This email was sent to people on Friday 9th June 2006
Hi there,
Firstly you may be asking why are you getting this email.
You are one of the following:
Family, friend, valued client, Waikaretu local, influential media mega-personality, work colleague, former school friend who I have been secretly stalking for decades, included by mistake.
Secondly you are probably asking why am I sending you this email.
The reason for that is to advise you that you are invited to spend a weekend at Waikaretu for a once in a lifetime experience on November 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2006
I am fast approaching 50 and I have decided to have a mid life crisis rock concert starring my alter ego Dexter Radley. The short version of the life of Dexter is that many years ago I used to play in bands and when I stopped playing in bands I retired to my home studio and carried on churning out songs that I wrote myself and played all the instruments on. It sounds a lot more impressive than it is I assure you 🙂
Rather than get a little red sports car and hook up with a stunning 20 something blonde to alert the world to my impending old age I have instead gone out and upgraded my home studio with a zillion new toys and have recorded my all my old songs again as well as some old favorites that other people wrote.
I will mix these down so that the main vocal and one instrument is left off the mix and I will be playing along to that just like Milli Vanilli.
There will be special guests appearing as well, some from overseas (South Island) who will sit in on some of the songs.
There will be a support act or two as well. U2 are busy, the Stones can’t make it (Keith Richards is out of his tree) and Elvis won’t return my calls so I’ll keep you up to date with this as details are confirmed. (Are you out there Warren Cate?)
The event will take place over an entire weekend and the format is as follows:
Friday Evening, November 3rd: WAIKARETU IDOL: Cost: Nil
The evening is a welcome with lots of wine and some cheese and as the sun goes down the 1200 watt PA will be cranked up for the first time. You get to sing from my selection of over 2000 karaoke songs (full list at http://www.dexter.net.nz/karaoketracks.htm ). First prize is a gold coloured microphone and bragging rights for the entire weekend. Bar-b-que dinner supplied. The bar will be open until the last patron falls over.
Saturday Morning/Afternoon, November 4th: WAIKARETU SURVIVOR: Cost: As described below
The day will be spent experiencing the attractions of the wonderful Waikaretu Valley and surrounds. First up is a trip to Nikau Cave. Nikau Cave is one kilometre long, has a stream running through it and is in its natural state. Most of the cave is open and spacious except for a ten-metre length, which must be crawled through. A wide variety of stalactites and stalagmites can be seen including giant pillars, fine straws and flowing shawls. The glowworms and their dewy threads, may be studied up close. In the big, cathedral-like cavern they resemble the night sky.
http://www.nikaucave.co.nz/index.html
Cost here is $25.00 for adults, $15.00 for schoolies. Lunch will be provided at an extra cost to be advised. After that we will head out to the wild west coast for a beach ramble and if the wind is right a we’ll do a bit of kite fishing.
Then back to my place for a lamb on a spit for dinner and the bar is now open again.
Saturday evening is when the PA gets a real workout with the support acts and then Dexter Reloaded – The Oke Karaoke. (Cost: nil)
Sunday morning November 5th : WAIKARETU MAKEOVER: (Cost: nil)
Time to regenerate with a casual breakfast, a shower, dry your hair, apply your make up and head back to the real world.
ACCOMMODATION:
The surrounding area has a small number of backpacker hostels and home/farm stays for those who want to go that way. Others are welcome to camp out at my place. We’ll put up a few big tents for communal living (BYO bedding) and you are welcome to bring your own tents, caravans, mobile homes, horse floats and mattresses etc.
Farmstay: http://www.horseride.co.nz/ & http://www.nikaucave.co.nz/accommodation.htm
Backpackers http://www.goglenmurray.co.nz/accommodation.htm & http://www.adventurewaikato.co.nz/accomodation.html
HOW TO GET HERE:
One hours drive from Manukau City Centre, my place is 5 km’s closer to town than Nikau Caves.
Detailed instructions are HERE
http://www.nikaucave.co.nz/location.htm
WHAT NOW?
Go to your calendar, diary, whatever and make sure that the weekend is free and then email me back letting me know how thrilled you are to get this invite and that you will be coming. We’ll need to know numbers for the Nikau Cave visit and we also need an idea of how many people we will be feeding over the weekend.
You can come for the entire weekend or just the parts that suit you but the sooner we know the numbers the better it is for us.
See ya soon,
Dexter.