As always with my posts now a days I will start with the standard “this is old” but as most of you know if you still even bother to read this, I haven’t been the most conscientious writer of late. Anyway… after starting Christmas morning with a little walk and a hike myself, Craig and Merle sat back and chilled for a while as we waited for our other recruits to arrive. Milan (AKA Frankie) and CJ had also set off from Dunedin on a road trip of their own and decided to meet up with
us for a couple of days along our road trip. Although our routes varied a little the plan was to just say hi whenever we seemed to be going a similar place and then just take it from there. If we saw each other then great and if not never mind. As it happened though we had already planned on spending Christmas day together in Wanaka and they came to meet us in the early afternoon. It was great to see Frankie with a big smile on her face in full Christmas spirit and I knew that we were certainly going to have some fun over the next few days.
In New Zealand Christmas is hot and that is still something that I find hard to get into my head, yet in so many ways makes a lot of sense. Who wants time off to chill out and relax when it is cold outside and the weather is horrible? The bonus of it being hot means that instead of being stuck inside all day for one big meal you can 
instead BBQ all day and nibble on things as you like. This was out plan for the rest of the day and personally I think it went down a treat! Before we set off Craig and I had purchased a few disposable BBQ’s and also loaded up out cooler with meat and ice before we left Dunedin. That way we had everything we needed for a BBQ all by ourselves somewhere on the beach. As it happens though Nick (CB’s friend and house mate) was having a BBQ at their place and invited us all to join them. This is the sort of beautiful Christmas spirit that really made the day and was really appreciated. With our food and drink in tow we made our way over to Nicks house where the BBQ was already well underway and the music blasting to spend the day chilling, chatting, laughing and drinking as everyone should at Christmas. The bizarre part this year though was the fact that we needed to make sure we had enough sheets to create adequate shade away from the scorching sun on the beautiful day.
instead BBQ all day and nibble on things as you like. This was out plan for the rest of the day and personally I think it went down a treat! Before we set off Craig and I had purchased a few disposable BBQ’s and also loaded up out cooler with meat and ice before we left Dunedin. That way we had everything we needed for a BBQ all by ourselves somewhere on the beach. As it happens though Nick (CB’s friend and house mate) was having a BBQ at their place and invited us all to join them. This is the sort of beautiful Christmas spirit that really made the day and was really appreciated. With our food and drink in tow we made our way over to Nicks house where the BBQ was already well underway and the music blasting to spend the day chilling, chatting, laughing and drinking as everyone should at Christmas. The bizarre part this year though was the fact that we needed to make sure we had enough sheets to create adequate shade away from the scorching sun on the beautiful day.As a little Christmas gift for Craig and CB I had bought them a little Nerf gun each (while somehow forgetting mine at home) which they opened and proceeded to have some fun with. For the next few hours Nerf darts were casually whizzing around the garden every now and again 
when people weren’t looking which eventually made everyone very vigilant the moment things started to go quiet. The thing about drunk people is that they are incapable of concentrating on something and talking at the same time so whenever one of us started to aim up on someone everything would go quiet and your target would sense the danger instantly. The exception to this was the ever sober CB who became some sort of crack shot as the evening went on, sniping people through the smallest of gaps from the other side of the garden much to everyones surprise.
when people weren’t looking which eventually made everyone very vigilant the moment things started to go quiet. The thing about drunk people is that they are incapable of concentrating on something and talking at the same time so whenever one of us started to aim up on someone everything would go quiet and your target would sense the danger instantly. The exception to this was the ever sober CB who became some sort of crack shot as the evening went on, sniping people through the smallest of gaps from the other side of the garden much to everyones surprise.I would love to write loads more on the events that happened at the BBQ and tales that were told, but to be honest I cant quite remember properly. The combination of lots of alcohol and a few months passing by has taken its tole on my memory and although I am sure I could make up some epic tales, I would get called out on them so its best not to even bother. I think the photos though speak for themselves and show everyone had a great time. We had such a good time in fact that by about 11pm Craig, Frankie and myself started our walk back to our hostels as we were feeling the burn of a long day of merriment and were looking forwards our beds. Its a sad thing to say as more people were starting to arrive at the party but I am getting old dammit and I wanted to sleep. Christmas is supposed to be about doing what you want and enjoying yourself and that is what I wanted. The perfect way to end a good day with a reasonable sleep ready for another morning of adventure.
Oh one last thing I did remember… my Frisbee! After bringing it all the way from the UK I had then left it in CB’s car 5 months where it had sat and slightly warped with the heat. We grabbed that bad boy out though and had a good play in the street in a way only usually reserved for little kids. Playing Frisbee with friends on a warm evening is for me one of the best memories I have. It is just so simple yet means so much. Suppose that is why the little things in life matter so much to us.
Anyway onwards we go…