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Published: September 4th 2006
Sunday 23rd July 2006 Did more blogging and went to the Arts Centre as they have a arts, crafts and food market on the weekends. There are food stalls from all over the world - I went for a Souvlaki - very nice! Then watched a man with a tiny dog wearing a pink tutu. The dog was very clever! It had its own little scooter and did all sorts of tricks. When someone threw down a penny it would pick it up and put it in it’s owner’s collection hat. But sometimes it would keep it for itself and put it in it’s own mini hat on the back of it’s scooter LOL was really funny to watch!
I got the bus to Methven from the Christchurch Cathedral Square, about two hours later we were in Methven and I checked into the Kowhai House. It is just like someone's home - very informal and friendly with nice big log burners. I had a whole six bed dorm to myself! Plus free breakfast and internet access. Unfortunately most of the people staying there were Japanese and I didn't speak Japanese...(If only they had been Vietnamese!!!) ;-)
I went and
explored the town - had a beer in each of four bars and decided Methven has a nice feel about it.
Monday 24th July 2006 Got a lift (takes about 45 mins) up the mountain with one of the guys staying at the hostel. Bought a five day pass and a two hour refresher lesson. It was really nice looking up at the snow-covered mountain, with hardly anyone on it!
See my little run down the mountain
here - see how few people are on it! Did you see my little ride on the table top??
The panoramic from the top is
here and looking over to Southern Alps
here The morning lesson went well - I only fell over twice! Had loads of fun trying out the blue and green runs.
I left at 3pm and thumbed a lift back to Methven.
Tuesday 25th July 2006 Moved to the Snow Denn hostel before getting a lift up the mountain with two girls (Joey and Lauren) in their campervan. We got there eventually - bit hairy at times and we nearly put the snow chains on the wrong wheels!
Started doing small jumps
today - there is a beginners jump area. See a first attempt
here More thumbing to get back down the mountain.
Met up with Tony (had met at the lessons) for a few beers. Started at the Brown Bar, then the Steel Factory for $10 curry and pitcher of beer with live music. Moved on to Blue Bar for pool and more beer. Got very drunk and got invited back to a local’s place for a bit of a party. Decided I was too wasted already, so went back to the Steel Factory for a night cap of Jack D... Didn't quiet work out like that - ended up smoking some pot with a local I met...
Sure enough the lesson I never seem to learn, happened again... Room spins... Sick in the waste paper bin (mostly), in my dorm. Thankfully no one else was in there that night! Think snoring is bad?!?!
Shame - it was a waste of a really nice curry!
Wednesday 26th July 2006 Awoke feeling really rough and so stayed in bed till 9.30ish. Got up and made scrambled egg on toast, cereal and some tea. One of the best
things about the Snow Denn (apart from the log fires, cool manager, nice rooms) was a free breakfast that included eggs (normally just cereal and toast). I should have bought some bacon though...
After cleaning up the sick that didn't make it to the bin, I did some food shopping and made myself some lunch for later.
Thumbed a lift (much harder after 10am - not so many going up) and got to the mountain about 12pm. I stayed on the green runs and had a break after just two hours. I had a headache and all-over body ache. I really wasn't with it at all - I went to go to have a pee and because my gloves were hanging on the straps that go round your wrists (so you don't loose them when you take them off) I managed to pee in my glove! That was it - I was going back to bed!
Another example of how small a world it is - I met a girl from Perth while on the lift. She lived and worked in Kirtlington, Oxfordshire - where I spent a lot of my younger years, as my first love
was from there!
On the way back down (more thumbing) I picked up some bindings to try from Big Al's in Methven, as my heel-side riding was feeling weak.
In the evening I went to the local Film Festival held at the Lodge. Was supposed to be charged entry, but ended up being free. Watched two good snowboarding movies before getting off to bed.
Thursday 27th July 2006 Another amazing day - blue sky and no wind! Heard some news report about the shit going off in Lebanon and UN being bombed by Israel.
Me and a girl called Rachael (met in the hostel) thumbed a lift - first car!! Something about having a girl with you maybe?
Blagged another lesson - I still had the voucher from the first time as they hadn't collected it - value for money! ;-) Worked on jumps and sliding to switch and eventually jumping to switch. Even went down the half pipe twice! My new bindings seemed to make a lot of difference.
My neck was really playing up still (had been bad for a few days) so I went to a massage therapist in Methven and had good massage.
Went and bought some new bindings - very similar to the ones I tried - Burton Freestyle, for about 80 quid.
Friday 28th July 2006 Feeling really tired and achy - the long sessions and short breaks (no need to queue for lifts) was really taking its toll on me. I thumbed up the mountain and had some really good runs, doing some blue runs totally in switch. Also had a lot of fun on the jumps and table tops. I managed to strap my camera to my leg to get some video of me on the way down.
Here is a run, doing a little bit of switch and a jump or two.
I packed up early as I was starting to make silly mistakes due to tired and achy muscles.
Saturday 29th July 2006 Got an early bus back to Christchurch and spent a lot of the day updating my travel blog and doing emails. I was in the internet cafe (my favorite run by a nice, happy Korean guy) for about six hours! The guy brought me sweets and Asian 'cookies' to keep me going LOL
It was All Blacks vs. Wallabies in a Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup game, so a good match to watch and good atmosphere in the pub. I went to a place called Warners (just off the square) with some local friends for a bite to eat and to watch the game. It didn't start till 10pm, so I was pretty pissed by the end!
Noticed on the wall they had a Guinness 100 list - people who had drunk 100 pints of Guinness - one guy did it in a week! That would be like eating 30 roast diners - they are so filling! Can you imagine what his shit was like???
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Tam
non-member comment
Japanese lessons...
No wonder you couldn't communicate with the Japanese folks your 'Teach yourself Japanese' tape is still in the radio in Doug!!