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


Wayne Potgieter

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This is usually the point that I punt my local trails at Maraetai Forest (East Auckland), however they have just closed for logging, likely until next summer  :thumbdown: .

 

Rotorua is pretty awesome, and I far prefer the redwoods to skyline. You can ride in the forest for hours, there's a huge range of different trails and some spots are just awesome to take in the scents of nature.

 

Closer to home, I haven't been to Woodhill for a while, but apparently its a bit better than the last time I was there. Totara Park is ok for some winter xc laps. Hunua forest has some nice xc loops through native bush.

 

440 is good fun and now that Maraetai is closed I'll need to head out there again.

 

440 also close from I think just after Easter weekend for the 'wet season' till about Oct/November I think.

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440 also close from I think just after Easter weekend for the 'wet season' till about Oct/November I think.

 

Good news, Whitford Forest will be open from next week. All the trails that were amongst the pines will be gone, but the native tracks should have survived, and probably just need a tidy up. Working bees coming soon.

 

https://www.trailforks.com/region/whitford-forest/?lat=-36.937516&lon=175.025666&z=14&m=trailforks

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Back in SA after spending a week in Auckland Job hunting.The bit I got to see of the place was really good..people friendly and some really nice scenery.

Managed to fit in 2 bike rides...some serious climbs around Piha beach area!!

Now we wait for feedback..hope to have an offer or 2 on the table in the next couple of days...holding thumbs!

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Heads up Kiwis.

 

My sis living there works for a Co. that sells Cadac  Potjie pots, skottel braais, charcoal, firelighters, bbqs etc.

They have a 70% discount sale.  Normally they don't even sell direct to the public

 

Saturday 8-3

2a Maui Street, Pukete.

 

Hope it helps!

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Back in SA after spending a week in Auckland Job hunting.The bit I got to see of the place was really good..people friendly and some really nice scenery.

Managed to fit in 2 bike rides...some serious climbs around Piha beach area!!

Now we wait for feedback..hope to have an offer or 2 on the table in the next couple of days...holding thumbs!

All the best.If you made the effort to go, chances are very good the offer/s will come. Plenty skilled people required, so, hopefully we'll see you again soon (last time I remember seeing you was at the Wimpy in Graskop I think, or was it Middelburg...)

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All the best.If you made the effort to go, chances are very good the offer/s will come. Plenty skilled people required, so, hopefully we'll see you again soon (last time I remember seeing you was at the Wimpy in Graskop I think, or was it Middelburg...)

Yes man..think it was after Sabiex. Just checked now..Jan 2015 I started asking you questions about NZ..3years later and we almost there.

Got something last night that looks very positive.

If everything works out I think we can be there 1May. Stressing but also excited!

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Yes man..think it was after Sabiex. Just checked now..Jan 2015 I started asking you questions about NZ..3years later and we almost there.

Got something last night that looks very positive.

If everything works out I think we can be there 1May. Stressing but also excited!

That was it - either Sabie X or maybe it was Panorama. It is a very exciting/scary/stressful time....and as you will soon find out, it is lekker to see familiar faces, even if in strange places!

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nochain,just re-read our exchanges from die jare 15. All of it still makes sense to this day. Hope things work out for you guys.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am still looking for people that want to exchange NZ$ for Rands (I give NZ$ and you Rands)...

 

Just to avoid all the transfer costs etc etc

 

 

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Week 3 in the new job. Still adjusting but loving the new challenges and seeing things from a different perspective (client side + government).

 

Last week marked 2yrs since I moved to NZ. A lot has happened in that time. Moved cities (and islands), changed jobs, so many new experiences.

 

Time to apply for residency, and hopefully quality for fast tracking to PR. I meet the criteria, but it's not guaranteed, as a former work colleague found out.

 

Has anyone here applied for residency from a Work to Residency visa, and managed to get the fast track to PR?

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Week 3 in the new job. Still adjusting but loving the new challenges and seeing things from a different perspective (client side + government).

 

Last week marked 2yrs since I moved to NZ. A lot has happened in that time. Moved cities (and islands), changed jobs, so many new experiences.

 

Time to apply for residency, and hopefully quality for fast tracking to PR. I meet the criteria, but it's not guaranteed, as a former work colleague found out.

 

Has anyone here applied for residency from a Work to Residency visa, and managed to get the fast track to PR?

 

 

Have you sent your documentation to the Police in SA yet? Did it arrive and are they processing it?

 

Edit: for the police clearance certificate

Edited by hayleyearth
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Have you sent your documentation to the Police in SA yet? Did it arrive and are they processing it?

 

Edit: for the police clearance certificate

Nope not yet. My fingerprint sheet is in SA with a friend's mom who recently was over here for a visit.

 

I'm waiting on said friend, his wife, and another to send their prints and other docs (for the sale of their house in SA) to his mom too. That should be early next week.

 

Then the 4 of us combined have arranged a bulk discount worth passports4u to do the 4 police clearances and 3 unabridged birth certificates.

 

So yeah, hopefully by the end of next week we can get that ball rolling.

 

Everything else on my end is filled out. Just getting some final advise from an immigration adviser at KPMG, then should be good to go.

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On the residency side of things...

 

On the 16th May we will have had residency for two years. Our travel restriction kicks in. Basically, we cannot re enter NZ if we leave without either getting PR or extending our travel condition.

 

Now here is where it gets interesting, Wifey recently did really well at work and at a conference in OZ she was awarded a trophy and a prize...an all expenses paid trip to Tahiti to attend a conference and have some fun. The departure date for the trip is 17 May. 

 

So she went to go see immigration to find out her options. The helpful chap reckons if she comes to the express counter on the 16th with enough supporting documents, they will fast track our entire families PR application and will grant PR in 1 hour!

 

I don't get to go with to Tahiti though...that kinda sucks.

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