Map of World - Click a place Brad's been

Movie, Job, Hockey update


So, I haven't really updated this until now because I have no photos of what's going on. I know most of you only look at the pretty pictures, I know I do. Point form should be the best...
  • AVATAR: James Cameron Movie - Picked up a couple of days as a daily 3rd AD before my visa ran out. Apparently it is the most expensive production currently running in the world. That means they don't care about taking everyone in to over time everyday. The week I worked most people were around 85 hours, I had 30hrs in two days. It was fun for me though and I meet loads of people.

  • ENG JOB: Yes back to Engineering to stay in the country. After looking for work for a week it looked as though I was off to New Plymouth, NZ for an Oil and gas job, but after a last minute attempt to stay in lovely Wellington I scored a Project Management job with Octa Associates. I'm not really sure what I'm doing yet as I have to wait until my work permit is processed before I can get started and based on the pay scheme for professionals here, I won't even be getting a pay cheque until late February. Very small company with a couple of corporate places in Christchurch and Queenstown that I am privileged too, so if anyone visits me we're sorted.

  • HOCKEY: No ice in Wellington, but there is Inline hockey. Met a dude on AVATAR, David Allard, who has been gracious enough to lend me his player equipment while he plays net. Everyone had me convinced I could stop sideways like in hockey. NO, at least not yet, almost broke my ankle...3 times. They expected me to be a star, but NO. The level of play is quite good. There are a couple of NZ national team players, who if they could do what they do here on ice would play Junior Hockey in Canada i'm sure. One of the national team players was picked up by a german ice hockey team at the last championship and he had never skated on ice. Definitely a lateral connection between the two sports, but not exact.
Now I must go and find a place to live and a vehicle drive. Any questions, send me an email bacougle@hotmail.com. Remember we can talk for free on skype.com

Flashback: BackAlley Summer 2007

Here's some photos I just got and thought it would be good to post as my cousins from Australia were in town in August and there just happened to be a birthday at the Back Alley (sometimes called the Crack Alley as it is a bit trashy). Needless to say it is a great Rock bar (self proclaimed #1 in Canada) and the perfect spot to take your rowdy Aussie cousins, plus it was $1.50 drinks til 10pm! Oh and some of the cast from LA Ink were in town for the Tattoo convention, so they turned up at the Alley.

Me and Janelle and Shaun
Shaun and a beer tub girl
Ezay and Janelle
the dude from LA ink and Janelle
How come are look more drunk?

Back to Welly

View from the plane coming out of Auckland

View of the Guy Fox fireworks from Mt Vic.


Couple of shots from the house, check out the view.



Bill and I flew down to Welly on Monday, Nov. 5 so I could show him around before he headed back to Canadaland. I think it was Guy Fox day as there were heaps of fireworks in the Bay (not celebrated in Canada). We stayed at the good, old Cambridge and had a couple nights out. Billy went back to Auckland on Thursday and I was supposed to drive him to the Airport, but unfortunately I was unable to drive in the morning.

Since Bill left I have picked up 4 days on AVATAR near the end of the month as a Assistant Director Production Assistant and moved into a flat in Brooklyn! My flatmates names are Chris and Al(his dog) and it turns out that Chris will also be on AVATAR as an actor. Cool. The flat is on the side of a hill so the views are pretty good, but the climb to the house is rough. Good thing the bus stops right in front of the 40 steps to the front door.

Next step is to secure an engineering job so I can stay in the country for the Canadian winter, NZ summer. Ya, that's right I said engineering job! At this point I will wait to see where I get a job before I buy a bike, etc.

In to Auckland and the Coromandel

Mariam, Pete, Kellie and Ryan


Brad and Bill in front of his cafe.




Hot water beach.

Where's Bill?




So, Billy and I flew stand by over to Auckland on Monday morning with reasonable hangovers. We were 2 of the last 4 people chosen from a group of 12 to get on the plane. It was like winning the lotto! Bill's friend Brad Anderson's mum picked us up from the airport and put me up for the week. Thanks to Mariam and Pete for that as I was just a tag a long and thought I would be hanging in a Hostel for the week. Brad took us out a couple of times during the week, which was kind of dead except for Halloween. It's not that big in NZ, but is at the backpacker bar. Too bad I forgot to dress up!!! Also had a game of golf for dirt cheap, 18 holes for $20 cdn.

On the weekend we went out to the Coromandel and stayed at Mariam's brother's place on the side of a hill in Tairua. Great views! Headed to Hot water beach with Joe (Pete's helper) where you can dig a hole in the sand to access hot springs. Very hot, Apparently you can boil mussels in the water. Fortunately we used some ocean water to keep our spa reasonable.

I have attached a couple photos of Pauanui which is across the bay from Mariam's brother's and also Joe and Billy climbing up the highest point around to lookout over the bay.

Sydney Oct. 27, 28 BIG RACE


Hey People,

So I was in Aussie for the WARR run and survived! The World Airline Road Race is held yearly to encourage airlines from around the world to get together and run a 5 km or 10 km race along with a t-shirt swap night and a gala ball. Let's just say it was a wicked time as I expected and I look forward to doing again.

Side stories:

1) I finished the race around 28:30 minutes for the 5 km and couldn't walk properly for 4 days after the race. It was quite funny, kind of looked like I fell off a horse.

2) During the t-shirt swap I started trash talking a Danish competitor, Jens, who I thought was 80 years old. He was telling me how he was going to run the 10 km and then run the 5 km, so of course I told him that I would beat him when he got up to my race. I think I saw him at the beginning of the race and then at the gala ball as I never could catch up to him. I found out that night that he was only double my age at 62, so I wasn't as destroyed by the loss. I believe Jens got 4 in the above 60 category for both the 10 and 5 km. I'll be ready next year.

Next stop Auckland, NZ