Rob Yallop

Anca, my girlfriend is from Romania. She received a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs last Friday saying that her application to become a New Zealand citizen has been approved. This is great news and she can apply to get a Kiwi passport as soon as she has attended an official citizenship ceremony. We watched Team America on DVD last night. It's a film about America's foreign policy and their inability to understand why everyone isn't grateful for their help like we were during the Second World War. It's made by the people who made South Park and they use marionettes (puppets like the ones in Thunderbirds), complete with clearly visible strings. They have a go at pompous Hollywood actors as well. The way they take themselves so seriously and think everyone should follow their lead as if being famous somehow qualifies them to know what's best for the World. It's hilarious, really good entertainment. A word of warning though, don't show it to you kids, or your parents if they're prudish; it's full of foul language and even has a puppet sex scene. Highly recommended. This morning I went for a training ride (road cycling) my friend Peter and about ten others. I have changed my mind and decided to enter the round Taupo cycle ride again in November. Last weekend I did my first training ride since last November. I thought it would be a gentle warm-up of no more than 60km; 95km later I was absolutely wasted. Today I thought it would be shorter. Well, we took a different route but when I got home my cycle computer said 95km. Anyway, tired, but not as much as last weekend so I guess I'm into fitness again. No mucking about that's for sure. One of the guys crashed when he touched another rider's rear tyre. Luckily I just missed hitting him as I was following and even more luckily no cars were passing at that moment because he landed in the middle of the road. He wasn't too badly hurt and a friendly chap in a ute pulled up and offered him a lift back to the North Shore which was gladly accepted. So there are still some nice people out there. -----