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Hi all, I've added some photos now of my holiday back home. There in the online album. The link is in the right.

Will also have some photos of my trip to Glenbrook yesterday up soon. But its slow to upload the photos with only a 56k modem :( Glenbrook is about a 30min drive from where I live and features some vintage steam trains that are running. Very impressive! I use to go there when i was a kid, my first visit was when i was about 8 months old. But its good too see what it was like traveling by train back in the 1920's -1960s before the diesel trains took over the steam. Hadn't been there since i think about 1994. Took a bit of video too of the trains in action. Great day out, and if your planning to ever come to Auckland its worth the trip to have a ride on a restored steam engine powered train.

More updates and photos to come!

Chris.

Well I'm back in auckland now after the long flight and fully recovered from jet lag etc. So great to be back home with the family and the weather hasn't been too bad either. Nice 24 degrees and even managed to have a swim my first day back here. So great to be back in NZ Vs UK. Better life style here I think.

We hopefully I will her or speak to you all soon. If your in NZ and you have read this get in touch or no doubt you will hear from me soon.

Well I have reached the end of the road for London. Tomorrow I depart for home - NZ. I many ways I'm not sad to see the end - The weather, tube, cost of living etc..I could go on. However I will miss many things here, good friends, ease to travel abroad, meeting new people etc. Its been an adventure and I'm glad I came all this way, i think its something (In my book anyway) that should be done - get out of your comfort zone and try something new. If your thinking about traveling or anything and something is holding you back..whatever reason that might be. Dont let it! Otherwise you will think in many years. Oh I wish I had gone to, done this ..... etc and have regrets. Well there are no regrets here, not for myself. I took that step and its done me good and I meet my wonderful girlfriend too of course :)

So now tomorrow the new chapter in ones life begins, the end of London for now and onward to New Zealand and then to a new begining with partner in Spain.

I meet so many great people over here. Likeminded poeple in the same boat. Would just like too say to all the good friends I meet in my two years here, good luck wherever life takes you and I hope to see you again someday. Keep in touch!

Now I've got a nice 23 hour flight ahead of me. Fun! I will be a sleepless zombie when i arrive.

Over and out for now...
Chris G

Well I just got back from "Las Fallas" - The biggest festival in Valenica, and what can I say it was great! I really enjoyed seeing the "mascleta", which takes place at 2pm, a mass of fireworks explosions, rockets and firecrackers. I've never seen or felt anything of the like before. Its very powerful and you can feel the ground shake and the shock waves from the explosions. There are waiting ambulances at the ready. Some people find the explosions so loud that they often faint. Pregnant women are forbidden from attending the mascleta and it is not uncommon to see the odd person being whisked off to hospital. You come if you dare!! Definitely not for the faint-hearted.

The whole city comes alive and everyone takes to the streets in one big huge party. All take and you can hear firecrackers and music and a huge number of tourists (like myself) in the streets looking at the citys "ninots", vast papier maché figures - politicians, film stars, bullfighters and anyone of local, national or international notoriety caricatured as a 15- or sometimes 20-foot model. of which once the winner is selected all the noinots are burnt. (see my video,link below)

I had a great time and it was just amazing to see the place so alive. The only side effect is the lack of sleep!

Photos of this are in the photo album. The below link is a movie I took in Denia of the burning of a papier mache "ninot" so you have a better idea of what it was like.

Movie I took http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_nFwo594rU

Photos are here: http://chrisdgray.dotphoto.com/CPListAlbums.asp Under album Las Fallas

Website of the event http://www.fallas.com/