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

[davetapson]

Hey wena rolling through my vale you're expected to check in! Ah the Craic, been to a few jols there (in the Boiler Room) but turns out somewhere along the line I became the creepy old dude...

 

Yeh, checking in was part of the plan, but accommodation at that time of the year is just impossible to find (anywhere!) so we stopped for a milkshake so's the missus could have a quick shufti, and then back on the road.  

 

I suspect that it might be part of our retirement plans, unless we (I) can figure out how to make a living there.

 

Which brings us to an Ugly - during high season, if you haven't booked (for Hobbiton / Caves / Accommodation / anything) you are pretty much fresh out of luck... 

[patches]

Aside from patches who I assume is house trained, the South Island is not fit for habitation by civilised people. Too cold, you see. Fine for visits, sure, but not fine weather.

 

Semi-house trained

 

But yes, there are some places in the South island that require one to have viking DNA just to live there.

 

South Land, the West Coast, Fjordland and parts of Otago and Canterbury can be pretty brutal (by NZ standards).

 

But there are some magical spots. Abel Tasman and Nelson are superb.

 

And even Quake City itself (Christchurch) has pretty decent weather, because it's sheltered by the Port Hills.

 

Here's a brief overview of Weather Data for selected cities (sorry, I should have included Whaka-town)

 

Click to enlarge.

 

What's quite interesting to note is how CHC has a very constant rainfall graph with a way lower average annual rainfall than the others:

JHB: 832mm

CT: 813mm

AKL: 1000mm

WTG: 886mm

CHC: 537mm

 

Franz Josef on the West Coast is around 4000mm pa. yikes!

 

Yes Christchurch gets colder in the winter, but it's similar to JHB in that many winter days bring blue skies. Note how horrendous Auckland gets in winter from an Average Rain Days perspective. Yuck!

 

I should have graphed wind too.Wellington would show its true colours then.

 

i'm having South Island withdrawals so in March I'll be heading down to do some more exploring around South Canterbury and Central Otago, as well as my first visit to Dunedin. Can't wait!

Edited January 20, 2020 by patches

[SlowManiac]

I got married at the  Awaroa Lodge in the Abel Tasman NP. I ran there from the start the day before, got lost and my wife thought I had done a runner!

 

I have hiked the Milford Track (perfect for kids - mostly flat and drop dead gorgeous).

I have also run the Kepler (as part of the race they hold each year) and run the Routeburn track (both ways in one day).

 

Taking my nipper for his first overnighter in a few weeks too here in Oz.

[Wayne Potgieter]

I got married at the  Awaroa Lodge in the Abel Tasman NP. I ran there from the start the day before, got lost and my wife thought I had done a runner!

 

I have hiked the Milford Track (perfect for kids - mostly flat and drop dead gorgeous).

I have also run the Kepler (as part of the race they hold each year) and run the Routeburn track (both ways in one day).

 

Taking my nipper for his first overnighter in a few weeks too here in Oz.

 

 

HA HA HA - Not sure I would consider this mostly flat... But it looks doable with a fit 11 and 8 year old (ages at time of walk)

 

[SlowManiac]

HA HA HA - Not sure I would consider this mostly flat... But it looks doable with a fit 11 and 8 year old (ages at time of walk)

 

Well flat by NZ standards maybe! Honestly though, the grades are very manageable, only the climb over the pass is of any consequence. I remember the climb down the other side being the most painful.

[hayleyearth]

HA HA HA - Not sure I would consider this mostly flat... But it looks doable with a fit 11 and 8 year old (ages at time of walk)

 

Capture.PNG

 

Can we come with?

I am sure your little-est one will moan less if there is even a little-er one part of the bunch

[hayleyearth]

Anyone got kids racing BMX that side?

 

I have a kid

Not really racing age yet, but I think she will be there not too long from now... (because when we said we are riding to school and work this morning she went to fetch her own bike!!)

 

There is a very active racing course in east auckland at loyds elsemore park.

A guy at my work is part of the board and his kid races.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Can we come with?

I am sure your little-est one will moan less if there is even a little-er one part of the bunch

Sure!

 

The trick is getting a booking. Apparently this year the bookings for huts sold out in less than 15 minutes for the peak period between december and Jan

 

EEK

[Wayne Potgieter]

Hi Guys.

 

I have a kiwi mate looking to get rid of a bike.

 

I have offered to help advertise it here. Forgive me not putting it in the classifieds, but I am sure most of us dont read them given our location.

 

Its a 2015 Giant XTC Advanced 29r

Medium frame.

 

Its had a 1x11 XT conversion done and is in very good nick.

 

He has moved to Cyclocross as a sport and this bike is gathering dust.

 

He wants $1,100 for it.

 

Anyone interested?

 

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by Wayne Potgieter

[mazambaan]

Some advice if possible please; not about the bike, sorry.

 

A close relative intends moving to NZ as a teacher. She has done her English test and done well, has most of the other documentation and intends visiting (on a tourist visa) for a "look around" in June/July this year SA school holidays). She has also been advised to apply for registration to the NZ teaching council now and there are people who facilitate this for a fee.

 

Her concern is that if her application for the council is picked up when she applies for a visa it will be denied so she is uncertain about applying to the council. Any ideas or help?

 

Should she use an agency for the visa application?

[Wayne Potgieter]

Some advice if possible please; not about the bike, sorry.

 

A close relative intends moving to NZ as a teacher. She has done her English test and done well, has most of the other documentation and intends visiting (on a tourist visa) for a "look around" in June/July this year SA school holidays). She has also been advised to apply for registration to the NZ teaching council now and there are people who facilitate this for a fee.

 

Her concern is that if her application for the council is picked up when she applies for a visa it will be denied so she is uncertain about applying to the council. Any ideas or help?

 

Should she use an agency for the visa application?

technically speaking, doing ANYTHING other than tourism on a tourist visa is against the law.

 

So whatever her decision, there are risks. That being said, most people come over on tourist visa to look for work, but it’s calculated risk.

 

EDIT : The above is  incorrect - Hayley has pointed out that you can actually attend interviews whilst on a visitor visa.. Keep reading for links.

 

Is there any way she can delay her application to the council?

Edited January 27, 2020 by Wayne Potgieter

[DIPSLICK]

Wayne Howzit loooong time

 

wanted to send a pm but I suppose here is as good as anywhere

 

There are so many documentaries about the young Maori boys and the epidemic of P and other drugs, your small little island has one of if not the highest usage in the world along side Australia. 

 

I dont know if you remember my sister is involved in the prison system, Now on upper management level

 

She says the prisons simply cant keep up, nor customs

 

any comment, how does it effect the rest of the island

 

 

edit Or is it like the "cape flats" issue, figures are through the roof but does not impact the broader population as much

Edited January 23, 2020 by DIPSLICK

[Wayne Potgieter]

Wayne Howzit loooong time

 

wanted to send a pm but I suppose here is as good as anywhere

 

There are so many documentaries about the young Maori boys and the epidemic of P and other drugs, your small little island has one of if not the highest usage in the world along side Australia.

 

I dont know if you remember my sister is involved in the prison system, Now on upper management level

 

She says the prisons simply cant keep up, nor customs

 

any comment, how does it effect the rest of the island

 

 

edit Or is it like the "cape flats" issue, figures are through the roof but does not impact the broader population as much

honestly speaking it hasn’t affected us at all. We’ve not been a victim of crime nor have we see. Vagrants misbehaving on the roads or parks.

 

I am sure it happens and needs to be addressed, but it’s not something I’ve seen personally.

[DIPSLICK]

honestly speaking it hasn’t affected us at all. We’ve not been a victim of crime nor have we see. Vagrants misbehaving on the roads or parks.

 

I am sure it happens and needs to be addressed, but it’s not something I’ve seen personally.

 

Thought as much but look into the stats scary numbers for such a small population

[Wayne Potgieter]

Thought as much but look into the stats scary numbers for such a small population

 

I've been thinking more about this.

 

I am not refuting the stats at all - I simply don't know enough about them to have a valid and educated opinion.

 

When I cleaned crime scenes and was surrounded by death and peoples misdeeds, I became convinced that the world was only about that. It became all consuming as it was all around me and I never had the other side of the coin to balance that viewpoint with. Perhaps, given your sisters environment, that she might be suffering from the same issue?

 

I imagine working in a prison and being surrounded by lawlessness and crime (a lot of which is drug related) that would skew your world view (or in this case your NZ View) to feel like that was the prevalence of society.

 

On the other hand Darren (Naas Botha Joke) I live a sheltered professional life where I work with CEO level people and travel to nice places and stay in a good area, so my NZ view is skewed towards that side of the scale. I guess the actual reality lies in the middle and both your sisters view and mine are potentially not accurate?

 

I am not arguing, but rather being a little philosophical about things.

 

Are there any SafriKiwis that have experienced any crime/drug related issues? I would hate for people to base life changing decisions on one weirdo from Benoni's opinion of his sheltered existence (referring to me)

[intern]

Thought as much but look into the stats scary numbers for such a small population

Hey Dips since I live in the sticks I'll have a go. I also have several mates who are policemen, and two who are lawyers (the one dude is a co-owner of the town's biggest law firm. No, I don't get discount and nor have a been the defendant [yet]). And my neighbour is a parole officer.

 

My one cop mate transferred to Te Anau, a piskoud tiny plekkie in the south island near Queenstown because he couldn't handle the constant domestic abuse stuff in our locale. Almost exclusively Maori, people on the benefit, booze and P, abusing each other and their kids constantly.

 

He said he was starting to hate his job as a result, and so took the transfer to what is a beautiful place, but far from everywhere (and NZ is already far from everywhere).

 

The other cop mate I have is in the detective squad, I often see him after a night shift and he just shakes his head and goes, man it's a wild world out there, but doesn't talk about it.

 

My lawyer mates...the one who is the co-owner (Steve) is a criminal lawyer so he does a lot of court stuff defending what he calls 'sh1theads'. The other (Angie, who is at the same firm) does a lot of family law stuff, so effectively cleaning up the mess after the 'sh1theads' have been processed by the cops.

 

Both are OK with it. As Steve once said after he had to take a bus to the Coromandel, 'I want to profit from their misery, not partake in it'. They are very busy because there is a lot of cleaning up to do.

 

It's more or less that same for my PO neighbour Annie. She deals with the rehabilitation side of things. She's an older lady, and doesn't really talk about her work, but she is happy and well adjusted (we hang out with our neighbours a lot).

 

All of that said, I am a nobody just living my life and raising my boys. We rarely see any of the gang bollocks; you will occasionally have a convoy of Mongrel Mob or Black Power bikies roar through (like a bunch of teenagers - what a lot of pathetic gimps) and once or twice there have been public skirmishes in town, usually after a sh1thead has popped its clogs and is being shoved in the ground; they like rarking it up a bit in a 'sign of respect' (yeah WTF I know).

 

But when they do this nonsense, it is contained to throwing rocks, flashing shotguns and occasionally smacking one another around. The gangs, as you may gather, are highly antagonistic but focus that negative energy on one another.

 

Now, the one potential worry is that the kids from broken homes (I come from one of those) go to the same schools...well, you can see the ones who are from that side. Always late, sullen, antisocial, etc. Now, of course I feel sorry for them. But as the boys get older, I also worry about the poor influence when in high school, etc (I now realise I was the sort that should not be hung around with when I was in high school...but this isn't about me   ).

 

Now, I know a number of kids who have attended the local high schools, gone on to complete their degrees and who are now happy, healthy, productive members of society. So as always, probably comes down to good parenting and a dose of good fortune, particularly if you take the Gary Player approach to luck.

 

TL, DR = gang nonsense, dom violence is prevalent especially in my area. It has zero effect on average people and makes some of my mates rich.

 

Edit for paragraphs. We're not savages, you know.

Edited January 23, 2020 by intern