Jo Herrings Adventures

I took some time out from my busy schedule to visit my University city Dunedin. I hitched a ride with my Mum's neighbour and my former varsity classmate Carmel and her son Jonah.  We  were greeted by  Hana  one of my old flatmates who was my delightful host again, at the warehouse in Queens Gardens she shares with two others. We indulged in some of Dunedin's cheap eats - Vietnamese was the theme and bumping into another old Varsity mate was becoming par of the course! Asian cuisine, of any kind can be found in the North End of the city and generally offers a delicious and generous meal for under NZ$15 a head. This was always a favourite for us students with many birthdays spent out with BYO (thats Bring Your Own) booze to these genuinely tasteful establishments. Rolling out full of life was never difficult to achieve! We enjoyed a leisurely afternoon  pasting posters for Hana's upcoming gig around the CBD and doing some Christmas/pre-trip shopping...

Election Day (+1) in New Zealand and its spurred me to get my blog in order so I can write about the historic nature of yet another democratic election and a referendum here in the Land of the Long White cloud (where sovereignty was founded by the great women of our nation. Piece of Trivia for you Pub Quiz types). I have enjoyed the build up to the elections with the usual twitteraty declaring success by voting early and my facetalkers all complaining about the lack of better options. My family all clearly divided through time and circumstance. Mum is a staunch National Supporter from her farming background and Dad was a Labour supporter making for a fun election night in our household every 3 years. I am rather indifferent to change as I don't live here in NZ full time. But without making a vote I can't weigh in on any political discussions for the next 3 years. Thats the rules... My favourite experience of this election was listening to special people at the library com...

We are the Champions my friends! And we'll keep on fighting til the end! We are the Champions! We are the Champions! No time for losers! Cos we are the champions! Of the World! Count yourselves lucky I don't know how to set music to my posts! Richie McCaw accepting the William Webb Ellis Trophy I am still pinching myself a little that I am here in New Zealand to see my team the mighty All Blacks take the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy. Sorry I started the blog post with the punch line but there is no real way to hide my pride and delight with the result on Sunday 23rd of October 2011. This post is more of a diary for me to remember just how amazing this weekend was so sorry if its long and not terribly interesting for you readers.. After going to bed at 9pm in preparation for the final I woke up like a kid on Christmas at dawn (around 5.30am). I rested for a bit before dying my hair - no not black! - and painting my nails - yes black. When the rest of th...

As I recovered from the All Black placing in the Final my mind turned to other pressing matters. Shortly before the weekend of the Semi Final the people of the Bay of Plenty were devastated to discover a container ship (The Rena) had crashed into a small reef in the harbour. It was said to be like hitting a needle in a hay stack and bought up many questions about the piloting of vessels into NZ harbours. Over the subsequent days the wild winds thrashed The Rena making it impossible to recover the boat in one piece. It was leaking oil and some of the containers were propelled off into the bay leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. I decided to join my good friend Nikki's family in The Bay to offer my beach cleaning skills. I had had very sad news from the London camp early in the week also. My friend René's  best friend from school days had taken his own life. I had enjoyed some of my best London moments with Tom and his girlfriend Laura including jiving to Calvi...

The week leading up to the Semi's was consumed with recovery, phone shopping, running and visiting friends in the Northland city of Whangarei. Thanks to the Prasad family for welcoming me home like only you guys can and Congratulations to Harry and Mrs Miranda Harrison on your brilliant new gym studio. Bookended on Friday with a warm up to the action was my Auckland 30th birthday with my wonderful family and friends. It was a night when you recognise how awesome your oldest friends are and how they are always there for you. Thanks Lovelies! As Saturday morning came and we enjoyed a slow start (some more than others!). I made arrangements to go to the first of the Semi Finals games with Vicky's old English workmate & Premier womens rugby player Rachel German. Rach had secured herself a ticket from a disappointed Englishman the week before for a tidy $50 (I had paid $501) on his way to the airport. We met a couple of girlfriends in Ponsonby and had some dinner before Chl...

I arrived back in Auckland on Saturday lunchtime after a big week down south to be greeted by brother Tom. I was taking him to the Quarter Final for his 30th birthday present (all be it 2.5 years later!). The Quarter was between England and France. I have never donned the English colours but I proudly stripped to my white Football Jersey in support of my second home. Not least because some Frenchies tried to knock me off by driving on the wrong side of the road that week. Nothing like a serious car crash to sort out your loyalties. Front Yard Footy on the Fan Trail We took the last of the Fan Trail to the game at Eden Park and enjoyed the tv's being set up in peoples front yards to see the game in Wellington (Ireland v Wales with Wales taking the prized first post in the Semi Finals). I don't have any images of the game and I can bearly remember the intricacies of it but I do remember one thing early on, I was backing the wrong horse. The crowd was mostly made up of Ch...

I had the great pleasure of attending Chris and Jodie Schriek's wedding at Trents Vineyard in Christchurch on Friday. It was a wonderful day of celebration. Chris greeted us at the cars along with his posy of pals in fine Black dinner suits. Chris's Mum fussed with roses for the boys as we took glasses of sparkling wine to the gardens of the vineyard. The ceremony was heartfelt and simple. Chris's tears on Jodie's arrival to the aisle was worthy of man size tissues and summoned smiles of joy from us all. The Bride and Groom had met at an All Black game in Cardiff when their tour company had not purchased enough tickets for the sold out game. I had the pleasure of being there that day to see their blossoming sparks of love and on Friday seeing this sealed with a kiss and a pinch of the brides bum 5 years on I couldn't be more happy! You can't see Chris's hand! We enjoyed canapés and more sparkles before being seated for a delicious buffet meal. Spe...

Some 7 weeks ago I arrived in New Zealand to be greeted with black flags and radio sport in the car. And a nation saying "if" we win the world cup. "When" was my instant response. I was bemused why the rugby loving culture were not adamant there team had it in them. Over the coming weeks I got back into the Kiwi psychi and began to watch the negative news and the negative press about our team and all things Rugby World Cup related. Week One - The opening ceremony and the NZ v Tonga game that followed was an absolute hit! NZ won the game convincingly allowing Tonga who by all intense and purposes bought the party and the passion to the tournament before it started with their furicous welcome at the airport and the many red flags (and even a painted house seen here in Northcote) to welcome their heroes. I personally had a fabulous night enjoying the game with my mates Uncle and the father-in-law of the sole Tongan try scorer. Nice on Kev! Final Score 41-10 Sadl...

Home. Its such a simple concept but to feel it as soon as you walk off a plane is something else. I was greeted by no less than a holagram of a rugby pass on green carpet on the threshold to customs and welcomed by my big bro in his NZ Rugby World Cup kit with a car decked in All Black Flags. Rugby World Cup MAGIC! Over the next couple of days I soaked up the North Shore hospitality seeing Birkenhead support Argentina and the French welcomed in Takapuna. It really is such a great atmosphere to be a part of. Opening Day rolled around and after a bit of a hiccup finding a person to sit next too (who in Auckland would not want to see the opening match of the Rugby World Cup in NZ honestly!) the day lifted off. With the gathering crowd at Tom and Vicky's coming from Wellington and Timaru we set off for the ferry from Birkenhead Point. Tom and I sprinted for the ferry meant to leave at 1.55 and did not secure a birth until 2.45 due to overcrowding. This is were I met the eventual...

I called in to see my good friend from school days Gemma-Jube and to meet her husband Sandy on my stop over in Sydney. It was a great break in the city to get over jet lag and spend some time with Jube after many years living in different continents. I also got in a night out in Manly with one of my London friends & Manly local Leigh getting to see the lay of the land for the princess of local architecture. Here are some of the highlights. Visiting Leigh in Manly Sydney Opera House by night Sydney Harbour Bridge  An Oxygen Bar in Darling Harbour - you know the Ozzies and their love of hot air