the garrison show

so i’m walking around downtown just sort of checking out the sites and getting a feel for environment. auckland is trendy but edgy; there something here that wants to be new york, but it can’t quite cut it. anyhoo, i drop into a clothing shop to peek at the fashions and strike up a convo with one of the fellows working there. sidenote: these kiwi’s are nice as hell!

he’s got a friend in the store, a young lady, and we happen to leave the store at the same time. we chat on the sidewalk, she invites me across the street for a cup of coffee and inquires what my plans are. of course, at the point i’m not really making plans for more than the next 20 feet or so of storefront, so it’s not a lie when i confess i haven’t got any.

she invites me to an 80’s party. on a farm. in new zealand.
i’m not joking. it’s a 21st birthday party of a friend of a friend, tons of people will be there, you can hitch a ride with us, all locals, etc, etc. so obviously i’m in. we hang around the rest of the afternoon, meet up with a couple of her flatmates, buy some 80’s garb, and pile in the car.

THREE HOURS LATER we arrive at the dairy farm of the party. there’s a band. there’s more than one keg. there’s a lamb carcass inside. it’s a new zealand party, what can i say. there are probably 120 people there and i quickly become known as “that crazy fucking american.” oh, it was a great time.

my personal highlight was my new french friend telling me, “if you weren’t here, we would have to invent you.”

as soon as i can, i’ll get some pics uploaded. in the meantime, just ponder…who flies thousands of miles to a foreign country to celebrate bon jovi and madonna?? i didn’t even think they HAD the 80’s outside of the us…look what an idiot i am.

oh, did i mention the name of the band? Furious Masturbation. i like new zealand.