I’m no longer on stand-by to go to Victoria as they look like they’re wanting to keep things in-house for a while – according to my sources anyway. On [...]]]> A few things to catch up on as I’ve been a bit busy and slack over the blogging thing over the past few days and weeks.

I’m no longer on stand-by to go to Victoria as they look like they’re wanting to keep things in-house for a while – according to my sources anyway. On the other end of the scale, we received over a month’s rain in 24 hours yesterday which completely flooded the storm water system in Wellington and flushed a load of sewage out into places it shouldn’t be, including just around the corner from Courteney Place. Not so good as the Cuba street Carnival is on today – NZ’s biggest, with 150,000 people expected in the area. The deluge actually caused our cricket match scheduled for today to be called off a night before the game – the first time I can remember that happening for a couple of years here at least. Still, another game scheduled tomorrow – against the league leaders I believe, the Sikh team. Always a bit of a challenge in more ways than one. More time at the Carnival tonight though for me I guess, especially with my friend Nikki over from the UK. A fellow clin psych, this is her first time in NZ, and I’m glad Wellington is turning it on in style for her this morning. So long as she stays out of the turdy water.

What else? My folks are now in India, and the Indian cricket team are now in NZ. Much is being made of the 2-0 series victory for the Black Caps the last time they toured here – but that was in 2002. The Indian team may well be a different proposition this time around. Still, a good money earner for the NZ cricket set-up – and this is shaping up to be their best financial year ever, on the back of this tour. In fact, two-thirds of global cricket revenue is off the back of Indian cricket. You can see why they’re so important. I shall be sporting my India top at the Wellington Twenty20 game next Friday with pride.

Japan tickets for the Fellowship are being sorted. I tried to meet Haruki Murakami to talk with him about his book, ‘Underground’ about the experiences of the public after the sarin subway attacks, but he’s unfortunately out of Japan when I’m there. Still, I’ll be in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and then back in Tokyo, so it will be a good trip. I will possibly also be going to Kobe, before I end up in Hokkaido to do a little writing and hiking before I head back to NZ.

There’s more, but I need to wind it up here and get on with some other stuff. Will update again next week with some possibly bigger news.