My first EnZed (NZ) Car:
I've been in Auckland for a whole week now and I'm more than ready to get a move on, but the logistics of buying a car ended up taking more time than I thought they would. Particularly the wire transfer of funds from my US bank to my NZ bank. You know how in the movies when the bad guy needs money wired to his numbered account in Zurich and his techy henchman on the laptop can confirm the transaction instantaniously? That's not how wire transfers work! Of course the money left my US bank the second I hit send, but didn't show up in my NZ account until three days later.
However, with money finally in hand I went to the Backpackers Car Market--a huge garage where backpackers who are leaving the country sell their cars to those just arriving. I found a nice little 1991 Mitsubishi Chariot station wagon that was listed for a price within my budget. Had a legal check and a mechanical inspection done on it, and negotiated the final price with Sven--a nice German fellow and the car's previous owner. I drove my Chariot the three miles or so back to my hotel, and I have to tell you, every 30 seconds or so I had to take a deep breath and reassure myself that it was in fact "right" that I was driving on the left! That's seriously going to take some getting used to.
In case you're wondering, I've already decided on a name for my sweet sweet ride! I'm gonna call her "The Rattler." Many of you know of my affinity for word play so it should come as no surprise that this chosen name has a double meaning. First, from my first blog entry on Kiwi-speak you may recall that "rattle your dags" means "to get a move on." I'm hoping this car will help me to rattle my dags all over this country. And second, well, she rattles like a son-of-a-bitch when you get her over 50 kph!
My first NZ Job:
This afternoon I'm rattling my dags up north a bit to a place called Taiwawe Bay (go to Google maps and type in Taiwawe Bay, New Zealand and hit the "satallite" button in the upper right-hand corner to change the image ot an overhead satallite photo). I answered an ad placed on the notice board at the International Exchange Program office for the job. It's for two days manual labor (digging a drainage ditch and some various other landscaping duties on a private property) and what's more, it's an unpaid gig! The payoff is that for those two days work I then get nine days free accommodation and food at these people's private beach house in their own private Pacific Ocean bay! I get full use of their facilities including their small boat and kayak. Seems like a fair trade to me. I don't know that I'll have internet access while I'm there so the next update might not be for a bit. Catch you on the flip side.
Cheers!
I've been in Auckland for a whole week now and I'm more than ready to get a move on, but the logistics of buying a car ended up taking more time than I thought they would. Particularly the wire transfer of funds from my US bank to my NZ bank. You know how in the movies when the bad guy needs money wired to his numbered account in Zurich and his techy henchman on the laptop can confirm the transaction instantaniously? That's not how wire transfers work! Of course the money left my US bank the second I hit send, but didn't show up in my NZ account until three days later.
However, with money finally in hand I went to the Backpackers Car Market--a huge garage where backpackers who are leaving the country sell their cars to those just arriving. I found a nice little 1991 Mitsubishi Chariot station wagon that was listed for a price within my budget. Had a legal check and a mechanical inspection done on it, and negotiated the final price with Sven--a nice German fellow and the car's previous owner. I drove my Chariot the three miles or so back to my hotel, and I have to tell you, every 30 seconds or so I had to take a deep breath and reassure myself that it was in fact "right" that I was driving on the left! That's seriously going to take some getting used to.
In case you're wondering, I've already decided on a name for my sweet sweet ride! I'm gonna call her "The Rattler." Many of you know of my affinity for word play so it should come as no surprise that this chosen name has a double meaning. First, from my first blog entry on Kiwi-speak you may recall that "rattle your dags" means "to get a move on." I'm hoping this car will help me to rattle my dags all over this country. And second, well, she rattles like a son-of-a-bitch when you get her over 50 kph!
My first NZ Job:
This afternoon I'm rattling my dags up north a bit to a place called Taiwawe Bay (go to Google maps and type in Taiwawe Bay, New Zealand and hit the "satallite" button in the upper right-hand corner to change the image ot an overhead satallite photo). I answered an ad placed on the notice board at the International Exchange Program office for the job. It's for two days manual labor (digging a drainage ditch and some various other landscaping duties on a private property) and what's more, it's an unpaid gig! The payoff is that for those two days work I then get nine days free accommodation and food at these people's private beach house in their own private Pacific Ocean bay! I get full use of their facilities including their small boat and kayak. Seems like a fair trade to me. I don't know that I'll have internet access while I'm there so the next update might not be for a bit. Catch you on the flip side.
Cheers!
Wow, sounds and looks fantastic!! So many questions: food, roads, weather, etc., etc.?? I guess we will have to realize you didn't go out there solely to post updates for all of us!
ReplyDeleteFelipe
It looks like a hatchback. If so, here's a nifty little trick. Buy a tarp or better yet, go to a construction site and ask for the massive tarp that usually covers the contruction wood delivered for a job site. Buy (1) 12' cam strap and 50 feet of pack cord. Open the hatch back and lay the tarp on top. Slice two or four slits in the tarp and use the cam strap to strap the tarp onto the open hatch. Use the pack cord to tie the corners of the tarp to trees or rocks. Now you have a car that you can sleep in and (depending on your tarp size)a really spacious vestibule to cook and read under.
ReplyDeleteUse a "deadman" in the corners or anywhere along the sides (instead of the eyelets) where you need to tie off for tension. A "deadman" consists of a pine cone or rock or even a snowball that you place about 12" from the edge of the tarp and then wrap the tarp around the object constricting the objects escape. Tie a slip knot aroun the object and even a 70 mph wind won't rip the tarp. A 12mph wind will rip through an eyelet in a few minutes.
Cheers, Brother. I'm proud of you. I hope you love traveling so that we might travel together one day.