Arrive in Christchurch late on a January Thursday night. Get a hotel room near the airport for the night so Geetangeli and Richard can stay in bed. I get in really late.
Friday and Saturday are being spent with them in Christchurch. It's their 30th wedding anniversary party - that's the big reason I'm going over for - but with flights so expensive, this is no longer a long weekend trip.
Sunday, after breakfast, it's time to pick up a hire car and go for a drive.
First stop, Dunedin. I remember going there when I was about seventeen and remembered it was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever been.
Then drive to Te Anau, in the West, spending two nights there, with a day trip to Milford Sound on the day in the middle - I'll let someobdy else do the driving that day. I've just booked a hotel which has a hot tub in the courtyard for two nights on the bank of Lake Te Anau. I love the thought of reading a book with a gin and tonic in a hot tub under the stars.
The next stop will be Queenstown for a night - have a look around there - maybe have a Fergburger. I've got an old colleague living here. If they are around, maybe catch up with them.
Then back to Christchurch for one last night with Geetangeli before driving myself to the airport and going home.
Sure, it's a lot of driving. Yes, there are lots of places I'd like to go as well - Nelson, Greymouth, Invercargill...Yes, I'd like to be sharing this with somebody, but I've always been of the opinion that if I don't do this by myself I'd never go anywhere. And being a contractor, if I don't work, I don't get paid.
But a week off, when we have a public holiday during the week - why not?
Like, who knew if you mix the following together it would taste so good:
5 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of sriracha sauce
3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoons of chilli flakes.
3 tablespoons of water.
You heat all of this up.
Thrown over lighly pan fried chicken thighs, cook until the suace reduces, the place on top of rice and blanched greens.
Amazing.
I love that everything I've ever cooked of this website always turns out brilliantly. Nagi's tiramisu is to die for, and her recipe for Chinese Chicken and Cashew is better than what you get in most Chinese restaurants.
Five days into Steptember and things are not doing badly at all.
My step totals for the first week are as follows:
Day One: 13,578 steps
Day Two: 11,235 steps
Day Three: 14,085 steps
Day Four: 11,490 steps
Day Five: 11,111 steps
Over five days, that's over 61,000 steps.
I'm a little proud of myself. I want to keep this going.
So far, this has been an enjoyable challenge. Making the effort to get the steps througn the day, whether that be walking to get a coffee, then taking the long way back, or making a trip to the shopping centre, or trying to get in an extra dance class in - it all ads up.
It's also good to feel like your helping out in some way. Steptember is being run for the benefit of those with Cerebral Palsy - a worthy charity indeed.
I'm still looking for people to sponsor me. I know nobody has any money to spare at the moment - the amount of a coffee... it all ads up.
My fundraising page can be found by following this link.
Oh, I love a good movie quiz. These are the best. Just don't ask me to stop at one per category. I've seen 32 movies already this year. Yes, I'm a film buff.
Ah, I've just re-read the question and it's in the last year. My two standouts from the films I've seen this year are Licorice Pizza and Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. With Juniper and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande are also a stand outs.Very different films, but all three are stunning.
2. The most underrated movie.
I love Logan Lucky. Not many people know about this film, but I love it. It's my sense of humour. It's also go Daniel Craig in a onesie, with a suntan playing a bank robber. It's grouse. It's a go to cheer me up film. Love it.
3. Favorite love story in a movie.
Bull Durham. Crash and Annie. It's just gorgeous.
4. The most surprising plot twist or ending.
Ah, that would be in a little known or seen Australian movie called Japanese Story. Something happens in that which you have absolutely no idea about. The event turns everything on its head.
5. A movie that makes you really happy.
Little Miss Sunshine. Another completely awesome film.
6. A movie that makes you sad.
Oh, that one goes to Atonement. I love the book, but I almost love the film more. Such a waste...
7. Favorite made for TV movie
I can't say I have one of those, mainly as very few of them are screened on terrestrial telly over here. One of my favourite movies which has only been streamed over here was The Two Popes. Loved that.
8. A movie you’ve seen countless times.
Here are a few I've seen too many times to count:
The Princess Bride
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
To Catch a Thief
Sabrina
Brannagh's Henry V
9. A movie with the best soundtrack
The Big Chill stands out as one of these. Almost Famous is another. Grosse Point Blank is another. All are brilliant.
10. Favorite classic movie
That's going to be a toss up between Casablanca (it never gets old), High Society and Breakfast at Tiffany's. I like old films, but I've seen all of these many times. They're all fabulous.
11. A movie that you hate.
I'm not a fan of horror films. I really didn't like Se7en. I had nightmares for days after seeing that.
12. A movie that changed your opinion about something.
The Truman Show changed my view on Jim Carrey. He was great in that.
13. A character you can relate to the most.
Unfortunately it's two of Emma Thompson's characters. Maggie from Peter's Friends and Nancy from Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.
14. A movie that is a guilty pleasure
There are too many to state, but when I need something light to watch, I put on the Harrison Ford version of Sabrina. It's cute.
15. Favorite movie based on a book/comic
I have a few of these. Atonement. The Harry Potter Books. The Marvel Universe. I'm not sure I can name a favourite.
16. A movie that disappointed you the most
I found Where the Crawdads Sing really disappointing - mind you, I didn't overly rate the book, but this just missed the mark.
17. A movie from your favorite actor/actress
I love Clive Owen, so I give you Closer. Loved the play. Loved the movie.
18. Favorite movie from your favorite director.
I'm a big Wes Anderson fan. I also love Peter Weir. But Wes Anderson gave us The Grand Budapest Hotel. Awesome film.
19 .Favorite action movie
I love Marvel films, which are sort of action. I'm also a bit of a James Bond junkie - he's all action. I loved No Time To Die. Controversial opinion, but Daniel Craig was the best Bond.
20. A movie you wish more people would have seen.
Most of the English films I see nobody knows about. I still think more people should have seen Their Finest. I adore that film. A Royal Night Out is another. And The King's Speech - though a few more people have seen that.
21. Favorite documentary
That's a toss up between Searching for Sugarman and March of the Penguins. Both are superlative.
22. Favorite animation
I love Pixar movies. And my favourite Pixar movie has to be The Incredibles, clesely followed by Monsters, Inc.
23. Most hilarious movie you’ve ever seen
I love Monty Python - all of their films crack me up. But I'm also a fan of Bridesmaids. I nearly wet myself when I saw that.
24. A movie that you wish you had seen in theater.
I would love to see Citizen Kane at a cinema. And Gattaca again on a bigger screen.
25. Your favorite movie of all time.
Again, a really hard question as I love movies, but I do adore Three Colours: Blue. I've always loved that film. And yes, it's art house and yes, it's in French. It's amazing.
The Cinema: Village Cinemas, The Rivoli, Camberwell
Stars: 4
I see there's a movie with Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton in it and it has to be seen. Idris Elba for the yum factor - and Tilda Swinton is incredible in everything she does. And the film is a drama, fantasy, romance film that will fill up a Saturday afternoon. I'm in. I also loved the look of the trailer.
What's this film about?
Alithia Binney (Tilda Swinton) is a lonely, quiet academic who studies stories. She lives a quiet life by herself, writing and studying her stories and keeping her nose clean.
On a trip to Istanbul, she buys a small glass bottle in the Grand Bazaar - and as it happens, later that night, she releases a genie (Idris Elba). As is the case with genies, he offers Alithea three wishes in exchange for his freedom. The genie is a hopeless romantic. Alithia is a frosty academic who has a tender core if you dig hard enough.
This isn't a film about what happens when you release a genie. It's more a cautionary tale about what happens when you make wishes and the consequences that occur. Alithia takes in the Djinn's story, working out for herself what it is she needs and wants.
The film is based on AS Byatt's tale, The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye and was directed by George Miller, who's responsible for such films as Mad Max, Happy Feet and Babe.
Being honest, what can you do with a story about a genie in a bottle? It's a simple tale. You get three wishes, the genie is given their freedom.
There is a lot more to this film - a bit of a Scheherezade in its own right, going into the life of the genie in detail, and how he managed to live and survive in this strange world.
What is great about this film is the direction and cinematography. This is a sumptuous affair, gloriously shot and set. The colours on the screen are glorious. George Miller and Augusta Gore's script is tight and funny, with just the right mix of pathos for the slighlty tragic Alithea and the unlucky genie. At times, it had a feeling of being like Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, as much of the scenes between Swinton and Elba were set in a hotel room.
This isn't going to be a film for everybody - but it is a wonderful diversion. Mind you, I could look at Idris Elba all day. There's also a lot of small cameos from Australian actors in the film - it's fun and very unexpected. I was trying to work out where some of these faces belonged - Megan Gale and Anne Charleston being two of these small parts up there for you to ponder.
I fully realise this isn't a film for everybody, but I loved it. It's nice to see a talkative romance with a lot of heart and wonderful visuals.
And it's Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton - why wouldn't you go along?
They even put a bow on this new to me can, because it's ostensibly, a used car - just new to me. But with only 2300 kilometres on the clock and a little over a year old, he's new enough to get a bow on his bonnet.
He's red. He's shiny. He's got a few more mod cons that Clive, my old car, who was the same model, same colour and pretty much the same spec, except he was made in late 2015/early 2016 - this one is of a June 2021 vintage.
He has tinted windows - as dark as legally available - because they're a good addition in Australia - they cut down the glare.
He's a dream to drive. Push button start. Electronic hand brake - and best of all, lane sensors which beep at you if you try and change lanes and somebody's in your way. There's also Apple Car play (no that I need that, I just Bluetooth in the phone. The driving position seem a bit higher than in Clive - it just might be the settings again.
In all, there was much rejoicing.
So, my new car dilemma. What am I I going to call the bugger?
In my life I've had:
Edna the EJ Holden. Edna was a legend. What else to you call an EJ Holden that was older than yourself at the time? Edna was mint green and had grass growing in the boot.
There was Phoebe the Fiesta (Festiva) in London. Phoebe came with the name - I bought her off a family friend.
When I first got to Melbourne, I had Colin, a Daihatsu Centro. .65 litre engine, tinted windows and racing stripes. Colin had small man syndrome. I would have called him Allan but he couldn't make tea.
Then there was Andrew the Toyota Echo. Andrew was also small, but like most other Andrews, what they lack in size they make up for in reliability - and he got me where I needed to go. What more do you need?
Then I got the Silver Mazda2 - also named Andrew. Andrews are also like middle aged accountants - boring but reliable.
Then about six years ago I bought Clive. Named after Clive Owen, because he's dead sexy. (Like be still my no longer functioning ovaries. Phwoar! Can I please have one of these for Christmas?)
So now I have another Soul Red Mazda CX-3 - what am I going to call him?
I was pondering this while I was mostly naked on a massage table having the knots in the back worked out. My massage therapist and I normally talk politics, but today we tried to find the perfect name for this new car.
It's harder than naming a baby.
We went through some options. Thomas? Oliver? George? Cats names.
Darren? Mark? Barry? Paul? Peter? Chris? Nope, that was most of the guys in my final year of high school.
Roger? Nope. Too many connotations of a sexual nature. But that's a bit better.
Eugene? Nah. Although there is a UJ in the registration, Eugene is the guy in the downstairs flat who smokes weed in the carport on occasions.
And then it came to us. It's quite ingenious. Just as my friend who nearly called her child Mungo would have had to call his brother Cletus (and my old neighbour who's daughter is named Pearl should have a sister called Queenie) it just made sense.
My new car is called Derek.
Derek.
Yes, Derek.
I know, it's a bit of a 70s porn star name. But it's Derek. It's genius.
Why?
He's called Derek because the last one was called Clive.
You have to be over 50 and a fan of English comedy to get this.
You gotta love Facebook and how it spits out random memories which then jog your memories.
I'd forgot about today's anniversary until it came up as a post just a few minutes ago. It's not a big anniversary, but considering the last few days, it seems fitting to be reminded of this date.
23 years ago today I returned to Australia after eight years in England.
I had to come back. This is not to say that I wanted to come back - I didn't really - but circumstances of my own making meant it was Australia.
To top and tail this I saw the friends I moved in with when I first came back on Tuesday - Bernie and Gaz. It's given the week a good symmetry.
But it's also brought back all the memories of feeling like an abject failure - which I know is unjustified in many respects, but it sometimes feels a bit like that. For lots of reasons. Too many to go into.
This was compounded by discovering the existence of a film, The Quiet Girl. The film is based on a novella we read for school in 2020 - Foster, by Claire Keegan - a quietly devestating work that is exquisitely written. This film is in Gaelic. I'm keen to see it.
In my delight about seeing the existence of this film, I penned a quick note to my old tutor, letting her know that this will be coming out soon.
I'm dreading that she will come back to me. "How's the novel going?" she will ask. I can see it now.
And I get that sinking feeling that I've let myself down once again.
Maybe she'll ignore the mail and not respond - and I'm not expecting a respose. Maybe she knows better than to ask a fledgling writer how their writing is doing.
Maybe this is the kick up the arse I require.
But still...
I look at the last 23 years, and there is that daft voice which tells me I'm useless.
