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

[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

[Wayne Potgieter]

3 hours ago, patches said:

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?

 

Applied for Citizenship 11 January 2021

Approved for Citizenship 30 November 2021

In order to apply for a passport, you must have received the actual certificate which you obtain at a ceremony. Because of Covid, we could not have a in person ceremony, so they couriered our Citizenship certificates to us they arrived 23 December 2021

We applied for Passports on 13 January 2022 and they were issued on the 19th January 2022.

So all up, a year! But Covid staffing had an impact on that timeline.

[Saag]

I kinda forgot last year in August that I could apply 😆, so only applied on 22 Dec 2022, got approved on 19 Jan 2023, and the Ceremony was at the end of March.

Passports were in hand last week of April, so all up, seems to be very quick currently.

[patches]

17 hours ago, Saag said:

I kinda forgot last year in August that I could apply 😆, so only applied on 22 Dec 2022, got approved on 19 Jan 2023, and the Ceremony was at the end of March.

Passports were in hand last week of April, so all up, seems to be very quick currently.

That's pretty darn quick!

I'm hoping that as my forms were submitted online, there's only me on the application, and I've been a model resident 😅, the process will be pretty smooth sailing.

That said, government has changed immigration ministers about 5x since you applied 😂

[patches]

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

[DJR]

8 hours ago, patches said:

In other news... I'm not going to be the first kiwi citizen in the household.

About 4 weeks ago, we gained a house-mate. She's noisy, messy, late on rent and doesn't pull her weight around the house...

...but Mum and Dad are smitten, so she can stay for the next 18yrs or so!

(Too young for Kids DIY class, but never too young to go to Bunnings with Dad)

Already heading for the KIDS DIY section I see.....👍

[patches]

13 hours ago, DJR said:

Already heading for the KIDS DIY section I see.....👍

Teach 'em young, raise 'em right!