Some Island

Since I learned about it, I had always wanted to go to Somes Island. It's a small island in the Wellington Harbour which has been turned into a pest-free nature reserve. So with the blessing of some ferry tickets, I finally made it.


Here we are sitting on the rubble that once was the quarantine house that was used during the great plague. Ironic that the island was once used to put all the infected/diseased people where now it is completely (mamallian) pest-free. By the way, before you start quoting me, I wasn't really paying attention to the volunteer who told us all these facts, so you know. Still, these bricks were probably used for some kind of building.


Before you arrive, you'd think that the island is pretty small, which it is in terms of islands. I guess we all have the impression that an island is a small piece of land with two palm trees on it. Or at least I do. Somes Island has a few buildings on it, a defunct lighthouse, a former quarantine area perfect for a zombie flick, and a few houses where some hippies/environmentalists probably live.

This is the view to the entrance to Wellington Harbour. It's nice to finally get a view of an uninterupted horizon.


At the top of the hill are four of these gun mount thingees (you can tell I'm a real war fan) which of course, were never used except by teenagers to make out in.

By far the coolest thing about the island is the wildlife. There are so many of these skinks along the paths, and since there are no predators, they are huge and almost fearless. They just sit on the side of the paths like freaking aligators. Besides these, there are several native species of birds among which we saw a couple, including the red karakiri which I hope that one day become really widespread on the mainland so that they fly around like cockatoos and lorakeets do in Australia. Because once they get in a predator free area, they do breed like crazy.

Also, there are native geckoes and many breeding pair of tuatara. Unfortunately, we did not see any, but it was still very cool.

So it was a brillant day for a walk, finally give my camera some burn, get some sun-rays, and to play the tourist - as in I really shouln't have worn jeans on a nature walk on such a nice day. But, despite the sweaty balls, it was definitely worth it.

PSA - Ingredient Alert

If you're anything like I was, you will sometimes find yourself walking down the asiles of an Asian supermarket thinking:

• 'What the hell is this?'
• 'I bet that's delicious.'
• and, 'I wouldn't know how to use it.'

This used to be me, however, I had an advantage in that I could understand some Japanese. The problem is, I am poor and Japanese food is way too expensive for how tasty it is. So slowly, through cautious trial and error, I began replacing Japanese ingredients with Korean ones. This usually worked out well, although on the odd occasion I came home with something that looked like soy sauce but tasted like fermented urine. So I sometimes ended up hiding that bottle at the back of the pantry for someone else to find.

Over the years, my Japanese cooking has slowly started becoming Korean-like which is great because it turns out that Korean food is about the most delicious thing in the world. The best way I can describe Korean food is that it's the unwanted child that resulted from Japanese food getting angrily raped by Mexican food. It's awesome.

Part of this obsession with Korean food came from living in Japan for two years getting school lunches every single day. Don't get me wrong - Japanese food is great. But every so often I just needed something more. That 'more' was often a bibimba-don' from Mastuya. And I managed to recreate that glory at home with the help of one magical ingredient:

I'm telling you man, this stuff is incredible. I go through a kilo of this in about three months. It's spicy as hell, but it's a delicious spicyness that goes with nearly everything. Soups, marinades, chilli's, rice, sandwiches, yoghurt, cheesecake, hell I even brush my teeth with it [some of these things may not be true]. It's not like tabasco which is pure spicyness that gets too spicy and can ruin the food, it's not like sweet chilli which is 60% sugar, and it's not like sambal which makes everything taste like sambal.

So do yourself a favour and go and buy a truckload of this stuff. It's pretty unmistakeable in these rectangular red buckets (although it also comes in low-top jars), and you will never lack for flavour again. Obviously, you won't necessarily be making Korean food, but hopefully now you won't have to learn to read Korean, or read recipes or ask the clerk for assistance when wandering those Asian supermarket asiles, while still reaping the benefits of tongue-on-food orgies without having to spend much money.

You're welcome.

Welcome to the Neighbourhood Part II

I live literally right across from Wellington hospital, which is great if I should ever get stabbed or need my stomach pumped. However, it is not the most peaceful place to live. Still, I have become used to life in a big city and have reached the point where I don't even notice sirens anymore (which defeats the purpose of a siren in the first place.)

Still, I quite like the area I'm living in. It's walking distance from the city and there's plenty to see and do in the area. The area (Newtown) is known to have a lot of foreigners and/or weirdos which is quite fun. You have senile old people, the friendly homeless beggars, Asian shops, West African headscarved ladies, hipsters and punks. The other day saw an amputee pogo-stick his way up the hill past my house and I didn't think much of it. That is until yesterday when I took a walk. On the same street I live further up the hill, I saw this building. Pay close attention to the writing on the far left of the photo.
That's right, it says "Artificial Limb Centre". This isn't odd in itself since the hospital is nearby, but all I could think of was the poor amputee trekking up the freaking hill to get his prostetic pogo-leg adjusted. Having an artificial limb centre up a steep hill is like having a gym at a pastry shop. It's just a dick thing to do. I thought New Zealanders were supposed to be nice.

Anyway, I kept walking over the hill to the sea. I love cities with hills and water, which is just one reason I'm happy to no longer be in Christchurch. Although, I also hate people who own yachts so I guess it balances out.




Vermin Update!
There have been three more captures, but unfortunately I wasn't able to take a sadistic photo of one of them. However, there were teeth marks in the mouse-trap so at least one of the mice had a very painful death.