Cape Kidnappers

So we stare at this amazing piece of coastline across the bay from where we are eveyday. It is covered with massive cliffs jutting this way and that, and it leads to this point called Cape Kidnappers, where the Maoris kidnapped Captain Cook's translator's son. We found a day where a good chunk of us at the backpackers could get together for a bike ride out to this point. Doug, the backpackers' owner, rented us some bikes and drove us out to a good starting point, and we were off.

Here you see us on our bikes. If you look, you'll notice we're short one. That's because we had a tandem bike, and somehow Michael and I ended up on it. We bear down a lot of weight one two wheels and would sink into the sand sometimes, but we managed. We had to pass the world's largest mainland gannet (a kind of bird) colony which smelled like stank. And beyond that we found this beautiful beach you see in the first photo just for the six of us to enjoy.

Kaweka

After arriving here, not m

ore than 5 days had passed before Michael and I were back doing what we loved most here - tramping (hiking).  We grabbed a rental car and headed for the nearby Kaweka Mountains for 3 days and 2 nights.  We unknowingly stumbled into what they called the Kaweka Challenge - literally a marathon in the mountains.  One of the guys running the event chatted with us in the carpark (parking lot) when we got there, and there were many more at the hut we stayed in the first night.  I guess word had gotten around that there were 2 Americans on the track, and while we were getting situated at the hut, we heard the walkie talkie go off with, "Ya guys I'll be there in 15 minutes.  If those two Americans show up, just kick them out."  Michael and I immediately pulled out our swords en guarde.  Not really, but it was kind of funny, and we all had a laugh about it.  We slept on the porch with a couple other blokes (dudes).

We spent the second day hiking next to these crazy athletes whizzing by us, doing in the mountains what we, or at least I, can't even do on flat ground.  We came to one of the checkpoints for the racers, and found that all the coordinators at this post had dressed up as pirates and were listening to Jack Johnson.  

The third day, we kind of shouldn't have been hiking.  We got up on the ridge and had maybe 100 yds visibility at times.  It was raining and windy.  It was good though.  60 mph winds are fun.  In one of these pics, you can see Michael leaning backwards just so he won't get blown over by the wind.  Good tramp, good tramp.

When that which is common becomes unusual

So I've made a couple of British friends in the hostel - Lloyd and Jonathan. Turns out that the former's a huge Liverpool fan like myself. I was shocked to find out that he had never had a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich in his life. At the age of 24 - pardieu! Those of us who were aware that this was an unbelievable instance, phenomenom really, right before us, didn't know what else to do other than have him try one. Here are the events in sequence. You can decide for yourself his opinion of it...

...and then he had another.

Mr. Lemmons' Museum

A couple of days after landing in Napier, Michael and I grabbed a rental car to head off for a tramp (what they call a hike here). Doug, the hostel owner, highly recommended that we stop at a museum on the way. He told us nothing more than that we would just be blown away. Michael and I took his advice but almost missed it since it is labelled by nothing more than this "Museum Open" sign. We parked the car and mosied through the gate towards a red barn that asked us to ring this bell. So we rang. We heard some ruffling in the old house opposite of it, and a old man with a cane made his way out to his scooter. All in all, it was about a 5 minute event, but he came to us. We told him we would like to see his museum, and he said, "That'll be $5 each." He carefully got off his scooter, and led us into the barn. The first part of it was just a little room with a bunch of antique farm equipment, tobacco boxes, and clocks. I felt that if it was just gonna be a lot of little things like these, I might as well take it all in by taking my time. Allowing myself to be fascinated by these little things set me up for the jaw dropping that was to follow. The next room opened up into a large number of small antiques bascially worshipping these centerpieces of an ancient Rolls Royce and her brother known as a Napier. Here I have a photo of Mr. Lemmons with these two pearls. He is 90 years old and proud to also be the owner of the world's oldest Austin - that beautiful blue machine with a tan rag top.





There were many other vehicles, and I think he would be glad for me to tell you that he does not plan on selling any of them. His parents collected cars which fit in well with their proximity to the town of Napier, known for its Art Deco style. I think of Cruella DeVille from 101 Dalmations when I think of the Art Deco style that goes on here.

There's also an old clock I've put up. Take a close look at it. They've made it slightly different. Some of the maps they make here for school children these days aren't all that different either. Here are a couple of other neat things he had... a box old pocket watches, an original motorbike, a good ol' American Ford, and an old black car used to escort the queen in when she visited NZ once upon a time.

Cricket!

Michael has had a huge interest in cricket ever since the first time we came to NZ two years ago, so he was thrilled to find out that England and the NZ Black Caps were playing each other in Napier. We weren't quite sure what to expect being that this is a game where you can take a nap on the lawn and not really miss anything important. Well, as we found out, to New Zealanders, the 8 hour length of the match means that unheard-of amounts of alcohol were to be consumed.









They really don't hold back either. You are welcome to bring whatever food and drinks you can carry in. For this guy, it looks like he's loaded up on his cricket-watching fuel for the day. Many take the opportunity to get really dressed up like you see for the guys with the Tui panchos and sombreros, the dude dressed up as a cow, and the gentleman in the dress. After 8 hours of drinking, which is a realistic proposition for these kiwis, some get fairly restless near the end, and a couple of fights broke out followed by police escorts. They say cricket matches usually aren't this rowdy (they usually are more like going to a golf tournament), but it was in Napier, NZ this day.

This dude, the one in the red Retro Rockers shirt, I guess stubbed his toe really badly on something, and he was in need of something to stop the bleeding. I had brought a little white towel to sit on, and I guess he was so drunk that he did not think much of it to just mosey on over, pick it up from right beside me, and wrap it around his toe without even saying anything to me. I looked over at Michael, and we just smiled.

The final score ended up being 340-340. A tie! After 8 hours, they tied and did not even bother to settle it with a tie breaker. Michael and I walked away stunned and sunburned.

We're Off Again

Hey mates,

Well, I said goodbye to all my friends and the children at FBBA. I was the janitor at the elementary school for four weeks. I know we all have our opinions of the janitor position, but I am telling the truth when I say it was one of the best jobs/experiences that I will ever have. After coming back from Nepal, I have been very satisfied with just living each day, doing my job, and nothing more. The people I worked with are now good friends in my mind, and the children were nonstop fun. Now Michael and I are in New Zealand again for the next 4 months, so instead of being called Mr. Frisbee by 6 year olds, I will assume a new name by whatever internationals want to call this soon to be apple-picker. That is my job there, at least for the first six weeks in Napier/Hastings. I will try to reside in the hostel known as Archie's Bunker, named after the character, but I know nothing more other than that I'll be on the coast, and this place is sunny 90% of the year. I will update my blog every couple weeks or so. Stay tuned...

Cheers,

Mr. Frisbee