It’s dangerously tempting to think that spring might be edging its way into the southern hemisphere. The days are certainly getting longer again, which could never come too soon, in my opinion, and it’s warming up enough on the weekends to be out in shorts and t-shirts1. We’d taken a couple hours on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend to lead some people on slightly longer outdoor skate routes, which gave me a bit of a chance to add to my skating photos.

It’s far from a summer-time panacea, however. Mornings are still bitterly cold when there has been a clear night. There are still southerlies that’ll bring cold wind and rain our way, as well. But there is certainly more hope this year to get outside compared to last year. Just ask the ice cream shops how much they’re selling…

¹ For short periods of time and when you’re keeping active enough to not notice the wind.

I stopped in at a travel agent on the weekend to look at flights home for Christmas. I’m just about to call and confirm them, and pay for them tonight on my way home from work. The plan is to head to Edmonton on December 19th, go back to Vancouver on the 30th and return to New Zealand on January 2nd, landing on the 4th. This gives me 2 weeks in Canada and New Years Eve in Vancouver. I can still change around my internal flights, but the international flights are quite rigid. I’d hate to have to shift my Air New Zealand flight and lose the benefits¹.

I’ve briefly spoken to family about this trip, but knowledge of it has yet to be widely circulated. It is the first time I’ll be home for Christmas since moving to New Zealand, so I’ll understand the shock that this decision may bring, but I hope to catch up with people as time allows. Let me know what plans are afoot and I’ll do my best to make myself available.

¹ I’m not flying through the US. At all. Not one bit. You can’t underestimate the exhilaration that this knowledge brings. No US customs, no US stamp, no US crap at all.