Saturday 31st March

Its been a productive week...Last weekend we climbed up Mount Doom, otherwise known as Tongeiriro (four hours drive from Wellington). We met with our friend Pete – who moved across from Scotland last year to Auckland - and headed out the national park. The mountain was formed from a massive volcano, which still emits sulphuric gases. It was unlike any other walk we have been on – climbing up lava deposits, walking over steaming ash, across red craters, and past mineral green-blue lakes. The view from the top of the nearby mountains, Lake Taupo and the North Island plateau was spectacular. We then dropped down into a pleasant forest and finished walk. On the Sunday we went on a short walk to Taranaki Falls.

Started out with good intentions to do lots of social things in the evenings – but ended up staying in all week until Friday when we thought we would join the 'new Wellingtonians' for drinks – this is a social group for recent immigrants. We had gone to one of their events - a pub quiz – and been slightly disappointed - but we thought we would give it a second chance! Glad we did because we met with some really great characters and had a fun evening at the pub and then at a salsa club with live music (great brass section!).

Karen: Had an exciting week, especially since I got my cv and have been firing it across Wellington. Have half a dozen meetings with recruitment agents planned, and first job interview on Monday. Which meant I had to frantically run across town to buy a suit on Friday afternoon as our stuff is still not here... Also went to the Volunteer Wellington centre and asked if there were any charities I could help, so Im helping the YWCA review their second hand clothing shop which is not making a profit. Its all very exciting as we need to look at location, finance, what they sell, who they sell it to, advertising....in fact all aspects of the business. So Ive been to the library to learn more about marketing. On the night Ian was working I took myself off to see “the Namesake” at the cinema which was a really nice arthouse film about an Indian family migrating to US complete with happy, sad and funny parts. Also finished reading Lucia Lucia by Adriana Trigiani which was the life story of a glamorous 1950 Italian American seamstress.