Four nights down, three to go. A little time between pager calls to write a few words.

It's been about 3 weeks since I arrived in New Plymouth and it feels like a lot has happened. I've managed to miss three marathon clinic long runs, partly because they start at 7 am on a Saturday morning, partly because Friday night can be a big night. So I'm mostly doing my training by myself, exploring the network of roads and walkways around New Plymouth. Couple days ago, I ended up getting a little lost on the run back towards the hospital, in an area which, I have now been informed, is the part of town where Mauri gangsters hang out, live, and racketeer people.

There's two main gangs in New Zealand apparently; the Mongrel Mob who all adorn dog tattoos on their body, and the Black Power gangsters.




- pics curtesy of google eh, i haven't really met any of them... yet -They loosely affiliate themselves with notorious LA Gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. They entertain themselves by dealing drugs and shooting each other it seems. But they ain't messin' neither. Anyway, I feel i'm probably lagging behind the X-man, training-wise, as I hear he's been shouting across rooftops that he went for a 10 mile - 16 kilometers sounds more impressive - run. I've yet to match that.

On a slightly different note, the surf in Taranaki (the Mauri name for the region and the volcanoe which surplombs NP) is pretty erratic as it's very dependent on the wind. This wind seems to change every other day from the South to the East to the West... You get the picture. That, however, has not stopped me expanding my surfboard collection. The new additions are a 6'1 shortboard (not quite ready to use it yet) and a 6'0 fish. I acquired the Blue Swallow, as the latter board is known, from Mike Pinkerton aka Pink to some of the local surfers. I also acquired his van which is a 1989 Toyota Grand Saloon Masterace Surf with 14 windows of which about 10 open. The van also has a name, Simon. So Sancos, Simon and the Blue Swalloow are hoping for some great surf adventures over the next few months.
Simon, the 1989 Grand Saloon MasterAce Surf. 14 windows - 10 of which open, plenty of space for gear and a mattress.

My birthday came and went last week. Thanks for all the phone calls and wishes. It was very touching - figuratively as well as literally. The Canadian friends Alex and I had met on the South Island came down from dozy Raglan, a little ways up the coast, and even brought a carrot cake - good on 'em.

Jumping off some rocks near a fresh water and rather chilly stream with B and C.

... It felt much higher at the time....

The team I was covering for had no patients, and so I was able to get off early, chill out on the beach with them. In the evening, we all went for a big meal at a seaside restaurant called Fish or something like that. Good food, I had the duck.

Birthday meal, Becky and Caylee were there but somehow dodged the pictures

What else? I'm hopefully moving out of the hostel and into a house with a few fellow doctors. Haven't seen it but have bought a hamoc for the back garden already. The job. Ah yes, well it's still interesting and very learningful. Night shifts, especially, even if they can be a little stressful.

A few stats to finish off:

Longest run: 7 miles;
Number of waves caught with the Blue Swallow: 1 - but it was swee-eet;
Cardiac Arrest calls: 1 - but the patient came to within seconds;
Money won at Tuesday Night Poker: $0 so far;
Cost of ticket to Tiki and Shapeshifter concert: $50 - for some good times.

Thanks and good morning,

Sancos