28/2/15

Dear Diary,

Auckland after the game was a party town. Everybody was in a good mood including the security guard at Eden Park who shouted direction at people “Busses to the left, trains to the right, Aussies to the airport!” (come to think of it, most of the Aussies weren't in that good a mood!). The day was great, the game amazing and the weather beautiful and people were chatting and laughing all the way into town. Finally the Kiwi chat is starting to turn toward the possibility of going all the way in the tournament. There's still a fair bit of caution attached to the chat, many is the time that the Kiwis have made the semi final only to be knocked out in disappointing fashion, but New Zealanders are starting to dream big. About time too.

I accidentally ended up joining on to a stag party for a while but jumped ship when the snorting tequila came out as the party trick to copy. No thanks, it’s bad enough drinking that stuff. I’m out. Further on down the road buskers were playing to local skate punks who were ignoring them and rubbish jugglers were chasing their balls down the main drag. There were a lot of people wearing those Chinese rice paddy style of hats, like the ones in ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ ... only smaller. I asked one couple where they found those hats and the bloke replied by vaguely waving his hand in the direction of the Horsehead Nebula. Ignoring their impossible advice I followed the steady stream of other people wearing fantastic hats that all of a sudden I just had to have. A few more blocks following Lo Pan’s minions led me to a massive festival of light to celebrate Chinese new Year (never mind that Chinese new Year was at least a week ago, just go with the flow and get one of those fabulous hats!). I find a stall selling them, they are only $5 (New Zealand !!!!), I pick one up and put it on, its fits me well. I catch sight of myself in a mirror and I think it suits me. I can totally wear this in everyday situations. Brilliant. As I’m reaching for my wallet to pay the girl with green eyes a thought drifts through my alcohol addled mind ... “How are you going to pack it?” ... Oh, that's a good point. I'm already overloaded for this part of the trip and I still haven't figured out how I’m going to fit in all that stuff I bought in ‘Real Groovy’ earlier today. Regretfully, common sense takes hold of my drunk arm and leads me away from the stall of unnecessary purchases.

Wondering dejectedly through the park of bright light I run into a stage with a band playing Asian style music. I actually have a passion for Asian pop music so I chill out and bop along for a while until the band changes tack and becomes a little more sonic noise and anti rhythm. Once I suspected them of playing ‘Revolution number 9’ I was outta there. life is to short.

The next day is a bit of a pain behind the eyes but no time for sleeping, it’s travel time again and I leave Auckland to fly to Nelson where my Mum and Stepdad are waiting to collect me and look after me again. It’s great to hook up with them again and stories of our separate adventures are exchanged.

‘Oh, you went to Milford sound did you. well, I watched Scotland lose in a last over thriller.’

‘Oh, you went up the Skyline Gondola in Queenstown did you? Well, I watched the Kiwis almost lose, but then win, an epic encounter.’

‘Been to the southernmost point on the south island eh? Well, I lost my jumper in Christchurch.’

‘Sheep everywhere was there? well, yeah actually. It’s not a cliche is it?’

Mase (my almost sister), has left us earlier today to go back to Botswana and visit her own family and as a result I have been promoted to the favourite child! No more sleeping in outhouses or bed-in-a-shed for me. Now I'm back in the luxury apartment with a room all to myself. Brilliant. The bed looks really comfy too.

I’ve been burning the candle at both ends recently and I‘ve had an almost permanent sense of tiredness due to all the traveling and having far too good a time. But maybe if I just rest my eyes here for a while ... Safe in the surrounds of family again.




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