Here's one from America for you! :)
Romana1's answers:
1. Favorite color: blue and green
2. Favorite movie: Star Wars (1977-not to be confused with the new ones. ;) ), Dead Poets Society
3. Favorite animal: Dragons (nonmythical: Pandas)
4. Favorite book: 'All the Weyrs of Pern' by Anne McCaffrey
5. Favorite Passage from Q4A: Nov. 21st, 2003 : "I had a 'bit of a fire incident' this afternoon. .."
6. Favorite Photo: pic from March 13th, 2004-with the LOTR action figures against the New Zealand countryside. the one with Briggy's eye is pretty funny too!
7. Favorite smell: Firewood burning, Freesia
8. Quality in a friend: Loyalty
9. Desirable quality in a partner: Respect and loyalty
10. Most embarrasing moment: Hmm...can't think of any really good ones-but i got plenty!
11. Proudest achievement: When I was 3: "I can go potty all by myself!!" ;)
12. Saddest memory: when my little brother passed away.
13. Happiest memory: Oh, I have lots, but I'll stick to 3: when my little sister was born, apparently I was so proud that I told complete strangers in the elevator that they all had to come see my new baby sister. When my brother was born, it was the first day of 2nd grade, and apparently I saw my old kindergarten teacher, rolled down the window of the bus and shouted that I had a new baby brother. Several years later, when my neice was born, everyone new it was coming, 'cause I was very giddy-she was born 2 days before my own birthday! :)
14. Hero: My Uncle-I love the way he views life, and how he handles everything that is thrown his way-he is very optimistic. My other heroine: My mom-'cause she is just like her brother!! :)
15. Buried, cremated-where? Why?: Buried-If I'm single: Minnesota- family plot. If I ever get married: whereever my husband is or will be.
=-Ella :-)
Sat 10th April 1905
Location : Communal tv room, campsite Top 10, Coromandel.
870 km
It is far too long since I last wrote. Only 2 days in real time, but one of those periods of time which feels so much longer. At present I am sitting in a very stark tv lounge in the town of Coromandel. Bloo & I drove for 6 hours to get here today & I still have my ‘sea-legs’ so I am feeling a bit odd.
So, back a couple of days.
At Rawene, after a breakfast of scrambled eggs & a chat to a Calgary couple, I set off to return to Paihia & my lunch-time rv with Bloo. Once again, the weather & views are beyond belief.
Arrived Paihia surprisingly early c.1100 so read for a couple of hours then met Bloo at 1330, as arranged. We settled our a/c at the information centre, had fush & chups for lunch & headed off for the wharf & our appointed meet with ‘The Rock’ at 1600.
Initially, the cruise appeared to be mainly septics. Closer inspection revealed them to be a mixed bunch. Some of the memorable characters were ‘adventure couple’ who were nauseatingly touchy-feely. She was – at least. I noticed she saved most of her affection for when others were watching. There were 3 Japanese girls who were always in the thick of things, when they weren’t dropping their hats in the water, they were plunging headfirst into the hold, merely to amuse the other passengers.
It is notable that everyone bar Bloo & I rushed to the hatch to ask if she was ok. We couldn’t move for laughing. I think it was the noise, as much as the physical pain that made us laugh. A short, strangled ‘Aieee !’ punctuated her face-first descent.
Ruth was a very quiet girl from England who chatted happily to everyone but Bloo. He took it badly. ‘Lesbian’, he muttered under his breath.
Sarah was a very pretty Kiwi girl with blonde hair, HUGE green eyes & a body to die for. Unfortunately, she was aware of how attractive she was & did most things for the ‘look at me’ value. She & Bloo appeared to hit it off famously on the 1st night, so much so that I told him if things looked on, I would give up my place in our room for her. It appeared however, that she was testing her attraction on all of the men in the group, as by the next day, she had transferred her attention elsewhere. Bloo was not disappointed. He told me he is more interested in intellect than a pert body. He is a crap liar.
There were Max & Mitzi, a loud, genuine, middle-aged Ozzie couple. There was also ‘Eminem couple’. He was the Marshall lookee-likee, a hunted-looking individual & she was loud, assured Yank with a massive camera with interchangable lenses which she had not the 1st idea of how to use. They had probably barneyed during the 1st night as they did different activities on the Saturday & exchanged not one word.
The UK bloke was a gobby Manc & she was witty & cultivating horrible dreads. Bloo thought her a Kiwi, I disagree.
The crew of The Rock were superb. Friendly, without being ‘in your face’ & all seemingly gorgeous, except the dull bloke from Norwich.
After boarding we shot almost straight away. Only air rifles, I am sad to report, never mind. Bloo complained bitterly that his sights were out when I whupped him. Princess. To be fair, he did catch 4 fish to my one. .
After a very good BBQ meal, we headed off, slightly drunk to kayak at about 2300. Never kayaked before ? No worries. Want to do it a bit squiffy ? Certainly. Feel a life-jacket spoils the line of your appareil ?
Come kayak in NZ.
I vividly remember the response to the middle-aged Japanese woman who gamely tried everything, when she asked if she could have a life-jacket prior to kayaking for the 1st time.
‘If you really want one’
Despite it being an adrenaline-free experience, kayaking at night, on a flat, warm, starlit sea has to be one of my ‘musthave’ NZ moments. Bloo & I paddled alongside each other, repeating the by now familiar litany …
‘Wow, isn’t this beautiful etc etc …’
A perfect end to a good day.
We awoke early on Saturday & I skipped breakfast, in favour of a shower. Bad move. We transferred to a smaller day boat & headed off to explore a couple of the 144 islands in The Bay.
During one of these treks, Bloo confessed to being a ‘miserable t**t’ who, because of his unintentionally serious expression is ‘the person most unlikely to be approached by a woman at the bar’. Whilst discussing our requirements in a potential partner, he revealed himself to be very choosy. He is looking for ‘… an older woman. Or maybe a younger woman. Possibly someone the same age’. (28). He is clear on the most important quality in a woman though. ‘Breasts’. Form a queue, girls.
We arrived back in Paihia at 1600 & when we disembarked, everyone did protracted goodbyes, promising to write & be godparents to each other’s kids. Bloo & I, being anal Brits, mumbled ‘Goodbye’ & put all that horrid emotion & hugging behind us.
We went to the information centre in Paihia to get Bloo booked into a hostel. This being Easter weekend, the receptionist laughed long & hard in his face. As he had behaved so well in our shared room on the boat, I rashly offered him the floor of the tent for the night.
We had a chat about the do’s & don’ts of tenting together. We discussed the unacceptability of snoring, farting & audible masturbation. I promised him I would try to refrain from all 3. His fears sated we bedded down for the night.
It was as I was three quarters of the way through a particularly heartfelt story that I noticed Bloo was not making the right, encouraging noises. ‘Bloo ? … Bloo ?’ I enquired. I was met with silence.
For the 2nd time since Xmas, I had put a Dukie to sleep with my tales.
Cx
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