We purchased these inflatable paddle boards (Red Paddle Co.), which I know sounds suspect but are really good. Michelle researched them online, but  I was very skeptical until I saw one when we were down in Raglan. To be honest if you saw them blown up you wouldn’t realize they were inflatable. They are made of heavy PVC and are incredibly strong. It only takes 5-8mins to blow up. We purchased both a 10ft and 11 ft board.

They are perfect for us! You can rip around a shoreline and surf them in small swells.. pretty sick! They come in a bag you can wear as a back pack and with a pump. The size of them is perfect for a city dweller – you can pack them into the bag and store them in a closet. I don’t have to worry strapping them down on the car when we head out, or theft from the top of my car if I want to do a shop after paddling.  The paddle is adjustable so friends can give it a go without having to buy a paddle to fit them.

I would highly recommend these to anyone! We love them and you would too! It’s gotten us out to new bays and beaches around Auckland. When pumping them up I get an odd look from most passer by, but once we hit the water with them people are mostly impressed. It’s a great product… go get one and enjoy the sun, sand and surf.

I would classify all of the trails at Ranghoua Hill single track/cross-country. There are some enjoyable downs and switch backs, but no big jumps, drops or gaps. It is all pretty flowy stuff.

The first trail I rode was Ragihoua Loop track. This trail will take you to other trailheads or you can ride it as a loop. It is a short climb up and then it winds it way through native bush with a lot of fun turns to keep you on your toes. It isn’t overly long, but fun to loop out over and over. It also links to Zoom-Zoom and Nice & Easy. These tracks start at the top of the hill, which gives you a great view of some wineries and Waiheke.

I then hit up Zoom-Zoom, as I thought the name was promising and it didn’t disappoint. It was pretty much all down and a lot of fun to ride. There isn’t a lot of peddling involved, its pretty much winds you down the hill and has some nice off-camber spots. You can get some good speed going and if you are creative pop off of some of nature’s booters to make it even more enjoyable!

I pushed back up zoom-zoom so I could ride it again! I really didn’t want to ride all the way back around the family loop and up Rangihoua loop to get to the trail head. It took about 15 mins and I then decided I would only ride it a couple more times as I really wasn’t enjoying the pushes… since it was all down the push was all up. Argh!  I may have been a bit out of shape since all I was doing the couple days prior was drinking and eating. Heheh.

After hussing Zoom-Zoom a couple of times I hit up Nice & Easy. The name is deceiving. I was thinking it would be a nana track, but I was wrong. This was a great trail too! It is a tight winding track that takes you through thick native bush. With the majority of the trail being covered by bush it was the wettest/muddiest of the trails after all of the rain we had. I really enjoyed this trail as it was just switch back after switch back. This track comes out to the mid point of the Rangihoua Loop, so you can either keep looping it, hit up Zoom-Zoom or jump on to the Rangihoura Loop and head back to the car park. I looped it a couple of times as well.

There were a couple linking tracks too. The Prairies takes you through a field and on too Chicken Run, which links you back to the start of the track. Both of the tracks are just linking trails and not much to go on about here.

Overall it is a fun place to ride your bike. I rode each track a couple times and then headed back to the batch muddy and happy! Kudos to the Waiheke Mountain Bike Club for creating and maintaining such great little trail network. I cant wait to come back and ride again!

After lounging around the batch for a while we decided to go for a paddle. The rain had stopped so we hopped in the car and were in search for a suitable bay with calm water to go paddle boarding. We are not at the level of surfing these boards in good swells… one day, but not now! Three bays later we found a suitable place to take the boards out. The sun was peaking through the clouds and we stayed at the beach swimming and paddling for a couple of hours. I’m really digging the paddle boards! It is pretty chill and calming being on the water.

We then headed back to the batch to have a bit of lunch after working up a hunger on the boards. We all picthed in and made viatnamese summer rolls with prawns.. fan fu*k’n tastic.  Full bellied it was chill out time. I wanted to take the bike out, as earlier in the week I had researched some mountain bike tracks close to town.

I packed the bike into the car and went in search of the Waiheke bike tracks. Unlike me, I didn’t get lost and managed to find the tracks right way – I guess that is what happens when it is a small island. I was definitely impressed with the tracks they had in Waiheke and wouldn’t mind hitting them up again. They weren’t overly long, but you could tell work had gone into them! The trails were all single track winding through native bush – brilliant! It rained on me, making the ride even more fun, slippery and messy! I came home covered in mud, which is a good sign for a ride!

That night it was another mean feed and some causal beers! We watched a couple movies and crashed. Another great day in Waiheke! Oh how I would like to live here.

Some of the fallen soldiers from the night before... better restock!

We headed into town to get some beers and other small items to snack on. We stopped at 3 different liquor stores, as the first two were pretty overpriced and in the end we came away with two packs of 15 Macs Golden and a 12 of Steinlager Pure. Now we also brought from home a bottle of 42 Below, plus some Rum. We were ready to celebrate – no chance of running out of booze!

There was a Saturday fair on so we stopped to wander through and see what treasures we could find. There really wasn’t much, some used clothing, hippies selling art work/handmade bracelets, taro card readers and a couple food stalls – we came away with some fresh bread!

Michelle showcasing her fine bevy!

The rain had finally slowed and the sky was a lighter shade of grey.. yahoo it may just turn into a nice day! It was nice having the car with us as it allowed us to tour a bit of the island checking out the batches nestled in the hills and a long the beaches. My mate was taking the ferry over early avro to spend the night at the batch for New Years, so we picked him up and headed back to the batch fully stocked and ready to bring in 2012. As soon as we got back to the batch it was into the beers on the deck. The sun decided to make an apperance so it was time for chilling, talking shit and just enjoying being out of the city!

Enjoying the deck and sunshine when it came out to play.

We made a snakced throughout the avro and evening with chicken wings, burgers, chips, roasted veggies and the fresh bead we purchased dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar… pretty posh eh!  My mate brought some Franks Hot Sauce for the wings he got in the States… so damn good!  You cant get Franks in NZ, so if you are heading this way please bring me some.

Enjoying some amazing wings!

Of course we had lots to drink – beers, shots, whiskey, vodka and lime, daquiris and some rum. Bit boozed fueled. At midnight it was the usual celebrations, some drunk calls to my brother ahah… answer the phone dick. It was a great way to ring in the New Year. Happy 2012!!!!

In the car on the ferry, ready for Waiheke!

If you are not familiar with Waiheke, it is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about 15km from Auckland. It is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island and has nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island. The island has a very strong arts community, which you can tell by all of the artsy/craft shops. We decided to take the car with us as it allowed us to take food/booze/bags/bike/paddle boards, which meant we had to take the Sealink. So like last Christmas we were once again on a boat with our car on our way to our holiday destination.

Upon arrival to Waiheke we headed straight to the batch we rented. It was a bush batch located a long the side of a hill in native forest. It was surrounded by trees, fauna, bush and birds! Even though there were neighbors on either side, all of the trees and bush provided a lot of privacy giving you the great secluded feeling one wants when heading to a batch. The batch was all windows, which seemed trick a lot of the kings fishers and Tui’s! They kept flying into the windows – no birds were hurt. It was your typical old kiwi batch though! It had a nice big deck from where you could see the ocean, a fire place and a tonne of books from the 50’s, old uncomfortable furniture and more than enough room for the two of us…perfect.

By the fire, relaxing in Waiheke!

After unloading we cracked into the beers, made dinner, had a fire and just relaxed. The cyclone was in full force by now, so it was all rain and wind. No better place to be then in a batch, by a fire, with good company, listening to some Neil Young. Life is good.

Ill start with the weather, Christmas in New Zealand is all about the beach and bbq’s. It is the kick off to the warm summer weather. Unfortunately this year a cyclone and heaps of rain put a bit of a damper on that. It has been pretty much off and on with rain and strong winds. Not just your run of the mill showers, we’re talking buckets of rain. That is how NZ remains so green, heaps of rain with the chance of cyclone.

Christmas was spent at Michelle’s family’s house where like in Christmas fashion we ate heaps, had a couple drinks and spent the majority of our time watching little ones entertain the family with their Christmas enthusiasm. This year Michelle and I decided to get each other Stand Up Paddle boards… pretty amazing present! Now I ride in the morning and paddle in the avro. Not a bad lifestyle eh!

Boxing day we headed to a batch on an olive orchard where we once again ate well, had a couple bevies and just relaxed. It was a pretty cool spot south west of Auckland near Helensville out in the middle of nowhere. We stayed there one night and then headed back to Auckland to prep for the next part of our holidays, Waiheke.

Prior to the bar crawl I was at work where my avro consisted of drinking about 6 beers and playing office cricket with hand made paper/tape balls. Yup, I was hard at it! Looking back it wasn’t the best idea to pre drink for the 12 bars of Christmas, as I only made it too 9 of them. Bwah! I must say Congrats to my mates who made it through all 12 bars… you are legend!

I am actually pretty glad that I did only make it too the 9 as the next day I was not in hangover hell (all my mates were), so I have to thank Michelle for being the voice of reason and getting my drunk ass home. It was a hell of a binge and thankfully it only comes around once a year.

I totally recommend gathering all your mates together and doing your own 12 bars of Christmas. Make sure you have a schedule, a set time limit and of course a couple shot bars as well. Also make sure someone takes a camera or has a smart phone so they can take a photo of the carnage at each bar.  If you have played this game or are planning too, please let me know how you do. Hopefully you can make it too all 12 unlike me…

Bar #1 - The Playhouse

Bar #2 - The Darby

Bar #3 Bluestone Room

Bar #4 - Rakinos - I am taking the photo hence me not being in it.

Bar #5 - QF Tavern

Bar #6 - Right Track - That is my arm... Michelle took this amazing photo of me

Bar #7 - Fort St Union

Bar #8 - Fat Camel

Bar #9 - The Brewery - Goodnight Mike...

I took some pics, but they turned out to be shit so... i 'borrowed' this photo by: Ben Watson

Last night the Foo Fighters ROCKED New Zealand!! I’ve never seen them live, but have always heard amazing things. I’ve listened to them for ages, just never bothered forking out money for a show. I guess I was lazy getting on their live show bandwagon, but after last nights show I will be trying to get tickets to any Foo Fighters show that I can. The show was at Western Springs which is an outdoor race track in Auckland and held a rocking 50,000 ppl. It was arena rock at its best! The weather was rainy but it didn’t dampen the experience, if anything it made it better. 50,0000 wet fans dancing, screaming and rocking out to 17 years of Foo Fighter hits. I managed to get 2 rows from the stage – closest I have ever been and it was fuck’n amazing! The energy and atmosphere was great. There were no fights, just a ton of happy Foo fans partying the night away. They played all of their hits and did a 4 song encore which made a total of 2 hours and 45 mins of rock heaven! Not many bands put a show on like that. Tenacious D opened for them and did a hell of a job warming up the crowd and getting everyone amped for the Foo’s. Before Tenacous D, Canadian punk band Fucked Up played as well as Cairo Knife Fight = bad ass rock’n roll from a NZ band. I didn’t see either, but only heard they were amazing from other fans at the show. I didn’t even know Cairo Knife Fight were scheduled as I would have def gone early to see them – ah well next time! Dave Grohl has committed to come back to Auckland to play the Town Hall, which is a small venue for 2,500 ppl. He played it earlier in the year for a fundraiser for Christchurch. He did it completely free of charge, flew his band and roadies/gear over and raised $354,903 . Amazing. I will be getting tickets to that next show, regardless of the cost because they are that good!

Foo Fighters Concert Setlist

1. All My Life
2. Rope
3. The Pretender
4. My Hero
5. Learn to Fly
6. White Limo
7. Arlandria
8. Breakout
9. Cold Day in the Sun
10. Long Road to Ruin
11. Stacked Actors
12. Walk
13. Monkey Wrench
14. Let It Die
15. These Days
16. This is a Call
17. In the Flesh (Pink Floyd cover)
18. Best of You

Encore:

1. Wheels
2. Times Like These  (Started acoustic, then full band)
3. Generator Tie Your Mother  (Queen cover) – Tenacious D came out in short-shorts with suspenders and rocked out with the Foos!
4. Everlong

Wow, check this out – Foo Fighters created ‘volcanic tremor in Auckland’ – yup I was part of that!!

To be honest I don’t think I’ve ready 15 books in the last 15 years of my life. Yah, yah I know it’s a shame. But I am a now a born again reader ahah believe it Mom! So far I’ve read 11 books…I have 28 days to get through 4 books (unlikely, but you never know.)

Any ways here is my booklist for 2011 

• Bossy Pants: Tina Fey Autobiography – Funny read. If you like Tina Fey’s sense of humour and 30 Rock you will most likely love this book.
• Life: Keith Richard’s Autobiography – Amazing. The man should be dead, but has somehow come away from decades of drug and alcohol abuse almost unscathed.
• A Sting in the Tale – Good read: Humourus New Zealand bush and hunting stories from ‘good kiwi bastards’.
• Only Two Seats Left: The Story of Contiki – Very enjoyable. Did you know Contiki Travel was invented by a kiwi – true!  
• 127 Hours – Average book. I thought the guy is a bit of douche. If you are going out for a big hike, don’t be a dick – tell someone or write a note. It may save your arm.
• Adventures in Doubtful Sound – Read this on the flight back to NZ. Stories from a young Canadian kid growing up in Doubtful Sound way up inNorthern BC. Very entertaining/fun read!
• Scar Tissue – Really good read, but  I do think there is a lot of bullshit in it. He should be dead.
• Marching Powder – Totally recommend this book – best one I have read so far! A guy is caught smuggling drugs in Boliva, gets sent to prison where the prisoners have to buy their cells, they can come and go throughout the day, the best cocaine in the country is produced in the jail, he runs a walking tour inside the jail for tourist. Read this book!
• Into the Wild – Loved this book. Read the book, watch the movie and then buy the soundtrack!  
• Into Thin Air – Exciting read about an Everest expidition that goes wrong.
• Heaven is for Real - Cool book about a child who has a near death experince and has out of body experiences. Def makes you think about what happens after you kick it.

Do you have any books you can recommend?