A happy-go-lucky English rambler dude goes to New Zealand for a year. Here he interfaces with some of those he left behind and details his nefarious activities. Or summat.
Recently clicked on MP3s - 7th June 2005 The Lucksmiths - Warmer Corners
Jens Lekman - When i said i wanted to be your dog
The Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting
Teenage Fanclub - Man Made
Laura Veirs - Carbon Glacier
The Decemberists - Picaresque
The Eels - Blinking Lights
Tuesday, July 23, 2002
G'day from Aussie cobbers!
Sorry for the tediously obvious intro, but i've made it to Australia, and they do actually say things like that. Honest.
My last few hours in NZ were super emotional, for a number of reasons.
(1) I was leaving a bunch of really dear friends
(2) I was typically unprepared, and finished my packing at 4am ish, approximately an hour before my flight left
(3) I drank a bucketload of white Russians that evening (Courtesy of Jo, thanks again!)
Although i didn't get to say all the things i wanted to to everyone, as it all went by in such a blur, it was possibly as entertaining a departure as you could imagine. I was driven to the airport (With 45mins-ish to departure) by the kingpin of the Christchurch music scene Matt "Westside" Westbrooke, in a small, rather knackered car, that really shouldn't have had Jo, Wee Al, Michael, Michelle my luggage and me in it as well. But despite a few worrying noises, it got us there, and then lots of running around the airport ensued. I didn't have the correct visa for Australia, so i had to cough up $20 for that, as well as my $25 departure tax. This irritated me, but it completely outraged Michelle (By far the drunkest of our party), who started complaining in a highly entertaining style at the innocent-ish airport gimps. In true Gonzo style, I insisted that she was my lawyer, and also mentioned that the NZ government owes me $100's in tax, but all to no avail, i had to pay up like everyone else.
Perhaps this was due to the scene we made, but on arrival in Sydney i was taken aside at customs, as my name was similar to someone they were 'after', luckily though i didn't fit the description, and they then let me go. Only to to have to totally unpack my bag at the baggage checks, because of a suspicious looking 'round thing' in it (A soap on a rope i got for Christmas from Alex's auntie's and Gran). My advice - don't cause a scene at airports - they'll get you back every time!
Thanks to Gill, Aimee and Tom, everything's gone about as well as it could have done in Sydney so far. I arrived at their flat in a rather dishevelled state after my flight / departure, and then slept the worst of it off.
Gill, Tom and I went out later on, and had a Royster-Doyster of an evening, due to Tom's inside knowledge of the coolest Sydney bars (The best one is above a British Legion / Retired Servicemans Club!) and a ROCKING gig at the Hoptoun Hotel, with one of my now favourite bands, The Lucksmiths. Despite having never heard of the band before, Gill took to the melodic, Melbourne combo in a big way, shouting at the guitarist during the gig (Requesting details of a future gig, not heckling!), as well as shamelessly chatting up the bass player after the gig ;o)
I'd write more about the next few days in the blue mountains, but being the globe trotting music fan that i am, i've got to shoot off to meet up with Tom, and then head to a Gomez gig - hurrah! Suffice to say, the Blue mountains are nice, but not as nice as NZ mountains :o(
(Worryingly i've noticed that most sentences i've said since leaving NZ start with the words, "In New Zealand ..... blah... blah". Hopefully i'll stop soon, but in the mean time feel free to slap me if this ever gets too irritating)
9:29 am
