If a picture says 1000 words...

In light of the recent devastation of Peru, and especially Cusco. Where I stayed. I have been looking through my pics (and there must be well over 1000) to try and find my favorite pics that appealed to me.

This was a hard pick. Obviously Machu Picchu should be included, but out of the 280 photos that I kept this is one that reminds me that while the builders have long gone M.P is still a home to some.
I just like this, unfortunately i didn't keep the photo I was taking! it reminds me of Charlie Brown for some reason...

This one reminds me of the best long weekend away that I had. Awesome location and great friends. To me this sums up my time the most.

I have an issue with the minimum wage!

On stuff.co.nz today they have this article.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3267624/Minimum-wage-goes-up-by-25-cents-an-hour

Now I take strong issue with this constant quest by unions for the continual raise of the minimum wage.

Sure I'm no economist, but lets be fair. The wage increase isn't across the board. I worked for 4 years before achieving my trade cert to be paid $18 (in fairness recession didn't help this change). Yet the union quoted wants a minimum wage of $15! I don't see why the unions are trying to debilitate the work force by keeping them on the minimum wage.

It should be a steeping stone or in between, not a life long career path.

Perhaps the govt should put more effort into up skilling the work force and let the market decide their pay rate, should they need unskilled labor. Supply and demand...

New adventures await... in 5 weeks

I had an interview last Thursday, with Contiki. It was for a job that I applied for after being here for about 3 weeks. So way back in Sept.

When I walked in the other 2 guys (the other 8 were girls) were dressed as though they were going for a sales or accounting job. I was thinking "crap, either I've missed the mark coming in tidy casual or they have". When we eventually had to give our 5 minute presentation on some thing of interest to us in Europe, I ended up going first. From emails and from what was said prior to the presentations I felt that it wasn't so much what we said but how we said it.

I have to admit that when I got up I was more nervous than I would have liked, but gave my ad lib talk on where I have been, what I'm doing and where I hope to go. I tried to be jovial as well as include the other interviewees who were stone faced. (I guess they didn't want to laugh and support me) I don't think I hit 5 mins, but I felt I gave a fair representation of me. Once every one was done, we had to leave and call back at 1.15 to see if we had an interview. As I left I shook hands with one of the interviewers who said "we'll see you this afternoon" which made me think, either thats a generic throw away comment or I'm trough to the next stage....

So I had lunch with 6 others. 2 didn't get an interview which was awkward! but unsurprising, one girl was so nervous she had massive troubles thinking on the spot let alone talking.

So I went back for my one to one interview, I thought it went well.

And that was confirmed when I got home to find that I had been 'invited on the training trip'.

If successful then they offer you a job after, I'm sure this is just to cover them in case you leave every thing here (job, flat etc) then they find out that your crap and dont want you. You have no come back on them. Considering they have 30 positions and they take 30 people. Further more, there wouldn't be much time to retrain more people. So as long as I can do the required I think I'll be fine. Which thanks to camp and my work history shouldn't be hard to achieve.

So on the 26th of Feb (which is 3 months earlier than I thought it would be!) I'll go on the training trip to France for 2 weeks. Then come back to London for 10 days before taking placement in either France, Italy or Switzerland. ( I think) until Sept or Oct. When on return to London and budget pending I plan to do any more trips to see things in Europe. And hopefully a trip to Morocco. Before coming home!

So exciting times ahead, no doubt hard and challenging times. But I'm sure a learning experience all the same. Now I have only 5 weeks left in London (as a resident), so much to do and so little time!

Christmas and New Years re-cap

Well, my first Christmas and new years overseas is now behind me. And what great times they were.

Christmas got off to a good start on Christmas eve. I went to a friends c'mas party at a bar in the city. But due to the trains being shut down and fear of falling asleep on the tube again I had to leave while the hours were large.

C'mas day was started by a friend (1 of 4) coming over for breakfast. We had a good ol' English breakfast, but it turned more into a brunch. So by the time we switched to his place for lunch it was after 12. But a late lunch of NZ roast lamb with roasties and the classic cauliflower cheese was well received. Topped off with a late afternoon / early evening C'mas pudding and custard.

We moved onto a house party in the area, that had we not known each other possibly would have ended up at in different ways anyway. So more celebrations were in order with fellow expats. But before we became too lethargic it was off to a bar/ dingy club/ common Kiwi and Aussie hot spot. To dance the night away. So all in all a very fun night.

The days in between c'mas and leaving for my New Years trip seemed to pass fairly quickly and uneventfully. My goals of continuing running were dashed by the icy weather, or maybe that was just an excuse!

After a long 10 hour bus trip I arrived with 30 other fresh faces to see 2010 in with. Ironically 95% were either Kiwi or Aussie. On the 31st we braved the cold and at times snow to cycle around the area. Which while it wasn't too bad I'm sure must be more enjoyable in the summer! also a bit more scenic. But we were all relieved to make it to the covered boat for a canal cruise, which revealed some good views of the strange angles of the buildings!. Which have sunk in different directions due to the pile foundations rotting.

The new years party in one of Amsterdam's many squares was a blast. I don't know what the singers were saying but the music was great!

My mother has always told me that 'what ever you do on the first day of the year, you will do for the rest'. Well I hope that's true as I spent time exploring a new city and taking photos. It was planned for the group to visit the Anne Frank house, but because this was one of 2 museums open on new years day the line was massive. The guide gave an estimate of 1.5 hours wait. So I decided to check out the city. However my trip was a little longer and the wait was shorter so I didn't get to go to Annes house this time. But that meant time for another museum, of which Amsterdam has many. I'm surprised there isn't a museum for museums there.

Our last evening in Amsterdam was spent watching an improv show, which I felt was fairly average slow and dry compared to the shows that I have seen in Wellington.

But before to long it was back on the bus for London. Another trip to Europe and another city ticked off the list. Hopefully 2010 brings many more opportunity's to see more!!!

But for now its back into the working world tomorrow. Which will be a bit of a shock after over 3 weeks of the relaxed life!! But also good to get money again!