













I believe this scenario is not unusual. You’re heading out for a walk for the day or a journey in the car or you’re off to the office or work. You’ve diligently made your sandwiches for lunch that morning before leaving home. They’re tucked up in a plastic Tupperware container with a tangerine and a treat. You don’t want to spend any money. Lunch is covered.
You’re driving along and those sandwiches are just calling to you. It’s only 10 o’clock, a good two hours till lunchtime, but you know the sandwiches are there, waiting quietly to be eaten. They taunt. They tease. They provoke. Sandwiches sing. And you relent. This is called “Doing a Bill”
Our mate Bill used to be a responsible member of society, doing something clever in insurance I’m told, before setting off on an irresponsible jaunt on a boat. Each morning he’d set out to drive somewhere to be important and professional with his full tuck box. How he never crashed a car as he strained an arm towards the back seat to rummage for that Tupperware and devour its contents on the A3 at 9.30am we’ll never know. But it’s a story he tells and it’s become part of our everyday language. Doing a Bill.
We did a Bill with our egg mayonnaise driving from Charleston on the west coast of South Island down towards Franz Josef Township. We’re on a bit of a road trip. After a few weeks in the boatyard I was keen to get away and do something different that doesn’t invoice sandpaper or spanner’s. The sea swell was massive that day so sea cliff climbing was definitely off as the waves pounded the rocks and exploded 30m up the cliff face.
As I type we’re in Wanaka. It’s pissing with rain but we’re tucked up very comfortably in a lodge with all mod cons having fitted in a walk this morning before the rain kicked in big time and a trip to the climbing wall this afternoon. I was by a country mile the oldest person there and luxuriated in this fact. Dave wins our personal battle for the young person medal by about 7 weeks.
Come mid June both of us will be heading back to the UK. Grace will stay and behave herself here in NZ while we plan to earn some cash. Yes, we’re skint after gallivanting for 7 years so if you need a Dave or a Helen, do let us know. It’d be great if we could earn cash here but it’s not an option. We’re too old and unskilled.
We plan to back for Andie’s memorial service on Saturday 17th June in Matlock Bath. Andie worked with us at Unique Solutions and died very unexpectedly from heart failure last November. We want to be able raise a glass in person to his memory.