So a week after I had caught up with old friends in Worcester, I was seeing the ex-members of the Yellowsnow Snowboard Club in Richmond. One of my best friends at Uni, Kate and her boyfriend Mike have decided to upsticks and live in Tauranga, New Zealand. Good for them! They are loving life there..
Last weekend I went to Rob da Banks Isle of Wight festival, otherwise known as Bestival.Can you believe it?? After arriving in New Zealand on the 23rd May I have finally flown onto Sydney on 29th September. A full four months in this beautiful country!!!
So did I enjoy it?? Of course.. and here is a chance for me to tell you of some particularly good times...
<< The map of New Zealand
Arriving after a 23hour journey to meet good friends Kate & Mike, Steve & Chris was great, even if Mike was holding up a sign for the "Old Man" ... So that week involved moving into a lovely house with amazing views, celebrating my thirtieth birthday (proper) and generally getting to know the beautiful town of Queenstown. Even now thinking of the place, I am reminded of the scenery and the laid backness of the place...
I made a few pledges for my birthday - 1. No More Smoking! 2. Get Fit & Stay Fit 3. Manage my cash 4. Keep a life journal - How are these getting on?? Well I gave up smoking, restarted (only when drunk), had one or two each day and have now given up again!! Fitness? Well I am still fat.. maybe Oz is the place to lose some weight! Everyone over here looks so thin... Cash Management?? Its pretty difficult when you don't have a regular job, but its ok.. Keep a life journal? I wanted both an online and paper based one.. Paper based one is still on the day I nearly broke my arm, but I have kept up to date on the blog.. I WILL KEEP THIS UP!!
Soon after that we had snow in town, and a drive to Wanaka saw us throwing snowballs at each other on the Crown Range pass.. This is a prelude to a season with loads of snow we thought... So we decide to head up the Remarks to have a nose and near certain death!!
The season opened on the 11th June at Coronet Peak, and even if the place doesn't have the size and infrastructure of Europe and North America, you can still see where all the fun can be had.. but then two days later I fall off a box and think I have broken my arm. After X-rays its diagnosed as only a crack, but it puts my snowboarding on hold for over three weeks.. So it was time to look for work...
After wandering around Queenstown looking for work in bars & Restaurants, I finally got lucky with a hotel just around the corner from me and get hours as a waiter/barman and also housekeeping!
I soon discovered that the job sucks!! But money is money. Then just after London wins the Olympics, Terrorists decide to blow up some Underground trains and a bus in london...
Soon after though, I got back snowboarding and this time I leave Coronet alone and head up the Remarks, which soon became my local mountain!! Even though Josh nearly gets buried in an Avalanche up there. I start by not liking the mountains much, but if you stop comparing it to Europe / USA, and explore, you soon discover how good it really is.. I spent a lot of my time learning to ride park. Before I just used to cruise and attempt minor backcountry. Kate soon has a birthday, 26, and I start growing a lovely mexican moustache!!
I was snowboarding a lot more then, with Night riding at Coronet and also heading over to Cardrona. And the beginning of August was when my girlfriend Zena leaves to go off on her travels!! Yep, 2 months in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand with her mum and then a bit of solo travel around Thailand, Malaysia and Sinagapore. That meant it was only 6 weeks till I saw her!!
Anyway the snow was not really coming down a lot, but a big dump soon sorts that out. Still doesn't help out with my job, which has now started cutting my hours coz it was getting quiet.. Along with this we got evicted from our house, which is a right pain!! Janine celebrates her 25th Birthday..
I got a new job!! but it takes them ages to sort out when I am gonna work.. and to celebrate I got a new haircut.. Yes Mullets are back in the Arnold fashion directory... Chris is getting older, 27!!
Apart from a couple of trips to Wanaka, I have pretty much stayed in Queenstown so we decided to head up to Ohau, unfortunately its closed but its good to get out of Queenstown! I got back to jack all my jobs in before Zena arrives..
15th September 05.. I have been waiting for this day for ages.. Zena arriving!! As well as getting some snowboarding in, we also head around town. All this in the same week as more snow arrives in the Southern Alps! So we head up for our last trips to the Remarks and Coronet.. Before heading to Christchurch to pick up our Relocation campervan and a four day trip of NZ via Fox Glacier! Finally arrive in Auckland on Monday 23rd September and change our flights to arrive in Sydney on Thursday!!
NEXT STOP SYDNEY!!
On Thursday Chris celebrated his 27th Birthday..and in style, we tried to stay out till dawn. This is no easy task in Queenstown, as its quite an expensive night out! So we started the night at there house drinking cheap stubbies for a little while!!
Once we had sung Happy Birthday, and eaten cake, we all headed to Buffaloes in town.. Great Travellers bar, a little hectic but where Chris spends a small proportion of his wages!! After here Triple M, great for cheap bar if litle else!! This place closed at 1 so we headed to Chicos fo some party atmosphere.
But when this place closed at 3ish, we were left without anywhere to go. except Tardis. I haven't been to this place since I got here, but it does have a reputation of being a hip joint fo all the snowboarders in town..
I don't know why.. Its really dark, and this place pretty much killed the night.. putting an end to our dream of drinking till dawn!!
Good job really.. the next day had the worst hangover!!
Yep the lady has reached a quarter of a century old!! So we went up to Remarks yesterday for a lovely day of bluebird riding.. There is a new kicker in the top park so I was riding that mostly. Apparently I am like a preying mantis when I am in the air!!
Out last night for a meal and drinks.. a good night had by all, with food at Dux de Lux , then drinks at Dux and later Triple M.. I got wasted!!
So Friday bought Kate and Mike a VIP day up Remarks, which includes tubing and a free lesson. Mike didn't need the lesson, so I had it.. Friday also bought a bad hangover..
So me and Kate had a halfpipe lesson in the Superpipe! Charlie a French-Canadian took it and we learnt how to ride the pipe properly and also 360 spins as well! didn't mean I could do them, but now I know!!
its decided that Kate wants to have a Bad Taste night for the bash at our house, so its up to everyone to sort out those terrible outfits for the night.. I pop down to the Salvation Army on Saturday to get a real bad shirt, but its closed!! so wander around town for a nose in the shops to see if anything catches my eye. The ALL BLACKS shop has been selling a lot of the Lions Rugby stuff off at cheap prices recently, so this may prove fruitfil. Sure enough, a $100 Hawaiaan Lions shirt has been reduced to $10 (4 quid!!).. so its gonna have to be that!!
Anyway 8:30pm and me and Mike are the only ones at home wondering if anyone is gonna show up, including Birthday girl. Kate shows up and is impressed with Mikes skills at sorting the house at.. and proceeds to open all her pressys!! I will let Kate tell you what she got, but I gave her Dodgeball on DVD.. 9:30pm and people start showing up!! Chris and Sam are looking top in some dodgy suit and a rescue Jumpsuit.. but I thinks it Kate who steals the award, with some red leggings she used to wear clubbin about 8 years ago, a polka dot top and a stripey dressing gown!!
(see www.flickr.com/photos/jezarnold ) for more pictures!!
