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

[hayleyearth]

Most roads here don't have a shoulder, and most roads are very twisty. What you don't see from Google earth is also that the road is very hilly. I have ridden along there (on the road bike), but the best time is early in the morning when there aren't many cars about. 

 

My normal routine was to drive from Howick to the forest (20mins) and go MTBing. Now I live in Maraetai so I just ride 150m to the trailhead. Occasionally I'll take a road ride out Clevedon way. Lots of big loops out that way.

 

I've not actually ridden down that side apart from an excellent MTB ride with niterider, but driving to meet him at Maraetai I was pretty much drooling at the oppos for road riding down that way. As he says, awesome loops out to Clevedon, through the Hunua ranges, down to Kawakawa Bay, etc. I'd live that side easily (we're on the very northern fringe of Auckland).

 

It does look nice and hillllllly out there..haha

I was just scoping to see for like a 40km before work morning rides loop.

[niterider]

I hope you havent voted for that 30km/h ...... I will never be able to visit! 

 

The idea is to make the CBD safer for pedestrians and cyclists, so its something most of us should be voting for, notwithstanding your proclivity for attracting attention from the cops 

Edited April 8, 2016 by niterider

[niterider]

It does look nice and hillllllly out there..haha

I was just scoping to see for like a 40km before work morning rides loop.

 

Yeah, I'd say there's a few options. And if you have showers at work then probably a few more.

 

For example, this guy does lots of morning loops (sometimes very early to miss the traffic), starting from Bucklands Beach - https://www.strava.com/athletes/585808.

[hayleyearth]

Yeah, I'd say there's a few options. And if you have showers at work then probably a few more.

 

For example, this guy does lots of morning loops (sometimes very early to miss the traffic), starting from Bucklands Beach - https://www.strava.com/athletes/585808.

 

At 1st I was like "damn this guy rides a lot"... Then I looked at the side by side comparison    ... Thanks for sharing. I'll spy a bit 

[Wayne Potgieter]

hey where is the ugly?????????

 

dont be naughty,,,,,,there is an article about a school stabbing in NZ here locally

 

WP please can we not have sensored reporting, I expect more from you

You want to know the real "ugly" about living in new zealand????

 

 

Its having to do all your own ironing and gardening. It sucks big time.

 

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[intern]

You want to know the real "ugly" about living in new zealand????

 

 

Its having to do all your own ironing and gardening. It sucks big time.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

You get used to it - the idea of not doing all your own stuff seems weird to me now!

[Ramrod]

You want to know the real "ugly" about living in new zealand????

 

 

Its having to do all your own ironing and gardening. It sucks big time.

 

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Helps if you hang stuff properly too when it comes out the washing machine. Also we scored with the fact that our landlord included the servicing of the garden as part of our rent.

[hayleyearth]

I get worried when I see things like this: 

Online e-Visa Application Received: Hayley Adamson

 

That is not my name   I hope they get it right when they issue the Visa (I double checked now and on the system they have the right/full name)

 

I once was almost not allowed to board a plane because they name on my ID and the name on the ticket was not the same, on the ticket it was missing the "-" between the Hayley and Ann.....and it was actually their ticket system that didn't allow other characters than alphabetic ones. 

[V12man]

I get worried when I see things like this: 

Online e-Visa Application Received: Hayley Adamson

 

That is not my name   I hope they get it right when they issue the Visa (I double checked now and on the system they have the right/full name)

 

I once was almost not allowed to board a plane because they name on my ID and the name on the ticket was not the same, on the ticket it was missing the "-" between the Hayley and Ann.....and it was actually their ticket system that didn't allow other characters than alphabetic ones. 

I would be more worried if they got your birthdate right!!!

 

Happy happy youngster :clap: :clap:

[hayleyearth]

I would be more worried if they got your birthdate right!!!

 

Happy happy youngster :clap: :clap:

 

 

Ah thanks. It was spent doing nothing other than NZ moving planning (packing and packing lists etc) 

 

 

I like this...

https://at.govt.nz/cycling-walking/auckland-cycle-run-walkway-maps/

[patches]

Ah thanks. It was spent doing nothing other than NZ moving planning (packing and packing lists etc) 

 

 

I like this...

https://at.govt.nz/cycling-walking/auckland-cycle-run-walkway-maps/

 

This may be of help. It highlighted a few things I wouldn't have thought of

 

http://nzready.immigration.govt.nz/?utm_source=newzealandnow.govt.nz&utm_medium=referral#/

 

Sign up. Anser the questions. And it will develop a checklist divided into different time frames.

[patches]

Bought a roof rack and did some late night tinkering to assemble it. Hope it doesn't fall off

 

Now the car looks like the local ones.

 

I think Subaru Legacy Wagons with roof racks are like their national vehicle.

 

 

[nolipoli]

Legacy Wagon - I might have a look for one of those, or a Forester.

 

We fly out of JHB on the 17th April, although we are still waiting for our passports to come back to VFS. Visas were granted on wednesday last week already.

[niterider]

Bought a roof rack and did some late night tinkering to assemble it. Hope it doesn't fall off

 

Now the car looks like the local ones.

 

I think Subaru Legacy Wagons with roof racks are like their national vehicle.

 

Roof rack 01.jpg

 

Roof rack 02.jpg

Most days at the local bike park between a quarter and half of the cars are Subarus. Mostly Outbacks. I drive one too

[intern]

I had a Legacy Outback for a while, LL Bean one, with roof racks, pretty nice car. Flat 6 heaps of power...

[niterider]

More reasons to move to New Zealand - http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/78788481/toilet-spotting-across-new-zealand-and-the-world