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The World Of Whisky Event
Me and Hippo get educational Hello again folks and apologies for it being so long since the last blog. Lots of things happening - changes of abode, snow drifts, mammoth drives across the bulk of the country.
So after my birthday blog it was time to put in some final hard hours at liquor king before I left. Working pretty much constantly from Saturday 24th until finishing on Monday 26th. It was kind of enjoyable in a way as I found all the things that had had novelty value when I started because it was the first time I’d done them, also now started to have intrigue as it was the last time I would do them all. Reasonably sad now that I got excited about filling up the ice foe the last time, or filling up the grants whiskey shelf, but hey. During this hard slog period and amongst showing my replacement around, we had a call in the shop from people running the Lindauer (brand of cheap bubbly over here) Winter Festival Whisky Experience. Somehow they had misplaced loads of whiskey, or it was lost, or something. Anyway the long and short was that they needed some and we had it. So finally
Farewell Liquor King
Final eveing at closing and cashing up time. putting on my freebie hat I asked if there may be a free ticket for the young shop assistant who helped them. An hour later I got a phone call to say, yes there was - tonight! Well, despite having not slept the night before at all (really at all) to stay up and watch the England game (much aboo on that subject incidentally) I couldn’t pass up a free whisky tasting so I headed home at then off again to the very well to do and posh Sofitel Hotel. It was the sort of place where the sinks were made of glass, toilets flushed automatically and the doormen called even scruffy old me ‘sir’. Still as far as I was concerned it was great because I was given Chivas Regal and Jamesons whiskey to taste and as much Brie and Stilton cheese as I could eat on arrival. After a brief milling around and a management business style meet and greet interlude, we were shepherded up to the executive boardroom where the talk and tasting would take place. In spite of wearing my cleanest shirt I still felt slightly out of place, but the talk was very imformative, teaching
The Feelers
Playing just for us (we were front row with touching distance) at Revolver in Queenstown. us how to taste whisky, the difference between scotch, bourbon and irish, how it’s made, and of course how they taste. The mascot from the hostel ‘Hippo’ also made the journey (see pictures) and together we tasted Glen Livet Single Malt, Chivas Regal, Jamesons, Jameson’s 12 year old, Wild Turkey and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. It’s difficult to pick favourites, but as a usual scotch fan, I can say I was more impressed by the Rare Breed than I thought I would be. That also happened to be the strongest. On leaving I left my name and address to be sent a gift pack that goes with the talk, and although I didn’t hold my breath, I turned up in Wellington 2 days ago - hoorah. After a long time without sleep and a reasonable quantity of whiskey (purely in the interests of research you understand), you may think that it was time for bed, but off I trudged to an open mic night after that and played the best I think I have in ages. Maybe it was the drink. It certainly soothed my throat and a couple of people came up to me to say how smooth my
Chilly en route from QTNZ to Christy
We're sort of stuck here (my fault sadly), but a bit of a push saw us ok. vocals were. Aside from playing on my own I was lucky enough to have a jazz jam with an amazing guitarist, sax player, bongoist, flutist and little old me on another guitar.
As you can imagine after all that the following day was very much sleep orientated.
And so to Wednesday 28th and my last day at work / in Queenstown. The leaving of work wasn’t too emotional but the boss was good enough to give me a 24 pack of Speight’s beer (please don’t think drinking is all I do, it just happens that the latest blogs coincided with lots of celebrations / leavings etc. hmm). After finishing the evening was spent meeting up with old friends and then me and Claire going to see the Feelers - a band we saw also up in Auckland. There was absolutely fantastic and it was an amazing way to spend our last night. Afterwards I also spoke to the band (in NZ the bands tend to just mingle in the crowd - they have little concept of celebrity) and had my picture taken. Good times indeed.
And so to leaving. Thursday 29th was d-day, and after packing up
Windy and Rainy on the ferry
The girls went for the sleep option while i foolishly tried to star gaze in the rain. camp we headed off with faithful Frank over the hills and far away. Both me and Claire stopped in at our places of ex-work to say goodbye and then we were gone from QTNZ. The plan was to drive first to Christchurch, spend a night and then onto Picton and the eventual ferry to Welly. This plan was just about achieved except for a near miss when I nearly got us stuck in the snow (the drive from Queenstown to Christchurch was unreal - totally Siberian and with Christmas postcard views at every turn), but we just about managed keeping Helen (who came to Welly with us, in a sort of pet role) in view in her car, and not breaking Frank. After a nice night in Christchurch with one of Helen and Claire’s friends from Bay Of Islands, we carried on up to the ferry (marked contrast in scenery with no snow at all along the coast) and had a calm but sleepy voyage to a very very foggy North Island.
Will write about domestic times in Wellington soon but I feel this is long enough for one blog.
Marc
Xx
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Terry and Mick's bandwagon of Joy
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Next blog?
Hi Guys Been a while since there was a new entry from you guys. I need my claire and marc blog fix Arse