I'm thinking September in New Zealand is a good idea

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Because, having checked prices, considered suggestions and thought about it, it's clear to me that a visit to Aotearoa would be damn cool. Having wanted to visit there for many years now, I'm thinking why the hell not? Early September away from work won't cause any worries, and I should be able to take two weeks' vacation for it all. I'd also like to see if I can swing a couple of days' jaunt over to Sydney to see Tim and other folks there, though perhaps you lot could all come over to NZ for ILx Fest South or something. ;-)

So what do the assembled Aussie/Kiwi multitudes here think? Will you welcome me with open arms or drive me away with sticks? Shall we try a Trig Brother pub crawl equivalent? Can we make everyone on the boards jealous of various good times? Etc. Let me know!

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And before the inevitable comments begin, let me reemphasize that I've wanted to visit NZ for well over a decade and that this has nothing to do with a certain Peter Jackson film that just came out. Dammit. Though I admit that adds a certain extra zing to it all.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sydney? Does no-one ever visit Melbourne anymore?

I fell in love with NZ the one and only time I was there (for 2 weeks about 18 months ago). Wellington was lovely, with such a young and pretty population.. No good live bands on while I was there though.

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Come to Auckland!CDs are cheap here.

― Damian, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ned, make sure you spend a good bit of time in the South Island as this is the more scenic half - a microcosm of the world's best landscape as Lonely Planet. Lake Takapo is unbelieveable (like something from a Cecil B. De Mille film), Milford Sound, The Franz Joseph and Fox glaciers etc. Summer (Dec-Feb) is better in NZ. I hired a car which wasn't overly expensive. Great roads, always seemed to be driving towards a spectacular mountain range with tranquil lakes either side! Queenstown is cool. It'll be ski season there in September.

― David Gunnip, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

word has it dunedin will soon once again be HOPPING!!

― mark s, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

NZ looks so beautiful, I am feeling verrrrry envious.

― Nicole, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i spent nearly a month there in 1996, i agree with the notion of sticking to the south island as i stayed my last week up north and it was a vacation for my senses after all the splendour of the south. of course everything is cheap there now with the insane exchange rate, funny how i can order records from new zealand and with shipping charges still pay less than than i would domestic mail order shops. renting a car is good, get the unlimited miles option though, cheaper and if you can practice shifting a manual transmission from the passenger seat as this was an endless source of frustration for me. milford sound, driving up the west coast through picton and nelson, arthur's pass, kaikoura, dunedin, christchurch it is all beautiful. try to pick a time when cloudboy are playing live somewhere nearby.

― keith, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'll have ana fternoon coffee with you near the Opera House if you like?

― goeff, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thanks for the tips -- summer would conceivably be better, but that's impractical, since I'd want to spend the two weeks; work would only really allow for the Xmas break, and I always spend that with my folks. Di mentioned that September was a good month for Dunedin, which matches with my own particular schedule well.

The CDs were certainly an extra temptation. ;-) I have a feeling I'll be going nuts with all the Flying Nun/Xpressway/whatever stuff I've still not got yet.

Can't do the car option for the minor reason that I don't have a license. Creative means of transport will be the answer. The South Island and Dunedin in particular was going to be my focus, thanks all those fun characters there, you know who you are. ;-) Another point in its favor -- being referenced in the Verlaines' "Ready to Fly."

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I found it really hard to find any of the 'collectible' FN or Xpressway stuff when I was there - I think the only things I could find were the 7" of Tally Ho and The Other's Way, both which were way overpriced. On the other hand I found stacks of nice Creation and Factory LPs cheep!

― electric sound of jim, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Indeed, most of the collectable NZ stuff now goes for over-inflated prices. But, as Jim says, there's plenty of post-punk, new wave stuff on vinyl & very cheap (esp with current exchange rates). This, after all is the country which had Joy Division at number 1 in the pop charts twice(!!) & top ten spots for the Fall & the Dead Kennedys! An odd place in the 80's.

If you're going to Wellington Ned, let me know. I live there.

― Bill E, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah, another potential contact! Don't worry, I'll be hounding you all in some form or another. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Any canoodling with my Rainy and I'll have you killed.

― Graham, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Or, on reflection, her parents will have you arrested and deported.

― Graham, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm sorry, I read words there, but I could not interpret them.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am in a tearing hurry on my way to get back to Dunedin, so I haven't time to say much, but I think Ned should definitely have a holiday here in NZ and should visit Auckland, Wellington and most especially Dunedin and definitely NOT CHRISTCHURCH (flat and smells like turnips).

― rainy, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

As those were the three cities I especially wanted to visit, it is all good. Christchurch I was always amused by for the name, but if it's the pit of nothing, then I will spend my time more wisely.

As it stands, I think I'll spend most of the time in Dunedin and Wellington. Right now I don't know anyone in Auckland, for one thing.

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

dunedin yay rainy: then when i visit manny will bop me on the head for arguing

also the other place is just a blob of beef in pastry...

― mark s, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Now you see, Mark S, clearly you must visit at the same time, and then we may properly meet up having missed each other in London. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Aucklnad and Christchurch are mainly worth visiting for the second hand record and CD shops. Not much else there i don't think. i'm intrigued thatthe Ready to Fly lyric can entice people here ...Dunedin is cold and by winter it's gonna get colder, and your tolerance leaves when the bones in your fingers freeze over...

― hamish, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm in Auckland and would be a most willing record shop tour guide.

― Damian, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Aucklnad and Christchurch are mainly worth visiting for the second hand record and CD shops.

Gee, something I have absolutely *NO* interest in. He said, tongue piercing cheek. ;-) With Damien as a guide, all is well.

The Verlaines lyric may not be an enticing one per se, I grant, but still, it's Dunedin. And I'll be going when it's getting toward spring for you guys, see. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two weeks pass...

Okay, I just bought my ticket HA HA. Now you all must fear! I arrive on August 31 and you have to put up with me until September 15.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

woohoo!

― di, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Urgent and key: how does Ned take his tea and coffee? Does he prefer cakes or biscuits? Beer or tequila? Country or nightclub?

― rainy, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Apparently flights to NZ are suddenly super-expensive because of Lord of the Rings. God people are thick. It's annoying actually as I want to go back there. I will think of some things to recommend to Ned but for the moment: avoid Pu-Pu Springs, despite the name.

― N., Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Urgent and key: how does Ned take his tea and coffee? Does he prefer cakes or biscuits? Beer or tequila? Country or nightclub?

Tea = generally clear, but a bit of lemon never hurts. Coffee = not a regular drinker, just once every so often. Cakes and biscuits are both to my taste. There's not enough plants around to make proper tequila that's not expensive, so in the interest of environmentalism beer for the moment (other mixed cocktails are more than worthy, though!). Country means lovely winter scenes and beautiful hush, nightclub means dancing with friends, so both quite wonderful. Hurrah!

Apparently flights to NZ are suddenly super-expensive because of Lord of the Rings. God people are thick.

I sorta feared that might be the case, but I got my tickets for $900, which wasn't all that bad considering. Even my regular travel agent couldn't find anything below $1155 when she first looked.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

rainy is wronger'n shit about chch btw, i recommend it highly.

― duane, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nick Dastoor what are you on about? Pu-Pu Springs is the greatest place on earth, almost! Ah the purity, so pure!

I'm willing to accept that some people like Christchurch, but too many bleary eyed, broken hearted, four o clock in the morning rendezvous with train stations have left me scarred for life. Plus there are hardly any hills there, fuck that.

― rainy, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

please excuse my foul language, there is something wrong with me lately.

― rainy, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

did you know there will probably be a chocolate factory theme park type thingy by the time you are here?

― elizabeth anne marjorie, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah Cadbury-land is gonna put Dunedin on the map!

― hamish, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can only add my voice to the giant factory house clamours.

The problem with Pu-Pu Springs was that they weren't springing, so the whole place just bacame a nice lake with a few tea trees around, which is fine, but we had driven a long way to get there so were quite disappointed. Mind you, it was the most beautiful drive in the world so I shouldn't really complain.

― N., Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

So I'm going to a land of chocolate? Oh, TWIST my arm. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i propose to all dunedin ILErs that we take ned to planet pancake! PLANET PANCAKE!!!!!!

― di, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ewww they use battery eggs and they're all homos. and they say i can put up anti-war posters in their window and then take them down and soon as i leave.

― hamish, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ewww they use battery eggs

*thinks to self...'Battery eggs?'

and they're all homos.

Nothing wrong with that, I'll report on their worth to Anthony, Sean, Arthur and all. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and they say i can put up anti-war posters in their window and then take them down and soon as i leave.

that isn't very nice. neither is using battery hen's eggs but i'll pretend i didn't read that.

― di, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and they're all homos.

OH NO!!!! what will the neighbours say?

― di, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

if you use unbattery eggs then they aren't really pancakes HA!*

*please note this joke — which depends on the consonance of unrelated words "battery" and "batter" — needs your love and unjudgmental support

― mark s, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ninny!

― di, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i don't want anyone to read this and think i have some problem with pancake makers being as gay as pancakes.

― hamish, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I sorta like the idea of a specifically gay pancake makers place. They would come in all colors of the rainbow.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Abalone, Arc, Art School, Blue Oyster Gallery, The Captain Cook, The Church Cafe, DPAG, The Green Acorn Cafe, Jizo, The Lounge Bar, Metro, Metro Cinema, The Mission, Modaks, Pop, The Regent Theatre, Ruby In The Dust, Tokyo Garden, Tokyo House, The Travel Bar, University Library

This is the beginning of my list of places I quite like and would like to show Ned when he stays here. I think Planet Pancake is a good idea too, the people who run it really are nice, I worked there once and they paid me about a killion dollars for flipping a few pancakes.