Sights and signs

My recent cycle trip around Otago and Southland was great. The weather was pretty awful despite it being summer - rain, wind and even hail - but even so I had a fantastic time. Along the way I saw a few things that tickled me.

Everything a tourist wants to know.
How far from home a I?
And, where's the closest toilet?

I've got my own mountain in Namibia, too.

Weak, but I laughed.

Apparently the one in Canada is a little bigger.

Yeah, right!

Time to head north.

Just a little smaller and quieter
than its northern namesake.

Kenny knew something was afoot.

Colac Bay? Hmmm???

Try as I might I couldn't get a

shot of myself obscuring the "a".

What if the job's for a foot model?
Or you're an amputee?!

Where the ones who never made it
onto Coronation Street ended up.

Beth's Beer Bread

Late last year I cycled over to Akaroa. The ride nearly finished me off - a small but near lethal combination of lack of fitness, beer, hills and anti-histamines - but I survived. While there I stayed with a friend from T.Coll, Beth, went swimming with Hectors Dolphins - brilliant, who'd have thought they'd respond so well to my underwater rendition of Paint it Black and the theme tune from Flipper - and learned how to make beer bread.

It's not really Beth's recipe, but a flatmate of her's, however I like the alliteration, so "Beth's Beer Bread" it shall be.

The recipe is easy peasy.

Ingredients

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 330ml can chilled lager beer
  I use Speights - it's vegan!

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 210 degrees Celsius
• Combine together the dry ingredients
• Add beer and stir until combined
• Spoon mixture into greased loaf tin
• Bake for 45 minutes

The plain version is great as is, but I've been experimenting with several variations:

Italian (add oregano, basil, and sliced olives)
Super-savoury (red onion, rosemary, thyme)
Fruity (sultanas, raisins, ground mixed spice, cinnamon)
Curried (curry powder, onion, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)

The possibilities are endless and yummy! Enjoy.