A Carload of Crackers

New Zealand is a beautiful country with a population of just 4 million people and 40 million sheep (2006).

But I must confess, something else other than the landscape, caught my

Most of the time, it was very, very, because of the storms and fierce winds at this time of the Spring Equinox.

However we managed to put in a bit of walking especially at Rotorua. Fortunatelydid not suffer too much from the physical exertion.

It felt good to be breathing clean fresh air after Kuala Lumpur's urban oxygen.

We hired afor the duration of our holiday.

We are very stick-in-the-mud and averse to driving an automatic car.

But these two intrepid pensioners managed to make it up hills and mountains, along unsurfaced roads and cute little town roads without requiring the services of either the dent man or the

This was what the car and Lely looked like at the start.

By the time we got to Cape Palliser both of them became unrecognisable. As for the absence of Lely in the following picture, we had decided to lose her in the hills of Maungakotukutuku.

Most of the time, we did our own cooking and the spouse had to admit thatbecause, together with the help of our general factotum, he enjoyed great meals sans spices and other hot condiments. That was his reward for doing the driving.

We got back to KL safe and sound but after the episode with the NZ Security people I had to do a little on bees and their culpability in producing potential weapons for terrorists.


I used to see in Leicester quite a number of people willing to part with quite a bit of money for these special number plates. You know about fools and their money? Well they can also be found next door to down-under.

I shall bid good-night to all with a joyous

See you soon in a tick and/or a