Sailing away

A day at sea today - 2000 odd people on a floating noddy town all looking to indulge themselves. Many of them by getting their kit off and doing some serious sun worship.

I preferred to step into the Oasis Spa and go for the 45 minute 'head, neck and shoulder' massage from the delightful Miss du Plessis. She strongly recommended that I return tomorrow so she sould continue to detangle the chop suey that represents the muscles in my shoulders and neck. Bless her - we have a date at 9pm tomorrow night.

A bit of sorting out today before a big day in Naples and then off to Rome. A few days there and it is back to reality. Bugger.

Clucking Turkey

Hi all

After a bit of a hell day in Turkey we have had the last couple of days kicking back on the Greek Islands of Rhodes and, today, Santorini.

The Turks in Kusadasi were unbelievable - the minute we were off the bus one would grab you by the hand, start shaking with a vigour and a purpose most unbefitting a meeting of two strangers, and then ask you "where you from my friend?" 'New Zealand' I would mumble as I squirmed to regain exclusive rights to my hand. No chance.

Still gripping and shaking, and now back slapping and screaming "ah, All Blacks, kia ora! New Zealand! We love New Zealand!" At this moment friends, you have 'been got'. You are in the buggers shop and your wallet has somehow made it's way onto the counter. Unbelievable - even the eight year olds on point had their game plan sorted. After an hour or so you had no option but to be plain rude.

The advance of "shake my hand my friend" was rebuffed with mock indignation, withdrawl of said limb and a mummering of 'ewe, dirty'. I dislike being openly rude only slightly less than I like people in my face, a man can only be pushed so far.

The Greeks on the other hand are much more laid back. Bartering in some stores starts with a gentle shake of the store keeper to rouse them - must be the heat. 34 C or so today. Ma and I are about to have a cliff top lunch overlooking the sea - we decided that Santorini was the place that really justified shedding some serious Euro's and going in for some posh nosh. It really is spectacular.

Have hunger now, so will make my leave and think longingly of when I can't depart this clear skied hot house and return to the cold and the dark of London town once more...

Mykonos

Hi all - not got long, so have just copied an email I sent on behalf of Ma below:

Hi all - Frit here sending you all best wishes and a quick update from Ma.

We are in the stunning Mykonos today - Ma is out trying to impoverish the local retailers with her gentle battering style!

In general - everything, as you would expect, has been amazing - and then some. The boat is fab - the food dangerously good and the whole organisation of it all fantastic.

Everything is so easy and independent - the floating 'Hi-De-Hi' I had feared has not presented itself at all. The only thing that is pants is the Internet set up on board! Dodgy keyboards and an even dodgier connection - painful to the point of being unusable. Deep down I think Ma is happy with that as I have not reserved a permanent seat in the Internet cafe - just as well I have email and Internet on my phone!!

Mother would like to have sent you a message herself, but the daily routine of get up, full breakfast, walk in town, sightseeing or shopping depending on the location, first beer typically around 12pm (any earlier would be a little unclassy), back to the boat to do our bit making King Prawns a newly endangered species and it is up to the top deck and pool to sail away. 5.45 for Cocktails and it is off into the sunset. This, a you can well imagine has placed extreme pressures on her time!!

Dinner and wines to follow and the Jenny Craig tour rolls on (we will quite literally be rolling before long). The night time entertainment is relentless. 3 full size theatres, more bars than a cell at Her Majesty's in Wellington Central and typically fall into bed around midnight.

Tomorrow we shall wake in another part of the world (Santorini tomorrow from memory) and be forced to do it all again. Tough life this.

Ma and I are loving it - so best get back to it! But we hope you are all well.

Ma would love to hear from you - so please reply to this email address and Ma can pick up your replies from my phone.

Ciao bella's
Frit and Ma

BTW - I met my wife to be in a shop in Corfu - she is going to go to NZ in a couple of years, so I told her I would catch up with her there, brilliant. Shame on those of you that thought I would not get amongst it!

So as you can gather, all well, apart from the bloody Internet set up!

Well and truly chilled, in 30 plus degrees

Another day, another Greek Island - I am really starting to relax and enjoy this! I am even talking to the odd person unprompted. Mad.

Last night I left the talking and wore the poker face, well Blackjack face more accurately. I had to join the table with $100 US minimum, so it wasn't shits and giggles territory! A couple of hours later I made my leave with $175US - that was shits and giggles territory!

Ma and I relaxing today and gearing up for a few tours in the ports that are coming up in the next few days. Athens will be a highlight I am sure.

I had to have a shave the other day - blading the whole head, prior to that it was damp day tennis ball up top - and no one likes that. So with no clippers to speak of, it was off with the lot. As smooth as a babies bottom it is, which is more than I can say for my bottom...

From Dubrovnik

Howdy all ' checking in from an Internet cafe (read a laptop on the side of the road) in Dubrovnik. 30 odd degrees and wearing the dodgy bandana in honour of Jaco.

First night at sea last night was the formal night, all kitted out we ended up at a caberet style "Salute to Broadway". All the classics and good fun. Then I dragged Ma up to the Sky Walk Night Club for a couple. This place is classic, set up for pure sleaze.

Just as Ma was saying that I should stay on for a while (things were yet to really kick off) we saw "that guy". Sat on his lonesome, leering, drinking, annoying the bar staff (his mates, ahem...) he did a full lap of the room and then ended up walking up to us. He looked at Mum and said (straight faced, which makes it worse) that "this was an over 21 place¸¸ but he would not tell the bouncer". Brilliant. He was dismissed with a golf clap and a piss off noddy.

Mum was quick to appreciate my desire not to be "That Other Guy", we made our leave around midnight.

So we are in Croatia now. The Old City is amazing, and did I mention hot (punctuation noteč insert question mark. Dodgy Crotian keyboard. Thank you.)

Back to the tug later this arvo and off to Corfu.

The American stories will be posted in good time, but a quickie, stacato bullet point style.

Emergency drill prior to sailing. Well publisied, no surprise to anyone. The alarm sounds. People mosey to their rooms, grab their life jackets and proceed to their respective muster stations. One lonely American voice rings out, "Woman and children first, woman and children first" and he was serious bless him.

Onboard - and Good Lord!

Words can not really do this justice - this floating noddy town of almost hedonistic decadence is really something else. It is so far beyond expectation it is ridiculous.

No time to go into it now - far to much to do, see, eat and explore. And yes, mother has already started to point out all of 'the pretty young things'...

Had a great time in Venice - stunning city and magic weather, bliss.

I have taken stupid amounts of photo's - so if I can find a PC with a USB port, I'll get some up. Quite rightly - Ma has imposed a words per day limit Blog wise, so it will be highlights only until I get back, and at this rate - there will be plenty of them.

For the very grounded, ice cool, generally unflappable kind of guy that I am, I must confss to being completly blown away by the sheer scale of this.

Giddy up!!!!

Couldn't resist

  

Cruising

Apparently I should be like an owl that refuses to repeat itself and not be giving two hoots. About anything...

Not quite there yet - one email still to send, but after that I am fully intending to chill for two whole weeks!! The plan is to check emails no more than twice a day - to be honest I am hoping that becomes once.

Mum and I head off tomorrow for Venice so things could be a bit quiet around here for a bit (unless I can figure out how to post from the phone that is!).

But if I don't manage that - I hope you are all having a spiffy jolly time at work!

Off to Italy - ciao bella's!!

My excuse for not keeing in touch - gone...

Now I am not much of a 'toy boy' - but my new phone is pure sex. I can now get email, messenger, blog - whatever from wherever, whenever I like.

Blessing or burden? Probably 50/50. But either way - I'll be here.

Dinner with Auntie Val and Uncle Laurie tonight in the Village of Belsize was nice - and it was very nice to feel some of Dad's blood flowing close, I'm sure Val felt the same.

Last day at work tomorrow and then packing - the love boat beckons, wah hay!


  

Three days back at work before I go again

So I have taken the Blog cop out and just thrown up a few recent pics. A couple of when Chaffwong was in London town and a couple from France.

First day off for the year on Monday and I feel a week behind! God knows how I will feel after two weeks away. Some people say the idea is that you feel relaxed - some people are a bit cute.

Ma and Chaff were having a nice time.

  

Until Andy Capp showed up

Call me old fashioned - but I rather like it.

  

The palacial Rickety Sticks

Or as they like to call it - 'The Grand Opera Hotel'. Plush...

  

You see - I was there

And the weather was fab...

 

Listen very carefully - I shall say this only once...

Paris is impressive. There - said it, done. That is me being objective and fair minded.

The only problem is that the stubborn bastards continue to want to speak that mixedfangdangle noise of theirs that they call a language. I recognised the letters on the maps etc as well; but the spelling was appalling(don't get me started on the over punctuation...).

Ma and I arrived on Saturday afternoon and I swear to God I thought she had taken me to the rough end of Harlem. Dear Lord, we got of the Metro (Tube) and legged it. We got to the Hotel - the rather Grandly named 'Hotel Garden Opera' - I quickly labelled it 'Rickety Sticks'. Oh well, it was two beds and a bathroom - it worked.

From there we went for a walk down to The Sene and did a river cruise, went out for dinner, had a few wines at the dodgy local. Nothing like a grab of the proverbial derriere from an eighty year old local (I swear I could have had her if I wasn't with Mum...) and then a relatively early night.

Day two was a lot busier - up and atom (at 10am no less) and down to the 'l'Grand Open Tour' (open top bus number); the buggers will spell it well enough for you to understand if there is a dime or two in it for them... The sites were many and all mentionable - but I shall not bore you with them now; I shall however post a few pics of the highlights.

Later it was hammering down with rain - so we opted for a dinner close to home in order to keep things simple. And I have to say (and Ma will back me up fully) another HUGELY average 'French' menu. 'Chicken and Chips' for God's sake - and we went looking for a nice local menu! Granted, we had avoided the five star hotel restaurants - but the average French (inner city) menu was 'bollocks', or 'chicken and chips', as I mentioned.

Day three and down to the Latin Quarter which was one of the most stunning areas of Paris. A beer for lunch (NZD-30.00 for the 2) and it was time to be off. And off on the Eurostar which rates an honourable mention - 280kmph in a straight line and in good comfort.

Too much to mention now - but it was a great weekend that generated a couple of stories. Home safe and sound for a three day week before I am off on the cruise! Doing it tough at the moment.

Oh my shattered nerves

The investors from our side went to the lawyers at 6pm last night - 26 hours later, they are still there... Dear lord - just sign the deal and be done with it. Please!!!

Everyone has been one edge all day - most of it spent at the bar waiting for the call that never came. But tomorrow I should be working for another company - our company.

Exciting? Yes. Excrutiating? Definitely.

But tomorrow I'll know (surely). Press releases etc will be posted in due course. Due course should have been days ago! Bloody lawyers.

For the chop

I have finally managed to get an othopedic specialist to tell me what I already knew about my thumb - raptured ulnar collateral ligamets. More imporantly - this kind chap is going to do something about it!

Surgery is booked for September 13th, no fuss, no bother. Just rock up, get knocked out cut up, sewn up, woken up and be done with it. It sounds like a fairly simple procedure but going under a general doesn't hold great appeal. Oh well, will be good to have it sorted.

And all thanks to that most equitable of social schemes... Corporate Private Health Insurance through THG. Buggered if I know what I would have done without it.

Things checked off in London since Ma has been here:

St Paul’s Cathedral - very impressive and managed to hear the choir etc, but not really overwhelmed after Chapel three times a week for 7 years!

Thames cruise - 50 minutes was about right, commentary good, and weather perfect.

London Bus Tour - good way to get about the place, weather perfect. The 'hosts' ranged from a tad dull, to wildly enthusiastic - but the last one was so thick it hurt (even Mum agreed I wasn't being harsh).

The London Eye - you must be joking, didn't go near the thing. As close as it gets to purgatory on Earth if you ask me.

'Whistle down the Wind' - bloody good value (shifty bottle of Port for a side door entry) and enjoyable show. Good music and very strong female lead. Felt a bit clever having a brew with one of 'the stars' afterwards - all added to the occasion.

The Tower of London - the woman warned us that we only had an hour and a half before it closed and that the full tour took three hours. Um, bollocks to that. Ma and I knocked it of in 45 minutes. The old stuff is all well and good - but I don't need to look at a sword for 5 minutes listening to some bloke describe it to ascertain that it was in used in order to give your foe as bad a day as possible.

The Princess Di Memorial - grass, water, people - done.

Kensington Palace - old, large and as you would expect really. Not quite as grand and opulent as I thought it might be - but it was cool to see the bed that old Vic was in when she was informed of her accession.

"Billy Elliot" - brilliant. MJD - even you would have enjoyed it (and that is saying something!).

So that is a few days in London with Mum cracking the whip. It has been good having someone to drag me by the ear to see these things, it certainly made me realise how lazy I have been since I have been here.

Next weekend is a trip to France; apparently it is holiday time and the Frogs are out - so I thought that this was an ideal time to go there and soak up some of the atmosphere (in the absence of the hosts)!

Will have some pics to post soon.

Dear lord - what a weekend

Knackered. Mother has had me bouncing about London like a shutter on a Japanese natives camera. I am absolutely exhausted.

It culminated with dinner with old friends of hers tonight. Lovely people - lovely family - and surprise surprise the single daughter of similar age...

To buggered to blog in detail tonight - will update tomorrow, but the undoubted highlight was going to see Billy Elliot. Spectacular, impressive, grand, brilliant and (to be blunt) piss funny.

Full report tomorrow.

Wrong

This is not an msn conversation that should bew had 'mano-a-mano' - let alone with your boss!

Doolster says (17:08):

i'm heading to covent garden to buy some shoes (don't ask)

Doolster says (17:08):

wanna come for a beer

Doolster says (17:08):

my visit will be 5 mins to shoe shop

Frit says (17:10):

beer for or aft?

Doolster says (17:10):

during

Doolster says (17:10):

Doolster says (17:10):

on way

Doolster says (17:10):

during

Doolster says (17:10):

after

Doolster says (17:11):

all of the above

Doolster says (17:11):

u might even want some shoes

Frit says (17:11):

I just don't know if I can answer someone later tonight that asks

Frit says (17:11):

'so what did you get up too today'

Frit says (17:11):

and I have to say

Frit says (17:11):

went to work , and then went shoe shopping with Mark

Frit says (17:11):

and then we went for a wee wine

Frit says (17:11):

it was heavenly

Doolster says (17:12):

ME Trescothick c & b Mohammad Sami 28 59 6 0 47.45

AJ Strauss c Younis Khan b Shahid Nazir 36 43 5 0 83.72

AN Cook c & b Umar Gul 23 32 4 0 71.87

KP Pietersen retired hurt 104 131 15 2 79.38

PD Collingwood c Taufeeq Umar b Umar Gul 31 70 2 1 44.28

IR Bell not out 32 68 3 0 47.05

CMW Read not out 14 20 3 0 70.00

Extras (b 7, lb 5, nb 9) 21

Doolster says (17:12):

Total (4 wickets; 69 overs) 289

Frit says (17:12):

don't try and bloke things up with sport pal

Doolster says (17:12):

go on

Doolster says (17:12):

u know u want to

Frit says (17:12):

you have just invited me to go shoe shopping

Doolster winks (17:12):

Play "Heart"

Doolster says (17:12):

u can stand outside and talk deep and order the pints at the gay bar next door if u like

Doolster says (17:13):

gotta get going tho

Frit says (17:13):

ok dear

Doolster says (17:13):

ha ha ha

Doolster says (17:13):

let's go

Frit says (17:13):

lets go buy the chaps

Frit says (17:14):

BTW - you know I am blogging this convo

Doolster says (17:14):

hope so

The shoes were lovely though!

Dr Michael Bassett

The man:

Dr Michael Bassett is probably New Zealand’s best known political historian. He is the author of nine books on New Zealand political history and is currently working on several more. He also writes a political column every second week for Wellington’s Dominion Post and Christchurch’s The Press.

Dr Bassett was New Zealand Minister of Health and Local Government between 1984 and 1987 and Minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government, Civil Defence and Arts & Culture between 1987 and 1990.

He spent ten years (1994-2004) as a tribunal member of the Waitangi Tribunal that deals with the claims of New Zealand’s indigenous people, the Maori.

So a fairly reputable commentator? I have always thought so.

Money quote from an article that touches on the Tiato Philip Field farce:

Then I read the Taito Phillip Field report. Pure sleaze. A former union secretary diddling his employees as well as the taxpayer. And the government turns away from taking the obvious step to deal with him because it might threaten their hold on office. I always knew we’d regret MMP. I didn’t realised it would totally debase our political standards. To survive, governments have to ignore sleaze, at least amongst their own. New Labour’s ministers in Britain are daily held to account for lapses that are trivial alongside Phillip Field’s. Anything goes here, especially now the numbers are tight.

Kinda sums things up really. See you in an election or two...

Now this if funny

Email from MJD this morning:

In Peter Fitzsimons column in the Sunday Star, he mentions the Bledisloe comedians dinner (ex-players..etc..etc) that took place before Sat's game at Suncorp, with the funniest line coming from our own Eric Rush:

"I was getting ready to watch the last test when the camera panned to Jerry Collins, confused and amazed I thought to myself 'what is George Gregan doing hanging upside down from jerrys shorts and how did he get there'????"

Minnie Winnie

Dear New Zealand - please note that this is what you get if you vote for the Winston First Party. Good enough reason not too really...





Next election gone burgers - the sorry lot of them, surely...

Quick one

Wintson got bitten by a spider - the spider has just signed up with AA but is expected to recover.

Having bailed on Monday - Kiwigirl is understandably pissy... And I apologise openly, utterly and without excuse...

And in terms of 'the deal' - we are now looking at completion on Friday - here's bloody hoping! It has been fun and learning up until now - now it is just a little bit like hard work!

Mum back Friday - more news Sat.

Pooftah - nice to hear from you mate, will let you know the company name you will be working for as soon as ink hits paper!

Meet the fockers!

Ma made her way to West Ken yesterday to meet the work crew and have lunch. It was quite funny and was cool to have her meet the principles of work tales and to see the offices etc. It put a bit of context around how I wile away my days.

No moments that were too embarrassing. Mum being told that me and the boss were like an old married couple was about as bad as it got.

Quiet night last night and Ma has headed off to Southampton today. We are planning to go to France or Brighton the weekend after that for a couple of nights - and then it is cruise time! 6 weeks with Ma isn't going to last long!

Home in Feb is looking more and more likely.