New Year 2011 at Rhythm and Vines

early in the evening

the VIP tent

Rhythm and Vines was a huge success.  We worked a lot of hours, met some really great people, and had an absolutely brilliant New Years Eve.  The festival was a really good one.  In amongst the hills and grape vines were:

·         About 6 stages, (including one with a natural amphitheatre made by the hills around it)

·          food and drink vendors (where we got free staff meals but still managed to spend too much on drinks)

·         a water slide ($2, unless you go naked, then it’s free)

·         hammocks (a whole hillside full of them!)

·         a really lovely VIP tent (we impressed the boss, so we got in free)

·         about 25,000 other people

·         a wicked fireworks display at midnight

The main stage, just before midnight

the hill of hammocks

We managed to stay up and be amongst the first to see the light of 2011.  Someone told us Rhythm and Vines was ranked the 2^nd best place in the world to be for New Years Eve.  Paris was supposed to be the first, but I’ve been to both and I prefer the hills of New Zealand’s east coast.

The east coast has been seriously lacking any swell.  I haven’t even had any little waves to practice on, and Tom certainly hasn’t seen a good wave since Boxing Day.  We should have asked Santa for some waves.

We’ve really enjoyed Gisborne, but we’re ready to move on and experience a bit more of the country.  I keep finding myself singing Willie Nelson.   When we get “on the road again” we’re going to take the long way around the East Cape and in a few days should be arriving in the Bay of Plenty.  Hopefully we’ll find more work when we get there, and loads of amazing scenery in the meantime.