I play Chess Good and some other stuff too ...

So apparently I'm a secret geek. Yup I discovered a secret talent I poses this weekend in good old Dunedin .... Chess ... I might as well get myself braces, some suspenders a pocket protector and start wearing my reading glasses permanently.

It took Gareth I believe 3 goes and much frustration before he could beat me. I took great pleasure in this of course.

However the real reason I went to Dunedin is to do some soul searching. You see my best mate Gareth also doubles as my spirit guide if you want to go that far. He seems to be able to put things in perspective when all I see is chaos. So instead of finding the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything (which is 42 by the way) I discovered I could play chess. I also found time in there to somewhat sort the chaos that is my head.

But yeah Dunedin what can be said about it besides that its south from Christchurch and north of Invercargill. I suppose it is a really beautiful city but I couldn't help but walk through the central city looking at buildings thinking to myself that will collapse, that will collapse oh yes that would definitely collapse. There is one building I would love to buy one day and turn into my private residence, just something small for me and the cat. The building in question is the Dunedin Railway Station. I think it will be just perfect for the lifestyle I intent to live a life of being 'a lady of leisure'. The only problem would be the trains but I'm sure they can find somewhere else to go. As one would not be amused being waken up by the noise of train carriages.

Well this is where the blog post ends, was pretty lame really you probably wondering why you even bothered reading this blog but you will be back they always come back yup you can resist the urge to come back and see what other crap I'm going to be spewing on to a page.

Till laterzz ...

Dun Dun Dun Dun Duuuuuun ...

So I'm of again not to a tropical place nor a place that I would classify as exciting. Yup I'm of to Dunners, for those of you playing in the Americas Dunners is just the nickname for Dunedin our second largest City in the South Island. I really wished it was Dunedin, Florida but I guess we cant always have it our way (damn you BK).

It was kinda a spirit of the moment thing even thou I was planning to head to Dunedin this weekend I decided on Wednesday that I would rather not. But here I am packing my bags to do another road trip. I suppose at least there is no earthquakes down there and they do at least have a CBD. But its still Dunedin if it wasnt for my best mate down there I wouldn't really see the point of going there, its cold its wet and has way to many hills for my liking. But I shouldn't be so negative about it I'm sure its a lovely place to live .... if you have access to drugs.

Anyways follow me on Twitter as I probably will not be updating the blog till I get home, when ever that maybe.

Till laterz ......

Something I stole ...

Its been awhile since my last post mostly because I life a sad existence where nothing much happens. But hopefully this weekend I will be road tripping to Dunners so there might be posting involved with that.

However I follow a blog called Blog Idle with Moata and she posted a rather funny blog today about Earthquakes and I fully agree with her. So instead of being witty and creative I just stole her blog post. Its as follows ....

The thing about earthquakes is that they can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pain or fear. They don't take bribes. They can't be cajoled or enticed. They have no deep, dark secrets with which they can be blackmailed. And they certainly don't give a crap about people complaining about them.

Nup, earthquakes, like taxes and telemarketers, show neither mercy nor consideration. Basically they're totally badass and not very nice. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And the thing about that is...people don't really know how to handle that. In this day and age when there's a Facebook group that lets you be politically "active" about everything from pet control to parking, child-smacking to chocolate (fairtrade, natch) it really does seem that Cantabrians should be able to sign a petition, "Like" a page or take part in a protest march against the great injustice of...geological processes.

See? It doesn't really work. You can't engage in an earnest email campaign against the earth, no matter how much it seems like you should be able to. At best all you can do is impotently shake your fist at the sky (it should really be in the other direction but have you ever tried shaking your fist at the ground? For some reason, don't ask me why, it's just not as satisfying).

I expressed the desire yesterday, while I was at work, to picket a fault line. Yes, to make signs that say "Earthquakes go home" and "down with this sort of thing" and troop up and down grumpily muttering about my right to live an earthquake-free existence and to complain bitterly to anyone who would listen about earthquakes stealing our jobs and homes, running rampant. The next thing you know they'll be marrying our women and using our cats in their cuisine. Damn them! Damn them to hell! It's enough to make a person quite fist-shakey!

When I mentioned this to my colleague (a relocated Brit) she was surprised that people weren't blaming the government for the earthquakes, because sure as eggs that's what they'd do back home. Having lived in the UK for a couple of years my reaction was one of those dry, wry half-laughs that you sometimes find yourself doing that doesn't so much express glee as it does bitter agreement.

Because, crazy conspiracy theories aside, we can't really blame the government for this one, which really just leaves us with a letter-writing campaign against the earth itself. Or, if you've a flair for the dramatic, a bit of focused group screaming.

But let's just say that you could protest earthquakes, what would your signs say? What catchy protest slogans would you hurl? (I'm in favour of "What do we want? No more quakes! When do we want it? Now!")

You can follow here on Facebook or Twitter ...

Funny song about Christchurch ...

My old office building ...

So in the first earthquake on 4th Sept 2010 we were kicked out of our offices thanks to the building being damaged. Which I'm glad about when you take a look at the building today. As far as I understand it collapsed on the 22nd Feb after the deadly earthquake hit us. But yeah here is some pictures.
In the back of this picture you can see a building with a lot of railings that's a car parking building in front of it is what looks like a grey roof that has collapsed. Thats my old office building you can make out the hand railing for the ladder that went to the top of the roof which was basically above our office. The building was 2 stories high. We were on the top floor.
This is it from the back of the building. If you live in Christchurch the corrogated iron fence to the bottom left is the back area of the former Winnie Bagoes (the building has been demolished already). I'm pretty sure you can actually see into our office (the old studio) in this photo.

Here is a link to more photos taken inside the Red Zone aka our cordon off Central Business District.

Should I go left or right ...

Welcome home Christchurch says ...

So Christchurch has welcomed me home the only way it can with a serious of massive after shocks with in an hour of each other. The first one hit when I was driving down the road (which is a challenge now thanks to driving on the wrong side of the road for 3 months). I was going about 100km's and thought my tire had blown out as I lost control of the car. I thought great only been in the country for a day and half and now I'm going to crash and die. Once I got the car under control and standing still on the side of the road I realized it wasn't the tire but an aftershock as the power lines was still dancing.

The first one was a magnitude of 5.5 this was the one while I was driving then there was more a 4.4, 3.4 and a 4.9 but the biggest on was a 6 pointer and it felt like it was going for at least 40 seconds there is also reports of more collapsed buildings and so far 6 people have been taken to hospital and 2 demolition workers had to be rescued from an already collapsed church. Well here is hoping nothing serious comes from these after shocks.

Well my flight here was pretty horrible too it was almost like the pilot entered into his GPS device "Auckland NZ shortest route there and avoid all toll roads". As it felt like we drove down a gravel road with massive pot holes or I suppose down one of Christchurch roads. When we arrived in Christchurch and taxiing towards the terminal building the Pilot said "Welcome to Christchurch its a very sunny 0°C here today..." my thought was great here comes the fripple weather.

Anyways talking about fripples I'm freezing my tits off and think its time I light the fire. But yeah for all of those playing in the States and Canada I got home safely and miss you guys lots well your warm weather more but you do make an short appearance in my missing emotion.

Love you long time and hope to see you soon again ...

Homeward bound ...

So here I am the second to last leg of my wild adventures in the land of the free and the land of the moose or the New World have it your way. This leg of the journey being my flight to Auckland and then the last being my flight home to Christchurch.

I'm at present sitting in a very cute little booth at San Fransisco Airport well at Gate G 93 to be precise writing this blog entry.

This tripped started with me leaving home town after the biggest natural disaster New Zealand has seen in some time. Arriving in America and then spending sometime in the Bahamas. Then a some more time in the US of Aye and then my beloved Victoria, Canada.

I have had an amazing time in a country I have never intended in visiting and had the opportunity to go and for fill a life long dream in Canada. But as life has shown me again and again its not about the end point but the journey itself and on this journey I have met some truly amazing people.

In the Bahamas I met an amazing group of people my Bahama Mama Carole introduced me to the saying "I call Bullshit on that.." and her lovely husband made me aware of the conspiracy surrounding Mrs C and Charles.

In Bradenton we met the Awesome family Jay, Tanya, Eli, Sarah, Aaron, Sam and Baby Rachel (yes they have 5 kids and live on a Cat Crazy people I tell you). They were like a family away from home and I will miss them greatly and then of course there is Debbie I see her more as the disfunctional Aunty in the family the one that will get drunk and not disappoint you by dancing on the table. I still haven't seen her do this but I know she has it in her and hopefully one day I will be able to witness it. There is also Dana well you can drink and laugh anyone under the table and you made those long West Marine visits bearable.

I met some amazing people in Canada too, there is Sarah the crazy weird lady on the ferry to Victoria, she still owes me a beer and hopefully soon I will be able to come claim it. There was Steven well what can I say about him other then it was an honour meeting you and its a pity I didn't have more time to sit and discuss some of the topics we only touched on. There is also my baby mama Kellie from Seattle who I actually met in Key West and missed out on hanging out with her again but I will pour her a drink when she comes to NZ and Finally there is Craig. There is so much more I wanted to say to you but didn't have the time thanks for an awesome week and hopefully we will talk again soon.

I also crossed a massive country by car all by myself something I didn't really think I would be able to do and was scared of doing because I was by myself but as I have learned there is a lot one can do if you put your mind to it. I will finish this blog entry with a quote I stole from the 'Families' blog.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

-- Mark Twain

Dreams do come true ...

So today I finally made one of my life long dreams come true, well kind of. Ever since I saw a documentary about Vancouver and Vancouver Island and the Orca's I have always wanted to come here and kayak with them. The only problem was that I came to Canada the wrong time of the year so there was next to no Orca's and the guy at the kayak shop pretty much told me not to wast my time going kayaking in the north part of Vancouver Island. So I took his advice and went on a Whale Watching tour instead, now it annoyed me that they call it Whale watching when we only went out there to see Orca's who are dolphins but anyways I digress.

I'm glad I went on the trip as we saw two Orca's a male and female. The Female poked her head out of the water at one point to see what we were up to. You couldn't really see much of them but my whole point of coming here was to see them in their natural environment. Not splashing around a pool to rock music. So yeah finally I can stop saying one day I will do that and now say ooooh yeah done that.

So after I did the "Whale Watching" I hoped onto a plane to Vancouver. Now this wasn't any normal plane it was a Aquaplane. Personally I find them rather ridiculous and therefore love them. Its is the weirdest feeling motor boating as such down the harbor and then just taking off. Landing is even more freaky as you come in for the landing on water. Hmmm maybe they should make the planes that take off from Wellington Airport Aquaplanes would make me feel saver.

Anyways its 1:16am in the morning I need sleep as tomorrow I will travel into the future.

My Home Town ...

So this is photos of my home town Christchurch, New Zealand at the moment after two Earthquakes hit us. The first Earthquake was a magnitude of 7.1 one on 4 September 2010 at 4:30am.Luckily it was early in the morning so everyone was safe in bed and we had no lose of lives. The second one was 6.3 on 22nd February 2011 at 12:51pm when everyone was out and about for lunch in the city center. It however it was centered very close to our central city and many buildings that was weaken by the first earthquake collapsed trapping and killing close to 200 people. Its really sad to look at these pictures of a city I love when I'm so far away.

City Centre Photos
(The building labelled Civic Theater was my office building but we were luckily evicted out of it thanks to the Sept Earthquake and wasn't there for the Feb one)

Christchurch Churches
(St Johns the Baptist Anglican Church is my parents Church)

Made it to Seattle and Caaaaaanada ...

Soooooo I was meant to have done this the other day but I was way to tired to do so and have only just had the mental ability to use my words. Well what can I say about my last leg of the road trip besides sweet lord it was long, it was about 13 hours worth of driving. I got into Seattle around 12am I would have gotten in earlier if I managed to leave early then 10am from Salt Lake City.

The last 3 hours of the drive was painfully slow and wasn't helped that my back was killing me. I also spend about the last 1 1/2 hours driving through a mountain pass. It was great that it had 3 lanes pity that you couldn't use them all the time tanks to road words. I was so tired by the time I hit the mountain pass that I just wanted to pull over and go to sleep by thanks to all the road works none of the rest areas was open. It was also pitch black dark so I didn't really want to park in the middle of nowhere to sleep. I personally hate driving at night on unfamiliar roads as I cant see what the road is doing up ahead. It wasnt helped by the fact people where speeding pass me at 80+ mph and tailgating me. Needless to say I was very happy when I got to my hotel.

In the morning I booked myself a ticket on the Clipper Ferry to Victoria and headed down to Pier 69. While waiting inline I was chatting with a lady who it turns out has a sister in-law thats from good old little Christchurch, small world aye. Cant tell you how excited I was to cross the border and seeing the Maple Leaf flag even customs was nicer. well he asked me like 400 questions but did it with a smile.

I can actually see myself living here in Victoria, even though the downtown area has bigger buildings then Christchurch. It really reminds me alot of Christchurch well minus when you look at their Government building and 'The Empress Hotel'.

(Government Building)

(The Empress Hotel)

But yeah so far I love Canada its a pity I cant go on my kayak trip due to the fact that it isn't really Orca season but hey there is always next year.

So In a week I went from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean crossing 15 States, 2 Indian Homelands, 6 State Capitals, 4 Time Zones, One International Border, entered 1 Province and Provincial Capital. Not bad work for a week.

States I have been in so in the USA now.

Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
Kentucky
Illinois
Missouri
Kansas
Iowa
Nebraska
Colorado
Wyoming
Utah
Idaho
Oregan
Washington
and by plane California

and British Columbia in Canada.

Made it to Salt Lake City ...

So today I crossed most of Wyoming to get to Salt Lake City. Firstly I must say that little old Laramie is actually a cool little town or city or what ever it might be. The people there seems very friendly and I met some cool people that stayed at the same motel as me too. But anyways I went on my merry way heading for Salt Lake City. Now I will take this opportunity to say I wasn't looking forward to SLC as the idea of visiting a City run by Mormons didn't sound too appealing. Do they even believe in Jesus or is it Santa Claus no wait I'm pretty sure its the Eater Bunny yup that sounds right and on that topic have you ever wondered what Jesus laugh was like. Was it a belly laugh or one with a snort at the end or even one that sounds like a machine gun going off hmmmm . Anyways as usual I'm getting sidetracked.

Getting back to the point, as it was a shorter drive to SLC I decided to do as much stopping as possible. One of the things I saw that made me stop was these really red cliff thingies so I thought hey I'll do the tourist thing and take some piccies.

So as I was walking over to take this picture of the pretty red rocks a lesbian (because adding the fact that she is a lesbot is important for the over all flow of this story) said "They will come right up to you to get their photo takin" I was like ummm ok pretty sure the mountains will not move. Turns out she was talking about Prairie Dogs. Now when some one says dog I think Lassie or something that walks on for legs and barks not something that looks like a Squirrel with a pipe cleaner for a tail. Well guess what they look like a Squirrel with a pipe cleaner for a tail. As I was sitting on the grass waiting for them to come closer some truck driving lady came over with the thickest southern accent I have ever heard, apparently she is from Georgia. She told me oh they will come to you if you give them crackers and off she went to get me some crackers. Well it was worth it because because I got some really awesome shots.


One of the little buggers bit me too but as I was sitting there feeding them crackers that was the most unnatural colour of orange and I thought to myself ... did I leave the stove on ... no just kidding I thought I have seen these little buggers somewhere before. This is where you can cue the dream wipe that shows a scene of me and Emma sitting in the office watching the following Youtube Clip ...

On second thoughts maybe it isn't the same animal but meh I still love that clip.

So as I have mentioned before I wasn't that excited to be going to Salt Lake City. With it being the Mormons equivalent of the Vatican. But I thought hey its on the way and it looks like it has some truly amazing old buildings. Which it turns out they do have and wow are there some stunners. As I have done on this trip before and will do again I had the completely wrong idea about SLC it is actually a really awesome wee City it forefills my requirements of my fantasy city build in a valley surrounded by snow capped mountains. I can actually see myself living here to be honest and cant wait to come back here to spend some quality time exploring what looks like a truly amazing city.

So after I spend some time wondering around the Temple of the Easter Bunny I set off to find the Council building which pretty much looks like a palace. Rumour has it that they made it look bloody awesome to out shine the Mormon temple.

Anyways as I went wondering down the road to find this palace I walked pass some youths getting of the bus. One of the turned to his mate and said "great the fag fest is still going they make me sick" I thought to myself fag fest I should go investigate this. I was going to ask them to direct me to this "Fag Fest" but thought I would have more luck running head first into a wall, there is some really nice walls in this city. It turned out it wasn't a "Fag Fest" but a Pride Festival, the lesbots don't like being called Faggots. But anyways they where occupying the block that this palace looking council building is on so I thought hey when in Rome (have pizza?) and I went to take part in the festival mostly because there was massive temporary fences up and to truly appreciate this building I had to be on the other side where the "Fag Fest" was in full swing.

I had another moment of excitement when I saw people with signs outside the entrance and I thought yes and got my camera out. It turns out it wasn't God hate Fags signs but I like boys and girls signs held up by the bi community (make up your bloody minds).

So after sitting and watching uncoordinated people trying to dry hump very unsuccessfully to a Lady Gaga song and having my one Vodka and Redbull I thought it was time for me to call it a night. I did see one thing that made me laugh it was a homeless person sitting and begging ....

Made it to Laramie ...

So today I went on a bit of an interesting trip thanks to Gertrude who had a spaze and took me in the wrong direction. Went to Cairo thought not the one in Egypt thought but I guess one holiday at a time.

So I headed to Laramie, Wyoming today crossing all of Nebraska and doing a quick dip into Colorado just so I could say I have been in that state. I was ment to stay in Cheyenne but could find any cheap accommodation so I'm staying in a city/town further up the road 50min to be exact.

I cant believe how cold it is here in Wyoming but I suppose having been in Florida with temps around the 35 degrees didn't help either. There is still snow lying about the place, it was kinda nice smelling the cold in the air and its good training to get me ready for my return to NZ. Today when I got out of the car at some monument of Abe was the first time since I have gotten to the US of Aye that I have actually felt that I'm in America. Wyoming is pretty much what I imagined America would be.

I do like little Wyoming. Well tomorrow I'm of to discover my inner Mormon in Salt Lake City or just point and stare.

So the States I can ad to my list to day is ...

* Colorado
* Wyoming

Thought this was fitting ....

I thought this was fitting for my journey across America. This song was my life song for 2010 and I think it has more meaning to me today then ever before in my life.

Still cant believe I'm actually doing this trip.

Enjoy ...

Made it to Lincoln ...

So today I drove from St Louis to Lincoln going through 4 states as it turned out. Iowa snug up on me and before I knew it I was driving through it. St Louis reminds me a lot of the city in Grand Theft Auto for some reason. It looks like a rather poor city but has some awesome buildings. I like the old Government building it looks so tiny amongst the skyscrapers.

Also went and saw the Arch thingy ...

On my way through to Lincoln I stopped in Kansas City both of them. The one on Missouri is a rather beautiful city it reminds me a lot of Dunedin well if Dunedin was warm and massive. I guess its because its a hilly city. But yeah Kansas City, Missouri is about 400 times better then Kansas City, Kansas and all that separates them is a river.

Kansas City, Missouri

Lincoln seems to be an awesome little city reminds me a bit of Christchurch the roads are even the same all cracked and broken. But I will leave my verdict on the city till the morning when I will be going to explore it. Oh before I forget right across the road from my motel well across the road and about 1 min down the road is Nebraska State Penitentiary not sure who has better accommodation.

So states I can add to my list today is ...

* Missouri
* Kansas
* Iowa (sneaky wee devil it is)
* Nebraska

Till Laters

Made it to St Louis ...

So today I crossed a further 4 states and somewhere along the line I gained an hour. I set of at about 9am from Atlanta an head towards Nashville. So far on this trip Tennessee and Northern Georgia is my favorite places in America well the bits I saw. I was very surprised by Tennessee I thought it would be more farmland and flat being the home of country music. But it was mountains not at all what I pictured it to be at all. Illinois is pretty much just like Canterbury except a whole lot greener. Cant say much about Missouri yet as I have only just seen St Louis but just driving thru the city I felt dirty it reminded me of Jo'burg.


But my highlight today must have been going to Nashville and visiting the Parthenon. As I said in an earlier post I have been to the real one but seeing what it might have looked like in its glory days was a awesome treat. However I was disappointed as it was different inside to what I saw on the movie 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians' but still the same it was awesome.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Lincoln, Nebraska stopping over at Kansas City both of them because the loved the name that much they named two cities that. Which are across from each in two different states go figure.

So States I can add to the list today is ...

* Tennessee
* Kentucky
* Illinois
* Missouri