Sawasdee (again).... Talking of cars - which we weren't - it never ceases to amaze me how many different vehicles Toyota makes - i'm assuming that most are just variations derived from core platforms - but it just seems bonkers - how do they ever keep track of them all? They must have a legion of brand managers and marketing people - and the sheer cost of type-approval; design; manufacture - not to mention the squillions of components - and yet they presumably a...

Sawasdee Greetings from a very wet Bangkok. In fairness the first week was simply hot and humid - but it rained heavily on Sunday (26th) and even more heavily yesterday, resulting in flooded roads throughout the city. Judging by the colour of the sky i'd say there will be a further deluge today..... When i got on the BA flight from Sydney to Bangkok - you know, the quirky arse-about-face seating layout they have in business class - i did something i'd not done ...

Hola! Thursday April 2nd did indeed dawn bright & beautiful - just as Jackie had predicted. Up early before sunrise we set off for a suitable take-off point about 16km from Methven - in the direction of the hills. The pilot - Graham Church - is indeed from Preston with a grand Lancashire accent to match! Terrific! Graham has been in NZ since November flying for Aoraki - he goes back to the UK at the end of April to fly balloons in Lancashire for the season (...

Kia Ora from Oamaru! This is the furthest south i'll be able to make it as i'm now going back to Methven to see if i can go ballooning tomorrow morning.... Mother Nature is being capricious - but i guess that's her prerogative - and after 2 grey, wet days it has once again dawned bright & sunny....... One of the balloon pilots with Aoraki Balloons is from Preston, would you believe? Aoraki is the Maori name for what we call Mt Cook...... Anyway, i'm now o...

Kia Ora! Which - as Lauchlan has reminded me, is a Maori greeting meaning "be well" or "be healthy"... Some Kiwi-isms that you might like to know: Scroggin - a mix of fruit, nuts & grains (& sometimes chocolate) - it's meant to be a healthy, nutritious snack you take with you when you go hiking (or go for a "tramp" as the Kiwis would more than likely say) Didymo - you see signs for this all over the place - Didymo is an a...