Alright People. Here's the pictures I said I'd post a few blogs ago. This was the night that me and The Don played at this posh hotel, the bottom one was taken from the back of the room whilst we were playing........a bit posh innit??? OK so it's not Whitworth Brass Band Club but it'll do.

It's not all Showbizzy parties though, the following morning I had some marigolds, a straighted wire coathanger and a sink plunger and set to work unblocking my toilet (that had a dead fish flushed down it previously-that takes the fish body count to 6 this year.)

Me and the Kev man recorded our first radio show on Sunday and I spent the best part of Monday editting it together.It's gona be called 'All Noisy on the Western Front' and is going to be a craaaaazzzzeeeeeee whaaaacccckkkeee affair by all acounts......watch out Moyles your lardy backside is gonna be whooped! We got to play the demo to some people tomorrow then hopefully we're away. Anyway people gotta go, will post soon.......keep posting. The Monkey man (thats my Radio 'handle'------crazeeeeeeeeeee!)

Coromandel Peninsula

Sue: I have been away for a couple of days to the East Coast to see Whitianga and the Coromandel Penisula.
This was where New Zealand's first gold was discovered although I didnt see any of it!

In Whitianga there are 4000 permanent residents but it gets really busy in the summer months when the Kiwis come here and stay in their holiday homes (called Bachs) which originally were tin huts but now it would cost you £1m to buy one!

On the way we stopped at various places, like Hot Water Beach where you can dig in the sand for hot spring water and make your own spa pool! I was really looking forward to this but unfortunately you can only do it for 2 hours either side of low tide and we were too late!

Also stopped at Cathedral Cove, another beautiful beach which has an enormous limestone arch to walk through. It was a bit of a hike to get there.....dont need a step class for a while but worth every effort to see!

Last stop was the Bone Carving Workshop, they used to make the carvings from whales but now use cows!

So I chose my design and sat down in the workshop where you used a dentist drill to get the shape which was very scary and even scarier was the owner who had no patience and I wasnt gonna argue with her when she was armed with a drill!

Then lots of sandpaper rubbing whilst it was in a vice! It so reminded me of my classes at school and me not being creative at all! Why was I doing this????!! Anyway with the help of the teacher I managed to get a necklace finished, dont think I would wear it to be honest!!!!

Stayed in a backpackers place in a dorm room which was my first time! It was quite an experience, luckily I ended up in a smaller room with 4 beds as opposed to 12 beds! They are all bunk beds and the rooms were tiny! It felt very strange sleeping in a room full of strangers and I couldnt relax at all!

I met some great people on the trip and it was nice mixing with backpackers again! .......lasagne & a pint (locals call it a handle!) for £3.00!

Above: Bernard(crazy German), Jiang Jiang and Sheridan ( a very bad influence)
Well it's Sunday afternoon and I'm just watching aMadonna interview on Fox News, so i thought I'd do a wee blog! The internet is still playing up cos of the Taiwanese earthquake and apparantly it won't be sorted until the end of the month.Bobbins. So still using this mobile connection, which takes forever...but here goes.Well here goes, loads to tell you ....where can I start? First things first, I got a fat lip and a shiner on the way. Last night was Alex's birthday so we went for a meal and then to KTV, Karaoke TV, which is silly really. He's over here from London at the mo, visiting his dad who's got a leather jacket company (too much info there Gav) . So we went KTV after and he was on a mission. basically this KTV is a huge building with 52 rooms. Each room is like a hotel suite with amazing furnishings etc and a huge projected screen. And there are hosts that bring you whatever drinks you want. Len (Alexs Dad) treated him to this night so he was well up for enjoying his night. And out of about 20 of us, I decides to sit next to the one man drinking machine. Suffice to say that after a few hours we were all singing fantastically well and then I decided to breakdance some freestyle and, do you remember 'The Caterpiller'?well I forgot all about putting your hands down first and landed...................on my face. .........so I obviously told everyone later that I'd been in a scrap with lots of people....that I leathered!!! I have to blame someone...so it's The Prince to blame. The Prince is a Texan guy who's invited me and Suzie to stay with him in the US, and keeps suggesting that we go on a biking trip to Mexico.
So,yeah I'm sporting a Joseph Merrick style face today and have be told by The Don,to to leave the apartment! Yeah so apparantly I am going to be a DJ, not like a Fatboy Slim, Judge Jules modern day DJ but a good old fashioned disc spinning radio Jock! I've been talking to Sheridan and Jiang Jiang this week and it's definately a go-er! I'll have an hour long show everyday on Hangzhous Key 103, so with the help of Cockney Kev, we're going to play tunes from back in the west, have a laugh and try and make some dosh. I'm going to call the show call it 'All Noisy on theWestern Front' and am staying in tonight to finish writing the first show. Tim, the ultimate New Yorker, a legend, has asked me if I want to do a TV show???!!!!! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING???!! So yeah, doing a radio show so if any of you guys can send me entertainment stories, new music it would be much appreciated . It's being pre-recorded cos you can't broadcast live in China, so that'll be good. It wil be on a website to as a podcast, so depending how it goes I might blog the website address.
And then on Wednesday, I went for an interview for a teaching job, got the gig and was then asked to do a little class, which I loved. I was telling them about back home and they were really good and laughing all the the time. I started by introducing myself as a monkey, then I saw a board duster for the white board and continued to tell them the story about my old maths teacher, Mr Jolley, and told them that 'if anyone was naughty, then Mr Jolley, used to throw the duster at you'....then I explained that I was bringing this form of teaching to China. Anyway that was great, and I have a contract to sign for a 4 hour job every Saturday at a factory. Did a conversation corner class on Friday too which was a bit boring. The thing is the kids are painfully shy sometimes and you really need to work at bringing them out of their little Chinese shells. it's early days yet, but I think it's going to be fun! I got an interview tomorrow for a full time job ...but i got a fat lip???!! Don reckons it'll go down tomorrow but.....it a beauty!!!! May take a photo actually and post it!!!! i love the little amount of teaching I've done so far....it's a good laugh.
Also planning a gig with Jiang Jiang. She's Sheridans girlfriend and is one of the best singers here in Hangzhou. She used to sing in a band and I put it to her on Friday that we should do a gig, then asked the bar owner, voila.......all sorted. So just gotts get a few tunes together, so I can't wait for that. The thing that is amazing about Hangzhou.......(by the way The Don just took a piccie of my face.......shall I post it????? let me know!) is that it seems like anythings possible and do-able......lots of people are doing lots of things .....before I came away I made a deal with myself that I would try and do things that I wouldn't back home... so this place suits me. Ideas aren't stiffled here and they are encouraged....it's a great mindset!
Oh I also think that myself and Ian are doing a pubquiz this week to at the local bar, that should be a good giggle. Ians a really funny bloke and is going out with a Norweigen girl called Camilla (by the way do you really need this information people???!!) Anyway I'll keep you posted on the progress of all these little blaggs......I mean ventures. I'll try and upload some photos, but may have to wait until the internet gets back up to speed. Let us know the news from back home!Spoke to 3x2 the other day and had a right good chat, we're in touch every few days for you people who are worried! Right, I got a radio show to write and an interview to prepare for so I'm afraid I'm going to hve to go......and my face hurts!!!!!!!
Love Ya People
Ma Ming

Sky Tower

Sue: Guess where I am??!! I went up the Skytower yesteday, I have been waiting for a real clear day as you can see as far as 50 milles away when its good conditions.

The Sky Tower is the biggest landmark in Auckland and its the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere.......so heres the statistics for those peeps interested!

328m high, it attracts 750,000 visitors per year and it took 2000 tonnes of steel to construct it!

It has two levels to view from, the highest at 220m! You can see me there standing on the glass floor looking all the way down! Reminded me of Toronto bro!

There was also a sky jump happening when I was up on deck, some crazy people jump off the top attached to some wires. It takes 14 seconds to get to the bottom! yikes! See the photo of him dangling above the city!!

Christmas in Hangzhou

Well Hello dear reader. Just looked at the blog and 3x2 has come up trumps...putting me to shame so heres a bit of a progress report. Christmas In Hangzhou! We had a blast, on Christmas Eve we had all the staff from Jennys company over for a meal and a drink, which was great, everyone had a ball, and as usual the for the finale the bald guy played the guitar...pretty cool actually because we were singing all sorts of stuff ...nothing that any chinese person could possibly know, but they all seemed to enjoy us westerners screaming...

'MMMMaaaaaaaabbbbbbbbyyyy, don't really wannaknowwwwwwwww............".

So that was Christmas Eve then Christmas Day it was all hands on deck for the Christmas Meal at Dons, which was great craic. Everyone got stuck in...I even peeled potatoes for 20 of us??????!!!!! Good crowd of people, good food and wine proved enough to make it a great day. We had a pub quiz on the night, which I voluteered to chair (why?) and was told that all these ex-pats get really competitive and that it was my job to lay the law down, my word was final......so I was more like Jeremy Paxman than Bamber Gascoigne...and I loved it!!!! We even had a drinking forfeit for anyone who questioned the question-master! ( Yeah.....That's how you create order Gav, nice one!??)

All the old gags came out including the old, eating a sliced carrot from the fish tank pretending it's a goldfish..............Jennifer screamed like the proverbial banshee and I think she's only just forgive me.

A great laugh though ended with much dancing to 'Fairytale of New York' and people wearing way too many hats...thats what Christmas is about innit??! Next day was the clean up operation....distinct lack of people for that...I wonder why???!! All was good though and we didn't find anyone asleep in the fish tank!

Last weekend was a bit surreal. You might have noticed a few blogs ago that me and Don played a few songs at his birthday bash....anyway....a few days later, this lady called and asked if we'd like to play at some presentation. As I answered the phone, I was like...'Of course' thinking can we charge or what, and then proceeded to tell her how famous me and 'our kid' were in England....I need to learn that not everyone gets irony........ anyway, I forgot about it and I think Don did so last Friday was the doo. We got to the place, I was carrying my guitar case through this massive hotel lobby feeling like Bono and not knowing what to expect. We got escorted to this function room....which was massive...and full of about 400 chinese people...with a big stage and PA and lights etc. Me and Don just looked at each other and cracked up.....then the old 'hor derves' (nerves) kicked in. So we asked the organiser 'who else is singing?' and she was like....'no one'.....ahhhh now you must understand that we'd rehearsed for this...obviously...........5 minutes before we set off and now were under the impression that we were the main event.....Excuse me?Where's that toilet?' I believe were the next words to come out of my mouth! OK so 400 chinese people and little old me and The Don were the only westerners! So delayed tactics were required and it turned out that there were some kiddies dressed as pigs and frogs singing Chinese songs and a lady of a certain age singing a traditional Chinese tune...if you've never heard any traditional Chinese singing....get a cat and accidentally step on it's paw.....for 5 minutes....that's possible the closest thing to it.

So we went backstage to get ready, and then we were called up by the hosts!! On stage and without a clue. All went well though, Don introduced himself in Chinese and then introduced me with my chinese name which I didn't recognise but the crowd seemed to find hilarious. Cos my old Chinese name is Ma Lon (bright horse) and my new one is Ma Liu (musical horse) but he introduced me as Ma Ping....................... which means Horse Fart! Anyway we got stuck into Sit Down by James and it went well, then Better Man by Blobby Williams which again went OK, everyone clapping away. And at the end of the night I got given an Mp3 player for my troubles. Result. Thats straight on ebay I'm telling you! But it was a great night and a bit of a relief, I've got some photos being sent me and will post them asap! So thats that people for another blog.....

a distinct lack of posts so far people......get some on or we'll be forced to do another picture quiz...adios

The 90 Mile Beach & Cape Reinga

Sue: Cape Reinga Lighthouse is on the Northern tip of New Zealand and you can see herewhere the Tasman Sea & Pacific Ocean meet!

There were signposts saying how far away you were from different places in the world, and just so you know I was 18029km away from London!!

The next photo is us driving down the famous length of the 90 mile beach....which is actually only 60 miles!

Its very firm sand which means you can take your car and drive on it....another first for me!

There were no traffic jams , traffic lights, roundabouts....just needed to watch out for people and an odd surfer! Mainly it was very quiet and we were the only people on the beach...thank god we didnt break down as there was no mobile coverage or telephones around!

It felt a bit scary at first wondering if we would get stuck....all the advice given to us was

DONT STOP!!!

Last photo does not do it justice, but we passed huge huge sand dunes and people were using boards to surf down them! Looked good fun!

Bay of Islands......theres more!

Sue : The palm trees photo shows the view from outside our apartment in Keri Keri, it was so peaceful there was no-one else around, apart from a Bull and some chickens! This was a good location near all the main beaches called Cable Bay and Doubtless Bay.

I thought I would post some nice beaches and sunny photos for all the people at home cold at the moment! Dont worry it will soon be your summer holidays!!!

We also visited a local vineyard which was very posh, people drove up the drive in their buggys from the golf course for wine and pate....like you do!!!

My first chance of tasting some local New Zealand wine...thats the life sat in the sun, overlooking the vineyards and the beach with a chilled glass of wine! heaven!!!

I have also learnt a lot about the Maori's history and the Treaty that was signed in 1840 between the British Government and the Maori chiefs. Visited the Waitangi Reserve which is the site where the Treaty was signed. Went inside the Treaty House and the Maori Meeting House which was very interesting. A bit of culture and a history lesson for me!

A Holiday within a Holiday!

Sue: Happy New Year everyone, just returned from a week away up north to The Bay of Islands. As you can see its such a beautiful place, lots of lovely sunny beaches, pretty harbours and its the best place for the weather over xmas time, so we planned it well!

We went on the Mack Attack Boat Trip which is a high speed boat that takes you around the 150 small islands in the bay. The main attraction was to drive through the Hole in the Rock above, it was good fun, but very cold and windy onboard...hence the silly big coats we had to wear!!

The Harura Waterfalls were stunning, we climbed over the rocks to get to the mouth of the falls and there were lots of people kayaking in the stream underneath us! Great campsite here too, imagine waking up and seeing that view, although might make you want the loo a bit more!!

The other photo is Paihia Harbour, we stayed there on our first night, pretty seaside resort.

On New Years Eve we were stood next to the pier and watched a Firework Display and I think it was my first sober New Years Eve since I can remember!