Back For Round 2

Hello everyone.
Long time no write. In case I haven't bored you to death with it all already, the NZ phase is well and truly over now, and I've just about started down in Bournemouth. In between we've taken the remaining 6 Commercial Theory Exams across in Silsoe- results came through yesterday: 94.4 % average a thank you very much, and had a whole 5 or 6 days holiday.
We're still moving in to our house at the moment, so when we're all set up I can post up some more interesting stuff. Till then, take care. . .

Cramming in Cheddar

Hi all. Just a quickie update as I've probably seen most of you now. But just to give me something to do (work avoidance) : we're all officially back in England now (hurrah), and cramming for theory exams back in Bristol Ground School (booo). Not much else to say really except it's pretty much going to be the same story for the next 5 weeks, and then I'll actually get a fortnight or so off before it's back to the serious task of training. See you all soon. . . (ish). . .

Beaching About Exams

Well it's peaking in intestity now. Only one flight left, then a(nother) Exam Flight, and then that's it for the New Zealand phase. Still, if you do have to cram in the work, there could be worse places to do it. Believe it or not I am actually studying on Raglan beach here. There was no flying on Sunday, so all that was left was cramming more theory in- and if you're going to spend all day with your head in the books, you might as well do with a good view. Especially since I hear there's the slight possibility that it may be a bit colder than this in the UK.

Nearly Nearly. . . . .

Not too long left now. One test was taken care of earlier this week, so that leaves six more sims/flights as from tomorrow, with a finals flight test at the end. All things being well (no planes braking down, first time passes etc.) I stand a very good chance of actually making it back to good olde England before the month's out. Roll on January.

Back to the Grindstone

Hi all. Not too much to report here I'm afraid. Like all of you we're back to work, and it's all about cramming flights in so we can take our finals test here and come on home. At the moment it's looking like we're returning at the very very end of this month, but the situation is so fluid over here that it'll probably change a few more times over the next couple of weeks. So until then it's non-stop work and studious behaviour all the way.

Happy Kiwi New Year

Well hello hello, and a happy 2006 to all. I know it's hugely cliched to say, but I swear each year goes faster than the last one- I mean, what happened to 2005? It only seems like yesterday that I arrived here, and all things being well, at the end of this month I'll be back in the UK. It's absolutely shocking to think about how fast it's all gone- and what a year it's been. I can honestly say that it's been the most crazy 11 months of my life, and 2006 only promises to raise the bar.
Anyway, enough of waxing lyrical. For all of you smug people sending me e-mails about roast turkeys and mulled wine, I've sent you back some pictures of what a Kiwi Christmas looks like- here at least. It all started off on Christmas Eve at CTC where we had (can you guess? Wait for it. . .) a barbe and a few beers. Then it was onto Maunganui beach for the big day itself, followed by a bit of a party round at Lynn's in the evening. (Lynn is our secretary/warden/surrogate mother- the lady in pink).
So if any of you ever get cold during the new year, you can just look at these pics to remind yourself of what hot looks like. How nice am I? I know, I know- call it a belated Christmas present.

We are the champions, oh yes. (. . . and Merry Christmas)

And so it passes that another milestone falls by the wayside, as yet another license is racked up against my ever growing list. I'm now rated on the twin-engined aircraft you can see behind me, and have since moved on to more of the sort of stuff I'll be doing commercially (instrument flying and procedures). Not much chance to celebrate though as I was back in the sim the next day, but I'm not complaining as we've got a massive amount of work to get done before I can return to England. So hopefully then it'll be work work work all day every day until Christmas, and then a teeny tiny bit of time off for superior behaviour.
I hope this finds you all well, and to all of you good good people reading this a have very Merry Christmas.
(I'll be thinking of you all sitting down to turkey when we're having our Xmas barbecue on the beach.)