Kia Ora. Well its been awhile! And I have been busy, bought a car for $950, a 1985 Toyota Cressida. A prestige car in its day, just like I was then!

Hiya mate or should I be saying Kia Ora, dunno how you could not open, as leonie gets a copy cced to her and she opened ok so here it is buddy boy, as the count begins to see if Bush will rule the free world and a few other litle countries he should keep his armies out of!!!

Kia Ora. Well its been awhile! And I have been busy, bought a car for $950, a 1985 Toyota Cressida. A prestige car in its day, just like I was then!

It handles the hill climbs of this mountainous country pretty well. For a boy from the flat plains of the sunburnt country, the skills of driving are a whole different ball game here. And the way some of the kiwis driveÖ.. it’s boy racer time, watch out! Tailgating around hair pin bends is not what I call a country drive. Oh well when in RomeÖ.

So to the next item on the agenda, job hunting. Had an interview last week for a great job, 4 days on 4 days off working as a security guard. Alas I came second, but scored an interview, moments after the negatory phone call. It was a job agency screening for a Party Hire manager, running a part of the large hire company in Whangarei hiring out party gear, marquees and porta loos!!!! Interesting, and the agency put me forward as a candidate, so I have an interview Mon 1/11.

The other item on the agenda is living quarters; rents around here are a bit steep. So working outside the square, I have made an offer on a 1 bedroom unit using our equity in the investment property we have in Tikipunga (don’t you just love these Maori names). However the locals think I am made because of the suburb, with one guy saying it was the murder capital of Northland and another calling it the Bronx!!! But after my due diligence in researching the area, I reckon it’s just fine. My research was a few drives around the area of the unit (which is empty at present), calling into see the desk officer at the main police station, talking to cab drivers on the city cab rank, the lady at the insurance office and the lady in a furniture shop. However the best one, was the guy running the ice cream van ñ Mr Whippy, in the street. For a $2.50 nut sundae it was the best advice money could buy!!!!! So now I wait on the bank to see if they are going to lend us the spondooliks, it will be cheaper paying a mortgage than paying rent on the hovels I have seen.

So its week 4 and plan A was if all things failed, to be back at work in Darwin tomorrow-Mon 1/11, so the challenge has begun!!! Stay tuned.

Phil Waters