L'Exil...est retourné!

Fuck me! So it's pretty windy here today, nothing like a good Wellington southerly, but still windy - and warm. So I decided to go down the beach to check it out because i could hear the surf from my house (about 3 blocks away). Sure enough, the surf was up, although not as much as you might expect, but probably because there was not a lot of swell, just wind chop. And the wind was blowing, and boy was it blowing! It was like a desert wasteland down the beach, all trace of other humans had gone. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I stood behind a log on the beach just after I had been paddling in the water...and got sand blasted! The photo shows that the wind was blowing the sand so hard that it pierced my skin and drew a bit of the old claret! Moral of the story: wear long solks for walking, like Mr. Wildeboer from Taupo-Nui-A-Tia College.

This is a little bit of clip art i've just done in my Sony Ericsson W810i mobile phone, which I thought was pretty cool. These other photos are from the U2 concert on friday night at Mount smart stadium in Auckland, home of the Warriors (or Wowwiors as some would say...). It was pretty good concert, I got a little bit bored at times as some of the music is hard to dance to, at least for me. It was the first time i'd been to a concert on my own, and definitely the last - although i knew heaps of people there i'd bought my ticket at the last minute and only just got in on time before the gig started. They held the show up for us - it was very poory organised by Ticketek. If you're going to release another 1,000 tickets be prepared for the inevitable venue pick-up!! Fucks sake. Bono had his usual political rant - "Everyone hold up their cellphones, it will light this place up like a Xmas tree" (it did and was pretty special), and then the big message c...

Does anyone outside of that microcosm of Auckland actually give a fuck? I say Eden Park, and then they should put the waterfront concept to a significant public consultation exercise a bit later on. It’s not Wellington. This is possibly the worst consultation exercise ever – although on the other hand, a good healthy public debate like they had tonight on TV always helps – 25, 000 people rang in! I reckon it was one person 20,000 times who lives just across the road from the proposed waterfront location! BTW – what sort of consultation limits access to those who can afford to pay the 0900 number fee!!? Don Brash: Seemed like a bit of a flake in the first place. Don was just one of the suits on Lambton quay that got lost and ended up over his head, dicing with Michael Cullen on the front benches. I loved the classic shot of him trying to get into that speedway car! Just flicked over to the Māori channel, which I think is great and they hated him. “Ever since Orewa he has been m...

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This is what Raphael Ibanez is throwing into the NZ lineout on Saturday, we're going to kill'em! Nonu will be outstanding and that's all there is to it. PS. Rugby league is almost as much bullshit as heavyweigt boxing, which is lamost as crap as wrestling...in my humble opinion.

What have I done today? not much really, just a bit of business admin according to my timesheet. Filled in a job application at the MfE which could be good. Talked to some PhD guys in Sydney which could lead to a scholarship hopefully in the new year. otherwise not much news. this has to be the worst kept blog ever. clearly not enough time on my hands like these Govt chaps... I could turn it into a porn blog which would keep me entertained at least. or what about a sports blog. or quiz night. or...what is that Radio Sport about? don't they just talk shit on there for hours on end, who gives a flying fuck about the Auckland stadium! the Government have already decided on what they want in the worst show of consultation ever. Go the Clarke dictatorship!

This is one of the photos I should have taken when I left...the view from the track up to the Mount. That is the Mount Maunganui Main Beach in the background. Dad proving his doctors wrong up the top of the Mount 6 months after his hip operation and heart scare.

Man N.Z is soo cruisy! Great coffees, damn good eggs Benedict down at Sidetrack Café down the base of the Mount, crazy accent eh bro (apparently I sound like a pom), big meaningless numbers on price tags, walks up the Mount, beach volleyball, smiling and friendly people as you walk past them in the street and the list goes on… Went up the Mount today and you could see all the way to Pauanui (I think) in the north, and across to White Island, and down to Whale Island off from Whakatane. It was a magic day. Finally. It’s good to be back. It’s good to see the old man again and take him up the Mount for the first time since his op (admittedly we did take a special spray in case of emergency which opens up the arteries and a registered nurse…). The old lady is still obsessed with bowls, but in her defence she is playing with a former gold medal winner. Met my little nephew Max who at first was not quite sure what to make of his Uncle with the gollywog hair. Sister Josie has twins on th...