Something New

Maaike was determined that I should do something new for my birthday.. I chose horse riding (from that or surfing). Stupidly opting for the 2.5 hour trip rather than the one hour. 10 day meditation course instead of a 3 day… you think you’d learn?!?

On the way there was to be a competitive element to the weekend (I learned on the way there) and Maaike had found out the location of Dutch Golf, one thinks she was trying to give herself the edge. Heh.

Basically it’s golf, played in a field, with a 4 inch diameter ball with the clubs head being shaped like a clog.

Maaike did manage to take the ladies title… but still wasn’t *quite* enough ;)

Next it was on to horse riding. Now, there is a reason I’ve never tried this ‘sport’ – or whatever it is.. and I didn’t know that Maaike had taken lessons for two years and was really quite comfortable with the beasties.

Anyway.. my horse, named Katie, was a nice enough beast. Quite content to follow along behind the leader. She did, at a pretty regular basis jerk her head sharply downwards to try and get the rains out of my hand. This was so that she could then eat away uninterrupted (above).

Katie did like to attack any horses that got close to her – so had to be quite careful that she didn’t see anyone passing her ..

About 4.5 seconds into the trip, the leader (a lovely German lady) said “Would you like to trot”.. and Maaike, after looking at my terrified face shouted “Yes please, that would be just great”. Or something like that, I’ve tried to blot the painful memory from my almost damaged head.

I was rubbish at trotting. Did not get the rhythm at all. At all. I felt quite sorry for Katie.. in fact, that’s what I really didn’t like about horse riding.. it just didn’t seem fair putting my 85kg ish lump on an animals back and cruising about in 35 degree heat. Poor things.

The picture above of Maaike on her own was hilarious. She was given a last opportunity to canter – and off she went, pointed the horse uphill, and did the whole clicky thumpy thing.. and her horse (Sultami sp?) quite refused to move. For at least 2 minutes. Ish.

We were lucky to get to go riding at all – as Hanmer has been quite dry.

So dry that the forests have been closed and we weren’t able to go mountain biking. Probably an escape for me – I wilt in the heat.

Did manage to get another game of mini-golf in though..

I dunno how bad her family must be if Maaike is the family champ. Depressing really. ;)

Oh – and my blog is now XHTML Transitional. So there. (from this point on.. no, can’t be bothered re doing all the posts).

update
I have been threatened with disembowelment if I don’t mention this. I was walking back to the van ready to drive back to ChCh when Maaike said “Do you want the good news or the bad news”. Opting to get the bad news out of the way ASAP, she brought me over to the van and pointed to the keys, locked on the inside. I thought she was joking – but after trying all the windows and doors it seemed she really had locked them inside.

Then she started laughing.. and showed me that she had taken my key off the keyring, put another in it’s place, and then put it in the van (so it looked like the distinctive van keyring was there).

It was, moderately amusing.