Mexican Night

After leave Australia, I hadn’t had Nachos again. And I think I would never have some Nachos as good as at the Bunga Bar, in Sydney.

So I decided to try to do it by myself, instead of have somewhere else here.
At the beginning, I was trying to remember how the Nachos at the Bunga Bar were. All the ingredients, and how it looks.

Then, I looked on youtube to see if there was any recipe of Nachos. There are some, but not of Beef Nachos. There are recipes of sauces. Not a dish as there was at Bunga Bar.

Anyway I bought all the ingredients I could find and it was going to be enough to make it. Among them:

• Beef
• Pasta sauce
• Parsley
• Nachos chips (or Doritos, if you find)
• Chili
• Mozzarella and Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Avocado
• Tomatoes

Pretty easy!! Just follow the pictures below and you will be able to do yourself.

Coronas are the main ingredient for a good Mexican Night!!.. hehe.. Unfortunately, we didn't have Tequila.

READY!!!!!

This time Moab was the unlucky who couldn't enjoy the meal!!

By the way, it was awesome! Of course not the same as at the Bunga Bar, but awesome!!!

Samba/Pagode

Since Vini has arrived in New Zealand, we were going together, every Thursday, to the Brooklyn Bar to see and play (sometimes) with the Brazilian Band, called “Maracanã”.

We attended it for 10 weeks (I guess). However, last Thursday was Vini’s last time. He is leaving New Zealand in a couple weeks, so he decided to travel around during his last days, owing to his English classes has finished.

So, I have a selection of pictures of the days we went to the Samba.

Little Dunga (Dunguinha) was attended too!!

Marcelo, Vini, Pelé, Me and David.

Pelé and Alex (Band's manager).

Pelé and Xandi (Harmonia do Samba..LOL).

Doug Funny, me and Pikachu.

Doug Funny, Alex, Pikachu, Gaucho Bezerra da Silva and half of me.. hehe.

Alex, Pikachu and Arouca.

Vini (Bear Pooh) playing "Caixa".

Vini playing "repinique".

That's it!!! The Band is full of famous characters such as Doug, Xandi, Bear Pooh … Biro Biro, etc. Most of them dubbed by Vini. Until now, almost 3 months later, I don’t know the real name of Doug Funny and Arouca. And Doug has eaten many times at Wildfire… and I always call him as Doug. I don’t know if he likes it, though.

Although the Brooklyn bar was a nice place to go, with the Brazilian band and funny people, there were in average 85% of men. Yeahh.. only 15% of women. Really bad, huh? As Vini always says "There were 15 guys for each man!" In Portuguese "15 homens pra cada rapaizzzzz..."

Don't know if it’s true, but I heard next week will be the last day of samba in the Brooklyn bar. Yeah.. no more!!! Problems with $$$.. hehehe..

Well.. I hope they find another place to play, though. Anyway, in 3 weeks I will be traveling and will not be able to enjoy it.

Flat 723

After many changes, the flat is now complete again. The old ones, Marcelo and me, and the new ones, Moab and Nina.

Me (Brazil), Marcelo (Chile), Nina (Germany) & Moab (Brazil)

Moab moved in on Oct 11th, and Nina the last Saturday (17th). The same day Nina had moved in, we went out. All of us had some beers at home, and when we were going out, Marcelo and Moab gave up. So Nina and I left home and went first to the Backpacker she was staying before move in (same one I stayed for a week at the beginning).

There were 3 guys (German, French and Argentinean) and another girl (German). After 20 min, we left there heading to Viaduct Harbour. We got into the Provedor and then, everyone starving, Burger King, of course!!!

Argentina, Germany, Germany, Brazil

We don't know what happened with the other two guys. They disappeared suddenly.

(...)

The next day, as I had planned with Moab, we bought some stuffs to cook a meal for lunch for us. Unlucky, Marcelo had to work. So the lucky ones were Moab, Nina and me.

Mixed Rice (Arroz à grega) & Strogonoff

After a few beers and a great meal, I was ready for a nap. However, I had to work at 5pm, in a sunny Sunday. OMG!!!

Crazy Real Txt Conversation

Follow below a real txt conversantion that i had by mobile with an ex flatmate, about the Bond*.

*Bond is a money taken by the "manager" of the flat for security. Used if the person breaks something or even leave the flat without notice it. If nothing happens the manager give it backs when the person moved out.

___________________

Sina - “Hey did you find 2 flatmates?”
Leandro – “Yes. The last one moved in yesterday.”

Sina – “Oh ok. So do I get the bond back?”
Leandro – “No bond back! The bond was used 2 pay ur last 2 weeks!”

Sina – “ Then why did you tell me you used it to cover the Argentinean girl and then tell me if you find flatmates by Saturday that you will pay it. Now you say you used it to pay the last 2 weeks. You need to stick with 1 story.”
Leandro – “Dnt mis it up! Give me ur email n ill explain 2 u”

Sina – “kurius@... Im going to the tenancy tribunal.
Leandro - “Sina, is there any chance we meet each other this week to explain abt the bond? Thats better to talk than to send email.”

Sina - “Im sorry I have spent enough time listening to you. I will be visiting the tenancy tribunal and city council to get legal advice”
Leandro – “Up 2 u!”

Sina – “This is what happens when you don’t communicate and you lie.”
Leandro – “I didn’t lie any time. U who didn’t understand! Anyway, do whatever u want!”

Sina – “When I first moved in none of you boys talked to me so I moved in with my bf at the time for 2 or 3 weeks. I should have moved out but I didn’t. So I paid for 2 or 3 weeks I wasn’t there. You said to me that you want to be my friend but you`ve never made me feel like one. All you`ve ever wanted was my money. Then there`s the whole ‘I had to use your bond to cover the Argentinean girl but don’t worry you`ll get it back’. Just lie after lie.”
Leandro – “Dnt mix different subjects! And everyth u said is still not true! Anyway, I wont argue with u by txt. If u wanna talk as 2 adults, let me know.”

Sina – “Hahahaha what makes you think ill waste more time on you. You’ve got my money and ive learnt a huge lesson. I will talk to the tenancy tribunal and see what they have to say.”
Leandro – “That’s why u dnt hv friends! U think everyone lies 2 u! U dnt see the truth! The truth is wat u hv in ur mind atm! U realy need a psycologist.”

Sina – “You don’t know me so don’t pretend you do. You obviously don’t care so save you lies for the next victim. I thought you were a good person but I was mistaken.”
Leandro – “The only person who had a problem with me were u! Think first abt wat u did in the flat. Secondly, a quick explanation abt ur bond. On Oct, 2nd I told u 2 leave in 2 weeks. U didn’t pay 4 those weeks, right? As u hadpaid the rent the week b4, I returned u the money, from sun 2 tue. If I had founf smo b4 17th, id give u a percetual of ur bond bak. If u know just a little of maths, u will understand.”

Sina – “Yea because you talk to them. You never really talked to me. Ok I understand bt I paid for 2 wkz wen I was at my bfs so y r u complaining.”
Leandro – “It was ur choice 2 stay there! I cannot pay those weeks 2 u!”

Sina – “Im just saying that you have 2 weeks bond and also 2 weeks when I wasn’t there so you have more than enough provided you saved it.”
Leandro – “Sina, u still dnt understand. The two weeks u weren’t there I paid the rent normally. And the bond was used 2 pay ur last 2 weeks that u didn’t pay the rent.”

Sina – “No u dnt understand. I wasn’t there for 2 weeks which means the bills would be less than usual. You`re just greedy and rude.”
Leandro – “A flat is not a backpacker that u pay the days u stay. If u wanna stay away from a flat, u hv 2 pay anyway!”

Sina – “Now you`re just insulting my intelligence. I know itz a flat. Im just saying you shouldn’t be complaining bkoz the biils would hav ben cheaper wen I was gone. My mum askt me 4 ur details bkoz she works 4 the government an she has the power 2 send u bak 2 brazil.”
Leandro – “Sina, I didn’t charge u the bills! If u didn’t use power, hot water n internet wasn’t because I didn’t provide u that. But cuz u chose 2 stay away. I wasn’t going 2 charge more if the bills were 10 times more than usually. Im not being rude! But u want to get more money anyhow n are trying all possibilities. I hope u understand now.

Sina – “im not now because I undastand but ur just being rude. Especially after you said you wanted to be my friend and now you`re talking to me like im an idiot.”
Leandro – “Im not doing that! That’s u who is now being mean! Do whatever u want 2 do! I didn’t do anything wrong! So if u want 2 talk 2 the tribunal, to ur mum or even the pope!!! I don’t care!"

Leandro – “And one more thing! The fact im not ur friend there is no realtion with money! But cuz I dnt feel like! And in a share accommodation im not obligate 2 get on with everyone, but respect, tho. So if u think I lied 2 hv said id be ur friend its nothing with the flat, bond, etc. However, if u still think I owe money, ive explained u everyth. Nothing else I can do. So if u try to do sth against me, just let me know, cuz I also know ppl from the government. And it would be bad 4 u as well who got money for studies and used it 4 parties. B4 do sth 4 smo, think abt ur bads!”
Sina – “Hahaha I just told u I undastand bwt the muni. U dnt no wat ur talking bwt. Like I said u dnt no me or anything bwt me so y dnt u do yourself a favour and leave me alone.”

Absurd

Have a look how much a kg of lime cost here in New Zealand!!!

$22 New Zealand dollars!!! Absurd!!! In Real (Brazilian currency) it means almost R$28 !!

Could you imagine going to the market and the guy who says “Madam, limes R$ 1/kilo!!!” would say “Madam, limes are on sale today!!! R$ 28/kilo!!”

Bus drivers on Strike

The bus drivers are still on Strike. Tomorrow will turn a week!!!! It is being so bad!!! And so expensive for me!!!

However, today the newspaper says: "Auckland buses due back on the road tomorrow". The news doens't say that is really sure, though.

I hope it happens!!! I can't stand it anymore.

By this issue, last week (on Saturday), happened a curious and almost bad thing. Owing to the strike, there is only a bus company operating each 30 min. After 6pm, only one bus per hour.

On Friday, I had finished work at 9.30 pm, so I could catch the last bus at 10pm. Nevertheless, on Saturday, even finishing earlier (9.15pm) I missed the last bus. Why? I don’t know. There were Leonardo (Uruguay), Primo (one of the Chef of the Wildfire), me and another guy, a kiwi, waiting for it, since 9.25pm for the 10pm bus.

At 9.50pm the digital timetable had informed the bus was due in 8 minutes. Six minutes later, when I looked again, the information disappeared. I thought so, the bus was coming late.

10 minutes later, nothing. 15 minutes, nothing. 20 minutes, nothing. However, 20 min later the bus from Auckland to Takapuna arrived there. So the kiwi guy and me went to ask him about the bus in the opposite direction (Takapuna-Auckland).

The driver said : "It's gone!! I saw it on my way to here". We said we were there for more than 40 min, and any bus had passed there. Well, without any information, the kiwi asked him where he was going to park the bus, if he was going to Birkenhead. At that moment, i don't know why the driver got really fed up! So he closed the door on me and said "I'm going home". I got off the bus as the door was closing on me. The driver opened it again and the kiwi got off too and was leaving when I did the international gest, absolutely pissed off:

Enough for the driver gets more angry and wants fight. Yeahhh.. the driver got offended and cursed at me. Many bad things! Mainly, calling for a fight. He got off the bus, took his jacket off and came to my direction while i was going back to the bus stop. Leo and Primo were sitting down, without knowing what was going on.

So i stopped in the middle of the road and wait till the driver comes. He came and said many things not important. And I said that he is a bus driver, a person supposed to help others, giving informations. Not to close the door in someone, as he did.

While he was leaving, he kept saying bad words and things like that.

No buses!! What could we do? Yesss.. everyone knows!! TAXI, there we go!!!

New Camera

Yeahhh!!! Finally I bought a new camera!!! It was being so bad taking pictures from my mobile. It’s not the same!!!

Since I was in Australia I have been looking for a waterproof camera. But all of them were quite expensive that I couldn’t afford.

Nowadays, there are two brands which have waterproof cameras. Olympus and Fujifilm. The prices are really close, but I prefer Olympus, owing to I have already seen if from a friend.

Therefore, yesterday, sunny Sunday, I decided to buy it! It was a really nice day that I couldn’t wait anymore for buying it.

Have a look in some of the first pictures I have taken.

Viaduct Harbour - Very similar of the Darling Harbour in Sydney.

CARGO BAR!!! Uhuuuuu!!
Not so fun as in Sydney, though.

Sunday, sunny, new camera, beers!! Of course!!! I just had one, cuz I had to work, few minutes later. : (

Below, there are pictures of my new camera, from my mobile. Lol…

Next acquisition that I’m planning is a Hard Drive. I saw one with 1 TB of memory for $196!! Really cheap!!!

________________

Ps: I’m writing this post while I’m waiting to work at Wildfire. I’m at the Takapuna Beach.

Trips in New Zealand - Part 1: Searching

These days I have been searching for places to visit in New Zealand as I’m planning to travel soon. How I had to stay in Takapuna waiting few hours between the two jobs I went to the Library to do my searches.

There are many ways to travel around all New Zealand:

- Buying a bus pass, which takes you to every place in the bus itinerary;
- To rent a car or a campervan/motorhome;
- Buying a car; and
- Buying flights over the main cities.

I haven’t decided yet which one I will do it. I did my budget plan thinking about buying a bus pass. It’s really expensive, though. Around $1500 for a month, traveling over all New Zealand.

This weekend, I had another idea. As I had seen on Internet, that there are Relocation transport*, for free or a very cheap fare, I thought about going to the South Island first and get a Motorhome. So I could travel for around one month paying $1/day for the Motorhome.

I looked on internet, how much would cost a flight to Christchurch (place where it has the relocation Motorhome). I found one, for $49 (one way). Still undecided, I didn’t know what to do. Anyway, I bought it. It was so cheap, that I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

Everything till now is just plans. But in a month later I will be traveling and no more work!! Enough of Hospitality jobs!!!

My plans consists of:

- Working till 14th of November;
- Traveling from 15th till 12th of December;
- Going back to Brazil on 14th of December; and
- On January … I will tell you when I have everything done!!! Still plans!! Lol..

My time around Oceania is finishing … I just have to say that I have been enjoying and learning a lot!! A lot of things is going to happen yet.

Job, Power and Transport

As everybody knows, i had 3 jobs. Cleaning, Waiting and Volunteering. Due to a BLACK OUT in my flat this week, I wasn’t able to volunteer trying to fix it.

Yeah, we had no electricity for almost 3 days. It started last Sunday (0410), when we woke up and nothing was working. So, few hours later, after talk to the Company responsible for the power, it came back.

However, Monday morning, day to work it wasn’t working again. Can you imagine having a shower without light? The bathroom has no window. Are you afraid of a shower in the dark? Lol… At least the hot water was working.

Resuming, we didn’t have power until Tuesday afternoon. That´s why I had to miss the Volunteer Job this day. I had to call the owner of the flat, the power company, the manager of the Zest apartments, and when I thought we had to call a technician, the manager of the Zest came to fix it!! UFA!!

Afterwards, as I was called to work on Wednesday at Wildfire, I missed the volunteer job again. And more: I will be working everyday, 7 days a week, from the next week. And Monday to Saturday, cleaning.

Enough, right? I have volunteered for a short period, but anyway I did it.

Nevertheless, another problem has happened. Not happy with their salaries and due to School Holidays, the bus drivers are now on STRIKE!!! Yeah!! Did you think it happens only in Brazil? No way!!!

One thing I have to say. Opposite than Brazil, which you wake up and realize that there are no buses operating, one or two days before the strike, they announced it to everyone who was taking a bus. You see? First world!!! Lol.

Anyway, since Wednesday almost all companies are on strike and I have to catch another one which is more expensive! I hope tomorrow they re-start working. Or at least soon!!!

A lot of news coming up…

Flat news

Well, the last weeks has happened many things in the flat.

First, as I became the manager, I had to find a new flatmate to move in instead of Rodrigo, the Chilean guy, because he had found a job in a backpacker in exchange for free accommodation.

After 2 weeks, exactly the time I had to find someone, a German girl, called Alex, moved in. She is very nice and would be good for me and Marcelo who could speak English with.

However, the flat suits 4 people. So the other person was the kiwi girl who has been living here for a month. She has done many things that I didn’t approve, but I hadn’t said anything to her.

Fair enough, in Alex second night, the kiwi exceeded the limit. Alex decided already to move out, due to Kiwi behavior*.

*it’s quite hard to explain her behavior in a post. But who has lived in share accommodation, can imagine.

So that, I had to do something, otherwise every week I would have to find a new flatmate. In this reason I kicked the kiwi girl out of the flat. Don’t think I’m mean. I gave her 2 weeks to move out. The same time I need to find someone else.

Since that day (03/10) I have been looking for 2 people. I have received some SMS from people interested in have a look, but it`s being hard, because I have no time to show it owing to I have been working a lot (next post will be about job news).

Anyway, yesterday a Brazilian guy, called Moab (weird ahn?), came to see the flat and decided to move in. I know, I know… it wasn’t supposed to have Portuguese speakers in the flat, but I have no choice. The time is almost over and I need people to move in, otherwise I would have to pay for it.

And today, a few people is coming to see the flat. Among them, 2 Brazilian girls and 2 guys, Mexican and Chilean. I hope one of them decide to move in.

Pray for me!!! Hehehe…