Feb. 4, 2010

Whew!

Today, Shelley and I drove to do some shopping. We were primarily looking to buy pillows and other assorted bedding. A simple task. One we thought was perfectly suited to getting to used to driving in NZ (i.e. driving on the contrary side of the road). I was nervous, but it didn't go too badly - I only pulled into the wrong lane three times. Driving down the street is surprisingly straightforward, but it's the turns that get me. As long as there are cars parked along the road, I can tell which lane I am supposed to get into. If there are no cars, however...

Also, NZ has a really strange traffic law that give right turns the right of way over people turning left. Weird. This has the effect of making me even more nervous.

We also bought car insurance for the year. $261. And that's with ALL the bells and whistles, too. Somehow I think Canadian car insurance is doing something wrong, something terribly wrong.

At any rate, the drive the giant-store-which-sells-everything went well. We did indeed buy duvets and pillows. Now we need to buy beds to sleep in by the weekend. At the aforementioned store one can also purchase wetsuits and surfboards. Good times! We also bought Aya some acrylics and a couple of canvases. She's been getting a bit antsy to resume her painting.

We stopped for Fish and Chips on the way home. The F&C here are VERY good, and cheaper than McDonalds. These delicious F&C are undoubtedly bad for me. I am counterbalancing the increased fat intake by running. My running has been going well, despite my ongoing problems with some kind of lower leg - stabiliser muscle thing in my right leg. Suzie (at UBC) has been giving me advice (Suzie - it's the muscle that controls the lowering of my foot after I heel strike...).

Anyways, we're getting of the city this weekend! At last! Maybe even to the ocean. We're driving to Rangiora (about 20 minutes) to buy a washing machine.

Anyways, we miss all our friends and colleagues (mostly in Canada). Today we especially miss all our Dorward friends. Especially Colin, who we haven't seen in a long (!) time. And I miss talking with my StARR lab colleagues.

More later,

Trent