Steve and Tara invited me up to Pipiwai for "The Burning" which is a Hangi that Steve has held every year for the last 10 years. It's a massive event and around a hundred people turned up for a weekend of booze, music and fun.


It was all masterfully done, and even the toilet was more than just a pit in the ground. One slight oversight was putting it next to an electric fence and I can now testify that electric fences really bloody hurt. (Twice)





I was lucky enough to catch a lift with Clare who had managed to bag a big 4WD from work. She works for Ford and nabbed a Courier with only 9000km on the clock and a full tank of petrol, woot, woot. Feel that 4litre V6!!!


After a few beers on the first night (and the introductory can of Lion Brown, a bloody awful beer that should be banned), we woke up the following morning and went for a 4WD. Feeling a bit worried about the car, Clare made me drive which I was pretty pleased about ( I didn't mention my 4WD record to date, what she didn't know won't hurt). What we didn't expect was one of Steve's cousins to leap in the car with us, little 11yr old Marcella who I'd like to nickname Miss Doom and Gloom. There wasn't an obstacle that Marcella thought I could handle and everywhere I drove, I had a little voice behind me saying "You'll never make that" or "You're doing that wrong". Luckily it was another driver, Smithy, who came to grief first (mainly because he was in the lead car) and his car had to be winched out of a muddy creek.






We finally made it back to base camp to discover we'd missed the digging of the Hangi pit (darn) and they had already laid all the food and covered it again.
So, with a few more arrivals we decided to hit the 4WD tracks again, only this time Clare was forced to drive. I was quite chuffed when Doom and Gloom Marcella climbed into our truck again, but this time she was quite optimistic the whole way around. "We're better drivers than they are" and "That's easy to make" were heard from the back of the car this time. I could almost be insulted and imagine that it was the change of driver that changed Marcella, but I'm convinced it was more to do with her cheering up in the sun. Ahem, ahem.






We made it back in time for the digging up of the Hangi and what a beautiful smell it was. The food was cooked to perfection!





Steve then welcome everyone present to the Burning and once again reiterated that everyone had to have a Lion Brown upon arrival! Note that Tara actually sewed his outfit together out of sacks, you'd never guess!



Luckily he blended in, there was a plethora of glamourous types at the Burning and I was only too glad to fit in.










And I partook in some traditional Kiwi customs as well. Well, when in Rome!




Now all we needed to do was sit down, have a beer and sing a few songs around the fire. Bliss!








I had an absolutely awesome weekend and I am looking forward to the next one in March to celebrate Steve's birthday. Hopefully this time I won't set off any fireworks into the crowd (sorry guys) and I can take my own 4WD to wreck (sorry Clare!)