Wednesday, August 17, 2011
What I Wear
Auckland had its first snow since 1939 Monday. My breath is visible in my room. When asleep, I am cloaked by my work t-shirt, pants, sweater, jumper and a hat. All of this inside my sleeping bag, fleece throw, and a duvet to top it off. Very few homes in NZ have insulation. But in related news, New Zealand is now number 3 in the world in the Human Development Index. Homes bereft of insulation must equate to longevity!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Life and Times of Ponsonby Terrace
Its been almost 10 months since I first arrived in NZ. I have had the absolute time of my life here. I have not posted for awhile because I have not thought of anything that could be considered witty or clever, so I will write about current activities.
I have been working for the past three weeks after traveling again, this time with my mom. We flew to Wellington and took our time driving up the North Island. Mom got very sick the 4th day of the trip and we spent 5 days in a hotel in Rotorua recovering. She e-mailed me since she got home and said that she has a clean bill of health now. Not exactly what she was planning for her first international vacation, but she had a great time anyway.
I had 2 jobs once I came back to Auckland. I only lasted 2 weeks at one job. I missed my weekends off. I am in a country for only so long, so I need to enjoy any free time I can get. Boat Boys has given me more responsibility, including driving the company car during the week. More responsibility also means more hours. I have learned an incredible amount about boat building in the past 6 months. Its great to have this knowledge to go along with my diesel and diving experience. Jobs I have had since I have been here include, petting zoo wrangler, beef cattle wrangler, party prep person, furniture mover, car cleaner, boat fairer, and construction dude. I do enjoy the boat work the best.
Living in the same place for the past 6 months has been great. I live in Ponsonby, a great neighborhood with many bars and restaurants within minutes walk. I have finally been able to have a stable home life after months of traveling in NZ, and 16 months of living at a boy scout camp. Sea Base was a really cool place that I miss dearly, but it is still a scout camp with severe social limitations.
I have just moved into a new room in the same house that I have been since March. I now have a studio flat behind the house, a lot more privacy. I have never lived in a large city before. Auckland is not super big, but a stark contrast to small town Nebraska and the Florida Keys. I lived in small towns in Nebraska for 7 years and this is a whole different world. I always seem to keep my self busy every night of the week. Salsa classes Monday, rugby training on Tuesday and Thursday, Couchsurfing meetup Wednesday, a concert or hanging out late Friday and Saturday, and a bush walk on Sundays if I'm not working. I will start sailing on the weeknights now that rugby season is over.
On a related matter I am inching closer to the 100 kg(220lb) mark. I have lost about 10kg(22lbs) since the beginning of the year. I have joined a gym, but always seem too busy to use it. I walk everywhere, and always try to have my mind engaged in something constructive. I have also been rockin' the full beard for the past 2 months. Its winter here, helps me stay warm.
New Zealand is such a great place I would have no problem living here long term. Auckland is very multi-cultural, many people here have traveled abroad, and can relate to what I am doing now. People here are incredibly nice and the whole population seems to be on eternal holiday. I sometimes forget when I am when I wake up, but its feeling like home more and more.
There is little racism here. Mixed race marriages are very common. The faces I see in the street are a collage that would make America's "melting pot" look like a tin can. I would like to travel more, most likely to Australia next year, before I forget what other places are like. NZ is a very isolated country by distance, but vary plugged in in this digital age.
I have been working for the past three weeks after traveling again, this time with my mom. We flew to Wellington and took our time driving up the North Island. Mom got very sick the 4th day of the trip and we spent 5 days in a hotel in Rotorua recovering. She e-mailed me since she got home and said that she has a clean bill of health now. Not exactly what she was planning for her first international vacation, but she had a great time anyway.
I had 2 jobs once I came back to Auckland. I only lasted 2 weeks at one job. I missed my weekends off. I am in a country for only so long, so I need to enjoy any free time I can get. Boat Boys has given me more responsibility, including driving the company car during the week. More responsibility also means more hours. I have learned an incredible amount about boat building in the past 6 months. Its great to have this knowledge to go along with my diesel and diving experience. Jobs I have had since I have been here include, petting zoo wrangler, beef cattle wrangler, party prep person, furniture mover, car cleaner, boat fairer, and construction dude. I do enjoy the boat work the best.
Living in the same place for the past 6 months has been great. I live in Ponsonby, a great neighborhood with many bars and restaurants within minutes walk. I have finally been able to have a stable home life after months of traveling in NZ, and 16 months of living at a boy scout camp. Sea Base was a really cool place that I miss dearly, but it is still a scout camp with severe social limitations.
I have just moved into a new room in the same house that I have been since March. I now have a studio flat behind the house, a lot more privacy. I have never lived in a large city before. Auckland is not super big, but a stark contrast to small town Nebraska and the Florida Keys. I lived in small towns in Nebraska for 7 years and this is a whole different world. I always seem to keep my self busy every night of the week. Salsa classes Monday, rugby training on Tuesday and Thursday, Couchsurfing meetup Wednesday, a concert or hanging out late Friday and Saturday, and a bush walk on Sundays if I'm not working. I will start sailing on the weeknights now that rugby season is over.
On a related matter I am inching closer to the 100 kg(220lb) mark. I have lost about 10kg(22lbs) since the beginning of the year. I have joined a gym, but always seem too busy to use it. I walk everywhere, and always try to have my mind engaged in something constructive. I have also been rockin' the full beard for the past 2 months. Its winter here, helps me stay warm.
New Zealand is such a great place I would have no problem living here long term. Auckland is very multi-cultural, many people here have traveled abroad, and can relate to what I am doing now. People here are incredibly nice and the whole population seems to be on eternal holiday. I sometimes forget when I am when I wake up, but its feeling like home more and more.
There is little racism here. Mixed race marriages are very common. The faces I see in the street are a collage that would make America's "melting pot" look like a tin can. I would like to travel more, most likely to Australia next year, before I forget what other places are like. NZ is a very isolated country by distance, but vary plugged in in this digital age.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Double Down, New Zealand
The KFC Double Down monstrosity has made its way to NZ. I enjoyed my first one ever 2 days ago. The double down is 2 pieces of breaded and fried chicken with cheese and bacon in the middle. Before the so called sandwich came here, there was a facebook group dedicated to bringing it here. In Austurlia, the reaction was mostly negitive. As I was aimlessly walking down the street one evening, I came across a KFC restaurant. I have not been to this American chain since I entered the country. The sandwich is NZ$7.90 by itself. This exchanges to about US$6.50. I'm sure it is much less back home. After I ordered the sandwich, I waited in the restaurant and watched a music video from This is Why We Fight by The Decemberists on an LCD screen. This sandwich has to be the reason that we fight. The video, which I had never seen before depicts a bunch of homeless looking people who look like actors in a post-apocalyptic setting. I don't think the actors in the video have had a double down, they are all skinny hipsters trying to fit into the backdrop of old Kevin Costner movies like The Postman or Waterworld.
The actual meal is 2 pieces of delicious white meat patty with a strange sauce with ham in the middle. There is no bacon, it was ham! The cheese congealed into a very runny mixture that got all over my fingers. The chicken pieces were great. I consumed the thing in about 3 minutes. I will not likely get another, epically considering the price. I get much more utility from $8 of fish and chips. On my way away from the restaurant, someone wrote on the sign next to the drive through window, "double down sux." I am glad I am not the only one who shares this sentiment.
The actual meal is 2 pieces of delicious white meat patty with a strange sauce with ham in the middle. There is no bacon, it was ham! The cheese congealed into a very runny mixture that got all over my fingers. The chicken pieces were great. I consumed the thing in about 3 minutes. I will not likely get another, epically considering the price. I get much more utility from $8 of fish and chips. On my way away from the restaurant, someone wrote on the sign next to the drive through window, "double down sux." I am glad I am not the only one who shares this sentiment.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Pronounced Fung-a-ray
I recently spend four non consecutive weeks working in Whangarei. The pronouncement of the city name for whatever Maori reason is Fung-a-rey. The w is silent. This city is about 2 hours north of Auckland and has a reputation for dodgy as behavior. The best drugs in all of New Zealand are found within the city limits, or so I am told. I worked with 2-3 other people the entire time I was up there. The boat we were working on is just being built. It has to be bogged, sanded, faired and painted. If you don't know what bogged means, that's ok, we call it bondo in the states. The entire hull of the boat is covered in bondo, then sanded back with long-bords to have a super fair finish. This takes the welding marks out. Work like this is not rocket science, so many co-workers like to smoke and drink every night. This would normally not be problematic, except for the 6 am wake up call. The hotel is in a great location. There is a tinnie house, aka weed house right around the corner, and a couple prostitutes rented the room next door to us to turn tricks. Our crew fits right in to the neighborhood. Maybe the w in Whangarei was smoked too.
I am not complaining about the circumstances, but I can now post this after I was laid off by my employer earlier this week. Off to the next exciting employment agency. My mom arrives June 16 for 10 day trip. Cant wait to see you here mom!
I am not complaining about the circumstances, but I can now post this after I was laid off by my employer earlier this week. Off to the next exciting employment agency. My mom arrives June 16 for 10 day trip. Cant wait to see you here mom!
Speed Date NZ
A few weeks ago I went to a speed dating event out of utter boredom. It was held at a bar called Degree in the Viaduct waterfront of Auckland. The bar is the kind of place where characters of a Judd Apatow movie would congregate. Think of a glass pained bar and air that permeated with hairspray.
The event was held upstairs. The cost was $55. I texted the organizer. I said that $55 was way too much to talk to a few bimbos. I said I would do it for less money and drink specials. She settled on $35 and a drink voucher. The organizer looked like she had a few botox injections and her boobs were gorgeously fake. She had the look of gold digging trophy future ex-wife. (I hope she is not reading this, she was actually nice) There was 9 guys and 8 girls. It turns out that all but one of the girls did not pay, the organizer had to scour the streets to fill the girl's seats. Most of the dudes paid $55. All of us were given cards to write our perceived matches name on.
Sat down to girl number 1. She looked a little round in the face, then she stood up. Her face looked skinny compared to everything else. Ok, deep breath. I will at least let her speak. She speaks. Words come audible, but the message is clear: she has a cat and rarely leaves the house, except when she goes to work in the library. That's cool, another girl who is afraid of sunlight.
Girl 2. I need a interpreter. She is from Japan. Steel resolve is in her veins. She tells me that I should circle match on all of the girls on my card, that way, she said the girls will circle who they really want as a match. This woman is a speed date veteran.
Girl 3. Has a bow tie on her head, kind of like a x-mas present. "Are you going to pop out of a box for me" She does not like this comment. She ignores me for the next 9 minutes. I like my chances.
Girl 4. Says she works in television. I ask her about the internet, she responds by asking me what market share is. I explain what Google is doing to tv advertising. Long awkward pause. She is a bright one. I try to understand how people like this have the skills to even buy a bus ticket, let alone "work in television"
Girl 5. I quote: "I am here with a friend, it was her idea, she needed support." Her friend was girl number six.
Girl 6. I quote: "I am here with a friend, it was her idea, she needed support." Her friend was girl number five. Someone is embarrassed to be here. wonder who it is?
No girl number 7, empty chair, must of got scared and left. My own thoughts for 10 minutes.
Girl 8. Smoking hot brunette. "Ive never been to karaoke," she stammers. I suggest to leave at once, I get up, she does not move. Ok, maybe it was the wrong angle. Before I try another pickup line, she belts out a Katy Perry song with the worst American accent I have ever heard. Those 10 minutes seemed to last for days.
Girl 9. Clone of the Shallow Hal girl, but bigger, maybe. She does not drink, so she gives me her drink voucher. My $35 cocktail just turned into a $17.50 drink. If I get one more voucher, I will break even for the night. She also lectured me about her job at a burger joint and wonders if she is appreciated. I respond by telling her that if food had feelings, it would be happy for her. She thinks this is funny. I like my really like my chances.
The event was held upstairs. The cost was $55. I texted the organizer. I said that $55 was way too much to talk to a few bimbos. I said I would do it for less money and drink specials. She settled on $35 and a drink voucher. The organizer looked like she had a few botox injections and her boobs were gorgeously fake. She had the look of gold digging trophy future ex-wife. (I hope she is not reading this, she was actually nice) There was 9 guys and 8 girls. It turns out that all but one of the girls did not pay, the organizer had to scour the streets to fill the girl's seats. Most of the dudes paid $55. All of us were given cards to write our perceived matches name on.
Sat down to girl number 1. She looked a little round in the face, then she stood up. Her face looked skinny compared to everything else. Ok, deep breath. I will at least let her speak. She speaks. Words come audible, but the message is clear: she has a cat and rarely leaves the house, except when she goes to work in the library. That's cool, another girl who is afraid of sunlight.
Girl 2. I need a interpreter. She is from Japan. Steel resolve is in her veins. She tells me that I should circle match on all of the girls on my card, that way, she said the girls will circle who they really want as a match. This woman is a speed date veteran.
Girl 3. Has a bow tie on her head, kind of like a x-mas present. "Are you going to pop out of a box for me" She does not like this comment. She ignores me for the next 9 minutes. I like my chances.
Girl 4. Says she works in television. I ask her about the internet, she responds by asking me what market share is. I explain what Google is doing to tv advertising. Long awkward pause. She is a bright one. I try to understand how people like this have the skills to even buy a bus ticket, let alone "work in television"
Girl 5. I quote: "I am here with a friend, it was her idea, she needed support." Her friend was girl number six.
Girl 6. I quote: "I am here with a friend, it was her idea, she needed support." Her friend was girl number five. Someone is embarrassed to be here. wonder who it is?
No girl number 7, empty chair, must of got scared and left. My own thoughts for 10 minutes.
Girl 8. Smoking hot brunette. "Ive never been to karaoke," she stammers. I suggest to leave at once, I get up, she does not move. Ok, maybe it was the wrong angle. Before I try another pickup line, she belts out a Katy Perry song with the worst American accent I have ever heard. Those 10 minutes seemed to last for days.
Girl 9. Clone of the Shallow Hal girl, but bigger, maybe. She does not drink, so she gives me her drink voucher. My $35 cocktail just turned into a $17.50 drink. If I get one more voucher, I will break even for the night. She also lectured me about her job at a burger joint and wonders if she is appreciated. I respond by telling her that if food had feelings, it would be happy for her. She thinks this is funny. I like my really like my chances.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Dead Camera
Easter Weekend Results:
Diving Canterbury wreck
Swimming with dolphins
Lunch on a deserted beach in Cavalli Islands
Diving the Rainbow Warrior wreck
Amazing wall dives
5 girls and one guy in hostel dorm room
Local liquor ban for Good Friday and Easter Sunday
Go to restaurant to buy bread and wine instead of pub to eschew liquor ban
beautiful coastal cruises
German girls taking over hostel
Hot Tub
Flooded camera case on first dive of the weekend: Priceless
Now I have no way to prove that this all happened.
Diving Canterbury wreck
Swimming with dolphins
Lunch on a deserted beach in Cavalli Islands
Diving the Rainbow Warrior wreck
Amazing wall dives
5 girls and one guy in hostel dorm room
Local liquor ban for Good Friday and Easter Sunday
Go to restaurant to buy bread and wine instead of pub to eschew liquor ban
beautiful coastal cruises
German girls taking over hostel
Hot Tub
Flooded camera case on first dive of the weekend: Priceless
Now I have no way to prove that this all happened.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Easter Week
I have been working in Auckland for 8 weeks, time for a break. I will be work in Whangarei this week until Thursday, then I will be in Paihia, Bay of Islands for Easter weekend. I have booked wreck dive trips next Saturday and Sunday out of Paihia, Hopefully I will have pics too. Have a happy Easter everyone!
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