old premises

Those of who happened across this site from blogspot can read the rest of this blog's previous entries here. I'm currently transferring content from the old premises, but as there's about 2 years' worth, I may just start a fresh in 2007

coming to new zealand

Every now and then we get an email saying "hi, I'm finally coming to New Zealand! What is there to do and what shall I bring?"

We're over the moon to receive friends and family who we haven't seen in ages and we count the days until we see them. However, it is quite difficult to explain to them exactly what a New Zealand experience is going to be like and how to go about things because its just soo completely different. So, I try my best to put myself in their shoes and think back to what I knew about New Zealand before our first trip - and it wasn't much at all.

One thing I do remember is the realisation that we were about to visit an entire country, not just a single city. This was a bit hard to get our heads around as this made it different to any other holiday we'd been on. All our other trips had been set out like this:

1) Fly to country
2) Taxi to hotel
3) Excursions on foot/bus/hire car
4) Return to hotel each night
5) Dine nearby. Repeat.
6) Finish holiday.

The standard form of staying at a base point from where you set off from and returned to each night was all we knew. The tricky part with a NZ trip was that we would be travelling, spending a few nights somewhere then moving on, so that meant transport and accomodation on the fly - a concept totally new to us. As we were people who liked to have everything organised before arriving, this made us a little uncomfortable. As it happened, there was really no need to fret.

New Zealand is a nation with a high and constant flow of travelling tourists. Consequently, things are designed around them.

We made a travel itinerary skeleton, picking where we'd like to go and plotting a route. We kept it flexible so if plans changed there would be no hassles. The only things we did set in stone were to book a place to stay on the first night and also to book a hire car that would be delivered to us at our lodgings the next day. For everything else, we were busking it!

A Rough Guide or a Lonely Planet is an essential first step for an NZ trip, its packed with everything you need to know. Places to stay, things to do, where to eat, how to get there, glossary of slang terms, things to avoid, how much things cost, maps of both islands and each of the towns and cities.

The other thing is to keep in mind that you have many options to travel this fine country. Its as big as the UK so some options may work better than other if time is an issue. Flying for example, means you can quickly and fairly reasonably access high spots at opposing ends of the country without hours on the road. AirNewZealand and Qantas do internal flights that depart every hour to every place on the map.

Hire Cars are also good to experience the road trip vibe and see the country unfold before your eyes. You can pick up the car in one place and drop it off in another, so no hassles there. Also, you can get a camper van and tour around - no need to book accomodation. However, part of the experience of NZ is meeting fellow travellers in backpackers and hostels, making friends, sharing lifts etc. The camper van might detach you from this experience, somewhat.

Coaches in New Zealand are excellent value and are always punctual. You even get a little local history from the bus driver as you pass through various towns. It's interesting to learn little factoids and its just enough to be eductational rather than annoying.

There are also specialist buses (as opposed to public transport) like the Kiwi Experience and the Magic Bus which are full of young, wide-eyed travellers (read Gap year students) and have a bit reputation for being party buses rampant with hormones, alcohol, music and good times. Nonetheless they provide an excellent service for 20-30 year olds with off-the-beaten track stop overs and specific routes to all the major destinations.

Whether you enjoy adrenalin adventures or the more subdued activities, there is something for everything here and nearly all of it involves being out in the great kiwi outdoors.

Adrenalin
1) Skydiving
2) Bungie jumping
3) Fly by Wire
4) Zorbing
5) Jetboating
6) Surfing

Moderate
1) Horse riding
2) Kayaking
3) Lugeing
4) Tramping (walking scenic tracks)
5) Swimming with Dolphins
6) Paragliding

Relaxed
1) Fishing
2) Swimming
3) Wine tours
4) Overnight boat trips
5) Camping

As for what to bring: pack light. You'll only 7 days clothes (you can wash and dry stuff everywhere) but bring a range from beachwear to fleeces. The song "Four Seasons in One Day" by kiwi songsters Crowded House is a testament to the changeable kiwi weather. Generally, its like a warmer version of the UK but our seasons are more defined.

Lastly, don't, whatever you do, under-estimate the ferocity of the sun in this country.

things that go bump

Its not often in my life that I've ever had to contemplate my own mortality. The one time I truly thought I was going to die I was 6 and got hit in the chest with a football. It turned out that I had only been badly winded but in those excruitating seconds I was absolute sure my number was up.

This week I had to phone the doctors for the results of a blood test. I had found a lump behind my ear and one at the back of my skull, they were painless but I promptly got myself in front of the doctor nevertheless.

"Enlarged Lymph nodes", he said. "usually present when you're fighting off some infection but I couldn't find any infection. They are also associated with Lymphoma, though this is rare". Whoa, that's a cancer, right? He decided to send me off for a blood test. "Let's test this, this, this and this. And while we're at it we'll do this and those two as well." He seemed to be ticking alot of boxes for the lab. I felt a chill.

He handed me the lab chit, I read it. I saw my name and age and a voice in my head said Christ, am I really 33? The rest read like a plasma freak's shopping list: C-proteins, Liver function, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol.

Some reading the internet that night did nothing to ease the trickle of cold dread slipping down my neck like shards of ice.

"...Lymph nodes can become swollen from infection, inflammatory conditions, an abscess, or cancer. Other causes of enlarged lymph nodes are rare. By far, the most common cause of swollen lymph nodes is infection.

When swelling appears suddenly and is painful, it is usually caused by injury or an infection. Enlargement that comes on gradually and painlessly may, in some cases, result from cancer or a tumor."

Fuck!

I got myself off to the lab the next day. Needles are nobody's best friend but I'm okay with them. It was only after the nurse filled the fourth phial with my blood that I thought to ask how much of my precious life blood she wanted and did she do a sideline in voodoo rituals. However, I remained quiet. Voodoo priestesses can read your thoughts anyway, so I expected her to get all AngelHeart on my ass at any moment.

The bloods take two working days which meant calling for the results after the weekend. Of course this weekend seemed unsually puncuated with frequent references to cancer, leukeamia, hodgkins disease and lymphona. On TV, in the press, overheard conversations, it was everywhere. You really do notice things that are more relevant to your situation. Like a pregnancy scare, suddenly those little bastards are everywhere.

I tried not to worry, and I managed pretty well. I was bouyed by saturday morning's effortless rehearsal with our new bass player (more later) and firmly believe you can't worry about something until you need to. Though, when you've got two freaky bumps on your head thats easier said than done.

Monday morning I phone the surgery. The receptionist answers, and, as you'll see, makes the whole thing more stressfull than it needed to be.

"Oh, the nurse isn't here today, so I can only tell you if they are here or not."
"Er, okay."
"Yes, here they are. Ooh, there's quite alot back"
Is that bad?
"Would you like to see the doctor to discuss these?"
Why, whats wrong?
"Well, he told me to call, is there a need to make an appointment?"
"Only the doctor would know that."
"Well can you ask him then."
"He's due in in about 10mins, I'll call you back."
"Thanks."

2 hand-wringing hours later she still hasn't fucking called back. I call again. I really want to say "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU PLAYING AT WOMAN, THERES SOME ANXIETY HERE YOU KNOW" but I haven't got it in me today.

Turns out theres nothing to worry about and the Doctor suggests I see him after Christmas if they haven't gone away. I'm relieved, I keep doing big sighs for about 10 minutes after I hang up. Then my thoughts turn to life insurance, cryogenics and sperm freezing.

december*

I haven't written much for a while. Its not that there isnt stuff going on, just its a bit everyday and mundane to discuss. Last night this fact was captured perfectly in a scene from the movie "Old School".

Massive house party, a college student offers Frank a blast of beer from a funnel and pipe.

Frank: Ah no thanks, I told my wife I wouldn't drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. You guys have a great time.
College Student: A big day? Doing what?
Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time!"
College Student looks baffled then bursts into hysterics

That's our life. It wouldn't be so fucking funny if it weren't true.

Other stuff that's been happening:

Xmas:
Apparently Christmas is just around the corner but its so sunny and hot I keep forgetting about it. Until there's an ad on TV or I go to a shop with absurd Santas and snowmen in the window, its just totally lost on me. Without the climatic cues of dark miserable weather and face-freezing temperatures I just can't get my head around it.

Garden:
We have a garden but no idea what plants are in it. Its getting a bit out of control with the hot weather but we'd totally underestimated the work that would be involved in keep a garden. We've just left it and hoped it would take care of itself - and that aint happening!

Yesterday, a young kid came around to quote us on grass cutting. Tracey and I decided that we could spend $45 so when he came back to us with the quote: "Erm, 15 bucks?", he said hopefully.

"And how about for the road reserve aswell?", asked Tracey (the road reserve is the grass verge beyond our property, usually tended by the council, its twice as big as our lawn but its looking scraggy and overgrown.) "Hmmm", said Pete. "So this whole area, okay but I'll also have to charge you for disposal of the cuttings....so I could do the lot for $25".

I nearly pissed myself - its was so cheap.

Photos:
I found a place that will sell my photos as art canvases. Better off on someone's wall than sitting on my hard drive. They do however, need to sort out their website and action some proper marketing for it also - the proprietor agrees - there's been no sales in the 2 months this service has been available.

Music:
I had to let the bass palyer in the blues band go. This was difficult as these things always are. However, my gut instinct at the beginning was that it wasn't going to work and I ignored that. I was very patient and thought things might improve. They didn't. In a nutshell: he's been playing for 4 years, we've been playing over 20. I hate when I ignore my instincts because they are always right. We'll search for a replacement in the New Year.

On the upside I went to visit Dom and Caprice. I knew Dom from working at DDB. I knew he was in a band as we even rehearsed in the same place. Dom has had difficulty completing his line-up and apart from a few jams, nothing has really come out of it.

That night he played me some of his tracks of his band back in SA,Waverley from their albums Down with Words and Give Back the Radio And, to be honest they were FUCKING AWESOME! I'm such a cynical muso bastard that it takes alot to impress me but this stuff KICKED ASS. It sounded like a cross between Sum 41 and A so I immediately volunteered myself for any future developments.

Dom was stoked. I think he looks up to me. Both him and Caprice are from Durban and they remind me of Jussi and Linds. Just lovely, genuine, funny people. I like being around them and rocking out with Dom is going to be heaps of fun.

Butt Rocket

this is the funniest thing I've ever seen. Can't see it? Follow this link

I woke up last night because my brain had booted it up again and I laughed myself awake.

Picture the scene: bored teenagers, a vid-cam, a handful of bottle rockets. One guy decides to fire one out of his ass. Cool, the others think. Cool, he thinks. They bend him over and light the blue touchpaper...

The beauty of this clip and its ongoing hilarity is that you realise - at the same point they do - that the body in pain tends to contract. Not what a sphincter with a projectile firework in it should be doing. Classic!

And they say the children are our future.