NZ meetup

[Talitha]

Hmm, according to my own googling it is made by ACADIANA PEPPER CO.

ACADIANA PEPPER CO INC is in SAINT MARTINVILLE, LA. This company currently has approximately 1 to 5 employees and annual sales of Under $500,000. Might not be easy to get... (Any genu-ine southern hot sauce would be fine!)


In other news my cousin said we can probably stay at her place in Auckland while she's away, yay!

So tentative plans are...

New Years in Auckland, drive on 1st Jan to Rotorua. Visit to Whakarewarewa optional. Wai-o-tapu the next morning. Then head home to PN, driving via Huka Falls, Lake Taupo and the mountain district. Should be fun!

Then stay at my place in PN for a fews days, then a day trip to Wellington on the 7th. In Wellington we go to Te Papa, or Mt Victoria, or the Weta Workshop cave, or the cable car (or all of the above)... in the middle of that we put PJ on the plane back to Auckland.

Then it's back to PN and off to Sixtus Lodge from the 8th to the 11th.

Opinions? Thoughts? Suggestions?

I'm really looking forward to it!

[petroleumjelly]

Sounds good to me!

[mith]

Tally: Not terribly useful at the moment, but Michelle's mother is from St. Martinville, and most of her family on that side still lives near there; if you see me posting about us visiting Louisiana in the future, remind me and I'll see if I can pick some up to ship to you.

[petroleumjelly]

Ha! I found some Louisiana Gem Hot Pepper Sauce (or something), and that is what I shall be bringing to NZ. If it's not quite what you had in mind, it should be close enough.

[Talitha]

That indeed sounds like the stuff! Yay! I'm not sure what brand to suggest if it proves too hard to get hold of, as I'm not familiar with any others. (I only know Louisiana Gem because a couchsurfer I hosted gave me a bottle of the stuff a few years ago). ANY would be good. There is next-to-no selection of hot sauce available here.

Thanks mithy! If I'm still hankering for some in the future, I will let you know.

[Talitha]

So, we found out if groza "accidentally" missed his flight from Auckland to PN they would cancel his whole ticket. That's kinda unfair we thought, but no problem, we'll just change the ticket to stop at Auckland and pay the change fee. Apparently this is not possible. We must view the ticket as a whole, not as the sum of its parts. We cannot, no matter what we do, decline one minor connecting flight.

Groza is a trooper and a sport. He is going to take that flight to Palmerston North and (before I could talk him out of it) he purchased an immediately returning flight to Auckland (for less than the change fee would have been if we were allowed to do it).

In conclusion airlines are dumb (air new zealand for your reference), air ticketing places are pathetic (cheaptickets.com for your reference), and Groza is awesome.


I think because we have free accommo and groza's big effort to be there we should stay an extra night in Auckland and travel to Rotorua on the 2nd, then to Palmy on the 3rd. Does anyone mind if I book a backpackers or something like that for the night of the 2nd in Rotorua?

[petroleumjelly]

Book a backpackers? As in hiking?

[Also, huzzuh for groza! What a ridiculous situation.]

[Talitha]

Nope, no hiking required. It's just budget accommodation for those who don't want to pay megabucks for a hotel.

Found this one:
http://www.crashpalace.co.nz/

If we get our own room I think we could survive it for 1 night...

[Talitha]

I'm going to be away for the next few days, but here's my tentative plans and dates and things. Feedback or ideas welcomed.

30th December
PJ arrives Auckland

31st December
Groza arrives - Auckland (arrives 7.05am) – PN (arrives 10.40am) – Auckland (arrive 1pm)

Primate arrives Auckland 11.40pm

1st January
Sightseeing around Auckland

2nd January
Travel to Rotorua
Text Amb while driving through Hamilton, possible meet.
Stay one night at “Crash Palace” 1271 Hinemaru St, (Cnr Hinemaru & Eruera St)

3rd January
Wai-o-tapu
Drive back to PN via Huka Falls

4th January
GL Amb is back from holiday.

5th January
Do stuff in Palmy or nearby

6th January
Do stuff in Palmy or nearby

7th January
Day trip to Wellington. Te Papa, Beehive, Cable Car + Mt Vic if nice day. Te Papa & Weta cave if bad day.
Take PJ to the airport. Flight is at 1.45pm.

8th to 11th January
Sixtus Lodge. Take food, indoor/outdoor games, etc.

[Talitha]

From: Amb
To: Talitha
Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:54 am
Subject: Weta Wellington?
IF YOU GO:

Weta Cave: Corner of Camperdown Rd and Weka St, Miramar, Wellington. Admission is free.

Hours: Open seven days a week, 9am to 5.30pm. Closed New Year's Day, ANZAC Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Call: (04) 380-9361.

Email: wetacavewetanz.co.nz.

Website: www.wetaNZ.com.

Groups need to call in advance to make bookings.

[Talitha]

For arrivals in Auckland I have
30 Dec - PJ - 11.50am
31 Dec - Groza - 7.05am (International - Air New Zealand) to collect his luggage
- Groza - 1.00pm (Domestic - Air New Zealand) to collect him
- Primate - 11.40pm

PJ & Primate, can you double check your arrival times before you leave and let me know airlines and flight numbers in case there is a delay or schedule change? I've recently been to Auckland airport to pick up my brother from an international flight and even though his plane touched down at 10.15am, he didn't emerge from customs, etc, until about 11.15am. So I'll aim to arrive at airport about 45 minutes after your scheduled arrival time.

PJ: I will be driving from Palmerston North on the morning that you arrive. It's about a 7 hour drive and I'll leave about 6am... just so you know that if I'm not there when you arrive I won't be too far away!

Primate: Likewise we'll probably see in the New Year then zoom to airport to meet you. If we're not there when you emerge it'll just be because of traffic or something.

[petroleumjelly]

Lessee...

Arriving on December 30, 11:50 a.m., from "Flight FJ411."

Leaving January 7, 6:05 p.m., onto "Flight FJ412."

[Phoebus]

How are you flying Air Pacific?

Going via Fiji?

[Battousai]

Just looked up the cost for a round trip ticket to Auckland.... 3858 plus tax >_<. Hope everyone has their tickets purchased already.

[petroleumjelly]

How are you flying Air Pacific?

Going via Fiji?

Why, yes! However did you guess?

[Primate]

Singapore Air.

SQ0281, 31 Dec, 23:40 inbound.
SQ0301, 23 Jan, 01:10 outbound.

If it's easier for you, I don't mind shacking up in an airport hotel for the night and meeting you on the morning of the first. If my flights delayed, you've lost the night, really, and considering you'll have to be leaving to meet me anyway, you lose a fair chunk of new year. Yeah, though, I don't mind waiting around at the airport for a couple of hours.

[Talitha]

I can't speak for the others Prim, but I'm perfectly happy to countdown to the new year, then come pick you up. I'm excited to meet you, and I don't drink a lot anyway, so I'll be fine to drive. I can check online for any delays and adjust the airport run accordingly.

I can't wait to see PJ arrive wearing his Fiji tapa cloth skirt, coconut drink in hand!

[petroleumjelly]

I'm off!

*grabs towel and heads to airport*

[Primate]

Right, I'm off in about an hour. I didn't get your text, so if worst comes to worst and we can't contact each other even once we're in the same country, I'll just be in the airport bar.

[Talitha]

Hmm, I will have no problem recognising the other 2 having met them before, but for you I may need to hold up a sign or something. Maybe a stick figure mafioso picture? Idk.

I am leaving myself in about 6 hours... I better get some sleep first I guess.

Have a good trip!

[Oman]

A sign with "Vanilla Townie" or "

Primate

"

[Primate]

Yeah, I do know what you and PJ look like, but I'll probably not be in a fit state to recognise basic shapes, so you may have a point.

Can't oblige you too thoroughly, due to singapore airport computer's limiting paint options, but here

http://www.mafiascum.net/forum/viewtopi ... 868#547868

is a picture of me from about three years ago in post a name with a face. I haven't changed much.

I'll have a brown coat and a big black/blue bag.

[Porochaz]

scary as hell

[Talitha]

I'm sure there are people out there who have been terribly worried, so I had better post that I found PJ, Groza & Primate!

[Andycyca]

I'm sure there are people out there who have been terribly worried, so I had better post that I found PJ, Groza & Primate!

Ah, those bear traps worked, after all