New Zealand... The shaky City

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Current Mood: Just want the Shaking to stop.

Ok so i have been slack.... Very Slack.. so i will try to keep up with the blogs from now on. Many reasons why i stopped writing but the main reason is that, all i have been doing on my travels is working and the jobs haven't been that interesting to bore you day in and day out with mundane descriptions of how i moved a piano or how dirty the toilet was that i had to clean. Yes my friends i have slumped from the Instructor of the Seas to the room attendant in a holiday inn to the furniture removalist for Allied Pickford. The Latter wasn't actually that bad.

So where to begin, and how did i ever arrive to the decision of heading out to New Zealand!?

I guess New Zealand was always on my plans. Infact the intended plan 3 years ago was to ride around the whole of the South island by push bike. The plan changed some and my opinion of this beautiful country could be better. I will give it another go im sure in the future. Next time i will do everything the good old NZ has to offer.

So... Riding around on my motorcycle on the lovely island of Koh Tao, behind Dad and Deb who was in the taxi leaving for home, after a great month of teaching them to dive, i decided enough was enough and it was time to get out of the water for a while. Sort of a forced decision as i was interning for a dive company that allowed incompetent staff to part control the running of the company but other than 'him/her'or 'he-she' the dive shop was a good base for all of the experience i gained and the friends made there were of the best kind. Big up to the New Way massive. My heart is with Buddha View though where all of my training was complete. Biggest of love to Will and Cyn, Chris and Eric (i feel i can put these guys in the same categorie... dirty dogs) and all of the fontastic DMT's and students i had the pleasure of teaching. Joe, Jans, Laura, Pat and the Mighty Mac are top of the list. Ohh Yeah i didnt tell you... I am an Instructor. after the dive master course i went to Broome.. finished up my ozzy visa... flew to thailand and did the IDC course. i lived on Koh tao for 15 months. Yes.. now that makes more sense.

So in July of 2010 Casey and i left the top of the sunny mountain in search of a whiter look. A winter in Christchurch.

A Brief stop over in Sydney to Meet Casey's Family (not nervous at all... mothers are easy) we jumped a plane to hit the country that is the furthest away from home i have ever been. The next bit is going to run like a bulleted description with a few (i am sure) sarcastic remarks.

We arrive... Jail house Back packers.. to check out we broke out.... themed.. like much of NZ...Lord of the rings Marathon... 20 cups of tea.. 6 rounds of cheese and Vegemite on toast, five bowls of cornflakes. Best Backpackers i have ever stayed in, minus the gangs i have met in the past. give it a go.

Moved into a house, 106a Aldwins, Linwood represent.... Shared house, many people come and go.. few good people, Many not... Big love to Cieron, Kate, and Onn. Hey to Sean and Damo... Crappy Land lady... love the Bunker!

We got Jobs.. Casey with the council, Me with holiday inn... terrible position... pooey toilets, gossip from all directions... and then the Shaking begins.

It was a friday night.... my self and Casey had been on the piss somewhere in the very quiet city of Christchurch. After our night out feeling stupidly drunk we fall asleep in the buff with no idea of what was on its way. at around 4.20am on saturday morning we were woke by one of the biggest quakes recorded in history. a 7.1 magnitude quake rocked the city, rocked the house for a staggering 43 seconds. houses crumbled around us but our little bunker stood strong. Town was hit hard but there seem to be no real damage. we were scared but somehow we as a city moved on and before long we were all getting on with every day life recounting the occasional tail of what our experience was in the dark and the cold early hours of September the 4th.

Work now sucks... for Casey all is great.... Trip to Greymouth... sleepy town... i need to get another job when im back.. yellow pages.. Allied Pickford... i'm now a Removalist.... Back Breaking work... saving hard.. Trip to Kaikora for my birthday... off to oz we go for a big family feed with Casey's family for Christmas.

Christmas was awesome in oz. we drank heaps and got to meet up with some old friends for the new year. but unfortunately we had to return to the shakey city which hadnt yet stopped shaking. to date... something like 1000 after shocks.

So back in Christchurch.. saving hard for an April exit to Bali... February 22nd arrives.. 1.20pm... im at work, Casey is in the city. so are friends of ours.

So i was sitting in training with Allied pickfords. the training is very mundane so i was honestly drifting off. there were 8 of us sitting listening to a complete dick of a supervisor rant on about his free laptop and not really listening to our concerns that come from the experience we already have for the job at hand. just as we were on for what looked to be a boring afternoon of arguing our rights i guess, a 6.1 magnitude hit Christchurch once again. this one was different to the last big one and as an aftershock was much wilder than the prior 2000 we had now dealt with by mid February. First of all the thunder from the floor. then you feel the rolling of the ground. very similar to many we have been feeling. so we sit and look at each other deciding whether we should look for cover. within seconds, the violence of this quake was apparent. Shit... we are in trouble. Few of us diving under the table and the others unsure what to do we all lay there for 20 seconds while the floor shook us and frightened us all. when the whole thing calmed down we all got up and took 5 minutes to collect our selves and hit the evacuation points. our surroundings were fine. oh well we think.. just another big aftershock. I call Casey but cant get through. a little worried but not wanting to jam the line i wait for her call.... Another rumble and to the floor we go again. this was as powerful but not for as long. what the fuck is going on. Casey calls me to tell me the town is ruined and she is heading home. looking form the building we were training in i can already see that there are problems. the traffic was already backed up and we were going nowhere. i decide to walk two hours home. Calling in at a hotel to use the loo i see the destruction. town was in shock. people hurt, people killed, running and fear everywhere. thoughtless running... i was an hour and half from home and hadn't heard from Casey in an hour. Mid way home i get another scare but this time in the middle of the park... the ground rolled almost making the tops of trees meet. People trying to get home all hit the floor. i'm kneeling down until the aftershock finishes. this is much bigger than the quake in september. the destruction is everywhere. the remainder of the walk home we ducked and weaved through cordons to get to my side of the city. Liquefaction (which looks like clay rising from the floor) has completely changed the land scape. Helicopters overhead with Monsoon buckets hanging.. so Scared and concerned for the house.

We were lucky.. once again we lost no one close to us or received any damage to our rental. Casey was ok but the basics in the house were to be our next battle. the water was off and so was the power. for three days we battled it out, queuing for water and waiting on news of work. we had to leave. Casey and i Left the city for safer ground with her family in Australia. after a well deserved break we went back to Christchurch to work for another 10 weeks to make some cash to get out to a warmer climate and to be honest anywhere that does not shake daily. where in the world is honestly safe is now a major thought i'm sure amongst many but we have opted for Bali.

My New Zealand Time is now over and i do plan to give it another go in the future. i think next time though as a holiday. For now guys i am in Melbourne.. leaving for the island of volcanoes' tomorrow. oooh i cant wait. Casey and i will be diving again and that is what matters. Holidays are coming.

I send love to all of My family and friends and i really hope you all get to follow my blogs once more. big plans for the future so listen in. i will tell a tail of travel to you all a few times more.

Brummy Niki

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Comments

[Mellywelly]

Hey hey :)
Awesome to hear your latest news and glad you were OK after the quake. I played a benefit gig for the Christchurch quake last month - we raised £360 :) - was gutted when I heard about it on the news - such a pretty little city :( Take care anyway hon on the rest of your travels. Lots of love, M. x