I'm back from my East Cape driving adventure. I took a flight over White Island -- quite eerie seeing it now with smoke pouring out of it continually... But it was an informative and enjoyable flight with a hilarious pilot and entertaining couple.
And then yesterday the rain and wind came! It's been blowing a gale on and off today -- I should go see if the turbine blades are still affixed on the turbines in the hills.
Daughter has decided to postpone for several months ... it was always going to be low key (Catholic priest on farm) so altering at short notice was easy
(btw ... for any who used to follow the Zapplettes' saga, three produced babies in the last fifteen months, one has had one for nearly eight years, and one is due in November. One is staying unbabied. None are married, of course <<rolleyes>>)
On travel, and mention earlier of the cattle carriage on the Coastal Explorer, I've just booked a trip on it, with overnight stopover at Kaikoura -- $99! Now is the time to travel. I shall do the TranzAlpine as well.
I haven't been in Kaikoura since the 7.whatever quake they had which destroyed the freshwater pool that the seal pups played in while their parents foraged at sea for their food.
It was one of my happy places (at the right time of year).
That quake was really scary - it seemed to last for ages. I thought the Alpine fault* had gone.
* the Alpine fault stretches along the Southern Alps and the longer the fault the bigger the shake. Some seismologists say that the shaking in Christchurch could last 8 minutes when it does.
Booked a guided walk across the Tongariro Crossing for next weekend. Been meaning to do it ever since I got here. Decided to do a tour to have some company rather than my usual solo walks.
Climacus I'm really jealous of your walking and rail travel plans. I've had so many fantastic tramps in NZ and loved our train trip from Christchurch to Picton. May the travel bubble between Oz and NZ happen soon!
Just read an article on line (NZ Herald ) saying it will happen in 2 weeks time,
I was hoping it would be closer to the end of the month so that my trip to Wellington would be less crowded. Now I need to book the Cattery so Aroha has somewhere to stay.
when I just looked at it just now all was quiet ... except a spite (I'm a spiderphile so no problems there) making its way down the far wall ... reminds me of the monks we used to watch from the Olde Shippe, though
I voted (in NZ) yesterday. No "Make the North, South and Chatham Islands the 7th, 8th and 9th States of Oz Party" , so I had to go with the standard fare. While I do miss the NSW Senate tablecloth-sized ballot and placing certain people last (here's Victoria's as a similar example) , but a nice change choosing one for each rather than preferencing through. And pens -- they use pens! And people bring their own. What a country!
Some old hands will remember Ozowen, "Ozo". His son, Kieran, was killed in a motor vehicle accident yesterday. ❤️ and 🙏 for Heather and him, and all the family.
I voted (in NZ) yesterday. No "Make the North, South and Chatham Islands the 7th, 8th and 9th States of Oz Party"
So wot you got against Rakiura (Stewart Island), or Codfish Island where the Kakapo hang out then?
I bags Kapiti for the Independent Monarchy of Her Royal Highness Queen Huia - I might even open a travel bubble with Tiritiri Matangi, another bird sanctuary island that used to be home to a rather grumpy takahe that bit people if they got too close. Avian deterrent at its best.
I can understand you not wanting Secretary Island as it's often both the coldest and windiest place on the MetService website (I'm a bit vague as to quite where it is, but I thinks it's near the Kakapo).
I haven't voted yet because I'm wavering on whether to split my electorate and Party votes, on the other hand a couple of parties have made it easy for me to decide firmly against them, which cuts down the agonizing. I may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but I find it very difficult to believe that Covid 19 is nothing but a vast conspiracy dreamed up to supress people. Nor, if I were in her electorate, would I consider voting for a current MP who said very early in the year (seriously) on National Radio words to the effect that -- overcoming COVID-19 shouldn't be too difficult, as we had obviously dealt with the other 18. 🙄 Unfortunately her electorate is a very safe seat for her party. (honestly I didn't make that up - but it did make me laugh).
I will vote though because my family has a rule that if you don't vote, you can't complain - which would take a lot of the fun out of life.
at the Covid 19 comment. My goodness. You can't make that stuff up.
Even more islands...thank you; I bow to your better knowledge, Queen of Kapiti. I had a run-in in my early youth with an angry swan in the Northern Rivers of NSW, so I still keep well away from most avians.
I don't blame you Climacus. Apparently there were swans on the Avon river here in Christchurch when my mother was a child. One tried to pull her into the water and her mother bashed it with her brolly (umbrella). I wish I had known that Grandmother, who died before I was born.
Now I recall, I think it may have been a goose. My mind is a bit scattered of late, sorry. I would've loved to see the brolly action, though I'm not a violent man.
I was going to see if I could stay at the monastery (Cistercian) near Norsewood for a few days -- turns out they're all booked up to 2021 in the guesthouse! I guess that's a good sign of people wanting to stay there.
I didn't realise there were Cistercians there. You could book ahead for when they do have a vacancy - and cancel with notice if your circumstances change
Great minds... I have a January booking for 4 days. As you wrote, cancelling is always an option.
Did the loop walk at the western end of the Manawatū Gorge today -- it is an uphill track at the start, but beautiful. Quite a few runners doing one of the tracks. You are rewarded with a statue of one of the Māori chiefs who arrived in the 12th C.
I think that's a place we stopped once on a family outing, before there was a proper track there. We were mobbed by piwakawaka (fantails) because of the insects that our feet stirred up.
The spend up to get the country moving here does little for women too- and guess which gender lost the most jobs from the lockdowns?
Had brief trips to a small, local mall, a larger one on the other side of town and a central city one. There are polling booths every where.
My favourite news source gave a novel reason for voting - apparently polling booths have the best smelling hand sanitiser 🙄 I hope they don't run out before I vote.
Also, South Islanders of Aotearoa, the @Clarence and I plan to fly TSV BNE CHC mid-Feb, in the will of the Lord and the contingency of a bubble. Thence, drive to DUD or train to Greymouth and drive from there. Keep you posted.
Not sure you should be allowed in the country if you're going to eat our native birds
We’ll bring some possums to compensate.
Hey, Bledisloe tomorrow. No pastoral visits between 1 and 3 QLD time. Just don’t be ill/bereaved/die, OK? A rare divergence of hoped-for-outcome from @Zappa.
*Every time there is the smallest quiver in Christchurch there is always someone in Nelson who records that they felt a medium to severe quake. Heaven alone knows how the would react to a shallow 7.2 centred in Nelson itself. I hope for their sake it doesn't happen in their lifetime.
When I was in Darwin, falling asleep one night, I felt a mild tremor. Hadn't felt one for some years, but decided it wasn't big enough to open a second eye. Probably fell asleep before it ended.
The next morning the highly rigorous and intellectually sophisticated Darwin newspaper reported (headlined) "Residents flee in terror as earth moves."
Comments
Sorry to hear, Zappa.
Sounds lovely, Tukai.
I'm back from my East Cape driving adventure. I took a flight over White Island -- quite eerie seeing it now with smoke pouring out of it continually... But it was an informative and enjoyable flight with a hilarious pilot and entertaining couple.
And then yesterday the rain and wind came! It's been blowing a gale on and off today -- I should go see if the turbine blades are still affixed on the turbines in the hills.
Little tinsy bits of hail and a howling wind currently.
(btw ... for any who used to follow the Zapplettes' saga, three produced babies in the last fifteen months, one has had one for nearly eight years, and one is due in November. One is staying unbabied. None are married, of course <<rolleyes>>)
Hope travel is easier in a few months.
On travel, and mention earlier of the cattle carriage on the Coastal Explorer, I've just booked a trip on it, with overnight stopover at Kaikoura -- $99! Now is the time to travel. I shall do the TranzAlpine as well.
That quake was really scary - it seemed to last for ages. I thought the Alpine fault* had gone.
* the Alpine fault stretches along the Southern Alps and the longer the fault the bigger the shake. Some seismologists say that the shaking in Christchurch could last 8 minutes when it does.
Have a look at the road rebuild as you pass by - it's been a phenomenal piece of engineering and (re-)construction ("she's a pretty big job")
Booked a guided walk across the Tongariro Crossing for next weekend. Been meaning to do it ever since I got here. Decided to do a tour to have some company rather than my usual solo walks.
I was hoping it would be closer to the end of the month so that my trip to Wellington would be less crowded. Now I need to book the Cattery so Aroha has somewhere to stay.
Now I have to do the worming and the flea treatment😼
Indeed, Clarence -- hearing about your journeys made me quite envious.
Off to read about this bubble...
when I just looked at it just now all was quiet ... except a spite (I'm a spiderphile so no problems there) making its way down the far wall ... reminds me of the monks we used to watch from the Olde Shippe, though
I voted (in NZ) yesterday. No "Make the North, South and Chatham Islands the 7th, 8th and 9th States of Oz Party"
So wot you got against Rakiura (Stewart Island), or Codfish Island where the Kakapo hang out then?
I bags Kapiti for the Independent Monarchy of Her Royal Highness Queen Huia - I might even open a travel bubble with Tiritiri Matangi, another bird sanctuary island that used to be home to a rather grumpy takahe that bit people if they got too close. Avian deterrent at its best.
I can understand you not wanting Secretary Island as it's often both the coldest and windiest place on the MetService website (I'm a bit vague as to quite where it is, but I thinks it's near the Kakapo).
I haven't voted yet because I'm wavering on whether to split my electorate and Party votes, on the other hand a couple of parties have made it easy for me to decide firmly against them, which cuts down the agonizing. I may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but I find it very difficult to believe that Covid 19 is nothing but a vast conspiracy dreamed up to supress people. Nor, if I were in her electorate, would I consider voting for a current MP who said very early in the year (seriously) on National Radio words to the effect that -- overcoming COVID-19 shouldn't be too difficult, as we had obviously dealt with the other 18. 🙄 Unfortunately her electorate is a very safe seat for her party. (honestly I didn't make that up - but it did make me laugh).
I will vote though because my family has a rule that if you don't vote, you can't complain - which would take a lot of the fun out of life.
Even more islands...thank you; I bow to your better knowledge, Queen of Kapiti. I had a run-in in my early youth with an angry swan in the Northern Rivers of NSW, so I still keep well away from most avians.
Now I recall, I think it may have been a goose. My mind is a bit scattered of late, sorry. I would've loved to see the brolly action, though I'm not a violent man.
I was going to see if I could stay at the monastery (Cistercian) near Norsewood for a few days -- turns out they're all booked up to 2021 in the guesthouse! I guess that's a good sign of people wanting to stay there.
Did the loop walk at the western end of the Manawatū Gorge today -- it is an uphill track at the start, but beautiful. Quite a few runners doing one of the tracks. You are rewarded with a statue of one of the Māori chiefs who arrived in the 12th C.
In an Australian budget that did little for women, I give you our female Social Services minister stating how infrastructure helps women: Women driving... I guess that's novel to some.
Had brief trips to a small, local mall, a larger one on the other side of town and a central city one. There are polling booths every where.
My favourite news source gave a novel reason for voting - apparently polling booths have the best smelling hand sanitiser 🙄 I hope they don't run out before I vote.
Same here 😊
*Maori for fantail.
You don't know what it is under the chocolate 😊
Also, South Islanders of Aotearoa, the @Clarence and I plan to fly TSV BNE CHC mid-Feb, in the will of the Lord and the contingency of a bubble. Thence, drive to DUD or train to Greymouth and drive from there. Keep you posted.
We’ll bring some possums to compensate.
Hey, Bledisloe tomorrow. No pastoral visits between 1 and 3 QLD time. Just don’t be ill/bereaved/die, OK? A rare divergence of hoped-for-outcome from @Zappa.
*Every time there is the smallest quiver in Christchurch there is always someone in Nelson who records that they felt a medium to severe quake. Heaven alone knows how the would react to a shallow 7.2 centred in Nelson itself. I hope for their sake it doesn't happen in their lifetime.
The next morning the highly rigorous and intellectually sophisticated Darwin newspaper reported (headlined) "Residents flee in terror as earth moves."
Poor regional Victoria... New cases. Hopefully contained.