Short entry.

Stayed in Takaka at Sylvia and Jualian’s parents (almost complete) house. It’s build on limestone rock – should have taken a pic.

Anyway.. here’s a video of a game called Face-Off we played. Mad.

Finally – on the way back had lunch at the Riverside Cafe (damn I love that place – even has the Wild Things..)

Finally – I thought this was hilarious.

Does nominative determinism apply to cars too?

Well, this may well be the second best New Years of all-time (note, this includes the potential of the future). Maaike couldn’t make it as she was meeting her mother in Auckland and is currently off exploring the North Island.

I have met a lot of really great people through the Canterbury University Tramping Club (CUTC), and I think my first tramp was with Sylvia – who organised this New Years along with her brother Julian.

Sylvia and Julian’s parents bought 1000 acres of bush and an old paper mill up in Takaka (Golden Bay) for $17 an acre in 1970. It is an awesome place. They’re still discovering caves there.

There was a great bunch of friends there – some (like Jana and Julian I’ve not seen in 2 years since they left to Germany)? The trip was spent exploring and playing games. For example, golf (with hokey sticks – playing balls off trees / buildings / tents etc. very much encouraged). Michelle (playing) was killer.

They have mobile lawnmowers (sheep). Some of them are self shedding. One of these was shawn by Mark Hooker. Can you guess which one?

So yes, exploring the bush and caves was fun. About 2km from their property is a 7km long cave (this pic is not that one).

Their water they get from a stream 100 (vertical) metres downhill. But they use a hydrostatic pump to get it up the hill. Basically (as far as my very ageing engineering brain can understand) you create a header tank (pressure) and then use this pressure to force a (small amount) of water through a one way valve. Effectively you use a relatively large amount of water at lower pressure to push a small amount of water at high pressure. And it works with very few moving parts and little maintenance. It is, almost, magic. And here’s a rubbish picture.

Steve & Mark shot a goat each (wild – pests here) on New Years eve.. so that was prepared for dinner. The fire was insanely big – considering bush all about. Luckily all the tents had been removed first ;)

The goat (backstakes) were grilled (on a small fire – honestly, a little tough – but the curry the following night was way better). We also toasted marshmallows on (very) long sticks.

There were so many little things that made the place groovy.. just two of which were their ingenious wood system. Basically there was a hole in the back of the kitchen cupboard that you could pull through from the wood pile outside. Very clever. And their toilet in use sign (blue hand) was also quite neat. Also a picture of Michelle looking happy as Steve enjoys taking out a splinter (too much wood chopping)

Also went for a really enjoyable scramble with Jana (yay to have her back for a visit!) and Lachlain (damn tough kiwi). Just scrambling around waterfalls and up block-strewn rivers. So much fun. And a pic of Al Wood, in a boat, on the 20m long pond.

All in all, an amazing new years (and good to be out of mobile reception for it too ;)

I am extremely fortunate to have an Aunt and cousins who live in New Zealand. This year Maaike came up with me to Palmy and experienced her first Christmas lunch with Turkey & Ham etc. (Dutchies are weird and don’t have that tradition).

Maaike was an immediate hit with the wee cousins.

I suspect the circus course helped. But when she tried slapstick and they wound up in hospital* it wasn’t so funny.

It was lovely seeing Mary (Aunt) and just relaxing.. a gentle?! intro to what awaits us in Europe when we visit our respective families (more details to follow – just as soon as all the flights are booked – but arrive into Dublin on the 2nd April)

Went to this old (for NZ) house for a bbq and drinks. Lovely place. They did have a real skull on the mantelpiece though. Which was strange (left over from anatomy lessons I think).

Also took in a quick trip to OTaki, spent far too much in the merino outlet store (if that’s possible) and went for a walk on the beach (above), saw my cousin Williams garden (very cool – has all the ingrediants for Mojito’s in a single tub (ok, Lime tree + mint). I think this is an idea to be copied.

All in all really good times.

*may not be true

The last three weeks have been spent tidying, cleaning, cooking and organising.

Moving in takes quite a bit of effort and time to be spent on these things. After we’d got most things organised it was time for our first guest. Val, who’d just left the flat – came back for a couple of nights before leaving for the Antarctic (again). Also, we won a rocky road cake (unrelated).

Which is, probably (certainly?! – definitely, absolutely / completely …) why Maaike chose these few weeks to run away and join the circus. Well, run away and do a three week (5 days a week, 4->8pm) circus course. Coming home to cooked meals and cleaned rooms. Hope she doesn’t learn to expect these things ;)

Heh… anyway.. she can now juggle, knows one end of a trapese from the other, can beat people up even more effectively – create human pyramids etc. I’m actually really impressed and more than a little jealous. Might have to go on a course myself.

Anyways – here are a few video’s of the performers..

Trampoline…

Rollo Bollo?! (something like that anyway)

juggling (and passing)

trapeze

Maaike’s part in the performance was as MC. She gets really really really irritable though when anyone gets in her way (on or off the stage).. next three video’s of Maaike..

Most impressive..

Finally for the performance there was a human pyramid formed (well, lots of different figures really). Well done to Ollie (housemate) for organising the whole thing – and to all the up and coming performing artists.. great work.

Not quite finally for the evening though – Maaike took out the rest of her agression in the pub. Narrowly avoiding being thrown out on her ear..

Honestly… no idea where she gets it from – but will be meeting Maaike’s mother in the New Year, and will have a few questions..

p.s. … I’m sure you’ll agree the best thing about Maaike’s performance was, of course, my shirt..

So… happy and sad I suppose. Val and Dom (below) have moved out from “The House” (39 Fendalton Road) – and have moved up to Kaikoura… which is the sad part. They have really been amazing house mates. From organising dinners and whiskey evenings, volleyball opponents (never did beat them) – to just being around for a cuppa tea and a chat. I will really miss them.

That said, there’s the upside that there will be trips to Kaikoura – and hopefully catching Paua fresh out of the ocean.

So yes, it’s a real shame to loose Val & Dom, but great to be able to move into their flat. No pictures yet though, it’s not ship-shape :)