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HOUSE | BREAKS | TECH

10pm till they close us down!

19th December

Sekure

5 Hood Street
Hamilton

So sorry but my human is so busy with our “moving overseas” thing that she hardly has any time to help me do blog stuff and I’m finding it really hard to keep up with visiting my friends at the moment – so please forgive me if I don’t manage to comment much in the next few weeks!

I’ve got lots of things I wanted to post about from ages ago which have been sitting in a queue but I keep having so many new adventures that I’ve had to tell you about those first and so my catch-up list keeps getting longer and longer!

But now that we are leaving NZ, my human thinks we should quickly tell you about all these things before we leave – as I’m sure I will have even more adventures to post about after we move to Australia! So I hope you won’t mind me bombarding you with posts about “old stuff” for the next week or so (whenever my human can get time away from all the packing and “moving overseas” stuff!)

OK – so I wanted to tell you about a lovely walk I did on St Heliers Bay beach back in July. My human, Hsin-Yi, says that we are very lucky because Auckland is a “harbour city” right next to the sea and so there are many “inner-city beaches” that we can get to in 10mins with the car machine, to enjoy.

Enjoying the sunshine on Tamaki Drive

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In fact, there is a beautiful long road called Tamaki Drive which follows the side of the sea and there is a row of “waterfront suburbs” along this road which all have beautiful beaches.

View Larger Map

Tamaki Drive

Lots of humans like to walk, jog or cycle along Tamaki Drive and it’s REALLY busy on Sunday mornings!

 (Hsin-Yi says: I think this is one of the most beautiful city drives in the world, with the sparkling blue sea dotted with yachts on one side, and on the other side – the pohutukawa trees (aka. the ”NZ Christmas Rose”) with their bright red blossoms fringing the road and the sleeping volcano, Rangitoto Island, looming on the horizon…

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Rangitoto Island

You can get lovely views of Waitemata Harbour, from anywhere along Tamaki Drive and also beautiful views back to the ‘City of Sails’ with the Sky Tower dominating the skyline…

 

Our favourite, of course, is Mission Bay where there is a beautiful fountain and park and lots of people sit at the cafes out on the street and it feels like you are on holiday all the time!

(Mission Bay has more young humans living there and is more “trendy and happening”, with lots of bars, restaurants, cafes and an art-deco cinema)

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Mmm - my special treat!

I love the beach at Mission Bay and often meet my friends there (check out my post: “A Walk with Chobe & Breakfast at Mission Bay“)

- and sometimes, after our walk, my humans will take me to the ice-cream shop to get me a special treat!

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But all the other beaches along Tamaki Drive are also really beautiful. Kohimarama is smaller & narrower and lots of people who live in the waterfront suburbs like to walk their dogs there but we don’t go as often ‘coz Hsin-Yi doesn’t like the way some of the other dogs (or their irresponsible owners!) behave and she says lots of uncontrolled, aroused dogs in a small space is just asking for trouble…

We learnt this the hard way because when I was younger, she used to take me to a dog park called Madills Farm where lots of humans like to stand around and gossip and just let the dogs play around them, instead of walking them…and while I was playing nicely with a Border Collie pup, a Husky-Shepherd-cross suddenly arrived at the park and ran up to me and tore a strip out of my shoulder! And his owner wasn’t even sorry – he just laughed and said proudly, “Look at that! Going for the biggest dog in the park!”

I was bleeding very badly and my humans had to rush me to the vet for stitches. I still have the scar – ouch! That was one of the ‘bad experiences’ which started me getting grumpy with strange dogs…and Hsin-Yi has had to work very hard with clicker training and “re-conditioning” to get me friendly with strange dogs again.

So now, Hsin-Yi avoids taking me any place where people  just want to gossip and be lazy and hope their dogs will exercise themselves - unless the dogs all know each other really well and (more importantly!), the owners are all sensible and responsible and have good control over their dogs – because even best friends can have an argument sometimes or accidentally hurt each other during play and of course, us doggies argue with our teeth! And if you have a pack of dogs together all highly aroused, then what started as a little argument can quickly turn into a nasty dog fight!

So the best thing is to always keep moving when out walking – this is much more natural for us doggies anyway and we get to see & smell more things and the exercise is better for our health and our humans’ health! Even if people want to socialise with a group of friends, they should keep moving because a group of dogs walking together is usually a happy, peaceful pack.

Oops! Sorry for that long story! Anyway, back to the beaches: after Kohimarama is St Heliers Bay beach which is bigger and quieter, so we like it better. St Heliers Bay also has some nice cafes and shops but it has more older humans (who are not working anymore) living there and feels a bit different to Mission Bay.

Me at St Heliers Bay beach

When we arrived that day, it was very exciting because some killer whales had just been passing by that morning, hunting sting rays for food in the sea, and now there were hundreds of birds coming to check out the “leftovers’!

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A lot of the half-eaten sting rays had washed up onto the beach…

They smelled deliciously fishy but actually tasted quite leathery and not very nice at all!

So I left them alone and contined my nice walk along the beach…

…until I found a stick!

Oh! But then a black spaniel came out of nowhere and tried to steal the stick from me!

But I won – ha! ha!

We had a nice play together, though, because Hsin-Yi is always very strict about teaching me to share my toys with other doggies. Then some more doggies arrived to join the fun!

Hmm...if you lost a lot of weight, you might look like my friends, Cookie & Cinnamon!

The sun was setting as we started walking back to the car machine but there was time for just one more picture!

I didn’t know then but that was actually the last time I could enjoy the beaches on Tamaki Drive!

See, usually dogs are only allowed on the “inner-city beaches” in the winter months (from Easter until end October) and even then only before 10am or after 4pm…so in winter, my humans usually take me to Mission Bay and the other Tamaki Drive beaches a lot for my daily walks.

But this year, just shortly after this lovely walk in July, a terrible thing happened! Five dogs died from eating something poisonous on the beaches and there were also some dead dolphins washed up on the beach, so they shut all the beaches along the Waitemata Harbour coastline and told all humans not to swim in the sea, until they could find out what it was.

Very sad – they have been shut ever since and now it has passed October which means we doggies can no longer go on the beaches anymore…so I have missed my chance this year and since we’re leaving NZ now, I will never get to go again!

They are still not sure what the poison was but they think it was “tetradotoxin” which was in some sea slugs washed up on the beach that the doggies (and other animals) ate…

The good news, though, is that it is still OK to go to the beaches on the West Coast ‘coz they are next to a different water. I love these beaches too, like Bethells Beach (Te Henga) which was my first ever beach when I was 3 months old, and dogs are allowed on them all year round but they are about 1 hrs drive from Auckland centre. Still, my humans have promised to try and take me there for a last walk before we leave NZ - if they manage to finish the packing in time!

View Larger Map

* For more information about Auckland’s beaches, check out the Auckland City Council website: http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/outdoors/default.asp

* For more information about the West Coast beaches, check out the Waitakere City Council website: http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/cnlser/pbr/prkgrnsp/index.asp

Je viens de passer quelques jours à Auckland. Présentation subjective et non exhaustive de la « ville-monstre » néo-zélandaise, où vit plus d’un quart de la population du pays…

La première chose que l’on remarque à Auckland, c’est son relief. Alors que Christchurch a été construite sur un marais, Auckland repose sur un sol particulièrement volcanique, obligeant ses habitants à composer avec de très nombreuses montées et descentes. La rue principale du centre-ville, Queen Street, n’y échappe pas, plongeant sur 1,5 kilomètres du sud vers le nord pour finalement déboucher sur l’Auckland Harbour. Difficile donc pour le piéton – et encore plus pour le Parikiwiste chargé comme une mule – de passer à côté de quelques bouffées de chaleur, surtout sous l’effet du climat subtropical d’Auckland, plus chaud et humide que le climat tempéré de Christchurch.

Pour être franc, Auckland ne m’a pas réconcilié avec les villes néo-zélandaises. La « cité des voiles » est le cœur économique de la Nouvelle-Zélande, accueillant les sièges des plus grandes entreprises néo-zélandaises et les bureaux des principales firmes mondiales. Les buildings sont nombreux dans le centre-ville, au milieu des quelques bâtiments « historiques » restants comme le Ferry Terminal. Vous l’aurez compris, Auckland n’a pas son Issy-les-Moulineaux ou sa Défense, ce qui peut conduire à quelques surprises urbanistiques : une autoroute passe à quelques longueurs de Queen Street et, encore plus choquant, le joli Symonds Street Cemetery, où repose notamment William Hobson, père du traité de Waitangi, est désormais défiguré par un pont à deux fois deux voies, qui le coupe en deux et condamne certaines tombes à se trouver coincées entre deux poteaux de béton !

Dormir sous les ponts, à jamais

Les prix à Auckland ont tendance à dépasser ceux de la province, notamment dans le quartier de Parnell où étaient logés les étudiants de Sciences Po avec qui je suis resté. Loin du « one fish, one chip’ » à $4 du Captain Ben’s à Christchurch, je me suis retrouvé à débourser $10,30 pour un fish&chips sur Parnell Road, certes supérieur en qualité mais inférieur en quantité. La vie chère aucklandaise se retrouve aussi au niveau de l’immobilier, ne serait-ce que dans les résidentes étudiantes où le rapport qualité/prix m’est apparu moins bon qu’à Christchurch.

Mais je ne voudrais pas diaboliser Auckland, car j’y ai quand même passé de bons moments. J’ai apprécié :

• me balader dans les parcs de la ville, que ce soit l’Albert Park en plein centre, l’Auckland Domain entre Parnell et l’Université, ou encore Mount Eden qui offre de splendides vues sur Auckland et le North Shore
• visiter l’Auckland Museum, avec ses sections consacrées aux peuples du Pacifique
• revoir The Veils en concert, avec grand plaisir
• finir ma soirée au bar Cassette avec un shot d’absinthe, à la santé de Baudelaire et Verlaine (pratique tout à fait légale chez les Kiwis)
• boire de la bière bio assis sur les vieux sièges de bus de The Wine Cellar, un petit bar planqué dans une des galleries de K-Road, à l’abri des touristes et même de la plupart des locaux…

Le saviez vous ? Il existe un équivalent de la rivalité Paris/Province en Nouvelle-Zélande : Auckland/Province. Ce qui vaut aux Aucklandais le surnom de « Jafas » : Just Another Fucking Aucklander !

En bref : Je suis bien arrivé à Tahiti, et je vous promets de vous raconter mes premiers pas à Papeete dès que possible. Difficile de vous dire quand, tant je suis pris par mon stage, qui a débuté en même temps qu’une nouvelle crise politique en Polynésie française. Du coup, en attendant, si vous voulez de l’exotisme, n’hésite pas à suivre le blog de Guillaume Bruneau, un camarade de Sciences Po qui vient de se lancer dans un tour du monde avec une autre “sciencepiste” Manon Aubry. Ils viennent tout juste de terminer leur étape néo-zélandaise, et le hasard a fait que nous sommes même rencontrés à l’aéroport d’Auckland le jour de mon départ pour Tahiti. Ils s’apprêtaient alors à s’envoler pour l’Inde…

For an ant to have had wings would be his undoing.

“Green Cabs had another 45 minute delay to get a cab in Wellington this morning perhaps they should get more cars on the road.” —not what I would call excellent service, but only one of the flies in the ointment.

Around a flowering tree, one finds many insects!

8 years since I moved to New Zealand from the UK. 8 years since I hugged my family and boyfriend goodbye and got on the first of 3 flights with no idea of what I was heading to. I cried most of the way from Glasgow to Heathrow, but thankfully got it together by the time I got to London. Just as well, as I was required to identify my bag on the tarmac after a x-ray revealed a ticking, metal object in my suitcase. Innocent enough (my mum had given me a Charles Rennie Mackintosh clock as a leaving gift), but taken very seriously as I was flying only a few months after 9/11 and tension at all international airports was running high. That goodbye ended up leading to 8 years away from my family and friends, although I had orginally intended to stay away for 6 months, maybe 1 year maximum.

It was in hindsight both the hardest and the wisest thing I have ever done. I grew and experienced in ways that just wouldn’t have been possible had I stayed in Scotland. I endured huge insecurities as I set up a new life in New Zealand, based on nothing more than knowing one person who was happy for me to sleep on his couch for a week or two. I was massively homesick and full of indecision, but I arrived in Auckland in the middle of a beautiful summer and I began to fall in love with the beauty of my new surroundings almost immediately. Anyone who has visited New Zealand will recognise this feeling. It is the little country that could. Full of humour, culture and pride – it might just be a little island in the middle of the Pacific but it has everything you need if you want to live in a country where people love their outdoor environment . It contains unbelievable scenery which, given the easily driveable size of the country, reveals awe-inspiring views  literally around every corner. You can ski (on a volcano) and surf in the same day. You can experience dramatic black sand beaches on the west coast, drive an hour and be sitting on a white untouched paradise on the east. 

I saw it all. Well nearly it all. Towards the end of my first year in New Zealand, I took my orange VW kombi camper and drove solo around the country for 2 months. It was amazing. It was also hard; travelling alone even in a country so welcoming is sometimes intimidating,  sometimes challenging but ultimately immensely rewarding. I might have preferred to have someone with me to enjoy everything I saw, but apart from that I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

It marked a trend for me to travel alone. Not always through choice. As I have got older my friends are settling down, many with houses and children and marriages now, and it becomes less viable for them to pack up and take off for several months. But I’m the kind of person who would rather go and experience something alone than miss out through lack of travelling companions. I think I’d like that to change. The next time I go somewhere new, I would like someone to share it with. For one, I might have some photographs of myself in nice places. As it happens though, I have several photo albums of beautiful landscape shots if anyone is interested.

I want to go back to New Zealand. I’m currently in Australia and will soon be returning to Scotland for the duration of my masters which starts next September, but I still call New Zealand home. I think I always will.

It was the perfect evening. Good friends, blue skies, cold cider, interesting conversation, minimal bruises, not much shouting…

You see, I’m learning two languages in New Zealand: Māori and sailing. Yachting has its own vocabulary and style of communication. Mostly shouting, that is. At least, that’s what it feels like when you’re first learning and don’t understand the words yet.

Māori war canoe in Bay of Islands

There’s halyards and sheets, starboard and port, leeward and windward, gennakers and spinnakers and genoas, and my personal favorite, the vang. You have to figure out quickly why “coming about” means you could soon have a bruise on your head or what to do when everyone’s yelling about a “lazy sheet.” And in the world of the sea, everything is relative to the wind. For instance, I’m still struggling with the concept that make a right-angle turn has two words for it – tacking and jibing – depending on how the boat is changing relative to the prevailing gusts. That’s like trying to give someone driving directions relative to the nearest mountain – if the mountain liked to jump around a lot and change locations.

Why is a girl from land-locked desert highlands suddenly struck with sailing? You’d think I would have already picked it up in Seattle, if I was so keen, wouldn’t you? My only real explanation is that, well, it’s just what people DO in Auckland. Here in the City of Sails, there are approximately 135,000 yachts and launches – that’s 1 boat for every 10 people in a city of 1.3 million people. Keep in mind that a sailboat generally needs more than one person to take it out, and that means LOTS of opportunities to get onto a boat.

50 cent coin

Sailing is in the psyche, here in the “Land of the Long White Cloud.” After all, that’s how everyone got here up until the 20th century. Don’t let the image of a slim Māori war canoe fool you. They didn’t paddle all the way here from their Polynesian homeland. They flew before the winds in a double-hulled voyaging canoe, balancing on the high seas with sails and an outrigger. The first European ship to land here, Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavor, is memorialized on the 50-cent coin. Even air travelers are reminded that good winds matter here, when they drive past giant white metal sails at Auckland International Airport.

Yes, the most popular sport to watch in New Zealand is rugby.  But Aucklanders’ favorite sport to DO is sailing. Not surprising, then, that I showed up and was signed up for a local yacht club before we even moved into our apartment. We have our all-around sportsman fellow American, Bryon, to thank for introducing us to the Richmond Yacht Club. Lest you hear “yacht club” and think we’re walking around in summer whites and tut-tutting with a bunch of wealthy boat-owners, you have to understand two things. First, “yacht” really just means “sailboat.” Even better, the word comes from the Norwegian word jaght meaning“fast pirate ship.” I love that! Second, RYC draws a pretty down-to-earth, even somewhat blue-collar crowd. We know boat owners who are firemen and builders and university professors, but no corporate moguls or trust-fund heirs. Hell, there isn’t even a dress code for the post-race prize givings!

Tall ships at Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

Didn’t I mention that most of our sailing is races? Ah, well now perhaps you understand some of the shouting. And the bruising. We got started with RYC’s Friday Night Special race series, where they let rank beginners (i.e. me) onto a succession of different yachts over the course of 8 evening races. The first thing you learn is how not to get hit in the head – or knocked overboard – by the boom.

For you beginners, the mainsail is attached to the mast going upwards and the boom going parallel to the boat’s deck. “Coming about” is when the boat is turning sufficiently for the mainsail to change from one side of the boat to the other. The boom is that huge metal rod going over your head very quickly. DUCK! Oh, and scramble to the other side of the boat while you’re doing this!  Since you’re not very important ‘cause you don’t know anything, you generally don’t get to do this in the recessed cockpit where you can just bend down a bit. You have to climb over the top of the cabin, banging yourself on every metal bit sticking out. And you’re on a keeled boat that tends to, well, keel over at 45 degrees to the water, so you need to do this at the right time so you don’t end up trying to climb up the boat to the high side. And try not to sit on any of the lines or get in the way too much, eh? That’s the first day.

Cooling my heels on the Coastal

It gets better. Really! For instance, we newbies get to spend plenty of time relaxing on the rail with our legs hanging off the boat where one can admire the view, chat with fellow sailors, wave at or taunt other boats, and listen to the experienced crew discuss strategy. If we get bored, we can admire all the bad sailing puns in the boat names: Prawn Broker, Knighthawk, Xtsea, Deep Throttle, Aquaholic …

The best part, though, is when you actually start knowing what you’re doing. Even the shouting becomes kinda fun then. The first time I started to feel that way was on the 2009 Coastal Classic in late October. The Coastal is a long-distance sailing race that starts in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and terminates at Russell in the Bay of Islands. We were lucky to get invited onto Peppermint Planet, owned by brothers’-in-law Rodney and Peter. Realistically, I think Chuck was invited and I somehow managed to tag along.

We showed up on the dock to discover that Peppermint Planet had no less than eight crewmembers. This seemed like a lot of bodies for the number of jobs aboard. As one of the least experienced, I was pretty sure I was destined to be “rail meat”, i.e. ballast that does what you tell it to. I was feeling a bit blue, since I was hoping to do something useful and learn more. Chuck spoke up and volunteered me to run the keys, which meant learning a whole new set of skills. I was thrilled!

The keys w/ Auckland skyline

Little did I know that I was signing up to be the eye of the shouting storm. Rodney and Bryon quickly explained which lines went through the keys, how they worked and what problems to watch out for. I should point out that there are no “ropes” on a sailboat. Every line has a special name. Woohoo! More vocabulary! I eventually worked out that most of the keys control lines that go up and down. Phew! Means I don’t have to think about the sheets, which pull the headsail back and forth horizontally. That doesn’t stop me from starting every time someone says to do something with the sheets, fervently searching the keys to find that they’re not listed and finally remembering they’re not my problem.

Peppermint Planet

You’ve probably heard that old adage that describes flying as “hours of boredom interrupted by moments of stark terror.” That pretty aptly describes running the keys. You’ve not really needed much of the time. But when it’s time to change the headsail, to take better advantage of the winds you’re getting, it’s panic time. There’s lots of shouting and gesturing coming from several people at once. Often, you can’t hear them as their voices get lost in the wind. Oh, and apparently everyone on the boat has a slightly different term for the SAME damned line! Who knew that “uphaul” was the same thing as “toppers,” which is marked as “topping lift” on the key itself? And there’s an outhaul and a downhaul to remember, too. Yeah, it all makes sense when you sit down and work out what everything does. But during all the shouting and boat tipping and hauling on lines, that all goes out the window.

What I’m saying is that it was AWESOME! I mattered! I was doing something that actually affected the boat! And, I could spend some time in the cockpit, where the under-boom scrambling was less painful. The bruises on top of my bruises breathed a sigh of momentary relief. And I was learning the whys behind all the words and shouting. Very cool.

Rodney aboard Peppermint Planet

It was a thrill to get to know the crew better, too. We were an international mix of people of quite varied experience. Our nimble Kiwi skipper Rodney kept us in good form, only occasionally doing his angry Rumplestiltskin impression when we’d really mucked something up. Sailing queen “Skiff” originally from Portsmouth, England, kept the headsails trimmed – and showed how great it is to have some clear female communication onboard. One of three professional sailmakers onboard, Brendan remained almost imperturbable running the mainsail. Charlie from Rarotonga saved me from being the newest person aboard, as this was his 3rd time on a sailboat. He spent the entire time grinning ear-to-ear or grinding on a winch whenever Skiff yelled, “Trim, Charlie!” When not working the bow, slim eighteen-year old Jay told us about his experiences growing up on sailboats in Spain and the Bay of Islands, while our buddy Bryon put up with Rodney’s jibes about being better ballast than the rest of us because of his large frame.

The race was lovely. The sun was shining the whole time, and we had a lovely wind pushing us up the coast most of the way. Most boats were flying their spinnakers, which made the start line a many-hued rainbow of colorful kites. The weather was so spectacularly beautiful that some crazy kiteboarder was racing right behind the record-setting winner, Alfa Romeo. He made it 261kms, only giving up when the wind gave out near Russell. We made our own record, finishing in 14 hours 7 minutes.

Sunset at Bay of Islands

So, I’m learning to understand and even speak this new language, bit by bit. Sailing isn’t exactly a democracy, but there are often multiple voices putting their oars in on what oughta happen next or, more often, “what the heck happened there when everything went to custard?” It’s been fantastic to finally understand what all the chatter is about. And Rodney’s let us know that we’re now “expected” on the more hardcore Wednesday night race series.

I’m finding myself part of a community I never expected to join. Last night, Peter showed me how to pack the spinnaker properly. As we started, I thought he asked me, “Do you have a clue?” After a heartbeat, I realized he was talking about the lower corners of the sail. And as I grabbed the clew, I realized that I felt like the answer to the question I thought I heard was finally “yes.”

See what it looks like at: Coastal Classic 09 by jocuteca

Want to know about something specific about New Zealand? Leave me a request for a blog about it!

So I needed my parking validated and also needed some dinner. Having just had my teeth seen to I was ready to take them to town on some food court food.

So I hit up Cantina Rialto for some Mexican food, and settled on the beef burrito with a side of fries.

Now, this isn’t exactly fast food. If you’re looking to zip in and out for a quick meal you’re better off going with someone else in this particular establishment.

Now when the meal came out I wasn’t sure about the look of the fries.

They actually look a little better in the photo. At first glance they appeared a little shrivelled. But looks can be deceiving. They were seasoned really nicely (just the right amount of pepper) and the sauce was about as good as you could have with fries, I didn’t even miss having tomato sauce. I would definitely go back to those again.

The burrito was pretty good too. Nice amount of sour cream, guacamole wasn’t really to my liking though. I like to have a little more and have it a little thicker. The refried beans look a little shady inside the burrito but still tasted great. All in all, not bad.

Verdict: *(BURP)* (pretty good).

Green Cabs and Wellington Combined are the two preferred suppliers for Telecom in Wellington from December. I’m surprised the chairman didn’t mention that it is now to be shared between the two.

1. Do your research.
The first few weeks of your trip are going to be the hardest. You’re going to experience culture shock. You’re going to feel lost. You’re going to feel alone and vulnerable. Everything is going to be unknown to you, and it’s going to be scary. This is inevitable, but it can be minimized by doing your research before your home country. What should you research? Everything. Read every single book you can find about the place you’re going. Read travel sites, expat sites, newspapers from the place you’re going to. Anything you can learn to familiarize yourself with the place you’re going to will help make it easier to transition into. Ideally you should visit the place you’re going. It’s not necessary, but it will definitely help.

2. Get a working Visa.
Don’t move to a new country on a holiday Visa and expect to be able to find work. Even if you’ve applied for a residence Visa that you need sponsorship to complete, you’re going to be far less likely to get that sponsorship if your employer has to wait two months before you can start work. The exception to this is if you’ve already been offered sponsorship before leaving, but if that’s the case you probably have a high level degree from a university and make a ton of money. In that case the road before you will be paved pretty smoothly anyway. If you’re like most people though, don’t move to a foreign country on a holiday Visa if you can just as easily apply for a working Visa. It just opens more options.

3. Get everything squared away at home before leaving.
Any unfinished business at home (especially involving bills) will be ten times harder to deal with from a foreign country, and with all the stress and the unknowns you’re going to be dealing with already, you don’t need that extra monumental headache in your life. Don’t rush off to your grand adventure. Take the extra time to square away any paperwork, bills, contracts or other obligations you may have at home before leaving.

4. Lower your expectations.
Have you ever been to see a movie that you thought was sure to be awesome only to find out it was mediocre and you hated it? Have you ever been to a movie you were sure was going to suck only to find out it really wasn’t that bad and you left feeling fairly impressed even though the movie wasn’t really that great? Moving to another country is the same way. If you’re moving to another country you obviously believe it’s a place worth moving to and is for some reason preferable to the place you’re at. However, I guarantee it’s not going to be perfect. There are going to be downsides to it. If you go into your journey expecting to find the land of milk and honey you’re going to be sorely disappointed. If you go into it fully prepared to experience disappointment you’re going to be far less disappointed, and in the end you’re going to have a more positive experience.

5. Bring at least $20,000. (This figure is in US dollars. Convert accordingly.)
The number one cause of stress and ultimately failure when moving to a foreign country is money problems. The less money you bring the harder your life is going to be, the less secure you’re going to feel, the less leisure options you’ll have and the less time you’ll have to find a job. Between exchange rate fees, government fees, rental deposits, utility bills, food, transportation, leisure activities and buying toiletries, basic necessities you couldn’t fit in your suitcase and especially unforeseen expenses, you should really bring at least $20,000 with you or else you’re going to be extremely stressed during what will probably already be the most stressful experience you’ve ever had. You might still make it, but the more money you bring the better off you’ll be in every way.

6. Find temporary lodging at your new location and be prepared to change them.
Set this up before you leave so you’ll have a place to check into when you get there. However, don’t book it for more than a month. It might turn out to be a horrible environment. It might also turn out to be far away from where you want/need to be. So give yourself some leeway to move around a bit as you get your bearings. Also, don’t stop moving around until you’ve found someplace comfortable. I hate to keep harping on how stressful moving to another country is, but stress is inevitable. The only question is how stressful you’re going to make your life. Living in a place far away from where you want/need to be, living with roommates you don’t like in a cramped apartment that irritates your allergies where you have no furniture is going to seriously hurt your chances of happiness and ultimately success. If the first place you unpack your bags at isn’t working for you, get out of there and find a place that does work for you.

7. Get the Internet.
Bring a laptop with you. Other than your passport, nothing else is more important than that, and anything else you had to leave out of your luggage can be bought cheaply on the local market. If you can, try to stay at some place that provides Internet connection. If the place you’re at doesn’t have the Internet, get it. You’re going to need the Internet to stay in contact with your family and friends, look up bus schedules, buy a car, find a job, meet people, learn about the local area and a hundred other vital things you wouldn’t predict. You’re going to be lost without the Internet. So just go ahead and put that at the top of your list of things to do when you arrive in country. Granted, you can still use Internet cafes, but those are a pain in the ass. Avoiding Internet cafes will lower your stress level.

8. Network.
Once you get on the Internet, find some meet-up groups in your local area. The best case scenario is to meet other expats. Nobody is going to be more helpful than other people who have already walked in your shoes or are walking in them right now. I know you probably can’t wait to meet the locals, but your fellow countrymen are going to be more eager to help, and they’ll lessen the culture shock. Having said that, you should definitely also join meet-up groups with the locals. It’ll be fun. It’ll help you transition into the new culture and you’ll meet people who can offer you inside information.

9. Similar to #8, ask the locals.
Inevitably you’re going to have a lot of questions that need answers when you get to your new country. How do I find a job? How do I use the bus? How do I buy a car? How do I apply for any of the dozens of forms and applications I need to apply for? You can find all these answers after hours of research on the Internet or you can walk down to the gas station and ask a local. Typically they’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction. If you have a question, save yourself some time and just ask a local.

10. Get out of the house.
No matter how prepared you are to move to a new country there will always be unknowns. The unknown will be the scariest part about moving. The only way you’re going to turn the frightening unknown into the comfortable familiar is by getting out of your house and seeing what’s out there. Walk the streets. See the sights. Meet people. Sitting in your house is just going to prolong your discomfort, give you time to brood and make you bored.

11. Get away from your spouse.
Your husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend (if you bring one) is going to be your greatest source of support as well as misery. I heard somewhere that 50% of marriages end when moving to a new country. I don’t know if that’s true, but I can guarantee you that moving to a new country is one of the greatest challenges your relationship will ever face. In order for your relationship as well as the trip itself to work you’re going to need to have patience with one another, communicate with one another, compromise with one another and spend some time away from one another. Even if it’s just a walk in the park, you’re going to need to get away from your significant other on a regular basis to clear the air and not get on each others’ nerves.

12. Start a blog.
This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s a great idea. Just, make sure to set it up before you leave home so you don’t have to stress about setting it up when you’re in country dealing with a thousand other things. Writing a blog is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends, express your thoughts and offer advice you wish you would have been given about things you had to learn the hard way. In addition to that, it’s a rewarding experience. It adds another level to your adventure and provides you with a digital scrap book to look back on.

Ort: Sydney (AUS), Auckland (NZ)
Zeitunterschied: +10/+12 Std. MEZ
Wetter: 4 Jahreszeiten an einem Tag, jeden Tag

Nach der holden Schönheit Tasmaniens drehte es sich dann einmal nicht um blühende Wildblumen oder bekloppte Wombats, sondern vor allem um neue Bekannte, die Freunde wurden.

Sydney fanden wir bei unserem ersten Besuch ja nicht so spektakulär wie erwartet. Doch es gab schon mal den ersten Pluspunkt, was das Wetter angeht. Nach kalten tasmanischen Nächten waren wir froh mal wieder die kurzen Höschen rauszuholen und etwas Sonne zu tanken. Es war mal wieder Couchsurfing angesagt und so landeten wir bei Joe und Lucy im schönen Vorort Manly. Alles wirkte sehr aufgeräumt, es gab wieder shiny happy people, einen Strand in kurzer Laufdistanz und gutes Essen. Manly war ein Ort, wo man seine Kinder großziehen möchte. Joe war zudem ein absolut witziger Typ, der einiges zu erzählen hatte. Wenn man in seinem Lebenslauf aber stehen hat, dass man in Armenien geboren wurde, in Kairo aufgewachsen ist und heute professioneller Hypnotiseur und gleichzeitig Daytrader ist, dann sollte das nicht verwundern. Sydney zeigte sich durch Manly und Joe und Lucy von seiner angenehmen Seite, es gab eigentlich keinen Grund in die hektische Innenstadt zu fahren.

Einzig das Wiedersehen mit Anja und Pit ließ uns die Fähre zum Circular Quay an der Oper nehmen, um uns im ältesten Stadtteil Sydneys, The Rocks, ein paar Bier zu genehmigen. Es gab frisch Gezapftes auf der Dachterrasse eines Pubs mit Blick auf die Oper, danach noch sensationelles Essen bei einem Inder und zum Abschluß des entspannten Abends lecker Lokalbräu aus einer urigen Eckkneipe. Wieder ein gepflegter Abend.

Der Drops namens Australien war also gelutscht. Drei Monate sind ins Land gezogen und das Fazit fällt gemischt aus. Der Preis und Kulturschock saß nach der Ankunft aus Südamerika tief. Die Ostküste mit nachtaktiven Hostelgästen, saufenden Iren und simpel gestrickten 19-Jährigen tat ihr übriges. Die bisher größte Enttäuschung. Der Spaß fing bei uns erst an, als wir unabhängig von Transport und Unterkunft im Spaceship unterwegs waren. Vielleicht hätten wir die Ostküste so auch anders erlebt, wir wissen es nicht. Darwin, im heißen Norden Australiens, war eine furchtbare Stadt und wir hatten nicht die beste Zeit für einen Ausflug in den Kakadu-Nationalpark erwischt. Es war einfach zu trocken am Ende der 5-monatigen Trockenzeit. Melbourne gab uns wieder ein Hoch, allerdings müssen die sich nach noch etwas mit dem Wetter einfallen lassen, das geht so nicht. Die Grampiens und die Great Ocean Road blieben uns auch in guter Erinnerung. Sicher auch, weil wir wieder flexibel im Spaceship unterwegs waren. Das klare Highlight aber war Tasmanien. Einfach wunderschön.

Wir würden wiederkommen nach Australien. Wir würden die Westküste mit eigenem Allradwagen erkunden und wir würden das staubige Zentrum mit dem großen roten Felsen, der den Aborigines so heilig ist, besuchen. Doch jetzt werden wir erst mal für neun Wochen Neuseeland entdecken.

Nach den vier Nächten auf der Couch in Manly, Sydney, ging es direkt auf die nächste Couch nach Auckland. Zu Lozo und Lucy. Und was für ein Empfang. Das riesige Haus in Waitakere, West Auckland, platzte nur so aus allen Nähten vor anderen Couchsurfern und Familienmitgliedern. Damit hatten wir nicht gerechnet.

Doch eine der bemerkenswertesten Persönlichkeiten, die wir je kennengelernt haben war unser Gastgeber. Lozo, eigentlich Lorenzo Santamaria, ist gebürtiger Südafrikaner. Ein sogenannter “Cape Coloured”, also Mitglied eine farbigen Minderheit aus der Gegend um Kapstadt und unglückliches Opfer von Schwarz-Weiß-Denkens am südlichen Zipfel Afrikas. Zu Zeiten der Apartheid stand er in erster Linie bei den Demonstrationen gegen die rassistische Segregationspolitik. Er war gesuchter Staatsfeind, musste im Exil leben, mehrfach seine Identität wechseln und saß dann doch ein Jahr auf der berüchtigten Gefängnisinsel “Robben Island” ein, wo auch schon Nelson Mandela 19 Jahre seines Lebens fristen musste. Dann nach Ende der weißen Apartheid, wurden Gesetze eingeführt, die die schwarze Bevölkerung wieder bevorteilen sollte. Doch Lozo war als Farbiger nicht Schwarz genug, obwohl er doch Seite an Seite gegen die Rassenpolitik der weißen Minderheit gekämpft hatte. Reverse Apartheid. Wie ungerecht muss man sich behandelt fühlen. Doch er ist keiner der jammert und schimpft. Ein Kämpfertyp, 100% Energie, ein Hurrikan. Er war 1992 Teilnehmer der Olympischen Spiele in Barcelona – als Triathlet. Und heute nach fast 20 Jahren ohne ernsthaftes Training steht er jeden Morgen um 5 Uhr auf, um ins Fitnessstudio zu gehen oder mal eben 280 Km mit dem Fahrrad zu fahren. Wenn mal gerade nicht trainieren angesagt ist, wird am Haus herumgewerkelt, jeden Tag scheint sich etwas zu verändern. Lozo scheint immer gut gelaunt zu sein und uns ist es ein Rätsel, wo er diese Energie hernimmt.

2005 ist der Familie auch noch das Haus abgebrannt und sie haben fast alles verloren. Heute ist alles wieder aufgebaut und die Einstellung zu materiellen Dingen hat sich geändert. Es sind andere Sachen wichtig. Das war vielleicht auch ein Grund, warum sie später mit Couchsurfing angefangen haben und in den letzten Monaten unfassbar viele Leute gehostet haben. Während der acht Tage, die wir in Gesellschaft dieser großartigen Familie verbracht haben, waren immer gleichzeitig um die 8-10 andere Couchsurfer da. Drei Amerikaner, zwei Deutsche, eine Französin, ein Italiener, zwei Argentinier, eine Schottin, zwei Spanier und die Monkeys aus Österreich. Wir haben wieder viele interessante Leute getroffen, alles Langzeitreisende. Doch hier jeden gebührend zu würdigen, würde den Rahmen sprengen.

Und was? Acht Tage couchsurfen? Ja, 8 Tage. Wenn man nach Neuseeland kommt, stellt sich schnell die Frage wie man am besten durch die Lande reist. Auto mieten oder kaufen und dann im Hostel schlafen oder doch einen kleinen Campervan mieten oder kaufen. Viele Möglichkeiten, viele Fragen. Aber nach Abwägen aller Optionen fiel die Wahl dann doch auf das Modell: kleinen Campervan kaufen. Für etwa 2000€ bekommt man dann einen alten ausrangierten Japaner, denn unsere Freunde von der Insel haben sehr strenge Auflagen vom Gesetzgeber, was den Zustand des Wagens angeht und auch die Entsorgung ist mit immensen Kosten verbunden. Daher lohnt der Export in alle Welt.

Lozo fuhr uns wie ganz selbstverständlich zum Wochenend-Automarkt, doch wir waren zu langsam bei der Kaufentscheidung und der Wagen fuhr vor unserer Nase vom Hof. Aber ein Auto kauft man mal nicht eben wie einen Kaffee, sondern man braucht etwas Bedenkzeit. Dumm nur, wenn die umgebauten Campervans mit Holzbett und allem was man so im Camperleben braucht, weggehen wie warme Semmeln.

Egal, zwei Tage später hatten wir Erfolg. Nachdem wir einige Hostels in Auckland abgeklappert hatten, trafen wir uns mit Martin, Pavla und Rosarka. Die ersten beiden stammen aus der tschechischen Bierstadt Pilsen und lebten ein Jahr lang in einem 1987er Toyota Hiace namens Rosarka. Da war sie also – Rosarka (bei der Aussprache die Stimme tief stellen und einen tschechischen Akzent immitieren, Anm. d. Red.). Von außen keine Schönheit, mit einigen Makeln aber innen tiptop. Der Motor läuft nach mindestens 230.000 Km noch wie eine Eins, obwohl offensichtlich am Tacho manipuliert wurde. Rosarka läuft nämlich mit Diesel, was zwar im Vergleich zu Europa um 35% billiger ist als Benzin, man aber gezwungen ist eine Phantasiesteuer von NZ$40 pro gefahrene 1000 Km zu zahlen. Und genau die kann man natürlich gut sparen, wenn den Tachometer abgeklemmt. Letztlich kommt es aber auf paar tausend Kilometer mehr oder weniger auch nicht an, wenn die Werkstatt sagt, dass alles in Ordnung sei. Und das war bei Rosarka der Fall.

Auto kaufen ist in Neuseeland so einfach wie mal kurz Brötchen beim Bäcker holen. Nur mit Formular eben. Es war eine Sache von fünf Minuten. Hübsch unbürokratisch. Nachdem das Kaufgeschäft abgewickelt war, haben uns die schlitzohrigen Tschechen dann auch noch ganz beiläufig gestanden, dass eigentlich 10.000 Km mehr auf der Uhr stehen müssten. Schlitzohritsch eben.

Top war aber die Ausstattung unserer Rosarka. Trotzdem wurde aber wegen dem Wohlbefinden (man gewöhnt sich an allem, auch am Dativ, Anm. d. gut aufgelegten Red.) neues Bettzeug gekauft und ein zweiter Gaskocher angeschafft. Und Vorhänge mussten her. Denn dunkel muss es innen sein, wenn draußen die Straßenlaternen scheinen und der Nachtschlaf gesichert werden soll. Wir hatten also einen schönen großen Wohnzimmervorhang im Räumungsverkauf erstanden, der genau das Blau unserer Innenausstattung traf und sonnendicht ist. Es musste jetzt nur noch zugeschnitten und geschneidert werden. Lozo hatte eine gute alte Genomi Nähmaschine aus den 60er Jahren, deren Handhabung nach 1-stündiger Begutachtung und unter großer Mithilfe unseres österreichischen Freundes Josef auch endlich verstanden wurde und wir wie in einer philipinischen Kinderwerkstatt wieselflink die Vorhänge umnähten. Mutter du kannst stolz sein auf deinen Sohn . Ich habe genäht, an einer Nähmaschine. Und so haben wir nun Vorhänge, die den Marktwert des Wagens nochmals in astronomische Höhen treiben.

So vergingen die Tage bei den Vereinten Nationen in Auckland. Acht Tage waren wir zu Gast in Lozos Haus. Wir kamen als Couchsurfer und gingen als Freunde. Aber wir mussten endlich los. Endlich on the road. Auf nach Norden, nach Nordland, bis hoch ans Cape Reinga, den für die Maoris heiligsten Ort Aotearoas, dem Land der langen weißen Wolke.

So Rowan and Sandy have been working very hard over the last week or so and I now have over half of the songs completly composed, about a quarter written and half composed and 2 or 3 still waiting in the wings.

Its great to hear the music finally coming into existance, its giving me a lot more inspiration to get the film into gear. Even just listening to the music I can see (and hear) the film taking form. I can’t wait to start shooting!

Rehearsals begin again with the new script next week as well. Unfortunatly we wont have Liam Nolan again until the shoot as he is away, but I’m sure he will pick it up really quickly.

Might put up one of the songs when its properly recorded (or a smaple of the song) Until next time! – Adam

Another great list from Lonely Planet, the world’s top 10 places to party. I put the list to the test and found out whether TravelPod bloggers partied it up, or died of boredom…

1. Belgrade = Party Town

Some "barge-clubs" found in Belgrade, Serbia

“This is a town that knows how to go out. There are bars everywhere, the river is chock-a-block with barge-clubs and apparently most of the ‘coolest’ venues are still hidden away in unmarked basements. With no budget airlines serving Nikola Tesla airport it is also pleasantly lacking in British stag dos.” – Jiewu

2. Montreal = Fun, but expensive

Goldenfrog88 at Sky Pub in Montreal, Canada

We went to the gay district again to a bar that was recommended. We started off on their third floor terrace and ordered Canada’s infamously weak and expensive drinks. April and I ordered cosmos and got vodka crans in a plastic cup with one once of vodka for $7 each. After an hour we went to the first floor where a drag-show was happening. The performances were excellent with impersenations of the slum dog dance, Tina turner, and Madonna. I was surprised there was no way to tip them! Lastly, we went to the second floor to dance. Griselda and Isabella left earlier than April and myself. I tried getting over the whole “I don’t belong in gay bars” and just started dancng by myself to see what happens. I ended up dancing with some guy who had had way too much with different intentions of my own but at least he was cute. – Goldenfrog88

3. Buenos Aires = so-so

Curtisejtaylor meeting Brazilians at a pool hall in Buenos Aires

I don’t know what it’s like to party in big cities, but Buenos Aires, I found, is nothing worth boasting about. Nothing out of this world, if you’re wondering. It was good. – Curtisejtaylor

4. Dubai = “a very fun time”

Tnowakow at a private New Year's Eve party in Dubai, UAE

“The party was at a friend’s of Mona’s out in Jumeriah and we drove to a super market where he had cabs come and take us to the actual house (he didn’t want a bunch of cars at his place). It was a sweet looking villa with a pool outside and he had masks for everyone to wear before the New Year. He also had it catered with any kind of drinks that you would want. All in all it was a very fun time actually” – Tnowakow

5. Thessaloniki = “such a fun night”

Jhdavis' friend Allie, with her drink on a party boat in Thessaloniki

“We sailed around the bay for 30 minutes and the boat took us down the other side of Thessaloniki and across the downtown area by Aristotle Square and the waterfront bars and cafes. The music was great and all the people abroad where so friendly. At the end, we made our way back down to the dock and left the boat. It was such a fun night.” – Jhdavis

6. La Paz = a little boring

Wadeoliver at the "green party" in La Paz

“Boys with the booze arrived 8 with 1 10L bottle (looked more like a gas can) of rum and 20L of vodka plus mixers. Once everybody had a drink in their hand then the party really started. The arrival of 4 giant pizzas for dinner was fun (one slice = 3 normal) but because I wasn’t into the whole dance thing, I had had enough by 11:00. I had to unlock my door and leave it open while I went downstairs to give the key to Mike as the door can’t be left unlocked. Felt a little sick (ok, threw up a little), showered, bed 11:30. Mike woke me at 01:45 knocking on the door because he was too drunk to remember I’d given him the key! Then Jo is knocking on the door 5 minutes later and he’s having a conversation with her in his jocks out in the hall so not to disturb me more (he’s a nice guy) but as one of the guys chasing Jo passed by it must have been embarrassing!” – Wadeoliver

7. Cape Town = 24 hour parties!

Nat_yeo and her friends dressed up for a party in Cape Town

“We gathered at Proc’s house for champagne and dress ups before heading off to the big party at Ratanga Junction Theme Park, where the party was kicking into full swing. It is quite a thing to arrive at the party. Each group crosses over a catwalk and is announced as they arrive with cameras clicking and video cameras recording – you really want to ensure you have put enough effort into your costumes! The atmosphere was fantastic, the crowd very friendly and the music was rocking! We had a great night partying hard until the early hours before sunrise when we made a brief visit back to Cinds and Sebs for a quick shower and change, then off to another party!

The other party was an outdoor trance party held in a secret location around Hout Bay. Soon enough, we were kicking up a dust storm at breakfast time. We had a load of fun – I made some new friends and met some old and even had a call from UK friends cracking on back home whilst I walked through the surrounding forest. We called it quits around lunch time for some much needed sleep – a fantastic way to end 2 weeks in Cape Town.” – Nat_yeo

8. Baku = giant wedding parties

Lok loved the dancing at a wedding in Baku, Azerbaijan

“We then all drove to the village’s wedding hall (yes, weddings are the only events held here), honking all the way. Men and women were seated, at 20 long banquest tables, separately in the hall. It was packed with some 350 people. There were food, wine, vodka, live band and singers and a lot of speeches and dancing. They have a lot of arm movements when they dance – both guys and girls. I could not tell who are husbands and wives since they did not interact at all throughout the event.

After 4 hours, the party at the wedding hall came to an end at 12:30 a.m. It was only adjourned to the bride’s home for more drinks and snacks.” – Lok

9. Auckland = high class style

Andanddan ringing in the new year in Auckland

“An hour or so later we wandered back into the foyer area, which was by this time buzzing with people, and we made our way back to the original bar. Another band, comprising a male and female singer, were now in full flow and had the crowd rocking and the dance floor heaving. At this stage we decided not to move on to the Loaded Hog as originally planned – this was turning out to be a good night and the price was right too!” – Andanddan

10. Tel Aviv = Shabbat culture

Egsolove partied every night when he was in Israel

“I still have another night in Israel, and its going to be a good one. It’s shabbat, the party night. Israelis stay up very late, starting to party at 12:30 and not stopping until 5 or 6 sometimes. I’ve done this pretty much every night I’ve been in Israel. It gets exhausting for an American boy. But the culture here is amazing.” – Egsolove

Developed with Help From NSA

Privacy expert voices ‘backdoor’ concerns, security researchers dismiss idea

Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - The National Security Agency (NSA) worked with Microsoft on the development of Windows 7, an agency official acknowledged yesterday during testimony before Congress.

“Working in partnership with Microsoft and elements of the Department of Defense, NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft’s operating system security guide without constraining the user to perform their everyday tasks, whether those tasks are being performed in the public or private sector,” Richard Schaeffer, the NSA’s information assurance director, told the Senate’s Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security yesterday as part of a prepared statement.

“All this was done in coordination with the product release, not months or years later during the product lifecycle,” Schaeffer added. “This will improve the adoption of security advice, as it can be implemented during installation and then later managed through the emerging SCAP standards.”

Security Content Automation Protocol, or SCAP, is a set of standards for automating chores such as managing vulnerabilities and measuring security compliance. The National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) oversees the SCAP standards.

This is not the first time that the NSA has partnered with Microsoft during Windows development. In 2007, the agency confirmed that it had a hand in Windows Vista as part of an initiative to ensure that the operating system was secure from attack and would work with other government software. Before that, the NSA provided guidance on how best to secure Windows XP and Windows 2000.

According to Marc Rotenberg, the executive director of the Electronics Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the NSA’s involvement with operating system development goes back even farther. “This battle goes back to at least the crypto wars of the early ’90s,” said Rotenberg, who remembered testifying about the agency’s role in private sector computer security standards in 1989.

But when the NSA puts hands on Windows, that raises a red flag for Rotenberg, who heads the Washington, D.C.-based public interest research center. “When NSA offers to help the private sector on computer security, the obvious concern is that it will also build in backdoors that enables tracking users and intercepting user communications,” Rotenberg said in an e-mail. “And private sector firms are reluctant to oppose these ’suggestions’ since the US government is also their biggest customer and opposition to the NSA could mean to loss of sales.”

Rotenberg’s worries stem from the NSA’s reputation as the intelligence agency best known for its eavesdropping of electronic messaging, including cell phone calls and e-mail.

Andrew Storms, the director of security operations at nCircle Security, didn’t put much credence in the idea that Microsoft would allow the NSA to build a hidden entrance to Windows 7. “Would it be surprising to most people that there was a backdoor? No, not with the political agenda of prior administrations,” said Storms. “My gut, though, tells me that Microsoft, as a business, would not want to do that, at least not in a secretive way.”

Roger Thompson, chief research officer at AVG Technologies, agreed. “I can’t imagine NSA and Microsoft would do anything deliberate because the repercussions would be enormous if they got caught,” he said in an interview via instant messaging.

“Having said that, I think we should understand that there is every likelihood that certain foreign governments are constantly looking for vulnerabilities that they can use for targeted attacks,” Thompson continued. “So if they’re poking at us, I think it’s reasonable to assume that we’re doing something similar. But I seriously doubt an official NSA-Microsoft alliance.”

The NSA’s Schaeffer added that his agency is also working on engaging other major software makers, including Apple, Sun and Red Hat, on security standards for their products.

“More and more, we find that protecting national security systems demands teaming with public and private institutions to raise the information assurance level of products and services more broadly,” Schaeffer said.

Microsoft was not immediately available for comment on the NSA’s participation in Windows 7’s development.

Pattersons Associates [blog] have proposed a lighting scheme for the Auckland Harbour Bridge as part of tidying up around the place for the Rugby World Cup. I like it because it looks like space invaders shooting at each other across the harbour. War with the North Shore was inevitable, I suppose. The proposal was the joint winner, with oh.no.sumo’s Cupcake Pavilion, of the open division of the AAA Cavalier Bremworth Awards held last week. (I should mention that the winner of the student division, Yosop Ryoo, is a student of mine, so I’m quite pleased about that – I’ll post some more pictures of his work some time). Herald writeup here.

Clint Owens interviews NZ Taxi Federation Executives, Tim Reddish Kevin Braid, Blue Star Taxis Manager Bob Wilkinson & Wellington Combined Taxis Director Warren Quirke.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/20091124.

Have left Dunedin for the warmer north, and am visiting my sister in Auckland for a couple of days. While I’m here I thought I’d do a bit more of Te Araroa – the Coast to Coast walkway. This goes from the ferry terminal in the heart of the CBD to Manukau Harbour; about 16 km in all. A relatively easy day.

Sky Tower and central city Auckland

Heading out of the immediate shopping frenzy of Queen Street and the surrounding environs (including the spectacular Sky Tower, the tallest man-made building in New Zealand) I made my way up to the Auckland Domain. This is a multipurpose green space in the centre of the city, and lots of people were out enjoying it. The Auckland Museum is in the middle of the Domain, so I abandoned the walkway for a couple of hours to troll through it. They had dinosaurs! I was so excited. I could stare at dinosaur skeletons for hours.

Auckland Museum

After lunch at the Museum cafe, I headed across to Mount Eden, and hauled myself up to the crater. I’ve been there  a couple of times before, and always enjoy going. Mostly because, I admit, it caught my imagination as a young child, when I was reading Maurice Gee’s Under the Mountain, in which a red-headed twin throws a magic stone into the crater, thus bringing about the downfall of evil, quacking aliens called Wilberforces, who want to turn the entire Earth to mud. It’s better than I’m making it sound, truly. I loved that book.

"We bring you the gift of oblivion!"

An hour or so later I was doing the same thing at One Tree Hill (minus the sci-fi reminiscences of my childhood). One Tree Hill is a complete misnomer, I’m afraid. Firstly, because it’s lower slopes are covered with a lot more than a single tree. And secondly, because although it once had a single tree at the top, as far as I recall someone threw a tantrum and cut it down, so now there’s no tree at all. Grrrr. I’m a botanist at heart, and chopping down trees for the hell of it really pisses me off.

The Badly Named Hill

From OTH I trotted towards the end point, Onehunga Bay Reserve, a small park on the edge of Manukau Harbour and the end of the trail.

Onehunga Bay Reserve and Lagoon

A really good day, on a very well-done trail. I especially liked how as much of the walk as possible was through green spaces – it wasn’t just trekking through roads and obviously urban environments, which would have been easy to do.

End (or start) at OBR

Got quite sunburnt, though. Must make sure not to forget my sunscreen again!

Walking down Queen Street this morning Adam wondered just what the Auckland City Council had spent over NZ$40 million on.

The pavers seemed badly laid and many were such as to present a possible danger to the elderly or unsteady of foot.

The native trees looked poorly.

If this is an example of potentail ability of the so called ‘Super City’ to execute then God Save the Auckland ratepayers.

Oh and it all took an inordinate amount of time to complete.

David Farrar over at Kiwiblog has replied on the subject of unbalanced supercity wards, accusing critics of simply having a go at Rodney Hide. I shall oblige and leave the minister of local government out of this, and instead focus on the undemocratic shambles that this new supercity plan is building.

Farrar claims that the grossly disproportionate wards are okay, as we need to be able to make exceptions for some cases for rural areas. I actually agree- my issue is not with the fact that there is a ward with a greater than 10% difference from the average of the Supercity. My issue is that eight of the twelve proposed wards (or twelve of the twenty counselors) are within the unacceptable range. By definition, two thirds of a group cannot all be exceptional cases. Even if this arrangement benefited the left, it would clearly be wrong and necessitate urgent reform. It’s not about who’s winning. It’s about the principle that elections ought to be fair, and votes ought to be as equitable as possible for people living in different areas.

With relatively little deviation from areas of interest, it should be possible to smooth out the differences between the wards much more, and allow the two wards Farrar mentions to be truly exceptional outliers that barely graze that 10% margin, instead of crushing it at 24% and 17% deviations. A 24% outlier can’t even be called an exceptional case- it’s the kind of statistic that smells of gerrymandering. Let’s preserve geographic and social boundaries without making a joke out of local elections, shall we?

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Flip is called in to help kids train their dogs for Sticky TV’s Dogg On Extreme challenge!