New Years Eve

My landlady, Jenny, had found somewhere to dance the New Year in. It was a Folk Festival.

Trouble was it was out of town at a place called Whare Flats (that's kind of pronounced Faray Flats, as wh is f in Maori)

The I-site lady told me the bus wouldn't go anywhere near, & a taxi would be expensive, so my last option was a hire car.

Next trouble was the ONLY hire car in Dunedin that day was a 12-seater transit ! And it was $110 a day.
Bugger it, I thought, I'm only in Dunedin for Hogmanay this once, so I went for it, & the guy picked me up at the digs at 3.20.
After a bit of a drive round, I went back to get ready, & eventually left (with the directions from the I-site lady on the dash) at about 7.20.

Turns out the directions were the 'scenic route' & I eventually arrived just before 8 whilst the Family Barn Dance was ongoing.

I obviously looked eager to dance, & a lady called Mary got me up for a Virginia Reel.
After that, I did my usual & asked whoever was handy. My partners included Paul (twice, as his wife didn't dance), Mike, Mitchell, & young Munro, who was about 11 (& who sweetly came back later, & asked me to dance). I also danced with Mary again, & made up a 3 for the Dashing White Sergeant with her daughter, Miriam & a bloke whose name I didn't get.

Just before 9 the band took a break & I got chatting to a local, Phil - from Portobello who told me to go to Allan Beach - there was a good chance I'd see wildlife like penguins, seals & sea lions for free, & save myself the price of an expensive tour.

After 9 it was the normal Barn Dance & the adults came out to play.
As usual, it was pretty crushed & chaotic, but that's half the fun, & best of all, it ended just before 12 with an Orcadian Strip The Willow, & those of you who read last year's journal from Scotland may remember that's my fave rave :-))
One dance - from Ireland, I started with a very drunk Kiwi called Skorchy (or something like that? Even after 3 weeks here, I still don't get all the Kiwi's English ;-P ). Trouble was he was so drunk he started talking to a couple of mates at the side, & when the music started was still gassing. One of his mates, an American called Matt, stepped into the breach, & gallantly took over.
Even without the benefit of a walk through, he was miles better than Skorchy, so that was a bit of luck!

The band changed after midnight, & I wasn't keen, so I got back in the transit & found the short route home.
Next trouble was, I was so wide awake, I didn't sleep until gone 3 - Ooops

That's about it, really, so not wanting to hog the PC it's . . . .
OAO for today