New Country, New Opportunity, New Zealand

Well I made it to New Zealand. I originally wanted to come and work here instead of Australia, but random things kept preventing it from happening - everything from having bad dreams about it to finding out at the airport that the visa never went through anyway. No worries, though, because I'm only staying a few weeks to visit. I flew into Christchurch on the South Island and in addition to seeing the cathedral the only other thing I wanted to do in Christchurch was see the International Antarctic Center.

I think I would get cold if this is all I wore.For four years now I've been applying for jobs to work in Antarctica as one of the support crew for the scientists who work there. Last week I got a message saying they were interested in my application and set up a phone interview. Raytheon handles all the logistics for the scientists and I was applying for the Vehicle Operator position. I had never gotten that far so obviously I was really excited as this would complete my life goal of living on all seven continents. It would be awesome to complete it before my 30th birthday!Even though it's:I still find it a fascinating place and loved the documentaries playing at the center. And then a few days before I landed in New Zealand I found out I wasn't chosen for the job. Even though I was extremely dissapointed I still wanted to see the Antarctic Center - maybe just to put a little salt in the wound - but it was kind of like taking a tour of a University you've just gotten a rejection letter from.

I felt a bit sad when I wandered beyond the tourist area and over to the Cold Weather Clothing Distribution for employees preparing to be deployed to the ice. If I had been chosen I would have been issued this extra clothing before flying down.

I guess I never know what opportunities may come in the future, though, so there's no use in dwelling on opportunities lost. I did enjoy seeing the center and riding in the Swedish all-terrain Hagglund that is commonly used in Antarctica. And be sure a giant penguin is around in case your child needs to cross the street.

In the end it was good to see the center and learn about some of the scientific projects and geographical mysteries of the 7th continent. So now it's off to the mountain ski town of Queenstown and to see some Lord of the Rings filming locations. I keep hearing the line that Bilbo Baggins says in the first movie: "I want to see mountains again, Gandalf . . . . mountains!"