A Road Trip, a 21st and a Roasted Pig!

Last Monday 23rd October was Labour Day. Basically, this public holiday celebrates the introduction of the eight hour working day but, like most people, we were just looking forward to the fact that we would not have to work. Apparently, we have got Samuel Parnell to thank, for winning the fight for an eight hour day in 1840 (http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/labourday). In any case, we had a three day weekend to enjoy ourselves.

Left: The Eight Hour Day Committee. Right: Thanks Sam!

We decided to go on a road trip, down south to Julia’s 21^st Birthday party (yes, it did make us feel young again). We lived with Julia back in 2004, in Christchurch. Anyway, we accepted the party invitation, knowing full well that it would involve us driving many kilometres (miles if you wish) to attend. You see, Julia is from a rural settlement, about 50 km from Invercargill (about as far from Aucklanders as you can get). The original plan was to have a leisurely drive down on Saturday, but as usual we left later than originally anticipated. Even then, we had to pop in to an electrical store to buy a brand new fridge/freezer (Labour Weekend sales were on, hence why!). So, we drove about eight hours, with just a twenty minute lunch stop, just after Timaru. The honky mobile did well; overtaking is so much easier when you have a three litre engine! A shame the police was out in force; I was rather enjoying doing 140km.We arrived at Birchwood Station, (near the aptly named community of Nightcapps) where the party was held, at 8.15pm. Birchwood Station is a working farm, but an old woolshed has somehow become a private bar, filled with all the paraphernalia that goes with farming, including a boar’s head hanging from the wall with its hide on the floor.After a hard day’s driving, we had ‘earned our thirst’. The first Speight’s went down rather nicely, and so did the many that followed. The line from the keg of Speights ran through a chilly bin (cool box), ensuring that the beer was cold. Lots of nibbles were all around, but the real supper was: Pork. Babe was happily turning on the spit. Julia’s Dad, a butcher, was carving the pork, which apparently was tender and delicious.

The party was not complete without Julia having to down twenty-one shots, which she did rather well. The party continued till the wee hours, when we went back to Julia’s parent’s house, to sleep off the alcohol!

The day after the night before, we hung around the house till midday, till we were a bit more awake, and started the return journey to Christchurch. This time, we drove at a more relaxed speed, and had a chance to look at places we had not previously visited. We stayed the night in picturesque Clyde. A town that is, ominously, the wrong side of a rather full dam. Our accommodation was a room in the local pub. Basic but very convenient! However, due to the night before, we were both very tired, so did not even have one pint!

On the Monday, Labour Day, we still had to cover a fair distance, but arrived home in time, to play our social, summer hockey game.

Why is it that even three day weekends are not long enough? We are already looking forward to the next four day working week, which luckily is not too far away. November 17^th is Canterbury Day, but we are yet to decide what we will do: go to the horse races or the A&P Show?

Some things never change!

A Blooming Good Time of the Year!

Spring time; the season that brings hope, new life, exploding buds, longer warmer days, and of course… thoughts of summer barbies washed down with cold beers. Spring is definitely one of my top four seasons!

Here, in the South Island we have emerged out of, what has been for many, one of the hardest winters in recent years (see the ‘Four Seasons in One Day’ article published in June). For rural communities, in particular farmers, it was certainly a testing time as they struggled to locate and feed their stock in deep, chilling snow. However, city slickers like us only thought about the prospect of a bumper ski season! In fact, I had one last blast just last Wednesday (18th October). I just had to go, as the day before a cold southerly gust brought a fresh dumping of mountain snow. It’s not often that you get fresh powder in mid spring.

Still some good powder

Anyway, Mt Hutt is now closed for the season but some ski fields are still open up in the North Island !

Now that the southern ski fields are closed, I can really begin to enjoy the springtime and not worry about the warm north westerly winds melting the mountain snow! Of course, the longer days and living so close to Hagley Park mean that lazy, ice cream licking walks around the botanic gardens are obligatory. Unfortunately, we missed the Daffodil Banks in their September prime but they were still impressive and worth a couple of photos. So too were the bluebell woods.

Spring also brings the start of the cricket season. It’s always easy to tell when the season is about to start as early warm spring weather always turns bad, no matter which country one is in! True to form, we had a series of fronts bringing rain and colder weather to mark the start of the season. Chantal’s first game was played in what was initially a lovely sunny day but turned into a chilly affair when the biting easterly wind strengthened. Of course, I was there to support her and did my bit with a spot of umpiring.

Notice that there are not any pictures of lambs. That may strike you as strange, considering that we live in a country that has many more sheep than people. However, I really did not want to look like a tourist by pulling the car over and snapping away!

Gone Fishing

Those of you who are well acquainted with me will probably realise that I would not know coarse fishing from polite fishing, a juggler from a jiggler, and as for a tackle boxes; aren’t they a form of protection used in cricket! You would also know that I am not ‘good’ on boats. By that I mean, I have a tendency to turn a shade of ‘apple white’, and tense up before breaking out in a cold sweat; even when crossing on the Sandbanks chain ferry. Therefore, you would be surprised to hear that I went away on a boys only fishing weekend.

The trip started with a three hour drive down to Kurow. Once there we dropped our bags off and went to the pub to meet up with the others who had already spent the day fishing. Subsequently, the rest of Friday was spent drinking, talking s#*t and watching the televised rugby (Canterbury v Auckland). Strangely enough, my ‘one eyed’ Cantabrian colleagues were rather quiet watching the game down in the rival province of Otago. After getting a lift back to our accommodation, courtesy of the pub, we stood around the leaner (see the forthcoming article on kiwiana) in front of the open fire drinking, talking more S#*t and trying some of the catch of the day. The drink flowed and so did the laughs and bulls#*t, all resulting in a good night!

It was hard to tell whether the lovely 1970s decor was ironic or authentic

Even though three boats were towed down to Lake Waitaki and Lake Aviemore, Mark (a fellow Selwyn Green hockey player) and myself had no real intention to spend Saturday cramped up on a boat dangling sticks in the water, drinking flasked tea. We had bigger and better plans; even though, we were quite prepared to enjoy the fish later in the evening. We decided to sample the finer things in life so made a two hour trip from Kurow to Bannockburn. There are a number of wineries around this area and as I kept hearing this part of Otago is known as ‘Pinot Country’.

It must be said that wine was never something I fully appreciated but I have been on a few wine tasting trips now (and I don’t mean Yates Wine House on a Saturday night) so can certainly taste the difference between a $6 and $30 bottle of wine. So, Chantal no more bottles of Queen Adelaide or Banrock Station, please, as a lovingly crafted bottle of Pinot Noir will be far more appreciated.

We visited some good wineries: Mt Difficulty, Akarua and Carrick; but the best thing was the fact that I was the passenger! That meant I was able to sample as many wines, as I wished… so I did! Rieslings, chardonnays, cabernet sauvignons, pinot noirs. And just for extra ponciness points, I indulged in a yummy cheese platter accompanied by a generous glass of Pinot Noir. Needless to say, I felt quite drowsy on the return journey.

Having lunch at Mt Difficulty Winery is a tough task!

Of course once we were back in Kurow we headed straight to the pub. Being in New Zealand, more rugby had to be watched and as more drink was had the s#*t began to flow again...

Anyway, I'm sure you get the picture so I can confirm that the well worn phrase, ‘Gone Fishing’ is basically a euphemism for ‘drinking trip’.

A Bubbly Morning

Cheese rolling, bog snorkelling, shin kicking, gurning and rounders. All 'sports' that Britain proudly rules the world at. Well, now New Zealand has one of its own: zoom sliding. Of course it lacks the tradition and sheer madness of its British counterparts but at least it's good to know that there are nutters here too.

Radio station, 'The Rock', held the annual (a full and rich history of three years) World Zoom Sliding competition in Hagley Park, Christchurch. Anyway, as this event had been advertised on the radio all week, we were rather curious about it so wandered down to the park at 7am on a Friday morning to see what it was all about. It seems that zoom sliding simply involves sprinting to the take off line and then hurling oneself through the air to land on a slippery piece of plastic, trying to slide as far as possible through the detergent bubbles. Some ‘athletes’ claimed to have trained hard for this event (Developing a big enough belly to cushion the landing perhaps?), and it was all rather good natured, except for Mr Arena who was taking it way too serious and unfortunately (not) missed out on actually winning the event.

The Rock's radio show, 'The Morning Rumble', was broadcast live from the park. Co-presenter Jonno involuntarily entered the competition but only reached a sad and miserable distance of 5m. To be fair, he did not get a run-up, nor had he been able to lube up his body.

The winner won $400, whilst his brother Dave (in a lovely leopard skin G-string) and the winner of the event in 2005, came second.

Anyway, with a free sausage sizzle (yes, even at that hour of the morning) and fresh coffee we had an enjoyable morning watching the spectacle, before walking down to work, for another hard day in the office!