Traveling Beans

World Cup Kiwi Style

Hi again. I've not been back to the Traveling Beans post in quite some time. I mean, who really wants to read about swim teaching, bike shops and sheep? I figured I'd leave that to the Kiwi tour. But the World Cup. Yes. I'm not that interested for two main reasons. 1) I've never been that into soccer/football. Only when my first boyfriend played and I could watch his hot body running up and down the field. The second reason is that here, in New Zealand, the serious football hooligans/fans/nutters are up watching the thing at 4am. Yes 4am...beacuse that is when it is live in Germany. Only it's 4am here! So you've got people who would not be caught dead awake at 7am for work...and people that SHOULD be getting enough rest in order to get up at 7am for work...all awake at 4 in the morning to watch...soccer. And there are other showings in the afternoons, which I suppose are like prelims or something (should I try to sound more interested?) but yeah. They're not shutting down the city streets, but they are opening up the bars for more hours (and i didn't think that possible.)

Something interesting is that, while they won't shut the cities down for some huge world-wide soccer tournament that everyone is obsessed with, they do shut cities down for things called A&P shows which is basically like a giant farm fair. Yup, during the Canterbury A&P show, it was considered a holiday and we all had paid days off. To celebrate cattle and tractor pulls. Mind you, it was pretty cool and I got to show a llama in the main ring. Kiwis have also gone pretty nuts over the rugby Super 14. Probably more nuts than over the soccer. But once again, i'm just not that interested in that sort of sport. I've tried to get into that side of the kiwi spirit, but meh. I'd rather be biking or swimming, tramping or running, for which there is a seperate sort of kiwi spirit available.

I just want to say that I hope all my traveling beans are doing well in their final months out and about in the world. And I think it's probably a good time to say (for those who don't know) that I'll be staying in good ol' NZ for a little bit longer. I'm extending my Visa and yeah...will be here for a few more months...years??? Who knows? But I just thought I'd put that out there. Maybe if I EVER make enough money to travel for more than a weekend (it's very hard to travel on the NZ Dollar) I will have some more interesting things to write about. Until then it's bike shops and sheep. Keep in touch kiddies!

posted by Nicole @ 8:16 PM