h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

if it's not too nosey - why did NZ call? cos i live five minutes drive from takapuna, and it's just a little odd to see someone from the other side of the world talking about where i live, and you've got a contract law exam too - good luck - slug told me remember: offer and acceptance - i got the offer and acceptance stuff alright, it was the frustration and misrepresentation i think i screwed up. and i didn't even try to guess damages. well hope your's is better than mine and that the beer helps and that this rant isn't too incomprehensible
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I had been talking about going to NZ from when I first went to University. It was always a bit of a dream to go there - the new home of rugby. In Gloucester all you play is rugby, it's of upmost importance and even though you support your national side (Wales), you'll look at a team like the All blacks and say this is how rugby should be played.

Drifted a bit there.

My cousin moved over to NZ along with a friend of his and they managed to get into the mon desir appartments (whenever you tell someone you live in mon desir they say there used to be a great pub there!). I was between jobs so they invited me over, I got a flight arrived on my birthday (excellent way to get over jet lag - involves drinking). Got a job at R'toto's as Bartender/shiftleader.

I enjoyed Auckland, Takapuna is quite a good base for going into the city. Also they were starting to build various bars and restaurants which the residents weren't too thrilled about - I must admit I would love to see the place now, it's probably changed a lot.

My exams are in May ( in this country they think it's sensible to have exams at the height of hayfever season), but because I've done all the papers I'm taking before I'm taking a correspondence course. Nightmare or what? No motivation, I tend to study in fits.

I'm actually doing the professional accounts exams, but law is quite a big paper (contract law 30% of the syllabus). I don't need to know it as in depth as you, but I still need to know the poignant cases(I tend to get them mixed up a bit).

Well, I think I've ranted too much. Goodluck with the other papers, remeber what the python boys say:






Nobody expects the spanish inquisition.

ah the mon as a pub is a bit before my time (my sister used to go there lots), but the apartments are pretty flash - tell me though do you call it "R toto's" or "rr'toto's"? everyone who lives on the shore seems to go with the latter and everyone who's never been there goes with the former. R-toto's is now one of about twenty bars, clubs and cafes in the area - they also built a big ugly theatre there (the Bruce Mason) which may or may not have been there when you were here (it's actually pretty nice on the inside) - there are a whole lot of cafes in front of that, and generally it's like the ponsonby road of the north shore, except everyone acts like they're in parnell. (did any of that make sense?)

yeah our exams are in the middle of the hayfever season here too - school exams are later, right at the time that you really want to get outside in the nice weather - i used to go to a school where the hall we sat the exams in was right next to a garden centre, which not only meant big pollen problems but also having mavis from the desk ask that todd from out the back come to the counter, or being told that roses were on special today and quickly selling out, all in a loud crackly voice. which really helps when you're trying to work out if marius is giving sulla the finger or a sword.

hey welsh rugby has been heaps better of late - and besides you've got Cardiff Arms (why oh why did they change the name?)! ah to be on the terraces when the welsh break into song!

nobody expects sliding doors either, from what i hear

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I went with the rrrrrr'toto's, just to be different (difficult) of course. Yes, the Bruce Mason is quite an unusually ugly building (although if you get the chance to go to Amsterdam there's an equally hideous building shaped like a ship!). Yes, it did make sense, I did manage to go to Parnell and Ponsonby.

When I was in the sixth form the non - drowsy anti-histamin pills weren't available, so I kept falling asleep in my Maths exam (mind you it could have been the subject).

Welsh Rugby is very exciting to watch now (although I think the other home nations would disagree), and very loud. I completely lost my voice when I went to watch Wales v South Africa at Wembley (our temporary home).

The WRFU may call it the Millenium Stadium but it is still the Arms Park.

Glaws

When I lived in Takapuna they were just opening a few more bars/restaurants. Is Oceans (I think that's the name) still there? You can get some really cheap and mostly awful food. Bolero had just opened, and a new bar just down from it (some guy who worked at the Jazz bar (is it Deeschlers?) owns it/runs it).

The best thing for me was having a beach so close, after a nightmare shift at R'toto's (I can't believe people call it aRe 'toto's), would disappear down the beach with a few bottles of red wine and a few friends chatting away the remainder of the night.

Are they thinking of doing any work on Eden Park? It's seems a bit open when I was there, you don't get the noise that there is at Arms Park, Twickers or Murrayfield (even if it is pre-recorded). It's a shame to lose the benefit of all those Kiwi voices. When Gloucester play at Kingsholm the shed makes so much noise it's worth a ten point advantage (and they beat Northampton 25 - 9 away, not that you'll be interested but just in case a Northampton fan reads this I can't miss the opportunity to gloat).

Sorry, seem to be rambling again.

Glaws

don't know about oceans - used to be the place all us white trash families went to once cobb and co went down hill, but i went back there last year and the food was terrible. not sure if it's still there, but probably it's kind of a local icon.

i think bolero is still there - i don't know all their names, they have swish signs that look good but aren't necessarily easy to read.

Deschlers is in the city - in high st - i have a friend who's a bartender there, but i don't go to bars much (too many years of looking incredibly underage and not having a fake id so i never really got into the scene and now my friends are mostly too poor to drink out places )

R Toto's is quite the meat market now - so much eye contact you can just feel it zipping round the room.

as for eden park - well i went to the Bledisloe and they've redone the entire north stand - it's very flash and nice, eventually they'll do the rest i guess, as Auckland's the biggest union in the country - although the prices are hideous and they don't do much to woe the scarfie fans

at the bledisloe the crowd was amazing - the eden park crowd is usually pretty uninteresting but virtually the entire park was in black to support the boys - the feeling was running high and there was lots of chanting - one of the best rugby crowds i've been in, but then at $55 a ticket, you really couldn't afford to be a drunk pain in the arse

we have a shiny new stadium on the shore, rather imaginatively called north harbour stadium but it's in financial troubles so we'll see what happens - it is a good place to watch the game though - no matter where you sit you feel like you're really close to the field (unlike eden park) the noise can get pretty rowdy too (i was there for the Waikato - Harbour draw earlier this season and it was virtually deafening at times even though the crowd wasn't that big) unfortunately it doesn't get many big games (eg although harbour is paired with auckland to create the Auckland Blues for the super 12 harbour only got one super 12 match this year, which sucked because we needed the money more than auckland did )

oh dear, another long rant

seeya
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did i already ask you if i could add you to my referenced researchers? if not, i'd like to, so let me know.

ta
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Sure can.

R'toto's was always a meat market. It's much to busy if you wanted a drink and chat with your friends.

Cobb & Co - now that has to be the worst food ever.

I saw Auckland against Queensland at Eden park but it wasn't very loud, the crowd were more interested in doing a Mexican Wave. I missed the game at the very new and shiny North Harbour Stadium, but my friends who went said it was a great atmosphere (b*****ds).

Wales are cheaper to watch than premiership rugby £10 (NZ$31.75 roughly, though with the flight chucked in it might cost you just a bit much to watch them).


Rambling again

bye!!!!

Glaws

I completely forgot to add good luck with the remaining exams!

hey thanks for the luck - will add you to my list soon as - wish the prices for rugby weren't as prohibitive over here - i'm lucky because i'm reasonably financially secure, but most of my friends aren't and it's not much fun going on your own (although i have a couple of times) when you yell at the team people look at you funny if you're on your own. or maybe it's because i'm a woman - i've had waaaaay too many conversations with guys who can't believe that i not only watch rugby i actually manage to understand the rules reasonably well (osmosis - i've been watching rugby as long as i can remember). "are you sure you're not a guy?" ah well, last time i checked...

do wales have a home ground other than cardiff arms? in nz we usually get about one test a year (at eden park) because the ABs have to share it around a bit between cities that are really too far apart to compfortably follow them on the cheap (well that and the tickets frequently sell out within the first hour because most of them go to corporates and travel agenices before they are supposed to go on sale)

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Each of the five nations sides just have the one home, but if it's a small match or they want to promote rugby (say in the North of England), they'll play at a premierships sides ground or even a football (soccer) club (I enjoy watching rugby players rip up football pitches, boring game anyway).

My friends aren't big enough supporters of Gloucester (because they're football fans), to fork out £15 just to watch 80 minutes of the most irritating rugby ever. The atmosphere at Kingsholm is great and most people will talk to you if your on your own, also as loud as it gets in the Shed, no one will hear your shout. And you can also shout out witty things that the crowd will hopefully laugh at (otherwise quick exit - the bar).

My sister has been watching rugby for slightly less years than me but she understands the rules a lot better (I played in the front row for 16 years (wing 2 years) she's never played). Again in Gloucester, because most games are on a saturday there is a large female following, they seem to follow the game quite easily without turning round to find some bloke to answer a question on why the ref penalised us for that (which is lucky, most of the time I don't know what the ref's doing, they're far to TECHNICAL).

Bit of a rant.

Ticket distribution must be slightly better over here. Every member of a rugby club can ask for tickets through their club and tickets are distributed with each club (no matter how small) getting somany tickets, any left over are returned to the various rugby unions for them to sell to people on their mailing lists(this is how I get to see rather a lot of welsh games).

Glaws

gosh sounds like a dream.

i'm surprised that men over there aren't as sexist as they are here (although h2g2 generally gives a good indication that my assumptions were wrong). i've had guys try to quiz me and all sorts of insecure macho rubbish. good to see your sister doesn't have to put up with the same brand of idiots. maybe all the louts we see on tv over here just stick to soccer

hmm maybe i should join a club, that might help - i was a member of a supporters club here for my local province for years, and they keep sending me the newsletter and i'm not sure if i'm a paid up member anymore - don't get offered tickets through them, although they sometimes have deals to go to out of town games (they're not getting me on one of those buses with them - i've seen them coming across the bond st bridge to games at eden park full to the gills and not very nice wtih it).

there seems to be this link between alcohol and rugby that's not entirely healthy - don't get me wrong there are plenty of people who don't have to get tanked at games, and i've watched the number of drunkards drop over the last few years, which is good, but some guys still get so drunk they should be having a lie down, not drinking more beer and yelling at everyone in sight. and they really don't get that they are in fact not god's gift to women when they act like that either.

moan moan moan tonight i'm afraid - must have my black hat on

right - will come back next time more positive and full-o-beans
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I look forward to your positive and full of beans attitude. I at the moment am tired and achy (I hate football, but my friends play 5-a-side, so I've been helping them out. With inspirational cheering from the side line, but I had to play tonight. I scored a goal which would have impressed the supporters if there had been any).

Rugby and alcohol do go hand in hand, it's quite nice when you get off the pitch to sit in a nice warm club house and have a couple of pints (I say couple, but generally it's until I gain full mobility in my neck again or the pain stops in my back (shoulders,knees, ankles etc.).

And yes, I'm guilty of going to watch a game on telly in a pub and having quite a few beers. Singing very loudly to Tom Jones etc., admittedly in pubs which play the music so loud your ears bleed and you have to shout at people just to be heard (although me and my welsh friend were singing 'Bread of Heaven' while walking down the street after Wales were knocked, but we were in mourning!). But if I've forked out money to go and watch a game particularly an international I wouldn't get bladdered before, you miss lots of the game and have to keep going to the toilet.

In most things there are people who take things to far, and it is irritating for everyone else.

I have to say in defence of NZ blokes, the guys over here are generally as sexist and probably more racist (there a rugby chat room I pop into now and again and they never discuss rugby, they just slag each other off, quite nastily in places). Unfortunately the rugby fan is changing as well, not quite as bad as the soccer hooligan. I went to a Gloucester game a few weeks and the fans were shouting out 'the referees a W****R', he probably is and also Technical, 5 years ago this wouldn't have happened. They also make a lot of noise during kicks. Gloucester has a large vocal support, but they used to remain quiet when the opposition kicked and clap if they scored a good try (not any more). Rugby is starting to lose all the things that set it apart from football, what next segregating fans.

Sorry, I seem to have disappeared in a very large rant.

Good luck with the last exam.

Glaws

hey i'm not trying to say there's anything wrong with drinking and watching rugby etc (especially in a pub - that's what they're for isn't it!) it's just the whole moderation thingy. besides singing at rugby stuff is all good, we don't really do it much here though (which has been identified as one of the main reasons the all blacks went down btw)

i know what you mean about the fans booing and what not - as far as i'm concerned only two things get booed 1. dirty play 2. hideously bad ref decisions. over here there has been a big change too, i feel like everyone's going to throw stuff at me when i clap when the other team plays well. i thought it was just an auckland thing but in canterbury they boo the auckland all blacks at tests! out of control.

we have a charming wee rugby ditty over here which begins "Auckland (or whoever) take it up the arse, do dah do dah" i must say that it is the ultimate comeback to when your team is playing very badly and you're getting whipped. such a coherent argument.

exams seem to have gone ok, not going to stress about it until results come out (about three weeks i think, the law school are notoriously slow).

so where did you end up watching the final?


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I ended up watching the final at Kings, it's recently been done out and is more a cafe bar of the type that are huge over there. It's quite good although it's not really Gloucester (as someone has said in an article on the place, they aren't really ready for change). Saying that though a lot of money is being invested in Leisure (not just the pub kind) in the city. Hopefully, they will start to do bread and dips (that's the best item, when you have alcohol induced munches), you don't get that over here.

Bit of a disapointing final, and the french resulted to violence again. I quite enjoy watching forwards fight (they rarely connect), but some things should not be seen on a rugby pitch. I played a match in hertfordshire and got a line down the white of my eye where a winger tried his hand at gouging, it stung for a week.

Singing is a big part of rugby here, admittedly most of the songs cannot be repeated in polite company. Although, I find most women involved in rugby know the words and I was on the tube once when pride (I think your version is hero parade) there were some women singing even ruder versions of the rugby songs. It's really good when wales were at wembley because you would be on the tube with both sets of fans singing lots of songs on the way to and back from the game. It makes for a better day.

That is quite a long time to wait for results, do you have many weeks holiday? We tend to have 3 months, it's gives the cash reserves a boost before going back. Are you going away for a holiday?

Glaws

can't say i've ever had the pleasure of a winger trying to gouge my eye out - i winced reading that

when you were here did we have those big events in the domain like opera in the park? when that first started it was great for getting the big crowds singing, but other than that it doesn't happen here that much, well not where i hang out, so maybe i'm in the wrong places - although once i was at a conference in palmerston north (the blackhole of the north island, where crap bars go to die) and there were about eighty of us, all from out of town, mostly drunk and people just started singing and then dancing and singing - apparently the bar we were at was normally really quiet and that was the first time they'd used the dance floor (we had to shift the tables) in months. that was a great night

It is a long time to wait for results, but i'm trying not to think about it - i went shopping today and blew some money to distract myself. i work as much as possible over summer so i usually don't get a holiday (paid work in retail before christmas, volunteer work after christmas until term starts) but this year i won't be doing the volunteer stuff (long story) so i'll try to get some work and might be able to go away, maybe, except that it's not much fun on your own. i won't be working much until the end of november because i'll be helping out one of the political parties until the election a bit, and i need a break, and there's no work, so it all worked out quite nicely (except that it's unpaid, but that doesn't really bother me).

are you studying too? i've just ocme back from a fees setting meeting - all bad grrrr, but i'll rant about that in an article later

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Yes, I'm still studying. Financial Accounts at the moment, then a few hours of cost accounts, then back to the dreaded contract law. It's quite difficult managing time on these correspondence courses, but because i've paid for it myself i have slightly more motivation than i would normally have

What law are you doing next year? Employment? I know what i meant to ask you, is your legal system derived form the English - Welsh system, as in do you have the same case law as us (i know we have some aussie cases R v Clarke). If you do what point did it split?

There were quite a few things going on at the domain when i was over there, but i worked 70 hours a week so i missed all of them I even missed Aida at ericsson stadium, and that looked quite good.

I went to Palmerston North, we driving from wellington to auckland and needed to stop, saw the sign for palmerston north and because we had heard it was such a boring place decided to have a coffee. It really is quite an awful place, it was helped by the constant rain, bad coffee etc.

I managed to get away for 3 days this summer, just to amsterdam. Not really relaxing in a lying on the beach sense, well it was with the lads so was a bit hectic. Just needed a change of scenery. Actually, i could do with a holiday now. It's my favourite time of year it's starting to get cold, dark about 17:00 leaves are a bit brown - lovely rugby weather.

Oh, speaking of rugby. Ian Jones was paraded around Kingsholm (where gloucester play) friday night. Just to let the crowd see their money has been wisely invested. Hopefully, he'll be playing in a few weeks even better for him, he didn't have to travel back with the other all blacks. Also gloucester won again and were top of the league for an entire 15 hours, now they're joint top.

The contract for Lomu is going to be around £1.1million, thats outrageous

Oh well enough ranting and rambling,

Glaws

Did many All Blacks make the flight back? It just seems rather a few have found excuses to stay here for a while. Particularly the assistant coach, seen last night coaching Gordon League ( a local side in Gloucester), as well as some of the counties top coaches.

Or am I just being a tad cynical?



Glaws

before i forget: legal system - well basically the courts here will probably, but not definitely follow the uk, except in particular areas. it's all very confusing for me, i'm afraid, and i've emptied all the law out of my brain for the summer

all blacks arrived back early in the morning, got good wlecome actually - the public are stapled to some kind of a swinging pendulum - after the "let's kill them" response we had the "it's all that hart guy's fault" response, then "let's not be so hard, they did their best" and now it's "let's not talk about it, it's all too horrible" - and it's been raining so that hasn't helped, and there's the election in 13 days, so everyone's thoroughly sick of everything heh heh.

what's happening with jonah? we heard he was staying a bit - but there's been no announcement about contracts yet, and he did say he would make his announcement in nz - josh kronfeld stayed on too, to play and sing in a kiwi blues band in london - apparently the pubs are packed out and he's going down a treat, weird - maybe he's trying to find another job

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