*RETRO 70's-80's CLASSICS * SKELLERUP ALL STARS

These are New Zealand classics and very rare and hard to find especially in as good condition. These fantastic shoes are from the same era as the classic Bata Bullets, these shoes are a must for anyone who loves the classic eras of the 70's and 80's and for those who love to wear clothes and outfits from that mega cool time. Stubbies with Skellerup All Stars - s classic combination!

Remember Tennis Great Chris Lewis and even 80's icon Russel Simpson. Nearly every kid from this era had or wanted a pair of these shoes.



There is a pair on Trade Me at the moment http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=210363912 and should be snapped up in the flash. How about a classic Beige Brigade cricket outfit with Skellerup All Stars to finish it off, now that's Old School Sheik!

Lance Cairns - New Zealand Cricket Great

Bernard Lance Cairns was born on 10/10/49 in Picton, New Zealan and is the former all-rounder great who played for both the New Zealand Test cricket team and One day cricket team between 1974 and 1985. He also is the father of another great New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns.

He was also known for the unusual bat he wielded throughout much of his outstanding career. His bat was known as "Excalibur", the shoulders of the bat were planed down to form a conical rather than rectangular shape and resemble a club. It was heavy and when he connected with the ball, the ball was never seen again as it was hit out of the ground.

Cairns was also a swing bowler with a very unorthodox 'front on' action. He took 130 Test Match wickets and a further 89 ODI wickets. He even took ten wickets in New Zealand's first ever win on English soil, at Headingley in 1983.

Lance Cairns is one of the great figures of New zealand cricket, he is famous for his innings in Australia where he hit 6 sixes in 10 balls - see here Lance Cairns 6 sixes Beige Brigade

Do you remember when Lance Cairns hit 6 sixes in 10 balls?

Enjoy...

Part 1



Part 2



I've been watching the latest Chappell/Hadlee series between New Zealand and Australia and I remembered that great innings in the early 80's by Lance Carins. I went looking for the video of it and found it on youtube.

It was a classic era for cricket, one day cricket back then was regarded then as the 20/20 version is today. The birth of those classic one day uniforms. The beige and brown of New Zealand, the green and gold of Australia. Who'll ever forget the underarm?



Anyway, back to the story at hand...

After a rain affected 1st Final in Sydney, NZ went to Melbourne down one-nil in a best of three final series. Hadlee was injured and did not play the finals and NZ really missed him.

Now comes the story of Lance Carins, NZ had collapsed to be 44-6, chasing Australia's huge score of 302-8. Dennis Lillee had just waved off New Zealand's last recognised batsman and awaited the arrival and "easy scalp" of Cairns.

Lillee's first ball was an all out bouncer that hit Cairns square on the helmet, you can clealy hear the impact on the video. Cairns just laughed and ran through for a leg bye. When his turn came to face, his response was to hit 2 sixes in 3 balls off Ken MacLeay, before hitting 2 consecutive sixes off Rodney Hogg the following over, and in the next over, doing the same to Lillee. The crowd went wild, everyone in NZ watching on TV couldn't believe what they were seeing and have never forgotten it! The highlight was undoubtedly The one-handed shot off Lillee, which soared over the fine leg fence for 6. Cairns' dismissal was an anti-climax; out for 52, offering a simple catch to Steve Smith at cover off the bowling of Geoff Lawson.

New Zealand of course lost the match by 149 runs and the Finals series 2-0, but Lance Cairns became a New Zealand icon and legend for life.

City Fitness Gym New Plymouth New Zealand

I would like to share my experience with being a member of the City Fitness Gym and Health Center in New Plymouth, NZ - IT SUCKS! Firstly when I signed up to join this gym, I was told that I wouldn't be disappointed with the equipment and that there would be enough weight for everyone. The promotional material said no waiting times for equipment and that the equipment was brand new.

What I found was that a lot of the equipment was not new and was old and even some machines had paint brush strokes still showing from where they had been touched up! The weight area was small and cramped and there was a lot of waiting to use stuff. There wasn't enough weights and some of the machines were so old that they should have been in a museum.

When signing up, the staff are really friendly and accommodating and will tell you anything to get you to sign up. Once you are signed up, it all changes. No help unless you pay extra for personal trainers. I'm fortunate that i don't need help but every now and then it would be good to get a "spot" but I either wouldn't trust anyone there to help or people working there are too busy talking amongst themselves at the counter to help. I see so many people there doing things wrong but no one there seems to give a shit unless you pay them extra dollars for help. Most of the trainers there have no idea what they're doing and the worse one of all, a guy named Simon, steals peoples equipment from them so that his clients can have it to use. People go for a drink and bang! this dickhead called Simon takes their bench, weights or whatever else he needs. What a asshole!

The guy that owns it is called Dominic and he's a real jerk! He'll reprimand his staff in front of members and he thinks he's the greatest thing out in the fitness industry.

anyway I recommend anyone contemplating joining this gym to consider very carefully their options and to not sign on for anything longer than a year.

The best place to stay when visiting the Cook Islands is Rarotonga. This island offers guests the chance to explore a rare cloud forest, which is a rainforest that literally touches the heavens. Many of the plants you will see on Rarotonga are unique to the Cook Islands, so be sure to take plenty of pictures. You can explore the interior of the island by a guided cross-country hike or four-wheel drive safari. There are ten luxury resorts to choose from on Rarotonga. All have their own restaurants and access to a private beach. Many of the beaches are open for swimming, and those hotels that have swimming beaches offer snorkeling equipment for rent.

For a bicycling adventure, head to Mauke, an island that is half the size of Rarotonga at only just over eleven miles in circumference. The avid bicycler can span the island in one day, and explore raised coral reefs, swamps, forests, and a wild world that is untouched by the resort crowd. There are no paved roads on the island, making it a rustic paradise. Keep your eyes open for wild pigs that inhabit the island!

For a vacation that is miles away from the tourist traps of many Pacific islands, head to the Cook Islands. Base your trip out of Rarotonga, and explore as many islands as you can. You never know what tropical secrets you will discover!

Information on the Cook Islands as a tourist destination

There is a place in the South Pacific that is basically untouched by modern life and that is the Cook Islands and it's the perfect destination. The Cook Islands or Rarotonga as it is also known as is a group of 15 islands spread out across the Pacific Ocean and has only around 14,000 people populating it's shores. Each island in this group is a very unique experience that can offer you a culture and friendliness that you will not find anywhere else in the world. If you want a truly rewarding experience with the native people of Polynesia then this is the place for you!



A good idea on your first stop in this island paradise might be the island of Aitutaki. This island offers an untouched movie like experience paradise surrounded by a sparkling turquoise lagoon that is full of colourful fish and sea life. There is also shopping in the main village in Arutanga where you can buy locally made goods without the huge crowds of tourists that you may face at the more popular tourist island destinations. One definite must do while visiting Aitutaki is to take a cruise of the island’s lagoon and a place called One Foot Island is a great spot for a picnic and some snorkeling. For the scuba or snorkle diving enthusiast, the seas and reefs around Aitutaki are full of excellent dive spots and are abound with bright coral reefs and beautiful fish and sea life.

If you are looking for an even better and more remote island to visit then Atiu is for you. There aren't as many beaches on Atiu, but the ones it does have are especially quiet, really clean, and so beautiful. This is where you can go to find the best place to find a deserted tropical island beach! A coral reef is nearby, so swimmers need to take care and avoid being scratched by living coral so a first aid kit would be best to have on hand. The road that runs around this island is framed in thick native brush of the forest and provides stunning views of the island and it's surrounding seas. You will also see native Cook Island craftsmen making Tapa into flowers and designing their own tapestries which they will gladly sell them to waiting tourists for the right price which will still be very cheap for the kind of quality you will find.

Attractions to explore in Guam - from surfing to diving

One of the most impressive locations to be found in Guam is Two Lover’s Point. There is a local legend that says that 2 Chamorro lovers jumped to their demise from this point when they were forbidden to get married. Putting this sad love story line aside, this point offers some of the best views that the island’s shoreline has to offer. For the braver traveler, look straight down the point for a simply awesome view of the waves crashing into the rocks at the base of the mountain. It’s something you’ll never forget.

See the video below.



The Island of Guam was a sort after island for both the Americans and Japanese in World War II and there are many wrecks scattered throughout the island. If you like scuba diving, the bomb craters left from World War 2 are now home to some of the most colourful species of underwater life found anywhere in the world. However, if you’re more of a land lover, the water is so crisp and clear that you can see the colourful fish without even getting into any diving gear!

Last but not least, Guam’s inland has some of the most stunningly beautiful waterfalls. Talofofo Falls is a thirty-foot waterfall that drops into a deep pool that is open for swimming. Here you can even explore the cave where a Japanese sergeant inhabited for thirty years, still thinking World War II was being fought. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dichi_Yokoi

Guam is a island paradise that is worlds away from the mainland of the United States and yet is still a part of America. To experience the friendliness and tranquility of Pacific life, you must visit this emerald island gem!