Ok, blogger's giving me trouble today, so I'm posting over at www.jimrooney.com

The view out the jet window


Me and Arno at the 'RedRock' bar in town


The view out the front window.

Queenstown
30hrs of traveling, but it's over. I'm comfortably settled in QZN and ready to pass out. My friend Dermot picked me up at the airport (and we grabbed some wicked good curry). I ran into Dave at the airport too. Hahahaha, Dave's an other pilot I fly with out here... he drives an airport shuttle... It's a small town.

Now I'm relaxing at Arno's place up on top of the mountain. Anyone that's seen my NZ pictureshow has seen the place on the mountain and my bud Arno... I'll dig up photos later.

For now, I'm catching up on internet stuff and trying to stay awake. Staying up really late on the first day makes getting over the jetlag much easier.

Found out that putting a hold on your credit card before you're settled might not be the best idea! Hahahaha... I have a Kiwibank card, which you can use kinda like a debt card, but you can't use it like a credit card. SO... when I blew through the credits that were left on my phone... woops. Oh yeah. I guess I do need the credit card for ONE thing.

No worries. Got Dermot enough info to be able to pick me up. Called my bank and my phone's all good again. Besides... even with no credit, people can still call me... I just can't call them.

zzzz... NO!... must stay awake!!!!!
Hahahahahaha
Jim

at international terminal... long layover.
already feeling sleepy :)
flight leaves 8:30pm local
good fun

Pheonix
The terminal in Pheonix has internet :)
I'll be here for a few hours, then off to LAX.

JimRooney.com
This site will be down for maintenance at 11PST.
If It's down for a while, I'll use www.jimrooney.com (note the www)

Of course, I'll be in the air then, so they've got lots of time to work on it.
Jim

Let hellday begin
Off to the airport in a few minutes.
I hope to get a lot of sleep in. If not, I've got a couple books. I always remind myself that once the train gets moving, it will end. It's just time.

See ya on the flip side
Jim

Tick Tock
10am tomorrow ;)

Got my phone# over on the right again since it'll be working again when I get back.
Jim

Back up
Looks like things are working again.

Kids these days
Ha... just had to use that saying! :)
It fits this one.
You'll feel old when I get done with this...

So Susan's kids and Kathy's kids are playing tag (as they do) and one calls for a break, which when I was growing up would have been "time out".

Ready to feel old?
He calls "Pause".

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Oh the video game generation!
Jim

Where's the cheese?
Now that gives a bit slightly clearer idea of this place.

Must Escape!
Must escape suburbia.
Hrm... not the most descriptive shot. Imagine Edward Scissorhands and you've got the idea.
I'll drag down a google satellite shot... endless suburbia.
Perfect for my sister (and kids), but... uh... gotta go...

Better
Found the local jogging track.

On the road again
It's always interesting to me how fast I drop into "travel mode".
Leaving Ridgely definitely felt like "stepping into the real world" again. It's a bit scary at first... then I find myself back in travel mode. I go from a life of extreme routine to the exact opposite. Living out of a bag, rolling with the changes. It's fun.

So here I am again.
I'm in Raleigh at the moment. It grey and rainy, but that'll end by the weekend.
Jim

Once again... Loaded for Bear
All packed up and ready to go.

Yup, that's 6 months worth of stuff right there (and 70% of it is my paraglider).
I think I'm getting better at traveling light.
Maybe I'll grab a sleepingbag or something.

I'll be in Raleigh this afternoon.
Jim