Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Bye to the Rolla... Bye to work in the Tron

Yesterday the lady wanted to have me drop off the car to her in Cambridge. I told her no. She needed to come here and then fill out the change of ownership papers at the post shop, then I would give her the car. I faxed her the papers and she showed up here in Hamilton with the change of ownership stuff and the cash at 6pm. Finally I am rid of her and the Corolla...

After that Liwaa and I had our farewell dinner at Iguana. Liwaa's contract is up today, so this is his last day as well...

I have to finish up a few things here at work. This year has gone by fast and I have had a great time in NZ. I can't believe this is my last day of work already! A few more days until I am in Fiji!

Monday, March 28, 2005

Selling cars

The woman just rang about purchasing my car. She wants to come pick it up tonight... I asked her how she planned to pay and she told me that she wants to give me a check. I said that is fine, but I will have to wait for it to clear before I give her the car. She started getting all angry about having to drive to Hamilton all the way from Cambridge (only 15 minutes) tomorrow because she is already coming tonight. She started making me feel like I was out of line by asking me if I trusted people and such. I said that I need to have the money before I give her the car. It doesn't matter how much she wants to argue.

Sometimes I can't believe how naive people are. Or she was trying to take advantage of me... Not sure.

Last week in Hamilton

Well, today is the start of my last work-week in H-town... I'll miss the Tron, but I am excited to get back to the States and hit up Vail.

Today is the day the woman from Cambridge is buying my car. I cleaned it out yesterday and washed it and stuff. I also started going through the stuff in my room and chucking out a lot of it. I also took a bit of stuff to Simon like my heater, some clothes, and random other things...

Time to get some work done. I have quite a bit I need to do before I leave.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Photofriday: Tiny

My dad at Franz Joseph Glacier in New Zealand... He is tiny compared to this glacier, even when he is standing about 1 km away from it!

Far North of Northland

I have made it back to Hamilton with my car still in one piece which is pretty amazing considering how much dirt road driving I did.

On Thursday night I went to the This Night Creeps show at Youth Zone then on Friday morning took off for Cape Reinga. It is quite a mission to get there, but when I had barely started leaving Hamilton I was going around a round-a-bout and my car started slipping. I drifted into the curb, but not very hard. Lucky I guess... there was no damage.

Around the North Shore the traffic got really heavy and stayed that way until I was almost to Whangarei. I got to Kaitaia about 4pm and grabbed some fish and chips then drove out to 90 Mile Beach and ate dinner. That spot was the far southern end of 90 Mile Beach, so after that I decided to head a bit farther... About 30 kms up I stopped again and watched the Ninety Mile Beach sunset:




After the sunset I drove to Henderson Bay and slept in my car right by the water. In the morning I started heading north to Cape Reinga. I was there about 11am and the was awesome. I understand now why I took such a long drive up there. It is a really magical place and I guess you just have to be there to understand:




Figuring that I had a lot of time left in the day I started driving around and just exploring. I saw so many beaches. The highlights were
Tapotupotu Bay


Rarawa Beach


Puheke Beach


I stayed at Puheke Beach for the sunset...


Puheke Beach was completely deserted. There were a few fisherman at one end, but the beach is miles long... I walked for a while, then explored the dunes a bit... Rarawa Beach was pretty empty as well, but there were people scattered around it. I would say as far as I could see there were about 10 people...

After the sunset at Puheke Beach I started driving and exploring the coastline for a place to sleep for the night. I should have just stayed there... Eventually I found a place about 50 kms north of Keri which is north of the Bay of Islands.

In the morning I went to Keri for breakfast then went to Paihia and spent the rest of the day there. I did some shopping and some general exploring... The weather started packing in and the forecast was to be worse today, so I got in my car and started driving at about 2:30pm. Stopped in Whangarei to go to the falls, then pushed onwards. Went out to Mangawhai Heads for the sunset. The sunset kinda sucked because of the hills and clouds, but I got this photo:


Hit heavy traffic again just before the North Shore, but through the city of Auckland and the rest of the way to Hamilton to was smooth sailing... Made it back here at a little after 10pm.

Overall, it was a fun last weekend trip in NZ...

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Northland... here I come

Went to see This Night Creeps last night at the last Youth Zone show ever. Sucks... they areclosing it down due to no funding from the town.

Today I am heading up to 90 Mile Beach and Cape Reigna. Won't be back until Monday so it should be a good time. The weather sucks right now. I am about to make a coffee then I am outta here.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

I will seriously miss Rotorua

Current music: Death Cab for Cutie - Styrofoam Plates

Last night after work Kenny, Gareth, and I went out to Rotorua and picked up Marty and hit the hot pools. Sarah, Simon, and Jack were going to come but they all flagged... Lame. Went to Kerosene Creek first then to Hot and Cold. Great night in Roto. Here is a photo of the guys at Kerosene Creek:


This morning I walked to work over the Claudelands bridge again. Took this shot:

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

That reminds me

Current music: The Gloria Record - Ambulance

I was just looking at some Photofriday: Glow entries and I came across this one. It reminded me of an image I took when I lived at the Babyville flat on Cambridge Road:

Photofriday: Glow

I took this last night during the sunset at Raglan. Makes a good submission for Glow:

Good old Raglan

Yesterday Christophe's mom got here from Belgium. She brought chocolates and I ate many of them... Today I have been eating more. They were heading out to Raglan for the sunset so I tagged along. While they stayed down by the beach I started up the Mt. Karioi track to the fence I have been wanting to take shots of. I had to run and it is steep... Ugh. I made it though and I got some wonderful shots:




Monday, March 21, 2005

Work is work says Lori

Current music: Smashing Pumpkins - Today

Last night I went home after work and started reading and fell asleep. Woke up with the book still propped up. Amazing... After that I went and saw Gareth and Sarah, then shopping, then home and read more.

This morning I walked to work. It is nice living closer to town. We should have moved ages ago... Walking over the bridge into town I took this shot:


I am going to try to take a photo each day I walk over that bridge... Should make a nice little collection. Good old Hamilton, New Zealand huh?

Jeff set me this picture from Vail yesterday of him and his new puppy Tasha:

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Sold my car

Current music: Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

I didn't get as much as I wanted for my car. Only $2000NZ, but I guess losing $1000NZ on it over the course of a year isn't that bad... A woman from Cambridge is going to buy it. I just need to get back in touch with her about it now.

Yesterday I was planning to do some wakeboarding with Chris Mitchell, but he couldn't come because the battery on the boat was flat... We are planning to go later this week now. Instead I ended up going to Wairere Falls with Christophe. Tramped up there in jandals like a real kiwi. After that we came back to Hamilton and got some Thai from Sweet Basil and then I went home and read for a while before crashing out. It is weird going back off daylight savings time... Gets dark so early now. If it looks like it is going to be a good sunset I am planning to head out to Raglan sometime this week to get a good photo from the start of the Mt. Karioi walk. I love it there.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Just buy my car please

Current music: The Promise Ring - Best Looking Boys

Last night I had some girl from College Hall come and check out my car. She is keen for it but she just has to convince her parents since they are the ones buying it. Then today another girl came by and looked at the car. She offered me $2200 for it, but I don't want to take it off TradeMe for less than $2500... We'll see what happens when the auction ends tomorrow.

It was St. Patrick's Day yesterday and I went out to some pubs with Hamish and Amanda. Met up with Joel and Matt at Biddy's. We were walking down the street and I saw Boldis at Sohl so I stopped and chatted. Next thing I knew Hamo and Amanda were gone. I ended up staying there and hanging out for quite a while.

Today Gregor is having his going away party. I think I will stop by and see what's happening, but I don't plan to stay there long. Tomorrow weare moving to the Te Aroha St. flat...

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Power outage

Current music: The Kinison - The Farm & The Girls

We had a power outage yesterday. All of Hamilton CBD lost power due to the loss of the main feeder cable into the city. Everybody went home from work early. I went over to Gareth, Sarah, and Simon's and we all went out to dinner at Kobe. After dinner Sarah, Jack, and I went to an art exhibition in Hamilton East.

Next week we are all going to head to Rotorua to have a soak in the hot pools with Marty. Should definitely be a sweet time!

Got ALSA running on my main desktop machine again. The sound quality from the soundcard in it kinda sucks. Just an old AC'97 that makes noise when you move the mouse, but I prefer to use it over my MP3 player. With the MP3 player I always have to plug it in and stuff... Easier to just use the PC I am doing work on. I managed to get some decent equalizer settings in Beep so I don't hear the mouse noise much...

Ben and Mel should be Skype'ing from London soon. Stoked to talk to them.

Monday, March 14, 2005

Lemonade Recipe

Current music: The Appleseed Cast - The Waking of Pertelotte

I have been making lemonade with Sarah's 3 year old son, Jack nearly everyday lately... She wants the recipe (not that it is hard) so that Jack can keep making it when I leave New Zealand.

1 liter of water
juice from 4 lemons (Sarah likes 5)
1/2 cup of sugar

Stir together and serve over ice.

so much new music

Current music: The Kinison - Lake Calmern is Full Now

I got quite a bit of new music this past weekend from Marty. I am really loving The Kinison. I will have to buy a copy of their album when I get back to the States.

Last night I went over to Gaz, Sarah, and Simon's house and hung out. Made lemonade with Jack as usual... I'm gonna miss playing with that kid!

I have so much work to do in the next two weeks it is getting insane. Gotta get back to it.

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Photofriday: Faces

My entry for Photofriday's competition this week, Faces, is a shot I took on the way back from Napier last May. Simon and I hitchhiked out there and when we were hitching back we were picked up by this Samoan/Rorotongan family. Their kids slept in the back and here they are:

Back to Tron

Had a pretty good weekend. It was awesome to see so much of the crew again... Simeon and Marty were both in Hamilton for the weekend. Hung out at Simon, Gareth, and Sarah's house on Friday night and again all day Saturday. Played backyard cricket most of the day Saturday... Fun times.

Saturday night Marty, Simeon, and I went to the Hilly to see some reggae bands. Kora was amazing and The Midnites were pretty good too.

Sunday I went up to Auckland to let some people testdrive me car and catch up with Bubba. Bubba and I hit Real Groovy and I bought the new Mars Volta album and the Kora EP then we got some dinner at the Ponsonby food court with Steve. Went back to Steve's house for a little while then I had to head back to Hamilton...

This week I want to get Gareth and Simon together for a mish to Rotorua to hit the hotpools with Marty.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

The day before yesterday, yesterday and today

So 2 days ago the kitten shat itself because it was so scared of another cat. Huey has been getting really cocky and thinking he was big enough to play outside at night. He wouldn't come home the other night and then he got into som trouble with another cat. Hamish had to rescue him at about midnight...

Been hanging out at Gareth, Sarah, and Simon's the past few nights since Kenny has been back in town. Yesterday I met Kenny at Grind for lunch. I think we might go there again today...

Amanda and I have been working on the photo blocks. They are coming out rather well. I just hope we can sell them now.

Marty is coming up this weekend. That should be cool.

My computer here at work is finally back up and running mostly normally. What a mission that has been. Ugh.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Do it!

Didn't post yesterday, but on Sunday Amanda and I went to Raglan for the day. I wanted to watch the surfing but it was over when we got there. There were a lot of guys out in the water at the point though. Did some shopping in Raglan too, then went back to Hamilton and hit up Chartwell. I got my mom a birthday gift.

Amanda and I have decided to embark on a business venture. We'll see how it goes...

Yesterday Kenny came over and then we went to Sarah, Gareth, and Simon's place for a while. I got Jack all riled up. Fun times.

Photofriday: Obsession

I have been obsessed with my kitten lately:

Saturday, March 05, 2005

Fine, I will post today

Last night I went to two concerts. The Hamtown Smackdown and the Hamtown Shakedown. On my way to the Smackdown I met up with Luke heading to the Shakedown so I went over there. They didn't even have a PA yet, so I went back to the Smackdown and watched Warpath and Evil Priest. Then it was time to get back to the Shakedown. Christophe was outside Revert when I was walking past so I talked him into coming too. I was there until 3am, but saw some cool bands like The Rock and Roll Machine, The Have, and Electric Shakedown.

Tonight is the 2nd day of the Smackdown so I am about to go there. I really want to see Isaac's band called Brick vs. Face. They should be pretty decent.

Today I talked to Lori for a while. She sent me a picture of her knee. I can't believe the bruise is so small after what happened. For those who haven't heard she was snowboarding at night at Titus Mtn in the northern Adirondacks with a friend of hers when 2 black bears came rushing out of the woods. One appeared to be a cub and the other its mother. Knowing that bears can't run downhill the girls took off on their snowboards. The cub was playfully chasing them and the mother wasn't being so playful. Both bears tumbled and rolled as they started downhill with the mother actually landing on top of Lori! The bear was stunned and so was Lori, but Lori managed to get up and get out of there before the bear could figure out what happened. Anyways, this is the bruise:


After talking to Lori I walked to town. It was a nice sunny day so I figured, why not? Did some shopping in town and bought my grandma a present. Made some orders for Icebreakers for a bunch of people back at home. Then walked home. I washed and vacuumed my car when I got home to get it ready for selling and took some photos. Then I listed it on TradeMe a few minutes ago...

Well, time to head to the show. I don't wanna miss Isaac's band!

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Bust my hump

Last night I pretty much did nothing. Read in the sun, played with the kitten, watched a little TV... A photo of the kitten: