This Icelandic volcano has been erupting since last week and spewing ash high into the atmosphere. As a result, the good powers that be have closed vast chunks of European airspace, including the entire UK. Hmmmm… worrying.

I’m going back to the UK to attend my sisters wedding, and this is obviously something I can’t contemplate missing. Here’s hoping that the wind decides to change direction soon. I suppose at times like this, it really sinks in how far from pretty much anywhere New Zealand is! It’s pretty much air travel or bust from here.

Sky Sports inevitably do a damn fine job in broadcasting all of this sporting sweetness, but there is one nightly sports roundup show which tickles my fancy. And as I promised in an earlier post, my next ‘NZ like’ posting would be non-foody related… so therefore I give you something else I love about NZ. And that is…

The Crowd Goes Wild

Now, I love this half-hour nightly slot of sporting banter, as they don’t take themselves anywhere like seriously. The presenters do a good job of taking the piss out of pretty much everything in a completely unscripted fashion… plus… one of them – Mark Richardson the ex-kiwi cricketer – is a Spurs fan! God bless ‘im!

Just as I’m entering my twilight years in this intial NZ stay, interest seems to be gathering pace. It’s almost as though the little blighters know I’m offski next week. “Build ‘im up… then knock ‘im down”. Yesterday I got a call from an IT recruiter requesting an ‘informal’ interview on Monday, followed by a ‘formal’ cavity search no doubt. And just now… I applied for a pretty decent sounding job down in Wellington and was called by the recruitment agency pretty much immediately. We spoke at length as to my superb experience and background . However, she thought I may be ‘too’ (yes… that word again!) experienced for the role, but she has forwarded me on nonetheless. It’s a role at BNZ, and sounds quite similar to what I was doing back in the UK… but in a more beautiful place!

So there you go. It’s not easy this job hunting lark. Don’t ever believe it is. Regardless of skills and experience, you need patience to find your niche and the right job.

Now… I like my food. Actually let’s rephrase that. I LOVE my food. Not in the way Augustus Gloop does. I just appreciate good food! And when said good food is paired with good beer/wine/cider/[insert random drink here]… well that just cranks up my excitement level something chronic.

So, it won’t surprise you good people to hear that the next riveting instalment of my NZ likes, is another food-based one! I give you…

The bread clip.

You know what a mean hey? The little plastic tag which keeps the sliced bread bag closed. See above for those of you confused at this stage!

You see, I remember in days gone by back in the UK, these little plastic tags were always used to fasten the bread bags. However, no more. It seems at a certain point over the last decade or so back in the UK, the trend has moved to those crappy sticky tape affairs. They simply can’t compete in the bag fastening stakes with the humble plastic bread clip. These bad-boys rock. And every bread bag and what-not comes fully locked and loaded with one of these little chaps.

I love ‘em. Simples!

I hearby promise whole-heartedly to make my next ‘Things I love about NZ’ posting, non-food related!

Think positive Simon – just wasn’t meant to be… lucky escape… fate… blah blah blah!

Starting to get all worried like. I have just over 2 weeks left in NZ before I fly back to the UK. However, I spent today searching the job scene and applied for a few more positions. A friend advised me a couple of weeks ago to have patience and make sure you fire off a 2nd wave of applications if nothing comes of the first batch. Monkey see. Monkey do!

The whole job application/interview/feedback process just seems blinking slow over here in Auckland. Keep chipper mate!

However… this Easter break is grinding it all to a halt. You see, the whole country seems to come to a juddering stop when it’s a bank holiday. Absolutely nothing is open… offices, shops, bars, supermarkets etc etc. That’s great when you have a 4 day weekend – and two 4 days weeks either side! But when you aren’t working, and are keen to hear feedback from various interviews you have had… not so great!

I’m starting to get itchy-feet now. Very conscious that my spell in NZ is drawing to a close for now. The aim was to have a job sorted by the time I leave. I know there’s still 3 weeks dear friends. Really hope I get news early this week. So in the meantime, my Easter Sunday is being spent searching for more jobs and applying for a few more cheeky ones. “C’mon Jesus… give me a break”. I didn’t need this religious ‘holiday’ right now!

… and I really don’t know why I persist with the wink emoticon. It’s just a habit. As Will from the Inbetweeners once said:

The Winky Face is the mark of a moron!

On Sunday, I was invited over by some friends to the Sandringham area of Auckland, to watch Auckland City FC v Waitakere United in a “Roll Up! Roll Up! Winner Takes All” final match in the Oceania Champions League. Waitakere United were top of the table by a point, so needed to avoid defeat in order to keep top-dog status and be in with a chance of representing Oceania in the FIFA Club World Cup. Just getting into this is worth $500,000! Mega-bucks for amateur teams of this size. Auckland City needed to win to grab top spot.

The match finished 2-2… so not really a winner-takes-it-all scenario, rather a draw-takes-it-all! Waitakere duly took the honours, much to their delight… it was kinda a local derby, which added a little spice. I was very impressed by the Waitakere Number 9… a tricky little striker called Benjamin Totori who grabbed both the goals to make it pretty safe for the Waitak’s!

I must say, it was a novelty watching a footy match sitting on a grass bank behind the goal, on picnic rugs. The sun beating down, tropical plants in front of me… and no-one getting their head kicked in by vicious rival fans! The fans sitting literally 2 feet away from the goalposts, were at one stage politely asked over the tannoy to “move a little bit back in case you get hit, as the players can strike the ball quite hard and it will hurt”. Awesome!

Below is a photo taken on me sexy ‘lil iphone as Auckland City are equalising from the spot.

Not only did I have an interview on Wednesday just gone, but I have another one with a different company lined up for Monday. So, at the very least, muggins here seems to have an attractive CV. Which is nice!

Mincing along to my interview

We shall see what comes of the interview I had the other day. At the very least, I felt I gave a good account of myself, and now have another iron in the fire too. Whatever comes of it, it’s all positive and very definitely a step in the right direction, and has really given me a boost to my confidence and self-esteem by knowing that my skills and experience seem to be attractive to Kiwi employers. I know NZ is where I want to be, and where I want to pursure me sweet ‘lil dreams… a job is required to start off. Boring I know, but a blooming necessity.

Onwards and upwards… just as the mighty Tottenham Hotspur are doing as we speak! “Spurs are on their way to Wembley… Tottenham gonna do it again…”

Why does the Waikato Chiefs Super 14 Rugby team logo, show a crash test dummy holding a violin to its chest?!

Fear me... and my violin

Now, in one of my previous posts last week or so, I mentioned the numerous eateries encompassing me like the warm glow one gets from their smelly little childhood security blanket [well... in my case, it was never a security blanket when I was a wee nipper, but instead it was a little squirrel named 'Goo', who when new was a masculine shade of pink, but through the years turned into a dirty shade of grey!]; and I promise to expand on these delights at a later date.

However, today, I wish to draw your blessed attention to ‘Things I Love About NZ – Numero Uno’ :-

I give you fine Ladies and Gentlemen…. L&P.

“What the blinking heck is that?” I hear you say!

L&P is a Kiwi Carbonated Soft Drink and stands for ‘Lemon & Paeroa’. It has immediately gone to the top of my fave soft drinks list, and I’ve found myself grabbing it out of fridges and off shelves instead of the usual, and oh-so common Coca-Cola! The thing is, Paeroa is not an ingredient, it is a place in NZ South of Auckland – but it’s not a simple lemon drink… it has something else added. A magical ingredient if you will, which makes it gorgeous! Simply a great thirst quencher. Me likey alot!

Keep your peepers peeled for more exciting instalments of things in NZ which are tickling my fancy! How riveting!