Yep, landed this morning. Won't be checking in at my new job for another couple of hours... No apartment to go to yet, nothing to my name except two suitcases and a really cheap rental Yaris. Good times.
Now what then? 
Yep, landed this morning. Won't be checking in at my new job for another couple of hours... No apartment to go to yet, nothing to my name except two suitcases and a really cheap rental Yaris. Good times.
Now what then?
Must be nice, jet setting.
You should probably drink beer and look out for spiders.
Woody wrote: You should probably drink beer and look out for spiders.
You're thinking of Australia. A zillion years ago when the continents split, most of the terrifying animals stayed on Australia while New Zealand got all the silly ones.
jg
NZ has a lot of dirty secrets this is jyst the tip of the iceberg! 
full disclosure; I have lots of relatives in OZ, and have been exposed to despairing comments, and jokes about NZ from an early age
JG Pasterjak wrote:Woody wrote: You should probably drink beer and look out for spiders.You're thinking of Australia. A zillion years ago when the continents split, most of the terrifying animals stayed on Australia while New Zealand got all the silly ones. jg
No, I do the same thing when I go to Massachusetts.
Go get a bucket of steamed mussels.
While Australia got animals made purely to inhabit our nightmares, NZ did get the Kea, which is a large, fully weaponized mountain parrot. Keas have been known to steal food out of cars BY REMOVING THE WINDSHIELDS. It's all the mischief of a regular parrot, highly intelligent, with greater size and a beak specifically designed for destruction. They're basically crowbars with wings and an attitude.
jg
Huh. And I thought birds crapping on my car was bad.
Sounds like my kinda bird.
JG Pasterjak wrote: They're basically crowbars with wings and an attitude.
If you didn't work for the magazine, I'd suggest this be in it Totally hilarious.
That's a serious bird.
HappyAndy wrote: NZ has a lot of dirty secrets this is jyst the tip of the iceberg!
Literally laughing out loud and can't stop. I think it's the razor blade that got me.
You should put on your jandals, grab your chully bun and go get some fush and chups.
http://cleeseblog.com/Vanilla/comments.php?DiscussionID=51
If you find you like the place well enough to emigrate, study their points system very carefully.
I actually contacted their consulate here in Atlanta in 2004. My lack of education and my age worked against me, but my technical career (TV broadcast technician) almost did the deed for me. The (honorary) Counsul said that if I could talk my (then) teenaged daughter into making the trip with me, I might be able to scrape by. That was a non-starter, since her mom & I were divorced.
He was impressed that I knew who Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme were, though.
Go watch some rugby at Eden Park. Go to Hampton Downs race track just south of Auckland. Get yourself a pot of vegemite, a bag of Minties, and some Steinlager. Then go find some meat pies for lunch. Drive south a ways and go see this for me http://youtu.be/Og2G4FkuL0w
friedgreencorrado wrote: If you find you like the place well enough to emigrate, study their points system very carefully.
When I think New Zealand, I think paradise that I literally cannot move to. 
Got a chance to check out the town a bit... not at all what I expected. It reminds me more of Athens (or even Kuala Lumpur!) than anything in northern Europe / North America. I'm staying in a puny hotel room for the time being, but it's in a great location right downtown and has free parking. Time to do some footwork and get looking at apartments. Seems a bit expensive but certainly not Toronto expensive. (Then again wages aren't quite Toronto wages either.)
I've already got my work visa, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I'll see how long-term this ends up being later on. I've got a one year contract with my employer for now, but there's a pretty good chance that will be extended if everything works out.
In reply to Jay:
Dude, enjoy it while you can. I eventually want to get into contract work overseas myself since I am a recluse.
You missed a great show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzJewwobCY&feature=player_embedded
In reply to JG Pasterjak: The keas hang around the car park near the Otira Viaduct in Arthur's Pass in the South Island, and also in the Arthurs Pass village. I always hover near my car as they like to get into wiper rubbers, windscreen seals. Had to chase them away from my motorbike as one tried tearing into the bike's (vinyl) seat. Nice place to stop, except for the birds.
Jay wrote: I've already got my work visa, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I'll see how long-term this ends up being later on. I've got a one year contract with my employer for now, but there's a pretty good chance that will be extended if everything works out.
Aww, I could have hooked you up with a work visa stamp in your passport (but it wouldn't be in Immigration's computer). (In case the boss is reading this, joking, just joking). I'm with Customs down in the South Island. Welcome to NZ, remember all the scenery is down south! When it gets too humid in summer, do a road trip, take the ferry across Cook Strait, see Marlborough, the Christchurch ruins, across Arthurs Pass to see the keas, West Coast, Central Otago/Queenstown, Fiordland, across to the Catlins, then back up the east coast. Seen the Lord of the Rings? A lot of scenery in the film was down here.
LoneWolf wrote: Nice place to stop, except for the birds.
We've got a whole room in our house that fits that description.
Unfortunately it sounds like the Keas have been taught a combination of "food is behind the soft things" and "tourists make noise and give us lots attention when we eat the soft things and that's fun as hell."
So basically they've turned Arthur's Pass into their own personal murder funnel.
jg
Jay,
What will you be doing? I know you were doing GPS/GIS/Satellite wizardry stuff before, so similar stuff for this gig?
JG - please sir. No more jokes. No mas, no mas..my lungs...they are burning from lack of oxygen.
oldsaw wrote: You missed a great show:
Is that a RAF Mosquito? BAD ASS! One of the fastest prop planes in WW2!
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