Nick MacKechnie
#8 wire kinda guy.....

The Big 13! #liam #afewwords..

Wednesday, 10 June 2015 10:02 by Nick MacKechnie

On June the 10th 2002, Liam Nicholas joined our world at 1:32am  (4 weeks early) - weighing in at 6 lb 6 oz. 

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Some say at 13 that you are becoming a man.  So what does that mean?

Let's start with what it is not.  Being a man is not measured by age.  Nothing magical happens when you turn 13, 18, 21, or for that matter 40.  Being a man is not measured by body hair.  Nor is it measured by height, the deepness of your voice or any other physical attribute.

It is important to understand that there is a difference between a boy and a man.  As a boy, your main concern is yourself.  It is all about having your needs met.  You're hungry; sad; happy; tired; awake; thirsty.  A boy is a receiver; a man a giver.  Becoming a man is about the way you think and the way you act.

To think like a man, you need to focus on others around you.  See things through the eyes of other people.  Consider how your actions will affect others.  Consider how others feel and what their needs are.

It is not enough to simply think like a man - you must act like one - especially during difficult times.  For it is in difficult times that your "true" character shines.  How will you behave under pressure?  Will you still look out for others and fulfill your obligations even when it is difficult?

Life will give you the opportunity to learn as you grow.  And life's lessons will come at unpredictable times and places.  Remember, anyone can be your teacher.  I encourage you to always be on the lookout for life's lessons and its teachers.

You'll have a life of endless opportunities.  You'll have your share of happiness and at times you'll be disappointed.  You'll will face some difficult decisions while others will be filled with parties and laughter.  You'll have victories as well as defeats.  You'll continue to make new friends.  You'll cry and laugh.  You'll be scared and contented.  Worried and confident.  You'll have doubt and at times a sense of invulnerability.  You'll see things repeated and at times you'll be surprised.

The lessons life has in store for you are unique to you.  You must master them before you can move past them.  Otherwise you'll be faced with the same challenges until you are able to deal with them.

Remember, you have choices.  How you live.  Whether you're happy.  How you deal with what life throws at you.  You always can choose how you react.  Even doing nothing, is a choice.

Be confident.  Stand up for what is right - even if others don't.  Resist peer pressure.  Be your own judge and jury.  Listen to that voice in your head and do the wise thing.

Work hard.  Don't be lazy.  Avoid mediocrity.  Believe in yourself.  Dream.

Make plans with the ability to improvise - you will have to "figure it out."  Remember, there is no one way to do anything.  Work until you've won.  NEVER quit.  Remember you are always capable of doing more than you think you can - so challenge yourself.

Continue to grow.  Stay curious.  Learn from those around you.  Listen.  Don't be a "know-it-all."  Always be learning.  Always improve your understanding.  Don't let your questions go unanswered.

Be a good communicator.  Share your feelings with those you love.  And most importantly, be able to hear and listen to those you love.  For the art of communication is to truly understand, appreciate, and connect with another human being.

Love yourself.   Accept your mind.  Don't allow others to dictate how you feel about yourself.  Take pleasure in life.  Stay healthy.  Be honest with yourself - for better or worse.  Have self-respect.

Respect others.  Learn to say "you're sorry" - and mean it.  Do for others without looking for something in return.

Choose your friends well.  Look at their values.  Don't be prejudiced.  Do your friends bring out your best?  Are they supportive?  Avoid people who put you down.  Be a "stand-up guy." Your word is important.

Sometimes in life you'll win.  Sometimes you'll lose.  Life is not fair.  But, your losses can be even more important in shaping the man you become than the victories.  Learn from your losses.  Embrace them.

Maintain your sense of humor - especially when it involves laughing at yourself.  It keeps you humble.  It makes you more human, and allows others to become closer to you.

Appreciate what you have.

Cherish the friendship you have with your brother – He looks up to you, wants to be just like you and loves spending time with you.  Our lives are richer for having you both in it. Keep being you, we will always be here for you,  we love you.

What you make of your life is up to you.  You have the tools and resources you need. We are proud of you.  We love you and are confident you are becoming a man.

Happy Birthday Liam, Love Dad! Smile

 

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My Experience with NZ Post “YouShop”

Thursday, 1 November 2012 04:07 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

In September 2012 NZ Post launched a new service that provides you with a US postal address (NZ Post Warehouse based in Oregon) to receive and forward goods to you back in New Zealand – Magic idea!

The concept is that you want to buy an item from the US and the retailer/reseller won’t ship outside of the USA, so you could leverage this service to have the goods sent to you here in New Zealand.

Full details are available here from the NZ Post website.

I decided to give this a go – I ordered some electronics from the US, they arrived at the Oregon warehouse on Saturday 27th of October (NZDST).

I was then sent an email requesting a fee based on the weight for freight to NZ as well as details on the value of the item in $US etc. Since it was the weekend now in the US, I expected that nothing would happen until Tuesday NZ DST (Monday US DST).

On the 31st of October the goods have been dispatched (Wednesday NZDST).

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The website states 11 days for delivery + Customs Clearance.

“Your parcel should take approximately 7-11 working days for delivery (not including the time taken to clear Customs), from when it leaves our USA warehouse to when it arrives at your nominated delivery address here in New Zealand. These times are targets only, and delivery to rural addresses may take longer.”

From a customers perspective I’m not sure why it takes two business days to dispatch an item, nor why it takes 7-11 days to get here. How is it getting here, Courier Pigeon? I would have liked “options” on how it got here (how I could speed it up if I so wanted) with pricing options etc.

So far, less than impressed with the service. I’ll let you know when it arrives Smile

6 November 2012 - Update: Today I received notification that the package has arrived in New Zealand.

7 November 2012 – Update: Today parcel arrived safely from the US.

Nick.

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Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes… #EQC #CHCH #EQNZ

Sunday, 10 June 2012 21:56 by Nick MacKechnie

It’s easy to become busy with life and the challenges that it brings and discount opportunities to stop and reflect. As I look back over the past few years and consider where I was on 22nd of February 2011 I appreciate that things could have easily turned out differently for my family and I. On the day of the 6.3 earthquake I was in my office in High Street. I was running late for a lunch date in the Cashel Street mall, which upon reflection possibly saved my life.

The magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Canterbury region at 12:51 pm. The earthquake was centred 2 kilometres west of the town of Lyttelton, and 10 kilometres south-east of the centre of Christchurch, New Zealand's second-most populous city. It followed nearly six months after the magnitude 7.1 Canterbury earthquake of 4 September 2010, which caused significant damage to Christchurch and the central Canterbury region, but no direct fatalities.

The earthquake caused widespread damage across Christchurch, especially in the central city and eastern suburbs, with damage exacerbated by buildings and infrastructure already being weakened by the 4 September 2010 earthquake and its aftershocks. Significant liquefaction affected the eastern suburbs, producing around 400,000 tonnes of silt. The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a powerful natural event that severely damaged New Zealand's second-largest city, killing 185 people in one of the nation's deadliest peacetime disasters.

Our serviced offices shook violently; I remember vividly looking out the window and seeing flying bricks from surrounding buildings, dust then poor visibility with the sound of screaming from those in our building. Once the initial earthquake occurred, people grabbed their personal belongings and were out the door to check on friends and family. I was the last person out of the building, making sure that everyone was out. As I stood on High Street the din of sirens was surreal. We have all watched war-time movies where you hear your heart beating and that is the only sound you hear, I was steering in disbelief of what lay before me.

To my left there was a steady stream of people flooding from the Cashel Street Mall area, many with blood, in shock and some just standing still. I reached out to a few to encourage them to follow the crowd out of the city as it was the safest place to be. There were obvious signs of the destruction that occurred with building parts scattered across the road, verandas on the ground, cars flattened and abandoned. As I walked and looked to the right I saw the old ANZ Chambers Building (Corner of Lichfield/High) on the ground, with the dome upside down in the middle of Lichfield Street, across the road Reuben Blades (Corner of Manchester/Lichfield) suffered the same fate and there was carnage everywhere.

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It dawned on me that everyone was out of our building but my laptop and personal belongings were still there. I made the call to go and grab them and head home. As I entered the building, I saw superficial damage, Shaun (our building owner) had made significant investments a few years ago to restore our historical building and it stood up well to the challenge.

Back on High Street now I decided I would see if there was any way I could grab my car (as it would be a long walk home), it was parked in the Pavilion Car park on Bedford Row.

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As I turned the corner it was very clear that this wasn’t possible, so I continued down to Madras Street following the crowd. As I turned left I saw the CTV building gone… The police had just arrived and were taping off the area.

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The CTV Building was the headquarters of Canterbury Television (locally known as CTV) and other companies. Located in the Christchurch Central City on the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets, it became one of the symbols of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. More than 100 people lost their lives in the building; more than half of the earthquake's fatalities occurred when this one building collapsed.

I stood there in disbelief that a large building like this can simply disappear. I headed up Cashel Street and around the block towards Moorhouse Avenue as there were too many people and streets were becoming cordoned off by police. I ran into a few people I knew – it’s interesting that a familiar face can make you feel calm in this type of situation.

I was starting to get sore carrying my backpack – A few days prior I had dislocated my shoulder for a second time in a month and so I decided I needed to start my long journey walking home. Eventually after some hours I made it home.

Many things have happened since that horrid day, including over 10000 aftershocks which still manage to sneak up and surprise you today. A small number of people have had houses repaired, Over 6000 houses have been red-zoned by the government with the majority still sit in a state of limbo as EQC, Insurance companies, Council, contractors etc. deal with the interpretations of law/eligibility, new building codes/consent etc.

On April the 18th 2012 the Minister for Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee announced a new Christchurch Central Development Unit, stating it would be given 100 days to prepare a "Blueprint for Action", so time will tell once this report is delivered.

About midway through last year I was feeling somewhat sorry for myself – My house had in excess of NZ$250000 worth of damage, my office was stuck in the red zone (and still is) and there was little sign of progress in terms for repairs from the 4th of September 2010 earthquake to this great city.

I remember going to a house warming of some friends who lived in the Eastern Suburbs, their house was in the red zone and had been red stickered. They purchased a house over my side of town and they were settling into their new place. As their guests arrived the conversation quickly changed to focus on the impact of the earthquake on their lives and the frustrations they were having with EQC, Insurance, lack of answers etc. It’s really easy to move on if you’ve suffered minor damage. For most of us, the biggest single investment we have in life is our home. It’s a place where we go after a hard days work to relax and enjoy our family time. It’s very hard to do this when there’s a constant reminder of damage in your house.

I needed to kick myself in the pants to appreciate the things I did have, versus the things I didn’t. It’s often easy to take things for granted or not appreciate friends and family until you no longer have them. I decided I wanted to spend Christmas 2011 away from ‘shakes’ and do some soul searching. After some scouting about, I chose a place that I had always wanted to visit –Vietnam. Itinerary 

I flew from Christchurch to Auckland/Bangkok, had a few days there, and then onto Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon). The 10 days I spent on the Intrepid Journey tour was exactly what I wanted and needed. What awesome people, culture and food.

On the 23rd of December 2011 while I was in Hoi An, Vietnam, Christchurch was again rocked by a series of 6.0, 5.0, 5.4 and 5.0 earthquakes. I now had an appreciation for hearing this awful news and being so far away. I felt useless being so far away, ironically it’s similar when you live in city and you’re in survival mode. Needless to say reconnecting with the family over Facebook was the only medium available as phone networks were again impacted.

On the way home I spend a few days in Bangkok and decided that I would go on a train journey to look at the flood damage caused in the Thailand floods in July.  I guess I’m the sort of person that likes perspective and I could empathise with the impact this has had on their lives, city and country.

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The impact to this area was still very real with the stain line from the floods still visible on buildings and ruins. I guess this journey has taught me a number of things, the key reinforcements for me are family family family, friends friends friends. 

This brings me back to present day. Whenever I have colleagues from work visit Christchurch for the first time since the quakes I’m always interested in their response. I guess the reality is that unless you’ve seen the devastation here it’s very hard to comprehend. Every week there’s buildings coming down in the city, and we’re starting to see empty lots in suburbs as badly damaged houses are removed.  I guess it’s easy to become frustrated when people ask “Hey, so are things getting back to normal?”. There’s a new normal in Christchurch, one which involves removal of the old and damaged to make room for the new and exciting. People ask because they care and I appreciate the fact that people are still asking.

I continue to see this as a great opportunity to build a world class city with world class infrastructure as the barriers and obstacles that we were once faced with have changed. We are seeing elements of progress, a lot of the buildings in the Central Business District have been removed, we are starting to see driveways/fences repaired and it doesn’t take too long when talking to people around you to hear of houses being repaired. This is going to be a long journey, one that our kids and future generations will benefit largely from – I’m fine with that. 

Live in the moment, plan for your future and make the most of the friends and family you have about you. The spirit of Christchurch is alive and well and we continue to be well supported by the rest of our nation. Kia Kaha.

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DIY Digital Photo Frame–Reborn!

Tuesday, 24 April 2012 22:18 by Nick MacKechnie

The 4th of September 2010 will be remembered by us all here in Christchurch for many reasons.  I was away in Queenstown and missed the whole thing, however my cell phone made short work of that with a flurry of calls and text during the coming hours and days. One of the victims of the earthquake was the Photo frame I made out of an old laptop. I was gutted - the unit fell and the mainboard needed replacing.

Good news - It’s taken me over a year to source a replacement, and I’m stoked to say I’m back up and running again.  A few things have changed, Microsoft no longer supports Mesh on XP, so I’ve replaced that with Drop box and away I go. I can update photos on the frame from the web, phone, PC, Ipad etc. – excellent stuff!

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Owning your digital media..?

Wednesday, 14 March 2012 04:42 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

I was reading a few articles online last week and came across an article on ComputerWorld about Christchurch Tech companies and how they were responding to getting back to work after the Christchurch Earthquakes (It’s over a year old now).

The photo in the article was the thing that caught my eye, I recognised the photo. It was taken the day of the February 22nd earthquake as I exited the building on my journey home. There was no reference to who took the photo. I looked through my photos to confirm, and sure enough, I had taken it.

CW

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I decided I’d reach out to Computerworld, as this picture must have been taken from somewhere I posted it. I filled out the webform on the contacts section on the ComputerWorld website to ask Editor about the photo. A week later, I had no response (people can be away, busy etc.) so followed it up with Direct Message via Twitter yesterday.

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I would have to say that I was somewhat disappointed in this response for a number of reasons including:

1. The age of the article isn’t relevant.

2. Simply taking it down doesn’t excuse taking others property (If I was asked, and acknowledged that would have been fine).

3. How can an publisher not have an audit trail/process for tracking these types of things?

4. Thanks for the apology…

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Customer Service – @mercuryenergynz @powershop

Wednesday, 14 March 2012 02:41 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

I always find these types of situations interesting. I’ve been a Mercury Energy customer for around 5 years (since I moved back to Christchurch from Auckland). I really had no dealings with them other than receiving my monthly bill/paying the monthly bill.

After the September Earthquake, my house had a fair amount of damage which meant that I had to move out for ~20 weeks while repairs commenced. Three months into the repairs I received a phone call from Mercury suggesting that I should close my account as I hadn’t used any power and I was still receiving a monthly bill for 'access’ to it. I explained my situation and as such, my account was closed (temporary power was on while repairs were going on for the builders etc.) – That’s great customer service in terms of them contacting me, not sure why it takes 3 months of 0 rated power to trigger this however.

When it came to reconnecting power, you’d expect this to be a no brainer, right? Smile My house was fully rewired to bring it into current day compliance and I had the meter moved outside (why wouldn’t you if you had the chance). The sparky did 99.999% of the work and I had to pay a $195.50 fee for a contractor from Mercury to come and ‘check it’. This was a very very quick job. The first bill I received included the ‘relocation fee’, plus the temporary power bill from the building company which was overdue. This left a foul taste in my mouth as I couldn’t understand why I was liable for their bill (took me in excess of 3 months to have that refunded), and for the amount of time and effort, $195.50 to ‘check’ my meter was installed properly seemed over the top.

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This brings me to current day. I received a letter from Mercury a few weeks back detailing how Mercury had maintained pricing for x years and they were putting it up prices (we all have to earn a living). I’ve had a few friends talk to me about Powershop, the rewards for ‘referring’, the ability to buy power today for tomorrow, being able to login to a website to understand your usage etc. so decided to sign up yesterday.

My phone has rung a few times today from a ‘private’ number, Mercury eventually got hold of me today. They were letting me know that they had received a request from Powershop on my behalf to change. They offered me a $200.00 rebate if I was to stay. Their records indicated I had been a customer for 6 months (incorrect, clearly no history is kept when you disconnect power) and the requests to have the spelling of my surname corrected on a few occasions has been ignored). It’s not just about money, it’s about looking after the customers you have today so they will continue to be yours tomorrow. If you take a step back and look at what’s beginning to happen in Christchurch with recovery/repairs on houses, this scenario is likely to become more common. I understand the requirement to check meter installations etc. on houses (Heath, Safety, looking after the power grid), I wonder if the $200 rebate would be a better way of rewarding exisiting customers vs. trying to wave a carrot when some have decided to move away.

Interesting…

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10 Years Service at Microsoft

Thursday, 2 February 2012 06:38 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

My 10 year award arrived today on the courier! On the 4th of February 2012 I celebrate 10 years of working for Microsoft New Zealand. So many things have changed, yet many things remain the same. Microsoft has been a large part of my professional and personal life and I’m very happy and proud to have achieved this milestone.

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(Blue – 5 Year award, Green – 10 Year award)

There should always be checkpoints in your career where you should sit back and consider where to from here. It’s become a yearly pilgrimage for me where I look back on the year that was, consider the year ahead, the great people I work with, our customers and partners and decide on my direction. I consider myself very fortunate to work at Microsoft – I feel privileged to work with a large group of people who genuinely care about customer & partner outcomes, who are passionate about technology and our ability to make a difference. For me it’s a large draw card and the main reason I enjoy working here.

The constant in our industry is change. Change, mixed with competition, innovation, acquisitions, growth, market share, people, process, changing needs/wants/desires and  consumerization makes for not only a very challenging environment but equally a very rewarding one.  You don’t always get things right, but the opportunity to learn from the good and not so good is always there.

There have been many highlights on this journey so far – I’ve been lucky and fortunate to travel to the US, Singapore and Australia many times for training, I have a heap of local and international personal friends. The support from the organisation through the Christchurch Earthquakes to me personally has been excellent. I work with many smart, intelligent, driven and focused people and I work for a company that can, has, will and will continue to make an impact on each and everyone’s lives on this planet, whether that be directly or indirectly by the products and services we sell or deliver.

So good shit, great achievement, and good to be here! Smile

Nick.

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Christmas holiday booked!

Thursday, 29 September 2011 02:57 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

It’s been an interesting year here in Christchurch, so this year I’ve decided to take a different tact when it comes to Christmas. I’m having a pre-Christmas-Christmas with the kids and the fly out to Vietnam for a holiday tour with a few days in Thailand either side for good measure. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to experience so I’m very excited to be seeing the sights/sounds and culture of these very interesting places and meeting some new people Smile

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Itinerary

Days 1-2 Ho Chi Minh City

Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is characterised by a vast array of sights and sounds: a fascinating blend of old and new, East and West. The huge number of people rushing about their daily lives in Vietnam's largest city gives it a dynamic atmosphere and the French influence is evident in the excellent baguettes and coffee on offer. Much of the city's life takes place on the busy streets lined with shops, stalls and vendors with their wares spread out on the footpath, selling everything from soup to sophisticated electronics.

Visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels. This former Viet Cong stronghold provides an insight into the resourcefulness and tenacity of the Vietnamese people, as well as a unique sense of what underground life was like during the American War.

Experience the hustle and bustle of old Saigon in cyclos (bicycle rickshaws) and explore some of the city's more interesting sights, including the War Remnants Museum.

Included Activities

  • Cu Chi Tunnels
  • Cyclo tour
  • War Remnants Museum

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Days 3-4 Hoi An

Take a short flight to Danang (approx 1 hr) and then drive to Hoi An (approx 1 hr).

Recently declared a World Heritage site, Hoi An is being beautifully restored and preserved. Known as Faifo to early Western traders, it was one of South-East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of Hoi An look exactly as they did more than a century ago and it retains the feel of centuries past, making it the sort of place that grows on you the more you explore it.
It's also a shopping mecca - with much to browse and buy. Choose from original paintings, handcraft woodwork, ceramics, embroidery, lanterns and more. Hoi An has also become famous for its tailoring - with a great variety of fabrics and tailors to choose from. Bring your favourite piece of clothing or even just a picture, and you'll be able to have it copied.

Your leader will take you on a walk around the Ancient Town.

You have time here to explore the beautifully restored and preserved Chinese shop houses, enjoy the vibrant and busy market, visit Cua Dai Beach, cycle to the rice fields and browse the array of art galleries.

Included Activities

  • Ancient Town
    Accommodation

Hotel (2 nts)

Days 5-6 Hue

Departing Hoi An, we can stop at China Beach before crossing the dramatic Hai Van Pass to the picturesque fishing village of Lang Co. After a quick stop, continue on to Hue (approx 5 hrs including stops).

The pace of life is slow and tranquillity prevails in Hue - the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Founded as a royal city in 1687, it's the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam's royal past.

Hop on to your cyclo for a tour of the city - a truly fun and Intrepid way to explore the town.

Visit the Imperial Citadel, including the Forbidden Purple City. The latter was almost totally destroyed during the American War's Tet Offensive, but the foliage-covered ruins are still atmospheric and the gaping holes left by bombs give an idea of the destruction wreaked upon the country during the war.

Enjoy a dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. The trip includes a visit to Thien Mu Pagoda, considered by many to be the unofficial symbol of Hue. It's an active Buddhist monastery with its origins dating back to 1601. One of the most poignant displays is a car belonging to a former monk who, in 1963, drove to Saigon and set himself alight to protest against the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese regime. We also visit one of the royal tombs, that of Emperor Tu Duc, with its central lake set amid a grove of frangipani and pine trees, and we may visit what many believe to be the most majestic of all the royal tombs, Minh Mang.

The bustling Dong Ba Market offers a plethora of goods and foods to see and sample, and it's a good place to try some of the specialities that graced the Nguyen emperors' banquet tables, such as the banh khoai, a royal rice cake.

Board an overnight train to Hanoi. Although conditions are basic, overnight trains are a true Intrepid experience and the best way to travel long distances with the locals. Sleeper trains typically have four berth compartments (occasionally six berth depending on seasonal variations), which have bench seats that convert into sleeping bunks. A sheet, pillow and blanket are provided, although some travellers prefer to bring their own sleeping sheet. On occasion, passengers of different genders will be required to share a compartment and there will be occasions where you'll be sharing with local travellers or travellers who are not part of your group. Most trains have a dining carriage serving simple food, but some travellers take the opportunity to stock up on fresh bread, cheese and fruit prior to departure.

Included Activities

  • Cyclo tour
  • Imperial Citadel
  • Perfume River cruise and Thien Mu Pagoda
  • Royal tomb

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt), Overnight sleeper train (1 nt)

Day 7 Hanoi

We arrive in Hanoi early in the morning.

Enjoy a buffet breakfast at KOTO restaurant, one of Intrepid's Responsible Travel supported programs which aims to teach street children hospitality skills that will enable them to find employment.

Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, which includes the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

The rest of the day is free to explore the city. Venture into the atmospheric Old Quarter to see the Vietnam of old, stroll the tree-lined boulevards to admire the French architecture or visit one of the many museums for some insight into the country's turbulent history.

Included Activities

  • Breakfast at KOTO restaurant

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

Day 8 Halong Bay – Christmas day NZ Time Smile

Travel by private minibus to the spectacular World Heritage site of Halong Bay (approx 4 hrs).

Halong Bay is a breathtaking secluded harbour with 2,000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of Bac Bo Gulf. One of Vietnam's most scenic regions, this area of about 1,500 sq km is dotted with innumerable beaches and grottos, created over thousands of years by waves and wind.

Board our private boat and cruise among the dramatic limestone peaks. There's an opportunity to swim in the famed South China Sea, as well as to explore caves filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Spend a peaceful night on board, beneath a night sky alive with stars. Our sailing junk has twin-share cabins that have air-conditioning and private facilities. There's also a dining room and bar where we enjoy a sumptuous lunch and dinner.

Included Activities

  • Overnight boat cruise

Accommodation

Overnight boat (1 nt)

Days 9-10 Hanoi

Take a bus back to Hanoi (approx 3.5 hrs).

The afternoon is free for you to explore this delightful city. Why not stop for a bia hoi (freshly brewed draught beer) at one of the microbars in the Old Quarter or relax at a cafe.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 nt)

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The New Adventure – Update 05 #EQC #CHCH

Monday, 29 August 2011 01:35 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

It’s been a challenging year for us all in Canterbury! The anniversary of the 4th of September 2010 earthquake is only a few days away, and it’s the eve of moving back into my house ~15 weeks after repairs commenced. Over the past few weeks the house has been fully painted inside and out, carpet and pvc planks are down, kitchen, bathroom and toilet are in and driveway has been poured.

DSCF9199DSCF9200DSCF9223DSCF92252011-08-27 10.31.452011-08-27 10.32.49

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There is still some touch up work to be done, clean up outside/gardens and my office in the garage needs to be gib stopped and painted.

There are a heap of people to thank for making this process and situation easier to deal with and work through - Many thanks to:

Falcon Construction (Project Managers and Builders – No job was too small or a hassle, Great builders on the ground and many laughs), Lumley Insurance (My Insurers – Rachel!), Mainland Claims Management (Lost Adjusters – James!),  Ireland Group,
Westpac (My Bank – Andrea!), Campbell Electric (Fully re-writing the house - Keith and Jason), Laser Plumbing (Fully re-plumbing the house - Drainage, Plumbing),  Simple Solutions – (Painting inside and out), Faulks Investments (Concrete Removal, new driveway etc), 
Placemakers (Supplying all the bits and Ben for his help with the kitchen design), Carpet Plus (Carpet and PVC Planks), Heritage House
Re-levellers (Re-piling the house, safely lifting it up an down Smile), My personal interior
design co-ordinator Smile, Murray Cameron (Cabling advice, your patience and a heap of termination Smile) and the Earthquake
Commission (Kimberley in Wellington, you rock!)

So I guess this brings my commentary to a conclusion. For me the purpose of documenting was to help others and hopefully put minds at ease – There are so many people in the Christchurch area who will venture down a similar path to restoration – It’s the friends and family around you that get you through this, offering places of refuge, a coffee and a laugh. I also must thank the many friends online who have followed the progress and of course the outstanding support from employer and work colleagues.

 

The New Adventure – Update 04 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 03 #EQC #CHCH

The New Adventure – Update 02 #EQC #CHCH

Video - Lowering house onto the new ring foundation and piles

The New Adventure – Update 01

Fight or flight – Christchurch #eqnz

More photos are available here.

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Pay it forward?

Saturday, 13 August 2011 03:40 by Nick MacKechnie

Hi All,

I’m not sure how many of you have seen the movie Pay It Forward, I enjoyed the movie and the concept. Last Thursday I was heading out to the Speight’s Ale House to catch-up with some friends for a drink. I parked the car and as I walked towards the bar I was approached by a middle aged guy who was asking for some help. He and his wife had finished dinner, went to pay and couldn’t find their bank cards (left them at home), however they have enough cash to cover the meals. The next predicament was that they had very little gas in their car, and they lived in Hororata which is about 25 mins out of Christchurch. I popped into a local store and offered $40 to assist – I would like to think that if I found myself in a similar situation someone would help me out too.

Christchurch has been through alot in the past 12 or so months, and as a community it’s had a profound impact on people and the way we interact. People are talking to and checking up on neighbours, the friendly nod/smile on the street etc., which is probably typical of Christchurch of old. I didn’t really think twice about offering to help and at the end of the day it wasn’t a large amount of money. He was most grateful and said he’d be in contact to sort out paying me back.

A week has past now, and clearly as I’m commenting on this I haven’t heard anything from the couple that drove a flash BMW Smile. I’m a little disappointed more than anything else, and if I find myself in the same situation I will always help and hope that someone's word means something Smile.

Nick.

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