The “Hot & Cold” Tour 1998
First Flight - LON - JFK
We talked. Topic ratios: ultimate 70% women 30%.
New York Day 1
We’ve just exited customs and Simon says “I need a beer”. Typical Englishman. We grab a cab and head for the Hotel New Yorker on 8th & 34th midtown Manhattan. First scenes of NY are of kids playing “street hoops” (basketball to you lesser forms).
I get a movie sightseeing tour from Mr N as we cruise into central Manhattan. Yay, Hotel NY is near Times Square - throughout the trip we keep reappearing at the square.
We hit the streets after having found our room (on the 33rd floor - a treat for Mr N & me as neither of us has resided in so lofty a place). Hitting the streets was a common theme in the following 8 days. We walked a lot! Got drenched twice, once in NY and once in Phili. In NY it was late at night & I had to dry my pants on the heater so we could go out again!
Everywhere we went there was an electronics shop. Initially I was interested in buying a zoom lens for my camera so we entered a store. Looked at a 400 zoom and asked the guy for the price - “$800”. I was only checking prices out and wasn’t really interested in buying right there and then. They guy picked this up straight away and when I said I wasn’t interested he dropped the price in $100 lots until he got to $200. Wow - the price dropped $600 in 10 seconds. I figured that as I hadn’t even heard of the brand and $200 for a 400 zoom was really cheap that I was going to be buying a round piece of plastic and if I was lucky there might be a couple of mirrors in it. Left the store and avoided the Tottenham Ct Rd look-a-like electronic shops for the rest of the trip.
Meandered down 5th Avenue. Didn’t notice any big deal about it? Further walking revealed a scene which made me think of being a classic US one. Not sure if it is classic NY or not. The scene ? - sewers/vents on the streets with steam rising from them. The early morning on the streets movie look. Do you Americans realise that every time we think of the US we think of it in terms of what we see in the movies?
Walked past the Rockerfeller Plaza and spotted the ice skating rink. Grabbed a bite in the Center and then onto Broadway, Times Square.
In the middle of Times Square this guy came up and asked us if we would take a photo of him. He said “Hey, I’m trusting you now so don’t run away with my camera. I can run faster than you can.”. OK cool. Took a picture and then he asked if we wanted him to take a picture of us. I said “No” but Si said “OK”. I turned and looked at Si and said “It’ll be with your camera then”. He thought for ½ a second and said “Ah, no thanks”. What gave the guy away? - NY accent (Mr N is an expert on US accents) and when we said no he took off in a hurry as though he had somewhere to go. Most tourists walk slow & spend their time in NY looking skywards. He definitely didn’t fit the bill.
Entered Virgin Megastore. This was another spot we seemed to return to often. It includes a cinema in which we checked out Sphere at a later stage. I slept but Si said it was good.
More walking and we hit the “flatiron” building. This is a triangular shaped building that comes to a sharp point on one side. You want to take a photo of it as it looks cool but you know it is one of those things that the perspective is impossible to see in a photo. I was relieved, in the World Trade Center shop, to see the experts couldn’t get it either on a postcard.
In Sterns Mall we zoomed to the top and checked out the food. Yuck! Plastic food to the max. We were the cool eats I had had in Seattle last year?
Our trek took in the Empire State (of course), the Chrysler Building (Mr N’s personal favourite) and 42nd Street.
Back at the hotel we ate at the Tick Tock Diner on the ground floor. This was an interesting place. Sometimes it was packed, othertimes empty and not as you might expect. Tonight it was around 12 midnight and quiet. Other times, like breakfast, it was empty then one night at 1:30am it was packed! The “City that never sleeps” I guess. Having said that there were a lot of place that were closed when we went to SoHo a day later.
Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Our first day in the US was Presidents Day.
New York Day 2
Tick Tock for breaky. Went downtown along 5th. I really liked SoHo. It was the peace between the mad skyscrapers in Midtown and downtown Manhattan. Lots of art shops and cafes to please the eye. Chinatown and then we bought some shades and T-shirts in a SoHo shop. Classy stuff don’t you know. Not the usual “I love NY” riff-raff.
Spotted this huge building that had no windows on it. Wondered what it was so we went to investigate. I thought it might be some sort of ventilation or government building. Both of which blow a lot of hot air (sorry). Turns out it was an AT&T building that housed mainly electronic telephony equipment and didn’t have many staff. Still the staff that were there must have hated it. No windows in a building that must have been at least 30 storeys high.
Up the World Trade Center. Was the same poor visibility I had when up the Eiffel Tower. Shame but some photos still give you a feel for NY. Statue of Liberty looked minuscule from up there. Read about this dude that walked the tight rope between buildings - e gads! Unfortunately due to high winds we could not go on top to observe the world in the fresh air.
At this point Si’s camera decided it didn’t like high altitudes and died. Being a recent purchase Mr N was a tad pissed off (yes he does get agro sometimes!). Never fear - a very helpful Jewish man in a photography shop played around with it and determined that it was officially sick and then, hey presto!, it fixed itself. That’s electronics for ya. That brought a smile to Mr N’s dial - not the last one of the tour I might add. There were many more to come - especially Maui - but I’m getting ahead of myself.
We left the WTC and headed east towards Brooklyn bridge. On the way we passed Wall St and the NY Stock Exchange. It just so happened that people were queuing for the only viewing of the day which was going to start in 10min so we joined the queue and saw the main trading floor. Not a common touristy thing I guess but we both enjoyed it.
On the way back uptown we spotted City Hall and the/a (?) Trump Building. Landed in an internet cafe (yes we’re addicted - well Mr N is anyway (ahem :-) ). I tried to sort out a couple of our onward connections with people - Jenna and Patti. Simon dealt, or at least tried to, with his 77 messages! Yes you guessed it - BritDisc in fine form!
Had dinner in this wicked Italian restaurant in SoHo called Ponte Vecchio. We were the only ones there as it was only 4:30. The chefs and staff grabbed a table and had their dinner too. This added to the feel of the place. It really made you relax and feel at home.
Now this is where we got drenched. We walked back 40 blocks to the hotel in driving rain. Hey we are tough tourists - we are not going to take it easy by taking the subway (yup, and we’re dumb too).
Whilst my clothes were drying (Mr N in his infinite wisdom had a spare pair) we clocked up some time on the hotel phone bill. We made this mistake in Maui too! Simon called some of his US sweethearts and we both chatted to Shaun (ex First Touch ultimate team). I called Jenna in Honolulu. I had got Jenna’s email address from my mum and we were trying to catch up in Maui. Planning planning planning. Both Si and I really missed our mobile phones. We took mine out of my bag and turned it on just to make ourselves feel better. It worked too!
Onto watch Sphere @ Virgin, after eating quesadillas at the All Star Cafe and then back to the diner @ 1:30am for a snack.
New York Day 3
Thought we might try a deli for breakfast this morning and found one near our hotel. Ordered an omelette and bagels, hot chocolate and coffee. This was my first experience of “Order or get the hell outa the way” NY style ordering. It wasn’t that bad really but I find it hard ordering when you cannot see a list of items to choose from. In NY you just say what you want and they slap it together for you. The food was great and we ate it upstairs watching the NYorkers walking by in the streets below.
Last night when we talked to Shaun we got some vague directions from Shaun on how to get to the parking lot in Hoboken New Jersey where there was a plaque about disc starting there. Now I’m not sure whether this is the hoax of the century (I think I’ve seen a photo of it but who knows) but we spent a good deal of time in the busy, NOT, streets and lots looking for this dam thing. We failed on finding it but we did have a fun time talking to the local parking attendants, engineering university staff, police, historians in City Hall ... about the plaque. We got so desperate we even tried to call Spank for some help. We did, however, find a plaque. This one signified the start of baseball in the US.
In a sports store we had a laugh when asking about the plaque. They guy behind the counter didn’t have a clue but he said Al would and yelled downstairs “Hey Al, you ever heyrd of a plack in da ground saying ultimate frisbeee started ‘ere in Hoboken.”. The response from the misty deeps (we never go to see Al) was “Nah. The first time I heyrd of frisbee was at the 1965 World Fayre.” What a legend!
So after much cursing and walking around we took the Path back to NY.
Headed uptown to Central Park. All the grass areas were fenced off so we had to settle with chucking the disc around near a waterfall (empty at the time). Then we spotted the ice skating rink and it made me think of Gorky Park in Moscow (from the movie - I ain’t been there - yet).
Walked downtown along the Avenue of the Americas. There was a cool bar/restaurant facade named Jekyll & Hyde. Lots of creatures crawling up the wall outside and an Indiana Jones looking dude accepting customers at the door.
Back to Virgin for a bite and saw Jackie Brown at the Embassy. The Embassy was an old cinema just down from Virgin. It reminded me of the Embassy we have back home in Wellington but this one was in much worse a state. It still had the nostalgic feel to it though.
It was really cool to exit the movie and find yourself in Times Sq at night with all the lights blazing. Took a few piccys and then moved on back to the hotel.
Mr N and myself fell asleep watching the TV and then got up for a feed. Due to lack of initiative, and we were shagged anyway so couldn’t go far, we went to TGI Fridays. Bad mistake. Got a new waiter and were shunted out as they normally closed at 9:30 - 10 week nights.
Had a cup of tea at the diner and crashed.
New York - Maui - Day 4
Breakfast at “ye olde faithful” the diner. Of to LAX then Kahalui. At the airport we were accosted by the heat. Gee what a shame. Actually it was as we were shagged, yet again, and had to wait a while for the Alamo bus to take us to the car rental joint.
Here it was. This is what I had been dreading all trip long. Driving again after a 15 month break. That on it’s own was no problem. Driving on the other side of the road was a challenge but that was OK too. Driving on the wrong side of the road at night was what got me. But it was pointless worrying about it as it was not that hard really. After having hit the side of the road markers for the first 10 minutes I got the hang of where the car was. It was OK from then onwards except for one time where I turned into the traffic at an intersection on the wrong side - oops.
First visit was to Safeways after checking in. Time - I dunno - around 12 at night I guess. Walked up and down the main street, Front St, in Lahaina. Some of the shops were still open. I was astounded.
Back to the hotel for pizza and Nascar. Simon hates Nascar. Feel asleep watching the TV (again).
Lahaina - Day 5
Pasta breakfast. Yep - we cooked. Drove out of Lahaina towards Kahalui and stopped at a scenic lookout where we met a lovely lady from the Pacific Whale Foundation. Spotted a couple of whales in the sea - they were everywhere - best time of the year to see them. She told us how she had had her best “watch” ever last week. She was surrounded by two whales (in a boat of course). Technical term “mugged” - remember that for later.
Went into Kahalui to look for an internet cafe. My lonely planet said that they were at the Kahalui Center which we looked for. Drove around the same block looking for it for ages and then decided to get out of the car and look. Walked for ages and got completely exhausted. Good photo opportunity for Si though - classic yellow school bus at Maui school together with American and state flags.
Drove back to Lahaina and further along to Kaanapali to hit the beach. Yeah I know - it took us a while didn’t it?! Si had one of his first cosmic experiences with the Pacific Ocean - he had never seen it before let along splashed in it. He could be seen gazing out to the horizon at length.
Cruised back to Lahaina and had an expensive dinner at Longhis. At this restaurant there was no menu. The menu gets verbally told to you along the lines of “What would you like tonight gentlemen? Some fish, fish or more fish?”. Si & I said we needed to carbo-load for ultimate tomorrow which brought a look of disappointment on the waiters face. He suggested the one pasta dish and we took it. Si divulged his wine expertise over dinner making me a think I must learn some wine terminology - just to impress the babes if nothing else.
Bed post 12 again.
Lahaina - Day 6
Ultimate at last! Hey this is what we came for. By day 5 Si & I were both really hanging out to play some disc. It had now finally arrived. Up at 3am. Yep I did type that correctly. This was not a vain attempt to make sure we made it to the game on time but an early start so that we could see the sunrise 10,012 feet up on top of Haleakala. We drove for 1 hr to the base and then the climb took another hour. Was it worth it? You bet. Although I must say there were two other things that out-classed the sunrise - a lookout point in Laha and our whale watching adventure. It was freezing at the summit. I was one of the only ones outside with a tiny little tripod (thanks Jules), lying on the ground being blow by the dust hoping that it was all worth it when the photos were developed. They turned out OK but that was more a reflection on the daybreak. The sunsets can be much more spectacular.
A slow chain-gang ride down to Makawao and Eddie Tam Fields (the mayor of course). We were early but there were some people there. Moseyed on down to the fields to find Kate Walker there! Fraser from Christchurch was there also so I wasn’t the only Kiwi. Some Aussies and a couple of Scots & English made up the bulk of the “foreigners”. The rest were American.
It was great to catch up with Kate and also Michael Pace from Seattle. I knew he was going to be there. I love meeting people again and again.
Get shirts and meet the team. After a few “Hello Mike’s” I set them straight by saying “Maaark”. First Touch players - you know the drill. Day 1 1-4 down. What more can you say?
Si and I caught up with a guy from Seattle who knew Mike Feltin (another First Touch player - my UK team). Funny story. Apparently Mike says to his Seattle team mates that First Touch is a better team. Oddly enough Mike says to us that his Seattle team is better (or so I’ve been told).
Shower at the pool and Si goes to the ultimate party whilst I go to meet and have dinner with Jenna. The long awaited meeting - I was quite nervous. No need. She was a delight. Picture this: me in my shorts and NZ ultimate top in a fairly posh Mama’s Fishhouse drinking wine at the bar as I was early. I hear the name “Jenna” spoken (that was Nadia) behind me and turn to find two absolutely gorgeous women standing there “dressed to the nines”. Hmm a tad under-dressed I feel. Never mind. We had a lovely meal of Sashimi and a local fish called Ohau? Both fantastic. Having had a huge feed we skipped dessert. Arrange to meet again at a nightclub in Lahaina - thank God it’s in walking distance from where we stay!
I picked up Si from the party and zoomed back to the lodge for a quick change of clothes and out to the club. It was packed! Found Jenna and friends. We stayed for a while but not till the 2am closing as I had lost it. So ended another long day - almost 24 hours. We had a 26 hour day and a 39 hour day somewhere but I haven’t a clue where they were. Si had a good handle on the time zone thing. In fact he was elated every time we gained time and heartbroken when we lost it.
Lahaina - Day 6
Up at 7 so we can make it to the fields on time. We arrive and it’s pouring down with rain. I was about to leave but Mr N (thank’s Si) the diehard went out to see if he could find some players. Apparently a decision had been made to shift the tournament to Laha down the round so off we went. We were early so we took off a bit further in the car (to be honest we were lost so went sightseeing for a while). Up a narrow road we found a hospital and driveway much like the Home of Compassion where Noelsy works in NZ. One important difference. The view was magnificent. Indescribable too but I can say that whilst looking out over the island, beach and sea we could hear at least 5 different birds chirping at each other and that was all. No cars, no people. Complete bliss!
Reluctant to leave we did so and found the fields, which also had much the same view. Spectacular! Jay in my team lived on Maui and these were the fields he played on each week. Commonly followed by one of those wicked sunsets - lucky guy.
Due to the delays of the morning the tournament was cut to sudden death for the “Beer final” and playoffs started for the final. Surprisingly my team turned it on and we one two games to make it to the plate final where we lost but had a great day all up. Much better than having only one game like some teams.
Mr N however took his team to the finals and ... won. What a star! What a tournament! You should have seen his face at the presentation ceremony. Heard of the saying “I don’t care if I die right now” well this is one of those times when Si could have said it. The grin on his face was from ear to ear.
Pizza and chillin’ finished off the night.
Lahaina - Day 6
Get up early for a whale watch. Well - what can I say. This was one of the highlights. Remember me talking about the lovely lady at the scenic point saying that in two years whale watching she had her best one by being mugged by two whales. Well us first timers got mugged by 4 males chasing one female. The did laps around the boat - six to be exact. This was after seeing a mother and her calf and also a whale the “breached”. Dived up into the air and rolled over. You know it’s the classic shot but apparently another very rare event. We were told that you might not see what we had seen in 5 years of watches. Even the skipper and Whale Foundation guide were ecstatic.
After this major one we just had to visit the Pacific Whale Foundation shop. Grabbed a couple of posters and I bought two rings. One of whales the other of dolphins. The dolphins was meant to be a present but I liked it so much that I kept it. Also bought a cap. The technical term for this is “Whale watch shopping aftermath”.
Si revisited his favourite Maui babe - a beautiful local at The Sports Authority.
Check out and head for the airport. Time for another one of those many flights. This time to Philadelphia to see Patti. The sister of Margie, daughter of Mike who I stayed with in Seattle last year. Fab family, really.
Phili - Day 7
Got to lye down on the plane trip - thank God (again). This was an overnight flight and resulted in the longest day - 39 hours. Took a taxi to Patti’s.
Yay! Patti! It was great to see her again. For those of you that do not know the family they are the most energetic, enthusiastic and fun bunch you are ever likely to meet. So you can imagine that meeting Patti again was another highlight of the trip.
Patti, a pastry chef extraordinare at Le Bec Fin, had made some desserts for Si and I to keep the energy levels up. After having scoffed 3 each we were later told by Patti that we hadn’t “touched them” and she would have eaten the lot by herself!
We hit the streets - can’t break a habit now can we? First stop was the Philadelphia Art Museum. We walked in the rain and when we got there found that it was ½ hour till opening time - dumb tourists. After the wait we really needed a feed. Headed straight for the cafeteria and look for lunch. Yikes - lunch isn’t served for another 20 minutes - another wait. Buy this time both Si and I were having dizzy spells. I think the lack of eating for 3 days and playing a tournament on two of them was catching up with us. Not to mention the 3-4 hours sleeps each night.
The Museum was great and provided another shopping opportunity. Watches this time. Went back to the house.
Walked out to 2nd and South were we found an internet cafe. That’s 20 blocks in the rain. Reminded me of NY. More waiting whilst this guy finished on the only machine.
Back to Patti’s for a lovely dinner with Cathy a friend of hers. Played Yahtzee which Cathy won and talked into the wee hours.
Phili - Day 8
First lie-in of the whole trip. Stayed in bed till 9:30am. Well Si did. I extended that a little. Leftover pasta for dinner.
I found some blades and we headed back to the house to find Patti there after having finished early. She and I blade to the park whilst Si goes CD shopping. We go looking for Si by blading the smooth Phili subway - great. Didn’t find him so we headed back to the park where we met up and chucked some disc. Patti showed us her prowess by doing a few air-bouncers - ala Shane or Fluff’s teaching?
Head back and then off to a Thai restaurant for dinner and then onto Zanzibar Jazz club. Good groves and back to the house.
Slumber party at Patti’s! Well that was after Patti & Si had an intense discussion on “If you are going faster than the speed of sound, do you age?” and many other fun topics. They were doing my head in!
Home
Up at 4am to catch the 30 seater tin bucket to NY JFK and then home. Again we were lucky to have a whole row each we needed it!
All in all a superb trip - anyone up for doing it again next year?
