Take a couple steps back in time to right after the opening ceremony in Auckland (we're a little stink at writing blog posts on time, so bear with us here) After coffee and breakfast with Leona, Nathan and Calum to recover from our night with Florence and the gang the three of us head out of Auckland on our way to New Plymouth. A series of very nice Kiwi people stop to pick us up and get us as far as Te Kuiti. Note: We thought that showing our spirit by wearing our Irish and US flags would definitely get us a ride uber quick. False. After numerous shouts of "Go All Blacks!" or "It's a shame you're wearing those colors!" we finally gave up and reluctantly put our flags back in our packs. Well, Kayla and I did at least. We figured the Irish flag couldn't hurt. Anyway, after hearing how camper van drivers had been passing us by the whole day the lady we had just caught a ride with marched up to the nearest camper van at the gas station and basically commanded them to drive us to New Plymouth (since they were heading there anyway). They agreed!...Possibly due to the fact that three out of the four people inside the car had been drinking heavily since noon (stereotypical Irish), and possibly due to that fact that we had been passing each other all day on the road. Not that we minded, especially when they broke out the beers and passed us each a round. We made it in after dark and finalllyyyyy got our fish and chips! After hitching a ride into Stratford with Kenji from the Black Power gang, Ryan and Dan - our lovely hosts for the night - picked us up and took us to their farm in Kaponga. Paddy, Kayla and I wake up the next day to a torrential downpour...apparently they had just had three weeks of glorious weather and were now in for a week of straight shit. Fantastic. With the sound of howling wind whipping through the trees and the pounding rain in the background, we prepare for the day. We catch a ride into town
with Ryan and wander New Plymouth for a few hours. We finally retreated from the wind and rain into the Crowded House bar to drink Murphy's and play cards. Two years ago our card games of choice were Kings in the Corner and Speed, this time around it's Bullshit. As the hours ticked by and the bar filled up we slowly found ourselves engulfed in a sea of green. Paddy was loving it (traitor), but Kayla and I felt slightly out of place. Rather than let it get us I tied my flag around my neck cape style and started painting Kayla's face red, white and blue. After we were suitably decked out in US colors (or in Paddy's case, Irish) we walked the 2 km to the stadium - in the pouring rain of course. But that's okay. Was it freezing, rainy and cold? Yes. Were we standing about 2 rows back at the front right corner of the stadium with some of the best views in the house? Hell yes. We got to watch a fantastic game - there were even some other US supporters there! (One of whom managed to shout "Cleeeevveeerrrrr! " for an entire 2 hour per iod. Slightly annoying but also impressive). Clever is the ca ptain of the US team, so at least it made sense. We may have lost but the US scored the best try of the game in the final 20 seconds of the match after an incredible interception. Not too shabby - go watch it. Flash forward to the present. Kayla, Paddy and I are now in Palmy preparing to fly down to Dunedin to watch the England v Georgia game on Sunday (strictly for Paddy's sake). So far Palmy has proven itself a disappointment where food and drinks are concerned. All of our favorite haunts are gone, including the GREATEST fish and chips
-E
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