Greetings from Down Under...

[Jason Tuinstra]

Well, it's been quite awhile since I've posted anything of late. I've had a busy summer with trips and as a result I haven't gotten into the shop much nor have I contributed as much as I would like to here.

The latest trip finds me, along with my wife and two of the five kids, in New Zealand for two weeks. After some 40 hours of travel, you'll never guess what one of the first sights I found was? Yep, the woodworking store.

Cutting to the chase... I found my DeWalt 621 router for $531 N.Z. ($347 US). I also found my DeWalt lunch box planer on sale for close to $1200 N.Z. ($784 US). I provide this tid bit so that you can be free to say when in need, "But honey, do you know how much Kiwi's have to pay for their tools? From that perspective, it's a bargin!" :D

Cheers for now! Carry on mates, and all that...

Jason

[Tyler Howell]

Hurry Back Jason,

The kids miss you, and we need to see some more of your fine work.;)
Bet the church ladies are happy your not lurking in the rest rooms:p :p

[Kurt Aebi]

Jason,

Great to hear from you again, hop you are doing well "Down-Under" and thank for the ammunition for the next upgrade to the shop, LOL

Peace and God's Love to you and your family for a safe trip.

[Chris Padilla]

Pics, pics, pics, pics.....!!!!! :D :D :D

[Jim Becker]

Jeepers, you're going to eclips all my frequent flyer miles in a single trip, Jason!. NZ is a neat place and on Dr SWMBO and my "hit list" for places to vacation one of these days. Be sure to give us the low-down when you get back! Safe travels...

[Jason Tuinstra]

Chris, I have the camera here so I'll have to post some shots as soon as we get out a bit. The flight into Wellington was beautiful, but I was on baby patrol at the time and couldn't snap any off.

Jim, I'm sure you and your wife would love this place. The big test today (it's 17 hours ahead of Chicago so it's Friday morning here) will be driving on the other side of the road. I suppose you've done this being in London, but I haven't. It looks pretty intimidating. We'll see...

Kurt, no problem! :p

Tyler, hey, they have church ladies here as well!!! But you're right, I should probably stay out of their washroom. :D

[Jim Becker]

The big test today will be driving on the other side of the road. I suppose you've done this being in London, but I haven't.
Actually, it was a week in Ireland a few years back that I spend on the "wild side" of the road. Honestly, the driving is easy as long as you pay attention when you are pulling out from intersections and entering/exiting roundabouts. Aside from that, shifting with the left hand on a standard transmission was the biggest pain in the butt of the whole experience. Enjoy!

[Ian Barley]

Jason

I have a trip "Down Under" planned for the end of this year/beginning of next.

My wife is fortunate enough to belong to a partner program with her (US owned - thank you!) employer which gives her a 6 week sabbatical. We are spending a couple of weeks(ish) in Oz, a couple of weeks(ish) in NZ and then a week in Fat Sam's Disco on the way back home.

We are going to fly out on Boxing Day, luckily my business if very seasonal and I can take the time off as well.

I was gonna solicit opinions and info a bit nearer the time but make sure you let us know any real highpoints. And enjoy the break - driving on the left is easy - its you crazy folk who drive on the right who scare me. And Jim's right the freakiest thing is changing gear with the wrong hand.

[Jim Becker]

And Jim's right the freakiest thing is changing gear with the wrong hand.
Now...it's not the "wrong" hand...it's the "other" hand!:p

[Jason Tuinstra]

Ian, I haven't left the little town we're in yet, but I'll have to let you know how things go. You'll have much better weather than us. It's the end of winter right now and cold and wet.

I drove for the first time today! Fortunately, it was an automatic so I didn't have to shift with the wrong/left hand :p Fun, fun!!!

[Tom Sweeney]

Sounds like a great trip - OZ & NZ are on my places I want to visit list. Sounds like this is a family vacation & not a "working" trip eh?

Have a great time & definately post pics.

BTW - It's not so much driving on the wrong side of the road that's a problem (though those London roundabouts sure are fun :eek: ). It's coming back home & remembering to drive on the right side (sorry Ian) of the road that's critical. Also keep track of how many times you walk to the wrong side of the car to get in. :D

A friend & I went to England in '86. I still remember the time, about a week after we got home, when my friend was driving a 2 lane road & started driving on the wrong side - we came up over a hill and came very close to meeting our maker when he narrowly avoided a truck coming the other way. :eek:

[Steve Evans]

Driving on the other side is the easy part, I always figured the way that I would die in the UK or Oz was crossing the street. :o You gotta look the other way :rolleyes:

[Jim Becker]

Driving on the other side is the easy part, I always figured the way that I would die in the UK or Oz was crossing the street. You gotta look the other way
Exactly why they have the streets painted at crosswalks these days with "look right"...not that folks are inclined to read.:eek:

[Jason Tuinstra]

Tom, I'm actually being looked at/examined by a church out here who is considering calling me as their pastor. My wife and two of my children are with. We hope to have some fun while we're hear, but that's not the purpose of the trip.

We had our first nice day today. I managed to see a group of grown men throwing a ball around. I didn't get what all the hub-bub was about, but it seemed pretty interesting :D Boy, these Kiwi's love their rugby! This is the only real scenic picture I have so far! From the Kiwi's perspective, this is the real scenery of the country anyway :p

Later...

[Ian Barley]

Jason

See - you're getting lots of treats in one go. Driving on the correct side of the road AND watchng the game that the oval ball was invented for!

Hope that you're trip goes well and that you get the outcome that is right for you and your family.

Regards

Ian

[Frank Pellow]

Jason

... watchng the game that the oval ball was invented for! ...


Ian

Ian, I could not agree with you more! This wimpy stuff with downs rather than scrums, away too much paddding, and far far too many player substitutions just can't compare. (I know what I am talking about because I have played a lot of both.)

[Jason Tuinstra]

Ian, I could not agree with you more! This wimpy stuff with downs rather than scrums, away too much paddding, and far far too many player substitutions just can't compare. (I know what I am talking about because I have played a lot of both.)

After watching these guys, I have no problem admitting that I'm a huge whimp! If these guys want to boast that they're real men, so be it. They are!!!

We had a great day today. Here's some of the eye candy we ate up today. Seeing as how I'm from Northwest Indiana, this is as good as it gets. Perhaps some of you have it this good as well, but Chicago just isn't like this. And these are just hills as far as Kiwi's are concerned.

As with Tiger Maple, the pictures simply don't do it justice.

One thing I wish I could get a picture of is the stars at night here. Wow!!! You can see the Milky Way here just as clear as can be. The stars are so numerous. And I've seen the Southern Cross! Breath taking.

Friday I'm meeting with a fellow Pastor/woodworker. I hope to post some pictures of Rimu, the local wood, and my friends shop - Kiwi style. Stay tuned...