Final Karate

This weekend has been a bit mental and I will write more about that in the next few days but my final Karate grading took place on Saturday and it was as hard as usual. I was successful though and I now have a green belt which is 4th Kyu (out of 10 and numbers are descending so next step would be 3rd).

Quite an emotional time with eveything that is going on in our lives as we gear up to leave New Zealand next week - it has been a real week of goodbyes and after putting so much hard work into training sayng goodbye to the Karate was very hard. It is going to be something that I really miss (and they don't have this syle of Karate in Scotland unfortunately) but I will be able to continue doing something when I get home.

At the end of my Karate grading Shihan Ben made me go out and do an individual performance in front of everyone, he wished me well and presented me with a polo shirt from the Karate Club. Which was very nice of him.

here are some photos of my previous grading that have only recently been published on the Seido website.....

 

Napier, Hastings, Havelock North - Hawkes Bay

It's took me ages to get the Auckland post done and now I have some more spare time and a computer at home (our Apple Mac is currently incapacitated - potentially expired) I seem to have a lot of catching up to do.....

A couple of weekends ago we decided that because we are running out of time we HAD to race up to the Hawkes Bay. It's allegedly one of the sunniest places in NZ, it's full of wineries and the scenery is supposed to be spectacular - so we shot off straight after work on the Friday and headed North East.

We were staying with a colleague of Katie's from the Tennis world - Trevor, and his wife Meryn. They were really really nice and welcoming and we had a lovely time staying at their house in the town of Clive. Trevor is a tennis coach who has a tennis court in his back garden with a small shed with a fridge, kettle etc for mid-coaching drinks and snacks for player and parents, what a great idea. Trevor is also really into his football so there was a lot of chat about tennis and football over the weekend. Trevor and Meryn have a couple of kids but they were also looking after their daughter's friend and they were also hosting a German exchange student - they certainly have a busy old house.

After a late one on the first night chatting sport we got up and went for a wander around Napier. It's an interesting place - it's predominantly Art Deco stylee since they had to rebuild the whole place after a devastating 7.8 earthquake in 1931 reduced pretty much the whole town to rubble.

This photo montage isn't my creation - my photos are on my camera and I can't process them due to the condition of the Mac. ;o(

It is funny though because as with most things in period styling, the buildings look really dated - truly old buildings are timeless but Art Deco just looks out of place these days. (in my opinion - pictures to follow) But it's certainly very unique - an Art Deco town. (as far as I know)

So after a bit of sightseeing on our own, Trevor took us a wee trip up the local big hill called Te Mata Peak.

Stunning views all the way to the Centre of the North Island by the way and it was a glorious day - we just missed on on seeing all the way to Ruapehu however (where we went skiing).

Katie and I then went on a quick tour of some wineries.............

Sileni Estate

hmm, Church Road...

Mission Estate

The other thing we did in our short stay in Napier was to head out for dinner and afterwards we were able to catch up with my best friend from primary school - Neil McGinley.

We basically got in touch via facebook a while back and realised we were both in New Zealand and this was an ideal opportunity to get meet up. We met in a pub and reminisced about the good old days over a few beers - it was certainly a blast from the past! It was really interesting hearing all his news and Neil's been a busy guy since moving here, he has a wife and a son now and is a qualified electrician. Who knows when we will catch up again - in another 20 years?

             

On the way back to Welly we took an alternative route and ended up driving past the Tui brewery which is a New Zealand icon.......here is what the brewery looks like in the adverts...

Unfortunately the girls weren't at work on the day we visited so I had to settle for a couple of less exciting photographs....

Tui are also well known for their controversial adverts which are actually quite funny and generate the desired media attention.

Here's one of our own......

So that's that.....we now have two weeks left in New Zealand and our travels around the country are now at an end. Next Friday we both leave our jobs, hand our car, laptops, keys and everything back and we will offically be unemployed travellers again. Scary stuff!

That was the weekend that was...................

We travelled up to Auckland (that photo isn't mine by the way) a couple of weekends ago to see our dear friends from home, Iain and Lorna, (find out more here - lorna's blog ) who have now been living and working there for over a year - it was one of those weekends that just sounds more ridiculous every time I have to explain it to anyone......and it was, if it is possible, slightly crazier than New Year with them. (although not quite as drunken as far as I can remember) It was possibly our last time seeing these guys for a while as they are hanging around in NZ for a bit longer - we will sorely miss them but at least we will have memories like these to remember them by.........

No blog entry will ever do this weekend justice but I'll try my best. The story starts when I step off the plane in Auckland and get picked up by Lorna in her engagement present - the wee red mini that Iain got her. It is absolutely class and it is so small and close to the ground it gives you a completely different passenger experience. You wouldn't believe the cars here - brand new ones are so expensive that everyone drives old ones but it is really a step back in time. Wind up windows, no warning sounds for leaving your lights on (eh Lorna?)- just everything about them is so different to what we are used to back home. But they have genuine character which is definitely a big plus.

Anyway - whilst we were travelling to Lorna and Iain's new home in Devonport the party had aready started in earnest and Katie + everyone else were already having a few drinks and a barbecue. By the time Lorna and I arrived we were playing catch up and we are both very good at that game. The chat was good, the company was great and we all stayed up far too late - well actually Lorna and I stayed up much later than everyone else talking absolute rubbish about nothing in particular - we also had a wee stagger down memory lane and talked a lot about the East end of Glasgow. Drunken bums!

So onto the next day and the real madness......

Saturday was all about getting ready for the big game that night. Iain's work - The Auckland Blues - were playing their final game of the Super 14 league competition and we were all going along. The plan was to watch the game, get a bite to eat with the players and then maybe go into town.

Here is Lorna and Katie on the ferry from Devonport to Auckland City - the journey takes about 10 minutes  - we of course all had to have a quick drink to get us in the mood. It was great being at the game and even though the Blues didn't have much to play for, they didn't want to lose at home against a weak side (Waikato Chiefs).

The Blues won the game easily and apart from some stupid guy from the Waikato who had dreadlocks (so probably didn't wash very often) and really bad chat, the game was pretty uneventful. A win for the Blues then and a good way to finish off the season.

After the game Iain went down to the dressing room to watch the players get changed (only joking big man!!) whilst Katie, Lorna and I were escorted to the player's friends and famiy waiting area were we had drinks and snacks. When the team bus was ready to go we all were taken upstairs and we boarded the bus. From there we were taken to Sky City in Auckland - a big hotel and casino complex right next to the Sky Tower.

                                                            

As we were getting off the bus it was quite funny because all the public were excited to be seeing the big name stars and there we were, jumping off the same bus - nobody asked for our autographs though, I am pretty sure it was obvious that we weren't in the first team.

After a big buffet dinner (which started about 10.30pm by the way), we met Luke McAlister - you may remember him from a story about the All Blacks visiting my school and I got some of their names wrong  - if you can't recall, I called him Luke Wilkinson when introducing him at school and that was really embarrassing. Well, he completely remembered me and he thought that when I got his name wrong I was having a laugh, he didn't realise that I was actually genuinely clueless about NZ rugby. He was very nice about it though - being a multi millionaire International Rugby star and all that. (I don't think he had probably lost any sleep over the event and I am pretty sure it won't make his autobiography)

We then stayed for a while (very possibly overstayed) and played some drinking games with The Drapenator (the physio), his wife, an ex All Black/Team Manager of the Blues (Strawny) who surprised us all by giving us keys to rooms in Sky City - bonus! This was really the start of the whole madness - it would probably have made sense to have a wee night cap and call it a night - but that just wasn't going to happen.

Off we went to a nightclub in Auckand and even though I should have been able to resist, I turned into a bit of a celebrity botherer. Actually, as far as I remember it I was very polite and Iain was my photographer and I asked him a million times if it was ok, so I hope it was......here are some of the photos.....how many could you have named?

Maria Tutaia (Netball) (a.k.a Neil from the Young Ones)

Joe Rokocoko (Rugby)Strawny (Blues Team Manager and ex-All Black)Joe again.

Tony Woodcock and Kevin Mealamu  (and some diidy in the background) (Rugby)

The gang also participated in the now almost obligatory "Blue Steel" modelling competition......if you haven't seen the movie Zoolander then it might not make much sense but the photos are still funny.

By the end of the night we were all a bit worse for wear but we stayed up and went to the casino - unfortunately for me I had eaten/drank something that my body had objected to - it appears that in my old age I have developed a strange reaction to one of three things - it is either 1) A ridiculous amount of beer/alcohol or 2) Shellfish. 3) A combination of both.This is what happened........................

It was not really a laughing matter as you can see from Iain's obvious concern but I ploughed on regardless and my immune system had to deal with it while we all went and played roulette! (In reality I was probably gambling with my wellbeing)

I didn't take this one by the way - it's just for illustration purposes. For the record, Katie and I won hee haw and Iain walked away with the same amount in his pocket as he started the games with. Well done!

So, at 6am we finally called it a night and went off to our rooms - check out was 11am and we had to get some sleep. No change of clothes, no toiletries, just a place to fall over and get some zzzzz's.

The next day was quite emotional - doing the "walk of shame" (Definition - after a night out, travelling home in the same clothes you wore the night before) through Auckland and heading back to Devonport for the last time. Saying goodbye to Iain and Lorna was very hard, the reality of coming home is starting to really set in and even though we are so excited about coming back, there is always going to be that feeling of sadness leaving people and places behind here in NZ. We'll miss these guys! Thanks to them we have drank far more heavily on nights out than we would have on our own ;o) Only joking, but they really have helped us have some of the best times here in New Zealand. It's definitely exciting being somewhere new but it's always the best when you are with your mates, wherever you are.

 

It's all happening.......

Well - with only 5 weeks to go it is all happening......

* We have started the sale of all of our possessions on the New Zealand Ebay equivalent - Trade Me. It's a funny old game but we are currently up in the money stakes. We are starting to think that Trade Me is used specifically for New Zealanders to offload crap to foreigners coming to stay here (who are told by Kiwi's that Trade Me is the best place to buy things) - my advice would be always check the prices of things at the Warehouse first. (Don't tell anyone until we have sold our stuff though)

* We are ticking things off our list at a rate of knots but we are running out of time to do it all - watch this space but we are hoping to get to Napier, Gisborne and jump out of a plane before we leave New Zealand.

* Bangkok is in trouble and we are currently scheduled to fly out of there on August 2nd - will it still be there by then?

* The volcanic ash - will we be trapped forever in South East Asia or will we have to travel overland through Pakistan and then Europe to get home?

* Our Apple Mac computer has died and I am currently doing everything in my power to claim some of ancient legal right to kick Apple up the bum and get a replacement.

* I have another Karate grading coming up on the the 11th of June.

More info on all these stories to follow but first I need to tell you about a crazy weekend in Auckland.......................................

The word is out and the countdown begins.

Well folks there you have it, it's now 19 months since leaving Bonnie Scotland and Katie and I are heading home - it's official! We arrive back in sunny Scotland on the 2nd if August, almost certainly penniless and jobless - but with lots of good photos and stories! ;o)

We leave NZ on the 18th of June, flying to Hong Kong then travelling down through China to Vietnam and Cambodia. We are scheduled to fly out of Bangkok but Thailand may have been blown to smithereens before we get there (does anybody say smithereens any more - and what the heck is it?)

I am so intrigued by this I have actually just had to google it - here is a kind of answer for those interested parties. For those who are uninterested or those who knew already (Paul and Karen), please continue to Section 2 of this entry. ;o)

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/blown-to-smithereens.html

SECTION2

Anyway, so we have now both handed in our notice to work - and to put you in the picture how small a city Wellington is, the word spread like wildfire and everyone found out almost instantly (as if it was on the news) and everyone we have met over the last few weeks has known before we have even mentioned it.

We are both finding it really difficult starting to say our goodbyes and it's made even harder because a lot of people we work with are genuinely gutted we are going, but we are both really excited to be thinking about traveling again. It's going to be hard to leave Wellington but i think both of us are more excited about the adventures that lie ahead and being able to see our family and friends again more than anything else.




Here's a random photo of me coaching the pupils football the other day:

Will write more soon with news of our movements but let's jut say that the next few weeks are going to involve a lot of to do lists and inevitable surprises and expenses jumping out at us from all directions.

Can't wait to see you all - please inform the guys that control the weather that we would like some sun and no rain on our return. (and a roll and sausage)

Here's another random photo - this time of an iconic Wellington City Centre Location.

SB

Queen Charlotte Track

Katie and I have been in New Zealand for about 16 months and we have had a ball, we've done a lot of great things since coming here but since arriving we have actually not had a proper long-ish holiday where it's been just the two of us - sounds strange doesn't it? Every holiday we have had so far we've been really lucky to have had visitors from home or friends in NZ to share the adventures with - needless to say all of our holidays have been packed full and absolutely brilliant.

This time however we were on our own and it felt pretty nice, so we thought we would do something a bit different - and include some hard work and a splash of luxury along the way!

I would have been happy with four days of wine tours in Marlborough but Katie had the brainwave that we should cross the water again to the South Island but instead do a trek called the Queen Charlotte Track. The "spin" on it though was that instead of walking the 71km we thought we should attempt it on mountain bikes!

If you are interested in the history of the track then a good starting point would be

http://www.qctrack.co.nz/about/track_history.asp

If you just want the basics, it is at the very top of the South Island near Picton, the start is only accessible by boat and begins at Ship Cove where Captain Cook spent his most time here in New Zealand  - oh, and it covers 71km in total from Ship Cove to Anakiwa.

Stunning scenery everywhere, wildlife, great weather, it was everything we were looking for. But it was bloody hard work!

A view from the Interislander

Picton

Day 1   
Ship Cove to Endeavour Inlet 15km


We took the 8am Interislander to Picton, checked in with the Adventure company, dropped off our backpacks (which were to be delivered to our accommodation) and we picked up our bikes.

At 1.30 we got on the wee boat to take us to Ship Cove, arriving there at 3pm.

The plan was to cycle from there to Endeavour inlet - it was supposed to take 3 hours by bike and sun down was at 5.40pm so we were cutting it tight.

Now, if I was a betting man the odds were on that it would be me that would take the first tumble off the bike - however Katie fell first, traveling uphill she almost careered off the track. Heading for a very long drop she slammed on both breaks, tipped forwards and then backwards, falling onto some rocks - sympathetic as ever I ran over with the camera and took some photos. Damage report - a few bruises and a graze. (katie thumped me for taking photos ;o) only joking)

The abyss

Now, disaster number two happened just a short while later...and this time it was me. Going uphill and changing gears whilst powering the old pedals my chain snapped! At the start of the day they had asked us if we knew how to change a tyre ( which i do) but they didn't ask if I knew how to repair a chain (which I didn't) So there we are with daylight against us, a long way still to go and me not being able to pedal. Queue a lot of jogging with the bike and skateboarding-esque movements on the flat. I could of course still hurtle downhill - but we were running a bit late now. Here is me trying to work out how you fix a chain - whilst trying to pretend I was having a great time.

Here we are trying not to worry about not making it on time and just enjoying the solitude and scenery.

In the end we managed to make it just as the last light of the day disappeared and we arrived at our crazy accomodation called Endeavour resort.

I put a call in for a new bike to be sent by boat the next day and we settled down in the "luxury" TV lounge and watched a VHS video version of a Kiwi movie called Whale Rider. (yes, we remembered to rewind the video after use - those were the days eh?)

Here are some photos of our room....

I make the pasta feast

Katie rests her battered body

Day 2
Endeavour Inlet to Portage
35.5km


We had a very long day ahead of us today but we had to wait for the boat to arrive with my new bike.

When it arrived the fella said something about how to change gears - I laughed and said, "I bike in Wellington you know", he then said that perhaps I should use less horse power. These tree trunk legs, the trouble they cause with their powerful ways.

We got underway at 10.15am and we had to cover the distance before sun down so 6pm was our target again. It was once again going to be tight.

After the first 20 minutes however we suffered another incident that delayed us for a short period of time. Unfortunately on the track there are an awful lot of wasps and unfortunately for Katie one had become lodged between her back pack and herself. The little bugger decided to give her a sting and her already aching body took another hit.

Katie sees the funny side 

Bravely, Katie jumped back on the bike and we pushed on into the the mountains, heading for Portage and a hotel that promised to be a bit better than the previous nights accommodation. The thought of a nice dinner, a bottle of wine, a cooked breakfast and a hot shower kept us going through the very difficult uphill sections.

Very few photos were taken on this day as it was honestly non-stop and we had to get there before dark.

We got to the Portage Resort at 5pm which was a spectacular effort - especially after having to stop for 30 mins in Camp Bay for a bite to eat and a stretch. I think we were both close to chucking it after this - there were so many steep uphills where we had to get off the bike it wasn't much fun.

There was a private spa pool at our resort and our bags were waiting for us with a bottle of wine stashed in there for just such an occasion.

Day 3 - going absolutely nowhere!


Katie in her wisdom had always planned for day 3 to be a relaxing day - we had booked two nights at Portage which was absolutely what we needed. It was a very nice place to chill out.

We did very little but in the evening there was a free wine tasting and then we splashed out on a really expensive dinner - we had earned it though.

After dinner we went to the pub onsite and there was a pub quiz on - we were recruited into a team of posh old locals which was very funny. Katie and I managed to take them from last place after round 1 to 2nd place at the end. They were very grateful and invited us around for lunch the next day but, tempted as we were, we had the last bit of the track to complete.

Day 4
Portage to Anakiwa
20.5km


Everyone had told us that the last day was a really enjoyable cycle and that we would probably be able to stay on the bikes the whole way. We weren't too sure what to believe but in the end they were telling the truth and we had a great cycle for 4 hours to finish the track off.

What a great feeling to have finished it - we were both very tired but very happy. We had fish and chips for dinner and got on the Interislander again at Picton at 6pm - arriving back in Welly for just after 9pm. 

Needless to say we slept well last night! Back to work on Monday - booo!