Kiwi Winter -the start

I hate June, well at least June in NZ.

For the last 2 years June has been sun, beers and bbqs but now back home its cold and grey and where the f$#k is the snow i need to go skiing dame it.

Been home for good 7 months now and life is pretty much running smoothly, the first semester of my masters went well and i have made many new friends which has been great. Uni work has taken over most of my free time but i have still been able to get out on some fun trips with new and old mates.

The rest of year should be a busy one as i try and balance the start of my thesis research while also aiming to spent as much time in the mountains as i can.

Here are few pics from the last few months.

earthquake

On the 22nd February 2011 I was at home and about to head outside when suddenly i felt the earth move. At first i thought it was one of the small aftershocks that had been rattling the city from the September quake, but then i realized this was different, this one was still going when it should have stop, this one was shaking power polls outside like kids toys, this one was going to kill someone.

Thankfully our house stayed in one piece and all my friends and family came out of it alive and unhurt. Sadly this was not the case for many others, today there are 166 confirmed deaths from the quake ( still likely to rise) and much of the CBD of Christchurch is destroyed with many eastern parts of town severally damaged. My favorite cafes and shops are now nothing but dust, I can only hope that the staff whose faces i knew and names i never remembered made it out alive. As the city fell apart it was amazing to watch people look after each other, the sense of pride and community spirit was amazing: students digging out whole neighborhoods filled with mud, water being pumped from farm tankers to retirement homes, the whole the just overwhelmed me and often left my fighting back tears.

I use to hate taking photos in Christchurch, its so normal so familiar to me i use to find it really hard. I ended up shooting a lot in the week after the quake, it was tough and i often didn't want to, but i knew that for my own sack of history i had to keep making pictures, this is my home town after all.

back home and back to uni.

I'm not sure why i have been putting off up dating this thing, guess i just got lazy being back home or maybe i didn't know what to write. Been back in NZ now for over 2 months and I have been truly loving the kiwi summer, been lucky enough to do a number of trips around the country which have been a fantastic way to reintroduce myself to the motherland again after almost 2 years away.

Soon I will be starting my Masters in Applied Science which both excites and terrifies me, It's been 3 years since i wrote any academic work so it's going to be tough but then I'm looking forward to the challenge and the new experiences it will bring. Sadly my travel will be restricted to within NZ for a while but i will try and keep this thing updated in case any one ever reads it.

Ran off to Stewart Island last week to turn 27 and visit a part of NZ i had never seen, here are some pics from this beautiful little island.

Bye Bye Pankisi - Hello Dubai

For the last 2 months i have been living in the Pankisi Valley in the Republic of Georgia working with the Roddy Scott Foundation, helping them run there english and computer classes, sadly my time in Georgia has ended and I'm now heading back to NZ (it's not all bad:-).

Working with the teachers and local Kist community there has been one of the most rewarding things i have ever done, never have i seen students so eager to learn and better themselves as i did in Pankisi, which is regarded as one of the most poorest parts of Georgia. Although the valley has a reputation as a former hide out for Chechen fighters, I was greeted with nothing but warmth by the local people who feed me, housed me and let me into there lives, for this I am forever grateful..

Every day I was there i would take my camera with me as i went out to the different schools around the valley never knowing what i might find, after a while i started to focus my attention on a number of stories around the valley. Right now im editing these stories down and will post them here soon so stay turned, here is a few pics that didn't make the final edit.

Pankisi

Still here in the Pankisi Valley working with the RSF and doing my own thing.

I'm to lazy to write so as normal I'll let the pictures to the talking.

Chillin with the Chechen's

3 weeks ago i set out on a 11 day road trip around Georgia with 3 good friends Steve, Randy and Nick. We climbed a few hills, nailed a few supra's and drank a lot of great wine and beer, so a successful trip all in all.

I'm now doing some work with the Roddy Scott Foundation (RSF) in the Pankisi Valley which is keeping me busy and entertained. Living and working with the local Chechen's has been a truly eye opening experience, there kindness and warmth has left me feeling at home in a very foreign land. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roddy-Scott-Foundation/156763184351445

Got lots of things in the pipeline so will post them here as they work out............fingers crossed

Black Sea

Just got back to Tbisili after a 5 day trip to the black sea and south western Georgia, the sea was warm and the landscapes were beautiful, what more could you ask for.

Some pics from Batumi

Tbilisi Georgia

Been here in Tbilisi for the last few days and my head is still spining, is this Europe ? is this Asia? no it's Georgia.

The food and wine are great, it's sunny and hot and there's a good photo around every corner, as long as your hangover is not keeping you in bed.

stay turned for more