intern

Short days and cold weather suck. Given that it is moist and cold, mould is everywhere so you need to take mould precautions. Windy roads make travel a pain if you're in a hurry. Cost of living is very, very high. Finding a decent restaurant can be difficult if you're in the regions (most have one or another thing missing; don't generally cater for kids unless McD etc, some have everything right but no atmosphere. And you will pay dearly for the experience). That's got to be some ugly for you, or maybe bad? Hope that helps.

Hahaha with so many idiots, that's an easy mistake to make

It was Malusi Gigaba at the time. Hlaudi was busy demolishing the SABC.

Money. They got a kick in the balls for putting visas on NZers, with a lot of former Safas who would travel back, choosing to go elsewhere as adding $1000 to the trip is a metric f-ton for most folks...

Very good news! NZ won't drop the visa requirements; they were introduced for good reason (lots of okes chancing their arm and arriving on 3 month visa free 'holiday' with express intention of not leaving)... The SA visa, on the other hand, was a (costly) knee-jerk reaction owing to the wounds to delicate African pride...now it's hitting them in the wallet, they've had to reconsider. Good stuff!

....still eggs though...ya egg

Lotto isn't the same as pro cyclists, pro cyclists are depressingly predictable...

Hey I was never a Lance fan, I saw bulldust from 1999...

Can confirm re: Safa NZ expats. Cannot confirm re: West Islanders.

Nobody does. Those West Islanders are an uppity bunch. And don't even get started on their cricket team...

1.29 for a half is pretty good.

Did this when were were in SA in April. A-MAAAA-ZING. Good thing is, you get to make an appointment. Better thing is (in our case) they keep the appointment, almost to the minute. Best thing is, you get your passport within 2 weeks, with no queues and no hassle. Almost unbelievable. We did it at Absa Towers in Braamfontein or whatever that hell hole in downtown Joburg is called.

Just yesterday I interviewed a German dude who said they employ clowns as facilities managers here in NZ; he's giving a talk at an upcoming FM conference and said 'maybe I should go dressed as a clown'. Man I love a German sense of humour, laconic and like the Sahara. Anyway, not sure if that helps you or not. But reckon you should be sweet to find some jop - as everyone else has no doubt said, you'll need to come visit or engage a consultant to show you're serious.

Congrats! A Black Mamba to add to the Green one. Did you retain SA citizenship? I strongly advise everyone to do so, it makes a trip back so SO much easier and cheaper. For a fam of 4, think an extra $1000 or so for visas. My boys don't have a Mamba, but me and the Mrs do. Gonna do the necessary paperwork to get theirs...

Hi Methusela

Buy food at Countdown or New World where possible, you can get a microwave curry or roast chicken dinner with peas and potato and gravy for like $5 a pop, decent sized servings too. Look for a 'rent a wreck' to manage your car rental costs, I remember we hired an old Kia Ten Rand (RIO, ha ha) with over 200k on the clock for not much money and it was fine. Two hundy a day probably a bit of a stretch if it includes car rental and accomm, but presume you will be staying with your fam at least some of the time? Also, try come for longer than 2 weeks it is so effing far you want to make use of the spend to get here, and have at least a few days where you aren't jet lagged out of your tree...

Sydney train from airport into the city is awesome, so convenient...and the airport is amazingly close to the city, too...

We did this.

Recognised quite a few of the trails they were riding

Yep, that's some of the bad. Who will pay for this? Taxpayers? Employers? Not a fan. Also, I don't beat my wife.

And rates. Our rates are flippen expensive, at around $800 a quarter in the countryside. I hate to imagine what Auckland rates are...

Take them to the local tyre shop, $5 apiece (in my town, anyway), and that was for 19 inch 315s...

Sounds like they are getting their money's worth all right!

'access to a bag of snakes' aaaahahahahahahahahaaaaa

And also, people like Brenton Tarrant don't understand grey spaces at all...