Mobile phones
As most of you will know, using a mobile phone while overseas can get bloody expensive, especially if you are using data for things like social media or email.
Might I suggest that if possible, you take a second mobile phone with you and buy a pre-paid SIM card when you land in NZ. They are cheap through 2 Degrees or Spark (the old NZ Telecom) and you can buy them even before your pass through customs at the airport. From memory, I think I paid $5 for mine, and you can add as little as $10 credit on it. Just make sure you get a SIM card that doesn't auto-renew.
Battleground update
As most of you will have seen, the World Masters Games organisers have published an initial draw for the Hockey compeition.
There are several notable issues with the draw. These include: -
- It is damn near unreadable
- The semi-final structure means that one of thee top two teams from pool play will be eliminated
Queenstown
I suspect most of us have heard of Queenstown. It is billed as the adventure capital of NZ and is a popular places for skiers to visit. It also has a reputation as a bit of a party town. So all in all, it's not a bad palce to visit.
Piha Beach
Piha is New Zealand’s most famous surf beach. Situated on the west coast of the North Island, 40 kms from the city of Auckland, this black iron-sand beach has a reputation for awesome surf which rolls in over the Tasman Sea. When Uncle Toby’s Iron Man contest was held at Piha in 1997, canoes were snapped in two and they’ve never come back.
Waiwera Hot Pools
As we age, our bodies deteriorate. It is noticable that for most of us, one recovery rates have declined in recent years. I speak of course of our ability to recover from a big night out on the turps .
Located 30 kilometers from the ground, about a 30 minute drive, the Waiwera Hot Pools offer a range of pools and water slides for both fun and recovery.