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

[Wayne Potgieter]

I just finished applying for yet another Aussie tourist visa.

 

I go through the same process each year.

 

This time however, as soon as I had submitted my online application, I got an email straight away requesting my biometrics (this sometimes takes a week or 2 of assessing before they send this). I then did biometrics at the earliest available date (yesterday, a week after submission) and in less than 24hr they have granted me the visa AND given me 2yrs in stead of 1.

 

So yeah, not sure if it's quicker and a longer visa now that I have Kiwi PR, or it's because they see I visit Aus pretty often and have been applying for these visas 3yrs in a row. Either way, thanks Aussie Government! 

They dont follow any logic.

 

2 years ago I applied for a business entry visa for me and the wife.

 

She got 5 years, I got 2.

 

Probably because of a dodgy photo.

 

Now I am busy renewing it. Also going to apply for the kids as well and take them to the gold coast or something.

[patches]

They dont follow any logic.

 

2 years ago I applied for a business entry visa for me and the wife.

 

She got 5 years, I got 2.

 

Probably because of a dodgy photo.

 

Now I am busy renewing it. Also going to apply for the kids as well and take them to the gold coast or something.

 

Hahaha, yeah they must use something like an Ithuba Win & Spin wheel to decide, haha 

[Herman V]

PostNet CBD https://www.facebook.com/postnetptacbd

We had the completed forms, scanned it and mailed to PostNet. They sorted the rest.

 

We've (well our agent) has put in our EOI. 

 

They have said to us tho that we should get new police clearances as if anything gets delayed, our clearances will expire while the ITA is being processed.

 

How best to get SA Police clearances from here?  Fingerprints at post shop then courier those with certified copy of passport to someone in SA who can drop off / pick up from police station or police clearance place in SA?

[patches]

The bad.

 

I ordered a very specific and expensive motorcycle part (over €1000). This part is integral to my upcoming adventure down south. The manufacturer is based in the Netherland, so preempting the shipping times, I ordered it early and it shipped 22/10. I also insured it for the maximum vaue allowable €5500). Plenty of time and guarantee right?!

 

WRONG!!

 

PostNL (possibly worse than SAPO) "lost" the parcel in Australia for 5 weeks. They wouldn't even open an enquiry until it the 4th week it had been missing, and enquiries take 12 working days.

 

Based on the urgency and timeframe (the part takes 3 days to install, and I leave next Thursday 13/12), I ordered another one and had it shipped via UPS. That's another €1000+. I figured if the original turns up after I can return to sender for a refund (I had prearranged with manufacturer), or if it's lost insurance will pay out.

 

Anyway, the day after my new one shipped, Murphy struck and the original prodigal parcel made it to Auckland. So then I had 2 scheduled to arrive by COB today.

 

BUT, Murphy struck again, and the original one has been flagged by NZ Post as being damaged and needs to go off to another depot for assessment. I asked them can't I assess the damage. Who better to assess very specific custom made parts, than the person who ordered them. They said no, I have to wait.

 

THEN to add insult to injury, UPS' NZ operation (Fliway), played the incompetence card and have dilly-dallied on the customs clearance, asking me more than once for documentation I sent through ages ago. So they will not make scheduled delivery of COB today (07/12). Their timeframe is looking more like 12/12 (the day before I need to leave, making installation almost impossible). I chose UPS and paid their ridiculous €190 shipping because they said they could get it to me by this weekend so I can install. Their NZ partner, Fliway has let them, and me down.

 

I'm now over €2000 out of pocket, with nothing to show for it, and there's a chance that this will delay/cancel my adventure South.

 

So yeah... between PostNL in the Netherlands, Fliway in NZ, I hope it's reassuring to those in SA that incompetent postal/courier services are global and not limited to SAPO.

 

   

Edited December 7, 2018 by patches

[dirtypot]

The bad.the part takes 3 days to install

 

What part is it?  I work with offroad bikes and can't think of anything which should take that long to fit.

 

I've been meaning to post on here for a while - I've read the thread cover to cover a few weeks ago, and your pictures and write-ups have convinced me that the south island (and the Canterbury region in general) looks like a great place to live.  Just have to get over the major hurdle of finding a job...

I hope you manage to get it sorted and are still able to go out on your adventure and take many pics to post up here.

[patches]

What part is it?  I work with offroad bikes and can't think of anything which should take that long to fit.

 

I've been meaning to post on here for a while - I've read the thread cover to cover a few weeks ago, and your pictures and write-ups have convinced me that the south island (and the Canterbury region in general) looks like a great place to live.  Just have to get over the major hurdle of finding a job...

I hope you manage to get it sorted and are still able to go out on your adventure and take many pics to post up here.

 

It's a custom fabricated rally tower. Similar to those on a KTM 450 Rally, but made for an EXC and without the carbon fibre.

 

 

 

 

3 days is a bit conservative, especially if everything goes according to plan, but the wiring is meant to be the tricky part.

 

My unit will have 2x Baja Designs Squadrom LED's ( at 3000 Lumen each), as well as a custom designed and fabricated wiring harness for all auxiliary power.

 

I have done most of the prep work. Removed all redundant parts. Re-routed current harness to where it needs to be. Extended wiring to regulator-rectifier (so it can mount on the tower), and built the custom wiring harness.

 

 

So hopefully I only have 1 long evening of workshop time left (and not the full 2-3 days that the instruction manual suggests).

 

If it doesn't arrive by Wednesday evening I will have to refit the current setup and travel down like that.

 

As for South Island riding... 

 

I would go back in a heartbeat if work etc. permitted.

 

Here's some nice scenic riding down south...

 

Edited December 9, 2018 by patches

[intern]

Hope it comes together Patches. Seeing your posts sometimes makes me want to be a single bloke again (although I am a very happy family man!)

[Wayne Potgieter]

The bad.

 

I ordered a very specific and expensive motorcycle part (over €1000). This part is integral to my upcoming adventure down south. The manufacturer is based in the Netherland, so preempting the shipping times, I ordered it early and it shipped 22/10. I also insured it for the maximum vaue allowable €5500). Plenty of time and guarantee right?!

 

WRONG!!

 

PostNL (possibly worse than SAPO) "lost" the parcel in Australia for 5 weeks. They wouldn't even open an enquiry until it the 4th week it had been missing, and enquiries take 12 working days.

 

Based on the urgency and timeframe (the part takes 3 days to install, and I leave next Thursday 13/12), I ordered another one and had it shipped via UPS. That's another €1000+. I figured if the original turns up after I can return to sender for a refund (I had prearranged with manufacturer), or if it's lost insurance will pay out.

 

Anyway, the day after my new one shipped, Murphy struck and the original prodigal parcel made it to Auckland. So then I had 2 scheduled to arrive by COB today.

 

BUT, Murphy struck again, and the original one has been flagged by NZ Post as being damaged and needs to go off to another depot for assessment. I asked them can't I assess the damage. Who better to assess very specific custom made parts, than the person who ordered them. They said no, I have to wait.

 

THEN to add insult to injury, UPS' NZ operation (Fliway), played the incompetence card and have dilly-dallied on the customs clearance, asking me more than once for documentation I sent through ages ago. So they will not make scheduled delivery of COB today (07/12). Their timeframe is looking more like 12/12 (the day before I need to leave, making installation almost impossible). I chose UPS and paid their ridiculous €190 shipping because they said they could get it to me by this weekend so I can install. Their NZ partner, Fliway has let them, and me down.

 

I'm now over €2000 out of pocket, with nothing to show for it, and there's a chance that this will delay/cancel my adventure South.

 

So yeah... between PostNL in the Netherlands, Fliway in NZ, I hope it's reassuring to those in SA that incompetent postal/courier services are global and not limited to SAPO.

 

   

I used to work for Fliway.

 

Is there any way you can pick it up from the head office? I dont mind grabbing it for you if you need a hand.

[patches]

I used to work for Fliway.

 

Is there any way you can pick it up from the head office? I dont mind grabbing it for you if you need a hand.

 

It's still waiting for the customs clearance to be processed, but I may just drive out there to fetch it as soon as it clears.

 

Thanks for the offer though, I'll keep you posted if I need some insider edge.

 

That aside though... I see you got yourself an isithuthuthu!

How is the nimble GS? They look like great bikes and good value for money I believe.

 

I have also seen the guys form Rally Raid in the UK kit them out with spoked wheels and suspension upgrades, then they go off-roading with them.

 

http://www.advpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/rally-raid-bmw-g310-gs-offroad-kit.jpg

 

http://www.advpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/rally-raid-bmw-g310-gs-forks-upgrade.jpg

 

But yeah, congrats again and many happy miles!

[patches]

Hope it comes together Patches. Seeing your posts sometimes makes me want to be a single bloke again (although I am a very happy family man!)

 

haha, now that I read back over my posts I realize I was proper first-world frustrated on Friday. At the end of the day it will be a pity if I cannot get all sorted by the time I leave but there are far worse things in life.

 

As for adventuring round the countryside... I did get a hall-pass for that, as the lady is in Dubai living it up with a friend for 10 days.

 

And my travel companion's wife has to work this coming weekend, so he got a pass too, haha!

 

It's all about filing the correct paperwork and timing, haha

[Wayne Potgieter]

 

 

That aside though... I see you got yourself an isithuthuthu!

How is the nimble GS? They look like great bikes and good value for money I believe.

 

 

 

 

 

But yeah, congrats again and many happy miles!

Thanks man.

 

Its a great bike.

 

Its a lot bigger than you think in terms of frame size and the engine has a decent amount of power.

 

At the moment I am trying to keep the revs under 6K as I wear in the motor. 

 

I took it for a nice ride out to Maraetai on Sunday and it was epic. It is really nimble and likes corners.

 

I need to get my confidence up on it though, but that will come with time.

[patches]

Thanks man.

 

Its a great bike.

 

Its a lot bigger than you think in terms of frame size and the engine has a decent amount of power.

 

At the moment I am trying to keep the revs under 6K as I wear in the motor. 

 

I took it for a nice ride out to Maraetai on Sunday and it was epic. It is really nimble and likes corners.

 

I need to get my confidence up on it though, but that will come with time.

 

I can highly recommend the RideForever Bronze course. There's one with the Passmasters crew that heads out around Clevedon and Maraetai. Very educational too.

[intern]

How's this for the good, chaps. On our way to Brisbane for a couple of weeks (Ross W, will look ya up). Discovered my older boy's passport expired in August...24 hours before the flight takes off. Phoned AirNZ first, chicky there said it is possible to get a passport in time and made a note on our check in, phoned Dept of Internal Affairs next and told them of the situation, filed an online application for a passport, collected the passport at midday, ten hours later, on time and good to go.

Absolutely incredible - and all the civil servants bent over backwards with polite assistance and prompt help. Truly spectacular. Don't think you'd get that kind of help in many places around the world; the cost was an extra hundred bucks over the normal passport fee...

[intern]

Thanks man.

 

Its a great bike.

 

Its a lot bigger than you think in terms of frame size and the engine has a decent amount of power.

 

At the moment I am trying to keep the revs under 6K as I wear in the motor. 

 

I took it for a nice ride out to Maraetai on Sunday and it was epic. It is really nimble and likes corners.

 

I need to get my confidence up on it though, but that will come with time.

Just for the love of all that is good be careful on that thing on the road.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Are New Zealanders really holding their heads in shame with this murder that has recently happened there? Does anyone know how she died yet? Absolutely tragic story. I hope she did not suffer much. Looked like a very attractive young lass. RIP.

yes.

 

People here are really upset over it.

 

Marches through the streets and so on.

 

Even our prime minister got all choked up on the news about it.

[Wayne Potgieter]

I can highly recommend the RideForever Bronze course. There's one with the Passmasters crew that heads out around Clevedon and Maraetai. Very educational too.

thanks.

 

Based on your tip I have booked one for 2 January.