I need subtitles

In New Zealand, I need subtitles.  Let me elaborate a little further...but first, some funny clips that help me illustrate the situation and/or how I'm feeling at the moment...

Okay.  So I don't think my English is bad.  In fact, it's great! (modesty - check).  It's only after coming to New Zealand that I feel like I am speaking a different language.  

Me: Do they have a desk?

Lady: A what?

Me: A desk.

Lady: I'm sorry a what?

Me: A desk - like a writing desk?

Lady:  Oh, a desk! (which she pronounced more like disk)

Lady 2: What is the name of the session?

Me: Sleep Talk

Lady 2: I don't think we have that one.

Me:  Sleep Talk?

Lady 2: I'm sorry - what?

Me:  SLEEEEEP TAALK

Lady 2: Oh, sleep talk! (she pronounced talk more like tolk)

They like long e's here.  Bed, yes, red...these all sound a bit different here.  Sounds more like bead, yis, reed.

And Torontonians - next time you say Toronto, see if it sounds like Torono.  Apparently we do that...drop the T when we say it.

Air New Zealand - in flight briefing video

I have found that Air New Zealand's in flight safety briefing videos are pretty entertaining, and different from your usual run of the mill safety video.  Check out the latest one!  Good fun.

It's filled with people dressed as characters from Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit.  There are even appearances from Gollum and (Sir) Peter Jackson!

The previous video was rugby related, featuring many players from the All Blacks rugby team.  You'll see Waikato's mascot, the Mooloo cow sitting in first class.

Oh, and you will often recognize an Air New Zealand stewardess by their bright purple patterned dress as shown in the video.

The Rugby video was perfect for the Rugby World Cup last year.  The Lord of the Rings video is perfect for the Hobbit movie which is premiering this month!   I love the little details, like the reference to "An Unexpected Journey" (An Unexpected Briefing).

Travelling in New Zealand 101

When we first mentioned to our friends and family that we were moving to New Zealand, many of the first reactions we got were "Cool!  I'll come visit you!"  While we have received some visitors, it is no where near the number of people who are interested in coming.

If you wish to visit us, our door is open to you my friends.  BUT please do not come just to visit us, for we live in Hamilton, New Zealand.  When people travel to New Zealand, they do not come solely to Hamilton.  New Zealand is a far, and expensive flight for most North Americans, so plan wisely!

Here are some things I tell people to consider:

WHERE AND HOW LONG?

Where do you want to visit and how long are you vacationing for?  I can't tell you how many people start off saying "I'm going on vacation to ______, maybe I can drop by New Zealand."  For ______, insert Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, etc...somewhere we normally consider far.  You may think that New Zealand is just a hop, skip, and jump away from these places - but it is not.  Hong Kong  and Malaysia are still 11hrs away.  Australia is anywhere from 3 - 6 hours away by plane.

So while you are closer in theory (compared to the 20+hours it takes from Toronto, for example), you are still not THAT close.  You also have to consider how much vacation time you have, not to mention the cost of a flight!  Flights aren't cheap!  Either is travelling to/in New Zealand.

Recommendation:

• Have at least two weeks to travel in New Zealand.  You could probably do it in less if you plan to just hit a couple of big cities like Auckland, Wellington, Queenstown, Christchurch - but most people do not come to New Zealand to check out the cities
• If you want to do a road trip through both the North and South Islands, you would probably need  closer to one to two months.  
• Hikes, scenery, and adventure / extreme activities - New Zealand has lots of these.  Hope you like these things!
• You are likely to fly into Auckland, so plan your travels from there.  Some transportation ideas to follow below...
• New Zealand summer is Canada's winter.  Maybe it was just last summer, but it did not get that hot here.  Maybe mid-twenties.  Comfortable temperatures compared to the high humidity experienced in Toronto this past summer
• Bring layers!  It rains often.  Be prepared to pile on layers and a waterproof layer, but also to take these off.

TRANSPORTATION

There are several ways to get around

• Rent a car
• Rent a camper
• Take cheap intercity buses
• Take the ferry across to the other island - expensive!
• Buy a car and sell it at the end of your trip
• Tours that incorporate transportation
• Flights - Grabaseat

HOW TO DO IT CHEAPLY

• Grab One - Group deals site where you can find restaurant deals, hotel discounts, discounts for activities such as surfing, zorbing, or black water rafting
• Naked Bus - you can find some really really cheap bus rides from city to city ($30 to go from Hamilton to Wellington?  That's cheaper than the fuel cost if you drove there.)
• Grabaseat flights - you can also find some cheap flights, some as cheap as the bus rides but faster!

HIGHLIGHT REEL

It's so hard to say what you should go see.  It depends on how much time you have and what you really really want to do.  It makes no sense to try and scramble across the island by bus when you only have a week...unless you want to spend most of your time on the bus.  When we planned our South Island roadtrip, we almost made the mistake of not properly factoring in travel time.  You have to be realistic about how many things you want to see and do, given the amount of time you have.

Here is a(n) (incomplete) list of places we have been to, or passed through - if you're interested in more thoughts and opinions on any individual spots ask away!

North Island:

Cape Reinga

Pahia

Kerikeri - visited a yummy chocolate store - Makana

Whangerei

Auckland

Kauri Museum

tallest and oldest kauri trees

Bay of Islands

Tauranga

Tongariro Crossing

Taupo

Te Aroha

Paeora

Wellington

Palmerston North

Raglan

Waitomo

Coromandel

Hot Water Beach

Whangamata

Rotorua

Otorahonga

Ohakune

Hamilton

Cambridge

Interislander Ferry

South Island:
Blenheim

Abel Tasman

Fox Glacier

Franz Glacier

Omaru

Punakaki

Wanaka

Queenstown

Milford Sound

Mount Cook

Kaikoura

Elephant rocks

Now, this is a really rough look at travelling to New Zealand.  I've had this conversation several times with friends, so it's worth writing down.  I'll add more as more conversations materialize, or as a I remember to write things down!

Hope to see you soon!

Happy Father's Day!

To all Fathers out there in Australia and New Zealand, Happy Father's Day!

Yes, it's September and not June!  Just one of the many differences between North American and Aus/NZ.

Quiz Questions and Answers

I reckon you'll get only a few more posts of quiz questions and answers before there is a semi-permanent to permanent hiatus due to other commitments...so enjoy!


QUESTIONS:

1. In which year did Captain Cook discover New Zealand?
2. Which CSI actor played Lieutenant Dan Taylor in the movie Forrest Gump?
3. What number bus was Forrest Gump waiting for in the movie?
4. What character is actor Burt Ward known for playing?
5. What is a female rabbit called?
6. Gene Roddenberry created which long running TV programme: Bonanza or Star Trek?
7. Is Shawn Carter better known in America as the rapper Jay Z or 50 Cent?
8. Who is the inventor of the TV?  Name any year that he lived.
9. What is the capital city of the state of Oklahoma?
10. What is the name given to the observance where Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights int he desert?
11. All modern cameras tend to use an SD card.  What does S and D stand for?
12. What is the only anagram that can be made from the word "English"
13. One of the biggest operations of WWII was code named "Operation Overlord."  What was that operation?
14. What is the hardest and softest mineral known to mankind?
15. Anagram: I LIKE EM YOUNG
16. List in order of oldest to youngest:
• Bill Gates
• Sven Goran Erickson
• Jesse Ryder
• 50 cent
• Catherine Zeta Jones
• Kylie Minogue
17. Anagram: A LICE MACHINE
18. What is the capital city of Norway?
19. From 1841 - 1846, New Zealand was divided into 3 provinces - name two of them.
20. How many movies did Elvis make, more or less than 20?

Let's leave it at that for now...there are a few more to add to this list, but for the sake of posting...here you go!

ANSWERS

1. 1769
2. Gary Sinise
3. bus number 9
4. Robin (from Batman)
5. doe
6. Star Trek
7. Jay Z
8. John Logie Baird, 1888 - 1946
9. Oklahoma City
10. Lent
11. Secure Digital
12. shingle
13. Battle of Normandy
14. diamond and talc
15. Kylie Minogue
16. oldest to youngest:
1. Sven Goran Erickson - 1948
2. Bill Gates - 1955
3. Kylie Minogue - 1968
4. Catherine Zeta Jones - 1969
5. 50 cent - 1975
6. Jesse Ryder - 1984
17. Michael Caine
18. Oslo
19. New Ulster, New Munster, New Leinster
20. more than 20 (31)

Mount Tongariro Erupts

Mount Tongariro is about 2.5 hrs away from Hamilton, near Taupo.  There is a wonderful walking track there, and it is rated one of the top walks / hikes in the world.

Well right now, that track is closed due to a volcanic eruption that occurred on August 6th, 2012 at 11:50pm.  It was apparently a minor eruption that has left a dusting of ash over neighbouring areas.  (article per stuff.co.nz:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7426862/First-Tongariro-eruption-in-over-100-years).  The ski slopes remain open on Mt Ruapehu, but some flights were affected due to the ash cloud.

New Zealand sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and so being prepared for earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions would be a good idea.  Hamilton is probably one of the safest areas in New Zealand.  It is situated inland, making it a safe distance from tsunamis.  It is also a good distance from fault lines.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4760577/Play-it-safe-live-in-Hamilton

It does rain a lot though...and we are close to the Waikato River.  We have seen water levels rise to cover the bike paths, but it hasn't risen enough to touch our backyard ... yet.  Let's hope it stays that way.

Quiz Questions and Answers

A few weeks of accumulated questions...

QUESTIONS:

1. What is phonophobia the fear of?
2. What is the United States of America's most populated city?
3. Anagram: DICKHEAD AMBV
4. What is the main spirit in a Singapore Sling: Gin, Vodka, or Whiskey?
5. What year was Jitterbug by Wham released?
6. List in order of oldest to youngest:
• Barry White
• David Beckham
• Rihanna
• Gabriel Bryne
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Kevin Spacey
7. Is the Great Wall of China more or less than 2000 miles?
8. Yes or no, do tigers purr?
9. Which bear was created by author Michael Bond: Rupert the bear, Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear?
10. What was Chuck Yeager the first man to do?
11. What do people assume happens when you travel to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone?  Which castle is it in?
12. How many players on a baseball team
13. Excluding the ball, how many pieces of wooden equipment are used in a game of cricket?
14. Anagram: CHIC FLAIR FDR
15. What is the official language of Argentina?
16. Who was the Greek god of the sea?  Who was the Roman god of the sea?
17. In Notting Hill, what drink did Hugh Grant spill on Julia Roberts: red wine or orange juice?
18. Della Street was the secretary to which well known TV detective: Chief Ironside or Perry Mason?
19. What was the first flavour of gum produced by Wrigley's: juicy fruit or spearmint?
20. The Gulf of Bothnia is part of which sea?
21. Often associated with tires, what rating system is associated with restaurants?  What is the maximum number of stars you can get?
22. To the nearest mile, what is the distance an olympic marathon?
23. In Scrabble, what is the value of the letter 'Z'?
24. What is the capital city of Jordan?
25. List from oldest to youngest:
• Ben Stiller
• Charles Manson
• Cameron Diaz
• Richie McCaw
• Clint Eastwood
• Dan Carter
26. Anagram: PERKY TRAY
27. List from oldest to youngest:
• OJ Simpson
• Brad Pitt
• Tom Hanks
• Katy Perry
• Bryan Adams
• Steve Irwin

that's it for now...

ANSWERS:

1. loud noises
2. New York
3. David Beckham
4. Gin
5. 1984
6. oldest to youngest:
1. Barry White
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. Gabriel Bryne
4. Kevin Spacey
5. David Beckham
6. Rihanna
7. more
8. no
9. Paddington Bear
10. break the sound barrier
11. you get the gift of gab, found in Castle Blarney
12. 9
13. 12 pieces of wood; two wickets of 3 stumps and 2 bails each, and two bats
14. Cliff Richard
15. Spanish
16. Poseidon (Greek), Neptune (Roman)
17. orange juice
18. Perry Mason
19. Juicy Fruit
20. Baltic Sea
21. Michelin, 3 stars
22. 26 miles
23. 10
24. Amman
25. listed from oldest to youngest:
1. Clint Eastwood (1930)
2. Charles Manson (1934)
3. Ben Stiller ( 1965)
4. Cameron Diaz (1972)
5. Richie McCaw (1980)
6. Dan Carter (1982)
26. Katy Perry
27. Listed from oldest to youngest:
1. OJ Simpson (1947)
2. Tom Hanks (1956)
3. Bryan Adams (1959)
4. Steve Irwin (1962)
5. Brad Pitt (1963)
6. Katy Perry (1984)

Marmite and Vegemite

Vegemite and Marmite are two distinctly Aussie and Kiwi foods.  There are British and South African versions of marmite too, but the NZ one is supposed to be different from the other two.

VEGEMITE (Aussie)
The first time I had this stuff, I disliked it.  I still am not fond of vegemite.  I was expecting something like jam, since it is a spread you can eat for breakfast.  It's a salty spread made of yeast extract.  I can only suggest that you try it yourself to know what it tastes like.

How do you eat this stuff?  That is where websites like wikihow are so useful =)

How to eat Vegemite:

• Go out to your local store and buy a pot of Vegemite. If you're fairly new to Vegemite, get the smallest one you can. If you're feeling brave, get whichever one you like
• Buy some bread as well. Multigrain, Wholegrain or White, Vegemite is all good on those breads.
• Toast your bread. The crunch is satisfying along with the salty taste of Vegemite.
• Spread butter on the bread, wait for it to melt and then spread a thin (meaning thin. You should see butter in patches) layer of Vegemite over it. Or, if you want, draw a nice smiley face in Vegemite.
• Chew, swallow, digest and recover. Wasn't that bad, was it? Now try it again. Good luck!

Go with that THIN layer, as they suggest.  The butter might help too.  Maybe I shall be brave enough to try again with the butter.  Oh, some say that vegemite and marmite help ward off mosquitoes because of the high vitamin B content...who knows.  Let me know what your verdict is (on taste, and the mosquitoes).

MARMITE (Kiwi)

Haven't tried out marmite yet.  There was a bit of a marmite crisis not too long ago, where they were afraid that they would run out of marmite since the factory in Christchurch was affected by the Feb 2011 earthquake.  Like Vegemite, Marmite is a spread made of yeast extract, although it is apparently sweeter than Vegemite.

How to eat Marmite:

Wikihow states that marmite is similar to vegemite in terms of how you can eat it.  It suggests using a tiny quantity and spreading it like a veggie dip on some of the following items:

• toast
• tomatoes
• cucumber
• red bell pepper
• cauliflower or broccoli
• boiled eggs

So?  How does it taste?

Quiz Questions and Answers

This week's pub quiz questions and answers:

QUESTIONS

1. Was the Eiffel tower erected in the late 1800s or early 1900s?
2. How many pedals are there on a harp - five or seven?
3. How did the German pilot, the Red Baron, meet his death - he was shot or his plane crashed?
4. How many claws does a cat have?
5. Which fairy tale writer wrote the Ugly Duckling?
6. A crib in the South Island of New Zealand is called what in the North Island (this is a very New Zealander question)?
7. Which composer is famous for being deaf and never heard any of his final works - Mozart, Beethoven, or Elgar?  Name a year he was alive.
8. In what sport are there defensive positions called prime, tierce, and octave?
9. What is the core of a cricket ball made of - rubber, cork, or leather?
10. The first two soccer world cups were held in a South American country, and a European country - which were they?
11. What is the name of William Shakespeare's London theatre?
12. Aparet from a tourist attraction, restaurants, etc, what practical purpose is the Eiffel Tower used for?
13. Which character is author Captain W.E. Johns famous for creating?
14. What insect is blamed for causing the Black Death in the middle ages?
15. How long is 90 mile beach in New Zealand?  Which peninsula is it part of?
16. What was Magnum PI's Christian name?
17. What is Scar's relation to Simba in the Disney movie, The Lion King?
18. How many children did Shakespeare have - three or six?
19. What is the name of the stage given between a butterfly and caterpillar?
20. What is the correct name given to someone who studies birds?
21. What year did Mike Tyson bite off Evander Holyfield's ear, and the Spice girls released Spice Up Your Life?
22. Anagram: JOLLILY BE
23. List in order of oldest to youngest: Robert Downey Jr.; Marilyn Monroe; Jack Black; Rowen Atkinson; Jayne Russell; Billy Joel
24. Who is this famous pair?

ANSWERS

1. late 1800s (1889)
2. seven
3. shot
4. 18 (5 on each front paw, 4 on each back paw)
5. Hans Christian Andersen
6. Bach - btw, this deserves a vocabulary post.  Bach is the equivalent of a cottage in Canada
7. Beethoven; 1770 - 1827
8. fencing
9. cork
10. Uruguay and Italy
11. Globe Theatre
12. Aerial transmitter
13. Biggles
14. flea
15. 55 mi (85km); Aubouri Peninsula
16. Thomas
17. uncle
18. three
19. chrysalis
20. Ornithologist
21. 1997
22. Billy Joel
23. Jayne Russell (1921); Marilyn Monroe (1926); Billy Joel (1949); Rowen Atkinson (1955); Robert Downey Jr. (1965); Jack Black (1969); 
24. Laurel and Hardy

Quiz Questions and Answers

A team won this week's cash ball as well.  Since the pot only accumulated one evening, they only took home $74.  That's not bad though.  That means there were 74 people at quiz night.

QUESTIONS

1. How many Great Lakes are there in North America?  Name the only one that is entirely in the United States.
2. In yards, how long is a field hockey pitch?
3. In a standard deck of playing cards, which is the only king without a moustache?
4. In golf, how many penalty strokes are given for a lost ball?
5. How many keys are there on a grand piano, more or less than 80?
6. Who is the patron of tax - St. Matthew or St. Anthony?
7. Who sculpted the Statue of David?  Name a year he was alive.  What city is the statue located?
8. What is the name of the author who wrote "Bleak House"?
9. What are you afraid of if you suffer from triskaidekaphobia?
10. What is the correct name for the largest muscle in the human body?
11. What is the national speedlimit on a German motorway - 90kph, 120kph, or no limit?
12. What was the Lone Ranger's horse called?  What was the name of Tonto's horse?
13. In most American states, what is the minimum age to buy alcohol?
14. Are there more or less than 35 black keys on a grand piano?
15. Did the sweetener "Splenda" appear on the market this millenium, or last?
16. Was the book "The DaVinci Code" translated into more or less than 50 languages?
17. When using the computer, what does R.A.M. stand for?
18. Marie Antoinette was the wife of which French King?
19. Anagram: JINX HIRE DIM
20. When was the Euro introduced?
21. What is the first line of the song "Money, Money, Money" - by Abba
22. List in order from the oldest to youngest: Jimmy Hendrix, Woody Allen, Kane Williamson, Julie Andrews, Gwenyth Paltrow, Tom Hanks

ANSWERS

1. five; Lake Michigan
2. 100 yards
3. hearts
4. 1
5. more (88)
6. St. Matthew
7. Michelangelo; 1475 - 1564; Florence
8. Charles Dickens
9. number 13
10. gluteus maximus
11. no limit
12. Silver; Scout
13. 21
14. more (36)
15. last
16. less (44)
17. random access memory
18. Louis XVI
19. Jim Hendrix
20. 1999
21. I work all night, I work all day
22. Julie Andrews, Woody Allen, Jimmy Hendrix, Tom Hanks, Gwenyth Paltrow, Kane Williamson

Famous things that come out of Hamilton

Kimbra!  Kimbra is born in Hamilton, New Zealand.  Okay, I can hear some of you asking 'who's Kimbra?'

Kimbra is a Hamilton, New Zealand born singer / songwriter.  She's featured in the music video below by Goyte (feat. Kimbra) - Somebody That I Used To Know
Cool song, cool music video with the painting of the wall and bodies.  Over 214 million hits on YouTube so far.
At first, it sounded like something from the 80's.  Anyone else think he has a 'Peter Gabriel' or 'Phil Collins' sound to him?

Somebody That I Used To Know - Goyte (featuring Kimbra)

And in YouTube fashion, I have been directed to other related videos.  What do you think of this one: same song, five people - one guitar = sounds pretty good.

Somebody That I Used to Know - Walk off the Earth (Gotye - Cover)

Quiz Night Questions and Answers

So this week, the cash jackpot was something like $960 or so.  We did not win =(.  Some other team did!  This is quite a feat, with moments of 'just' guessing correctly (i.e. guessing lower on a 9 and it turned out to be an 8!).  So now the pot starts all over again.  Next week if we win the cash ball, we'd have to split something like $50 amongst the team.  Oh well.

So this week's questions and answers below!  Don't scroll too far down if you're trying to answer the questions, as I have included the answers for this week.

QUESTIONS:

1. Was the world's first hot air balloon flight in France or USA?
2. What was the first hit single for Simon and Garfunkel? Bridge over Troubled Waters or The Sound of Silence
3. What is the name of the first man to sail around the world?  Name any year he was alive.
4. How is Joe Ratzinger better known?
5. Addis Ababa is the capital of which country?
6. What was the name of the organization that preceded the United Nations?
7. What is the name of the world's deepest lake?  What country is it in?
8. In which sport are competitors not allowed to participate left-handed?
9. What is the maximum score for a single game of 10-pin bowling?
10. In men's fencing competitions, how many hits are required to win?
11. The Olympic Games has a three world motto.  Name two of those words.
12. What city is Michael Jackson born in?
13. What is the longest river in Africa?
14. What is the Japanese beverage sake made from?
15. When East and West Germany were split, what were the capitals of each?
16. Detective Kojak had a favourite sweet.  What was it?
17. What is Thor's homeland called? 
18. Auckland is situated in which gulf?
19. What did Edmund Hilary say he ate while climbing Mt. Everest; Marmite, Weet-Bix, or a boiled egg?

and answers below...

ANSWERS:

1. France
2. The Sound of Silence
3. Ferdinand Magellan, 1480-1521
4. Pope Benedict XVI
5. Ethiopia
6. League of Nations
7. Lake Baikal; Russia
8. Polo
9. 300
10. 5
11. Faster.  Higher.  Stronger.
12. Gary
13. Nile
14. Rice
15. East: Berlin; West: Bonn
16. Lollipop
17. Asgard
18. Hauraki Gulf
19. Weet-Bix

Quiz Night!

So what do you guys do in New Zealand?  Well one of the highlights of the week is going to a weekly Pub Night Quiz!  It has been entertaining enough to keep us coming back.  Part  of the incentive is also winning one of two nightly prizes: 1) a chance at winning the CASH BALL! 2) placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.  But really, it's just fun.

Cash Ball:
- Everyone contributes $1 to quiz night.  The money goes to the Cash Ball pot
- midway through the night, we are presented with five 50/50 questions (question with two answers - pick one)
- the team that answers the most questions correctly gets a chance to win the pot (e.g. Was Lady Gaga born in NYC or LA?)
- in the case of a tie, there is a tie breaking question (e.g.  What year was the telephone invented?; closest to the answer wins)
- this week's pot $964 I think.  That's some nice coin, even if you do have to split it amongst 6-10 team members.  btw, teams can be as big or small as you'd like.  The pot grows by about $40-60 each week.
- But HOW do you win?
- choose a team representative to pick the cards
- shuffle cards, and lay out five cards face down
- you flip over the first card and guess higher or lower for the next card - if you guess wrong you lose
- the object of the game  is to over turn all the cards WITHOUT uncovering a joker or the exact same card (e.g. ace followed by another ace)
- it's tougher luck than you think!

Questions:
And now, a sampling of the questions.
There are different categories: General Knowledge, Sports and Games, Pop Music, Movies, to name a few
You don't have to be a genius, just have a lot of random information stored in your brain.  Many of the questions are New Zealand, Australia, UK, or US centric.  It helps to have some kiwis on the team because there is no way I know any of their Prime Ministers, or other such information.
This week's questions weren't too bad.  These are the ones that I can actually write down and communicate to you.  There are parts of the quiz that involve pictures and audio clips (e.g. they play a theme song to a TV show or movie and you have to guess what it is and who the main actors are)

1. Who invented the telephone?  Name a year he was alive.
2. What is more dense - lead or gold?
3. How many star signs are used in the Zodiac?
4. Who was TIME magazine's man of the year in 1938?
5. Which US document begins with "We the people" - The Declaration of Independence, or The American Constitution?
6. What year did Sir Edmund Hilary conquer Mount Everest?  Who was his companion?
7. What is the capital of Australia?
8. What is the beginning of a field hockey game called?
9. What is the beginning of an ice hockey game called?
10. How many rounds are there in an Olympic amateur boxing match?
11. Which New Zealander is credited with the introduction of "jogging"?
12. Who wrote The Lord of The Rings?
13. When Jesus was young he had a job.  What was it?
14. What country is the Leaning Tower of Pisa located? What was its use?  How tall is it?
15. What was Indiana Jones searching for in the first movie?
16. What is Captain America's secret identity?  What is the full and correct name of the movie?
17. Who sings "Break my stride" (lyrics sample: Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no I got to keep on movin')?
18. What happened on August 4, 1914?
19. Anagram (famous person - unscramble letters to get name): GIG JERK CAM
20. What year did George Bush become 43rd President?
21. In the story of the Tortoise and the Hare, how did the Tortoise win the race?
22. Who sings Tik Tok?
23. Who is the guy who wears the white shirt and ascot in Scooby Doo (first and last name)?

I could post the answers now...but I think I'll separate it into another post.  Let me know if you have a preference!

EDIT: okay I'm adding the answers below!  Hopefully the spacing is good enough to keep you from 'accidentally' seeing the answers before you've had a good go at them.



ANSWERS:

1. Alexander Graham Bell; 1847 - 1922
2. gold
3. 12
4. Adolf Hitler
5. American Constitution
6. 1953; Tenzing Norgay
7. Canberra
8. Bully Off
9. Face Off
10. 4
11. Arthur Lydiard
12. J.R.R. Tolkien
13. carpenter
14. Italy; bell tower; 56 m
15. Ark of the covenant
16. Steve Rogers
17. Matthew Wilder
18. World War I declared
19. Mick Jagger
20. 2001
21. the hare took a rest and fell asleep
22. Ke$ha
23. Fred Jones

Balloons Over Waikato 2012

March 28 - April 1, 2012

Balloons Over Waikato is an annual event in the Waikato involving a large number of hot air balloons.  It was neat to see, especially all the special shaped balloons (such as the kangaroos).  Some of the highlights of the event include the Night Glow, where the balloons are inflated and lit to music.

Most of the event takes place in Innes Commons, around Lake Hamilton.  Stuff.co.nz has a good video of the first day of the event, where the balloons are inflating and then lifting off.  http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6655960/All-go-in-the-Tron

Day 2 - before daylight lift off (which we missed), and some free breakfast (or brekkie, as they say here).  On the menu - cereal, yogurt, milk - supplied by Sanitarium.

Day 4 - The Night Glow is held at the University of Waikato.  I must say, I found it pretty neat.  My favs were when they played the Haka, Waltzing Matilda, and the set of fireworks that explodes twice

They do a pretty good job of organizing the event.  There are even free shuttle buses that take you to the Night Glow from various parts of the city, to help alleviate the traffic generated by the event.

VIDEO here - fun parts include Night Glow that starts at 1:50, Haka played at 2:00,  Waltzing Matilda 3:43 (side note - this was choreographed by an Australian.  Waltzing Matilda is an unofficial anthem of Oz).  All concluded by a fireworks show.  My fav fireworks are the ones at 5:59...and the finale of course.  The video does its autofocus thing, so there are many blurry moments.  Much much better in person of course =).

Iwi the Kiwi, Polly the Kangaroo (with babies in pouch) and Tom the Kangaroo were the special shaped balloons (pictures to come).

Hobbiton

One of the things that comes to mind when you think New Zealand is "Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit"

So if you ever get a chance to visit us (you know who you are) maybe you will want to go to Hobbiton, the place where they film scenes from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.  The Hobbit movie gets released later on this year (2012), with the premiere in Wellington.  Hobbiton is not far from Hamilton.  It's located in Matamata, which is only about an hours drive away.  They have taken some farmland (Alexander Farm) and converted it into the Shire, and it will remain there as a tourist attraction.

Link to tours here.  It's not cheap though..but let's face it, nothing in New Zealand is.  So when you get here be prepared to fork out for food, accommodation, and day trips - because you might get bored spending all your days in Hamilton. The cheaper stuff might be camping and hiking, but you still need to get there and perhaps rent a camper or gear.

Back to Hobbit stuff.  There was a casting call recently for Hobbits!  But you had to be located in Wellington.  Yes, yes - we're too big to be Hobbits!  But they were looking for elves too =)
Ad here
----------------------------- some of details from Ad -------------------------------

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Currently live in Wellington area

• 17 years & over

• Able to work in NZ 

• Have flexible availability

We are looking for MEN & WOMEN for a VARIETY of characters

• MEN – under 5’4” (163cm)

• WOMEN – under 5” (155cm)

• BIG MEN – with character faces – 5’9 and over (175cm+) 

• MEN with LARGE biceps any height.

• WOMEN with character faces and long hair

• MEN & WOMEN – ELVES slim, athletic, 5’5” – 6’4” (165 – 203cm)

We will be holding the Casting Call 

SATURDAY 28th JANUARY from 1pm – 4pm 

----------------------------- - end - -------------------------------

Some 3000 people wanted to be Hobbit or Elf extras.  The casting call was closed early because they were expecting about 1200 people but instead had more than 3000 (article).  Oh well, so much for being an elf.

Il pleut beaucoup

It rains a lot here.  Today's forecast is cloudy with no signs of rain, but the forecast for last week and seemingly the past two months have been RAIN RAIN RAIN.

Solid rain.  Torrential downpour rain.  Sure, it's summer time here in New Zealand ...but it's not the summers that you know of in Toronto.  This past summer in Toronto was HOT!  Here it gets to maybe mid-twenty C, but usually low twenties.  It's comfortable, but not hot per se.

Who knew it could rain so much.  Relentless - all day, all night.  The low rumbling can even keep you up at night.

(Video of the rain)

It rained so much, the water levels of the nearby river rose to submerge some of the walking paths there.  Now that's a lot of water.

New Zealand has much greenery and vegetation.  The rain helps.