There was plenty of colour, just as there used to be. The main event took place on a long wide strip of grass, just as it used to. But this time, instead of riding around Ellerslie Racecourse, I was a spectator to the smells, sounds and colour of the inaugural Auckland International Carnival. Getting there ahead of the opening ceremony almost felt as though I had arrived too early. Then more people drifted in, food stalls opened and the atmosphere picked up. After doing a couple of laps of the globe I ate in India, then zipped over to Hungary for dessert. Now I'm not one for missing parades without a good reason, and with this one being the main event to showcase all the the countries taking part in the carnival, I was quite happy ... read more

ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day on 25th April remembers not only those who fought at Gallipoli, Turkey during World War 1, but also men and women who have served in other wars. 95 years ago 2,271 New Zealanders lost their lives in the battle at what is now known as Anzac Cove. The red poppies are a symbol of remembrance for New Zealanders who died in service during wars, and are used in fundraising for the welfare of war veterans and their widows. Dawn services are followed by parades and civic services throughout the day - not only in Australia and New Zealand, but at other overseas locations including Anzac Cove. I had not previously attended a dawn service - living overseas for a number of years being one reason, but other years ... read more

When should you intentionally deprive yourself of sleep, to the point where the jokes you're all telling are ones you would normally cringe at? When is it a good idea to put yourself through weariness and pain, just for the privilege of being able to say you had done so? The answer: when you're planning on doing something just as crazy, and for twice as long, in little more than a month later. Should it be taken as a compliment when a friend sends you a message saying they saw an advertisement looking for teams to take part in an event many people probably think is suited to the less sane of our species, and tells you that you were the first person they thought of? What then does it say about me that I not ... read more

Who would've thought that getting on a boat to go explore Phang Nga, Thailand a year ago would help me score tickets to a sellout baseball game in Japan? Well, it did. On that trip I befriended a Japanese family, one of whom went to fair lengths to get hold of a couple of tickets to a Hanshin Tigers v Yomiuri Giants game at Koshien Stadium (the Tigers home ground) during the Golden Week holidays. (A side note: the origin of many of the larger department stores in Japan lies with the railway companies. Department stores were built alongside major stations, and given the name of said railway company.) Aside from securing a ticket in the first place, the Hanshin Tigers experience begins well before reaching Koshien. Walk through the Hanshin department store in Osaka (where ... read more

Time was running out. To be more precise, the snow was melting - a month earlier than usual. As it turned out, the three weeks I was enjoying summer back home turned out to be ideal snowboarding time, thanks to heavy snowfalls. The problem was, there was still something I wanted to try doing - I still hadn’t been snowboarding at night. So that’s how we came to be travelling down highway 9 in Shimane, heading for Mizuho Highland skifield. Even so, because it was the tailend of the season, it wasn’t confirmed until about 3pm on the day whether or not the night session would even go ahead. When we phoned the skifield and were told preparations for the night session were being made, all three of us started cheering. I wish I had been ... read more