Just to remind those of you who don't know - Brian and I met while I was working as a bartender in the pub. The owners, Ardie and Dicey Symes gave me a job and a place to stay when I was totally desperate and had absolutely no where to go, no money and didn't have my work visa yet. They are amazing people - they adopt everyone and just give and give and give to their children. They also have good work ethic and teach people that you have to work hard to survive. They are excellent role models for the Mahitian residents (who probably take them for granted) because if it wasn't for them taking a risk and opening the pub, Mahia would have absolutely nothing but the sea. Btw, the pub is up for sale if anyone is interested in a change of lifestyle.
It's not a thriving business at this time of the year but the local patrons keep it entertaining. Dicey's brother Ritchie is the local entertainment - he plays his guitar and sings every Friday and Saturday night. He's really good. He's also full of personality and like his sister, has a great big heart.
It was awesome going back there - it's been nearly three years since we left and we haven't been
back since. Not a lot has changed even though it seems we have changed so much since then. We caught up with our friends Pop (on the far right), Cappy (he got his name because he wears that damn purple woolen beanie all the time!), and Pauly (the one on the left). They are all characters, they are all lovely guys, they all have tragic stories, but they are all so warm and welcoming and happy to talk to everyone. Unfortunately, they spend far too much time at the pub... but there's not a heck of a lot else to do. They make a living from fishing.
The pub is also a restaurant, it has a big screen T.V. to watch Rugby and any other major program on television (you can put in a request to watch anything) as well as the "Pokie Machines" for a little gambling (pokies are slot machines) if you're bored. Brian enjoys the pokies but he doesn't get to play on them much these days... so Ardie gave him $6 to play with (now whenever Ardie gives anyone money, they usually win big time)... in no time he had it up to $76... I told him to quit while he was ahead. I never gamble but I thought it might be fun so I asked for $10. Brian gave me a quick tutorial and I started to play, even though I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I told myself that I was going to win the jackpot... AND I DID!!!!! The jackpot was $980! I shouted a round drinks for everyone.
Ardie and Dicey let us stay in one of their rental properties for the weekend. It is also up for sale (they are buying more and more properties on the Gold Coast in Australia where I think they'd like to retire) and for a while I seriously thought about buying it. Mahia is the sort of place you'd want to go to escape the hustle and bustle of life. You can learn to surf, go diving for crayfish and paua, collect pipi's, walk along the stretch of white sand looking for seashells, spend the day at the Morore hotsprings, doing some of the hikes through the rainforest before your long soak, have dinner and hang out with the locals at Sunset Point, there's even a decent golf course. It really feels like you are on holiday. But realistically, I just don't have the money or even the staying power to buy anything... I'll always be a gypsy and gypsy's don't invest in real estate unless they inherit it. I'd rather just cruise around and stay wherever someone has a bed. Lucky for me... I have a lot of friends.
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