REBOILED

We had a bit a of do with a few mates this week. We used to have reasonably regular catch ups - sometimes over lunch - sometimes later arvo drinks. They were for reasons known only to us - called the Boil Ups.

Sadly the Boil Up Queen is doing her bit to promote one of the extractive industries in some poncy lair in Europe. (bout time she came home for a visit!)

So the rest of the crew met in her absence. It was a poignant event. Each one of us in one way or another has been effected by, involved in, or working to help Christchurch.

Most had Christchurch family or friends who have been affected by the quake and all of us suffered from the feeling of not "being there doing something." No matter how much money you give or how many emails and phone calls you dispatch and stuff you send - its hard to not feel guilty about not being on the end of a shovel in Bexley or Aranui.

We listened to each others tales and to a person it was the elderly in Christchurch we worried about most. They are of a generation where they dont want to bother people and think everyone is worse off than themselves. They are so self contained that they are not used to asking for or getting help.

However, we also talked about the need for the rest of New Zealand to keep going as well.

For some of the gang - life has chucked a few curve balls - as happens from time to time. But we were there for each other - buddies all. We shed the odd tear and we laughed out loud. We argued and debated.

It was just a good time with good mates.

It also helped that our venue, Logan Brown - was stellar, the food and wine was outstanding as ever, the service impeccable - despite the fact we served the staff up a moving feast of characters.

It was great to see LB very well patronised as a restaurant of its international calibre should be.

While this crazy old world of ours has wobbled while spinning so fast - it was good to get off for such a short time and take a breath and listen to the lives of others and just let them know that no matter what - they have good people in their orbit they can rely on.

On a lighter note we were a bit flumoxed by the above vision of loveliness on the wall at Logan Brown. Someone fishy channelling Roarprawn and BustedBlonde perhaps?

GARDEN CITY STILL BLOOMS

We arrived in Christchurch today not really knowing what to expect. As you drive in from the airport, it takes a while before you realise that chimneys are in short supply. Our taxi has a problem finding our inner city apartment hotel and thats not because its hard to find, its on Cashel Street, one of the main throughfares, it's just that there are still streets blocked off as buildings are being removed or areas are still deemed unsafe for pedestrians and traffic. So our friendly taxi bloke has to take a fairly round about route to get us where we want to go.

We arrive. Its a cute place. Everything you want in miniature. We walk to our first meeting. It should take us 10 minutes but it takes us a bit longer simply because we have to detour around the central city road closures.

When we arrive back to our comfy wee hotel room we contemplate ringing reception as theTV is a bit blinky and TV1 is only screening in black and white. We watch a news item on a bunch of people in Christchurch who still dont have sewage systems and functioning water and with a rising lump in our throat we are mesmerised as a city official breaks down as he tells the distraught residents that the city officials are doing their best and going as fast as they can but they can only do so much. We feel a growing embarrassment that our big worry was having to watch the news in monochrome while residents in an enclave of this city are using buckets to shit in.

Soon an old and dear friend picks us up to take us out to dinner. We gather up another old mutual mate who shows us his lovely home with tell tale bulges that indicate possible hidden structural weaknesses.

We drive past a few churches - earthquakes don't like old churches. Few steeples are left.But the churches will live on.

We dine at a wonderful Merrivale restaurant called JDV . We sup on a great syrah from the Barrossa called the Protagonist. We talk of almost everything but the Big Event. That is the way my mates wanted it and despite being desperate to ask questions, we let them lead the table topics.

The food was very fine- the steak one of the best we have had for a while.

It was a good evening but on the conversation breeze, the word earthquake swirled like a dervish time and time again among the other diners.

Soon, too soon, we were back at the hotel room - 20 metres from a closed off street - within a few paces of places that may never open again.

Christchurch is badly wounded. But it is functioning. We had 15 minutes to spare at the end of the day and we bought some clothes. A practical and simple way to help the city. You can come here, you can sleep, you can get around and you can eat and drink and buy and you can listen to the earthquake tales of those who have lived through this extraordinary event.

The blossoms, like a flossy petticoat gird Hagley Park. The daffodils speckle the banks of the Avon. Some things just carry on like - well like always.

The people are doing the best they can to work together to get back to normal. Its going to take time. But the worst thing we can do is ignore this city. Come here, visit, eat, sleep, listen and where you can spend an extra dollar.

Just being here, being part of the fix is the best help you can give.

WAIRARAPA TRAIN - COLD

There is no power on the Wairarapa Train this morning.. Its the third time in less that three weeks that we have had no generator on the train - that means no heating and only emergency lights and it always happens on really cold crap mornings.

However we reckon that being on a cold train is infinitely more bearable than living in a mangled Christchurch.. So we start our day grateful and thinking what we can best do for the stricken mainlanders.

RNZ EPIC FAIL

Actually the whole of the NZ media has fallen a bit short on the Christchurch earthquake.

We first realised something was up when we got a message from Cactus Kate. She lives in Hong Kong. It was about 5.30am.

So we turned on the TV ( we dont have Sky) TVNZ - nothing - TV3 - nothing. Turned on RNZ and they were still running a kids programme. The TV stations and most radio stations are now pushing out info but not RNZ. It is woeful.

RNZ did a special morning report with Mary Wilson and Kim Hill. It is like listening to Decima and Morta - their black delivery was too depressing to listen to. And Wilson does not know how to listen to people. She just knows how to ask people questions - there is a world of difference.

When people dont have power and cellphones become problematic due to the towers being knocked out - good old steam radio is where people will go to get info. So it is important that they continue to push out info.

The Herald started reporting early as did Stuff.

However it was online and especially Twitter that had the quickest most update info and first pics on the event. Soon the media was using the pics and info from Twitter.

It is an extraordinarily fast and organic way to get and spread info.

Hashtags - the search words from which info streams develop on an issue were problematic. The first to get a head of steam was EQNZ. The christchurchquake took a while to get some momentum. There are good and bad reasons for using both tags.

So instead of one key portal to info there are many.

But as we sat, fascinated how the story evolved and how it was handled we learned a little more about the power and the limitations of the online social media community in a major event.