Making friends is a useful skill
Just a quick preface to my tale. Last night it was quite wet. I also found out that my shoes now have leaky soles. Fun times.
The first day in Queenstown I had one drink at 4 different bars on my own. I chatted to the bouncers and the bar staff at each (mostly about gin and skiing). The first night in Queenstown I joined in drinking games at the hostel then went out with a bunch of people. One of those bunch of people happens to be on the organising committee or something of another conference currently going on in Queenstown.
So last night as me and a couple of fellows from the hostel ventured out into the wet we happened across two lovely ladies that asked for directions to a bar. Of course we followed them to the bar. However, once inside I figured out it was a joint drinking session thing for the main QMB conference and the other brain conference. My friend from the first night was there. He had access to a large bar tab. Things were looking up.
I danced my arse off. I was also recognised by a previous student. I'm going to have to get the hell out of this hemisphere to stop this happening. I had many a drunken talk with drunken academics and PhD students. We then went to World Bar.
I left World Bar to buy some cigarettes. I got drenched. Then I remembered one of the bars from the first night had a roaring fire. I stumbled there and was recognised by the bar tender. He got me a martini and instructed me to dry up on the couch in front of the fire. Excellent.
We eventually ended back at the hostel at about 5.30 am.
