My full report from Ironman New Zealand is available in my Triathlon blog:
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/view.php?b=97&t=15800
Life is a bit up in the air at the moment, spoke to Bank of New Zealand today and they seemed really quite normal. Looking at a Porfolio Analyst position in the Risk department, it really looked like something that would both interest me and challenge me, something that I need frankly after my last job where I was trying to make up hard stuff to do to fill the time.
Other than that I'm applying for tonnes of jobs outside of Auckland (BoNZ one is in Auckland), hoping to escape the Metropolis for a quieter life, I just don't do cities.
Later folks.
Andy
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Errmmmmm....
Well, always said that this blog would not contain triathlon stuff as that would be in my other blog... that ain't leaving much right now as my whole world is dominated by triathlon for the next week till I get through this race one way or the other. Very scared about it at the moment, seem to struggle to generate serious speed on the bike... oh wait, that's me drifting into tri land, see other blog on right hand panel for news on that.
In the last week I spent some time up in Auckland speaking to some companies about jobs. One of them I didn't like very much, ASB group seem to be very similar to the Pru in that people are a bit arsey at the top and very full of themselves. This is not something that you experience very much in NZ. I also spoke to the Bank of New Zealand and there is some hope there, we'll see about that.
They also mentioned the possibility of working in Wellington which is meant to be really bad for weather and hills... actually I think I might quite like it. We'll see. I think after the Ironman is done and I move on from Taupo I might head down that way and enjoy myself down there. I think there are probably more jobs going on down there.
So will try and do more outside of triathlon for my next update here, but I have my doubts.
John Kynaston - thanks for your comment, I try and keep up to date with your blog but paying by the hour makes leaving comments tough. Really missing the WHW family this year as although I don't much take part in the race outside of support it is one of my favourite races.
In the last week I spent some time up in Auckland speaking to some companies about jobs. One of them I didn't like very much, ASB group seem to be very similar to the Pru in that people are a bit arsey at the top and very full of themselves. This is not something that you experience very much in NZ. I also spoke to the Bank of New Zealand and there is some hope there, we'll see about that.
They also mentioned the possibility of working in Wellington which is meant to be really bad for weather and hills... actually I think I might quite like it. We'll see. I think after the Ironman is done and I move on from Taupo I might head down that way and enjoy myself down there. I think there are probably more jobs going on down there.
So will try and do more outside of triathlon for my next update here, but I have my doubts.
John Kynaston - thanks for your comment, I try and keep up to date with your blog but paying by the hour makes leaving comments tough. Really missing the WHW family this year as although I don't much take part in the race outside of support it is one of my favourite races.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
First post while away...
Well, I've posted quite a lot in my triathlon blog and also put some pictures in there too, so be sure to have a look in there for updates.
Right now it's hot here, too hot to be out all day through the day. Further what I'd normally be doing with time off is to be out training but with the Ironman coming up I can't really do too much. Subsequently I'm eating more ice cream than even I know how to... actually I'm just eating an amount of ice cream that I normally would be.
At the moment I'm betwixt a holiday and a lifestyle. Need to find a job in order to feel settled into the lifestyle, can't feel like I'm on holiday as I don't have a job at the end of it to feel safe financially. It's quite an experience.
Biggest part of the trip so far was undoubtably the flight, got sent to Sydney from LA instead of flying straight to Auckland as apparently I couldn't make the flight... turns out that I could make the flight they just wanted to book me off the flight in order to free up some seats. In this process my bags got lost. But have them back now.
Been down to Taupo to see the Ironman course, all looks good down there, am back up towards Auckland right now but it's not quite what I want, definitely liveable but not really my sort of place. Subsequently I'm staying in a beachfront village 20 miles north of Auckland.
I'll soon be switching over the km, so that will become 32km before very long.
Accommodation in Taupo is superb, staying in a B&B with an old Scottish lady who is looking after me really well, which is what I need to be able to destress before the big race. The only thing that would take more stress off is to have a job lined up, but we can't have everything I guess.
Right, this is rambling on, will leave this post for now. Will update again soon.
Andy
Right now it's hot here, too hot to be out all day through the day. Further what I'd normally be doing with time off is to be out training but with the Ironman coming up I can't really do too much. Subsequently I'm eating more ice cream than even I know how to... actually I'm just eating an amount of ice cream that I normally would be.
At the moment I'm betwixt a holiday and a lifestyle. Need to find a job in order to feel settled into the lifestyle, can't feel like I'm on holiday as I don't have a job at the end of it to feel safe financially. It's quite an experience.
Biggest part of the trip so far was undoubtably the flight, got sent to Sydney from LA instead of flying straight to Auckland as apparently I couldn't make the flight... turns out that I could make the flight they just wanted to book me off the flight in order to free up some seats. In this process my bags got lost. But have them back now.
Been down to Taupo to see the Ironman course, all looks good down there, am back up towards Auckland right now but it's not quite what I want, definitely liveable but not really my sort of place. Subsequently I'm staying in a beachfront village 20 miles north of Auckland.
I'll soon be switching over the km, so that will become 32km before very long.
Accommodation in Taupo is superb, staying in a B&B with an old Scottish lady who is looking after me really well, which is what I need to be able to destress before the big race. The only thing that would take more stress off is to have a job lined up, but we can't have everything I guess.
Right, this is rambling on, will leave this post for now. Will update again soon.
Andy
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Leaving on a jet plane... La la la la la
Well, it's off tomorrow, it all has a very odd feel to it, maybe because I'm sitting here in my parents house where I have always pretty much lived and now I'm off... to actually "live" somewhere else. Always when I've gone away I've "stayed" and not really "lived" there is quite a distinction for me.
The pressure could quickly be taken off when I get to NZ as ASB group are showing some interest in me, they have a group of insurance, investment and banking companies and I'm very interested in working for them. They're not in the CBD of Auckland but in a suburb by the name of Takapuna where I've been quite a few times. We'll see, I know I have things to offer employers if in the right environment, you can't go through uni as I have twice (very easily) without being able to do stuff for an employer (otherwise what would the point be of showing well at uni?).
So I'm to give them a call.
My bags are all packed, I'm quite close to the limit on one of my bags (32kg) whereas the other is a bit under, I've got a huge amount of stuff to take. When deciding what to take and what to leave anything from Sooz is pretty much coming with me, that tends to be a deciding factor between two bits of kit. Although not taking all my favourite cuddly toys a top one that I'm taking is this t-rex cuddly toy:
Sadly I can't manage my dad's wedding suit which amazingly is an exact fit for me despite being a bespoke fit. Hmm, maybe I'm going to look like him in 28 years time? It's a nice suit too with lovely flared trousers.
Oh well, the next update will come from teh other side of the world, hopefully more photos then.
AJK
The pressure could quickly be taken off when I get to NZ as ASB group are showing some interest in me, they have a group of insurance, investment and banking companies and I'm very interested in working for them. They're not in the CBD of Auckland but in a suburb by the name of Takapuna where I've been quite a few times. We'll see, I know I have things to offer employers if in the right environment, you can't go through uni as I have twice (very easily) without being able to do stuff for an employer (otherwise what would the point be of showing well at uni?).
So I'm to give them a call.
My bags are all packed, I'm quite close to the limit on one of my bags (32kg) whereas the other is a bit under, I've got a huge amount of stuff to take. When deciding what to take and what to leave anything from Sooz is pretty much coming with me, that tends to be a deciding factor between two bits of kit. Although not taking all my favourite cuddly toys a top one that I'm taking is this t-rex cuddly toy:
Sadly I can't manage my dad's wedding suit which amazingly is an exact fit for me despite being a bespoke fit. Hmm, maybe I'm going to look like him in 28 years time? It's a nice suit too with lovely flared trousers.
Oh well, the next update will come from teh other side of the world, hopefully more photos then.
AJK
Monday, February 5, 2007
Getting there...
Well, if I called this "the third post" that would have been plain dull, so something almost as dull instead!
Today I started packing properly and today it was my bike bag. It's a lovely bag, violent violet is the colour (or pink to ordinary folk) from the good people at http://www.on-one.co.uk
They have a lovely graphic on their site, looks a bit like this:
I'm not intending smuggling any small children though, just one awfully nice bike (well taking it and not smuggling it). There is still loads of room in the bag so should be able to take as much as I want (within reason) but watch the weight for a single piece. Hopefully it will all get there on time and in one piece. I've got 2 sets of wheels with me too, hope they all get through the customs.
The car pictured in the first post is looking certain to be mine now too, paid the deposit so I'll have something to drive about on for a bit when I get there. Should get to the Ironman anyway.
Have a link on a job so hopefully I'll hear some more on that soon. It has dawned on me that there are some things wrong and some things very right in Scotland, the job that I had was definitely very wrong. Before I've even left there is an incredible clarity to everything and that's what going away is going to give me.
Emotions still running high and my poor mother isn't taking it too well, we've always been very close, we're going to miss each other, always been her baby I guess.
Today I started packing properly and today it was my bike bag. It's a lovely bag, violent violet is the colour (or pink to ordinary folk) from the good people at http://www.on-one.co.uk
They have a lovely graphic on their site, looks a bit like this:
I'm not intending smuggling any small children though, just one awfully nice bike (well taking it and not smuggling it). There is still loads of room in the bag so should be able to take as much as I want (within reason) but watch the weight for a single piece. Hopefully it will all get there on time and in one piece. I've got 2 sets of wheels with me too, hope they all get through the customs.
The car pictured in the first post is looking certain to be mine now too, paid the deposit so I'll have something to drive about on for a bit when I get there. Should get to the Ironman anyway.
Have a link on a job so hopefully I'll hear some more on that soon. It has dawned on me that there are some things wrong and some things very right in Scotland, the job that I had was definitely very wrong. Before I've even left there is an incredible clarity to everything and that's what going away is going to give me.
Emotions still running high and my poor mother isn't taking it too well, we've always been very close, we're going to miss each other, always been her baby I guess.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The second post
Well, the second post was always going to be the toughest... not really, but I can pretend.
My car has now gone, so "Mags" the car is away, it was taken away by someone paying cash last night. I seemed to form an emotional attachment to her after so many years (5) and so many miles, 108,000, guess some photos might be the order of the day:
Stories I could tell about her are many fold, I had a bump with her coming back from my brothers a few years ago, leaving a big dent in the alloy wheel and changing it in the middle of nowhere (2002), this was a bit of a precarious one as I was in the middle of nowhere:
And I also spun her off the road at Ardlui coming back from a hillwalk with my brother, it was my own fault and was plain silly. I very nearly became a victim of the 17-25 statistical blip in mortality rates. Thankfully the crash barriers did their job or I would have come a cropper in Loch Lomond.
My emotional attachment to my car I think is a bit of a metaphor for an emotional attachment to most things here and I'm cacking myself right now about going away. My mother is sort of wondering why I'm not excited, I'll tell you why as I'm giving up a job, a car, a relationship just to go and see if the grass is greener, what if it isn't? I'm so scared at the moment.
Yes, my life needed to move on, no, I couldn't have worked at the Prudential any longer, it's already been 2 years too many, but I'm sure there are better ways of going about things.
So, I'm nervous, apprehensive and while things are coming together, I ask myself if this is what I really want... only one way to find out, embrace it with both hands and take a big deep breath of life.
My car has now gone, so "Mags" the car is away, it was taken away by someone paying cash last night. I seemed to form an emotional attachment to her after so many years (5) and so many miles, 108,000, guess some photos might be the order of the day:
Stories I could tell about her are many fold, I had a bump with her coming back from my brothers a few years ago, leaving a big dent in the alloy wheel and changing it in the middle of nowhere (2002), this was a bit of a precarious one as I was in the middle of nowhere:
And I also spun her off the road at Ardlui coming back from a hillwalk with my brother, it was my own fault and was plain silly. I very nearly became a victim of the 17-25 statistical blip in mortality rates. Thankfully the crash barriers did their job or I would have come a cropper in Loch Lomond.
My emotional attachment to my car I think is a bit of a metaphor for an emotional attachment to most things here and I'm cacking myself right now about going away. My mother is sort of wondering why I'm not excited, I'll tell you why as I'm giving up a job, a car, a relationship just to go and see if the grass is greener, what if it isn't? I'm so scared at the moment.
Yes, my life needed to move on, no, I couldn't have worked at the Prudential any longer, it's already been 2 years too many, but I'm sure there are better ways of going about things.
So, I'm nervous, apprehensive and while things are coming together, I ask myself if this is what I really want... only one way to find out, embrace it with both hands and take a big deep breath of life.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
My first post.
Well with 2 weeks to go till I move to New Zealand, I figure I should put some thought together and blog them so as the rest of the world can read them. I've already got a triathlon blog, so maybe this one should be less about training, more about what is going on in life with me.
Things are moving at the moment, I'm getting through a whole bunch of stuff on my list of things to do before I go, hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get rid of my car which will be another thing off of my list. Getting rid of my car will very much fund the car that I'm hoping to pick up when I get there. So a weight off of my mind.
The car I'm picking up should look a bit like this, a Toyota Cresta.
Still much to do though.
One more week of work to go at work and then 6 days of packing and then.... gulp, the biggest single adventure of my life. But thankfully I've got the small matter of an Ironman triathlon to divert my thoughts for the first month when I'm there.
Right, so that's a start on this blog, the other one can be found here: http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/view.php?b=97 which will give notes on my training and probably the majority of my rants through my life.
Andy
Things are moving at the moment, I'm getting through a whole bunch of stuff on my list of things to do before I go, hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get rid of my car which will be another thing off of my list. Getting rid of my car will very much fund the car that I'm hoping to pick up when I get there. So a weight off of my mind.
The car I'm picking up should look a bit like this, a Toyota Cresta.
Still much to do though.
One more week of work to go at work and then 6 days of packing and then.... gulp, the biggest single adventure of my life. But thankfully I've got the small matter of an Ironman triathlon to divert my thoughts for the first month when I'm there.
Right, so that's a start on this blog, the other one can be found here: http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/view.php?b=97 which will give notes on my training and probably the majority of my rants through my life.
Andy
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