How's life in NZ/Aus?

watna

FreeAnd.. wrote: »

I miss Welly

It's here waiting for you if you want to come back

but you wouldn't want to at the moment. It's been raining heavily and more is forecast for the weekend

FreeAnd..

watna wrote: »

It's here waiting for you if you want to come back

but you wouldn't want to at the moment. It's been raining heavily and more is forecast for the weekend

Ha - if only you could see out my window - believe me - the weather is better in Welly...when you have to worry about impending snow squalls, snow flurries and wind factors that can kill - then we'll talk - also, the fact you're on the way into summer where as we are heading into the bowels of winter...me shudders to think...

Would love to be back for the summer....why is it so far away? stupid geography...

watna

FreeAnd.. wrote: »

Ha - if only you could see out my window - believe me - the weather is better in Welly...when you have to worry about impending snow squalls, snow flurries and wind factors that can kill - then we'll talk - also, the fact you're on the way into summer where as we are heading into the bowels of winter...me shudders to think...

Would love to be back for the summer....why is it so far away? stupid geography...

I know, I'd love to move New Zealand a bit closer, it's just so fecking far away!

Also, I am jealous of your snow, despite it being dangerous. I have no sympathy!

pclancy

Yeah always up for drinks just PM i'm usually out or gigging most weekends. Meeting one or two boardsies in Foxglove later tonight.

Been trying to promote the NZ forum so have been posting get together and more NZ orientated stuff in there...

Crumble Froo

DRINKS?

... im in wellington till tuesday night...

anyone keen?

kiwipower

I can make the drinks in Wellywood......
If you can hold on till the 27th of Jan!
Yay Im driving flying home for christmas two months of summer!
Its better than christmas!
Nice snow in Sligo this morning though...
Now turned to rain, wait till that freezes over later

watna

We should definitely do drinks when you're back kiwpower, that'd be fun!

I'm all booked up for the next few days Lots of Christmas things and a hen party!

kiwipower

watna wrote: »

We should definitely do drinks when you're back kiwpower, that'd be fun!

I'm all booked up for the next few days Lots of Christmas things and a hen party!

Defo!
I have a sister in Welly, who keeps talking about coming this way.
Will be doing Courtney Place at somestage!
Would be great to meet all the boardies down there!

CiaranC

Im around Wellington until the 27th, just me and the missus, we dont know anyone! Id be up for drinks at some stage too.

cantdecide

At the risk of having a FB style moan I'm sick of the bloody rain in Auk. I got here in October and bought a motorbike but it was too s****y to have a proper tour. Having rained quite a bit since then, I head off for Chrimbo and lo and behold, more stinking rain and much shortened road trip.

I leave Ireland in part to get away from the rainy summers and what do I have at the furthest point from home possible....an unseasonally rainy effin' summer. I'm having to sell my beloved bike and buy a car just so I can make plans that don't seem to revolve around dodging the bloody cold rain.

kiwipower

cantdecide wrote: »

At the risk of having a FB style moan I'm sick of the bloody rain in Auk. I got here in October and bought a motorbike but it was too s****y to have a proper tour. Having rained quite a bit since then, I head off for Chrimbo and lo and behold, more stinking rain and much shortened road trip.

I leave Ireland in part to get away from the rainy summers and what do I have at the furthest point from home possible....an unseasonally rainy effin' summer. I'm having to sell my beloved bike and buy a car just so I can make plans that don't seem to revolve around dodging the bloody cold rain.

Gauranteed the day after you sell the bike the droughts will arrive!
Wait till the 16th The sun WILL arrive then! Cause I will be home! (Or I will murder someone)

copeyhagen

giving serious thought to doing a year over there. im 29 in a few weeks so clocks ticking. plus i have a decent job here now, not sure if it would be here for me when / if i came back

Samich

Well lads what dya think is the best part of oz to go to? Is there that many Irish out there? How would you compare life to ireland? Thinking of going out there for a year

Digitalism

Samich wrote: »

Well lads what dya think is the best part of oz to go to? Is there that many Irish out there? How would you compare life to ireland? Thinking of going out there for a year

Personally I love brisbane. I currently live on the gold coast and its super. The amount of Irish varies from area to area. What type of things are you interested in?

Mellor

How can an airline not know where a bag is after 5 days of looking.
Assholes had to lose the bag with the expensive stuff in it

kiwipower

Mellor wrote: »

How can an airline not know where a bag is after 5 days of looking.
Assholes had to lose the bag with the expensive stuff in it

Feel for you, happened to me once.
Now always avoid packing valuables into checked in luggage, especially if traveling through heathrow! Where was your stuff lost? Any chance you can claim on travel insurance?

On a good note, Im in NZ nearly 48hours, sunburnt and warm!
So wont be murdering anyone this week!

Also managed to bring knitting needles through in cabin luggage the whole way from Shannon to Palmy North!

Mellor

kiwipower wrote: »

Feel for you, happened to me once.
Now always avoid packing valuables into checked in luggage, especially if traveling through heathrow! Where was your stuff lost? Any chance you can claim on travel insurance?

We're not quite sure where it was lost.
It left Dublin and arrived in Paris, Air france say they put in on the Plan to Hong Kong. Quantas say it never arrived at their plane in Hong Kong. So sounds like its lost in Hong Kong (for those that don't know, HK was the largest airpirt in the world until recently)

No travel insurance either.

crushproof

Mellor wrote: »

We're not quite sure where it was lost.
It left Dublin and arrived in Paris, Air france say they put in on the Plan to Hong Kong. Quantas say it never arrived at their plane in Hong Kong. So sounds like its lost in Hong Kong (for those that don't know, HK was the largest airpirt in the world until recently)

No travel insurance either.

I sympathise but in fairness.... you're travelling to the other side of the world and you have no travel insurance?

Mellor

Why would the distance of flight matter?
If I was going travelling for a month, I'd get insurance. Or a year in Oz backpacking.

I live in australia. I was going home to ireland for a month. So there is no travelling about from place to place involved.
I assumed that from check in to baggage return. The airline is responsible for my luggage. Outside of that, I felt my my family house was safe.

jank

No chance. Travel insurance is a must if you are doing ANY international travel. The amount of people my other half sees moaning and complaining about this or that who are then too cheap to take out insurance for themselves is huge.

watna

When I go home for a visit I get travel insurance just for the days we're flying - so I buy two separate policies to cover us for those periods in case of lost baggage or flight delays and things.

Like you, I don't see the point in having insurance when I'm at home in my own country but I do see it as pretty essential for the actual travelling.

Still, never mind - too late now. Any update on the bag? Has it turned up?

Mellor

watna wrote: »

When I go home for a visit I get travel insurance just for the days we're flying - so I buy two separate policies to cover us for those periods in case of lost baggage or flight delays and things.

Like you, I don't see the point in having insurance when I'm at home in my own country but I do see it as pretty essential for the actual travelling.

Still, never mind - too late now. Any update on the bag? Has it turned up?

In future I'll be doing that. I wasn't even aware you could.
I just always assumed that even if its lost, the airline is obliged to cover the cost. Like with flights, if they delay you and you miss your connecting flight, they cover the next flight. As long as its one booking of course, which is why i don't ever book separately.

Update is that they still don't have a clue and we've lodged a claim.

Zambia

According to the news some Irish bloke just released from Prison has rooted himself trying to escape from the Maribyrnong detention centre.

A MAN was treated by paramedics after falling 4m from a fence while attempting to escape from the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre this morning.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesman said the man suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene after falling about 6am.

The trouble-plagued centre, which houses drug dealers, killers and people awaiting deportation, has had 25 escapees in three years.

The Herald Sun revealed last week that the revolving door at Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre has forced three internal security reviews that recommended significant changes.

Now, red-faced services provider Serco is scrambling to extend electric fences and add what immigration department officials describe as "additional anti-climb measures''.

A Serco spokeswoman said a decision was made in November to upgrade the fence, including installing another layer with a special material that makes it difficult to climb, which should be in place next month.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/man-injured-while-trying-to-escape-from-maribyrnong-detention-centre/story-fn7x8me2-1226256902531

The Aussie

I hope the minor injuries are just that, poor bugger, 4 meters is long enough to realise your in a bit of strife on the way down, extends his stay in Oz a bit longer though...

mutleydub

watna wrote: »

Back home to Dublin. Hurray! \o/

coming back?

Coileach dearg

PR granted off 856 visa. It took 1 week from date of submission to approval.
Now, how do I sit at work for 2 more hours avoiding the pub!!

mandrake04

^ Congrats on joining the club.

jank

One week? That was uber fast. I presume you used an agent to get it submitted as DRC?

Coileach dearg

jank wrote: »

One week? That was uber fast. I presume you used an agent to get it submitted as DRC?

Yep, used the Agent my work provided.
It took them about 2 months toing and froing with forms, police checks, medical etc but once it was submitted, just took a week to be processed and approved. Really surprised at how quick it was!

mandrake04

You are due to be a made man soon enough are you not Jank?