Jo Herrings Adventures

rDear Dad, Today has been the single best use of this day in the past 9 years. And I hope my story makes you proud of your little girl. Today at 12 noon being 1am on the 7th of March in NZ I set off on a half marathon around the Silverstone F1 track in England. I clearly had DAD printed on my left hand, my nails painted red and black and a capital A on my right hand. Who would have thought I'd be in Cantab colours! This was all the inspiration I needed to get around the track. I set off at a strong pace making the first 2 miles in 18.45. I was supposed to be running a 10 minute mile pace but like most long runs I needed the loo and that spurs me on. I stopped for the loo at 2.5 miles and this put me off entirely as the break must have been 4+ minutes. Alas I took the inclines, hairpin turns and celebrity participants in my stride. At 9 miles I felt strong as I ran down a gravel hill towards the last stretch to reach  the final lap on the track. I spotted my good friends Holly...

As I stepped onto the DLR on Wednesday morning, I realised as a Londoner, its not the Earth and its mighty power that gives us city dwellers fear but those around us. As the days now turn into weeks from the devestating earthquake in my native New Zealand I have become conscious of the things around me that could enganger me yet again. Its the fact I live on the fourth floor and if there was a fire what would I do. I live next to a canal, if it flooded what provisions would I have and how could I provide for my neighbours in the floors below me. I have experienced an earthquake in London but it felt more like a truck driving past than the quakes I felt in my childhood living in Southland, so this is not something I have ever actively concerned myself with. But its the population that does provide the biggest risk to our daily lives. Its the man carrying a Fitness First bag on the tube with his bomb, the pack of young Asian boys who linger by my church yard (smoking fresh ganga) who a...

I woke up at 7am Tuesday 22nd of February to to 3 text messages (with 2 messages from my Mum) and I KNEW something was gravely wrong in my world.  Mum wrote " Hi. There has been a massive earthquake in christchurch. At about 1pm. It is on tv " Chloe's was a little more to my understanding at that time of the day " Sorry to txt so early but huge earthquake in Christchurch Hun, lots of damage....looks far worse than first one. Pls call your friends and fam to make sure they're ok xxx much love " Mum again " Jenkins, Boyd and simon family are all safe. Kerry is in pink on tv she has her arm in a sling. Not broken though. Will call later. Nellie " I went straight to the tv and the internet to seek out more information. To my horror during the lull of a Tuesday lunch time, Christchurch had been struck by a 6.1 earthquake, 5km deep, 10km from the central city and 2km from the port town of Lyttleton. Seen as an aftershock to the Sept 4th 2010 7.1 ...