Every year in Hawera we have a xmas pub crawl, where people of all ages,get themselves a bike and helmet,and off they go. The police keep an eye on them but mainly give them a bit of leeway to enjoy themselves.. I think the police are probably very thankful when this day is over. I stood out the front and photographed some of the most unusual bikes..Theres no doubting kiwi ingenuity. I hope you enjoy these photos..

Do you get the feeling they are not good riders..Check out the bandaged elbows and knees. Their motto..BE PREPARED

A bit of sexism here I think. Three guys on the back and the two biking are dressed in skirts..Notice the rubbish bin for the empties. Hope they got every one elses empties too..

Now these two were a bit of a worry .Dressed in suits and ties they looked a right pair.Maybe they had a meeting to go to later..

These three had the right idea..Share the load. The two outside ones pedalled while the middle one passed the grog..And they had quite a bit on board too.

Now this little guy intrigued me.One wheel all the way to normanby and back. Is the walking stick to give his legs a spell maybe.

Now thats what I call comfort.Love the mudguards. Are they dolphins.

A novel sort of a bike.Wheels not very big though. Some had radios attached.and places for there beer cans.

This guy had the right idea..Hard to fall off a three wheeler. Plus crate for his beer.

I wouldnt of thought this was quite the place to practice your party tricks..However each to his own..Thats a long ,long way to the sea below..

Two cyclists wind their way round a narrow track..Not for the faint hearted I wouldnt think..One slip and thats the end.

A fireman turns the hose on burning trees,as smoke thickens the air in NSW Aus.

The sun tries to shine down through the smoke as a fire fighter surveys the burning forest in NSW Aus

Two Jets Play Noughts and Crosses Over Hawera.. Or Was I being Given a Sign that I Had Done Something Wrong.. Either way It Looked Quite Spectacular.

Oh Danny Boy,, The pipes the pipes are calling,,From glen to glen and down the mountain side.. Just breaking into song after seeing our own Daniel Carter Today .

I went with a friend to see Daniel signing his book.He seems such a quiet guy,and quite shy I think..Not as tall as you would expect an ALL BLACK to be..But he,s ten foot tall in my book..

Oh to be 45 years younger. Daniel Carter ,Goal kicker for the All Blacks signs his book at the bookshop in Hawera.

THE STORY OF JOHN SIMPSON AND HIS DONKEY

It is very fitting that one of the most celebrated diggers in Australia folklawwas a larrikin by the name of John Simpson who saved the lives of hundreds of men by disregarding his orders and his own safety

Simpson joined the army three weeks after the outbreakof World War I. A big strapping lad he was alloted to the Field Ambulance as a stretcher bearer. 8 months later he landed at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli. Of the 1500 men who landed in the first wave,755 remained in active service at the end of the day.The sheer number of casualties necessitated that stretcher bearing parties be reduced in size from 6 to 2

Acting alone ,Simpson spied a deserted donkey in the wild overgrown gullies. He decided to use it to help carry wounded men to the beach and from then on ,he and his donkey acted as an independent team.In stead of reporting to his unit,Simpson camped with the 21st Kohat Indian Mountain Artillery Battery which had many mules and nicknamed Simpson "Bahadur," the "bravest of the brave".

For the first 4 days he was technically a deserter until his CO ,seeing the value of his work turned a blind eye and approved his actions .

Simpson would start his day at 6-30a.m.and often continued until 3-00a.m.He made the one and a half mile trip, through sniper fire 12-15 times a day.On his return jouney he would bring water for the wounded. He never hesitated or stopped even under the most furious shrapnel fire and when warned of the dangers ahead would reply "my troubles"

After gaining an aura of someone with devine protection. Simpson was killed..He was subsequently recommended for the Victoria cross, twice, and the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Padre George Green ,who lead Simpsons Burial service said , If ever a man deserved the Victoria Cross it was Simpson. I often remember now the scene I saw frequently in Shrapnel Gully ,of that cheerful soul calmly walking down the gully with a red cross armlet tied round the donkeys head .That gully was under direct fire from the enemy almost all the time.

Although Simpson had the respect of all those who knew him, his larrikin ways did not endear him to the authorities, thus all nominations for post humous decoration ,have been declined .,

oopsy ,sorry I,m in the way but the beautiful mural on the front wall of the RSA club depicts the Army ,the Navy and the airforce .Also Simpson and his donkey who played a large part in rescuing wounded soldiers and carrying them to safety.

Father xmas heads out to the combined Churches xmas do.