Everybody back to your seats... we're about to begin.

Well, we're coming down to it now, and we had three events this week we were really looking forward to. It has been really nice of Jason and Leigh to put together what will end up being a really fun week -- ESPECIALLY since it's our last week of work.

(As this is written, it's morning on our last day! Yes!)

We'll start by playing catch up very quickly, as it's been a little while since we've blogged, and both of you readers probably care a little about what's been going on...

First of all Baby G's finger is healing... slowly. It's almost back to it's original length, but is still very raw. Did you eat recently? If so, don't look below:



That's right: Dizzle had the camera IN the doctor's office! Like the paparazzi...

So you know, the white bit on top is NOT bone, it is just remnants from the bandage that... stuck. The doctor took it off WITHOUT counting to three, and Baby G almost screamed. :(

We're getting the wound redressed tomorrow a.m., and then once more in Christchurch before we fly out. We'll keep you posted on this issue next probably from New York.


We saw a dance concert last Saturday called Black Grace - Amata. Dizzle is not much of one for modern dance, but thought it was very good. Baby G will be blogging about it more specifically soon. Check out the website when you can, and stay tuned for her post.


Tomorrow night, we are going to see our very first live rugby game! It will be here in Wellington at Westpac Stadium, and will be our "own" Wellington Hurricanes against the Otago Highlanders. Though the 'Canes aren't in contention for the playoffs, we'll still get to see a live professional game, and a lot of these guys are All Blacks - the New Zealand team that will compete for the Rugby World Cup in November. This is gonna be so rad!


As we said, our last day of work is today. We both work together in the coffee-shop with a guy we don't hate, so it should go quickly. Since there have been so many NEGATIVE posts about this job, we thought we should show everybody some of the highlights of our shifts. There were a few people who were really interested in us, and we them. We got pictures.

This is Sring, a guy who's worked in the airport for, like, a decade. He was our Duty Manager for all the 4:00am shifts, and was really cool about us taking our breaks together.


This is Sokha. Oh my God, this woman can make coffee drinks like you've never seen. She really loved us and will miss us. Even though she doesn't speak a lot of English, she smiled every time we saw her. And that made US smile. And that's tough to do before 4:30 in the morning.


This is Grant, one of the evening Duty Managers. 1. If we ever open a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or B&B, we're tracking THIS GUY down to work for us. Amazing customer service and attitude, plus, a really funny guy. Why he's at this corporate gig, we don't know. 2. We don't care what you do for a living or what your feelings are on drugs; it's hard not to like your boss when he's got a pot leaf tattooed on his wrist.


This is Khareesh. He wears too much jewelry but is a soft-spoken, calm cat. We dig him because he always made us felt like we were really good employees.


Tina & Syjhad. They're a couple, but we couldn't get them in the same shot as these were on two different days. She's Cambodian, and he is the 5th (and probably final) Iraqi with whom we've worked. They both have really good senses of humor and we can't say enough nice things about them. Funniest conversation: Syjhad was telling us about how there was a ton of money to be made in Iraq (because that's where the petrol is) and that everyone wanted to move there... until the "bad things" happened. He didn't want to offend us. What a guy.


Ray, the Kitchen Manager. In two years, this guy will be head chef at a 4-star place. Watch.


Pete, a.m. kitchen. Totally laid back guy. Nothing rattles him and he made the absurd morning shifts much easier to handle.


Finally, Jagruti. The only Indian woman with whom we worked who did not make Baby G feel like crap because she doesn't speak Hindi. She would kindly translate when the other girls were talking, and is a very gentle, sweet woman. She invited us over to her house for dinner, and to a "really good Indian temple in Kilbirnie" should we wish to join them sometime. Her family is strict vegetarian, and don't drink, so any time Jag needed help at the bar, she called us over. Funniest request: "How do I make a doublebourbonnoice?" That was all one word when she said it.

We're going to miss these people, and not the others. :)

Except one, whom we saved for last. This is a picture of us with Ken:

Actually, we're hanging out with Ken tonight. We saved him for last because he's the only co-worker we'd consider a friend after this, and the only one we wouldn't mind offering our homes to should he ever reach the USA. He is also the only one who knows this blog address, and has even commented a couple times! Ken, if you're reading this, you are one hell of a hard worker and one hell of a good guy. Shifts with you weren't work - they were fun (and you reminded us of home at a time when we needed it) because it was familiar and funny, like working with Tom White, Agne, Amelia or Skippy, etc. You made us feel relaxed, and we wanted to thank you for that.


Yesterday, for the day, we returned to Martinborough (where we worked on a vineyard) to attend ANZAC Day service at dawn. You can read up on it on Wiki, but it was very interesting. We woke up early to walk to the Town Square, where there was a church service that recognized the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who served in WWI & II. It was the first time we'd heard the New Zealand National Anthem (that we knew of), and they sang a song called "God Save the Queen", which is set to the same tune as "My Country 'tis of Thee" and a funny song I can't remember from grade school. It was solemn and a little sad, but it was a very nice way to start a day with friends. We finished up by having a large breakfast, talking and laughing with Andrew and Mandy, Jason and Leigh, and we even got to walk down the block and reconnect with our man Chris, whom we hadn't seen in a couple months. There, we told him why Six Flags is better than Disney, bid him adieu, and came back to Wellington. A holiday well spent.

We have some sad news. While we were North, we learned that Martinborough Beer and Ales has decided to close. Barnsey's company, for whom we worked, has folded. We wish Barnsey, Rona, and the rest of our friends there the best of luck in future endeavors.


One additional post script: This is what Dizzle looks like as of 24 hours ago:



SATURDAY, we're learning how to make pavlova and having a small going away party.
SUNDAY, we're spending the day packing, because...
MONDAY, we out. 8:35am ferry to the South Island, where we spend a week and a half exploring. We'll end up in Christchurch by Wednesday, May 10th to repack and fly to Philadelphia.

The posts from here on in will wither be long and expensive, or short and expensive. We will be doing lengthy stuff from New York, so keep an eye here mid-May if you don't see too much before then. Of course, we'll try.

Tonight, at 8:30pm (4:30am, Thursday, April 26 EST), Act III begins. Everybody take your seats, as this is going to be one wild month.

Peace,
Baby G & Dizzle