Humble Beginnings

The time has come to create a blog! The "UK Travel" phase of my life began back at the end of May and I have sent a couple of mass emails since then. I'll now send links to this blog to keep you informed.

To start off, I've pasted in my previous mail below....

Hi All, there's a bit of an essay here, so sit back and relax. Get a cuppa tea even...

I have been here in the UK 9 weeks now and I'm having an amazing time. I have just ended a weekend in Shropshire celebrating the wedding of my 2 nd Cousin Kate. She is the first of my generation to be married. Her husband John Hardman is an amazing musician with several musically talented friends. The wedding and reception on Friday was followed by drinking, relaxing and jamming sessions on Saturday. I was thrilled to be part of it, and the weather played its part too by putting on some of the best summer weather we have had all year. Only three or four weeks earlier I met Kate at another 2 nd cousin Hannah's birthday. In the weeks since, I met Kate's brother's Nick and Christopher, also their parents Vin and Linda. Linda is Farmer Phil's sister. Confused? The easiest way to explain is that Kate's grandfather and my grandfather were brothers.
The wedding was set at Ratlinghope church, a small remote setting with a lot of family history. Outside the church are Harold and Hilda (Harding)'s gravestone. Vin and Linda were also married here. The whole family has been amazingly welcoming, as has John's family. I feel right at home!

On a similar family line, next week is "Farmer Phil's Festival" Now 10 years old there is quite an impressive line-up of bands. Phil has created the ideal setting with a rotating stage a-la-milking-carousel and different zones catering for all the party-goers. The whole county seems to know about it, as wherever Phil goes the nod of respect or fist-filling pint is given. Really looking forward to that, and will send photos soon.

Things are going well at work. About a month ago I traveled to Rotterdam (Netherlands), Brussels and Wavre (Belgium). Though it was a fleeting visit I was traveling around by train and car so had a chance to look around. I saw a few traditional windmills and buildings but generally I wasn't particularly impressed by it. I guess I'm used to natural landmarks like mountains and hills. Some areas I was traveling through in the Netherlands are 10 metres below sea level. Pumping stations with huge visible augers keep the ground dry – the whole country would otherwise fill with water. Frightening really! On the more interesting side (for an engineer:) I had a glimpse of the impressive dyke, lock and sea protection system they have.

The work I am doing changes on a daily basis, which I am enjoying. New prospects and continuing work means plenty of communication with "Mother ship" in NZ, our distributors in Europe, and UK contacts. A couple of weeks ago three people came over from NZ along with representatives from our three distributors in Europe for the launch of our new Voice200 instrument. Prospects in Germany may mean a trip for me later in the year.
The 3-person team in the office here gets on really well. Nicola (sales and office support) and I took manager Steve to the local pub for lunch last week for his birthday, and even had a cake for him. He is getting married shortly – his stag do was in the weekend just gone, but I missed it due to Kate's wedding. Gladly, his brother the best man has planned two, the second being in Budapest in a couple of weeks. Will be going on that one!

I have otherwise not been too far on my own. With the NZ guys were here jumped into the rental car and visited Rhyl on the North coast of Wales. A nice seaside town but unfortunately tainted by several run-down buildings and old-style amusements.. The kind with huge scary looking clown's faces made of flaking fiberglass. Weather wasn't great but we all had a bit of fun on the 2-pence coin slider cascade machines. Will travel a bit further next time and see the real Welsh country.
Last weekend I visited Chester, about a half hour from here. This is (I think) the only surviving completely fortified town in GB. Huge ancient walls surround the centre of the town. I walked the circuit and found lots of points of interest. Just outside the walls is a staircase lock which I must have spent half an hour watching. Several long-boats were making their way up the locks, their crews each operating the valves and gates with varying success. Water flooding over the gates and onto downstream boats wasn't a good look, but certainly entertaining.

Last weekend I moved into a new flat with a couple of others, Melinda and Sarah. They are both working, have been in the place for over a year and we are all getting on great. The house has 5 rooms so we are using the others to store extra things. I intend to be here for some time, so put these details in your contacts:

24 Farrell Road
Stockton Heath
Warrington WA46LR
UK
0044 1925 499 607

Mobile 0044 786 779 0564

Having a party on the 1st of September for my 30th birthday and housewarming.. so plenty going on here in the next while! This is a short week for me as on Friday Phil's festival begins. I'm picking up my mate Kalman from the train in Shrewsbury and we are going to have a blast.
By the way, several more photos have and will be posted on facebook. Look me up! http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882525575