16/2/15

Dear Diary,

I set the alarm for 7:11am and then lay there for 19 minutes thinking "why didn't I just set it for 7:30am."

The best thing about being outcast from the popular part of the family and banished from the deluxe accommodation to the dog house is the not being expected to show up early to breakfast. I show up early to breakfast and mum makes me porridge with raspberry yogurt. Then I claim second breakfast when mase wakes up and demand French toast along with her. Brillant.

Pack up, leave Twizel, have a look at one of the "warm" water lakes (not fed by any of the local glaciers) and keep driving to Omarama where, due to a postcard i've seen leads me to believe there is a giant representation of a sheep there. Turns out It's barely bigger than life size. Still, it was on the way and there was nothing else to do besides top up the petrol tank.

Top up the petrol tank and check out the local souvenir shops in the hope they have a souvenir cloth patch (they don't) and end up speaking to a bunch of other Scottish tourists out here on the same trail as I am, to watch Scotland in the cricket. they are also heading to the game in Dunedin between Scotland and New Zealand tomorrow. We all have a rational chat about Scotland's chances of beating New Zealand but guild it with a tinge of optimism. When the shop assistant wishes us "Good luck" there are varying degrees of dirty looks directed her sarcastic way. Outside the shop there is a consensus that as long as we beat the English all other losses will be forgiven!

From Omarama inland we head onto Oamaru on the coast. We are not allowed to stop for lunch there as Murray, the chauffeur, forbids us from wasting valuable traveling time by eating but allows Mum time to stop and visit the lavatory. Like naughty kids Mase and I sneak off and order chippy chips from the nearby chippy and before everyone knows it this has turned into a full blown lunch stop. I look for souvenir cloth patch from the local area ( I collect them you know) and totally fail to find one. The chips turn out to be the best I've had for many years and I eat more than my fair share of the half without Mase noticing. Result!.

We continue down the coast road to Dunedin and are wowed by some spectacular coastal scenery that Murray, the chauffeur, won't let us stop at because we have already wasted too much time actually having a good time eating lunch.

From the mountain to the coast in less than three hours ... New Zealand continues to amaze me.

The coast is amazing and I take heart that Murray won't let us stop to enjoy it by telling myself that I will see it another two more times as I get the bus up and back between Dunedin and Christchurch for future games in this World Cup adventure.

We arrive in Dunedin hot, bothered but pleased at enjoying the scenery from the car. Check into the hotel, try to find the sports channel to see how Ireland are doing against the West Indies, find out we don't have the sports channel and check the internet instead only to find we have to pay for the wifi ... arrghhh !!!

I'm back in Dunedin on my own later on in the trip and I convince my Mum to take a dry run to the B&B I've booked into for then. We get completely lost on the way but recover enough to eventually find it without having to ask directions. Upon meeting the owner and introducing myself i notice that the cricket is on his T.V. right now. He says “Let me check the score." before quickly turning the T.V. off ... arrghhh !!!

Despite this grotesque faux pas we all have a polite conversation and admire the view from the sitting room. There sure a lot of hills in this city!

By the time we make it back to our hotel room Ireland have defeated the West Indies in what would have been a great game to watch. It’s something the rest of the family regard as an upset but which I view as almost par for the course.

As good as the West Indies are (and they are still good) they are nowhere near the force they were 20 years ago. It took me a long time to let go of the force that they were in the '80s and early '90s but eventually even I had to admit that they had, somehow, lost their way.

Now, even to the casual observer, it is undeniable. That is not to take anything away from Ireland who have shown themselves to be a cut above the mediocre for several years and continue to prove they are worthy of greater resignation but continue to have doors shut in their face.

Thought turn to Scotlands game tomorrow. Is it possible that we could surpass Ireland and cause an upset of our own? Do we have the talent to beat a rampant New Zealand? Can Scotland claim Dunedin (the Edinburgh of the south) as a fortress of our own?

Only time will tell, but I cant wait to find out.

"Look for the ridiculous in everything and you will find it." Jules Renard - (1864 - 1910)