New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Slowbee]

Sheesh. Gotta love this place. Had out first little 4.5 shake rattle and roll down south.

[Slowbee]

On 4/11/2023 at 9:30 AM, patches said:

It's been a while since I posted some "Good" from the beautiful scenery that makes up New Zealand, so here's a photo dump from a South Island road trip I took my Mom on, a couple of weeks back.

We did Christchurch to Queenstown, with various stops along the way.

Rakaia Gorge

 Lake Pukaki (looking towards Mt Cook)

 

Mt Cook Station (A Cattle Farm we stayed at for a night)

 

Clay Cliffs (near Omarama)

 

Shotover Gorge (view from our Queenstown accommodation front porch)

 

Lake Hayes (Arrowtown)

 

The infamous Wanaka Tree

 

Wanaka Lavender Farm

 

View from the Arrowtown end of the Crown Range

 

After this trip, I think I'm 70% of the way to convincing my wife into moving South.

It is a move you will not regret. Just bring lots of patience. It is real Island life down south. If you need a 'chino in a rush, place the order yesterday.

[patches]

13 hours ago, Slowbee said:

Sheesh. Gotta love this place. Had out first little 4.5 shake rattle and roll down south.

I remember my first one when I lived in Christchurch. Felt like airplane turbulence.

Then there was the Kaikoura quake. That one was slower, longer and more of a swaying motion. Kinda surreal.

12 hours ago, Slowbee said:

It is a move you will not regret. Just bring lots of patience. It is real Island life down south. If you need a 'chino in a rush, place the order yesterday.

😂 Hopefully the past 6yrs in Auckland haven't Jaffa-rised me too much and I can life the peaceful South Island life like I once did.

That said, the Ch-ch has come along way in the past 6yrs. Loads of construction and development. The city is looking rather good these days!

Edited April 24, 2023 by patches

[davetapson]

On 1/19/2023 at 12:46 AM, hayleyearth said:

We are still in SA currently, it's week 5 for us and we are on a big road trip currently. Started at my folks place in Bushmans river mouth (close to Port Alfred) up the less dangerous route through Elliot, Underberg, Howick, Centre Drakensberg, now in the Northern Drakensberg and then Clarens before making the journey back to my folks. (So basically circling Lesotho.)

 

Here's my view:

All small towns have become dumps. 

 

 

 

Yeah, agree with all.  We were in PA over Christmas.  All those three story mansions that should be full of vaalies causing grief with their big 4x4s, sk boats, quad-bikes and jets ski's..?  Empty.  Nada. Like a ghost town.

[davetapson]

On 3/3/2023 at 8:41 PM, IceCreamMan said:

I have a 372 in an RC390 which is the same as the pilen range. It’s lumpy at low revs and it’s essential to be in the right gear or else it chugs. But it’s smooth higher up in the rev range and it’s a barrel of fun. Best handling bike I have ever owned too. Suspension fitted to it is over kill I reckon but it sure is sexy. 

Following on from this - had the suspension set, first by Dave Moss, then by Adrian at Restorace (Dave suggested I go to Adrian for a new rear spring, Adrian said the stock one is fine for my purposes.)

Also made a huge diffs. Between the torquier motor and suspension, it's night and day compared to stock.

Trying to decide if I should replace the header (which has catalytic converter) for a straight through.  Very tempted.

Edited May 8, 2023 by davetapson

[davetapson]

On 3/15/2023 at 9:30 AM, Lifer said:

On another note, how insane is the cost of a new school uniform? We are just next door to you at CPS with their tailored button up shirts 🤦‍♂️ going for as much as my best work shirts. Highly recommend going the second hand route or starting up a disruptor business. The sports shirts are also way overpriced vs what I pay for a quality dry fit 🤑. Good school I believe, she will love it.

I'm quite impressed by NZ school uniforms - the 'golf' shirt style.   They last better than you'd have any reason to expect, and the kids love their school fleeces - they'd wear them before any of their civvie fleeces - long and warm.  Those get washed just about every week and after a year and half of that treatment are beginning to sun-fade on the backs, but otherwise still in good nick.

School shoes (sneakers), now that's another story.

Best plan is to make friends with a kid leaving the school and take over that kit, or else the second hand shop.

Also school socks - they evaporate.  What's up with that?

[davetapson]

On 3/15/2023 at 1:16 PM, Lifer said:

Anyone still getting on their bikes? I managed to rupture my Achilles in October  just after my bike arrived in country so its been idle. To get some recovery motivation I've entered Whaka 100 (Oct) and Highlander 45 (May) but probably need to actually get onto some trails before then (been commuting and Zwifting). Given our location in Eastern Bays I'm struggling to find time to get out though and only managed a solitary Totara Park ride but would be keen to explore Woodhill/ Riverhead/ Hunua or any other if anyone is keen for company.

You can also hit the valleys around Puhoi.  You can park in Waiwera and pretty much ride to the other side of the country and back in 80km.  

I'd offer, but I'm fat and unfit, and too scared of the spiders on my bike to chase them off.

[davetapson]

On 4/24/2023 at 7:29 PM, Slowbee said:

Sheesh. Gotta love this place. Had out first little 4.5 shake rattle and roll down south.

We were camping at Blue Lake just outside Rotorua when they had their last big shake.  If you want a visceral experience, that is one.

Ironically, because we had no roof beams or mortar to fall on our heads, it was quite a fun experience. 

[davetapson]

And that's my quarterly catch up... 🙂

Current situation as per video below... cell phone camera making it look way more cheerful than it feels.

My daughter, who now works for NZ Herald tells me that weather warnings have been phoned in, looks like we have some interesting times ahead of us (again)...

 

And in other news, we have joined the property market (Rothesay Bay, around the corner from British Isles should you like a quick pint), so like a bunch of you guys, now own some of the most over-priced real estate in the world. 

Long may it stay that way...

Wrap up, stay dry, 
Dave


 

Edited May 8, 2023 by davetapson

[Wayne Potgieter]

1 hour ago, davetapson said:

And that's my quarterly catch up... 🙂

Current situation as per video below... cell phone camera making it look way more cheerful than it feels.

My daughter, who now works for NZ Herald tells me that weather warnings have been phoned in, looks like we have some interesting times ahead of us (again)...

 

And in other news, we have joined the property market (Rothesay Bay, around the corner from British Isles should you like a quick pint), so like a bunch of you guys, now own some of the most over-priced real estate in the world. 

Long may it stay that way...

Wrap up, stay dry, 
Dave


 

 

Congrats! Thats a big (but expensive) milestone.

[davetapson]

Kids being let off school early because of weather.

Don't these schools know why we send the kids there..?!

Now, when I was a child, I had to swim 7 miles to school, holding my breath the whole way...

Garage is flooding again (in rental house, thank goodness.)  It's like these 1:100 year events aren't.

Edited May 9, 2023 by davetapson

[Wayne Potgieter]

2 hours ago, davetapson said:

Kids being let off school early because of weather.

Don't these schools know why we send the kids there..?!

Now, when I was a child, I had to swim 7 miles to school, holding my breath the whole way...

Garage is flooding again (in rental house, thank goodness.)  It's like these 1:100 year events aren't.

My eldest goes to Orewa College and it sits at sea level along an estuary.  Got the call to pick him up at 12 today for "health and safety" reasons.

Thankfully I was in a board meeting and able to leave early to complete the pickup. This was good for my own health and safety as I no longer had to sit in the bored meeting (that's not a typo)

Luckily I use an alias on the hub, so my bosses wont know my feelings.

[rad006]

7 hours ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

My eldest goes to Orewa College and it sits at sea level along an estuary.  Got the call to pick him up at 12 today for "health and safety" reasons.

Thankfully I was in a board meeting and able to leave early to complete the pickup. This was good for my own health and safety as I no longer had to sit in the bored meeting (that's not a typo)

Luckily I use an alias on the hub, so my bosses wont know my feelings.

I miss your humor bud hahaha

[patches]

What's happening with the Rand at the moment?

Not that I'm complaining as I send money to my family each month, and 12 Ronds for 1 Kiwi-Kwacha is seems like a great deal (in fact I think is an all-time high).

[ByronH]

On 5/9/2023 at 11:06 AM, davetapson said:

You can also hit the valleys around Puhoi.  You can park in Waiwera and pretty much ride to the other side of the country and back in 80km.  

I'd offer, but I'm fat and unfit, and too scared of the spiders on my bike to chase them off.

Hey there Dave. I'm pretty keen to try a ride around this Puhoi area. Would you have any gpx files, previous rides which i can follow? Or even a road name?

Thank so much, Byron

[patches]

The good...

I finally applied for my citizenship...

...sadly though, my Aus visitors visa has expired and I was hoping that I would have a little black passport by the time I head across the Tasman again (therefore not needing to renew said visitor visa), but alas, citizenship processing times seem to range from 5 - 15 months. So I won't hold my breath.

@Wayne Potgieter, how long was the processing time frame for your citizenship, and how long after that for passports?

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by patches