by the looks of things, I may not go swimming either – not a lot of fun in the rain.

The forecast is for rain all day and for the next two days, so I’ll have to see how things fan out. No worries I’ll use the time to read, I’ll really enjoying my time reading, it’s not often I can just sit back and read for hours on end, but it is at the expense of my own writing.
(10.12am) I am sitting at my table writing a synopsis to send for Book Nine, outside my window the rain is hammering down, and yet it is warm. The last time I saw rain this heavy was in Thailand in the rainy season, the sky is filled with dark grey clouds, and it looks pretty miserable.
(12.19) With all the rain we’ve had this morning, I’ve just notices there is water coming into the bathroom in the corner near the toilet tank. It’s not a lot, but I have informed the landlord, better to get it sorted straight away, the landlords is a friend of my son, a really nice person. It’s stopped raining now but the sky is full of clouds so there is still more to come from the looks of things.
Just finished writing my synopsis for Book Nine, need to get it off now to a publisher, but it won’t be today, the publisher will have to wait a few days yet – I need to print off the first three chapters with a covering letter, it’ll be done in the next few days. I want to get a book published in New Zealand, silly I know when I can have it done in the UK, but I don’t care, I just feel like doing it.
(5.30pm) I’m sitting in my house, outside there is thunder and lightning and the rain is bucketing down with low fog. I’ve never seen so much rain in such a short period of time. Sometimes I like to walk in the rain, with full wet water gear, but not in this rain, without doubt, it would sting the face. I know the farmers wanted rain, and the Waikato River has been low at times, but after today, I think that gripe has gone down the river with the rising water level.
Tonight I’m making rice, jacket potato with chilli, I made a large batch a few days ago and this is the last of it, but chilli is one of my favourite meals. Watching now, “Come Dine With Us.” The show is quite funny; some of the participants haven’t a clue of how to cook.
Earlier this afternoon I went down the library, I drove down, and took a few books back and took others out. I already have four books lined up ready to read, but the others, even though I’ve borrowed them from the library, on closer inspection I don’t think I’ll be reading them, my fault for not taking more time.

They are by Barry Brailsford – “Song Of The Circle,” but back in the house I’ve read a few pages and it’s not for me. I will try again, but I don’t think I’ll change my mind.
Doesn't time go quickly! It’s a year since President Obama has taken office, it seems only yesterday we were all watching his campaign, and from what I can gather he seems to be doing a good job, but I can’t see him sorting out the Afghanistan problem, even Sister Teresa would have trouble there. With Iraq not far behind.

I have noticed that the man known as “Chemical Ally” is to be hanged, but again I can’t see that doing any good, revenge is never sweet no matter what anyone thinks – it normally ends with reciprocation, and so it goes on, only forgiveness brings results. And of course, after today, a Republican has taken the seat that Kennedy occupied so the Republicans now have 41 seats in the Senate and are able to block legislation, especially the health reforms he is trying to get through and into legislation. It seems a lot of Americans do not want free health care for everyone, they are a country against the cost.
They know that taxation will have to go up to pay for it and are not prepared, as it is now around 60% of Americans pay very little tax and are starting to resent increased taxation – hence the Republican being elected today. But I think there is more to it, there is anger in America over jobs and a downward standard of living, and they are looking around for people to blame. My opinion, he needs more time to make things happen, and increased taxation for free health care for every American is a price, I think, well worth paying.
I see there is still hell in Haiti, they has been another earthquake today - aftershock I think, but numbers are not yet available, but it looks to be significant. I really appreciate just how lucky I am, I haven’t a lot, but it’s more, a lot more than most, and the future is looking even better. But I say live in the moment, plan for the future, and enjoy life. The past is gone and the only benefit is in memory, so don’t live in the past, look, always look to the future, but enjoy the moment you are in, it is where you are so make it right.
(6.40pm) The weather is closing in even tighter, the mist is down, the rain is torrential, there is a thunder storm just over head, and it will be with us for awhile yet. I’ve closed the curtains and gone to ground, and here I’ll stay until I see the sun again, but it’s not in the least cold. If we had this weather in the UK it would be cold with it, so there is benefit despite the gloomy day. In a strange way, I’m enjoying it.

Log Seventeenth, New Zealand, from the 18th to the 20th of January 2010

(Monday 18th January)
Up from bed a 9am intending to go down the gym but I wanted to finish the Chadwick novel I mention yesterday and read instead, finished the novel at just gone twelve midday, the novel is everything I said it was, and more. It makes me want to know more about W. Marshal and his wife Isabelle, and I will, next time I'm down the library, might be later today, (12.30pm now) I will get look to see what is down there about this great historical family. To date, I’ve read three of her novels, I have one more here to read and will start it later today. I did say after I’ve read four of her novels I would seek a change, but I may not now, and read all her works at one sitting.
I should also be doing some writing myself, but I haven’t yet started after Christmas, but I feel there is no rush, besides, it will be getting a car this week, Wednesday it looks like, and then I’ll be starting to travel around the county. I have an inclination to be near the sea. I know there is a large lake here, but it is not the sea, there is no salt air, no big waves, large long sandy beaches, so my travelling will start shortly. But not quite yet, I’ve just started the other Chadwick novel “The Love Knot,” this one is a shorter read than the other one, besides, it’s cloudy out, I think the sun has taken a rest today, but it’s still quite warm.
Listening to the news last night about Haiti it made me sad; it’s now believed there are over 200,000 people dead with that many again injured with millions displaced and homeless. The earthquake struck the capital Port-au-Prince the most heavily populated part of the island. Haiti is a poor country, corrupt with it, which doesn’t help the situation.
Graham Greene write a novel about Haiti; I remember reading it quite a few years ago, I can’t remember its title, but I do remember it was about a priest and the capital Port-au-Prince was mentioned. Aid I believe is slow getting into the country, bodies fill the streets, destruction abounds, law and order has broken down – starvation seems to be a fact of life. It is so bad that it is hard to picture, even though we see the devastation on the TV, so I hope when aid does finally arrive in quantities, it goes to the right people.
Call me cynical if you like, but somehow I hesitation it will be so, but I hope I’m wrong and my cynicism is unfounded, but one-way or another I doubt it. But there again, even that is not sufficient verification for not sending aid, if a small part gets through and the few increase their Swiss Bank Accounts, that is a price that must be paid, but it does leave a bitter taste in the mouth.
I have read all day since I woke this morning, indeed, I haven’t even changed out of my sleeping shorts, (7pm) not worth it now, listening to the news on TV, Prince Andrew is in Auckland, from the look of things getting a good welcome. Half way through my fourth novel by E. Chadwick, I’ll finish it tomorrow, but I’ll be down the library tomorrow to see if they have any other books by that author and on Earl W. Marshal – the author recons Marshal was the Winston Churchill of the 12th Century.
Listening now on D Toxic tablets and their value, (television documentary) and the article recommends most if not all remedies are a load of nonsense and can do more harm than good to the body. I’m inclined to agree, sensible eating, reasonable exercise, no smoking or too much alcohol, don’t become over weight, with no drugs, and there is no problem, sorted, simple really. It doesn’t take a lot to stay healthy – it’ll all about life style, so stop worrying and get eating correctly and exercising.
(Tuesday 19th January)

I woke at 8pm and read for a while, later I walked to town and spent a pleasant hour in the library where I took a few books back and a few more out to keep me going. I finished reading the fourth novel by E Chadwick, or yes, I have her novel “The Greatest Knight.” But now I’m reading a novel by Agatha Christie “Death Comes As The End” it’s based in ancient Egypt 2000 BC, I didn’t know she wrote about Egypt in this vein, so from what I’ve read so far it an ancient detective story.
Again, there is chaos in Afghanistan, Kabul, the capital, there it should be safe now, has seen the Taliban making a fool of the government yet again, the city rocked with bombs. State building destroyed, many people killed, how can the government, corrupted elected government, hope to govern the country?

The truth is, there is not a hope in hell of making it work despite the extra troops deployed there to help hold the peace process. The country is run by many different factions, drugs are grown at an all time high, murder and every day is a natural phenomenon. We should just pull out and let them get on with it. Why oh why can’t our and other government see this, we are not going to win, the Taliban are fanatical individuals, and civilization cannot hope to win again these types of people, so I say again, let them got on with it and fight around each other: there is no other way.
For the evening, I read and watched TV, and in bed by 12am.
(Wednesday 20th January)

Woke at 8.20 and I had a quick breakfast and out with my son at 8.45am and we went into Hamilton, the journey takes around two hours. It is some town, and we had meal in one of the shopping centre and then made a phone call to look at a car, the car looked rather good but after haggling we failed to agree on the purchase and I we left, the second car we looked at – both private sales – we agree on price, and that was it. I had my car and drove it back to Taupo, it only a small engine, 1000cc, but it’ll do me, I’m now mobile and I intend to make the most of it. I’ve just about exhausted the area around Taupo and very nice it was too, so now it’s further afield for me.
Already I’ve planned where I want to go and will start tomorrow, Rotorua is my first stop, and then alone the Hawkes Bay Coast, quite a number of the beaches are pristine and are virtually deserted. I’m really looking forward to it.
(6,10pm) Listening the evening news, Haiti is still in a mess, aid is arriving, but from what I can see, so is looting, and the country is in a desperate state. Already, to death toll is over 200,000 and it is still rising. The sights make me want to cry, the misery is unbelievable, whole families wiped out, when Nature clenches its fist the world feels the blow, and there is not a thing we can do about it.
(10.45pm) I've just listened to the weather forecast, and would you believe: it will be a day of rain tomorrow, all day from what I’ve just heard, “a burst of heavy rain,” the words used, and for the next two days. So it may not be Rotorua tomorrow after all: if it is raining heavy, I’ll go to the swimming baths and to the hot pools after my morning gym session.
Over the last few days I haven’t walked as far as I normally walk, but not to worry, I have spent a lot of time reading, so I’ll take a rest over the next few days and get more exercise and read a little less. But I’ll be lying if I said I’m looking forward to reading the novel “The Greatest Knight,” and for me to finish reading the A. Christie novel about ancient Egypt.
I have so much to do out here, and I need to make the most of the time. But I haven’t rules out coming back again for next winter and spending another few months out here, but I still have another two months out here, but I don’t want to spend next Christmas out here, so it may be next year, January, if I do decide to come back.

Log Sixteen, New Zealand, from 14th to 17th of January 2010

(Thursday 14the January)
I slept well last night, the weather today is a lot warmer, and I feel fine: funny, when the weather changes it has an effect on me. I was up from bed this morning at 8am and went up the gym; I worked out for one and a half hours and, later, I went for a walk along the river.
I went home to have lunch, read a little, reading now, “The Scarlet Lion” another novel by Elizabeth Chadwick.

After lunch I walked again along the Waikato River up the hot springs and went for a swim, the river was low and near the hot spring the water was too warm to sit in, but a little out in the river the water was alright, and I had a good time. I’ve walked over 9 miles today.
I walked home, the weather hot and sunny and admired the wonderful countryside, eventually, I got home and made my dinner, sausage, boiled potatoes, peas with onion gravy, and for the rest of the night I read and watched television, Harry Potter, “The Goblet of Fire.” Shortly I’ll be starting my travels around the North Island – first I need to get a car, next week should see that sorted.
I see there is more snow back in the UK, just heard on the news; over 2,000 schools are closed because of the snow, but still with low freezing temperatures. Glad I’m over here I must say, but the newsreader did comment that the temperature in the UK should get better towards the weekend, but still they are to remain cold – off the bed 11am – see you all tomorrow.
(Friday 15th January)

I slept like the proverbial log and woke at 9am, still, I admit, after the exertions of yesterday, little wonder, but feeling good. The sky was cloudless, the sun up and warm. I left immediately for the gym walking the long way round along the Waikato River, which was lower than normal. The birds sang: I saw a rabbit, which ran in front of me and was lost to me in the undergrowth. The wind, not cold, moved the trees, and sounded like a stream humming over stones as I made my way along.
Worked out for just over an hour and walked back home the same way I came, stooping frequently to listen to nature’s sounds and to admire its beauty. For lunch, I had tuner fish with cheese and onion in two rolls, and then I read awhile and relaxed listening to music. I need to go shopping sometime today.
I came back from shopping, 4.30pm, it’s a pain carrying it from the shops, this time next week I should have a car, hopefully. I just had a shower, 5.50pm, watching television and waiting for the baked potato, which is in the oven, I’m having it with chilli.

I should have mentioned it earlier, when in the gym I weighted after training wearing shorts and T-shirt. I weigh 77.7 kilos: in stones that is, 12 stone 2 pounds, so I’m in pretty good shape, but I want to get down to 11 stone 10 pounds. I only have a few more pounds to go, 6 pounds to be exact, so I should be there in the next 3 to 4 weeks, concentrating on my stomach and chest. I say that, providing there is no great temperature change, or there may be a problem, if you know what I mean!
I haven’t drunk a lot of wine, any alcohol in fact for quite a while, so I’ve bought two bottle of wine, Australia. Jacob’s Creep- a white Riesling and a red Shiraz, they were on offer, $6.95 each. I hope they are alright. I intend to have a few glasses tonight. (6,15pm) From the looks of things outside, it may well rain later, the clouds are back and the cloud blanket is getting thicker, and yet this morning, there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky. I’m half way through the E. Chadwick novel, this is the third novel, which I’ve read by this author, and after, I will read her other novel, which I borrowed: “The Love Knot.” After I’ve read four of her novels I’ll take a rest and change focus. I want to read a few New Zealand authors.
The red Shiraz wine for the price is excellent, I had three small glasses, around a third of a bottle; I want to go to the gym tomorrow, so too much wine tonight will drain me tomorrow, 11.15pm, off to bed now.
(Saturday 16th January)

Up at 9am, slept like a log and straight down the gym for a work out, later: a walk, and later still back at the house I read. In the afternoon I went into town and did the shopping, buying a daily paper at the same time. Back at the house the rest of the day reading, “The Scarlet Lion” my E Chadwick, it's a rather hefty novel but well worth the read, in is her second book on William Marshal a great 12th century Magnet and Knight and his wife Isabella, Countess of Pembroke, also Queen of Leinster in Ireland. I will definitely read the first novel about William Marshal “The Greatest Knight.”
The novels are just that, novels, but they are rooted in fact, and the William Marshal’s tomb and effigy resides at the Temple Church London, his wife was buried in Tintern Abbey but her tomb has long gone, destroyed by the annals of time. But a large replica of Isabelle’s seal can be seen at Chepstow Caste, she died one year after her husband despite being twenty years his junior. The story can be looked upon on two levels: a great love story or as an adventure novel, equally on both levels it make for compelling reading. Staying in Saturday night, watched a little television, listened to music and in bed my 10.30 feeling good, very good indeed.
(Sunday 17th January)

Up at 8am, slept well, and read for most of the morning. After lunch, I made the evening meal, well, the cottage pie I had already made, so I only need do the topping, potato, sweet potato, radish and carrots, mashed and placed as a topping, with Ratatouille, cauliflower, sweet corn, tomatoes, done a cauliflower cheese, with creamed potato with onions and garlic topped with radish. I only need cook for five so it wasn’t too bad and it turned into a good evening. After they went, I read until I fell asleep, short log today.