... So as my pictures have eluded to, I'm in Queenstown... I'm staying at a house Sara Jayne (an old school friend who caught the 48 with me and other luminaries... also went to Southampton Uni randomly enough) rents with 5 others... all British and all good people (those two factors are independent... I'm no nationalist who sees them as good purely because they are English... although her flat mate Simon is a football fan and its (I finally learnt the right time and place to us its or it's... well I hope:) good to have a convo about British football:)... they have been very welcoming, and all I did in return was buy a 24 pack of beer which I also contributed toward eroding the contents of... :) ... My view of New Zealand is continuing to be enhanced and reinforced... its beautiful and lovely... I "get it"... I understand all the raving about NZ, with Australia that wasn't the case, but to be fair you need to travel further to find the incredible nature in Australia and I didn't get off my perfectly formed ass... But in NZ, the beauty is in your face, its everywhere... this country is like if the Lake District had sex with Cheddar Gorge and they spread the resultant pulp across a couple of islands to develop into places even larger and more impressive then their parents (sorry for the crude imagery)... it's really beautiful nature here...
(I've just started to listen to 'Telephone' by Lady Gaga on you tube as I write... I've suddenly become very self-conscious... I don't want people to spy what I'm listening to... it could compromise my masculinity... better listen to some manly rock music next... or watch the video so to make it clear that I'm watching it for purvey reasons only... ... ... God damn my random taste in music... ... ... ... but on a positive... NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM OUT ON SATURDAY... YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY.... :))))))))))
Anyway, where was I (before the music divergence)... oh yeah, the beautiful nature (that's manly enough isn't it?)... It's really incredible... everywhere you look is a beauty of a mountain range... they have great lakes here like puddles in Bristol, here there and everywhere... the sky is a beautiful blue which only seems to become more beautiful and poignant when a cloud tares through it or a fog of clouds descends on the mountain tops... the first night I was here it rained heavily as I ate with SJ and her house mates... the rain rattled against the roof and lightening forked through the sky and rumbled at a delay suggesting it was five miles away (just started to listen to a Smiths playlist on youtube, less gay... but only slightly;)... ... SJ showed me around the small town of Queenstown yesterday and today showed me a small village called Arrow town... a quaint village which sprung up during the gold rush... and it has that American West feel to it... I walked up one of the mountains near Queenstown... 45 minutes stroll and I could survey all the beauty of the area... but I forgot to take water and started feeling like shit being squeezed through a sieve, my head was hot and hurting and my ears were ominously cold (well, it felt ominous), so I took the lazy option of a gondola down... much more relaxing... ... ... I'm going photo crazy at the moment so I'll post some snaps soon... I almost lost my camera today as I left it in a pie shop in Arrow Town... This pie shop claimed to have world famous pies, yet I'd never heard of them before (now they'll be world famous;)... a butter chicken pie with salsa on the side... by crikey, that deserved a resounding thumbs up from me:)
... with respect to the quaintness and quirkiness I've oft noted about NZ (well I've noted in my last post)... well it is just being reinforced day after day... SJ said her parents described NZ as England in the 1960s and I can see it, or at least guess that I see it... people don't lock doors, people are friendly and chatty, it's a really refreshing place to be... and I think the quirkiness comes across in the local paper, 'Lakes weekly bulletin' where people can put in random little pieces to sell things and the like... the nature of some of the things that get put into this local advertising rag really give you an insight into the place... I'll give you an e.g. of the typical content of a public ad:
... I will concede that I look like a bit of a goofy pillock on the top photo, but apart from that one, doesn't the nature look incredible?
... anyway, my words will only sully the beauty of the landscape on display... so pray silence please, for Queenstown, NZ...
(*whispering*) keep well everyone... love to you all... Matt ... :)
(I've just started to listen to 'Telephone' by Lady Gaga on you tube as I write... I've suddenly become very self-conscious... I don't want people to spy what I'm listening to... it could compromise my masculinity... better listen to some manly rock music next... or watch the video so to make it clear that I'm watching it for purvey reasons only... ... ... God damn my random taste in music... ... ... ... but on a positive... NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM OUT ON SATURDAY... YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY.... :))))))))))
Anyway, where was I (before the music divergence)... oh yeah, the beautiful nature (that's manly enough isn't it?)... It's really incredible... everywhere you look is a beauty of a mountain range... they have great lakes here like puddles in Bristol, here there and everywhere... the sky is a beautiful blue which only seems to become more beautiful and poignant when a cloud tares through it or a fog of clouds descends on the mountain tops... the first night I was here it rained heavily as I ate with SJ and her house mates... the rain rattled against the roof and lightening forked through the sky and rumbled at a delay suggesting it was five miles away (just started to listen to a Smiths playlist on youtube, less gay... but only slightly;)... ... SJ showed me around the small town of Queenstown yesterday and today showed me a small village called Arrow town... a quaint village which sprung up during the gold rush... and it has that American West feel to it... I walked up one of the mountains near Queenstown... 45 minutes stroll and I could survey all the beauty of the area... but I forgot to take water and started feeling like shit being squeezed through a sieve, my head was hot and hurting and my ears were ominously cold (well, it felt ominous), so I took the lazy option of a gondola down... much more relaxing... ... ... I'm going photo crazy at the moment so I'll post some snaps soon... I almost lost my camera today as I left it in a pie shop in Arrow Town... This pie shop claimed to have world famous pies, yet I'd never heard of them before (now they'll be world famous;)... a butter chicken pie with salsa on the side... by crikey, that deserved a resounding thumbs up from me:)
... with respect to the quaintness and quirkiness I've oft noted about NZ (well I've noted in my last post)... well it is just being reinforced day after day... SJ said her parents described NZ as England in the 1960s and I can see it, or at least guess that I see it... people don't lock doors, people are friendly and chatty, it's a really refreshing place to be... and I think the quirkiness comes across in the local paper, 'Lakes weekly bulletin' where people can put in random little pieces to sell things and the like... the nature of some of the things that get put into this local advertising rag really give you an insight into the place... I'll give you an e.g. of the typical content of a public ad:
Awesome double room for rent in a 3bed apartment, $175 inc bills + sky. Centrally located. Contact Nik 0********4 or Loz 0********1
That's the typical content but there are some other stuff... this week is Valentines week so there are a few lovey dovey messages in there (incidentally, I treated myself to a lone quesadillas and Millionaire slice for V day... my romantic treat for myself):
Victoria - you are so beautifully delicious, I love you shnucums so vewy vewy much. To me you are like stars shining in the sky, like the twinkle in your eye. Love ur tickle bunny jimx
As you clean up the projectile vomit, get someone to read aloud for you because there is more. There are matters of social consciousness addressed in ads:
If you own the grey collie dog that runs around Wynyard Crescent everyday, please keep it at home. It has many near misses everyday and if a car doesn't get it the pound will!
Massive thank you to the lads and St Johns peeps who stretchered me down from the Skyline after my crash last Saturday and all involved at both hospitals. Good karma is deffo on its way!
To whoever stole my bag and passport last week in Winnies I hope karma eats your children
And then there are just people trying to buy and sell stuff:
Treadmill wanted! Got an old, working treadmill taking up space in your garage? My thunderthighs will thank you for it! Call/text 0********9, texts preferred during daytime.
Massive beave? Too much grass on the wicket? Look like a runover possum? Too much feedback on the microphone? When was it tended to last? 0********6
... for me, that last ad is worryingly vague... but these are all real ads... lovely stuff:)
... OK I just managed to get some new photos of Queenstown up, so enjoy:)
... anyway, my words will only sully the beauty of the landscape on display... so pray silence please, for Queenstown, NZ...
(*whispering*) keep well everyone... love to you all... Matt ... :)
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