Kiwiant's Travel Blog

Jet setting with babies

2011-09-26T23:02:00.000+13:00

Renate & I recently travelled to Holland to introduce Will to the Dutch family and friends.

It was a success but the airlines, airports and travel agent (Flight Centre) were hopeless in providing us with the information we required before travelling, all telling us to check with everyone else. We hope that this will help you if you are planning similar trips. The airline and ground staff everywhere were very helpful and we were pulled aside and managed to skip some queues.

Buggies/Strollers

We could use our Mountain Buggy from the moment we arrived at the airport until we got into the car in Holland including the 3hr stop over in Kuala Lumpur. Front packs are good but with stop overs, waiting at the gate and travelling through security checkpoints we preferred the buggy so Will could sleep and make travelling through checkpoints easier.

The key to being able to use the buggy in this manner is that either at check-in, or at the gate (airline/airport dependant) you need to get a special tag for the buggy (purple for KLM, red for Malaysian Airlines). This basically means at the gate you pack up your buggy, and dump it on the air bridge and they put it into the hold. If you are lucky they’ll do this for you.

Upon arrival they put it back on the air bridge for you (either by the plane door or half way along the air bridge). We got a bag for the stroller so that we could take the wheels off and it protects the buggy from the enthusiastic baggage handlers. We heard that the tiny umbrella strollers can be taken on board although we saw these being dropped off the same as our Mountain Buggy.

Security Checkpoints

You can take as much liquid as you want. We took a lot of bottles of boiled water and no problem getting through security they might just open the bags to check. They checked the buggy and at some checkpoints they wanted Will out of the buggy before inspecting it.

On the Plane

We had requested bassinets and these had been confirmed but confirmed doesn't mean confirmed. On one flight the attendant took one of someone else as our baby was smaller :-) You have a seatbelt extension that allows your baby to be connected to your seatbelt and this is required for take off, landing and turbulence (seatbelt sign). Yes, just after you feed your wee one and get them settled in the bassinet the seat belt sign comes on and you need to take them out.

Blankets are provided for the bassinette (same as an adult gets), so you may want to take a swaddle or sleeping bag.

We feed Will during take off and landing to help keep his ears from building up pressure. He had a bit of a cold on the way back so he struggled on the way into Kuala Lumpur. We used a saline nose spray and Pamol coming into Auckland and it was definitely better.

Will slept most of the time on the plane. We put it down to the white noise created by the plane.

Washing the bottles was easy as the flight attendants can do this and/or you can help. We had some washing liquid and the bottle brush with us but we didn't sterilise as we had plenty of bottles for the flight and stop over. We simply washed them so they didn’t stay yucky.

In terms of feeding we used a whole bunch of the single serve packets of formula and that worked a treat. We took extra just in case but ended up using less than we had planned for. Boiling water is available on the plane to make up formula along with the pre-boiled water we bought along.

In Transit

No problems here as Will just slept. Restaurants can be happy to heat food and/or give you boiled water for the bottles although we didn't try this.

We did pay for a few hours at one of the airport lounges as we could base ourselves in a quiet corner.

Luggage

For children the luggage limits are: 10kg checked-in and 10kg on-board) and I think you get the stroller for free if you check it in. We didn't use the 10kg limit on the way but needed another bag checked-in for all Will's gifts and of course the Dutch goodies.

At the Destination

You are still going to need all your milk powder, nappies, car seat etc. We were lucky in that Renate's parents were able to organise pretty much everything at their end before we arrived, borrowing from neighbours and friends.

Since Renate's parents were in New Zealand recently we gave them a couple of cans of formula to take back rather than risking an unknown brand.

Lessons Learned

Check and double check the buggies procedure and make sure you get the special tags.
In Holland we were waiting at the plane for the buggy but it went straight to the baggage carousel. This was a stuff up by the staff at KL (they gave us the white luggage tag but not an additional purple tag to pickup at gate).
Pack more spare clothes for the plane and in transit (s#!t happens).
Make sure your wife's permanent resident VISA allows her to re-enter New Zealand. Apparently in New Zealand permanent resident is only permanent if you don’t leave the country.

Other Tips

Get your kids used to drinking/eating cold stuff. That way if you are stuck they will eat without a fuss.
If travelling to Europe avoid (at all costs) the US and Shanghai. They both require you to jump through all their extra security hoops (ie, your literally enter the country then have to leave again without a single transit procedure). This just causes a lot of unnecessary pain let alone with children.
The games on the personal entertainment system appeared to be aimed at children from say 5 years old rather than younger children.

Of course all this may be dependant upon airline and airport but in general this all worked for us. We feel a lot better prepared for our next adventure.

48hrs Winter Kayaking in Taupo

2010-08-23T20:29:00.000+12:00

After patiently making our way out of Auckland through the wet rush hour conditions we were on our way and after a quick bite to eat at the Loose Goose in Tirua we arrived at the All Season’s Holiday Park in Taupo.

After the drive it was straight into the hot pool to relax with a nice cold beer and discuss what lay ahead for the weekend. Whether it was the steam coming off the pool or the fact we were in relaxing mode we didn’t see the “No Alcohol” sign and got a telling off from the owner.

Jerusalem Bay to Kaiapo Bay via the Maori carvings

Saturday morning started wet and yucky and the weather looked like it had settled in but after breakfast things began to change for the better. Already prepared we headed off around to Jerusalem Bay where we launched and set off anti-clockwise around the lake.

Making it to Kaiapo Bay we left the return trip to explore every nook and cranny. We had seen reports that there were other carvings at the northern end of Mine Bay but we didn’t see any evidence of these and put them down to people getting confused with the Southern end of Mine Bay.

In the misty conditions the trees played hide and seek in the cloud yet the colours of the Lake bed shone pure white and blue like on a bright sunny day. In such as short piece of shore line the landscape changed from smooth stones, sharp rock and cliffs, native bush including Kowhai, sand stone shelves with mushroom like formations, native grasses and weed and even pine trees.

Unlike last year when we needed to keep our distance from the shore and breaking waves, this year we managed to have a detailed look and admire the carvings created by Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell in the late 70s.

Exploring Lake Hinemaiaia

After a late but lovely lunch put on by the ladies we set off for Lake Hinemaiaia so we could be off the water before it got dark. After the constant rain heading into the weekend the road was wet and muddy with large puddles but no one got stuck in the mud (figuratively or physically).

Progress was slow as no one wanted to break the surface of the water with their paddle. A couple of strokes then gliding through the mirror surface. The dark water enhancing the mirror effect so even rainbows reflected in a full circle.

The constant rain in the past week hindered access to the waterfall. Waters were flowing more quickly and we were unable to make the last push through a 1 meter wide gap with cliffs either side (no where for the paddle to go). On the return trip we played hide and seek in the reeds of the swamp and make it back to the cars just as a sun set.

Orakei Korako to Ohakuri Dam

Last year the folks at Orakei Korako didn’t want us using their jetty. Whatever the reason we found another entry point upstream which we used once again.

Assisted by the river flow we meandered down river keeping a careful ear on possible jet boats but there were none. We explored the warmth of the thermal springs flowing out into the Waikato River including the hot waterfall complete with a Geyser warning. We had showered the previous night so considered ourselves clean enough and opted not to take a dip.

The steam from Orakei Korako was visible over the last corner so we knew we were close and dived in for a detail look and to warm our buttocks. The kayaks providing just the right amount on insulation.

We would normally turn around here but the night before over a few Stones Green Ginger Wine’s we modified the plan and carried on down river. This appeared to be a favourite spot for duck shooters with many hides only accessible by water.

Unfortunately the previous wet weather played havoc with our pick up point and Megan managed to get us on the mobile to update us on a new location closer to the dam. The road was just too muddy to get through and didn’t add a lot of paddling.

Note: There now appears to be public access to the water at Orakei Korako.

48hrs Winter Kayaking in Taupo

2010-08-23T18:22:00.004+12:00

Jerusalem Bay to Kaiapo Bay via the Maori carvings

Exploring Lake Hinemaiaia

Orakei Korako to Ohakuri Dam

Last year the folks at Orakei Korako didn’t want us using their jetty. Whatever the reason we found another entry point upstream which we used once again.

Note: There now appears to be public access to the water at Orakei Korako.

You may want to have a read about the same trip last year (Kayak Fire and Ice in Taupo) as it was quite different.

Kayak Matheson's Bay to Goat Island

2010-05-02T21:01:00.000+12:00

When asked who had kayaked this part of the coastline before, only one person raised their hand so it was certainly a good start. The forecasted wind was non-existent so 12 of us headed off in near perfect conditions.

Rock gardening was the name of the game keeping a careful eye on the set of 3 larger swells as we ducted in and out of the rocks riding the surges. Fortunately the higher tide meant we could pop in and our of some caves and an archway. The best cave was shaped like a "U" into the cliff face. You could enter one side go into the cave and come back out through the other side. Unfortunatley this is where John lost his flag and light.

Cheryl entered the water unexpectedly being left high and dry on a rock as the swell retreated and I mistimed the large set of 3 catching a biggy side on and trying to brace against air. These events provided some rough water rescue practise (see lessons learned below).

We eventually made it to Goat Island in plenty of time to have lunch, a bit of a snorkel and time to sun bathe. The water was significantly colder at Goat Island than along the coast south of the Island.

Unfortunatley the choice of landing spots looked ideal but upon packing our boats discovered that the shags nesting above didn't have any form of toilet training. Everything will get a more thorough wash this trip.

The return journey took us out and around Goat Island and back down the coast. The wind had picked up to 15-16 knots and stayed on our nose the whole way with the waves come in on the side. Not the most comfortable trip but well within the capabilities of the group.

Lessons learned

Tow the right way up makes is easier for the tower, prevents the kayak from filling up and protects the flag from submerged rocks.
The leg over rescue just filled the boats with water so in these conditions a t-rescue would have emptied the boats a lot faster.
Lay on your back when being towed out of the danger area and you should float over any submerged rocks.
Don’t park your kayaks under nesting shags

Note: Photos supplied by John

What to see and do in Auckland?

2009-10-27T20:23:00.002+13:00

Rather than a list of activities that are basically paid adverts, here is my list of activities that include both free and paid options with my tell it like it is description.

Auckland is a wonderful varied city with multiple harbours, 50 volcanoes, loads of beaches and a slice of culture.

Attractions & Museums

Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)

View Auckland like it was back in the 1800’s and check out the trams, buses, planes and rail and military vehicles from days gone by. They also have an interactive area for kids.

www.motat.org.nz

Auckland Zoo

For the most part its your normal zoo containing critters from all over the world. The main point of difference is that they have some of New Zealand’s native and endangered species.

www.aucklandzoo.co.nz

Devonport, North Head & Mt Victoria

Just a 10 minute ferry trip from down town Auckland gets you to relaxing Devonport. Old architecture, beaches, specialty shops and greet the visitor. It’s also worth checking out the military installations on Mt Victoria and North Head dating back to 1880.

www.devonport.co.nz

Waiheke Island

For a day or a weekend Waiheke relax and enjoy the beaches, vineyards, restaurants, or explore the military installation of Stony Batter.

www.waiheke.co.nz

National Maritime Museum

This museum is dedicated to the rich history New Zealand has with the sea fro its earliest settlers to modern day races.

www.maritimemuseum.co.nz

Spookers & Corn Evil

They have an R16 rating for a reason. The actors take their job seriously and Spookers is located in an old mental asylum.

The corn maze has a limited season between January and April.

www.cornevil.co.nz
www.spookers.co.nz

Sky City’s Sky Jump

Day or night, 192 metres above the ground you jump off the Sky Tower and assisted to the ground at up to 83km/hr.

www.skyjump.co.nz

Horse Riding

Murawai and Parkiri are probably two of the best places to ride horses in the Auckland area.

Mountain Biking

There are a number of mountain bike parks around Auckland including Riverhead Forest , Whitford Forest and Hunua Ranges. The cream of the crop with the most and varied trails is Woodhill Forest.

www.bikepark.co.nz

One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie) & Cornwall Park

One of Auckland’s most prominent volcanoes set in the lovely Cornwall Park. Although it’s missing its tree, One Tree Hill remains one of Auckland’s iconic land marks with its monument with great views over the city. Yes, its the one U2 wrote and sung about.

www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/places/parks/onetreehill.asp

Mt Eden

The highest volcanic peak in central Auckland rises to just under 200 metres. Great views over the city.

www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/places/parks/mteden.asp

Coast to Coast Walkway

Starting at the viaduct in downtown Auckland walk the 16kms passing through Auckland’s urban landscape and parks until you reach the Manukau harbour.

www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/places/walkways/coasttocoast/index.asp

Stardome Observatory

Located on One Tree Hill, learn about planets, stars and constellations as viewed from New Zealand. They also have a variety of shows.

www.stardome.co.nz

Sky City’s Sky Walk

192 metres above the ground with no hand rails you walk around the outside of the Sky Tower (you are clipped in my a harness).

www.skywalk.co.nz

Rainbow’s End

As long as you aren’t expecting a Disneyland or Dream World there are certainly a few rides to get the juices flowing.

www.rainbowsend.co.nz

Bungee Jump off the Harbour bridge

The world first Harbour Bridge Bungee Jump. A 40 metre drop to the water and a bit further if you want to get wet.

www.ajhackett.com/nz

Harbour Bridge Climb

90 minute guided tour sharing the bridge's colourful secrets, architectural features and the myth and legend surrounding this New Zealand landmark.

www.aucklandbridgeclimb.co.nz

Harley Davidson Tours

Cruise the streets of Auckland taking in the panoramic views.

www.harleytoursnewzealand.co.nz

Auckland Brewery Tour

Visit four of Auckland’s local breweries and taste some of the local boutique beers.

www.absolutetours.co.nz

Markets & Shopping

Retail Hubs

The best shopping areas are High Street in the City, Newmarket, Ponsonby and Parnell.

Dressmart Outlet Shopping

A huge number of New Zealand and International brands at discounted prices all under one roof.

www.dressmart.co.nz

Clevedon Village Farmer’s Market

Pick up the local seasonal offerings of fruit and vegetables, fresh pasta and other goodies. Every Sunday 8:30am-12pm.

www.clevedonfarmersmarket.co.nz

Matakana Village Farmer’s Market

Pies, beer, fresh berries and greens, coffee, olives, mustard, macadamia nuts, chocolate, wine, cheese, organic meat and eggs. Every Saturday 8am-1pm.

www.matakanavillage.co.nz/farmers_market.php

Bars & Restaurants

Viaduct Harbour & Princes Wharf

The bar and restaurant heart of Auckland city.

Minus 5

Don a fur coat and go inside the bar with a sub-zero temperature. Worth a visit for the novelty.

www.minus5experience.com

Whale of a time for Mid-Winter Xmas

2009-07-20T17:38:00.000+12:00

What was once an attempt at bringing the European cold wintery Christmas to New Zealand has turned into a sort of tradition or at least an excuse for a gathering.

Every winter, groups of friends and/or family get together a celebrate a mini Christmas type event. This year I organised a group of kayaking friends to have a mid-winter Christmas at one of the beach Bach’s provided by the Auckland Regional Council.

The weather looked terrible however the trip was in sheltered waters. In the end we decided to at least check out the situation in person and back track if need be. The conditions in the sheltered harbour were fine so we loaded up our kayaks and headed across to Big Bay.

Only accessible by boat Big Bay is located on Mahurangi North and we were stoked with this 8 person bach. We could have booked any number of weekends and was immaculately kept. Even the cutlery and crockery was better than most peoples homes.

Upon arrival is it was straight into preparing the Turkey and getting it into the oven as it would take a few hours to cook. We then managed to relax over a few wines and snacks. As the evening wore on, we told stories of our traditions and memories of Christmas spanning 5 different cultures.

Dinner was now ready so with table set, candles lit it was time to consume the stupid amounts of food we had prepared and after that we attempted dessert.

The next morning we awoke to find a rather large Whale on our doorstep complete with her baby. The Southern Right Whale (named after being the “right” type of whale to kill as it floats) had been cruising the waters for a few days. Being sure not to annoy the mammals a couple of the group kayaked out and drifted while the whales came to check them out. What a marvellous way to start the day.

After packing up we headed back to Sullivan’s Bay where we had parked the night before. Low and behold our friends the whales had gone across while we had breakfast.

Disclaimer: No whales were harmed during the making on this blog entry (or breakfast)

More information

My photos of the Mid-Winter Christmas at Big Bay

Kayak Fire and Ice in Taupo

2009-06-22T18:52:00.000+12:00

To make the most of the weekend we made sure we were down in Taupo for an early start the next morning. The Loose Goose in Tirau provided sustenance along the way and after a quick scout around the All Seasons Holiday Park in Taupo before we settled in for the evening.

Saturday morning was beautiful although the wind was planning to get up and we couldn’t see the mountains across the lake. We popped in to see Steve at the local Canoe and Kayak shop to get some local advice and go through our plans. He gave us some great tips so we set off for our first explore.

Part 1: Jerusalem Bay to the Maori carvings

After driving around to Jerusalem Bay (just around from Acacia Bay) we launched and headed around the point to check out the Maori carvings at Mine Bay. Created in the late ‘70s, Matahi took four summers to create the carvings. Not the best shot but due to the waves and swell it was a shot all the same.

The southerly wind was cold and the 60km of open water ensured the waves were big and steep. This made the trip uncomfortable so as soon as we found the carvings we put our tails between our legs and hi-tailed it out of there. Back in the sheltered waters of Jerusalem Bay, the conditions were quite different . The sun was shining and it was warm, the perfect spot for lunch.

Part 2: Lake Hinemaiaia

That evening I was considering a night paddle so we at least went to check it out. Just before Hatepe (about 30 minutes South of Taupo on SH1) we darted inland and found a small hydro lake. We launched and after only about 10 minutes we entered the river system above the lake. It was cold and the sun had a hard job making its way into the valley to melt the frost at the sides of the river so it was no surprise we struck ice. Not just a little big but whole sections of the river sheltered from the main flow.

Further upstream the canyon walls closed in so we headed further up stream in smaller groups. Stalactites made of ice from the dripping foliage lined the walls of the canyon and some were massive. The only flowing water was the fast moving main flow and a water fall up on the left. There was just enough room to turn the sea kayaks before we headed back out down river.

After the canyon, we explored a lagoon area where the last of the days sun was hiding in a corner, the birds were playing in the trees whilst we played in the ice covered water. It was then back to the camp ground for a well deserved soak in the hot pool, dinner and a spa.

Part 3: Orakei Korako on the Waikato River

Sunday was another beautiful day and this time we could see the snow capped mountains 80kms South of Taupo. We headed out of Taupo and up to Orakei Korako. The directions took us to the shop and ferry where there were no launching points (Actually the camp ground was a building site and due to OSH regulations they didn’t want us using their Jetty). We headed back and found a bridge with access to the Waikato river where we entered the water. Brett feeling a bit poorly minded the cars sitting in his chair on the jetty covered with his blankie.

We set off down stream keeping in mind we would need to travel back up stream against the flow but it wasn’t that strong. We quickly discovered jet boats use this section of the river and although the signs said 5 knots through the gorge it was obvious that this apparently didn’t apply to the jet boat. The water acting as a mirror buckled with the wake but never broke in the gorge which was a weird feeling. We continued downstream paddling through the mist until we came across the geothermal activity.

Hissing, gurgling and plopping could be heard from beyond the river banks. The surface of the water was hot and warmed the bottom of the boats. Keeping our distance from the more violet places we took our time checking everything out. We came across a bathing area complete with warning signs and moved along.

The main feature “Orakei Korako” was off limits with access from a private jetty although we explored the river side. Hot water flowed over the large white coloured rocks. A closer look revealed more detail and colour.

As time was pressing on we returned to the cars for our journey back to Auckland.

All in all this was an amazing adventure and a perfect reason why winter should not stop you kayaking.

6.6 Degrees of Separation

2009-06-20T06:35:00.001+12:00

We have all heard of the Six degrees of separation to explain how everyone in the world is connected to everyone else but is there any proof? Am I connected actually get to, for example a

A bored research team at Microsoft decided to find out by analysing the Windows Live Messenger traffic for a single month. Sure this doesn't take into account all cultures and walks of life but its a good start and their results point at 6.6 degrees of separation.

Tramp Whatipu 2009

2009-06-06T19:54:00.000+12:00

Having not been to Whatipu in in quite a number of years it was time to return. Starting at Whatipu we took Gibbon’s track straight up onto the cliff top and from here we headed North admiring the wild west coast below. On the exposed ridge the track was quite muddy so definitely not one for your best Nike sneakers.

Before long we started dropping into the Parahaha Valley with its lush Nikau Palms and Kereru (Wood Pigeons) just hanging about. Cold wind was funnelling up the valley so used the shelter to prepare our lunch before continuing.

The Parahaha stream was higher than usual so we needed to get our feet wet and wade through the murky waters. Once on the other side of the river it was easy walking to get out onto the sand dunes and through the swamp. We then turned South to head back to Whatipu via the sand dunes.

I love this area with wind blown sand, small lakes and swampy areas. Popping in and out of the dunes not quiet knowing what you will find. Wind and water constantly changes the landscape.

More information

My photos of the Whatipu tramp

Tramp Waihaha Valley 2009

2009-05-25T22:23:00.001+12:00

The weather forecast for the central plateau put the kybosh on our plans to go up into the mountains to instead we opted for a valley that provided protection from the elements. We left Auckland on a perfect winter morning not a wisp of wind or a cloud in the sky.

Driving down through the Waikato we could see a the base of the Kaimai's were shrouded in mist and as we made our way further south entered the soup. Slowly the outside temperature gauge dropped to 3 degrees so we were happy to stop for tea and coffee in Matamata (otherwise known as Hobbiton).

It wasn't long before we found the start of the track and we all set. It isn't easy to spot if it's your first time (the car park is on the southern side of the bridge that crosses the Waihaha river at the bottom between two steep hills). It was fresh but the weather wasn't too bad so leaving the car in view of the road we set off up the valley.

Waihaha Valley is one of the easiest walks in the area 9km into the hut taking about 3hrs each way (2.5hrs for us with short stops). I’ve completed this track a few times before as a day walk and biking it (which takes about an hour each way) but this was my first overnighter here. Some parts of the track were still frozen from either a recent snow fall and the cold temperatures. Ice crystals were in the ground.

Shortly before getting to the hut, coming the way other were two groups of about 15 people. These were the only people we seen on the walk except for the single car in the car park. They warned us that the hut was full but we were prepared. We found our tent sites and settled in for the evening. The bulk of the people at the hut (sleeps 10) were kids doing their Duke of Edinburgh along with their parents. The parents could use the hut whilst the kids had to sleep outside so it wasn't too busy.

The bird life in the area seems more prolific than I recall. Perhaps its the result of a recent 1080 poison drop. The Kaka squawked and flew in the tree tops.

After a lovely meal it was off to bed well after everyone else. The tent and sleeping bags were cosy although it did take 15 minutes or so to warm up once we started walking.

In my opinion Waihaha Valley is one of the nicest one day walks in the North Island at least. Views are few and far between but the scenery constantly changes and the river is never too far from the track. It’s one of those many places that have different moods throughout the year.

More information

Photos of the Waihaha Valley Tramp

Kayak Urupukapuka 2009

2009-03-05T20:18:00.000+13:00

Waitangi Day on the Monday means a long weekend so why not make the most of it? In order to do so we headed up to Rawhiti on the Friday night. Managing to get a glimpse of Urupukapuka Island (our destination for the evening) we loaded up the kayaks and paddled across to Cable Bay in the dark.

Day 1: Saturday

It wasn’t a rushed morning but we got out onto the water with plenty of time. Due to the number of people and varying levels of experience we broke into pods and headed off for 3 different trips. Some went for a circumnavigation of Urupukapuka, others out and around Motuarohia Island and some for a more leisurely trip.

We set off across to Motukiekie Island but the wind started to pick up and by the time we entered the gap between Motukiekie Island and Moturua Island the wind was being funnelled through. We popped into a nearby beach to let it die down and while on the beach it was peaking at 35 knots. After a longer than usual morning tea we made the call to head back to base. A water fight then unfolded without much help.

Instead of veging for the rest of the day we had a stroll around the island taking in some great views of the outer Bay of Islands. Back at camp we settled in for the evening and before long it was 4am.

Day 2: Sunday

The next morning we were a bit slower to rise and since the wind still wasn’t playing ball so we explored the sheltered Eastern side of the Island.

Rather than head straight back a few of us hung out in the bay and put our rod’s down. We pulled up a variety of fish including Snapper and Gurnard. Whilst heading and gutting the fish in one corner of the beach a bunch of Stingrays gathered to feast on the remains.

We prepared a spread of different fish cooked in just as many different ways. Sashimi and Ceviche to flour dusted and lightly fried and even fish head soup.

Day 3: Monday

The day we had been waiting for! Beautiful calm clear weather, perfect for a trip out to the hole in the rock (33kms) but bugger. Some of us needed to make it back to Auckland before the evening so we wouldn’t be able to go the whole way.

The swell was large but very flat so it felt like we were paddling uphill as the swell rolled under our boats. It took its toll on some who fed the fishes along the way and at some points we were paddling through thick foam. Even though we were paddling in calm water the waves crashing against the rocks generated huge amounts of foam.

Deep Water Cove provided us with a place for morning tea although with the steep rocky beach making it a bit more interesting for those who use composite boats.

Afterwards, we split up with one pod heading out to the Hole in the Rock which was fantastic. Only two paddlers were game enough to go through the hole whilst the tourist boats could only watch. The rest headed back down the coast. This time we had the swell from behind and were were on the constant lookout for large pleasure boats and yachts we were constantly losing in the large swell.

It was then time to go our separate ways, back to Urupukapuka Island for a couple more days whilst the rest of us went home. The next day those left on Urupukapuka Island enjoyed a dolphin encounter.

My photos of the Kayaking Bay of Islands trip
Photos of the trip from the Yakity Yak club
Photos of the trip from Andrew

Kayak Hot Water Beach

2009-01-29T19:40:00.000+13:00

Day 1 - Hot Water Beach to Cathedral Cove (23kms)

What a stunning morning! After a hearty breakfast we drove the 500M from the camp site down to the water and got ourselves ready. Perfectly formed waves rolled across the still water and although the waves were large everyone made it out without incident except for Brett who took the opportunity to get in some early morning surfing.

From Hot Water Beach we headed north hugging the coast, rock gardening and popping in and our of the various caves so of which required a torch to explore further. By the time we reached Hahei our stomachs started to rumble but we continued past the crowds and popped into Cathedral Cove (well Mares Leg Cove actually).

We probably spent a couple of hours there for lunch jumping off rocks, swimming, snorkelling, sun bathing and exploring the beach. Afterwards we headed straight out making through the rock tunnel
on Poikeke Island then around Motueka, Waikaranga and Mahurangi Islands before using the tail wind and swell to return to Hot Water Beach.

Arriving back around 6pm there was only one last hurdle to get back through the surf. The right hand end had the least surf and relatively few people. Everyone made it back safe and sound some showing off their newly found surfing skills.

That night we commandeered one of the camp site BBQs and proceeded to stuff ourselves silly (again).

Day 2 - Hot Water Beach to Tapuaetahi Bay (14kms)

Some people wanted to soak up the runs rays and/or recover from the previous night so only seven of us set off again making it through the larger surf. We headed South but due to the larger waves we weren't able to get too close to the rocky coast although we did play around the islands.

It only took 1.5hrs to get to our destination which was a beautiful little beach only accessible by boat and we plan to head back at some point in the future.

The trip back was a bit harder as the forecast 10 knots picked up to 15 knots but we still made it back in the same time. Some went shore whilst some headed to the Northern end of Hot Water Beach to tackle the biggest surf we have encountered in a kayak. It was only a matter of time before we retired exhausted back to the Southern end of the beach. We dragged our kayaks into the hot river and made our way back up the camp site ending our day on the water.

Day 3 - Tairua and Pauanui Canals

After tossing around a few plans postponing some to a future date we opted for a short paddle in the Tairua estuary that allowed us to get back to Auckland avoiding most of rush back. We put in at Tairua and paddled across to Pauanui where we explored the canals and fancy houses. Although there were some nice designs, no one came away thinking "I would love a place like this".

The Tairua harbour is one of those lawless places on the water. Jetskis, children, kayaks and speed boats sharing the space as fast as everyone can go with no regard for speed limits or other vessels. I couldn't believe boats just metres from us were passing each other at top speed whilst only a few metres apart in the channel.

All in all everyone had a great time (well that is what they said) and there weren't too many bumps and bruises.

Customer Service in New Zealand

2008-11-19T18:17:00.001+13:00

After receiving a new credit card I thought I would do a little experiment and see how long and how easy it would be to have my new details updated with a number of suppliers.

Here are the results showing the total call duration including ringing and staying on hold.

Company	Duration
IAG	30 seconds
Sovereign	2 minutes
Orcon	9 minutes 18 seconds
Mercury Energy	10 minutes
Vodafone	4 minutes

My ASB account manager updated IAG so that was cheating.

Full credit to Sovereign as they were the fastest.

Vodafone was the most annoying with 2 minutes spent on hold and talking to a person and 2 minutes entering my credit card number through an automated system.

Kayak Whananaki 2008

2008-10-29T20:03:00.000+13:00

Labour weekend, the first long weekend since Queen’s Birthday back in June! After a quick bite at the Hikurangi pub on the Friday night it wasn’t much further to the camping ground at Whananaki North and it was straight into the relaxation.

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful clear day at least at first. We set off from the boat ramp, out of the estuary being almost sucked out with the tide and we were off up the coast. The easterly swell presented us with a somewhat up and down ride on our journey north which made rock gardening not an option.

We managed to get into Otamure Bay for lunch but as the wind was picking up half the group stayed behind. Nick returned to his car on foot and car pooled people back to get their cars. The rest of us headed back on the water.

It was a reasonable fast trip although we did pause and climb the head at the entrance to Whananaki to check out the conditions. We continued around the head and into the estuary fighting for every inch into the wind. It was all worth it as it made the beer taste even better.

Sunday the weather was up to we drove north to Whangaruru harbour and explored the sheltered waters. Nick had a plan that we could check out an old whaling station but that turned out to be 20kms away.

A coastguard search and rescue keep us entertained on the VHFs. The afternoon was spent chilling out after stopping off at the cafe on the hill above Helena Bay.

For the Monday everyone did their own thing with some returning early to do chores so spend the day surfing on the bar. Since I was driving a few of us headed to the Tutakaka Coast. We put in at Matarangi and rock gardened our way around to Whale Bay. It’s only a short trip but we made the most of it before making our way back down to Auckland.

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Photos of kayaking Whananaki

Weekend in Zeeland

2008-09-25T06:18:00.000+12:00

I'm not sure why its taken so long to visit the province of Zeeland after all it is where New Zealand got its name although it wasn't Abel Tasman's doing. He named it Staten Landt (Staten Island). At the same time Hendrik Brouwer on a mission to the gold-rich lands of Peru and Chile ended up naming a bit of land he found Staten Landt. Of course you can't have two places with the same name so upon their arrival back in Holland the powers that be in gave New Zealand its name "Zelandia Nova" to match its neighbour Hollandia Nova (aka. Australia).

Anyway, enough with the history lesson. We set off on the Friday night as we had yet another wedding to attend this time in Rotterdam. This time the wedding of Renate's cousin Annemieke and her groom Mark so it was a good chance for me to meet a few more of Renate's family.

Saturday morning we awoke after the late night and drove past Rotterdam's Europort on our way south. The Europort is Europe's largest shipping port taking up the space of a small city the size of Hamilton. Motorways, rail and canals help move the goods through the port as quickly as possible. It's a crazy and weird looking place straight from a Dr Who episode or perhaps a Terminator movie.

After clearing the city we hugged the coast hopping between the different Islands of Zeeland and crossing the Delta works protecting the Netherlands from flooding the country in severe storms. As a result of the devastating flood of 1953 the Delta Works project was created. It's basically a series of dams that open and close providing protection during bad weather.

We then met Hubert and Corine in Veere for a spot of lunch before making our way to the hotel in Westkapelle. No sea view as they like to build their hotels and houses behind the dunes to protect them from the wind and sea but it did have a pool which we quickly made use of. That night we headed into Middelburg (another nice old town) where we dined in the main square.

Sunday was spent walking along the beach at Domburg taking in as much fresh air as our lungs could muster. Unlike New Zealand beaches the Europeans often line their coast with little houses for rent so you can go in for a tea or coffee if the weather is cold.

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Photos of Weekend in Zeeland

Gorinchem and Slot Loevestein

2008-08-30T06:43:00.000+12:00

Dion and Anna (friends from England) were recently visiting so we decided to checkout another cute little Dutch village Gorinchem and the nearby Slot Loevestein. Created as a finish village almost 1000 years ago now days its a harbour for pleasure craft.

The Dutch tend to use the term castle to represent an old Mansion so they call a Castle a Fort (ie, Fort Loevestein). With that out the way Slot Loevestein is situated in the top of the Y where two rivers meet (the Waal and the Maas). This made it the perfect position to toll everyone using the rivers. It also happens to be the corner of three Dutch provinces.

During its history is has also been a prison housing political prisoners. The most famous was Hugo de Groot who escaped in a book chest and formed the basis of International law as we know it today. It can’t have been such as bad place as they appeared to be treated well having plenty of freedom. Their wives could stay and they have maids.

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Photos of Gorinchem and Slot Loevestein

Emily - Real or not?

2008-08-30T05:18:00.000+12:00

Movie’s like Jurassic Park were once at the fore front of computer animation but you could still see the subtle effects that indicated it was computer generated. With human faces the job becomes far more difficult as we see and interact with people every day.

Californian company Image Metrics has further blurred the lines between what is real and what is not. Check it out for yourself.

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Lifelike animation heralds new era for computer games

Steppen in Delft

2008-08-12T04:45:00.002+12:00

We started the day by surprising Marcel as it was his birthday a few days later. Jorien made appelgebak (Apple tart) complete with candles and we gifted him his first BBQ. We also decorated his convertible car with a few balloons that lasted surprising well whilst achieving a top speed or over 120kmph an hour or so later.

A "Step" is one of those things that until I had been to Holland I wouldn't have even suspected to exist. They're a cross between a traditional scooter and a bike. Loads of fun they have a practical use as well. Almost every kid in Holland is able to step before biking! In the hospital where Renate works they use them to get from one side of the hospital to the other rather than having to walk for 10 minutes. Perhaps Renate can introduce them to Auckland Hospital next year?

Renate and Marja Steppen in Delft

We decided on a tour where we could see the city sites by steppen our way around Delft taking in all the important sites and completing a puzzle at the same time. Delft is the Dutch town famous for the white and blue pottery that goes by the name of Delft's Blue.

The main highlight of the tour was the Nieuw Kerk (New Church) in the city centre with its high tower standing over the main square. Of course it begged us to ascend its heights so we spent a while exploring its passages. As is happens this is also the home to all the most important people of Dutch history including the various Kings, Queens and Hugo de Groot (Hugo the Great). There was even a space for the current Queen Beatrix to join her husband when she passes.

That evening we headed back to Marcel's place to try out the new BBQ.

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Paleis Het Loo (Palace Het Loo)

2008-08-06T06:24:00.000+12:00

Not the most sophisticated of names if you translate directly to English. Until the death of Queen Wilhelmina in 1962, Paleis Het Loo was a holiday retreat for the Dutch royals. She had decreed that upon her death the palace should be gifted the the public and became a museum.

At the entrance stood the Oranjeboom (Orange Tree) which symbolises the royal house of Orange. In New Zealand you'll find Oranjeboom at your local liquor wholesaler as its also a Dutch beer.

Inside the palace seemed a bit different to those across Europe and the United Kingdom. It felt brighter somehow and every room had quite a different feel so we started giving them nick names, the green room, the pink room... Of course there were all the usual rooms for the King, Queen, chapels etc but there were also a large number of speciality rooms including a room full of animal heads. Cheetah, Bear and Badger rugs complete with heads looked immaculate and Elephant feet stood either side of the fireplace. This isn't my cup of tea however it certainly showed the power and wealth of the royals.

Outside, the gardens unfolded in front of the palace with a huge number of species interwoven with fountains, canals and water falls. What surprised me was that there were a number of plants from warmer climates I didn't expect to see. There were also a huge number of what we would categorise as weeds in New Zealand but they all had their place so it in no way did it look scruffy.

When checking the location of the Palace in Apeldoorn we used Google Maps and the gardens of Palace Het Loo could clearly be seen.

The palace is definitely worth a visit and if you have to compare it to something Hampton Court Palace just outside of London comes first to mind.

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Mum and Dad in Holland

2008-08-03T18:51:00.004+12:00

Shortly before my original arrival time my parents were due to arrive in Amsterdam. Unfamiliar with the new surroundings Renate and her sister Marja met my parents and helped them to their hotel. They didn't go into the sex museum or wander the red light district but still, they saw as much of Amsterdam in the short time they had available.

A couple of days later Renate and I picked them up and took them on a bit of a tiki tour through some of the smaller picturesque villages. First of all it was Marken, a cute little fishing village on an island connected by a road to the mainland. All the buildings have been maintained beautifully and one old man (with a squeaky voice) lets you visit his house that he still lives in. The contents of which are original including clothes from when he was a boy and its amazing to see how a family of four lived there.

We then headed north a bit further to another fishing village Volendam where we had a spot of lunch and another look around before taking in Edam where the cheese gets its name (of course we couldn't go past without buying some). Whilst in Edam were able to witness the engineering marvels of the Dutch. With no electronics a lone man was able to pull a chain opening a bridge to allow yachts up the canal. Once safely past he walked up the bridge and his weight bought the bridge safely and smoothly back to its original position.

Further north we arrived at yet another seaside village by the name of Hoorn. It was new to us all as Renate and I had never ventured here. Larger than both Volendam and Marken it was lot more modern as with all the yachts and smart cafes but still plenty of character with the older buildings leaning into the road. Time was pressing on so we headed straight over the IJsselmeer (the once sea turning into lake by the Dutch) to Wijhe where our parents would finally meet.

Everyone had a great time and Renate's mother once nervous felt it easier to understand my parents clearer accents. We had a lovely meal and let them get to know each other without us having to hold their hands. Dad and Wim were even whistling the same tunes in the car. Wim and Almah (Renate's parents) showed them around a bit more and had even organised a personal tour of the local Windmill.

A couple of days later we took over the responsibilities and dragged them back to Nijmegen to see where we live and that evening we made them bike into town to go out for dinner.

Thanks Wim for letting us show mum and dad around in your nice air conditioned Espace in the 30 degree heat.

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Photos of Mum and Dad in Holland
Photos of Paleis het Loo

Off to the European summer residence

2008-08-03T04:41:00.000+12:00

Despite the best efforts of the weather and the ground services at Shanghai I've finally made it back to Holland.

After a busy week I was lucky to have the Saturday to pack and tidy before my flight. My colleague Murray was kind enough to pick me up and take me to the airport in plenty of time. It was a speedy trip through security and into the bar where all the Kiwi's and Aussie's were gathering to watch the imminent rugby test match. After 15 minutes the Aussie's looked dominant so I had no issue when we had our boarding call.

That morning I had warned Renate that the eye of the "One in 10 year" storm was bearing down on the country and would hit just before my flight. Was I mistaken? All flights were departing on schedule without delay. That was until 5 minutes before our flight was due to leave when all flights were grounded to wait it out. Either that or the pilots wanted to see the end of the rugby match and post-match commentary.

During the wait I got to know my travel companions of which one was a Dutch guy named Maarten heading back to Holland for 6 weeks after working, living, playing rugby and drinking lots of beer in Tapanui for 10 months. We travelled together for the rest of the trip.

After a bite to eat, a couple of movies and some broken sleep we arrived in Shanghai 2hrs late with 45 minutes to catch the connecting flight. In their wisdom the authorities have taken a leaf out of the United States' book on "How to disrupt the travel plans of millions?". Shanghai is the only port in Asia that makes you collect your baggage and re-check it in.

After clearing customs the officer gave some other guy my passport and I was told to follow him. The problem was there were 3 guys. Luckily I followed the right one heading for a bunch of other kiwis where we waited for them to do something with our passports. Perhaps a temporary visa for our so-called stopover?

Next it was on to collect our luggage where we waited patiently for over an hour as the bags were drip fed onto the carousel one at a time. It was like all the baggage handlers were relocated to Beijing for the Olympics whilst one guy was walking between the plane and carousel carrying one bag at a time.

After picking up our bags we then headed for Terminal 1 where we needed to check in. Following the signs we came to a dead end with a number of large roller doors locked down tight. We weren't the only ones as people were poking and prodding them trying to find a way through. Some just driving their trolleys around in circles. Deciding this wasn't going to work we back tracked and took side passage going against the recommended arrows on the floor until we finally made it although there was one last obstacle, an escalator. Unlike some of the other passengers we opted to leave our trolleys at the bottom.

Another hour queuing and we made it to the check-in counter where Maarten spent another half an hour trying to convince the 4 people behind the counter that his ticket was an old, the dates had changed and he was to pick the new one up in Shanghai. Luckily the nice steward on the Air New Zealand flight foresaw out predicament and rebooked us whilst we were still in the air. We finally had our boarding passes and with some time to spare to popped in for a bite to eat and a well deserved beer.

Overall the the process of getting from check in onto the plane was somewhat long winded and of course there was a queue at every point:

Check in
Post check in passport scan before leaving the check in area
Pre security boarding pass check
Scan boarding pass then have bags x-rayed
Go through customs (after this you are free for a bit)
Security check at the gate
Boarding pass check going into air bridge
Check half way down the air bridge
Seating check as you enter the plane

Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining just highlighting the different experiences. Lesson learned, avoid Shanghai if you are flying through Asia and not stopping over on the way to Europe. The most annoying part was that my Vodafone mobile wasn't working. I wasn't able to contact Renate to let her know I would be delayed and the new flight details.

Winter Kayaking at Sandpit

2008-07-26T21:52:00.000+12:00

The weather forecast didn't look great but it was my last weekend before heading off to Holland and we all know how the weather can change for better or worse. Fri evening I arrived just in time to see the group paddling back across the water (bugger, I was too late for the evening paddle).

We stayed at the Sandspit Holiday Park in little cabins right on the waters edge so as well as providing great views of the harbour they also offered us a place we leave our kayaks when we were off the water. Oozing with character the motor camp contained many of the old buildings from years gone by including the old post office and school masters house which were both cabins.

Saturday morning we headed around to the Matakana Village Farmers' Market which turned out to have a great selection of food and live music. Shame we had already brought all the food with us otherwise we would have had all sorts of goodies for the rest of the weekend and I didn't want to stock up before heading overseas.

Constantly monitoring the weather we decided to head out after lunch and it turned out to be a pleasant day sheltered from the wind. We headed out of the harbour and headed east for about 10kms making it to Jones' Bay. After a quick look we turned back making sure we would be back before dark. All in all we were on the water for about three hours. Upon arrival the tide had come in just enough that we were able to paddle almost all the way back to the camp across what at low tide is 500 metres of mud.

That night we had planned to have a BBQ but after seeing that it had fallen into disrepair over the winter months we opted to cook indoors and spent the rest of the evening discussing war stories over a few wines.

In the morning a few of us decided to stick around and head up the Matakana River into deep dark Matakana. We had a the wind and tide against us so it took about an hour and a half to make the 5km journey. Upon arrival we found a cafe and had a bite to eat and a coffee before making a return trip in about 40 minutes.

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Map showing paddle from Sandspit to Jones' Bay
Map showing paddle from Sandspit to Matakana

Kayak Lake Tarawera (Queen's Birthday)

2008-06-05T22:56:00.002+12:00

Day 1 - Tarawera Landing to Te Rata Bay

It was a cold and misty morning but we didn't care (except maybe for Nick). We packed our kayaks with relative ease as the car park allowed us to unload our cars directly into the kayaks before we ferried them back to the Blue Lake Motor Camp. After the usual period of faffing we were off some splitting off to kayak under the Pohutakawa trees and explore the rock gardens and thermal springs.

After only a short paddle we were at Te Rata Bay (aka Hot Water Bea ch) and in no time had picked out our camping spots and eaten lunch. It was then off to explore Rapatu Bay and walk across to Lake Rotomahana (to be explored at a later date) which turned out to be about 40 minutes return. This section between the lakes is where the Pink and White Terraces used to be before the eruption in 1886.

The last time I stayed here we setup the tent on the nice warm grass and ended up having to leave the tent sweating at 3am. I wasn't about to make the same mistake this time.

Day 2 - Tarawera Falls

Another calm morning presented itself and it took about 2hrs to make our way from Hot Water Beach to the Tarawera Outlet where we swapped our booties for shoes. Most of us headed into the bush in search of the Tarawera Falls.

The track was beautiful a combination of alpine plants and forest along the crystal clear waters of the Tarawera river. We found it (or so we thought), tucked into a corner of the river was a large raging waterfall emptying into pool below spraying the area with mist. Surprisingly we carried on and found a few places where the river disappeared into the ground and moving on a little further we could hear the river raging underground.

Finally we made it to the main attraction, the Tarawera Falls which weren't too shabby. In the middle of a tall cliff face three holes expelled vast quantities of unrelenting water. The cliff face contains lave tunnels from Tarawera eruption so the river makes its way underground and out at the falls. By this time we were all hungry so we made our way back to the lake.

Back at the lake the temperature had dropped so those that didn't walk headed back to base whilst the rest of us had lunch and tucked into Bridget's piklets. It was getting late so we hightailed it out of there and headed back to camp before dark.

That night we popped around the corner from the camp site in our kayaks and visited another hot pool. This time the water temperature wasn't so scolding and enabled us to enjoy a wine or beer while some played hide-the-glostick.

Day 3 - Back to Tarawera Landing

We awoke to another great morning however the weather forecast didn't present well with buckets of rain crossing the country. Even so no one really wanted to get back to Auckland so we left well after our planned departure time and weren't in any rush. Upon reaching the landing we decontaminated our kayaks and headed into Rotorua for lunch.

As predicted and at a sensible time sure enough the skies opened but we were already driving back.

Thanks Nick for organising the weekend.

More photos of the Lake Tarawera Kayak Trip

Lekker Stroopwafel Toetje

2008-05-25T04:46:00.001+12:00

What happens when you combine deserts from both Holland and Belgium? Well we decided to find out.

Stoopwafels are two pieces of biscuit waffles stuck together with honey (aka stroop). The best ones are the fresh ones from the markets but 10 seconds in the microwave warm them nicely. The Dutch in their wisdom decided to use them as the basis of a new ice cream flavour (Stroopwafel ijs). Mmmm, I thought what if we pile these goodies onto a Belgium waffle.

Warm waffles, soft Stroopwafel ice cream topped with mini Stroopwafels makes for a lovely dessert that isn't too sweet although filling.

Marikenloop

2008-05-20T05:32:00.000+12:00

Every year for the past 5 years Nijmegen hosts the "Marikenloop".It's Europe's largest female sporting event with over 7000 runners raising money for breast cancer.

This year Renate decided to join her sister and friend Corine in running the 5km track and managed to get a couple of practices in before the race. OK so its not a marathon but a great starting point and for a great cause. When they use excuses like "but there's a big hill" you just have to smile.

Even though they had completed longer distances around the local park it was still a big event and Renate and Corine were both pleased with their sub 30 minute time and finished literally hand in hand.

Of course the husbands and boy fiends played their part to egging them on from the side lines shouting words of encouragement.

Happy 60th Wim & Almah

2008-05-16T06:46:00.000+12:00

We both had to work so this trip was more like taking our every day lives and shifting them across the world oceans. Once again my bosses found it in their heart to allow be to work for a few weeks on the other side of the world allowing us to spent quality time together.

One weekend we headed back to the Island of Vleiland. This time to celebrate the joint 60th birthday or Renate's parents. Due to the short stay we stayed in a motel in the sand dunes instead of camping as we have previously done. As part of their gift a photographer documented the first time they were together on Vieland with their daughters and daughter's partners.

Maarten bought along his kites (these were the larger puppies) and although the weather was hot there was a great sea breeze so we made the most of it. Marcel decided to get in on the action and bought himself a small kite at the local shop with some additional string aiming to get the kite as high as possible. They refused as its a low fly zone due to the military practice range at the other end of the Island. We found some anyway :-)

A few more photos from the weekend...

Kayak Motuora Island

2008-04-15T20:27:00.002+12:00

A few of us had decided that two nights would be better than one so after a rushed Fri morning of work we were off stopping for a quick bite in Orewa conscious it would soon be dark. We made it to Sulivan's bay in good time with the remaining daylight assisting us making sure we didn't leave anything important behind (as it turns out eggs weren't that important).

As the sun vanished over the horizon we set of across the milk pond they call Mahurangi harbour. Due to the small amount of light reflecting off the slither of moon it was easy to see the the phosphorous streaming off the paddles and bows of the yaks. It didn't take more than an hour across the smooth water and upon our arrival a flock of Kawahi freaked at our lights and spent the next 15 minutes mostly out of the water. We knew at least one other member of the club was already there and it didn't take long to find Farzad and Lance and setup along side and enjoy the remainder of the evening over a few quiet beers.

Saturday morning was upon us and the others would be arriving soon. The plan was to head across and explore the nearby Islands of Moturekareka and Motuketekete but the wind was picking up and was forecast to increase in the afternoon. We decided to wait for the others and in an attempt to locate them in amongst the whitecaps climbed the hill behind the camp site. Sure enough this gave us their position but fighting the headwind it would still take them a while so we explored the nearby hills. We made it back to camp in time for their arrival and put the kettle on. The wind was picking up so we spent the day erecting a tarpaulin tent shelter complete with flag, exploring the rest of the Island and of course eating all the goodies everyone brought along. The weather was getting worse and some boaties made a dash for the mainland whilst we made ourselves comfortable. As night fell the shelter stood up to everything nature had to throw at it protected us from the elements while we wined and dined the evening away.

In the morning the weather wind was up even more and most would have been happy to use that an an excuse not to go back to work but instead we packed up as planned. Understandable there were a few nervous faces as we gathers on the beach ready to depart. For safety we broken into pods of about 6 as its easier to keep an eye on one another and prevents running into each other. The swell was two metres with 3 metre waves which certainly felt higher when you were looking down into them whilst sitting in a 5M long kayak. The wind was hanging around the 40 knot mark so we had no chance if it was a headwind. The swell and wind came from astern so although it was possible to paddle and ride some of the waves. Only two people came out so it was a good chance to practice rescues in the somewhat crazy conditions.

Except for a couple of sore backs we all made it safe and sound stopping at and taking over the Puhoi Tavern for a spot of lunch and tell war stories. If there is anything this trip has taught us even though it was difficult conditions the skills we have learnt can be applied in the worst of conditions.

More photos of the Motuora Island Kayak Trip

Kayak Lake Waikaremoana (Easter 2008)

2008-04-01T07:04:00.012+13:00

Day 0 - Auckland to Waikaremoana

6am the alarm clock sounded and within an hour we were on the road avoiding both rush hour and the Easter madness on the roads. It was a leisurely trip with a few stops along the way as we were in no rush and needed to pick up a few supplies along the way. Along the metal road a bus pulling over to allow a car to pass went over a bit too far sliding into the ditch so we offered them our assistance and before long we were all on our way.

We eventually made it to the camp site at Waikaremoana late in the afternoon and startled the bunnies, perhaps a sign of things to come. We unpacked over a quiet beer welcoming the others as they arrived. Les and Gregor demonstrated how to pack their kayaks for those of us new to multi day overnight missions.

Day 1 (Easter Friday) - Waikaremoana to Waiopaoa Hut

The plan was to be on the water at 9:30am so after a final shower and a quick breakfast it was down to the water with plenty of time to pack. It doesn't matter how much experience one has packing a kayak, we always bring too much and end up making sacrifices whether it be a chair, thermos or snorkelling gear.

We were off on a perfect morning, each stroke piercing the still dark water reflecting the sky and surrounding mountains! Some faster than others as Larraine made a flying start whilst the rest of us took our time chatting to our new companions heading for the cliffs of Panakiri for morning tea. Upon arrival the first thing was for everyone to dash into the bushes from the last minute cup of coffee.

From here the group split into two groups; those preferring to take their time and explore all the bays and inlets and those making a beeline straight for lunch. The level of the lake was significant lower than last year and with the still waters the sunken forests were clearly visible to a depth of about 20 metres.

A quick swim before lunch set the tone for the rest of the trip trying to get in as many dips during breaks to make the most of the warm water and fantastic weather. That afternoon we again split into our explorer and beeline pods making it camp around 3:30pm. What was an empty camp site soon filled as we settling in with a keg of beer, plenty of wine and snacks taking it in turns to kill wasps.

As night fell Vaughan headed out for a spot of night kayaking (something to do with the harvest moon) so we lit up the kayaks on the beach to guide him back in the dark. As the moon rose most of the group headed to bed whilst the remainder headed down to the beach to muffle the laughter over a few wines. The moon was overhead before the rest of us ended up getting some shuteye so who only knows what time that was.

Day 2 - Waiopaoa Hut to Upokororo Bay

After the previous nights efforts some people were quieter and slower than usual. We only had a short paddle to our first stop at the Korokoro falls a short walk from the main track. At an impressive 22 metres high the cold spray filled the valley walls although some were game enough to enter the pools. From the falls we meandered around the lake edge until we found a suitable lunch stop at Maraunui Bay. After lunch the wind picked up a little changing direction as we moved around the different bays.

It seems that it doesn't matter how much distance we had to cover each day we always made it to the next campsite about 3:30pm in the afternoon. This night we camped at Upokororo Bay where the hut warden mows the grass at a beautifully manicured hut. The tents were pretty much arranged in a semi-circle steering clear of the camp fire which we planned to use that evening.

A couple of trampers were interested giving kayaking a go so Denis and Gregor obliged talking them through the basics and correcting some obvious mistakes such as sitting on the spray deck or trying to put the spray deck on with knees coming out of the cockpit. They eventually made it back with big smiles on their faces. By this time we had the fire going and in between knocking our heads (some harder than others multiple times) on the shelter and cooking dinner spent the rest of the night around the fire. During lulls in the conversation and as more went to bed the noise of the snorers increased.

Day 3 (Easter Sunday) - Upokororo Bay to Tapuaenui Bay

That morning the Easter bunny paid a visit leaving a small chocolate deposit in each kayak and still remains at large leaving much speculation. It was an overcast day with isolated patches of rain being seen around some of the bays across the lake however they didn't stray our way and we remained dry. It was a short day so we tried to use as much time as possible to explore the clear depths, rivers and lagoons which turned out to be the best spot to see the trout. With only a few quiet strokes the yaks passed through the glassy water with hardly a ripple.

Tonight's camp site was located at the end of an arm and upon jumping out after beaching one sunk into deep mud. A cold wind blew in so most enjoyed soup for their lunch before deciding what to do for the afternoon. Some went for a walk/run to the next hut, some decided to go for another paddle and others decided to head out to the point where they could jump off large rocks into the 44 metre water. This also proved to be the ideal spot to wash all the wine spillage out of a kayak... or was it? What happens when you fill the rear compartment with in deep water?

That night the wind died down enough for another camp fire on the beach where we attempted to finish off the rest of the food whilst Megan tried to burn down the camp site. Denis came to the rescue picking up the flaming cooker and throwing it into the lake. After dinner some went for a short kiwi spotting expedition in nature's equivalent of Fort Knox. With all the talking, torches, trees crashing it wasn't surprising we didn't see anything.

Day 4 (Easter Monday) - Tapuaenui Bay to Auckland :-(

Once again everyone was happy to be on the water for another perfect morning but no one really wanted to go back to Auckland. Various attempts were made to slow this process with our first detour to kayak under the impressive Waihirere falls, more rock jumping and a water fight that lasted most of the way back to the starting point.

After arriving back at the starting point we were good boys and girls checking, cleaning and drying our gear to ensure we couldn't contaminate any other waterways with Didymo. As we did so numerous boats mounted their trailers only to disappear down the road.

Unfortunately our trip had come to an end so thank you Nick, Larraine and Russell for organising it.

More photos of the Lake Waikaremoana Kayak Trip

6.6 Degrees of Separation?

2008-03-17T08:32:00.000+13:00

We have all heard of the Six degrees of separation to explain how everyone in the world is connected to everyone else but is there any proof? Am I connected get to for example one of the famous Maasai warriors in only 6 jumps? Upon reflection perhaps it is possible. I know some South African's and have travelled to and worked in Africa.

Anyway, a bored research team at Microsoft decided to find out by analysing the Windows Live Messenger traffic for a single month. Sure this doesn't take into account all cultures and walks of life but its a good start and their results point at 6.6 degrees of separation.

More information

Six degrees of separation in instant messaging

Leitch's Clearing

2008-03-15T07:02:00.006+13:00

I've never walked in this area before or really knew about it so it was a nice to visit somewhere different. It's an easy overnight walk only 3hrs each way so you really spend more time in the car from Auckland than actually walking but worth it all the same.

The track starts off at the back of Pio Pio just to the West of Te Kuiti in the Whareorino Forest on the way to New Plymouth. A gentle uphill starts the walk followed by about an hour flat then a gentle hour down into and across Leitch's Clearing. It's a nice piece of bush with some streams but no major features like waterfalls. The area is also home to a couple of native frog species.

Walking across the clearing to the South we came across the hut hidden in amongst the trees located in a beautiful little spot complete with a river and hills all around. Mr Sam Leitch originally bought the land because he thought it would be a bustling little centre between three towns. This never happened and DOC now administers this piece of New Zealand.

After finding the hut it was quickly off with the packs to scout around checking out suitable camping spots and the river. We were surprised to find that some creative individuals covered the river band with rock monuments. We added a few of our own whilst the wine cooled and downstream some had a swim.

Of course a walk this easy means one can go to town in terms of the evening meal and we certainly did that. By now it was dark so we surprised Mike down my the river with a chocolate cake complete with candles for his birthday. Happy birthday Mike!

The moon set (went down) at about 7:30pm leaving stars alone to light the clearing. For those that aren't used to these sorts of skies you can walk around and see quite well in the middle of the night with starlight alone.

Whirinaki - Auckland Anniversary 2008

2008-02-03T22:07:00.003+13:00

Day 1 - Road End to Central Whirinaki Hut (6hrs)

This is one of my favourite areas for tramping in New Zealand which forms part of the Te Urewera National Park. We managed to make good time making it into the forest and to the Whirinaki Falls for a spot of lunch. Here we bumped into a group from the Waikato tramping club who turned out to be our companions for the rest of the weekend.

The rest of the day was easy walking and we made it to the Central Whirinaki hut with plenty of daylight and setup out tents in such a way the snorers were at a safe distance. As evening approached we were unable to locate any native Whio (Blue Duck) as we have seen on previous visits.

Unfortunately Ish managed to get some stubborn substance in his eye that wouldn't budge no matter what we tried. Emptying our bladders (the drinking kind) into his eye.

In the dead of night we were awoken with a loud crashing like a cliff over the river collapsed. In was only in the morning we were to discover a huge tree had fallen onto the hut blocking the track. It's rotten top disintegrated as it hit the hut covering the piping and ground with dust. Without a whisp of wind that night it could have been a stray possum trying to reach just too far for near by fruits. Either way Ish's eye appeared to have cleared although his eye was still fat and couldn't open properly.

Day 2 - Central Whirinaki Hut to Mangamate Hut (6hrs)

First thing we made the call to bypass Upper Whirinaki hut due to our late start and feedback from some other trampers that there was a lot of Windfall. Instead we headed to Mangamate Hut with Winston and myself taking the 1.5 hour detour to the caves in 45 mins (no packs). Masses of cave wetas at the ready to jump on on and attack unsuspecting intruders into their domain.

After resuming course back on the main track we were quickly bogged down by a mass of windfall. This area had only been cleared the previous September but it looked like several years worth. After navigating the maze of tangled branches we found the track and the rest of the party. One of the ladies from the Waikato Tramping club had sprained her wrist in a trip all caught on film from Geoff.

This piece of track was completely different from the wide open track of the first day. It was narrow, overgrown and had many small stream crossing but very beautiful all the same. The last leg of the day was a grunt straight up onto the ridge line where the hut now lies for another lovely night.

Day 3 - Mangamate Hut to Road End (4hrs)

It was a cold morning. The hills and mountains around the hut meant that it would be a while before the sun came up. After breakfast I thought it would be nice to make a video postcard for Renate so I taught the group how to say Greeting from New Zealand (in Dutch of course).

I think I earned good brownie points for that :-) As the sun hit the hut we eventually set off for the last day of our walk down into the valley to follow the Upper Mangamate Stream back to the road end. This was probably the easiest day and nicest in terms of scenery. Even though most of the track followed the river or went through the river it was easy walking with miniature waterfalls and plenty of greenery. I think we spent more time in the river than on the tracks.

Whirinaki Lodge is a good place to stay the night before you kick off or at least have them look after your car whilst on the track. Be warned though it's $70 if you take their car to the start of the track and only about $35 if they use your car. I specifically asked the difference before hand to which my question was avoided. Oh well, its not much shared between four but its the principal and parking should never be the most expensive part of the trip.

Flight of the Conchords

2008-01-20T21:14:00.000+13:00

Some how, some place HBO in American loved the Wellingtonian comedy duo of Bret and Jemaine (aka Flight of the Conchords) they decided to turn it into a TV series. It's the story of a struggling band trying to make their way in New York full of dry kiwi humour.

Intermixed with the stories are segments based on popular music videos from years gone by including if I'm not mistaken the Pet Shop Boys as well as rappers, raster's and even possibly Devo.

Anyway, here is a sample clip of their song Business Time to get you in the mood.

Oh and a thank you must go out to Prime TV in New Zealand for not only airing it after TVNZ opted out but for repeating it so I can catch up.

Bring on series two!

Burial or Cremation?

2008-01-19T21:27:00.001+13:00

Warning: Some of this post may conjure up graphic images.

As a youngan I used to deliver circulars (aka Junk Mail) for a bit of extra cash. One of the houses had the word Death written on the letter box. Later I worked out this was pronounced De Ath.

What has this got to do about my travels in the Netherlands? I don't know but its certainly a more religious country than NZ. The question arose one day Burial or Cremation? The answers I'm sure vary greatly depending upon your religious beliefs, the impact on the environment and a number of other factors.

Whilst staying with a friend in London a few years back he comment that they may be doing "double-decker" burials at the local graveyard soon. I certainly didn't think would happen but many city graveyards are simply running out of space.

It was only in 1963 The Pope lifted the ban on cremation however some cultures have bans on burial. Some believe the body is just a vessel for the soul and the body has no use after death and others belive its scared.

Some might say having insects nibble away at you might be a more natural way for your body to return to the earth, and others may not be able to bare the thought.

The scattering of ashes although restricted in some countries might allow for a memorial place somewhere a more relevant. It may be under a tree, the top of a mountain or out at sea rather than in a graveyard with thousands of others.

Which is the more environmentally friendly? Surely having your body go up in smoke must release some pretty toxic chemicals but how does that compare to people being buried? Do those same chemicals seep into the ground?

Respect of the deceased must always be paramount but with cremation it all seems very industrial. What happens to all those left over bits and I'm sure they cannot get every little bit of ash.

Just before posting this, Renate pointed out that in Prague (Czech Republic) more than 200,000 Jews are buried in an area only 100 metres by 100 metres some 12 deep.

I've made up my mind, have you?

PS: Apologies for the heavy nature of this piece.

Not the Nine O'clock News

2007-12-10T13:05:00.005+13:00

For your viewing pleasure here are a couple of my favourite clips from the old show.

Gerald the Gorilla

Darts Sketch

Farewell to Nan Ranger

2007-12-01T21:32:00.000+13:00

After a life on the other side of the world I didn't know my Nan Ranger very well and it was only on her 90th birthday I finally met her and got to know all those personality traits including where my father gets his cheeky nature.

It was when I was first born she made her only visit to New Zealand and it took me a while to return the favour. Since then I've popped in from New Zealand a number of times to make the visit.

Her body was old and frail but her mind remained sharp. I sincerely believed she would be the first Ranger (that I know of) to make the ton and get a birthday card from the Queen but it wasn't to be.

I take comfort in having the opportunity to get to know her and for Renate to have meet her this year.

More on Nan's visit this year with my post Only a four needed for a century

Mt Pirongia Tramp 2007

2007-11-23T13:10:00.000+13:00

Mt Pirongia is the main landscape feature just to the west of Hamilton. It's very close to Auckland but seems almost forgotten.

Mike, Regina and I headed down on the Saturday morning and planned to spend the night at the hut as always taking tents just in case all 6 bunks were full.

On a previous visit we thought we had taken the wrong track as it was quite rugged and took under longer than expected. With this in mind I checked all the signs and times and we set off up the Mahaukura track.

It was an overcast day with the cloud trapping in the heat so it was going to be a sweaty one. Shortly after starting the walk I had a nagging feeling my car was unlocked and the feeling didn't fade so after running back to check I discovered I had made the right call, locked my car and returned to the others.

Not long after we discovered we were on the correct track the previous trip mostly following a ridge line and using the roots of plants to assist. It took us the planned 6hrs with numerous stops as we weren't in a hurry.

We made it in time to reserve our spots in the hut but since we had our gear and more people were arriving we used our tents.

That evening at the hut from just under the 1000M summit the sunset was spectacular lighting up the forest and sky alike.

In the morning it was much the same with a lovely sunrise and crystal clear sky. After a leisurely breakfast we headed back up to the summit before taking after track down. We could see all the harbours below the mountain and all the mountain ranges across the central North Island including Taranaki, Ruapehu, Nurahoe, Tongariro, Kaimai's, Hunua's and Coromandal.

With views all the way down we took the Tirohanga then Ruapane tracks getting back to the car in about 5hrs before heading back to Auckland.

Interesting facts about New Zealand

2007-11-14T13:08:00.000+13:00

Lake Taupo, the big lake in the middle of Zealand's North Island is the worlds largest volcanic crater.
If you were to lay New Zealand on a map of Europe, Invergagill would be about Zurich in Switzerland and Cape Reinga would be 300kms into Africa.
Famous New Zealander's include Sir Edmund Hillary who was the first person to climb Mount Everest and Ernest Rutherford who was the first to split the atom and of course the first person to fly Richard Pearse.
In 1987 New Zealand became a nuclear-free country free from nuclear weapons and power. Of course this meant the US Government downgraded us from a ally to a friend (C'est la vie).
The Kiwifruit unlike the Kiwi (confused by European's as the fruit rather than the bird or person) was imported from China. When I was young this was called the Chinese Gooseberry.
Some of the more interesting New Zealand inventions include the Tranquilliser Dart Gun, Milking Machines and Ear tags for farming, Disposable Syringes, Bungy Jumping, Blokart's and Zorbing.

Update You may also want to have a look at Interesting facts about Holland

Te Henga (Bethelle's) Walk 2007

2007-10-28T12:04:00.001+13:00

After Holland its straight back in the bush, well sort of...

Auckland is one of the narrowest points of New Zealand nestled between the Tasman sea, Pacific Ocean and home to three large harbours. The east coast is littered with sheltered white sandy beaches where as the west coast is a lot more rugged with its black sand large surf.

The walk follows an established and marked route from the top of the cliffs and Murawhai and takes you North along the cliff tops to Bethelle's beach. All in all its not a long walk and the sea breeze certainly keeps you cool as there's almost no shelter from the sun along the walk. Wear sunscreen.

It takes about 3-4 hrs each way but we cheated and parked cars at both ends but in some ways you spend more time doing this that walking.

We finished the day a picnic dinner to watch the sun go down at the lake behind Bethelle's beach. All in all, it was a great day except for a bit of car sickness on the windy roads.

Whilst in Holland...

2007-10-27T10:58:00.002+13:00

Two guests came to stay from New Zealand (not that I expected everyone to come over).
5831 photos taken which in a 2 hour sideshow would mean less that one a second.
Two others deserted New Zealand indefinitely. My brother Rob and Stanley a good friend and Salsa instructor.
Visited seven other counties (Belgium, Germany, Turkey, UK, Czech Republic, Guernsey and Slovenia).
8 babies born. Congratulations to the parents Matt & Belinda, Rob Hogan & Barbara, Norman & Victoria, Simon & Sandra, Simon & Cara, Kelly & Fiona, Sean & Tracy, Craig & Heleen and another 3 on the way that I know of.
5 weddings of which I was able to attend a couple in Holland. Congratulations Corine & Hubert, Ginny & Nick, Vicki & Rodney, Geoff & Leigh, Brent & Mary and couple more scheduled.
3 people have passed away including my May Sampson my New Zealand grandmother.

...and for the blog...

I've posted 39 blog entries but apparently they read like encyclopedia articles but I'm not exactly a writer :-)
409 regular visitors to my blog and on average read it 3 times.
The most popular articles were Stone Marten (Martes foina), Koningindag (Queen's Day) and Istanbul and Troy, Turkey 2007.
Funniest search terms people used to find my blog "renate likes to" and "prague blog stag".
Wow, people came to my blog from 45 different countries including Maldives, Kuwait and Malaysia but the Dutch topped out the Kiwis in terms of readership with the US and UK coming in after that. The Dutch also spent longer reading but maybe that may be due to understanding the slang.

Likes and dislikes of living in Holland

2007-10-18T10:58:00.002+13:00

After 7 months living in Holland where is what I have enjoyed the most:

Living with Renate of course but that is the point.
No rush hour. Ok so this isn't a Dutch thing but I can wake up in the morning and be working at 7:30 without sitting in a car for 30-45 minutes.
Biking pretty much everywhere. The movies, shopping for groceries, going to friends houses or even the forest.
Different foods. Lots more interesting types of food to try both at the supermarket and dining our or at friends places. Fresh figs aren't $2.50.
Being so close to everywhere else in Europe. Weekend trips to other countries.
Meeting new people
Learning all the subtle cultural differences (some not to subtle). I even went to a ballet :-)
The great selection of beers on offer and of course better access to South African wines.
Lack of chain stores - You can go to 20 towns and except for the supermarkets all the small shops are unique (unlike the malls in NZ).
Terraces - The city centres are pretty much closed to traffic and every restaurant/bar has seating on the street.
The streets are alive with street performers and artworks

...but there also some things I didn't like or missed:

Being away from my friends, family and colleagues
The hard water always coating the jug with calcium?
The constant McDonald's signs whilst on the motorways. Its almost like McDonald's was the only company to get permission to put signs up above the height of buildings.
Unable to have great Asian food
Having to call an 0900 number and stay on hold to tell your Internet Service Provider (ISP) your Internet isn't working. Is there something wrong with this picture?
Missing the New Zealand bush and mountains... a lot and the first thing I'll do when I get back.
Only being able to buy small cuts of meat in vacuum packed containers.

Saturday morning soccer

2007-10-06T10:58:00.000+13:00

Just around the corner is the local soccer club NEC whose colours are black, green and red. Every time I go through the park and they are practicing or playing it reminds me of my soccer days.

Wind the clock back quite a few years and on Saturday mornings we would get up early, suit up in our outfits, shiny clean boots and the all important shin pads.

Rain, shine or hail, mum and dad used to take us boys off to our different games which must have been difficult (3 boys and 2 parents). They would stand at the side lines for more than an hour and a half as we warmed up and then played. If it was our turn we would bring along oranges for half time.

My team was East Coast Bays but my brother Nick and I also teamed up in the 2nd 11 for Rangitoto College.

Go East Coast Bays!

The Dutch are soccer mad in the same way as the British and in my reckoning the biggest sport in Holland as it in in New Zealand (if you're under the age of 16). Even kids as old as 5 can kick the ball better than me which isn't saying much :-)

Still, I am yet to attend a game so maybe that's one for the boys on of these days.

Camping on the Island of Vlieland in Holland

2007-10-01T10:57:00.001+13:00

It's the end of summer here so the crowds are gone leaving the camp sites empty. Renate's parents were at the end of their 3 week holiday on Vlieland so we decided to join them for a weekend. It was such as good idea that Renate's sisters both came along as well with their respective friends/partners.

I've been here before but its nice to be back in the place where Renate and her family spent many years for their summer holidays. It's difficult to describe as its more of a feeling but the words baron and wild come to mind.

Vlieland is one of the Islands just off the North coast of Holland. Although there are cars on the island they are just for the locals so you need to carry everything you need. After departing the ferry we balanced the tents and bags on the back of bikes and walked them to the camp but a horse and cart is also available.

The tents all have the same sturdy construction designed to take the wind and their sandy colour allows them to blend into the sand dunes. Mostly the camp sites are unnumbered so you can just find a spot in the dunes and setup however parts of the dunes are fenced off to protect them against erosion. Sites are also available if you need power or Internet access. Gosh everyone knows Internet access should be wireless :-)

On arrival we sat down for a spot of lunch after which we set up the tents placing a plastic sheet underneath to keep them clean rather than dry.

Some keen campers rent a spot for the entire season. For their €1,300 they can come and go through the season leaving their tent where is stands. They normally decorate their tents with bits they find on the beach from old nets, buoys and driftwood adding real character to the place. The toilet blocks are very clean and warm include under floor heating. The kids even have miniature toilets and showers.

As all the tents look similar, small flags help distinguish your tent from others and help friends and family locate you in the middle of the dunes.

The rest of the trip we took it pretty easy going out to dinner on the beach one night, exploring by bike but otherwise taking it easy.

If you want a good tent in Holland there is only one brand De Waard, and only 3 places in the entire country to get one.

Garbage in, garbage out

2007-09-29T09:56:00.000+12:00

Don't you hate it when you are in the supermarket and in a split second before you can say "no bags please" they have your bags wrapped inside other bags inside other bags and only put a couple of items in each bag? Sometimes I feel like I come home with more plastic than I do product!

I try to recycle as much as possible at home however I feel like we can always do more. In Europe this is this is almost a reality with everyone brining their own bags which has started to take off in New Zealand.

In Germany I believe if you need something from the deli you just bring your container and get them to fill it for you. Cool huh.

The only exception to this phenomenon has been in New Zealand news recently and that's the one of "food will kill you, you will die" and it needs to be hygienically sealed before hitting the shelves. What ever happed to safe cooking? Except for a few fruit and vege everything in Europe is wrapped.

The supermarkets play their party too hosting machines for recycling. Instead of leaving your bottles in a box on the footpath you take them to the local supermarket and stick them into a machine that can identify a Grolsch Wit beir bottle from a normal Grolsch bottle. The machine then spits out a credit for you to redeem at the checkout. You can also recycle batteries which a lot better throwing them out with the normal rubbish.

I congratulate the Europeans on their stance and I doubt its just a show like the original recycling attempts of some fast food chains in NZ where the recycling bins were just emptied into the normal rubbish.

Winter is coming

2007-09-25T07:11:00.000+12:00

A little over a week ago I looked outside and and there in the middle of the greenery there was a patch of orange. With summer officially over we are into Autumn and the trees are very quickly preparing for hibernation.

Even though we have been blessed with clear skies the temperature rarely gets above 18 degrees. In the sun it is warm but the the shadows are cold.

Everyone is now dressing in their winter clothes with big coats and scarf's but its not actually that cold.... yet.

It's strange to think that if I was in New Zealand I would probably be on a mountain skiing in similar conditions. Perhaps in a t-shirt in September.

Update: Autumn has struck with a vengeance. A couple of weeks later and the days are misty, the roads are covered with leaves and the trees presenting with a colourful display or gold and orange.

Snake in the Grass

2007-09-23T20:40:00.003+12:00

Yesterday whilst we were riding in the forest I saw my first real live snake that wasn't in captivity. I've seen plenty of creepy crawlies over the years in various countries but never a snake even in Australia.

Anyway, it turned out this little fellow is the stock standard Grass Snake ("Ringslang" in Dutch) identifiable from its distinct yellow/black neck markings. It was actually pretty cute measuring about a metre long but only about 15mm at its widest point and it was curled up like snakes do. I found it in the middle of the road so herded it to safety with my bike safe to live another day.

Update I remembered I have seen a sea snake in Fiji too.

Op je fiets (On your bike)

2007-09-15T20:40:00.003+12:00

The entire time I've been living here we have only used the car once to go somewhere local. Hey it was a rainy night and we felt like curries (Mmmm, oh how we miss Sages).

We literally go everywhere by bike and why not? The steepest street is up a bridge over the river. Fietspaden (cycle ways) are footpaths especially for bikes and scooters. At major intersections they have their own traffic lights but normally bikes have the right of way. This is pretty scary at first deliberately biking into the path of an oncoming car but they stop. Glad I'm not coming from Holland to New Zealand.

Nijmegen is a student town so there are a lot of young people but its also home to many older people and disabled (I can't remember the current politically correct term). They are just as quick on the fietspaden with their supercharged mobility scooters. Maybe Top Gear should do an episode of them. I wonder how many scooter vs. car accidents there are.

The local constabulary often patrol the streets on their bikes and will sting you 20 euros for every light not lit if you're riding at night. Other than that there aren't many rules. Helmets are not required so even in the forest and road riders hardly ever wear helmets.

If you need to catch a train you ca either lock your bike up in a special garage at the station or better yet just take a fold up bike.

People ride around town, two bags full of groceries on the back, two kids sitting in child seats, one front and one back. One hand holding an umbrella, one holding a cigarette whilst talking on their mobile phone. The children that are old enough to double hold onto their parents like Koala bears.

Except for the hot weather biking (fietsen) is a fast and safe way to get around town and even between towns or countries. Often you can get somewhere faster by bike than by car.

Auckland needs to certainly needs to buck up their ideas and add more dedicated cycle paths. I don't mean the kind that doubles as a bus lane. Buses and bikes don't mix.

For me biking in Holland is a fantastic way to get around. I still need to learn the Dutch way of riding slowly hand in hand having a chat along the way.

Food, glorious food

2007-09-09T20:36:00.000+12:00

Kaas and brood (Cheese and bread) is the staple here for breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner.

Unlike New Zealand the supermarkets are considerably smaller with the local Albert Hein XL (which everyone comments "how great it is to have a large supermarket") is only slightly larger than the local 4 Square. Due to the small size of these establishments the selection is somewhat limited. For example, you can reach to both ends of the cereal section without moving a foot. This is quite unlike the 50 metre isle 2 stories high at the Pak N Save next door with 100 different types of cereal. Where this is "turned on it's head" (opposite for Dutchy's) is the Drop (Dutch licorice) isle.

Unlike myself in Kiwiland who drives to the supermarket next door buys huge amount of food to last me a month, the Dutch go daily to buy what they need for that day and perhaps breakfast the next day. This may seem inconvenient but I don't know how I could fit my normally load on the back of my bike.

Of course there are lots of fast foods as well. Whilst out on the markets of course there is fresh Stroopwafel (honey coated waffles), Haring (salted raw Herring) and of course Dutch Kroketten which you can get out of the window or as takeaways with fries and mayonnaise.

I feel like a kid in a lolly shop as the saying goes. So many new products to try and finally its easy to purchase all those items its difficult to get in NZ such as fresh figs and prosciutto. It's all just there waiting form me to try out new recipes.

PS: What is the world coming to when you buy McDonald's tomatoe sauce in the supermarket like you can here?

A litre of petrol...

2007-09-08T20:26:00.000+12:00

In Holland petrol is €1.56 per litre whilst in New Zealand it's about the same but in New Zealand dollars. That's about half the price so count yourself lucky kiwis.

Petrol is so expensive on the motorways that they don't even advertise the prices. At the smaller stations some unmanned you just use your cash point card and are played ads on a TV screen at the pump as you fill up.

One of the guys in my Dutch class, Ali comes from Iran and recently petrol has increased from 3 euro cents per litre to 8 euro cents per litre in the last few years.

Most people in Holland use bikes to get around or public transport. Of course if you live you live in one place and work in another town off the main rail links people still drive.

Every morning the news shows a map of Holland with all the traffic jams shown in red and measuring hundreds of kilometres. In winter it can be up to 800kms which is more than double the height of the country!

Double Dutch

2007-09-01T20:26:00.000+12:00

In Holland it means using two different types of contraceptive but I've ways know it as something that is confusing ("This is all double Dutch").

Learning Dutch has been both good fun and hard. Good fun because its learning something new and talk in a different language but difficult because everyone speaks English and you never know the exact words to say in Dutch. I can't exactly have a conversation with Renate after a hard days work "Hallo Renate, Ik ben Antony", its more like "ok, and so the person's foot has rotted away because they weren't taking their medication correctly.

Everyone in the Dutch class were there learning Dutch for themselves rather than having to learn it as part of living in Holland. We came from a wide area including Estonia, Bosnia, Iran, Iraq, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Colombia and of our me from New Zealand. Our tutor Peter did a great job although I can imagine the frustration at times.

We took a couple of trips to help us with our integration. One to a Kaasboerderij (cheese farm) and the other to Den Bosch.

Learning Dutch I felt like I was 2 years old again learning new words, asking "what is this", "what is that" all the time like my nephew Sam. My first Dutch word book (a gift from Renate's parents) is a picture book like something from Richard Scary.

It started off easy enough where you can pretty much substitute words in Dutch for English "Ik ben Antony" is "I am Antony" but it quickly gets a bit more complex:

When telling the time you say its "half tien" (half ten) its actually 9:30 and 8:40 is worded "tien over half negen" (10 minutes over half past eight).
Many words have several completely different meanings. An Ezel is an esil but also a donkey.
Squirrel translates to Eekhoorn (pronounced Acorn) where as an Acorn is Eikel which is also the head of a penis.
Shop sales on Monday (Easter etc) are called Sale Sunday but on Monday.

There are also lots of funny literal translations so here are just a few:

Letter box (brievenbus) translates to "letter bus".
Pocket (kontzak) translates to "bum sack"
Snail (slak) translates to "slug" but a slug translates to "naked slug" (naakt slak)
Hospital (ziekenhuis) translates to "sick house"

The Dutch Wedding as a day guest

2007-08-25T20:23:00.002+12:00

It was a lovely summer morning and we needed to drive to Enschede to be there for 9:30am. If you're a day guest the Dutch wedding starts very early.

We started with tea, coffee and cake at the bride and groom's apartment with the rest of the day guests everyone dressed up for the big day. Hubert (the groom) was safely staying at his family's place but soon arrived to pickup Corine and together welcomed the day guests. It was then a short walk from their apartment across the centre to the city council building whilst Hubert drove Corine in the wedding car.

The city council is the official marriage in the eyes of the government. Photos were taken in the large halls before moving upstairs into the small chapel like room where the ceremony took place and the marriage certificate was signed.

Afterwards we headed outside and around the corner to a lovely old Catholic church where we were treated to a traditional Catholic wedding with the lighting of the candles and communion. No so traditional was Hubert's sister Lynette's rendition of James Taylor's "You've got a friend".

From the church Corine and Hubert went for these photos whilst the rest of us headed to Bloemenbeek in De Lutte (the reception venue) for a spot of lunch and waited for them to return giving us time to decorate their room as they were staying the night. A little while later the skies opened with a massive downpour but they arrived shortly after missing the rain. We greeted them with a song followed by a slide show of their lives, the cutting of the cake and opening of gifts.

Next on the agenda was dinner so we found our way around the corner to another room where we were seated at a few large round tables for the evening meal. It was a large piece of eye fillet cooked in hay and was heerlijk (yummy). Dinner was followed by dessert and speeches of which Renate shared her experiences with Corine whilst they lived in Guyana working at the local hospital (I modelled the photos).

It was now time for the party which was located in yet another room. There evening guests were already there and the band was playing a great mix of popular tracks. I knew most of them and everyone under the age of 65 was up and dancing. Most were short versions so you didn't get bored with the songs that dragged on.

There was also other entertainment during the evening. Hubert's work colleagues dragged him up along with some of his other friends for a blindfolded air guitar session. The only thing was that as soon as the song started his friends were taken off the stage leaving only Hubert do the song by himself of which he would make any rocker proud. Lynette also did a fantastic job of singing another song "You just call out my name".

The night ended quite late with a complaint about the noise finishing with ham and mustard rolls and satay. We stuck around afterwards and had a quiet drink as we were also staying at the hotel. Instead of going to bed through we had a swim at 2am in the deserted pool room.

In the morning we sat down with the married couple and their family for breakfast before enjoying some of the surrounding countryside.

I felt privileged to be part of such as special occasion. Congratulations!

Update: Actually Hubert's parents up up and dancing as well and they are 75.

Mmmmm, bier

2007-08-25T19:45:00.002+12:00

I've always been a fan of Grolsch bier although back in my student days it was a bit expensive for a student budget. Unlike Heineken, Grolsch remains brewed and bottled in The Netherlands and shipped out the New Zealand in its natural form even though the bottles have lost their ceramic cap.

Now that I'm here it's the perfect opportunity to try all the delights on offer including the huge variety of European beers. Unlike the supermarkets in New Zealand you can buy single bottles (or mini-kegs) rather than by the six pack or dozen. This makes sampling the large selection even easier.

Last October I discovered a little known (even amongst the Dutch) named Grolsch Weizen (Wheat even though I thought it meant White). I declare it my current favourite beer.

From the first moment the wire rips the neck seal and the ceramic top pops with a little cloud of gas escaping you know something special has begun. As you pour its amber contents into a glass the fine froth reaches back up the glass. It's cloudy appearance says its not your usual chemically enhanced purified beer but a more earthy organic beverage.

Suitable for a hot summer day or a cold winters evening this beer is not only tasty but versatile. It's large bottle size means you always need to refill your glass so you're never left hanging wanting more.

There is a Dutch saying (that a not so old Dutchman recently taught me) that sums up Grolsche Weizen:

Alsof er een engeltje op je tong piest
(It feels like an angel is pissing on your tongue) - Sorry Mum

Microsoft Surface

2007-08-25T19:40:00.001+12:00

Despite the name, Microsoft Surface is extremely cool and will revolutionise where and how we interact with computers. This is a real product that you can buy today for lots of money.

Enough talking, go to the Microsoft Surface site, look and the videos then watch the one below for a actual non-marketing real-world demo.

Farewell Nan, we will miss you

2007-08-17T06:14:00.005+12:00

Just before heading to Slovenia for a weeks holiday I rang my grandfather in New Zealand to wish him a happy birthday. It was anything but, Nan wasn't doing well and he didn't expect her to last much longer. A day later and after 86 wonderful years she left us.

For as long as I can remember, she has always been a part of my life spending large amounts of time together when I was younger, for this I consider myself very lucky. I was her first grandson and first generation New Zealander in the family.

I am grateful for the family bond and values passed down the generations and will continue this myself with my children and grandchildren. Without her I would not be the person I am today.

We found it difficult being on holiday at such a time and wished we could be there with everyone. Back in New Zealand there is great family support and the mountain walking in Slovenia gave me ample time to reflect on her life and what she meant to us.

It was a beautiful funeral with many people coming to pay their respects. My brother played Across the Universe by John Lennon & Paul McCartney, many lovely words were said and she was honored by the Last Post from her days in the Royal Air Force.

Thank you to all those who helped out the past couple of weeks arranging everything and keeping me informed and to Nick for representing both Renate and myself.

Always looking back with that smile on her face. I will always will remember her this way.

Interesting facts about Holland

2007-08-15T06:14:00.000+12:00

The drinking age is only 16 so I haven't been asked for ID.
Soft drugs and only soft drugs like Marijuana and Magic Mushrooms are legal in Holland and can only be sold at licensed coffee shops. You can however grow your own. What's going to happen next year when the smoking ban is introduced?
Prostitution is legal but you must be at least 18 years old and you must be at least 16 to participate.
Why do Dutchies like orange so much? It's the name of the royal family "House of Orange".
Tulips don't actually come from Holland. They come from Turkey just like the Kiwifruit is actually from China (the Chinese Gooseberry). They do however grow and sell the most.
Some people still wear clogs and dress in the old "Milk maid" outfits. Of course this isn't everyday people walking down the street on the way to work but older more traditional communities (not just the tourist towns).
Holland has the highest population density in Europe with over 493 people per square kilometer.
Netherlands literally means low country. Only half of the country is over higher than one meter whilst 27% is actually below sea level. It's highest point is only 321 meters. When sitting on an airplane at Amsterdam the elevation shows as 15m below sea level.
A large part of Holland has been reclaimed including the worlds largest man-made island Flevoland. This led to the Dutch saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands".
As well as reclaiming huge amounts of land the Dutch also blocked off part of the sea and turned in into a giant lake, the IJsselmeer.
New York used to be named New Amsterdam as it was a Dutch colony. Australia was named New Holland and New Zealand was named after the Dutch province Zeeland by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.
Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, Escher are a just but a few of the famous Dutch artists.
The Dutch are the tallest people in the world. Men average 1.84m and women 1.7m. None of Renate's side of the family are exceptionally tall :-)
Dutch inventions include the cassettes and video tapes, CDs, microscope and telescope.
Some of the world biggest companies are Dutch including Philips Electronics, Royal Dutch Shell, IKEA (was Swedish), ING and ABN-AMRO (maybe be British very soon).
At its widest point Holland is 260kms wide and 295kms high and it less than one sixth the size of New Zealand.
If you were to put Holland in the same place in the Southern hemisphere Amsterdam will be south of Invergarvill just south of Auckland Island. Being on the mainland the temperatures are more extreme than in New Zealand.
The Dutch are the third largest exporter of agricultural products which is way more than New Zealand for a lot smaller country.
When you buy a car in Holland you get 3 number plates. One for the front, one for the back and a spare for your bike rack.

Got your own interesting fact about Holland? Add it to the comments.

Update You may also want to have a look at Interesting facts about New Zealand

The mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee

2007-08-14T06:14:00.000+12:00

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now", said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else, the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled.

I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

Goodnight Kiwi

2007-08-04T08:51:00.001+12:00

Probably more appropriate for my last days here but here it is both the original and directors cut.

For those who have never seen, this clip was played at the end of the TV coverage for the evening in New Zealand before 24hour TV coverage was the norm.

Vierdaagse (Four day walk)

2007-07-22T06:17:00.000+12:00

Every year at this time Nijmegen hosts its biggest event on the years calendar. Much like the Tour de France but on foot, in Nijmegen, and only for four days.

People flock here from all over the world to join in for the week of walking and parties with over 42,000 people participating in the walking and everyone else joining in on the fun.

Everyone can join in with people as young as 12 and as old as 90 walking 40kms every day for 4 days in a row. If you want there is even a 50km/day walk. This year 63 counties were represented including New Zealand. Some Dutchies do it every year as a sort of holiday with the record being 66 times (that's over 10,000kms which is like walking half way to New Zealand in 264 days).

Every day there is a different walk each taking a different route out of the city and back in later in the day. The streets are lined with seating and some people even reserve spots early by padlocking their couches and chairs to trees in the days before.

So many people gather that the government asks for people to billet some of the visitors, farmers turn their paddocks into makeshift camp sites complete with blow up swimming pools.

I was last in Nijmegen a couple of years ago when Nijmegen turned 2000 years old and hosted the Vierdaagse. It was just as mad.

This year we joined some friends for a BBQ across the other side of the Waal looking back at Nijmegen and watching the fireworks.

Prague (Praag, Praha), Czech Republic

2007-07-10T08:36:00.000+12:00

I've been wanting to visit Prague for a long time ever since I first saw pictures of the Gothic city covered in snow in winter. Well it wasn't winter but the city is just as spectacular and a lot more vibrant that I had imagined.

It is one of the nicest cities I have been too with beautiful buildings, castles, churches, culture and history. Prague is real mixture of all the architecture styles from Gothic, Renaissance and all the other styles I know nothing about. It is spit down the middle by the river Vltava/Moldau and high up on the hill is Prague Castle, housing its own cathedral which is one of over 250 churches in the city.

Our first excursion was to the Terezin not your usual holiday spot. The town was turned into a Jewish Ghetto/Concentration Camp and nearby prison fortress close to the German border. No one was gassed at Terezin but the conditions were pretty harsh with the Jewish leaders deciding the fate of the citizens as the trains left bound for Auschwitz. Built in 1780, the small fortress was used for political prisoners with huge numbers of people per cell and it was actually home to Gavrillo Princip after he assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand starting WWI.

It wasn't all doom and gloom however as we also enjoyed some of Prague's culture. Classical concerts were everywhere so we picked a suitable selection of music and popped along to a string quartet performance in an old church. The acoustics and music were truly wonderful and left us wondering where the rest of the orchestra was and if everyone in Prague is that talented.

Prague is also home to black light theatres. We booked in and saw a silent comedy/magic/illusion show about a magic box which was a gateway to another world (the black light bit). It was all very entertaining.

We were very lucky to be in Prague at this particular weekend as the city was celebrating the 650th birthday of the Charles bridge. Everyone was in medieval dress putting on shows around the city, birds of prey, wenches dancing to musicians on a wagon and people wheeling canons around for other shows (Not to mention the all night parties).

A weekend is far too short to spend in Prague so we'll be back again. Oh, and for the beer lovers... the supermarket sells beer for 7.5 euro cents per bottle.

The Dutch Stag Night (Vrijgezellenfeest)

2007-07-05T07:47:00.002+12:00

Corine and Hubert will be getting married on the 20th June so it is only fair they get one last night of freedom. Whilst the girls made necklaces and ate Gourmetten the boys headed out of town for an afternoon of fun and adventure.

It started with a Canadian Canoe trip down a river joining two nearby towns. We caught a ride to the start and jumped in our boats. Everyone wanted to avoid being in the same boat as Hubert just in case he was targeted so at the end only Hubert, Pascal and I were left. We finally launched our vessel after the others giving them a head start.

Slowly we caught up to the other boats and after a brief tussle managed to pass each without capsizing. Some of the bridges were so low that you have to lay down in the canoe or hit your head. Other obstacles included mini waterfalls and getting stuck in the reeds.

As we approached the last part of our journey, we stumbled across some children and educated them in river warfare. We concluded the session by indicating another three boats were following. By the time the other boats made it to the finish they were all drenched however one boat capsized themselves trying to make it under one of the bridges with Chef loosing his glasses. There was even a report of one boat being taken out of the water and walked over the bridge.

The second part of the day involved a game of Boerengolf (farmers golf). Basically the golf club is a broom stick with a clog on the end of it and the idea it to smack a Barney or Thomas the Tank Engine rubber ball around a field, trying to sink it in the holes. It is more difficult than it sounds trying to hit a light rubber ball into the wind from long grass with a clog on a stick but it is fun.

After 9 holes the light was fading so we retired to the barn to clean up, sit down to a BBQ dinner and polish off a couple of kegs of Dutch beer. That's all I remember...

So, the bachelor parties are pretty much the same in both countries in that a good time is had by all but the activities vary somewhat.

Guernsey and Sark

2007-06-30T07:49:00.001+12:00

Whilst in the UK we took a short side trip to Guernsey to visit my uncle Clive. It's only a small Island just of Normandy a world away from the UK and one of the worlds financial centre's although you wouldn't know it to look. Part of the British commonwealth its neither part of the UK or the EU and this I guess is for tax reasons.

For such a small island Guernsey has a rich history dating back to the stone age 5000BC, the Roman Empire, through the middle ages, Napoleonic wars and even during World War II. It was actually part of the Norman conquest of England back in 1066.

During our stay Clive showed us around the key spots and we even had time to swim in the English channel although it was very fresh.

Much of the natural landscape reminded me of the New Zealand's east coast but the narrow streets, old buildings and walls were of a European village.

On Guernsey we took a day trip to the Isle of Sark not too far away in terms of the boat ride but quite a different story in terms of culture. The island is still governed by the feudal system, so what the Lord says, goes.

No vehicles are allowed except for tractors, horse and carriage and bikes so we found ourselves exploring the islands nooks and crannies by bike. At one stage we came across the combined ambulance and fire station and both we appropriately painted trailers to be towed by tractors and they are actually used.

Only a four needed for a century

2007-06-29T07:33:00.001+12:00

Ryan Air needs to be seen to be believed and for 20 euro return to the London I'm not complaining. Everything is extra including priority seating and putting your luggage in the hold. It's literally a race to grab a seat as you don't have an allocated seat. Onboard the plane the seats are plastic and don't even have seat pockets. The safety instructions are printed on the headrest of the seat in front of you. Advertising lines every overhead locker as they even sell lottery tickets and rail passes on the planes. The worst part is the landing which the pilots are still trying to master.

I was last in the UK five years ago when my brother got married so it was about time I went back especially being so close.

It was my grandmothers birthday on my fathers side and Nan was turning 96 and just as cheeky as she probably was as a young lass. Just imagine what those eyes have seen from 2 world wars, countries coming and going like the tides and of course space exploration and new technologies like mobile phones.

One evening we popped across to Hyde Park as Crowded House and Peter Gabriel were playing. Minutes before we stocked up on picnic food and wine at the local organic supermarket only to have the wine taken away at the entrance. Its amazing how many people can read the back of a ticket and come up with their own view of what is/is not allowed. Crowded House was great live but immediately after the skies opened flooding the area. We managed to find a spot under a closed beer tent to watch the remainder of the concert.

Seeing all the family and friends again was great as this was the main purpose of the trip however I was able to educate Renate on the Prince Albert . I'm sure we also put on a bit of weight with all the eating.

For real?

2007-06-27T08:17:00.001+12:00

Strange but true, a New Zealand couple decided to name their child to be 4real. For some reason the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages decided this wasn't appropriate.

I guessed there must have been rules for names but never really thought about it. Along with numbers, a name cannot be Satan, Adolf Hitler or other offensive names.

I can probably guess this was the talking point of the country for a good few days making a change from the usual politics.

Wild nights in Nijmegen

2007-06-12T08:41:00.002+12:00

The last couple of days have been very muggy with the temperature topping out at 31. On Friday night Renate made it home just in time before the skies lit up with a thunder and lightning show.

Fork lightning so close that the building shook and children down stairs started crying. Everyone was at their windows watching natures performance.

Part 2 of the evening started shortly after with the slightly different sound. The Rolling Stones were in town for the night playing at the Goffert Park next door. Everyone got completely soaked at the concert but luckily no one was struck by lightning although the bolt in the photo above looks like its striking the stage.

Shortly after the rain stopped we headed across to check it out. A double fence system separated those with tickets from those without. Similar to the Berlin Wall with a no-mans land in between (except for the mine field and automatic weapons). People were queued up sneaking a peek and listening to the concert. Some people even bought step ladders along and they were selling drinks and food.

The storms have continued over the weekend with another massive show last night. We would have left the curtains open except that it gets light at 4:15am.

The Kiwi's are the next America's Cup challenger

2007-06-07T06:15:00.000+12:00

Congratulations to the New Zealand America's Cup team for taking the Louis Vuitton Cup 5 zip over Luna Rossa. They needed to win 5 of the 9 races but in the closest race of the finals, the New Zealand team won their 5th race in a row by a mere 22 seconds.

It was a bit of a challenge to get a live feed and most are pay-per-view services. TVNZ's Desktop TV service requires viewers to be in New Zealand which didn't help (anyone know a free NZ proxy server?). In the end I was able to listen to the race on www.americascup.com.

For those who don't know the America's Cup is a rich mans sailing race which also happens to be the oldest sporting cup still in use in the world. Since it started in 1851 the cup has been fraught with controversy but the yanks managed to hold onto it until 1995 briefly losing it to Australia in 1983. We lost the last defense with our boat almost sinking to Switzerland's Alinghi (a land locked country). Most of the previous Kiwi team had jumped ship (no pun intended) to sail for Alinghi of which 10 Kiwis still sail for.

Black is back (or should I say black and red, the colours of the sponsor Emirates). Good luck guys and bring it on home.

The Big Donor Show was worth watching

2007-06-02T08:02:00.001+12:00

Follow up to my previous post The Big Donor Show.

It's all over. The show was aired this evening starting with all the news headlines across the world and a montage of the networks founder Bart de Graaf. Bart was on dialysis for 13 years before having a kidney transplant. Before he died in his 30s his founded BNN (Bart Nederland Network) with fun shows.

The audience was filled with transplant survivors and they covered the donor crisis in the Netherlands. The number of donors is actually decreasing whilst more than 200 people die a year waiting for organs. Most European countries have a policy where you are a donor unless you opt-out but Holland has an opt-in policy.

Lisa (the donor) firstly selected from 25 compatible recipients removing those over 50, the very young and both smokers and ex-smokers. From there she whittled the list down to 3 possibilities who appeared on the show. She then asked the possible recipients questions about how they live and what they would do after their transplant. In the end it was a difficult decision and she wished she has 4 kidneys.

Despite the media's best efforts to discredit the show it was in fact a deliberate attempt to draw attention to the donor crisis. In the end they played Bart's laugh, the recipients were real but Lisa was a healthy actress and everyone was in on it. What a brilliant marketing campaign and obviously the government wouldn't have given the go-ahead if it was for real.

Last year there were only 25 organs donated in New Zealand. If you are willing to receive an organ you should be willing to donate. I'm a donor are you?

If you wish to be a donor tell your family and the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) so it appears on your license. Dutchies, you can download the donor form from the Donor Register site.

You can watch it online tomorrow on www.uitzendinggemist.nl.

The Big Donor Show

2007-06-01T06:06:00.002+12:00

Next week the Dutch broadcaster BNN will broadcast their new Big Brother style show named "The Big Donor Show". You have probably heard about this as I first heard about it from a kiwi.

A 37 year old woman dying from a brain tumour will decide from 3 contestants via SMS voting who gets her kidneys. Normally cancer patients cannot donate organs but the exception is brain tumours.

I don't know what the legal aspects of this are but certain in NZ people cannot sell their organs but they can donate their kidneys and bits of liver to whom they choose (relative, friend etc) providing they are healthy.

As I see it there is one major advantage of airing the show and that is to perhaps highlight the lack of organ donors around the globe. However I doubt this is their message.

I can't stand these sorts of shows so we don't plan to watch it.

Update - The Big Donor Show was a hoax.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

2007-05-28T07:30:00.001+12:00

We don't know if it has already screened in New Zealand but we have just returned from a rainy Sunday afternoon at the cinema watching "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer". The cinema was miniscule with 27 seats and almost a full house. No ads, no breaks just the movie.

This tale is a must see with the same magical feel as Chocolat but darker (Dark Chocolate?). In some ways it has a lot in common as Chocolat focuses on taste, Perfume is about smell.

It is the story of a child born in the slums of Paris in the 18th century with an extraordinarily powerful sense of smell. The tragedy is that he has no body odor himself. How that is a problem you'll have to see the movie but he becomes obsessed with making the worlds best perfume.

Rarely a film of this character comes along. It is visually appealing, original, and captivates you from its beginning to interesting conclusion.

Oh yeah, there are hot red head chicks in it too.

PS: The main character looks like a young Martin Kleine-Deters (Renate's cousin in NZ).

Apartment living

2007-05-27T08:16:00.001+12:00

I've never been keen on the idea of apartment living. Firstly I can't imaging living in a sterile hotel style place and I like to have some greenery (trees, grass etc). In most cities around the world its not an option to have your own house in the burbs.

When Renate moved back to Holland after her stint in New Zealand she wanted to find a place that would suit us both. Keeping me in the loop with photos she finally decided on a top floor apartment overlooking the local Park. It's a beautiful location surrounded by green trees and everything is accessible by bike include the local mountain bike park.

It is a spacious single bedroom open plan design on a corner. Two sides are covered with windows providing plenty of light and of course we look out straight onto the trees.

Unlike New Zealand the Dutch are proud of their living rooms and maybe because they also have double glazing there are no curtains (except the bedroom). You can look straight into anyone's house day or night and see what they are eating for dinner or watching on TV.

Because of all the greenery there is a huge amount of wildlife in addition to our experience with a Marten. Along with the usual city birds there are also Ravens, Crows, Eksters (European Magpie), Doves, Squirrels (Acorns in Dutch) and even bats as the sun disappears below the horizon.

Another observation is that Dutch houses are built to look old to fit in with their surroundings. I know some of the Dutchies will disagree with this but they are built with brick and don't have any of the modern stylings kiwis are used to. The opposite should be said for the insides which are a lot more modern than the kiwis houses.

It is certainly a nice place to live. Lovely surroundings, plenty of light and of course good company.

The Wedding of Giny and Nick

2007-05-20T02:15:00.003+12:00

Yesterday we attended the wedding of Giny and Nick (our first wedding when we could both attend at the same time).

When compiling the invites the engaged couple decide on how good a friend they are. Should they be invited as a day guest with the dinner or only invited to the party in the evening.

Dutch weddings are spread across the entire day, firstly with everyone visiting the local government in the morning for the official part (signing the documents). Afterwards it is the Church service for those religious folk followed by entertainment for the day guests whilst the photos are being taken. It is then time for dinner and speeches for the day guests. In the evening the big party takes place sometimes filled with songs, sketches and games.

The party was in a beautiful old castle Slot Doddendaal flying the Dutch flag proudly as we entered. We lined up to have our photos taken and write a message in a book in which the photos will be added later. Inside we were offered coffee and tea with a selection of hand crafted cakes. It was a warm night but people like to have tea and coffee after dinner.

Giny and Nick entered the party to a songs sung by the guests. Not understanding them they sounded like the sort of songs you expect to be sung at football matches or out at sea on a cold night. Something was missing, there were no groomsmen or bridesmaids and this is normal. They made their way to the stage and started receiving the guests for congratulatory messages and the gifts.

The stage was set for a live band. In fact a 10 piece band with 3 vocalists, 2 guitars and a selection brass instruments but before they kicked off the DJ played a selection of familiar of tunes including the Cheers theme. Giny and Nick took their place for their first dance to an upbeat number. It was a cover band who did a fantastic job singing in English and speaking in between in Dutch.

I felt like I kept getting in the way. Every 7 seconds or so I was tapped on the arm by one of the waiting staff but apparently this is how they make their money. "Drink sir, drink sir..." even if you are dancing or have a full glass in your hand.

All in all it was a lovely night. Congratulations Giny and Nick.

Moeders Dag (Mothers Day)

2007-05-13T04:12:00.001+12:00

Yep, it's the same day New Zealand as it is in Holland. In fact the largest percentage of countries have it on the on the same day (2nd Sunday in May) and the rest are pretty much randomly spread across the year.

This is just a quick post to wish my mum Pauline a wonderful day and big hugs from across the world. I'll also throw in a couple for Renate's mum as well.

Like every good Dutchy it's back to the weather...

After 7 weeks without hardly a drop of rain just as sprinkler restrictions here about to be put in place the skies opened and haven't stopped. Since Monday its been raining most of the time giving the ground and sandy mountain bike trails a good drink.

One evening Renate and I just turned off the lights in her lounge to watch and listen to the electrical storm overhead.

Love you Mum

Koningindag (Queen's Day)

2007-05-11T04:03:00.001+12:00

Every 30th of April Holland turns Orange (the colour and name of the royal family - "House of Orange"). This year the weather was perfect and in reality its a great excuse to have a party with people decorating their houses with the national flag. Traditionally the Queen takes in a small town and a city so we headed straight for Den Bosch to see what all the fuss was about.

First of all we headed through the local Goffert Park where another Queen's Day even was taking place. Queen's Day is also the day when the Dutch have a giant garage sale (Vrij Markt) across the whole country. The city centre parks and streets are filled with people selling all their junk. It was massive and the selection of goods covered topics from old records, furniture and pieces of drain pipes.

The train station was a sea of people wearing Orange heading to Den Bosch and Amsterdam but we managed to meet up with Renate's sisters and Maarten. On our arrival we were having numerous pieces of head gear offered to us from foam orange crowns to hair pieces of the Queen. The pick of the bunch was the Dr Seuss style Heineken hats.

First we headed to the bank of the canal to watch the Queen arrive by boat. Whilst waiting we sampled Oranje Tompoezen (Custard squares with orange icing) one of the special foods of the day. Not knowing what she looked like, when she arrived I miss took for a lady wearing pink. After her arrival we headed to the town centre as this was apparently the thing to do. The Queen had to make her way from the river taking in all the activities the town had set up (The Vrij Markt, Salsa dancing and sports activities) before making it to the centre.

A few songs and a quick speech and it was all over to we then attempted to find a place for a spot of lunch ("Yeah right", with so many people in town).

We headed back to Nijmegen later that afternoon and checked out the centre which was just as mad with people. Waiters walking the streets carrying beer above their heads and music coming from all angles.

Later that night over dinner we watched is all again on TV.

ANZAC Day

2007-04-30T07:28:00.001+12:00

This year we remembered ANZAC day in two parts. The first visiting the site of the battles at Gallipoli and the second part in Den Haag (The Hague).

On the 25th April, ANZAC cove is normally full with everyone camping and drinking. Instead, we opted for an earlier visit with a quiet atmosphere. It was surreal having perfect weather, beautiful scenery with no one else around, contemplating the death and destruction that occurred 92 years ago.

Over the years the trees and shrubs have grown back, the trenches have filled up and the bodies of the allies have been buried in graveyards. Unlike the ANZAC's, British, Indian (Gurkhas), French, the Turkish soldiers were buried where they fell. No grave stones, just names on a memorial.

We spent ANZAC day in Den Haag to attend a morning ceremony at the Westduin Cemetery. It's the first time I have seen VIPs at ANZAC day from so many nations. Wreaths were laid by representatives from New Zealand, Australia, Holland, Turkey, Belgium, Canada, Britain and the US.

During the ceremony, retired Dutch soldiers manned the monument and the flags of New Zealand, Australia and Holland. The ambassadors from New Zealand, Australia and Turkey all spoke along with the usual prayers, "Ode of Remembrance", "Last Post" and national anthems.

I was mainly expats living in the Holland but a few travellers passing through also came along.

After the ceremony we headed back to the NZ Ambassadors residence for breakfast. Rachel Fry (the NZ Ambassador) was appointed at the end of last year and her Dutch sounded great.

How did WWI actually start?

We all know about ANZAC day but what started it all? I probably learnt this at school but I had forgotten.

An Austrian duke was assassinated in Serbia and Serbia refused to hand over the assassin. Austria declared war on Serbia and sent in troops and from there it was a domino effect. Russia then joined in to help Serbia, Germany to help Austria, France to help Russia, Britain to protect Belgium and France therefore including the rest of the British empire. The US stayed neutral until German submarines threaten their commercial shipping.

WWI helped define New Zealand and Australia as independent nations and was the pre-cursor to Turkey becoming an independent state. Even the communist revolution may have never occurred.

I'll leave you with a quote from the father of modern day Turkey.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country, therefore ret in peace. There is no difference between the Jonnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side. Here in this country of ours... You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well. - Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, 1934

Istanbul and Troy, Turkey 2007

2007-04-22T19:15:00.005+12:00

You will need to check with Renate but I probably still smell like Turkish cigarettes. We arrived under the cover of darkness and quick settled into our hotel for the night. We arrived late to our hotel room. It was on the 1st floor next to the lift so we heard everything (I bought earplugs the next morning).

Our first sight was the impressive nature of the eyebrows and moustaches putting Movember to shame (women too, just kidding). As we walked into the centre of the old city we could see the mix of old and new. A modern light rail system snakes its way through the Roman ruins, mosques and modern shops. Parks with trees and gardens full of Tulips make it a very green city to visit. Do you know Tulips actually come from Turkey and not Holland? (Holland is full of Daffodils at the moment, not Tulips).

We saw most of the sights in the first day including the Sultan Ahmet Camii (The Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia, Yerebatan Saray Sarniçi (Basilica Cistern) and Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar) managing to escape without spending a cent. Disney must have been inspired by the Mosques of Istanbul when he came up with the famous Cinderella Castle.

Walking through the Grand Bazaar there was the usual cheap souvenirs, fake goods (Levis, Prada, Versace) but also high quality items such as hand carved chess sets, light fittings and of course carpets. Unfortunately I don't need a belly dancing outfit right now. In an attempt to get passers by to stop they ask the usual "Where are you from?" but in Renate's case they start speaking to her in Dutch before she has opened her mouth (Maybe they can smell the cheese). They thought I was either Spanish, Italian and French (or Dutch). On our last night a waiter bought us two Dutch menus.

Day two started very early being picked up at 6:30am by our little bus and driven around Istanbul picking up the rest of the group. The trip went very fast as our guide Murat educated us on Turkey's history and we arrived in Gallipoli just after lunch (more about that after ANZAC day). That night we had opted to stay in a 3 star hotel as we were told there were only dorm rooms at the hostel. It turned out to be quite a luxurious 4 star place 20kms from Canakkale.

The next morning we spent at Troy which was one of those famous treasure hunts of all time (Machu Picchu, King Tut's Tomb and Titanic). At a time when people thought the city only existed in legends Heinrich Schliemann dedicated a large portion of his life reading literature on the legend then finally discovering Troy. Of course after that he took all the riches and escaped to Germany. The Russians now have them all after capturing them in Berlin at the end of WWII.

The site itself was pretty old as you might expect dating back to 3000BC. What makes Troy unique is that the same site was used until the 1st century BC so it has more layers than a Sarah Lee Danish each unique and identifiable. Who knows if the stories of Homer are fact or fiction but they have certainly made it into modern times.

For the last couple of days exploring the new city walking up the Bosphorus river, checking our Taksim and the spice market back in the old city. I was also due for a haircut so its always fun to experiment in a new city or is it?

We had a great time and thank you to the Turkish people for their hospitality. Just remember to put your rubbish in a bin rather than throwing it over the side of a boat or into the street.

Easter 2007

2007-04-12T20:14:00.001+12:00

We have both been quite restrained with our chocolate intake. Except for the chocolate cereal (real lumps of chocolate), the only chocolate we've bought is a small box of Bon Bons from Belgium and we are only two thirds of the way through them.

Easter was spent doing a few bits with Renate's family and since Renate had to work on the Sunday and Monday I did the same. We spent Saturday at Renate's parents and had a Gourmetten meal. You cook yourself from all the bits on the table. Very cool like a Steam Boat.

On the Sunday night we had a couple of Renate's friends Maaike and Jelle over for green curry as they were in Holland instead of their home in gay Paris (mmmm, Dutch people can't take hot food).

It was probably the limited exposure to chocolate up until that point but I felt the need to stuff a chocolate Easter bunny "Browny" (a gift from Marjan) with Australian branded Belgium chocolate ice cream. Browny was quickly beheaded allowing the chocolate ice cream to flow (the Doctors loved this).

This weekend we'll take the days we worked from Easter and head to Istanbul, Turkey. We'll also take a side trip to Troy and pay our respects at ANZAC cove in Gallipoli.

Congratulations are in order for everyone who popped over the weekend. Simon & Cara with Sydney, Gavin and Erica with Oscar and Rob and Barbara with Darcy. Congratulations also to Brent and his Irish bride Mary who tied the knot this weekend and Geoff and Leigh who will tie the knot this weekend.

Stone Marten (Martes foina)

2007-04-07T05:48:00.001+12:00

Related to the Weasel and Stoat the Marten is a curious little creature that lives in the wooded areas and forests of Europe. They grow to between 40 and 50cms in length and have a large bushy tail.

Marten's are omnivores, their diet includes worms, eggs, fruit, other smaller mammals and high-tension leads in car engines.

As in the case of Renate's little Renault Clio the Marten completely ate through the lead for the number 1 cylinder. Probably a mid-night snack after finding a nice warm spot to sleep for the day.

This guy must have had good taste as he picked the most extensive cable at 70 euro.

Spring is here

2007-04-02T04:36:00.002+12:00

Since my previous post about the weather, it has certainly improved. The sun has been shining and the sky's are clear staying warm late into the evening.

Most of the smaller trees are blossoming but there is still no sign of life in the larger trees. The animals are getting frisky so it must be spring.

With all the good weather the mercury has risen and its now hotter in the day in the Netherlands than it is during the night in New Zealand.... but only just :-)

Everyone is out and about walking, biking and inline skating (which I have not ventured into yet). Thanks again Wim for the inline skates, I'll put them to good use soon.

At the moment I'm sitting here in a t-shirt with the balcony door open at 7:30pm. I've spent the day biking in the forest with a couple of biking/climbing friends making it to Germany for lunch. Most of the mud in the forest has dried up and other trails are dusty making for some great riding. Renate has night shifts at the moment so unfortunately she was sleeping today and I've just seen her off to work for the night.

When we are both home lunch is normally on the balcony after which Renate likes to relax in her hammock 4 stories up soaking up the suns rays whilst I get back to work.

Why am I here?

2007-03-30T03:31:00.000+12:00

Some of you have asked what am I doing in the Netherlands and others who is this Renate person. Well, the answer is the same for both questions.

A woman!

The lovely Renate is mijn meisje, a girl from Holland who couldn't find a suitor in her native land. One January three years ago she came to New Zealand and found one almost next door to her cousin Martin (that was handy).

Since then we have played a giant game of leap frog jumping back and fourth across the worlds oceans a couple of times a year. When we can, we spend several months together either traveling or exploring each others cultures.

So, "Why am I here?", to spend time with the one I love. To better know her family and friends, the Dutch culture, language and experience more of Europe.

Sooooooo cold....

2007-03-22T07:27:00.001+12:00

The thermometer on my computer says 2 degrees, the one outside 25 degrees. I know which one is correct as the steam escapes from my mouth. I think Renate uses this old thermometer to make her feel better about the cold telling herself "it's not that bad".

Riding to school at lunchtime on Thursday felt like I had just eaten an entire tub of ice cream. I'm used to the cold and I love it but its a different sort of biting cold, the sort that freezes creatures in fantasy movies. Maybe it was the fact that I was traveling along the road at about 20kmph into a head wind that I was afraid to breathe for fear of my lungs freezing. Before leaving the house I thought "I shan't need my beanie & gloves" (I won't make that mistake again). I found out later that night Renate permanently has gloves in her jacket.

On Sunday we went for a walk in the woods near by to get a bit of fresh air and interrogate Jorien's (Renate's sister) new boyfriend. On the way back it started hailing but not the normal hail we are used to in New Zealand but a white hail with less mass. Later that evening I got my first taste of snow in the Northern Hemisphere but c'est la vie it didn't last.

When the sun is shining which is most of the time its rays are strong and warming but as soon as they cease a blank of cold returns.

As a welcome gift Renate presented me with a pair of klompen pantoffeltjes (clog slippers). They have certainly kept my feet warm at home.

Renate's place is riddled with pipes and radiators to keep the place warm. As they heat up the place gurgles as if its getting hungry. I don't know the last time I used a heater.

Party Party Party!!!

2007-03-21T07:47:00.000+12:00

On Saturday it was Renate's birthday. She had arranged for some family and friends to drop in for the afternoon and evening. What she had failed to mention beforehand was that it was also a surprise welcome to Holland party for me!

As everyone arrived they also wished me a happy birthday for Renate which is the done thing here.

It started quietly with taart, koffie and thee (pie, coffee and tea) and as the evening came on more and more people started arriving. Most of the people I had met before but it was good to chat to everyone again filling in some of the blanks.

The dinner was a buffet style like we do in New Zealand where every brings a dish. This isn't the norm and was part of the New Zealand theme. Huge amounts of great food from Dutch worst (sausage) to pizzas, quiches and wraps. We still have some left overs in the fridge that I'm working through each lunchtime.

Settling in nicely

2007-03-17T23:25:00.002+13:00

As well as St Patrick's day, Renate's Birthday, Issjah's birthday and Stella's birthday today also marks one week in The Netherlands.

I've been fighting off a cold for the best part of the week. Something I picked up in Auckland before I left but matured somewhat due to the interrupted sleep. It comes in handy having a doctor on hand so the antibiotics were quickly dispensed fighting off the bug.

The week has gone quickly getting everything organised from finding an office chair, signing up for Dutch lessons and registering with the local government so that they know I'm living at Renate's place with her permission (Everyone needs to register where they live).

On Tuesday, Renate had planned a belated Valentine's day and took me to Brugge for the night. We stayed in a B&B very close to the centre sampling the chocolates and beer on offer and taking in the old town and canals. After dinner we walked around the city again taking in the beautifully lit up buildings.

Even though the language is the same and they used to be part of the same country you certainly can see the difference when driving across the border and countryside. Everything is neat and tidy in Holland and their road signs are logical :-)

This week also saw the start on my Dutch lessons. Not on how to be a good Dutchy but how to speak the language. Peter, the tutor calls it the Chinese of Europe in that it's the hardest European language to learn. What have I got myself in for? It's a small class subsidised by the local government with a united nations of people from Estonia, Turkey, Thailand, Iraq, England, Croatia and Nieuw Zeeland. I'm coming into the class 2 months down the road so I'm going to have a bit of catching up to do. Pooky (sp?) has already invited us to a Thai meal in Germany with her Dutch husband.

This afternoon and evening we have a number of Renate's friends and family coming over for her birthday so that will be nice. I can practice some of my Dutch.

"Mijn naam is Antony", "Ik woon in Nijmegen", "Ik ben in Nieuw Zeeland geboren".

Back to driving on the wrong side of the road and happy birthday to everyone having their birthday today. It is supposed to snow on Monday so I'm looking forward to it.

We are currently at Home Land Security threat level Orange

2007-03-12T02:15:00.000+13:00

One of the many such announcements blasted out over the PA system feeling like I was in Bladerunner or the 5th Element. All my recent travel has been through Asia so this was the first time I have experienced the paranoia of the US security forces.

After the initial scare on the plane that I didn't have a smartchip passport things went relatively smoothly taking my finger prints, photo and emptying the contents on my day bag. I did however forget to empty my bottle of water between the flights and I just drank it in front of the officers. No security officers with guns this time which I felt weird, after all it was threat level orange.

Anyway, I'm all unpacked, bike assembled ready to go. I've even done a couple of hours work already :-)

It was great to see Renate again after such a long time. We didn't get up to much yesterday as my flight arrived late but we are venturing out today to see some of her family. Tomorrow I'm off to the bank so sort things out there, buy an office chair and an evaluation for Dutch lessons.

Thanks Yvonne for the great seat!

The final countdown

2007-03-05T19:05:00.000+13:00

Only 4 sleeps to go now trying to get the lot of chores out of the way before Friday. My battle with the insurance company is hopefully over with them deciding to settle on only part of my camera. They wouldn't pay out fully because I'm not sticking around for 3 weeks just to have it repaired. By the way my insurance company for another 7 months is IAG through ASB :-)

Nice to see everyone yesterday for Yum Cha as its going to be a while before I see most of you again. I hope to see a few of you over in Europe later this year.

I would like to sincerely thank my company Acquire for allowing me this opportunity. You guys are fantastic!

I'll be flicking an email around shortly with my contact details while I'm in The Netherlands (Holland sounds better).