So I've landed in Auckland, where the wind it is a'blowing! I think I heard somewhere that a tornado is forecast. Fingers crossed there are no sharks in it [insert Sharknado reference here]! It's a bit hectic, trying to get round and visit all my family in one day. My lovely sister Nikki collected me from the airport, and we stopped in at Mum's where I got to meet the latest addition to her menagerie - a 9-month old Maine Coon called Guinevere. She's a gorge...

In a couple of days, I set off for an all-American adventure! It's my first visit to the old US of A, and I'm very fortunate to be travelling courtesy of the United States Department of State, through their professional exchange program. I'm travelling in my capacity as a local government professional, and will be spending four weeks learning about local government in the United States, alongside two other Kiwi's, and 7 other local government professionals from...

On the one hand it's hard to believe that there's only one week until we take off for our big overseas adventure. On the other, it seems like I've been planning this trip for years... We've got the last big details sorted finally. The ticket details have been released by the travel agent, we've got our wills sorted out (grim but necessary), and yesterday the last of our foreign currency arrived. We've been transferring money to the Air New Zealand OneSmart card...

Four weeks to go until I fly off to the other side of the world. 28 days. 672 hours. Eeep! I've been boring the socks off friends and family with how many days it is until I fly to the UK. To be honest - I'm starting to bore myself with the constant counting down. I think I've reached an anticipation overload, and I'm now just floating in an ether of undecided ambivalence. Don't get me wrong - I'm still excited! I just wish the 6th of June would hurry up ...