Auckland and Singapore

Have pulled up exceptionally well from the Marathon, doing four easy runs most weeks since then. Mileage was 33, 41, 46 and then 35k's per week. During this time, I took my first overseas trip to Auckland for three nights, then off to Singapore for five nights and back to Auckland for five nights with a one night trip to Rotorua sandwiched in there. Some running highlights included:

- Running up to the top of Auckland's Mt Eden volcano - not unlike Mt Cootha in terms of elevation, but shorter.

- Getting up at 2:30 am for the flight to Singapore and then squeezing in an easy 20 minutes in the carpark at Auckland International at 4am whilst waiting for the plane. Better to run before a 10 hour flight than after. It was predicatbly cold and windy and I managed to put my foot into the only water filled pothole in the carpark!

- Running in Singapore was inconvenient at times with lots of stoppages at busy intersections in the first and last 15 minutes of each run. I was staying at Chinatown and had to run down to Clarke Quay and the waterfront to get clear running. Usually came across a few runners.

- Did a Sunday long run in Rotorua when it was about 12 degrees. Got to run through the local park on a boardwalk that took me right over the hot thermal springs and the hot steam was a very pleasant way to warm up!

A highlight of the trip came when I won a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne on the the flight home from Singapore. As I was flying a special charter flight, the cabin crew put on a competition.

To enter the compeition - you had to write of a funny or interesting experience during your stay in Singapore or a unique item you purchased shopping and the winners were selected and read out by cabin crew: My true story was as follows:

"On the last day of my Singapore stay, I decided I had just enough time to venture north to the Kranji War Cemetery just before dusk. Upon arriving I was the only person in the cemetery and spent nearly half an hour wandering the immaculately maintained graves and reflecting upon the sacrifice of the men who lay beneath me. My stroll was interrupted by the clanging sound of the curator shutting the tall spike tipped wrought iron cemetery gates. 'No worries, I thought - that's just to stop cars driving in at night and Lonely Planet says the cemetery is open 24hrs.' It was nearly pitch black when I finally made my way back towards the entrance. A brief pang of alarm gripped me as I reached the entrance and could not find a pedestrian opening through the six foot fence that surrounded the grounds........ I was locked in a cemetery in the dark all alone with the brave souls of 4500 men!!! Bereft of other options, I scaled the six foot fence and made my way back to the city - Phew!!"