Waimarama Do I - Hawke's Bay Wine Country - 11-14 DECEMBER 2009
Dec 12, 2009, 10:24 pm
#244
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Oz
Programs: QF LTG, Velocity FF Red, HH Diamond, PC Platinum Ambassador, UA Nothing
Posts: 1,914
Anat0l, Bundy Bear and I left the Waimarama house at 1630 and we had to get Will out of bed to say goodbye!
We are now waiting at Napier Airport for our flight to Auckland. The flight should be on time as the aircraft has arrived.
We are now waiting at Napier Airport for our flight to Auckland. The flight should be on time as the aircraft has arrived.
Dec 12, 2009, 10:56 pm
#245
Join Date: May 2003
Location: CHC
Programs: UA, DL, AA, BD, NZ, QF, DJ, RCC, SPG, Priority Club, Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,231
So sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to all of you today but our bus driver kindly offered to run me into town to catch my bus to Wellington. It was quick hugs and farewells with those who were standing close by, then I departed.
Many thanks to Wijomas for organizing an excellent weekend with fantastic activities. I had a figiliciously great time!
This bus left Palmerston North about a half hour ago and we are driving in torrential rain so it's a far cry from Sunny Hawkes Bay.
Hope to see you all again in the not too distant future.
Safe travels.
Many thanks to Wijomas for organizing an excellent weekend with fantastic activities. I had a figiliciously great time!
This bus left Palmerston North about a half hour ago and we are driving in torrential rain so it's a far cry from Sunny Hawkes Bay.
Hope to see you all again in the not too distant future.
Safe travels.
Dec 13, 2009, 1:06 am
#246
In memoriam
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: AKL
Programs: QF WP & AA EXP
Posts: 5,233
Well, I've finally managed to get rid of most of these crazy drunks with just a couple more to go. Slept right through Chris' phone call waking me up for our reservation at Jark's, so instead we had fish, chips, and pizza from the local takeaways. The pizza did not appear to contain figs.
A huge thank you to all who came (and those who are going to be making up for it the next time around
). This is definitely one of my favourite parts of the country (although I'm slightly biased) and one I wouldn't mind returning to if the job conditions were more favourable for someone who doesn't drink wine or like doing enough hard work to pick apples! 
The second (ir)regular Fig DooDoo will no doubt be in the works early next year.
Thanks again everyone - a great weekend all round. ^
A huge thank you to all who came (and those who are going to be making up for it the next time around
). This is definitely one of my favourite parts of the country (although I'm slightly biased) and one I wouldn't mind returning to if the job conditions were more favourable for someone who doesn't drink wine or like doing enough hard work to pick apples! The second (ir)regular Fig DooDoo will no doubt be in the works early next year.
Thanks again everyone - a great weekend all round. ^
Dec 13, 2009, 2:36 am
#247
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,205
A footnote (or a fig note? maybe wait until later to see)
T and I made is home through the aforementioned cr@p weather on the way home to WLG. T thought it was a bit tough he had his first 'open road' long haul driving lesson whilst I listened to the cricket - seemed fair enough to me
Thanks Will for arranging everything, and to the rest of you (old and new friends) for a very pleasant weekend away.
Cheers, TK
PS - I think I did the right thing staying 'home' to watch movie with T on Sat night ... but I suspect I've missed out on some fun....
T and I made is home through the aforementioned cr@p weather on the way home to WLG. T thought it was a bit tough he had his first 'open road' long haul driving lesson whilst I listened to the cricket - seemed fair enough to me
Thanks Will for arranging everything, and to the rest of you (old and new friends) for a very pleasant weekend away.
Cheers, TK
PS - I think I did the right thing staying 'home' to watch movie with T on Sat night ... but I suspect I've missed out on some fun....
Dec 13, 2009, 8:32 pm
#248
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MEL
Programs: QF WP, VA, AA
Posts: 1,505
We are camped in the AKL QP (for a while, flight to MEL still some 4:25 away), having had a great weekend in Waimarama/Hawke's Bay.
Was great to catch up with everybody, food and wine was excellent. It's a part of NZ I hadn't been to before (and well worth the visit).
Big thanks to wijomas for organising. Look forward to the next time I catch up with any/all of you.
PS. You may have created a monster, or at very least a keen status chaser, not that one necessarily equals the other
Was great to catch up with everybody, food and wine was excellent. It's a part of NZ I hadn't been to before (and well worth the visit).
Big thanks to wijomas for organising. Look forward to the next time I catch up with any/all of you.
PS. You may have created a monster, or at very least a keen status chaser, not that one necessarily equals the other
Dec 14, 2009, 1:19 am
#249
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,950
Can I add my thanks to all for making this Do a great one. Finally, I've experienced the "real" New Zealand - no big cities (wait a minute, there are big cities in New Zealand??? 
), just long white clouds, green rolling hills that you see in the ads (what an expectation )...and of course great company with other FlyerTalkers.
Big thanks to wijomas for organising this Do - never a trivial feat, as many other Do organisers and the rest of the participants can vouch without a doubt. Looking forward to the next such Do, whenever and wherever it may be.
Ooooh...I think I might be in big trouble for that one 
), just long white clouds, green rolling hills that you see in the ads (what an expectation )...and of course great company with other FlyerTalkers.Big thanks to wijomas for organising this Do - never a trivial feat, as many other Do organisers and the rest of the participants can vouch without a doubt. Looking forward to the next such Do, whenever and wherever it may be.
Dec 14, 2009, 6:19 pm
#250
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF SG(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,771
Well Mrs WF & I have made it into the QF intl lounge at AKL. Only a slight detour to other very green parts of NZ (Thames) where it poured rain about midnight. (We were very tidily tucked away at the time)
Thank you Will. Anytime computers communications and such estoeric things become boring - rest assured that tour organizing is a valid entry in your CV.
Best travel wishes to all friends met and (re)met again.
Fred
Thank you Will. Anytime computers communications and such estoeric things become boring - rest assured that tour organizing is a valid entry in your CV.
Best travel wishes to all friends met and (re)met again.
Fred
Dec 15, 2009, 5:05 am
#251
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Brisbane AU, Planet X
Programs: QC Life, QFF Gold, VA Gold, HH nothing,IHG Gold
Posts: 1,605
The FT Waimarama Do was choice eh bro.
The weather was nice; maybe just a little bit too sunny.
Anat0l and myself flew over Qantas on Thursday night and stayed at the Auckland International Airport Hilton and then headed over to the Air NZ Koru club for some breakfast.
Wijomas met us both when we arrived into Napier being the first 2 off the plane and then headed into town to play some mini golf and then sat around for a few hours waiting the others to turn up.
Dinner at East Pier was nice; the chips were good with a good selection of wine or beer.
We all woke up early with a heavy schedule of events, a visit to a honey shop, cheese shop for a snack and then onto a winery for lunch. Then we did a quick tour of the town and went up to a lookout.
Saturday night dinner was at Elephant Hill; the wine and food was good but their was one important thing missing off the menu.
This description is a bit too simplified but there is an element of truth. ^
A good place for a group photo.
We headed back to Wijomas's place for some drinking and use of the free wifi; Thanks payment in the fridge.
Sunday was another busy schedule with a stop off at the local chocolate factory and wine tasting at 2 more wineries, a wine tour fitted in there somewhere.
wandering_fred gave Itsalongwaydown; Anat0l and myself a lift to the airport where we checked in and then a quick stop at the Air NZ Koru Club
Nice to see you jswong and next time I see you; hopefully in possession of a shiny new piece of plastic.
Good to see you again serfty even if it was only for a couple of hours.
Thanks to tuapekastar finding us a place to stay away from the group so I could get a few hours sleep over the weekend.
Thanks to Itsalongwaydown for suggesting a good place for dinner on the Sunday night and guesting me into the First Class Lounge in Auckland.
chchkiwi someone has to be connected permanently to Flyertalk and I will catch up with you next month, at least you won't get a huge data roaming bill unlike someone else.
Thai-Kiwi good too see you again and I am sure we will meet up again in another location in New Zealand and thanks for the description on the fig; Fig-Doo-Too Wellington for Feb 2011 become a regular occurrence anyone. @:-)
Thanks to wijomas for organising the list of activities, besides the cv reference do you think we made him more assertive in rounding us up. :-:
And good to catch up with all the +1s, just so I didn't miss anyone.
The weather was nice; maybe just a little bit too sunny.
Anat0l and myself flew over Qantas on Thursday night and stayed at the Auckland International Airport Hilton
and then headed over to the Air NZ Koru club for some breakfast. Wijomas met us both when we arrived into Napier being the first 2 off the plane and then headed into town to play some mini golf and then sat around for a few hours waiting the others to turn up.
Dinner at East Pier was nice; the chips were good with a good selection of wine or beer.
We all woke up early with a heavy schedule of events, a visit to a honey shop, cheese shop for a snack and then onto a winery for lunch. Then we did a quick tour of the town and went up to a lookout.
Saturday night dinner was at Elephant Hill; the wine and food was good but their was one important thing missing off the menu.
A good place for a group photo.
We headed back to Wijomas's place for some drinking and use of the free wifi; Thanks
payment in the fridge. Sunday was another busy schedule with a stop off at the local chocolate factory and wine tasting at 2 more wineries, a wine tour fitted in there somewhere.
wandering_fred gave Itsalongwaydown; Anat0l and myself a lift to the airport where we checked in and then a quick stop at the Air NZ Koru Club
Nice to see you jswong and next time I see you; hopefully in possession of a shiny new piece of plastic.
Good to see you again serfty even if it was only for a couple of hours.
Thanks to tuapekastar finding us a place to stay away from the group so I could get a few hours sleep over the weekend.
Thanks to Itsalongwaydown for suggesting a good place for dinner on the Sunday night and guesting me into the First Class Lounge in Auckland.
chchkiwi someone has to be connected permanently to Flyertalk and I will catch up with you next month, at least you won't get a huge data roaming bill unlike someone else.
Thai-Kiwi good too see you again and I am sure we will meet up again in another location in New Zealand and thanks for the description on the fig; Fig-Doo-Too Wellington for Feb 2011 become a regular occurrence anyone. @:-)
Thanks to wijomas for organising the list of activities, besides the cv reference do you think we made him more assertive in rounding us up. :-:
And good to catch up with all the +1s, just so I didn't miss anyone.
Last edited by Bundy Bear; Dec 15, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Dec 26, 2009, 4:57 am
#253
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Oz
Programs: QF LTG, Velocity FF Red, HH Diamond, PC Platinum Ambassador, UA Nothing
Posts: 1,914
Apologies to wijomas for being so tardy in posting here.
A great little get together in a great part of the world. Thanks to Will for all his organisation (and accommodation) as it was appreciated and all worked rather well.
Not much else to say as it has all been covered by others other than I'll see you all again somewhere in the world and at sometime when you least expect it!
A great little get together in a great part of the world. Thanks to Will for all his organisation (and accommodation) as it was appreciated and all worked rather well.
Not much else to say as it has all been covered by others other than I'll see you all again somewhere in the world and at sometime when you least expect it!