From mumma
Lovely pics Simon, its always great to see what you're up to!! Also lovely to hear about Bluff oysters, the lookout cafe and see all the "actual flying" pics - so you DO REALLY get up there above all that scenery! THats wonderful
So pleased to see your compost on the garden, looks better than mine! I dug up all my spuds, very tiny but they were still spuds! Have picked loads of chillis, some courgettes, a miserable few tomatoes, and lots of beans - still picking those!(Farden Losa is a great bean) Doug's favourite.
Have put a load of seaweed straight onto old potato patch and will just leave it to rot down.
Happy Gardening and flying
Love Mumma
Response: huh, nice to hear. Not sure about that seaweed though, might need a bit more research, you sure all that salt good for the garden?
Nice to hear from you, hope all well in welly and hoping I might get up there before xmas..
si
From Josie
Hi bro,
Did you get my email? I always have a hundred million email addresses for you so hopefully one of them go to you! Would be good to hear for you!
Love from your baby sister.
Response: Hi Sis,
Aha! I did get it! just replied! You'll have my current email address when you get my one.
From James
Hey simon a few kahawaii today - just cooked them in beer, lemon juice and olive oil - yum yum
Response: Yum yum indeed, but.. where are they? I have scoured the fridge and can find no evidence... hehe
From mumma
Oh you poor soul Simon, MORE exams!! They seem to be never ending! Good luck for tomorrows one - I'm sure you'll "fly" through it! Pardon me!
Wow, the mustang looks super coooool ! Guess you'd like a job flying one of those.....Go for it!
Love Big Mumma
Response: Hi mumma,
Good to talk to you the other day, sounds like you had a lovely weekend celebrating b'days, anniversaries etc! Will call during the week,
si
From KatieC
OK then, just as soon as I'm rich, you can be my first pilot on my private jet. Promise.
Response: Yay! Jets are quite cheap now, you can get a rather nice one (a six seater) for only $4million. Bargain!
So where will I fly you first madam? Might I suggest somewhere warm?? Greece?
From brenna
Brenna won "Simon says" at school today! She was the last one standing and "no one was up 'cept me"!!!!!! And she's got a wobbly tooth ! Yay!! (and Maria said, "this is going to be a quick one and she said "hands up in the air and a little boy at my school called Ben did it and I didnt!' And I won it!
Great isnt it?
See ya later
R
Response: Wow Brenna, didn't know you could spell let alone use a computer! Very impressive. Well done! I played Simon says with Julie today on the farm, I said "Simon says get him a cup of tea" and she slapped me on the ear and told me to get it my damn self. ahahaa
From Josie
Helloooooo! Sorry I missed your chat on Skype the other day, computer was on the table but I was on the couch. Am working late tonight (month end) while Danny is in Latvia for the weekend. Might chat to you next time you're online.
See ya!
Response: No worries Sistaaaa. Yip, will keep a look out for you, just thought I'd give you a dingle and say hi.
see ya.
From geoff
Good to see you biking - at least its flat. Biked to work 4 times this week and have lost .8 of a kilo Seatoun ferry service to the city starts next Monday.
Response: Nice work, lost anymore? Haven't been on the bike for a while. I'm car pooling with Julie and it's my week on so Ding is getting a work out this week. But next week... car stays in the garage all week and the bike gets a hammering!
From john-in-dubai
Yep, 1888 is definitely Victorian - she was a Queen for 60+ years around 1836 to 190- something. Good stuff, Uncle Si. Gotta do a Skype soon - I miss you!!! I can't say its a 4-day thing, but good to see you let that out. Hugs. Jxx
Response: Thanks for your cultural guidance! :-) Sorry I've missed you a couple of times, I've had a busy few days but free now! Will keep a look out for you on skype! hugs, si
From Geoff
Yes Queens Park is one of the best (if not the best gardens in NZ) Shame that invercargill weather prevents its full use. We visited many times in the old days.
Response: Ah yes, but when it's nice, it's VERY nice! Yes, I can't think of a nicer garden I've seen in NZ to be honest, it's just fantastic. Huge range of different gardens with the garden. Spent a bit more time there today again.
From john-in-dubai
PHEW!! Glad you're safe, and proud that you kept so cool - but how strangely like the experience of that pilot at Heathrow! You and he shared a rare, similar experience, at about the same time - and both stayed cool and stayed safe. Hmmm.
big hug
Response: Hi Mr John! Yes I hadn't thought of that. It's funny what your brain does or doesn't do though in those situations. In hindsight I would have done an additional check (now that I know what the problem was...) but I think I did pretty good for where I'm up to in my training.
Only wish Mr. John was here to sit and have a cup of tea with afterwards in the garden!
:-)
From Lindsay King
Hey Simon,
How are things with you? Great blog! How's the writing going? I am at Stdney Airport with a good friend of mine Steff. We've been travelling since November and we be off to Chile on 14th but we have 2 nights in Aukland and I was wondering if you were around?
Do you remember me - from Brighton??
Lindsay x
Response: Hi Lindsay, great to hear from you! Yes of course I remember you :-)
Would love to catch up if you come south, but it doesn't sound from that like you are. I'm down in Invercargill which is the opposite end of the country. I'll email you.
si
From mumma
Hi Si,
How was New Years' Eve and what did you get up to? Hope trip down to Ingill was ok except for dog drama, did it survive? Lovely to meet Julie and hope she enjoyed her stay in Welly.
J & J back this Saturday
Went to Natalies At Home /B'day last night which was good fun! Look forward to hearing more on your Blog!!
Mum
Response: Hi, yep trip good, and dog did survive and is doing well. Yes blog in much need of an update!
From john-in-dubai
Your exploits remind me how they practised bouncing bomb run-ins by flying at a steady 100ft at night - in 4-engined bombers - over the English countryside . . . must have been totally terrifying for everyone!!! Fortunately that particular skill is unlikely to be required of you!
Response: Ha! that would be scary! I remember being in Wales and having a jet pass over the car at almost road level in a tight valley, made us jump! Yes, hope not to need to drop bombs..
Hey - merry xmas in the UAE!
:-)
From claudiu
wow! Good on you mate! I thought you study at the Uni down there! Commercial pilot? Thats great!
I work for ASSA ABLOY, the former Interlock Group; you probably know them from the news, they transferred production from Wellington to Asia (F&P followed).
Cheers, and have fun!
Response: Hi Claudiu!
Ah great to hear it, that would be an interesting place to work I think. I'm having fun down here and doing lots of flying now! :-)
From claudiu
Happy Birthday Simon!!
I wasn't sure about the date, but I knew you younger then me, haha!!
What do you study down there?
Response: Thanks Claudiu!
I'm studying to be a pilot now... I've just been up for a flight now actually... Where are you working now?
From Bex
Happy Birthday Si! And congrats on making the plane decision, sounds like you are doing very well down there really
Response: Thanks Bex!
Yeah, I'm enjoying it :-)
From
Happy Birthday SI! Another year older and....hmmm, another year wiser? Ha ha. Have a great one my friend. I am sure no gift will compare with all your recent flying activity, must be amazing up there all the time. Much Love
Response: Thanks!
Yes it is amazing flying around up there as though it's the most normal thing in the world. But there's always room in my world for more gifts :-) hehe
From Josie
Hey, was good to talk to you the other week. We are back in London now and have just spent the last week adjusting to the time zone, getting over jet lag, getting over a cold and looking for a job. So although I feel as though I have achieved absolutely nothing, I have been pretty busy. It's getting dark pretty early now, I watch the sunset from our lounge and it goes down at 4.30pm! It's 6.30 now and it's pitch black. Not too cold yet though so all good. Let me know when you are back on Skype and I'll give you a call.
Response: Hi Jose,
great to talk to you too, sorry I couldn't have talked to you again before you left. Yeah it's amazing how early it is pitch black there eh. Skype a bit hard right now but will sort something out. Send my your flat number and I'll call you a calling card.
x
From dan g
i'm off down southways end of november uncle si, aiming to hit stewart island for a couple of days around the 1st of december...any chance of a lift over? ;)
Response: Dang! Awesome, you got my number? Mum and dad have it if you don't. I don't have my license yet so I can't take you over myself but can certainly set a cheap ride up with one of my mates if you up for that? Give me a shout and I'll take you out for a coffee in the big smoke..
From Anne
News, news, news.... more than likely that I will be on secondment for six months in Singapore!! V keen to go... HR are just being typical and taking their time to get secondment letter to me...... WWWhhhooopppiiiieee .... off for pastures new!
Response: Nice! Gosh you get around don't you? And at least in Sing noone will mention the ... ssssshhhhh.... rugby.....
hehe
From
A great book recommendation for you. " Care of the soul" by Thomas Moore. Great insights into the wound of narccism and how to reclaim the self.
Response: Awesome, thanks for that. Have been thinking HEAPS of narcissism recently and notice in many aspects of life which I hadn't really expected to see it.
From sandra
Did you survive your night in the woods? At least there's no big creatures to eat you here!
Response: Hi, I did! The only creatures I was afraid of were some of my classmates... some of them were looking a bit hungry and looking at me like a steak.. :-)
From Simon
Great shots of Ingill airport and the surrounding green paddocks. Brings back memories of many flights out to Wellington and going to a ball (I think) in the main terminal building - all before you were born PS why a Qantas jet on the runway?
Response: nice :-) Well spotted re: Qantass plane. Many of those spotted here recently.. When QTown is closed they come to invers then catch a bus... Air NZ has a very clever system of getting the jet in by GPS but Qantas haven't gone that route yet so hence often get diverted to invers...
si
From john-in-london
hey! The colour schemes option on the eurocopter site is FAB!!! You can have your 'copter in just about any colour scheme you like! I've got to find a way of doing that.
You're a STAR, Uncle Si. We knew the other pilots would be bit nerdy - but once you're up there you're on your own. King of the skies!!
Response: Mr. John! Are you still in London? I thought back in Dubai again? Lovely to hear from you, it's always lovely to hear from you :-) Thanks for your comments - made me smile :-)