I just got back from a weekend in Auckland, and it was such an incredible time!!
It all started on Saturday when I went with Admin and The Critic to the Soundz Store in Botany Downs ... we were allowed to go through to the back entrance of the store and wait for him to turn up with Paul Ellis! That was pretty cool - got to say hello and shake hands ...
Then we went into the back of the store and, while there were chants of "We want Ben!" going up from the front of the shop, we chatted briefly to Ben and Paul, and Admin took my photo with Ben!!!
Then we went back into the shop and let Ben do his grand entrance, much to the delight of the adoring fans ...
I reckon the best bit, though, was being able to stand five feet away from Ben for an hour and a half while he signed CDs, etc, for fans filing through the store - it was such an awesome experience, and he is such a great guy to be able to sit there and smile and be so obliging throughout the afternoon!!
So that was my afternoon with Ben ...
A couple of hours later, we drove to Breakthrough Church (which Ben calls home!) and celebrated with them for the evening ...
The singing was awesome, and it was really, really great that Paul could be there as well, and it was really special to be able to hear from Ben himself, and hear how he's got to where he is today.
The best part of the evening? It was when Ben led us in two or three songs to finish off the night, and then he "thanked" his church family by singing "They Can't Take That Away." It was the first time I had ever heard him sing LIVE, and it was AWESOME!!! 
)
After that, we shared in a fantastic spread of food, and talked to various people ... then it was time to say goodbye to Ben ( ... and he gave me a hug, and a kiss too! ;o)
That was my day with Ben ... thanks Admin and The Critic for making it happen for me, and thanks Ben (if you ever get to read this - LOL!) for being such an awesome NZ Idol and for making one fan's year!! ;o)
Must've been. : )
It was VERY cool!
)
Yeah.. I never read that before sounds cool.. glad you had an awesome day with ben.
Aah awsome! Glad to hear you had fab day with Ben
yeah i hadnt read this before!
How cool!
I've never read that before!!!
That's so cool, bimi. Sounds like you had fun... =)
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!! =P
How embarrassing, Loyal! ;o) Now I can see what I wrote again - LOL
This wasn't so far away now - it's easy to find anything now all Ben toipics are together!
This is for BIMI who was talking about this day under 'Who's met Ben'.
A happy memory of 2004 as it comes to the end!
Thanks Chevy! Yeah, it was an AWESOME day, and I am sooooo grateful to Admin and The Critic for letting me tag along with them all day ;o)
dats nice 2 know!
That IS very cool!!!
)
I'm glad he remembered you too ... shows how much notice he takes of people ;o)
Wow tht is sooo kool!! How did u gt dat????
kool ur really lucky!!!! how come u got 2 go?!
OMG a kiss!!!!!!!!!!
♥♥ Ben ♥♥
I ♥ u BEN
Man (L)Ben you sound like your in love with the guy!
lol naaa u think????
but yea, Ben is my idol! ur soo lucky!!!!!!
Yeah i think she's in love with the guy.
Well ben is my idol 2 he's cool.
Ben
He's more 2 me than an idol!!!!!!!
♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
I love you Ben!♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
:p♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥ ♥♥
dont encourage her! ive had enough!
i cld say da same about michael!!!!!!!
Cause I had planned to go to Auckland to visit Admin and The Critic anyway for the weekend, and it just seemed to happen that we spent more of Saturday with Ben ;o)
I am going to remember that day forever! ;o)
WOW!! That's real cool!! I got to have breakfast with him and he was so sweet!! We had about 2 hours with him and there were 10 winners. He was so great and made an effort to have personal chat with everyone!
Then he rembered me a month later at the airport and introduced me to MICHAEL!!
wow cool so did i which tour did you go to
me and mi cousin went to that
u r sooo lucky!!
I wishI'd had breakfast or lunch with him! ;o)
oh wow im very jealous!
wow ben is such an awesome guy when i met him he was so cool i was hopeing to meet michael but instead i meet ben and it was soo cool.....i meet michael as well hehe
well i meet michael and ben @ da idolised 04 tour! dat was wicked!!!!!!! michael gave me a hug and kiss!!!!!! best day of my life!
Just for you, Loyal ... I got up to page 12 before I found it! LOL ;o)
OMG U GOT 2 SPEND A DAY WIT HIM????
how on earth did u mange dat???
*tears*
W-e-l-l ... I kind of exaggerated slightly with my heading! ;o)
I didn't really spend the day "with" him ... I just managed to spend three hours at his signing ... and then went to his church in the evening, for another two or three hours ... it felt like it was all day though, cause when you're in Auckland it takes so long to get places, you practically have to leave one venue and head straight for the other one, so it felt like it was just continuous Ben!! ;o)
Thanks BIMI. My challenge for the day was going to try to find this - even if I didn't know the title!
You beat me to it again!
I do remember reading this. Wow, just about a whole day with Ben! Happy memories! So much has happened since then. It must seem such a long time ago now, but a memory to hold on to.
Sorry, I was just reminiscing, and HAD to bring this up to the top again ... in case anyone else hadn't caught up with "my day with Ben" ;o)
Yes, it is - 16th May a year ago!
And what a year its been - with even more happy memories BIMI!
I say you get back on here at 9:38 tonight, BIMI, and post here again. :P'''
How did you get to do that with Admin and TC Bimi? Meet Ben and Paul at the Soundz store and go to Ben's church I mean?
Gosh that would have been simply super!
Was Ben's church big?
What was the church service like?
Did you meet his pastor?
I'll try ...
Exactly that - I was with Admin and TC, and they can do ANYthing! LOL
There were quite a few people at the church - I think more, though, cause it was a "special" celebration service for Ben ;o) so it wasn't really like a regular church service would usually be like, I don't think, either ... didn't meet his pastor in person, but he and his wife said several awesome things about Ben ;o)
And the singing time was AWESOME - especially with Ben leading! hee hee
LUCKY!!! iv met ben at a church b4 in ch ch and that rocked!!!! wen he woz singing he kept looking at us dat woz kewl! and he came in2 sunday skool and i got hiz autograph on a poster of him and he said 2 me "dis is an old pic isnt it" and i woz lyk "umm yea i think so" then he askd how 2 spell mi name and i tld him and then i askd him 4 a pic wth him an hez like "sure thing" and i got it and lookd at it and it wos really blury so i dared myself 2 go bak up 2 ben and ask 4 anutha pic and i sed "Ben?" and he lukd at me and i sed "can i plz get anutha pic with u coz it ddnt turn out proply?!" and hes like "sure!" and i woz lyk "sweet!" and then ben had 2 go and we sed bi 2 him and mi auntie sed 2 ben "i think shez ur BIGGEST fan!!!" and he looked at me and i looked at him and we both laughed then we went and had tea then went home 2 my aunties house THA END!
That's a really cool story, B&MF ;o) Thanks for sharing
Awww. That's cute. =P
Hmmm, I think I need to change my "location" ... it's too long and makes my posts look weird!
(
Okay, Alaina, if you say so ;o)
Oh my gosh, I can't believe I actually managed to do it - tee hee hee!
Yay BIMI!! You did it!! Congratulations. You're cool. (Not that you weren't before! lol)
Shucks - thanks alaina! ;o)
(I feel so special now - LOL)
Shows how special you are BIMI - you get the biggest squares of all to write in now! So you need to say heaps each time, to fill them!
LOL That's just cos she has a looong name and location!!