Worlds collide, South Korea meets “Trumpet”

Whenever I go food shopping, I have to resist from buying an ice-cream at the end of it. I guess it’s habitual, since whenever I’ve taken my meds, I’ve also eaten something sweet at the end of it. Sort of a reward for doing a task.

The target of my affections that is, is ‘World cone’. It’s a cone type ice-cream a little bit like a Tip-top Trumpet. Made famous by Rachel Hunter, who went on to do bigger and better things.

World cone has chocolate top and bottom, and nuts on the top. you can tell if the cone has been in the freezer for too long when the cone isn’t crisp any more.

Pineapple lumps, well travelled

Without any research, I would say that Pineapple lumps are unique to New Zealand. In fact, it is one of the few remaining icons in “lollie land” that are left. Just recently Cadburys New Zealand discontinued the sweet lines of Jaffas, Sniffters and Tangy fruits.

Whenever I went to the movies, I always used to prefer Snifters. Ahem, when the movies had an intermission that is.

A lone pineapple lump was found at the bottom of my shopping bag, had survived the trip from New Zealand, Shanghai, South Korea and then onto the void. It has since found a home.

Good-bye lollies.

Big bag, little substance

There’s something about having a big bag. To me it means you don’t have to try to pack it well. A few items of clothing, underwear and the like and I’m away. Sadly over the past two weeks it’s gotten progressively heavier. Aside from two bottles of Worcester sauce, and Jiang’s extra clothing,  I can’t account for the weight gain. Dirty underwear can’t weigh that much.

New and updated big bag.

Turangi vice and the rabbit on the moon

Taken while visiting my friends in Turangi; the sun was setting as we had dinner, alfresco style.

The results were pleasing. A brightly lit moon with the trees blacked out in the foreground.

Jolly Jap(m)an, revisited

As promised, here is the Japanese guy I met at the airport, in the Osaka transit lounge.

Jolly as he was, he still didn’t smile for the camera. Sometimes I think that Japanese, or Asian men in general can be as stoic as the All Blacks, when it came to the match photo. So called a “rugby photo” because of the lack of cheer, and the staunch expression on the players faces.

Roadmap, fatal for some

4 years away from behind the wheel, 5 years since I’d driven inside of Auckland city. I needed a roadmap to get where I was going.

A beer, the backyard and Tootie

Far from the maddening crowd, I enjoyed a beer on my brother’s porch, with only Tootie the cat for company.

Making that last look, last

I take one last, longing look at the drinks selection at the local supermarket. It’s the sort of beer I like to drink too.
Mac’s
Monteith’s

At the supermarket; “I’m just soaking up the atmos”

For the first time in three, long years I’m back in a New Zealand supermarket. Looking at foodstuffs that I have dreamt about, salivated over and eventually ordered online. Yes, in addition to getting some from CB, I had, six months before ordered some online.
Gastronomically, I’ve eaten, cookie times, Venison steak at a Queenstown steak house, drank H2Go on a bus to Christchurch, and downed a bottle of Monteith’s Summer ale at my brother’s place.
To date I’d have to say the most notable thing I’ve been involved was on the Interisland ferry, Kaitaki. Rolling around in the 2 meter swell, most of the passengers were feeling certain levels of nausea and vomiting. Jiang and I weren’t immune to the rolling. While both of us felt sleepy, Jiang slept for much longer, while I documented the sea state with my camera.

The Paparazi, shooting to kill

He’s a tandem skydiver, and in order to slow down their descent, they swing around horizontally, hence the strange angle. Oh, and I was lying on my back at the time.