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Well today I nearly peed my pants! I was on the TELLY during the NZ v France game! Yes, yes that is correct, objective numero uno - get on TV at the rugby - has been met. Unfortunately it seems as though it was only on the NZ broadcast of the show as it was right after the coin toss and at that point UK audiences were probably watching someone in a studio somewhere talking about stuff…how boring.
However, never fear, the moment is not lost, thanks to good old Sky Plus or My Sky as it's called over here! Photos will be available as soon as I Can upload them!
So where was I, ahh, yes! So, the day started off pretty well, basically we didn't do an awful lot as we were recovering from the week before, so I didn't leave the house until the middle of the afternoon as I had decided to walk the Fan Trail into Eden Park from Auckland City as I was going to the match on my own and it was a nice day. When I got to the start of the Fan Trail (4.5km I think) I hung about for a bit just soaking up the atmosphere and watching a lot of French men dressed up in various costumes walk past me. When I saw a group of guys in grass skirts and coconuts go past me I decided that that was probably a good group to follow for some of the best entertainment along the way so I basically stalked them up Queen Street until I got distracted by the Rugby World Cup shop.
As I left the shop about 20 minutes later, I looked like RWC had thrown up on me. A Bag, Hat, Pin Badges and a few other bits and pieces. Off I popped to join the trail again, happily soaking up the atmosphere and stopping at a few of the entertainment stands along the way.
(The Fan Trail is on every match day and is basically a walking route from the Quay in Auckland Central right through the city to Eden Park and they have various check points and activities and entertainment displays on along the route)
When I got half way through there was a park and a lot of amature dramatic things set up, one was a sort of light/dark thing on some grass with a boardwalk separating the two themes and actors on either side portraying one or the other. Well, I walked along the boardwalk being stalked, harassed, whatever you want to call it by a mad woman who wouldn't give up. She kept trying to 'scare' me by screaming at me or barking, to which I simply looked unimpressed by. It was only when I crossed the board walk that she then stopped at the end of her 'area' and promptly fell to the floor, hitting and kicking it like a spoilt brat. 5 seconds later she got up, screamed at a small child and made it cry.
Mental doesn't cover it.
As if that weren't enough I then had to walk through what looked like a giants cats cradle with people 'stuck' in the ropes, reaching out to people for help then pulling their arms away or screaming, or both.
Whatever love, stay there for all I care.
After that slightly weird and wonderful experience I was just happy to be back on a road with normal people - until that is I realised I was now walking through the red light district with a lot of drunken people and me. Not the best route to show of the sights of the city to families and fans, but probably the quickest. Hey ho.
Anyway, I got there safely, and found my seat - brilliant one about 8 rows from the corner flag right in front of a TV camera (!) and the game was just fantastic - France were well beaten and played shockingly but still it was sort of an expected result and the game was very good, although you can imagine the support in the stadium for NZ was just incredible.
I managed to get home fairly quickly too and was back in time to enjoy some of the party Dale put on for this upcoming birthday which was good. I believe I ran into the house screaming 'I was on telly, did you record it!!??' to be told the story of how Darren and Chris saw me and nearly choked on their drinks. SWEET AS!
The night was a late one, but the day was good and it was nice to relax with a few drinks before sleep.
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