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

[patches]

3 hours ago, hayleyearth said:

Ah, you don't fall in the Auckland region one, I am at the Auckland Town Hall on the 2nd Oct. I am happy about the venue and it is also a fancy evening doo

According to the invite:

What traditional South African outfit will you be sporting?

Wonder if this one is allowed...

[Hairy]

9 hours ago, patches said:

According to the invite:

What traditional South African outfit will you be sporting?

Wonder if this one is allowed...

No dude ... unless you have English heritage, you need more two tone and shorter shorts

[patches]

11 hours ago, Hairy said:

No dude ... unless you have English heritage, you need more two tone and shorter shorts

Pure Soutie here... English on my Mom's side, Welsh on my dads. Both grew up in Zim.

In fact my great-great grandfather was one of wagon drivers when the controversial Mr CJ Rhodes exlpored/exploited up north.

Looks like great-great grand-pappy would have worn a pith helmet.

I'm living proof that those eyebrows are genetic... maybe the mo is too, haven't tried!

Edited September 5, 2023 by patches

[hayleyearth]

On 8/7/2023 at 7:53 AM, 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?

 

How long did your last AUS visitors visa take to be approved?

My moms online application has not changed status since the 11th and she went for biometrics on the 13th.

[patches]

5 minutes ago, hayleyearth said:

How long did your last AUS visitors visa take to be approved?

My moms online application has not changed status since the 11th and she went for biometrics on the 13th.

They're slower than usual these days. Visa grant used to come through a day-or-two after biometrics.

But with my recently it took about a week.

• Visa Application: 28/08
• Biometrics submitted: 31/08
• Visa Granted: 07/09

Also the status on the Immi website didn't change once I submitted biometrics, well not until the visa was granted, and I didn't receive any emails confirming Biometrics were submitted (not from Immi or from VFS), I just trustd them.

It just went straight form Application Submitted, to Finalised

So yeah, hopefully your Mom's visa will be approved in the next few days.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Daylight savings always makes my brain hurt.

 

Did anyone else struggle to wake up this morning?

[patches]

19 minutes ago, Wayne Potgieter said:

Daylight savings always makes my brain hurt.

 

Did anyone else struggle to wake up this morning?

Yup! Even with an infant that wakes us up around 5am old time (6am new time), it was still hard.

Also Monday is our bin collection day, so there I was running out in the drizzle wearing PJ's, with recycling bin in tow, as I heard the truck coming up the street 😅

[IceCreamMan]

9 hours ago, patches said:

Yup! Even with an infant that wakes us up around 5am old time (6am new time), it was still hard.

Also Monday is our bin collection day, so there I was running out in the drizzle wearing PJ's, with recycling bin in tow, as I heard the truck coming up the street 😅

Maybe I am just mad, but that sound of the truck coming on a Monday ( for us too it’s a Monday) is one of life’s most reassuring sounds. Restores homeostasis in the world. 
 

 

[patham]

16 hours ago, patches said:

Yup! Even with an infant that wakes us up around 5am old time (6am new time), it was still hard.

Also Monday is our bin collection day, so there I was running out in the drizzle wearing PJ's, with recycling bin in tow, as I heard the truck coming up the street 😅

Be like the USA and try to pass laws that make daylight saving time permanent, I.e. year around. Seems contradictory, but that’s the US of A for you.

I also have Monday Binday, which I address by taking the bins out the night before. The recycling truck comes by at a respectable time, but it’s impossible to  rise before the garbage truck.

 

[patches]

7 hours ago, patham said:

Be like the USA and try to pass laws that make daylight saving time permanent, I.e. year around. Seems contradictory, but that’s the US of A for you.

I also have Monday Binday, which I address by taking the bins out the night before. The recycling truck comes by at a respectable time, but it’s impossible to  rise before the garbage truck.

 

There's no daylight savings where you are is there? Aus must be confusing... not only are like 5 time zones (if one includes the islands), but some are a 30min shift and not all states/territories have daylight savings.

As for bins the night before... I used to, but between the odd stray dog getting into our food-scraps bin, or the frequent windy evenings (bloody Auckland), I figured for the sake of keeping the kerb clean, I'll just hop-to-it on a Monday morning.

[patham]

14 hours ago, patches said:

There's no daylight savings where you are is there? Aus must be confusing... not only are like 5 time zones (if one includes the islands), but some are a 30min shift and not all states/territories have daylight savings.

Yep, no daylight savings time in sunny Queensland. Because of cows (well the farmers actually, but they say it’s because of the cows. I think it’s just cos they like to be the first ones up and don’t want us plebs up at the same time.

And no-one really knows why the middle  (of the continent, but also no-where) wanted a shift of 30 minutes- that’s just silly.

[patches]

Only in New Zealand 😅

Department of Conservation running a hunting competition with prizes.

 

Almost as kiwi as the School Possum Hunt fundraisers

https://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/95252695/possums-and-pig-hunting-fundraiser-for-country-school

[IceCreamMan]

On 9/26/2023 at 11:23 AM, patham said:

Yep, no daylight savings time in sunny Queensland. Because of cows (well the farmers actually, but they say it’s because of the cows. I think it’s just cos they like to be the first ones up and don’t want us plebs up at the same time.

And no-one really knows why the middle  (of the continent, but also no-where) wanted a shift of 30 minutes- that’s just silly.

I worked for a company that it’s head offices in India. Some zones there were 30 minute shifts. Confusing AF. 

[Wayne Potgieter]

Attention all Aussie Hubbers.

I am keen to go to AU (any East Coast City) around late December 2023 into mid-January 2024 for a family getaway.

Does anyone want to do a home swap? No money changing hands. You come to use my new 4 beddie in Auckland, I use your place and we have a change of scenery?

My ideal (but not fixed) dates are 28 December to 14 January (or thereabouts)

We can even swap cars as well to keep the costs nice and low.

[patches]

Time to retire the Green Mamba. It's served me pretty well over the years, but I won't say it'll be missed (especially all the visas I've had to apply for).
 

Now onto the era of the Little Black Book.
 

Edited November 10, 2023 by patches

[Wayne Potgieter]

On 11/10/2023 at 4:29 PM, patches said:

Time to retire the Green Mamba. It's served me pretty well over the years, but I won't say it'll be missed (especially all the visas I've had to apply for).
 

Now onto the era of the Little Black Book.
 

Great milestone. Congrats!

 

EDIT: - The Saffa passport looks like you have rubbed off the front cover. Was that an attempt to remove the RSA and use a sharpie to draw some ferns on it? 😁

Edited November 12, 2023 by Wayne Potgieter