GYPSY GIGOLO JOURNAL #53

You'll remember that I'm on a mission around the south island viewing the Rugby World Cup at the oldest and remotest pubs I can find.
I can't get Freddie Mercury and Queen's song out of my head........ We Are The Champions!!!!!!
We smashed 'em bro!
What a great finale to a great trip.

Here we are at lovely Lake Hawea at the rising of the sun.

Down the road a bit and it's sunset time at Lake Wanaka.

A few kilometres south of Cromwell in Central Otago is Bannockburn.

Most old pubs succumb to fire and the Bannockburn Hotel was no different.
Their last fire was 2 years ago.
Excellent BBQ pork ribs!

The Chatto Creek pub has a bit of character and is on the Otago Central Rail Trail.

A classic here in St Bathans is the Vulcan Hotel. It has stood the test of time, built in 1882. The shamrock which can just be made out between the words Vulcan and Hotel acknowledges the original Irish settlers of St Bathans.

Not much left in St Bathans these days, but here is their International Rugby Stadium.

One of the last original arched stone bridges in Otago at Dunback.

Chrystalls Beach is south of Dunedin - I enjoyed the warning to watch for Free Range Kids.
Places like the Railway Hotel in Nightcaps should have a bomb set off underneath them! Such a crap place I couldn't bring myself to watch the footy here.

This very keen local is sluicing for gold at Gemstone Beach in Southland.
Close of the oyster season was delayed in Bluff to allow Rugby World Cup visitors the chance to sample the delicacy.

The Eagle pub in Bluff provided the best viewing facilities in the south.Watched us smash the Aussies in the semi-final here.

Deciding where to watch the final was something of a conundrum.Common sense and logic finally prevailed and I headed for captain courageous Richie McCaw country - Kurow.
The publican of the local pub in Kurow promised free beer for every AB try scored.

Only one try, but true to his word the free piss flowed for hours.
The shot of the tournament - favourite son Richie (almost certain to become Sir Richard) McCaw lifting the Webb Ellis World Cup in the TV picture in the Waitaki Hotel!!!!

Industrious locals beavered away overnight and constructed a replica of the Webb Ellis Trophy and erected it on the hay bale display in the middle of town.

We Are The Champions!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to all your families.

GYPSY GIGOLO JOURNAL #52

Nice to have you back for another dose of The Journal.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) was about to kick off, so I decided to get far from the madding crowd and view the games at some lesser-known south island pubs.

The Cook Strait crossing was a bit lumpy, but calmed down once inside the Queen Charlotte Sound.
We are onboard the Interislander Kaitaki passing sister ship Arahura in the sound.
The Bus With No Name was up on the top deck this time, furthest from the camera.


RWC opening ceremony and first game, ABs v Tonga, was viewed in the Hampden Hotel in Murchison.


Next west coast pub was at Cobden, in Greymouth.
The natives here are friendly and I call in for a beer whenever I'm in Greymouth.


The west coast can get pretty wild and at Punakaiki the wind and waves were whipping the white caps from a big sea into a froth of foam.


Freedom camping on a remote and rugged west coast beach is a great experience.


Just had to stop and view a couple of games at the Charming Creek Tavern at Ngakawau.
This gem is on the coast north of Westport.
I won a free beer here for wearing my World Rugby hat!


Waiau is near Hanmer Springs and the pub is over 100 years old.
The observant amongst you will be able to make out two local kuia having their daily quart of DB outside in the sun.
They didn't give a shit who won the footy!


This bridge is over the Waimakariri River at its headwaters near Arthur's Pass.
The spring melt has not yet started much of a flow.


Always worth a stop at Lake Mahinapua.
This time to dry a load of laundry.


I was planning on watching a couple of games at the old Ross pub - the bloody thing was closed!


The sky and the mountains co-operated at Lake Matheson, but the famous reflection view from the water was wrecked by a constant wind.
Another good reason for a return visit.


Freedom camping is a joy on the west coast.
Looking over Clearwater Stream in the middle of the shot you can see the tongue of Fox Glacier creeping down to the meet the rain forest.


Watched the ABs deal to Canada here at the Fox pub.


Whenever you are on the west coast you're never far away from sandflies.
More than a hundred of them are trying to escape the insect killer aerosol through the roof vent.
They didn't make it - all the bastards perished!!


Another very west coast thing is whitebait.
The season runs from beginning of September to mid-November.
Tony Kerr (left) is the very hospitible owner of Curly Tree Whitebait Company at the Waita River, about 8 kms north of Haast.
Tony serves up a very mean pattie!!

More adventures to come as the RWC moves into the knockout phase.

Another update after the final.

Good luck to you and your families.