Yesterday Nathan, Jennifer, Sarah, Mandi, Rachel, Hannah, Julia, and I piled into Jennifers's Mitsubishi Chariot and headed to Hanmer Springs, home of the hotpools. The drive over took around two hours and as always the New Zealand landscape did not fail to impress. One moment that particularly struck me was a small crystal blue stream running through a emerald green pasture with the mountains in the distance. It really looked like something out of a story book.
Hanmer Springs is a very touristy town (read a couple of streets) and was very full. We couldn't get beds at the hostel but we found a house that was on a nightly rent of $150, with 7 people staying over it cost each person as much as the hostel would have plus they would get real beds, free milk, and two TVs with all the channels, over all an absolute steal. The reason that 7 people were staying and not 8 is because I had to leave later that afternoon to get back to Lincoln so I would not be late for my trials the next day. The earlist bus in the morning left too late so I had to cut my time short.
Regardless in the next 5 hours we all went on a 2.5 hr hike up the side of the mountain to reach a 40 meter waterfall that was just magical. I'll put pictures up in a little bit once everyone else arrives back. After that we went on a short 30 minute hike in the fir trees at the base of the mountain. New Zealand doesn't fail to amaze me in the variety of the nature. Two weeks ago we were in the west coast in tropical forest and yesterday we were in a real temperal forest and these two places are seperated by one mountain chain.
Trial Day: Where to start.... You remember the receiver in the movie The Replacements, the one who couldn't catch, that was basically me today. I wouldn't drop the ball but I would fumble it before getting control each time. However I had a couple of good runs and I think coach could see I was better then how I played. In the 3rd quarter I switched teams with the other fullback, hopefully it was just because he wanted to see what the other fullback could do and not because I kept fumbling. My new team was pretty dejected and kept conciding tries, but I constantly kept trying to rally them and keep their spirits up. Basically not to give up hope. I know the other fullback was very mute so hopefully this will go in my favor. When I was on the other team I aslo took a pretty big knock to the head (Don't worry Mor I was not concussed). I went into a ruck and either collided heads with someone else or someone's knee, but what I do know is that I hit the left side of my head hard and my left side was tingling for a while, eventually it went away but I was definitely left rubbing my noggen for a bit. At the end of the game Coach could see I was shaking my head and I explained that I didn't know what was wrong with me today and that my hands were acting up on me, he laughed and asked if I knew what YouWho (not sure of spelling) was, I didn't and he chuckled and said Glue. Hence I am the receiver from Replacements. We find out of Tuesday what the teams for the game next week are, if I do not get into the first Colt side I'm just going to have to work and practice hard and push the other fullback for his position...we will see.
Don't forget to write,
Love you all,
Benja
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
kaere Benjamin.
ReplyDeleteSikken en fantastisk beskrivelse af baade din tur til det smukke sted I var, og ogsaa din trials. Da jeg vaagnede i morges, saa jeg lige efter paa min telefon om der var noget, men det her er langt bedre.Skridt med dine fumlefingre - det sker vel naar man er lidt nervoes, og selvom du nu ikke kommer paa foersteholdet, saa har du alligevel en chance for at traene. Forhaabentlig faar du ogsaa tid til at tage paa nogle af de dejlige ture indimellem. Med hensyn til det slag paa dit hoved - og tngling ned i siden - det er jeg ikke saa vild med. Pas nu paa, min dreng - du skal holde i mange, mange aar.
Johannes har lige sagt at blogs er til at kommentere - ikke skrive e-mail - saa alt for denne gang. Taenker paa dig. 1000 kys, Mor
The trip sounds picturesque,but i def find the rugby part more interesting :)
ReplyDeletedont worry about the fumbles,if the coach is a good one he'll realize eventually that it was one bad day.and the fact that you were vocal will help i'm sure.just remember bro:hope for the best and prepare for the worst.if you get selected that great,if not its just a new challenge and a chance to prove yourself in the next training.
its simple anyways,just run past everyone and put the ball down after the posts.thats what i'd do if i were you :D
bonne chance mon frere!
luchas