oh boy things are weird on the other side of the world.
i am now the stranger in the strange land .. and things are strange here ..
people are stranger. And not pretty.. yes they are not pretty..
But let me first speak of the long flight. the weirdly not so long time wise yet very long flight. In clock time it only took 11 plus 3 hours which in relative time is not all that bad .. it is like driving down to cape town, but throw in 10 hours of time difference and it lands up taking almost 2 days ..
the 3 hour hop from sydney to wellington takes 5 hours start at 6:50 land at just after 11:50..
and yes we are totally zoned out :)
our computer clock is still on yesterday's time linking to ZA time .. but it is today here now i can see the sun .. or ish ..
yes we had a sunny day yesterday..
oh I do I do have to tell of my fantastic biosecurity and customs adventures. Whilst the stranger is still car less (and BTB the people are damn friendly) (and out of the family it appears as if i will be the first to transgress and adapt the lingo and voice patterns... note not by choice .. it just seems that my voice drifts that way). so being carless it means we have to walk every where .. so i sent all my fishing goodies along with as extra un attended baggage ... ^&*%^&$%^$# so it was supposed to be simple ... BAH humbug ..
firstly it gets sent to another terminal totally .. airport being FAR away from where we stay and work ...
secondly i then find out it lands on another day ..
thirdly i then figure out i need to deal with Biosecurity or the so called MAF first.. then customs .. so i look ont he interweb find the offices adn start walking all to the other side of the city near westpac stadium i am told .. and i walk and i walk .. and wonder around aimlessly in the sun .. Yes the frigin sun .. sweating like a pig .. in my work clothes and runnign shoes .. this day really turned for the worse. I trudged along walking throught the industrial areas of wellington to eventually find my destination nestled jsut behind the kiwi rugby union.. i am sure i am supposed to spit on the floor or something after saying that.. or is it kiss.. my sensibilities are definitely leaving me here now .. so i find the office and these are serious people with serious forms and sensibilities .. look the the people from parke'raad.. So eventually julie helps me .. and i fill in the 5 page document .. and se walks off.. i wait and wait and try not to look stupid .,... not knowing what to do.. so I eventually realised i might be waiting in vane.. so i left and walked abck to wellington.. 20 minutes later just as i reach wellington to go and buy a skype camera. They phone me and say i must come and pick up my form. I then start the long walk back.. and firstly my damn bank card (new does not work) .. oh the life of a foorlong refugee ..
So i walk and walk and walk and walk and pick up my forms .. only to be sent to customs to go and fill in more forms and pay more money .. now these dudes are really serious dudes .. no humour at all and no human interaction as i stand behind the counter. and 37NZ$ later and 30 minutes of sitting and waiting and filling in forms and declarations .. i can rush away .. only to be told by new employer.. that i need to come for a meeting with the self same customs people in an IT meeting .. LOL so I rush back in my work clothes and in my running shoes. and that meeting went on and went on. then later on the Biosecurity people phoning me back about this and that .. and asking about the piece of porcupine fur .... For frig sake .. it is a piece of klipspringer fur.. and then about the parrot feathers .. the FRIGIN parrot feathers .. ROTFL ... damn where would i get parrot feathers from .. they are worried that they are protected. these are damn chikin or chook feathers that have been dyed .. LOL
oh well enough for now .. Later dudes .. and dudesses
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