Millennium What?
Millennium Talk.Bizarre Outrageous Blowout
Millennium T.BOB is a party, to be held in New Zealand for New Year's
2000 (when 1999 changes to 2000). Why? Because nobody has nuclear
weapons trained on New Zealand, we won't be flying when the
double-digit dates roll over, and we can watch the rest of the world
erupt in chaos from the comfort and safety of our deckchairs and bbqs.
Oh, and it will be fun.
The Master Plan is Revealed!
MILT.BOB is OVER
Photos
Most of the links in this document, by the way, are to images from Jenine's Postcards From
New Zealand, a sort-of journal consisting of pictures and notes
from our trip in February 1998. Highly recommended. The following
is the only in-line photo. Consider it a teaser for what you'll get
when you arrive in New Zealand.
Where?
On the not-very-palatial Torkington
estates on Ti Point, New Zealand.
Where's this? About an hour north of
Auckland. This is quite
a rural area, with
the sea in view. It's about five minutes walk,
if that, to a bay for swimming, fishing, boating, etc. There's lots
of fresh seafood, and there's a
fishing boat for larger
expeditions and a smaller dinghy for messing about in.
There are stores outside of walking distance. Leigh is a village of
200 people and 5 minutes drive away, Warkworth is a town of two or
three thousand and 20 minutes drive away. Leigh has a restaurant, is
right by a marine reserve for snorkelling and diving (you'll have to
organize your own equipment), and not much more. Warkworth has
restaurants, cafes, stores. Don't expect malls or cosmopolitan
elegance, however--this *is* rural New Zealand, after all.
Why, Again?
It'll be fun! If you don't believe me, check out Jenine's record of our
last trip. Also, Philip Greenspun travelled around New Zealand and extensively photographed and
documented his trip.
When?
Jenine and Nathan will be in town from mid-December through to
mid-January. You can feel free to arrive any time, as the Torkington
family is prepared for (and looking forward to, in fact) an onslaught
of crazy foreigners. This is all very casual, but the focus of your
stay should probably be New Year's. There's usually a big party and
pissup about 15 minutes away, in an even-more-rural place called
Pakiri.
What Will We Do?
Plans for activities are still loose. Here are a list of some
of the many things you can do in the area. Afterwards is a
brief outline of still-shaping-up plans for organized, group
activities and tours.
- sit around and relax
- get a suntan. Your hairspray has given New Zealand an ozone
hole big enough to bake everyone in only 15
minutes!
- explore the sea shore
- go rock-climbing on the Ti
Point cliffs (experience strongly suggested)
- snorkeling or
scuba-diving at Goat Island Marine Reserve
- Unicorn Bookshop, a great place for cheap books in Warkworth
- Sheep World! just outside of Warkworth (your chance to shear a sheep)
- Hiking around the area
- Kawau Island has historic Mansion House (a gorgeous Victorian
mansion), wallabies, and bizarre flora
- trips to Auckland for botanical gardens,
shopping or Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World
- go to Auckland on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) and watch a day-long cricket game (more fun than it sounds, honest!)
- visit the Kauri Gum Museum that is
about 90 minutes away. It's a pioneer-museum experience, and a lot of
fun
- drive north to the Bay of Islands and experience a different
part of New Zealand
- drive to Auckland and see if any of the wineries will let us get
drunk
- drive south to Rotorua for its Maori culture, bubbling mud, hot pools, and general thermal activity
- drive south to Lake Taupo for trout fishing in the surrounding streams (will it be the right time of year?)
- drive north to the Northernmost point on New Zealand and boggle as the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet and churn
- drive south to Napier and swim with dolphins (not
sure if this is still legal, but hey)
- drive south and take a
helicopter to White Island, a live volcano
- drive south to
Wellington, the capital city, and experience its fantastic night life,
club scene, cafes, etc. (Rough analogy: Auckland is Los Angeles,
Wellington is San Francisco). Wellington also houses Peter Jackon's
Weta films, the company making the Lord of the Rings movie
- drive south to Wellington, take the ferry to the South Island, an
outdoors-person's wet dream.
Semi-Organized Plans
Before the BOB, probably around December 30, we plan a trip
in to Warkworth for a visit to Sheepworld. Also, we would
expect to visit the marine reserve, and other attractions in
the immediate area before and during BOB-time. There is a lot
of nice hiking to do in the area. Wineries, shops, all sorts
of things. When we aren't lounging around Ti Point, there will
be plenty to do.
After the BOB, the current suggested plan goes something like this:
January 2:
Drive to Rotorua (five or six hours drive). See the hot
pools, mud, thermal activity, maybe even go paragliding. Stay in
Taupo that night. (Additional suggestions: Rainbow Springs
natural park, native and non-native flora and fauna exhibits
of New Zealand, kind of theme-parky, but fun; Kiwi Country,
never been there, but with a name like that, how can it be
anything other than fun?)
Here is a story, and some photos from the last time we did
basically this trip.
January 3:
Drive on to Wellington (another four or five hours). See
the Museum of New Zealand. That night we hit the piss with gnat's
University mates.
January 4:
Wine tasting an hour or two north of Wellington (produces
more reds than whites). Those who want to dodge the wine can visit
the botanical gardens, hike a mountain, go shopping, etc. Return in
the evening, and take the late ferry across to Picton. Stay the
night.
January 5:
Wine tasting in the Marlborough region (known for whites).
This is the major wine area of NZ. Head to the Mussel Boys place
for excellent shellfish seafood if you're brave. Head back to
Picton, catch the late ferry back to Wellington.
January 6:
Drive north back through the East coast of the Island (Bay of
Plenty). Stop just outside of Wellington for the absolutely fucking
insane fly-by-wire (here's a rocket on a rope in a valley) ride at
Plimmerton (reportedly, very few people actually die doing this).
Visit the Art Deco city Napier. Frolic on the beach. Stop around
Mount Maunganui or Te Puke for the night.
January 7:
Complete the drive back, stopping at the gemstone store for
cheap gems.
At this point a lot of people who have already made arrangements to
come will be leaving for home. So we are ending our planned touring
here. If you will be staying longer, yay! We would like to take
people to the northern tip of the North Island. It's a beautiful
area, lots of scenic wonders, ancient Kauri forests (NZ's answer
to the great Sequoia), and historical sites. Such a tour would
take another two days.
Send us some mail and
we can give you some tips for making the most of your visit. We have
tonnes of flyers and brochures with information on attractions all
over New Zealand, and we'd love to share them with you.
Some places to look:
More information about New Zealand:
- Driving in New Zealand and other
important information.
- About New Zealand (history, geography, etc.)
Savages!
This is a fairly back-to-nature event. The Torkington family doesn't
have a huge house that they can just shove dozens of people into.
Expect to be camping (bring sleeping bags and a tent) by the bach,
unless you can make a mighty fine case for one of these beds:
- uncomfortable small bed in the kitchen of the bach
- futon-style bed upstairs in the Torkington home
- floor space for two or three upstairs in the Torkington home
We might have some cots set up in a shed at the bach, so you
won't need your own tent, just a sleeping bag.
Check the "Accommodations" section below for phone numbers of
local hotels, b&b's, and other housing options.
Barry has set up a "long drop" (pit toilet, with seat and lid) behind
the bach, so there should be very basic "facilities" for you to use.
We'll try to make showers at the house available, but as this is tank
water we may need to use a hotel room and convoy folks for showers
there. Or you could set up a camp shower (bag of water with spout)
and shower behind a cloth.
Feeding ourselves will be a group problem and a group solution. We
have cooking facilities at the bach (if you trust the rather dubious
electrical wiring there) and at the house (with its somewhat better
wiring, although not perfect as Barry was an electrician so he
naturally has never finished half of the wiring in the main house),
and can make trips into Warkworth and Leigh for groceries and takeout
("takeaways" in the local parlance) as the mood grabs us. There is
abundant local seafood, although technically the gathering of it is
restricted.
What a Commute!
Plane tickets are your responsibility. Book early and shop around for
discounts. United, Air New Zealand, and Quantas definitely fly to
Auckland, and Continental may also do so. Ask your travel agent.
Still Interested?
Please let us know, so we have some idea what kind of horde to expect.
There is a mailing list for attendees and prospective attendees.
To join send mail to
majordomo@frii.com
with the body of the message reading
"subscribe milt-bob". Or if you aren't ready for a mailing list,
send mail to
gnat@frii.com or
jenine@lamar.colostate.edu
asking for more details.
Where?
| New Zealand, South Pacific idyll. |
|
Accommodation
If you would prefer to have the security of your own
hotel room rather than risk not getting one of the
interior spots at chez Torkington, there are several
nearby options.
- Leigh Motel (VERY close to the BOB). 011 649 422 6179
- Matheson Bay B&B (Very close to the BOB, and very CHEAP,
but they only have space for FOUR people! Reserve NOW).
011 649 422 6302.
- Leigh Accommodation. Fully furnished 2 bedroom Cottage,
Sleeps 5, Bedding supplied. $100/day, $600/week. It would be
great if 5 BOBbers got together and rented this one. It sounds
like a peach. 011 649 422 6168.
- Sheepworld has tourist cabins and campers for rent. Their
phone number is 011 649 425 9962 phone/fax.
- Sandspit Bach (very close to the BOB), 011 64 9 425 7425 or
e-mail loufarrand@clear.net.nz
- Hurstmere House B&B, Matakana (closer to the BOB than Warkworth)
011 649 422 9220 or fax 9 422 9220.
- Bridge House Lodge, Warkworth. 011 649 425 8351
- Central Motel, Warkworth. 011 649 425 8645
- The Warkworth Inn. 011 649 425 8351
- Walton Park Motel. 011 649 425 8351
- Whangateau Camping Park (i'm not sure if they have rental
campers or cabins here, or just open sites, and it is really close
to the BOB site).
011 649 422 6305.
- Sandspit Motor Camp. 8 tourist cabins, pleasant rooms
with full cooking facilities, fridge, heaters, sleep 2-7.
011 649 425 8610.
- Island Bay Retreat Bed & Breakfast at Scott's Landing, Warkworth.
011 649 425 4269 phone/fax.
- Bethshan Seaside Cottages Motel, Algies Bay, Warkworth.
011 649 425 5774 phone, or 011 649 425 5774 fax. (the brochure
says, "no pets or firearms permitted." so.)
- Pakiri Beach Motor Camp, rental campers and a motel. Kind
of a tough drive from the BOB, but Pakiri is a neat area with lots
of fun outdoorsy stuff to do. 011 649 422 6199.
Accommodation Elsewhere
Ideally, after the BOB you will be taking some time to explore
the rest of New Zealand. gnat and j.j are planning a tour of
the North (and possibly parts of the South) island for the
week following the BOB. If that won't work with your schedule,
and you need accommodation information for any town in New
Zealand, send e-mail to
jenine@lamar.colostate.edu and she'll try to help you.
