August 31

With my knee

Cycling is key

The more the merrier

I'll be back to a football terrier

This poem is short

As I have time to thwart

Round and round

The legs hound

August 30

Is there a more comforting food than pizza?

The steam swirls then reaches out and greets ya

It sits there all circular, confident and whole

It is there for a party, but equally to console

Of course there's a backlash after consumption

Most people feel it; at least that's my presumption

Gas escapes from any hole it can find

Sometimes it pays to leave a piece behind

August 29

Today a poem is not for me

It's not spilling out naturally

It's difficult to write daily, who knew

I guess I'll just have to see it through

Intention does not always equal result

I'm struggling to write and I'm at fault

Who else will jot these whimsical lines?

I appear to be a slave of my own guidelines

August 28

I walk through the plaza and see a gathering outside the church

I change course and move closer to do my own research

They're all huddled over, smartphones keeping them occupied

I glance at the church and it is almost empty inside

Then I see what the crowd is doing, it's a Pokemon Go gym

They are battling each other with the fervent energy of a hymn

The irony of this scene makes me shake my head in the cold

Outside an empty church a new worship takes hold

August 27

Brunch is not breakfast, nor is it lunch

It's a ravenous time for a mindless munch

Eggs have to feature if had my way

And perhaps some tomato if I'm feeling risque

'Twas on this day that I happened to eat

An egg/tomato combo that left me complete

Onion and avocado were tasty additions

Afterwards I had to assume various foetal positions

August 26

I watched the mighty All Blacks at 3 in the morning

At times it was difficult to see through the yawning

The haka was fierce, the embers still burning

Throughout the first half as the scoreboard kept turning

There is nothing like giving Australia a hiding

After World Cup progress their form has been sliding

A bit of brotherly love across the Tasman Sea

I switched off my light and fell straight to sleep

August 25

Some friends stay close regardless of time

Regardless of distance and the life pantomime

Most friendships take effort but these, not at all

They don't need daily watering or a weekly call

Their presence is calming like a childhood smell

They steady the ship from the rising swell

And when the water is calm, they're there for the view

And first to take the swim that was long overdue

August 24

I wriggled underneath powerful palms

She banished my knots with her masseuse charms

A fire burned politely, casting warmth from the floor

The tickling had me in endless motion like a saloon door

And yet there was calmness, an aroma soaking through

It rested on my body like the morning dew

When I opened my eyes the world was still there

But I had shifted slightly, breathing a fresher air

August 23

Rice wrapped in seaweed, what a triumph of human decisions

Sushi is the lovechild of various culinary god divisions

Intriguingly, the decision was made to eat it with two sticks

I'm on edge as to what's next out of sushi's bag of tricks

This particular batch had a blanket of spicy sauce

The deliciousness crept up on me like the Trojan Horse

At the plate's conclusion I was writhing in ecstasy

A sense of calm descended after several cups of green tea

August 22

Stretching the limbs at Cusco's altitude

That's what I call high octane yoga, dude

Yoga is oh so much harder than it seems

It contorts every muscle to the extreme

The next day you discover muscles for the first time

When they ache and you're left feeling well-past your prime

But I'll go back for sure, my limbs are now liquid

Jiggling independently like the arms of a squid

August 21

A picnic overlooking the city of Cusco

With so little oxygen the ascent was slow

Kites peppered the sky where we put down our rug

They jostled for position, jolting from each tug

Mel snoozed while I watched one spiral out of control

The kid was frustrated, each fall taking its toll

Then finally he got it and the kite roared into the sky

The kid beamed and uttered a terrifying war cry

August 20

Next up to surprise were the boys from the bar

I poked my head through the door, it was slightly ajar

There were screams of "you're back", and then I saw

More naked and hungover men than I'd seen before

It was a writhing, sweaty huddle of at least eight 

Including the overnight guests they'd manage to accumulate

It was quite the welcome, nudity and all

One of the best that I can recall

August 19

With an eye on the door I pretended to browse the snacks

The tension was tasty, now for the climax

She would be arriving shortly so blissfully unaware

I've spotted her, now time to give her a scare

I do a loop around the aisles, then sneak up behind

I tap her on the shoulder, "Is there something you are looking to find?"

Confusion, shock, then the tears start to flow

I nailed the first surprise, there are a few more to go

August 18

I went for blood tests as my health was looking bleaker

And some of my symptoms pointed to a little thing called Zika

Thankfully all clear, probably a case of the Man Flu

My body wanting health to be pushed up the priority queue

So it's time to reflect on where I have been

And tuck into the scrumptious Peruvian cuisine

My backpack stinks, I'll deal with it later

Time to dig myself into a bed crater

August 17

Change of plans, I'm back in Cusco for a spell

Unfortunately I'm still not particularly well

It's a surprise visit so there will be some squeals

First I'm seeking a bed that heals

The flight was awful I slept like a crying baby

I zombie walked between gates, and got an hour of sleep (maybe)

Back to the altitude, back to the cold

Back to my friendship stronghold

August 16

The wild waves of Rio have finally caught up to me

I am in Sao Paolo now and watching the Olympics on TV

I feel so removed from the heat of the action

Only days ago I was screaming alongside the Kiwi fraction

The waves come crashing down inside my head

I am one with the couch, my limbs jelly-spread

It is strange to watch my friends compete from afar

To avoid Portuguese exchanges I pluck the guitar

August 15

With a sore head I went looking for Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee)

The berry sorbet of sorts that Brazilians consume on the daily

The icy, berry goodness makes it a breakfast and a half

Sweeter than the mother's milk supplied to a calf

Of course it comes with risks most notably the frequent brain freeze

Pacing your consumption simply comes with expertise

The honeycomb they add on top simply can't be beat

And to think that you can find this treasure all along the street

August 14

I've missed the sea, the rejuvenation of a quick dip

Rio is the first time I've seen the sea on my trip

It was quite a reunion, the waves sensed the occasion

The heat and the friends made for a balanced equation

Later we were permitted into a swanky medal party

A man from Holland had won gold and the festivity was hearty

My final night in Rio seemed to be over in a blink

There was dancing of that I'm sure; and perhaps one too many drink

August 13

There are workout stations scattered along the beach

I decided I'd have to do an exercise at each

It is such a simple idea yet it encourages good habits

Here you see people bounding down the boardwalk like rabbits

I think a lot of places could learn from this public exercise push

Do pull ups by the ocean or publicly work on your tush

The combination of run and gym mixed with sun and salt

The Rio way of life: it is difficult to find a fault

August 12

I stood on the beach with the Tuke family 

Watching Blair sail for New Zealand, fingers crossed clammily 

It was incredible to have a friend racing in an event

We made it onto TV as Jesse's kiwi costume was good content

It was an afternoon filled with cheering and pride

We finished with two firsts - the boys were into their stride 

Merrily we wandered home with everyone in full voice

Accompanied by a few beers of course (like we had a choice)