Wednesday, February 21, 2007
International Dinner
So we had the dinner last night, it was a really great night, people cooked all day and we ate and ate and drank and drank, everyone is still full today, a few of the long termers leave this week so it was a nice goodbye and few nice speeches were made - here are some photos :)
This is Ian (from Wales) and his welsh cakes. He (we) ate most of the dough before he cooked them..
This is Laura (from Ireland) and Keiko (From Japan, but has been working at the hostel for years now) Laura is attempting to make sushi with hilarious results.
Bit of a mess but probably one of the best laughs I have had in ages!
We all made little flags to stick in our food which was fairly simple for the japanese folk with the little red dot but Ian challenged them to do try and do the welsh flag..
Good attempt I say..
My bangers and mash you can see with the english flag, Laura's irish stew and Victoria's 'english' curry. Most popular dish in England etc.. Laurence and Oli had been in Mahia for the weekend and turned up with fish and chips. Sonja's german potato flapjack thing.. And Calvin's canadian meat loaf.
Some of the japanese dishes. The sushi was amazing.
Calvin, Yoshi and Ian. Yoshi is a bit of a crazy legend, he's been at the hostel the longest out of everyone, but this was his last night, he made a speech and everything. He was also in my dorm. He left this morning and said if ever I go to Japan I can have free accomodation so there.
The gals of Pacific Coast Lodge. Ria, Erico, Victoria, Sonja, Keiko and Laura.
The gang of us living at the hostel at the moment. The two guys on the far left at the back are in my dorm. Peter and Peter from Denmark. Yoshi praying at the front. I don't know why..
Heather and Murray, they run the hostel and they are our adopted parents. This is them giving a speech.
Laurence and a balloon.
Oli and Victoria down the pub a little later on.
Some of us at the pub. Laura, Victoria, Oli, Donkey, Trent, Alex and myself.
This is Ian (from Wales) and his welsh cakes. He (we) ate most of the dough before he cooked them..
This is Laura (from Ireland) and Keiko (From Japan, but has been working at the hostel for years now) Laura is attempting to make sushi with hilarious results.
Bit of a mess but probably one of the best laughs I have had in ages!
We all made little flags to stick in our food which was fairly simple for the japanese folk with the little red dot but Ian challenged them to do try and do the welsh flag..
Good attempt I say..
My bangers and mash you can see with the english flag, Laura's irish stew and Victoria's 'english' curry. Most popular dish in England etc.. Laurence and Oli had been in Mahia for the weekend and turned up with fish and chips. Sonja's german potato flapjack thing.. And Calvin's canadian meat loaf.
Some of the japanese dishes. The sushi was amazing.
Calvin, Yoshi and Ian. Yoshi is a bit of a crazy legend, he's been at the hostel the longest out of everyone, but this was his last night, he made a speech and everything. He was also in my dorm. He left this morning and said if ever I go to Japan I can have free accomodation so there.
The gals of Pacific Coast Lodge. Ria, Erico, Victoria, Sonja, Keiko and Laura.
The gang of us living at the hostel at the moment. The two guys on the far left at the back are in my dorm. Peter and Peter from Denmark. Yoshi praying at the front. I don't know why..
Heather and Murray, they run the hostel and they are our adopted parents. This is them giving a speech.
Laurence and a balloon.
Oli and Victoria down the pub a little later on.
Some of us at the pub. Laura, Victoria, Oli, Donkey, Trent, Alex and myself.
Booked my flight to Sydney this morning finally.. I leave on the 29th March for a couple weeks of rest and relaxation and to see Jonbo. So thats gives me about a month left in the Mount working. I get back to Auckland on the 11th April after Sydney and then i'll drive down to Queenstown. Very long drive so I guess i'll stop off at places on the way.
There are about 5 of us at the hostel who all have birthdays one after the other in March, me on the 21st, Keiko on the 22nd, Sonja on the 23rd and Victoria on the 24th. Victoria left this morning to go to Auckland to see Snow Patrol and then she's tarvelling the Bay of Islands but we are going to all meet up for a few days of celebrations for our birthdays.
Victoria and I have clicked quite well and it was sad to see her go this morning but we are both going to be working on the slopes in Queenstown in the winter so we have decided to get a flat or houseshare or something as they tend to be cheaper than hostels and it will be nice to have your own space.
Thats it from me for now. Speak soon.
Andy :)
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Yo
Sorry for the lack of a post recently. I have had to sign up to gmail to access blogger and have been avoiding filling out the form etc
So now I have cut down on the work and i'm only on 3 days a week I am so much more happier! I have time to wash my clothes and watch TV and speak to people and such. And going out is a whole lot easier..
Anyway just a quick one really as we are all getting ready at the hostel for this big international dinner, everyone cooks something from home. I'm doing bangers and mash. And we all just realised its shrove tuesday and so we will get some pancakes on at some point too. People have been cooking all day so there should be loads.
I'll take some photos and get them on here sometime in the next couple of days.
Just got the photo of your new kicthen bro, very cool. Got a floor yet? Hows my flat?
Right gotta go and get some booze. Laters :)
Andy
So now I have cut down on the work and i'm only on 3 days a week I am so much more happier! I have time to wash my clothes and watch TV and speak to people and such. And going out is a whole lot easier..
Anyway just a quick one really as we are all getting ready at the hostel for this big international dinner, everyone cooks something from home. I'm doing bangers and mash. And we all just realised its shrove tuesday and so we will get some pancakes on at some point too. People have been cooking all day so there should be loads.
I'll take some photos and get them on here sometime in the next couple of days.
Just got the photo of your new kicthen bro, very cool. Got a floor yet? Hows my flat?
Right gotta go and get some booze. Laters :)
Andy
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Hot, hot, hot
Hello.
Not much to report on really. I went to quit my job at 'Breakers' due to working all hours 6 days a week as I wanted something more part time so I can enjoy the summer and the beach for them to say we don't want you to go, choose your hours, anything! Which was nice, so I chose to do 3 days a week instead. I have just enjoyed the most amazing 2 days off. I spent both days on the beach and now resemble some sort of lobster. Burnt my knee's strangely.. But all is good, I am relaxed and now, and for the first time don't mind going to work tomorrow. It will also save me looking for another part time job too.
I'll be here up until the end of March when i'll pop over to Sydney for a week of so to see Jonny which will be cool. Then I'll get back mid April and drive down both islands to Queenstown where I should have an interview arranged for the ski resort. Applications need to be in soon so i'll get on that sharpish.
Probably stay there for the season May/June - September time then (depending on the money situation) travel around till November/December and then head home stopping off in Thailand on the way. Well that's the rough plan so far but it changes almost daily so we'll see :)
Laurence and Oli head off soon. Laurence to South America and Oli to Australia, so I should hopefully get to see Oli again when I go over to Oz in April.
Andy
Not much to report on really. I went to quit my job at 'Breakers' due to working all hours 6 days a week as I wanted something more part time so I can enjoy the summer and the beach for them to say we don't want you to go, choose your hours, anything! Which was nice, so I chose to do 3 days a week instead. I have just enjoyed the most amazing 2 days off. I spent both days on the beach and now resemble some sort of lobster. Burnt my knee's strangely.. But all is good, I am relaxed and now, and for the first time don't mind going to work tomorrow. It will also save me looking for another part time job too.
I'll be here up until the end of March when i'll pop over to Sydney for a week of so to see Jonny which will be cool. Then I'll get back mid April and drive down both islands to Queenstown where I should have an interview arranged for the ski resort. Applications need to be in soon so i'll get on that sharpish.
Probably stay there for the season May/June - September time then (depending on the money situation) travel around till November/December and then head home stopping off in Thailand on the way. Well that's the rough plan so far but it changes almost daily so we'll see :)
Laurence and Oli head off soon. Laurence to South America and Oli to Australia, so I should hopefully get to see Oli again when I go over to Oz in April.
Andy
Monday, February 05, 2007
Mahia and Gisborne
Hey Guys!
I have a day off so managed to do some bits. Here are some more pics that I have found on my camera of Wainui Beach at Gisborne. One of my favourite beaches I think. I got a bit carried away with the sunset I think.. These are just a selection of the pictures I took :)
Above is a couple of photo's of Sponge Bay also at Gisborne. Laurence and John surfed the island where as Sarah and I sunbathed and went for a swim instead.. Was a baking hot day :)
This is Mahia. Another blinding hot day as always it seems. My first black sand beach. Laurence and Nat saw a shark here and got out the water pretty sharpish..
This is a massive cruise ship that was at the Mount when we arrived a couple weeks ago and I actually thought it was a building. Appraently two and half times bigger than Titanic with a 9 hole golf course, 7 pools etc, one of the biggest cruise liners in the world.
The whole town turned up to watch it leave as it has to fit through this incredibly tiny gap in between the mainland and the island Mount Maunganui is on. It managed it though, just. You can just about see some big red hands on the bridge which were waving frantically as it left.
Had a nice day off, went to some falls with Laurence and Oli, watched these local kids jump off a like 60ft bridge into the river.. There was a sign saying people have died from jumping off it so don't.. Hmm I feel so old. Anyway just about to drink my bodyweight so i'll catch you all later!
Thanks for the pics Dad. Have a nice time in the Maldives..
Andy
I have a day off so managed to do some bits. Here are some more pics that I have found on my camera of Wainui Beach at Gisborne. One of my favourite beaches I think. I got a bit carried away with the sunset I think.. These are just a selection of the pictures I took :)
Above is a couple of photo's of Sponge Bay also at Gisborne. Laurence and John surfed the island where as Sarah and I sunbathed and went for a swim instead.. Was a baking hot day :)
This is Mahia. Another blinding hot day as always it seems. My first black sand beach. Laurence and Nat saw a shark here and got out the water pretty sharpish..
This is a massive cruise ship that was at the Mount when we arrived a couple weeks ago and I actually thought it was a building. Appraently two and half times bigger than Titanic with a 9 hole golf course, 7 pools etc, one of the biggest cruise liners in the world.
The whole town turned up to watch it leave as it has to fit through this incredibly tiny gap in between the mainland and the island Mount Maunganui is on. It managed it though, just. You can just about see some big red hands on the bridge which were waving frantically as it left.
Had a nice day off, went to some falls with Laurence and Oli, watched these local kids jump off a like 60ft bridge into the river.. There was a sign saying people have died from jumping off it so don't.. Hmm I feel so old. Anyway just about to drink my bodyweight so i'll catch you all later!
Thanks for the pics Dad. Have a nice time in the Maldives..
Andy
