Back at work and it is boring as. I mean I’ve got plenty of things in my basket but things are depending on one another and that’s why I have to hold fire till the ground is ready for things to roll. Anyway, it’s the mid summer here and the weather is bloody great. It is nice, sunny and warmish most of days. It’s been getting up to 23, 24 C degrees in the past two weeks and not windy as much. Wellington city is known for its so called “breeze” but I can assure you it is anything but a breeze. Honestly it sometimes blows you off your feet, so it is fair to be grateful for the absence of the “breeze”. Sitting in the office is getting hard and harder as the sun shines outside and days get even nicer.

Luckily we spent about a week or so out in the nature. We camped by Blue Lake and it only rained once. It is one of the many fresh water lakes in New Zealand situated on the volcanic crater about 8 km south east of Rotorua in north Island. The wife and I got sunburnt but I guess she calls it a tan.

It is absolutely fantastic to see how the nature is kept intact and tidy here in New Zealand. I visited the same camping ground and lake back in December 1998 and found it unharmed on my recent visit after seven years or so. Still as clean and beautiful as before.

It’s pity how things get ruined in Iran regardless of their precious values, whether it is historical, natural or else. I was born in Shiraz and lucky enough to visit Takht-e-Jamshid (Persepolis) regularly as a child. As far as my memory allows me I can recall Persepolis being degraded from the historical site symbolising the true centre of Persian Empire to the ruins of a caravansary with brick and blocks missing year after year.

My latest visits took place during 1997,1999 and 2005. Each time I visited the site I found it less and less attractive with objects (15+ tones stone pillar bases I’m talking about not a hair clip of the kings' latest concubine) missing one after another. Even the museum which is situated right in the heart of the site had had artefacts nicked from it. However I shall mention the great effort cultural heritage foundation has put in to fabulously landscaping the fairway approaching the site from the south.