The best week?

And as if Polynesian mass wasn't great enough...

It started the Tuesday night after Christmas when I went to the Western Springs speedway just up the road from my house with my flatmate Ian and his buddy (our buddy) Anton. Anton is a cool, cool guy that I've known since I moved in, and he's really fun to hang out with. Anton's cousin was one of the racers, and it was so cool to be there to cheer him on. There were some incredible American racers too, which was fun for me to cheer for. But the coolest part was when Anton said to Ian, "There's Scott's parents" and by Scott's parents he really meant Scott Dixon, the Indy car racer who came in third this year at the 500 (which I was at). He's a Kiwi and one of Anton's good friends. By the end of the night I had actually spoken to them. Which was the coolest. Because I cheered for that Kiwi at the Indy this year...

The next day I met one of Ian and Anton's other friends, Norm. Norm owns a gym here in Auckland and is a pretty damn cool. He knows about everyone in the city, and is very fun to hang out with. He and Anton ride Harleys. Very cool Harleys. They wanted to take Sheen and I on the Harleys, to which we politely obliged. We got to take an hour long ride through Auckland, over the Harbor Bridge, and along the coast line on the back of Anton and Norm's very, very cool Harley bikes. It was breathtaking and amazing fun. Sheena's biker name is Doris. I liked Dorothy, but decided on Gladys instead.

On Saturday before New Years I ate at Orbit restaurant which is on the top level of the Sky Tower. The restaurant rotates, and the 360 view of Auckland as the sun went down was more incredible than I could imagine. I went with Ian's other really cool friend Hamish and his two (very fun) American friends Marty and Sarah, who were in on holiday. We spoke Yankee for a whole night and it was glorious.

New Year's Eve was fabulous. I had to work that night (as someone had to be responsible for feeding and fueling the flash and posh of Ponsonby). But the atmosphere at the restaurant was incredible, and I was so glad that I was there. At midnight, I kissed all of my gay coworkers and I slipped out to catch the fireworks that go off at the Skytower, as SPQR has a fine panoramic view of the city downtown. It was magical. Then, I drank and drank and drank (success) and tried to serve drinks (I failed) and danced and danced with customers (success!). But, even better than that, was the really good looking Kiwi guy who asked me for my phone number...

The week after New Years, Norm was house-sitting for the man who owns the gym that he owns. He invited us (me, my three flatties, Anton, and another friend Troy) over to play tennis on the private courts and swim in the private pool all week. We politely obliged. We played tennis all week at the oldest, most beautiful, gigantic, flash house I have ever seen (imagine an 1860's, deep south plantation home). We had spas in the hot tub, followed by dips in the pool, and terrific bbqs with fish and steak. Norm was an incredible host to all of us (and will be receiving a bottle of very expensive champagne from me for his efforts).

To end the week, Friday the 5th was the opening night for the Cirque de Soliel show, Varekai, in Auckland. Sheena and I got last-minute (and I mean LAST MINUTE) tickets that we bought from Norm, who mentioned he had extras from his gym. But what was cooler is that he had tickets to the cast after party as well. So Norm, his friend Adam, Sheena and I all hob-knobbed (well, Sheena and I stood around and gawked, Norm knew everyone) with some of Auckland's finest, about 1000 of them, and the performers after the show. It was a rockin' late-night party that I'll never forget (thanks to the one blurry picture of Sheena and I that turned out, see above).

But as all good things do, the awesomeness had to come to an end. All of my flatties are back to work this week, and I am back to researching jobs online. It's raining everyday in Auckland, and life has gone on as usual. But two weeks of amazing times I will never forget put a big smile on my face each night as I go to bed...