The morning after...

If you have been reading the front page of this site you will see that I have been working very hard and that the racing at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was amazingly close.  If you are only reading this page you might think that I have been going from one social event to the next.  The truth is that I have been having a great time and working really really hard.  The boat that we used was wonderful.  I guess I should say – the "yacht" was beautiful.  Sam and Ross and the crew were honestly the best that I have worked with.  Professional and relaxed and very entertaining all at the same time.   Sky City caterers were great too.  My only challenge was that the sound system wasn’t super loud on the top deck and the racing was so exciting that it was like I was calling a horse race for hours upon hours so I really hurt my voice.  Because of that I went home most nights quite early to rest up for the next day. 

Of course when it comes to the end of a regatta like this it is time to throw caution to the wind – shout, laugh, drink, and play!

I was able to catch up with so many people. Friends from K-Challenge like Jensi and Billy and Fabrice and Stephanie, younger guys from Team New Zealand like Winny and some from the old days like Barry and Shoobie and BC, the wives, Robbie and Lynda and Sally  and Celia Dodson and Joy Adams and Leslie Egnot and and and - about 100 more amazing people.  We all hope that this event will be duplicated in the near future.    It is an understatement to say it was a 'big night' :-)

Sunday morning I met up with a friend Derby and we had brunch on one of my favorite side streets in Auckland.  It is Vulcan Lane off of Queen Street and it is like a little European pedestrian road.  The Belgian Café is one that I would go to any chance I got when I lived here, especially in the winter for a good hearty Flemish stew or a crisp Hoegaarden beer.  For this recovery day we opted for a flat white followed by a beer and French fries.  The breakfast of champions ? 

We also saw about half of the fleet walking by at one point or another.  Everyone had to check out of their hotels by noon and the flights don’t leave until evening.

I get to stay for 2 more days which is a double bonus as I get more time in New Zealand AND I don’t have to sit in the middle of two huge grinders on a plane that will be nearly full with America’s Cup sailors.

So "cheers" to Bruno and Christine and Louis Vuitton for such a great event and thank you for Oracle and Mirko and Tom for hiring me and to Peter and everyone from Oracle NZ and their fun customers and ... here is to the next one.