Current Status: Holidays

  • Russell Brown,

    Whether you're surfing or stuck in a call centre, we'd like to hear from you for the next few weeks. File a dispatch, have a rave or lay a complaint about where and what you're at. It's like Twitter, but less demanding!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

351 Responses

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  • giovanni tiso,

    I honestly thought you had written "it's like Twitter, but less demeaning". That would have made for a lively debate.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Them letters all blur in the witchin hour, Giovanni.. :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I read "surfing a call centre", which also sounded more lively.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Go to fucking bed.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    If your wishing made it so...

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Patricia,

    Would you please send said Tui to my place, I could do with a morning chorus. I have wood pigeon, all I ever hear from them is the whoop whoop as they swoop at breakneck speed into my trees, don't get me wrong, I love them but they are somewhat lacking in the singing department. Not unlike myself really.

    behind the couch • Since Dec 2008 • 17 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Would you please send said Tui to my place, I could do with a morning chorus. I have wood pigeon, all I ever hear from them is the whoop whoop as they swoop at breakneck speed into my trees

    What I wouldn't give to have kereru crashing into our trees...

    Well, specifically I could give you in exchange the two adolescent tui that keep waking us up mornings - not much whack for singing technique, but they have good powerful voices on them. You're investing in future tui talent, is what I'm saying.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I spent Wednesday-Saturday at a beachfront house on Hot Water Beach, gazing at the waves rolling in 30 seconds' walk away, listening to well-crafted playlists by three music nerds. In the mornings (far, far less crowded than afternoon tides) I dug little hot pools for myself on the beach and looked fondly at crazily blooming pohutukawas. I leapt into the water two or three times a day. There was a cafe with excellent coffee five minutes' walk down the road. It was glorious.

    Now I'm back in Auckland and my house is all filth and squalor, and has no sea view, and I'm feeling a little 'meh'. Also, I just realised that Christmas is on Thursday and I'm going to have to venture forth to a mall and purchase things. Ick.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Blake Monkley,

    I'd like to make a complaint regarding excessive bird noise outside my window. I believe its Tui, that are the ring leaders.

    Try Crows - Phwark Phwark Phwark.

    Certain, this is where an Aussie accent comes from.


    Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    crazily blooming pohutukawas

    Curse you, Danielle. I have tears of homesickness rolling down my face.

    Fortunately, we are heading home to the old country a few days after Christmas, for a trek through Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington. Plus we are spending a few days on my parents' back country "farm" i.e. patch of regenerating native bush with bach, no electricity but plenty of hot water thanks to the wetback on the wood-fired stove, lots of tui and riroriro and kereru, and kahu patrolling the valley and riding the warm air currents higher and higher.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    My parents (well, their builder) have spent much of the year building a new holiday home at Waikawa Beach (just north of Otaki). With five grandchildren, four of them under four, across three families, it's a new venture - a holiday home, owned by a family trust, which will hopefully outlast many of us.

    The house looks out on sand dunes, over which you can just see a hint of the sea. The beach itself runs for at least a mile, and there's a lagoon with water of just the right depth for the young tikes to explore. Kayaking, collecting driftwood for the fire, throwing ourselves into the surf, and long walks along the beach while four dogs chase each other in and out of the waves will fill my holiday.

    My holiday will be a split shift, for complete insanity. I'm flying up on boxing day with son and daughter, until the 30th, when the little one and I fly back down for me to deposit her back with her mother. Then on New Years Eve the girlfriend and I, plus two dogs (bearded collie, kelpie) drive the length of the island and board the 10pm ferry. We'll see the New Year in somewhere in the middle of Cook Strait, and get off the boat and hopefully find a car parked for us. Straight back to Waikawa for another week.

    While there I will be visiting a Garden Centre and buying two native trees, one for each child. We will plant them carefully and say some words about what the trees mean, along with the children. Five grandchildren will mean five trees, some will be planted with placenta which have been carefully stored.

    The house has four bedrooms, two couch-beds in the lounge, and a mezzanine floor in the garage that marae sleeps another four or five. We can get 20 inside at a pinch. Add to that a three room tent which would hold another ten, and I can imagine future New Years Eves where we host an army.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    I believe its Tui, that are the ring leaders.

    Yeah, right.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    I dug little hot pools for myself on the beach and looked fondly at crazily blooming pohutukawas. I leapt into the water two or three times a day.

    I have friends who are Coramandel old timers who don’t go to Hot Water beach on principle because you now have to wear clothing in the self dug pools.

    I have a similar attitude to visiting Welcome Flat in the Copland valley.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Tui were known in the South as 'bully birds' (because they are & they do - I've watched one of my nesting pairs see off a lone magpie.)They're the first of the dawn chorus...rirerire come in later here - the blackbirds tend to be second, then thrushes.... kereru crash into my ranchsliders. You get the crash imprint and a few feathers floating away. And - I assume -a stunned kereru wobbling off.

    Amazingly, not one has killed itself, in the 30year period the ranchsliders have been there-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I have friends who are Coramandel old timers who don’t go to Hot Water beach on principle because you now have to wear clothing in the self dug pools.

    In my case, I think that's best. I wouldn't want to cause anyone else on the beach that kind of distress just before Christmas. It's cruel!

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    Try Crows - Phwark Phwark Phwark.
    Certain, this is where an Aussie accent comes from.

    That explanation does have some appeal, but if it were that simple, all Japanese learners of English would speak Strine.
    If you visit Tokyo on garbage day, it's phwarking hell out there.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    I'm a bit sad this year because I don't have anyone to go overboard cooking for. Where are all the proxy nephews and nieces I was promised?

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    We tried to ship the middle daughter, I swear, but the told us she had to be registered as a dangerous animal. Then she would have to share a crate with the tiger and it seemed unfair. For the tiger.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    In my case, I think that's best. I wouldn't want to cause anyone else on the beach that kind of distress just before Christmas. It's cruel!

    So you don't think you could handle a trip in to Welcome Flat with these guys Danielle?

    had a great time up there, spent over 36 hours in the pools over the 2 days we were there.....and hiked the whole way out naked as it was naked hiking day, or so our new zealand friend told us. but a beautiful hike with amazing scenery. highly recommended if you can handle the walk in!!!!

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    Aah. I am sitting in the office, keeping my chair warm with no motivation but a well-padded arse. There is no view of the outside world for we are in the heart of the building - I have a wander every now & again to remind myself that the sun is shining and people are out ther enjoying themselves. Bastards

    But the day starts, as for a few others it would seem, with the tuis and the occasional ruru and some light filtering into the bedroom. A quick walk up the road & back with whatever combination of the dogs is in the mood, then shaving, showering and off to work. At least the traffic is better than usual. </small mercies>

    I'll be jealous of those who are off work, but I am here by choice as my darling and I will be road-tripping it round the South Island in late January. (Much more road than tripping, I hasten to add...) So I will have my chance to gloat later, as January becomes February and our clockwise progression takes in Invercargill, Te Anau and possibly Queenstown for New Year. No, wait, it looks like it will be a Te Anau hogmanay.

    I am a long-time reader of PA but have only come to the chat-boards recently and what a revelation they have been. I feel I am getting to know some of the regulars quite well and I feel that sense of community that Russell fosters so well.

    Have a safe and happy holiday y'all.

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Gracewood,

    Amazingly, not one has killed itself, in the 30year period the ranchsliders have been there-

    Honestly, I'm amazed your ranch sliders are still there after a keruru impact!

    We have a lone Tui who likes to sing from the apple tree next door. It likes to sing the four notes from Beethoven's 5th, but very, very slowly: "tweet tweet tweet..(sometimes a 5 second pause)... twoot".

    Orkland • Since Nov 2006 • 168 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    We have a lone Tui who likes to sing from the apple tree next door. It likes to sing the four notes from Beethoven's 5th, but very, very slowly: "tweet tweet tweet..(sometimes a 5 second pause)... twoot".

    Hmmm . . . I recall a throwaway remark from someone about a possible German origin for tuis, on account of their sometimes guttural vocalising. There seems to be a pattern emerging.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • James Littlewood*,

    New baby turns up mid Jan. Probly take some time off around then. Not lots, maybe 2 weeks spread over a month.

    Been offered a gig at the end of feb, so out with the uke for a bit of a tune up. And this guy, Hawaian steel dude from England.

    Somehow have to get a room painted between xmas & new year.

    Have to get the chilled strawberry soup ready for xmas entree. With shaved almond mascarpone. See Quisine for recipe. Leave turkey & trifle to various in laws.

    After a recent rofflenui at Honey Bar, this could be the summer of the mint julep.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 410 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    After a recent rofflenui at Honey Bar, this could be the summer of the mint julep.

    Rofflenui is a drink now? Recipe please!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    (It had better not have whitebait in it, is all I'm saying)

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

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