Incomplete Intinerary
19th December – Slabface departs Wellington at 07.25 on the Transcenic Train to Auckland. He arrives at 19.25pm and heads immediately for the pub to meet Mogsie, who he’s not seen since 2006.
20th December – Claire arrives from Sydney and picks up the wagon. She heads south into the city (Slabface isn’t going to meet her because the airport is an hour in the wrong direction from Auckland). Slabface wakes up and doesn’t immediately remember where he is. He is at Adams house. After this is established, a cooked breakfast and a fair amount of faffing about, he heads into Auckland centre and meets Claire. He has a special “in the van” playlist that he wants to play. Claire doesn’t want to listen to it. After a fair amount of cajoling, Claire finally accepts that Slabface is going to play his special “in the van” mix. It commences with “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf, Claire groans and wonders if the next three weeks are going to be like this.
Shortly after: Arrival at Coromandel, walking on the beach, nice dinner sitting looking at the sea, a couple of glasses of wine. Early night.
21st December: Slabface wakes up early and (whilst trying to be quiet like a little mouse) wakes Claire with his fidgeting. She awakes and spews forth a tirade of expletives and invective. He remembers what her morning ‘moods’ are like. He groans and wonders if the next three weeks are going to be like this. He goes for a run along the beach, they reconvene for breakfast a little later before getting on the road for Taupo.
A few hours later: Arrival at Huka falls (http://www.hukafalls.com/), Lake Taupo. Cue: touristy stuff.
22nd December: Wake up. Today we visit…… a prawn farm.(http://www.hukaprawnpark.co.nz/). I have been informed that this is way more fun that it should be. More fannying about around Lake Taupo and a further drive down to Wellington.
Later that evening: We cross over to the other side. Not in a supernatural sense. Like actually - on a ferry.
29th December to the 02nd January – Phat Festival in Onehunga - Hype & Daddy Earl, Marky & MC Stamina, Skream & Benga., Black Sun Empire, Spor, Mala (Digital Mystikz), Bad Company UK & MC Lowqui, Klute, Kryptic Minds, Concord Dawn, State Of Mind, and also a few NZ bands who all sound a bit like Fat Freddys Drop (The Black Seeds, Salmonella Dub, Tiki) and unfortunately (yawn) Pendulum DJ set. I was speaking to (insert major NZ Drum & Bass artist’s name here) on Thursday and he said, “Well, at least it’ll be a lot more interesting that Pendulum playing live”. Fair comment.
Around the 5th – Queenstown. The Red Hand Gang (as they both now have one sunburnt hand a piece) ring their Pater on his birthday. Slabface does the Southern Hemisphere’s longest freefall bunjy jump. He’s not right for the rest of the day. Claire’s way too chicken. They share drinks and reminiscences in the evening in a charming local hostelry with the man like Toby.
10th January – Swimming with Dolphins at Kaikoura. This is the best bit of the whole trip and Slabface realizes that he doesn’t want to go home.
