Hey Skyring,

One of the things I love about my job is getting to see different parts of the country, and being pleasantly surprised by them. Last year the place that stood out for me was a little town called Te Aroha, and I don’t remember where we stayed (if I could be bothered, I could probably search for it in our work accommodation database, but I’d have to get out of bed to do that!), but the place was quite nice, and they owner thought BookCrossing sounded like a cool idea. So cool that she gave me a couple of books to read and then register etc! To top it all off, we found this amazing restaurant, called Ironique, which had amazing food, and an even more amazing decor! Lots of stuff done in iron (obviously!). My favourite was the bent cutlery!

Then last weekend, we were in Fairlie (think down South!). Shane had taken the car to go visit his Dad, who is working somewhere near there, and so I had the place to myself, and also no car. I figured I’d go into town and find some of the historic places listed on the Historic Trust Register (I’m not far off hitting 300 snarfs!), so I started walking. I only got to next door, and someone asked me where I’d come from. Number 40, I replied, laughing, and she said she thought I might have done one of the walks near by. It wasn’t a terribly long conversation, but when we finished, I turned around, and took the longer (by about 40 minutes!) route into town, via the river. It was such a nice walk, and I never would have found it on my own. Again, pleasantly surprised.

Then again, I always enjoy being in the South Island. People here are usually so friendly, and happy to have a yarn!

When I finally got into town, I was walking along the main street (called Main Street!) taking photos of old buildings, when I was (not exactly) stopped by a woman in a car. She owned the art gallery/shop over the road, and had gotten sick of sitting in the shop, so was sitting opposite, and if anyone went in she was planning on dashing across the road (There was some nice art in there too, but the one I liked most was a bit big to fit in the car with all our stuff, and I don’t really have space for it in my room!) We had a nice long chat, I managed to sneak an introduction to Markeroni to her, and I even managed to hoist one of my BookCrossing bookmarks off on her! She hasn’t joined yet, but she still might (Or if she has she hasn’t listed me as her referring member!).

I walked down the road, taking photos as I went (turned out the restaurant/pub we’d had dinner in the night before was a historic place!), and eventually made my way to the museum. The museum (who the woman in the car had recommended to me) was the place to go if you were interested in history apparently. Unfortunately, the museum was playing host to an exhibition, not so much about history, but still awesome! Quilts! One of my Aunts is a quilter, and I’d like to learn one day, and this exhibition did nothing to sway me! Quite a few gorgeous quilts, all in different styles, and fabrics. There was one amazing one of the moon over a bay (I can’t remember the name of the bay), and there were some fantastically bright ones made for kids (usually the kids had chosen the fabric too!).

Now we can skip forward to yesterday. After a fairly long drive (pun not intended), we arrived in the bustling metropolis of Ranfurly (home of New Zealand’s coldest known temperature of -25.6 degrees – thankfully it wasn’t that cold last night!). We weren’t even staying IN Ranfurly. Instead, we made our way to the Trail Blazers B&B. I had trouble deciding which room was the most awesome, but eventually settled on mine (it was the only one with a tv in it, so I knew I wouldn’t be kept awake by someone else watching tv :p). It even had a cool quilt on the bed! The owners offered to cook us dinner, but when they found out I’m vegetarian, and realised they didn’t have any vegetables in the house (that would have gone down well!), they recommended the Naseby Royal Hotel for dinner.

Holy Moly it was Anasing (pun intended :p)! I had the vegetarian spanakopita Usually I’d expect to be asking for something like a burger without the meat patty, or fish and chips, and it still wouldn’t be particularly great, but this was seriously awesome! Vegetables on the side weren’t overcooked (remember those peas?), and it tasted like someone had actually made it there, not ordered it in, unfrozen it for me, and put it on a plate! Even the hummus was good Sadly it was insanely filling, so we couldn’t fit in desert (or maybe that’s a good thing!).

And the best thing? I looked it up today, it’s registered as a historic place AND it’s in a historic area!

Cheers, DL

PS: the coolest thing about this B&B: my room had glow in the dark stickers on the ceiling!

Hey Skyring,

I know it’s been a while since I’ve written anything, I don’t even know why I haven’t, just a slacker at heart I guess. I have actually been meaning to write for a while, I had a topic picked out and everything!

It all started when I was in Auckland for work. As you know, one of my favourite people lives there, and I was out visiting her, when I saw this:I’m sure you remember that day! We met up with ApocolypticBob, and CrrCookie’s family at Pops, in Arcadia. I got to order a burger without the meat pattie, and I actually drank root beer and enjoyed it! I’m sure it will live on in your mind as a turning point in my life! The best part (apart from the company of course!), was getting to wander around the shop, with 500 different flavours of fizzy drink (or pop as they call it there I guess), and choosing 6 to sample. I don’t remember the flavours I chose, although I think there was one red apple flavour that was quite nice! I do however remember the different brands – Jones, Rat Bastard, Route 66, and Boylan Bottle Co to name a few.

It wasn’t the most awesome day (hard to beat a fabulous BC release and catch, Sister Hazel, meeting the perfect man, AND drinking green chili beer from Flat Brach Pub!), but it did fit right in to help make the holiday a wonderful one!

Love, DL

PS Can’t wait to see you in Wellington next month!

Hello, Discoverylover!

It’s me, Skyring!

It’s winter here in Canberra and that makes the memories of our trip together even warmer. Cruising through the California desert the outside air reached 100°F, and most everywhere we went it was clear that spring was sprung and summer coming on fast. The colours of the dogwoods against the fresh bright green of the forests made my heart sing.

Thank you for making the trip so enjoyable. Travel shared is pleasure doubled and a helping hand to navigate through the rough spots. With you, your sense of fun and love of discovery makes everything a joy.

So many highlights! You’d have your own list, I guess, but I think we’d both rate the Sister Hazel concert in Columbia, Missouri right at the top. What an atmosphere! At one point I turned around and looked at the audience from the band’s perspective, albeit slightly lower. All I could see were happy faces. As you put it, “happy” wasn’t strong enough a word. “Bliss” was a better fit.

You were entranced. Being mentioned by Ken Block as having travelled so far was nice, but it was the sparkle on the twinkle on the glitter to meet the band members later on. I think the New Zealand hazelnut chocolate swung the deal. “What, we autograph this?” one asked. “No,” you replied, “You eat it, silly!”

I’m so glad you introduced me to Sister Hazel’s songs. I was cool at first, but once I got into the lyrics, I loved them. Listening to the songs, singing them to myself, hanging out for the next album. All good. All shared pleasure.

We took our own Heartland Highway through America. Sure, we had to loop around for a week to catch the concert in Columbia, but we saw a bunch of places we wouldn’t otherwise have gotten to. The bridges of Madison County, for instance.

I’m sure I would have had a fine time all by myself, dutifully poking along every forgotten bend of the old Route 66 in a nerdly fashion. But you were my sparkle, my twinkle, my glitter. You were the dogwood blossoms in the forest. You were the cherry on top. You were the music, the colour, the sun.

A little too much sun when we visited the Grand Canyon, perhaps!

Anyway, thanks for sharing my Route 66 adventure. Thanks for making it into something I’ll remember with grand pleasure for the rest of my life.

And, thank you, Sister Hazel! As ever, you were an inspiration, a celebration, a thoughtful eye on humanity, a song of joy.

Once upon a time I’d sigh and say, “Now I can die happy!”.

But no longer.

Now I can live happy.

Yours aye,

Skyring

Hey Skyring,

I’m having issues. I’ve got far too much stuff to bring with me. It’s not the stuff so much as how much it all weighs. I’ve the advantage of a massive suitcase, and there’s no way all the stuff I want to bring won’t fit, but it’s all too heavy!

Maybe a third of the problem is that it’s spring where I’m going, so I’ve got NO idea how warm/cold it will be. Layers are obviously the answer, but how many of each should I bring? Right now I’m down to 3 long sleeved tshirts (a couple of which are merino which is nice and warm and light) and 5 tshirts. Night time is going to be interesting, but I figure if I get really cold I can always just put all my clothes on and sleep in them. One pair of shorts (it has to be pretty warm for me to wear shorts), and a couple of pairs of jeans should last me a week.

I’m picking up another tshirt in New York (thanks Kev!), and a tee and a hoodie in DC (one to wear, one to sign (which reminds me, I need to pack sharpies)) which leaves me a little bit of extra weight/clothing.

Shoes: one pair of sneakers and a pair of shoes to wear showers at hostels. I don’t like other peoples hair, especially if I have to stand in it.

Then we get to the ‘outfits’. This Sister Hazel concert for starters. I’ve got a nice dress (that I know you’ll love) that takes up basically no space, but that means its cold, so I have to take a jumper to wear over the top. Also merino. Then shoes. I can’t/won’t wear sneakers or my shower shoes with a dress, which adds another pair of shoes.

Chocolate. Is 8 blocks plus a few bags of pineapple lumps too many? Right now they’re going in my carry on because it’s one of the heaviest things Plus then at least if I loose everything I’ll have something to bribe people with…

Books. I’ve got 1 book packed to release in New York (the Frank McCourt got ditched for being too heavy), plus I’ll take 1 to read. Thank heavens I already posted myself some books to release in DC/on the roadtrip. I figure they can sit in the back of the car and I can release them as I go. No need for them ever to see the inside of my suitcase…

Shampoo/conditioner etc. Some argue I could leave these behind and just get more when I arrive. Seems like a real waste to me, because if I don’t use it all then I’ll have to chuck it out when I leave the US, and then I’m taking multiple small flights where I’ll have to either pack or buy new each week I move. Seems easier to just take it with me.

Apparently I’ve got a package at the friends house I’m staying at. From someone within the USA, and apparently it feels like it’s full of books, so probably from a BCer. I have no idea who knows where I’m staying. Not too freaked out, but it’s possible I am going to have to pack them at some point.

Plus there’s all the little stuff. My giraffe I left at my friends house last time I was there that I was planning on using as my mascot for the Markeroni challenge. First aid kid with bandaids/drugs/multivitamins/etc. Gifts for people. Levenger supplies. Travel documents. The books Kirsty said she’s bringing (she’s promised small ones!) for me to release on her behalf. That kind of stuff.  My red BC bag as an overnight bag to take to my friends the Friday night of the convention. Not much point taking my suitcase to her place and then have to cart it back for Saturday night. Laptop (flatmate said don’t bother but I can’t do that to the non-attendees who are living vicariously! I’ve been that person constantly hitting refresh on flickr/forum/lj!) Assorted cords. Assorted adapters.

I blame the Scouts. They’ve obviously drilled the ‘be prepared’ motto in to me far too much!

In saying all this, I can’t wait! I leave in less than a week!

DL, buried under 14 feet of clothes (give me a few more days and I’ll be the one with a suitcase on my back though!)

PS the hankies are out. My nurse flatmate said they’re  just a really good way of spreading disease, so I have to take tissues. Luckily I’ve got some, but they take up space!

Hey, Discoverylover!

Whatever it is about your bounciness, it’s infectious!

I’m happy as anything today, because, because, because finally Sister Hazel announced a concert date during the short time we’ll be in America together.

What’s better is that, instead of being in a distant city at an inconvenient time – such as the concert on the other side of the continent on the day we arrive in San Francisco, or the same day as the BookCrossing convention in DC – it’s in Missouri between Kansas City and St Louis, only a couple of days after we leave Kansas City. I’m sure we can find things to do around St Louis.

This blog is named after a Sister Hazel song, we both play the music regularly, we know the lyrics, but we’ve been waiting, like, forever for the band to make a world tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The waiting is almost over! Four weeks and we’ll be moshing in the pit, or whatever it is that people do at Sister Hazel concerts.

Added bonus: it’s an anti-cancer benefit concert.

Yours aye,
Skyring, bouncing with excitement