Saturday - back in Richmond

Hey what a great day. Started off by meeting this guy - apart from having great tattoos he's just started working at the local Mac beer factory up the road. Aparently they run a tight ship, but the place sounds a lot bigger than I imagined it was too. In fact there were a few businesses in Nelson that were a lot bigger than I first thought.


Ok, so these next shots are of three of the best people Richmond have on offer. This is Joy - behind her, well halfway down her ear by looks of it, is Ben. They were genuinely cool people and made me realise (yet again) how school systems only work for certain people. Some of the most interesting people I know just plain ain't conformists, because they want to see things for what they are, not what they're told they are.

Joy's Dad takes trekkers to India apparently, I think she said she's been there before but she's going this year to France for an exchange of some sort. Meanwhile Ben reckons he's gonna join the Army, which I always find a bit odd as a career option when we live in a country with such a small army and this social aversion to any mention of war. I know it's a bit of a cliche but most people I know just think any form agression is just a bad way to conduct business. What do I know though...

This is Joy being two people at the same time.

And this is a friend of theirs affectionately known as Wolfeboy - hmmm, wonder if those teeth have anything to do with that. He's a bakers apprentice and why that's such a great thing is that he brought me pastry which I duly stuffed my face with.

So this is me doing a spot of home decorating.

And these two pics are the pot-plant that Ben, Joy and Wolfeboy got me. I was so stoked! It looks great!

We had this weird conversation lying down and talking about things going on in our lives then suddenly we realised it was totally like being in bed with someone didn't know very well - except without the inevitable discomfort of having to scratch around under the sofa looking for your underwear the next morning.

And this is has gotta be my next favouritest person in Richmond of all time (honestly). I'm so sorry I can't remember her name because I swear this gal is gonna be a star some day. You can't quite see it from here but her outfit is a weird eclectic mix of styles that would rival any urban teen anywhere. We were talking about the Mall and she tells me that in fact she has been banned from the mall for two years! How cool is that. Honestly, anyone who can get themselves banned from a mall (without actually even being guilty of whatever she was supposed to have done) has seriously got to be in the coolest kids in town in my book automatically.Baby Godzilla - what do you do when you wake up to a baby this size outside your window destroying things?

More of those demon skate kids. I was lucky to get out of there alive.

Others weren't so lucky.

Friday on Trafalgar St

Roomerier than you think.


No Skateboarders - what? I've never seen these signs in any city like I've seen them in Nelson. I figure it must be because there is a recent history of gun totting skater rebels who took over the town recently - I guess some scars don't heal so fast.
Come to think of it, anyone who rides a skateboard that looks like this one deserves to be run out of town.
Can't see his face very well, but this is Ellie from Israel. Actually he's originally from Khazakstan He was telling me how housing prices increased so rapidly over there. His father left Khazakstan just briefly after the collapse of communism in Russia and at the time he owned an apartment. He was going to sell it at the time, but it turned out the best price he could get was around US$100. One thing led to another and he didn't get around to selling it, well lucky for him because less than 10 years later the apartment is worth US$65,000.

I've heard a lot of stories like that in NZ, and always think how rediculous it is that the sellers think they have gained so much, when in reality they are no better off, they have simply satisfied their immediate sense of greed.

I liked this t-shirt, Just Hanging Around.
This is what it looks like when people annonymously poke their cameras into my house. If I was a dog I'd probably just bark.


And this is - I'm sorry I forgot her name, anyhow she works at the council and we talked about elections. She was wearing a 'don't forget to vote' t-shirt.


Here's some of those demonic skateboarders - hang onto your wallets ladies, these kids might look innocent, but judging by those signposts you just can't trust'em. Kid on the left is disguising the fact that he has a rocket launcher down his shirt.

She's a tui. Get it? Part of the carnival parade. Top points for best bird imitations. Sorry, I didn't have any bread.
This is Luke Hurley, he jumped into the house for a couple of songs and complimented my interior acoustics.
She thinks everyone's smiling at the house!

Perfectly framed.

Hello Nelson – This is Richmond

Have house - will travel, this is my first outing in Nelson, as seen from the Lighthouse Festival van. Antony and I trucked out to Richmond to check out the locals.

Thursday night shopping is where it’s at, everyone I’ve ever met from Richmond does it, in fact the only people I’ve met from Richmond are these folk. I must have been looking a little short on energy because people kept giving me sugar. Anyone wanting a stash of chuppa-chupps should come see me, I’m your man. Here I was thinking lollie-pops were so last century, but no….


Strange Tattoo - apparently anyone who's anyone in Richmond mall on a Thursday night has tattoos on their forehead. I'm told it makes you run faster!

Palmy - we'll meet again

Ouside the library - the rain managed to hold off just long enough. Never realised how many people go to the library on a Saturday though.

Day Two - World Famous in Palmerston

Check this out, front page of the Manawatu Standard. I mean... didn't they have any burglaries today or....

Some interesting people I met today
This is Amanda who it turns out used to be taught by my sister. She and her mates hung out for a while.

Speaks for itself





Here's a couple of notes I received yesterday. I kinda like them.



THIS IS THE SPEED SCRABBLE CHALLENGE

Hello hello Palmerston

So this is the Winter Festival in Palmerston. Haven't had the change to see much else of the festival yet but here are some people I met on Broadway today before the rain got too bad.

This is Kylie on her way to the movies.


Bunny gals of Palmerston North

The Manawatu Standard photographer unmasked and leg-ripped

This is Sandra - she bought me lunch!


and then the rain came... it sure came...




And this is Jonothan who I went to high school with in the 80s, growing up in the Wairarapa.