27th October to 21st November – VIP visit

Well here we are.  Update time again.  What shall we start with?  The weather, that’s always a good conversation starter.

According to the News, “New Zealanders have just shivered through the coldest October in more than 25 years”.  Well that was news to me.

We seem to have had a high of 22.5C……brrrrrr.  The coldest October in over 25 years and I got sunburnt!  As you may already know, snakes are not allowed in New Zealand.  This is because there aren’t any and they are considered too dangerous to the wildlife here.  I am slightly worried that the authorities might deport me if I shed any more skin!

Pisces

Aidan wandered into a pet shop ‘for a look’ recently.  He left with a tropical fish tank and a pile of fishies.

(Picture: Fishies)

He now has a selection of aquatic critters including Samurai Fighter, Clown Loach, Neon Tetras, Black Neon Tetras, Tiger somethings and a suckerfish.

Edit –> Today.  When I got home.  Headed to the toilet facilities and noticed an object in the passageway.  First glance told me it was a leaf or some other similar object that should be ignored until the bladder emptying process had taken place.  Once I had finished said bladder emptying process I took another look at the leaf.  It wasn’t a leaf at all.  It was Aidan’s Samurai Fighter making a break for it.  I scooped it up and headed for the tank.  After the mini-submerge-session I watched it swim for a little while before I actually calculated the distance that it had travelled.  How does a fish (maybe 4cm long) make its way from a bedroom, half way along a hall without dying?  This poor fish must have travelled at least  8ft from its original position.  Aidan has now been instructed to make sure that the lid is on the tank before he heads to school.

Who let the dogs out? WOF WOF WOF

The beast required its WOF recently.  For those in the know, this is the Warranty Of Fitness.  For those not in the know, this is the equivalent of the MOT out here.

I hurled the beast into the WOF testing station at VTNZ passing subtle comments to the tester. “Look at the underbody seal on that chunk of metal”, “She’s had a good few pit inspections in her time”,  “Only one careful lady driver….scrap that….who has ever met a careful lady driver???”.

The nurturing comments failed to appeal and he failed it.  Perished brake pipes and buggered front tyres.  A trip to the garage was required.  Turned out that two garages were required bringing the total to 400-odd bucks.  Pretty much a quarter of what I paid for the car.

Once the required remedial work had been undertaken, I returned to VTNZ with a cheesy grin and a newly medicated car.  The good thing is that they only charge you once.  If you fail, you drive your non-roadworthy car away and then return when you think it will be OK.  You do not get charged again for a retest.  Lovely place.

The beast is now Woffified.  A clean bill of health.  A healthy beast.

Remember remember da 5th o’ November

Fireworks, house of lords.  Funny how after 404 years we still celebrate an attempt to do away with any aristocracy and/or politicians of the time.  Has much changed? 

The strangest thing about this is that the Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot was an attempt to kill King James the First of England.  This just happens to be a relation of mine.  The whole damn world is celebrating an attempt to pop off one of my ancestors.  Not because they understand the history but because they like the sparkly fireworks.  Luckily enough so do I so we shall not linger over the boring history aspect.

I had great plans to trek to the top of the Mount for the fireworks to get some pretty piccies.  Unfortunately I had too much beer and driving to the Mount was not an option.  Luckily for me though, every man and his dog had fireworks around here.  After 3 or 4 nights worth of continual fireworks I am actually quite depressed that I didn’t get some more decent piccies.

(Picture: Fireworks)

(Picture: Mair fireworks)

Aidan eventually rolled in about 10.30pm with some firecracker things he had acquired from somewhere.

(Picture: Firecrackery things with an apparition of Aidan)

For the record King James the First was my 1st cousin, 13 times removed.  Probably best not to admit to that…

100-t6 Birthday & Barbecues

The weekend of 07/11 brought with it a birthday celebration.  Tania’s granny reached the prime age of 94, Nan came down and Wade came up for the occasion.  They all went to Mills Reef Winery for a meal to celebrate.

On the Saturday we had a barbecue and Stu and Heather came over to sample the sausages, steaks and pork delights.

(Picture: Yum)

Softball

For those that have been asking Softball is a bit like baseball but with under-arm throws rather than over-arm throws.  Aidan has softball practise every Saturday morning from 0830 to 11ish.  Last Saturday he said he didn’t want to go because he didn’t think he would get a game.  After a reassurance from Midder that he isn’t going to get a game unless he turns up for it, he returned quite happy.

(Picture: Softball Player of the Day)

Shetland Society

That Saturday night we were invited along to the Shetland Society Christmas Dinner.  An enjoyable night was had by all.  Met a woman who emigrated out here in the 60’s and went to school with Granny Meg.  Aidan got a bid fed up because he was the only kid there. Usually there would be other kids.

Water da matter?

You may recall a post of mine from a while back that involved experimenting with taking photos of water droplets.  I stumbled across this video on Youtube that explains the whole process rather well.  Who would have known that a water droplet actually diminishes in size before merging with the larger body of water.  Weird old world innit?

 

Our first Shetlanders visit

Yes indeedy.  Our first holidaying visitors came for a visit.  I have only just now realised that I neglected to welcome them as our first overseas visitors.  Even worse, we didn’t even get a visitors book organised for them to sign.

I am not even sure if we can class them as our first Shetlanders as they are technically Glaswegian Shetlanders.  With an aussie side.  Anyways, they have been accepted as Shetlanders and as such I will class them so for the rest of the post.

Archie and Sandra came along to visit as part of their 3-month tour of strange places.  It was helluva good to, ‘See a kent face’.  Even Archies!

I should perhaps explain a little of the background.  Archie and I have known each other for quite some time.  Going back to when I was a young boy and he an old man.  Since then we spent time together in the SAS where we were both very lucky to get out alive.  The unmentionable perils we had to put up with can not be repeated here, or indeed anywhere for fear of our lives.  The Gaseous Life Afflicting Death Year Syndrome is particularly worrying and will probably cause us nightmares for years to come.

Anyways.  I picked them up in town and hurled them to their accommodation before we headed back to ours for some grub and a few drinks.  The following day I picked them up and dropped them off at the Mount to have a wander about while I went to look at a pooter.  We then grabbed a coffee before heading out to McLaren Falls.

(Picture: Archie in a death-defying stunt)

(Picture: I will snap thee like a twig)

The wander around McLaren Park was enjoyable had it not been for the pesky Sand Flies that decided we were quite tasty.  I got bitten several times while taking this picture.

(Picture:  Ouch, ouch, click, snap)

  (Picture: One of the bites)

Hopefully Archies bites haven’t come up quite so bad.

After that I dropped them back at the Motel they were staying at.  That evening we had arranged to meet up for grub at the Crown & Badger.  When we went to pick them up we were greeted with a Lone Piper in the Motel Car Park.  One of the best greetings I have ever had in my life!  I am not too sure if the other residents thought the same though…

After our meal at the Crown & Badger we had an impromptu run-in with the Tauranga Pipe Band before heading back to ours via the Liquor Store.

(Picture: Archie “Blawin’ “)

Archie gave us a tune which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The pipes reverberate through the body and give the listener more of a feeling than any other instrument I know.

Couldn’t have been that bad, I seem to recall I even managed a peerie birl in da living room wie wan o me freends!

Next update sooner than this one took.  Hopefully.  Cheery bye.

26th October – Monday in Rotorua

I have finally got around to posting day 2 of our Rotorua spree.  My apologies for the excruciatingly long wait.

On Monday we got off to an early start and I dropped Tania, Aidan & Poihipi at the Agrodome.  Although this might sound like a huge stress ball it is in fact an Agricultural show.  Very interesting but I have seen it before so I headed off for a drive to try and get some photos.

Agrodome

(Picture: Aidan with headless lamb – Pic by Tania)
(Picture: Baad hair day – Pic by Tania)

  (Picture: Moo’ve over little boy, possessed coo comin’ through – Pic by Tania)

(Picture: Aidan milking possessed coo - Pic by Tania)

(Picture: Woof Quack Baa – Pic by Tania)

  (Picture: Totally baarmy – Pic by Tania)

Meanwhile I went for a hurl and took a few pics around Lake Rotorua.

(Picture: Mokoia Island)

(Picture: Strange black blobs approaching at speed)

  (Picture:  Ahar!  It be them Black Swans again)

(Picture: The yellowish hue is down to the high sulphur content)

(Picture:  A small pier/jetty/wharf/thingy)

Gondola

After that it was time to go and pick up the milkman and his crew before heading to the Gondolas.  Now, if you are like me, then you have always thought of a Gondola as a long boat regularly seen in Venice.  This didn’t involve Venice, or boats.  Turns out that a Gondola can mean many things.

1. A traditional Venetian rowing boat.
2. A low flat-bottomed freight car with fixed sides but no roof.
3. The crew compartment that hangs underneath an airship.
4. A fully enclosed ski lift, in which skiers remove skis and stand or sit.

Turns out that our Gondola was the last option, albeit without skis, skiers or even snow for that matter.

(Picture: Aidan admiring the view)

(Picture:  Aforementioned view)

Knowing that Auld Midder would be enjoying the thought of this so much I thought I had better let her know what the view is like hanging out of a Gondola heading up the side of a mountain.

(Picture:  Tis a very pretty view)

Sky Swing

Once you get to the top one of the first things you see is the “Sky Swing”.  This is basically a big horizontal bungee cage that is twanged out over the side of a 50m drop at 120km/h.  No thank you.  If I wanted to see what I had eaten the night before I would have taken a photo of it.

(Picture: That blob is two people travelling very fast)

Da Luge

Apparently this is the first place in the world that this has been done.  Whit da hell is a luge?  It’s a sledge, a toboggan with wheels and bloody good fun.  Hurlies without the pram wheels.  About 5km of concrete track is sprawled down the hillside and you race down it.  Simple.

Shetland Islands Council take note.  You want to give the kids something to do and increase tourism?  This is the way to do it.  Staney Hill for da toon and Compass Head and Fitful Head for da Ness.

(Picture: And they’re off!)

(Picture:  Small blip in middle of pic is Aidan)

They even have screens showing pics of them half way down the track. (Picture: Aidan showing no fear)

(Picture: Poihipi takes the lead)

(Picture: Aidan not enjoying himself in the slightest)

At this point I am sure that Midder is wondering how they manage to get all the way back to the top again.  Surely not in that peculiar Gondola contraption again?  Nope.  They use a device similar to a claes line but for people instead.

(Picture: What goes down must come up.  Can you spot the red ganzie waving?)

(Picture: Ah yep, there they are.  The dangling duo)

(Picture: What goes up must come down)

(Picture:  He never did pay much attention to signs)

 

Oh yeah, did I mention the view from up there?

(Picture: The view from up there)

After that we headed back down on the Gondolas again.

(Picture:  The Gondola hanging to one side is Aidan & Poihipi)

(Picture: Don’t touch my effing camera!)

Then it was time to head back to Tauranga.  On the way we stopped at the 3d Maze.  Why anybody would purposefully put themselves in the position that they are lost is beyond me.

And that was day 2 in Rotorua.  I will hopefully get the next post up a bit sooner.  Tata.

25th October – Sunday in Rotorua

Labour Day Weekend

It is Labour Day Weekend.  The origins of this holiday are quite interesting.  It arose due to the shift to a 8-hour working day.  Now you work another 8-hours less because of it.  How ironic is that?  Not that I am complaining mind you, this means that I had Monday off as did all the kids, giving us a long weekend.

For this reason we decided to head to Rotorua on Sunday morning and stay the night.  Aidan invited his friend Poihipi along for the trip and off we went.

  (Picture: Rotorua here we are)

Coachman Motor Inn

First job was to find somewhere to stay the night.  This didn’t take long as most of the Motels in Rotorua are all along the same road.  We opted to stay at the Coachman Motor Inn.  They had Sky, Free Wireless Internet, a spa and a fridge for the beer.  What more do you need?

  (Picture: Stolen from the web)

Paradise Valley Springs

After that we headed off to Paradise Valley Springs, a nature park with all sorts of critters and an abundance of trout.

It didn’t take Aidan long to find someone to share tales of his eating habits with.

  (Picture: Long time no see bro!)

  (Picture: They shared a joke or two)

  (Picture: Aidan meets the deformed deer that grows other deer from its antlers)

The Ngongotaha stream passes through this place carrying with it thousands of freshwater trout.  Aidan and Poihipi were mesmerised, imagining what they could do with a couple of nets and a fishing rod.

  (Picture: Can a troot proot?)

Aidan and Poihipi stopped to take a swig from the Te Waireka spring.  Used by early Maori inhabitants as a source of fresh water.

  (Picture: Aidan and Poihipi)

  (Picture: Some form of small yellow thing)

Tania started shouting something about a “Bee on the wall” or something like that.  No idea what that had to do with this overgrown rat though?

  (Picture: Overgrown rat that grows birds out its butt)

  (Picture: Like a duck to water)

  (Picture: Told Ryan I would post some chicks sometime)

 

(Picture: Or an old turkey)

(Picture: Hair today…)

(Picture: …gone tomorrow)

  (Picture: There’s that little yellow thing again)

Once we had wandered around looking at all manner of little critters it was time to go and see the big critters. 

(Picture: Big Critters)

Aidan seemed to get along with them quite well, managing to sit in close proximity and not be eaten by them. 

Rainbow Springs & Kiwi Encounter

After that we headed off to Rainbow Springs for a look.  Mental note to self.  Paradise Valley Springs seems to have a greater variety of things to see than Rainbow Springs.

(Picture:  A White Swan)

(Picture: A Kaka)

(Picture:  Feeding the fishies)

  (Picture:  A muckle Troot!)

(Picture: Tuatara)

The Tuatara is a ‘living dinosaur’ having survived evolution for over 100 million years.  They can live for up to 300 years old and can be without food for up to a year.  Unlike Aidan.

(Picture:  A stuffed Possum)

For those of you that were wondering what a Possum looks like after I failed to get a picture of the one outside the house.  Cute critters ain’t they?

After being at Rainbow Springs we went next door to Kiwi Encounter where we were lucky enough to see a new-born baby Kiwi being hatched.  We then watched a Kiwi scurrying around before leaving to head back to the Motel.

(Picture:  The Spa)

Aidan and Poihipi had a great time in the Spa at the Motel, then we had some grub before heading to bed.  That was Sunday…