The Challenge!! aka "The Goat that Bleats"

Challenge 1
Arrange one of the largest open air, on coals/fire cooking events in the modern history of man, on one of the world's smaller islands with a cultural affinity for B2B (More about B2B later). Check! Well done guys.
Historically I've always understood the b2b acronym to mean Business to Business, but I guess with Annex "C" (Castle) it becomes Born to Braai



Challenge 2
Accommodation for all those travelling from far. If you were too late for a grassy patch at Wanganui Top 10, friends, family and or other venues would have had to do. Check. - Did not see anyone sleeping on the sides of the roads!

Spot the flag!!!



Challenge 3
Trying to keep an ex-pat event multi-cultural. Hmm, check, yes but it is clearly the beer, the smoke and the food that draws SAners together no matter where you are. Oh, and throw a goat into the mix and it becomes an event.
The Goat gets to go there later...



Challenge 4
And in my mind the biggest - reporting on this predominantly AFRIKAANS event in English!!! For the sake of our Kiwi friends who joined us for the day - else they'd have no clue - so wees sterk en verstaan, want ek weet ook nie hoe dit gaan uitdraai nie!!!
(Hoe die ____ doen 'n mens dit?!)


Here we go then....



So arrive early to ensure to "plak" (nicer word would be settle) on your reserved spot.


When you see a RVR you have a good chance of running into a South African!! Dirt cheap, amazing 2.0l AWD, versatile. When you land here first you just cannot resist the temptation. I still drive mine!! :-)


As the stadium slowly fills...




You turn to the next best thing while waiting...drinking! - Or taking photos. Father and son here clearly have separate agendas!


Or if the waiting gets too much, and you don't drink, and you didn't bring you camera, well drape your bottom in a flag and pose with the other flags then.


B2B Annex C with Optional "K" - Koeksisters!!!!!!!


For those whose Koeksister appetite was a little less defined, new friendships was an alternative waiting activity.


While others rekindled romance


For some the mid-afternoon nap on green grassy fields was a feeling so close to home it could not be resisted. A human's noise suppression capabilities are just amazing!


Here's some explaining to do: Die Bok (This Goat) kan bler (can bleat). This is stage two of the Big Wait. Big Braai's Big Wait. STage 1 was the Big Wait to Braai. Now when trying to explain this to Kiwilanders I think they must have expected some concocted cacophony mix between The "Briel" Sisters and AC/DC!!!



THE WAIT IS OVER!



and the Big Braai has a sub-stage named BIG BUILD! Build your Braai! Waar in jou lewe mens?? :-)


For the adventurous the packaging held the promise of a home-made "sled" down the sloped grassy surrounds. "Get it out already and give me the box!!!!"


Carefully contemplating the magnanimity of the Big Build with the aid of another Tui.



And when the Tui-assistance failed to make things happen, some Kiwi-tech expertise was employed. Payment? Food, off course, what did you think I was going to pay Russ? Yeah right.

Look, Ma! Fire! Smoke! We can eat soon!!




By now the crowds have descended on the plains of Wanganui.
No more Big Wait


No more Big Build



Just Big Braai with Big mates



The aroma of cooking on fire in full onslaught on the oxygen molecules

G'n wors nie? Hoe bedoel meneer dan nou?


Big Braaibroodjies!!! Say no more, meneer!



Big Braai, Big Wait, Big Build, Big Cook, Big Eat, Big Drink, Big Party - but alas, we need to still get to... (Drum roll, just imagine it for effect)...


THE BIG BOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Damn! Oops, uhhh, sorry. First, the Afrikaner Hip Hop bee bop whatever? Soos voorsangers in die kerk; nie die rede hoekom jy daar is nie!



So without reserve, bold and wild, from the plains of Africa, entering with a flash of light...



THE BIG BOK!!!! (Russ & Helen, that's "THE BIG GOAT")



As if we did not have enough smoke on the day, he brought some of his own along, for effect, that is.

So diep uit sy Afrikaner Hart


Big Bok and Big Band on Big Stage












Now I am not famous enough do have had a backstage pass for real quality pics - but I think you get the idea here. Big Party!!! It was good.

The next day the Sunday paper reported that "Pop Idol" Bok van Blerk entertained us the night before. Ek dog ek bedinges myself net daar in my beste kerk pakkie. Ons weet almal 'n bok is dalk 'n bliksem, maar 'n Pop Idol!!??? Dis ver benede hom. But I guess we can't blame the reporter, because he did seem very "popular". So, yes, Bok, jou bliksem, Thanks!!!! Dit was geat!!!!


(Gotta love the Afrikaner entrepreneurial spirit - a few days later Trade Me offered signed Afrikaner Hart CD's!! :-)



Soooooo, the morning after? COFFEEEEE, in the good old Kiwi Tradition of Flat Whites!




And then of to explore. Sonja and I decided to take Niel's visiting parents to go see Cave Beach. I've reported on this before, but here are some more pics to enjoy!!!



Going boldly where you shouldn't? Maybe?







Oom Sas going boldly again, doer in the distance!!!



To return back to... ah, (pause, look worried, ashamed, like you forgot something imporatant) the free marketing, I almost forgot!!! Sorry André!!!!!

Clearing throat (just imagine it for effect) - the final statement...


To return back the the welcoming atmosphere of André and Martie's Top 10 Holiday Park where cooking Potjie on an open fire is the perfect end to a perfect Easter Weekend!

BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG!