UK ON A G-STRING

August 11th, 2001 was a dark day. This was when I had a bet with an Australian to see who would win between the All Blacks and the Wallabies in Dunedin, NZ. Whoever lost the bet would have to re-enact the most embarrassing thing they’d ever done in their life. Mark – my supposed mate from Melbourne – would have to streak at men’s semi final at Wimbledon should his beloved team lose. I, on the other hand, would have to door-to-door busk my way around the UK (in the middle of winter) until I made enough money to fly home.

I was confident. The All Blacks had never lost in Dunedin. But there’s always a first time. Result: Mark drinks beer and laughs. Justin gets on a plane, flies to the UK, sings (?) to unsuspecting Brits at their door, gets told to bugger off 357 times, meets gypsies, drinks with Britain’s most famous busker, harasses carol singers, plucks turkeys, speaks to J.K.Rowling and writes a book about it.

This trip did pay off, however, not least because it generated a fair bit of interest in the media. (Maybe because it was Christmas and they needed a story.)

(Note: Door-to-door busking is very much like normal busking, only with the former, you only need one song! Scroll down to listen to ‘Grow Up Harry Potter.’)

"Grow up Harry Potter"

'The NZ Truth'

“Injected with refreshing doses of Kiwi humour, Justin refuses to give up even when temperatures reach minus 10 degrees C or when it seems the odds are completely stacked against him. And for this you’ve got to admire him.”

- Sarah Nealon, NZ Woman’s Weekly

I often get asked: did Richard and Judy from ITV really stitch you up
when you went on their show at the conclusion of the trip. Here’s proof!

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