Just about away

First to Auckland where we are staying overnight in preparation for our 8.55 AM flight to China on Saturday morning. Nearly had a problem when we left Rhett at Sarah's then went back later to have tea. He was so excited to see us, he charged down the hall and twisted his front leg. As it was sticking out at an angle we at first thought he had dislocated it, but it seems to have come right.

The Moon Man: Ken Ring claims he can tell the weather by the moon as well as predict earthquakes. Crazy.

It goes on

Quakes: A memorial service today in Christchurch while in Japan they are battling nuclear problems and the collapse caused by the tsunami/quake and now snow is falling. Prince William is here and while it is floss I think it seems quite uplifting and boosting the spirits of the locals.

As for the nuclear disaster in Japan we could ask ourselves if the tsunami had hit a hydro power dam what sort of damage would have occurred.

Rugby: The only decision: Christchurch is in no position to host any RWC games.

China: We got our Visas the other day and are now counting the days to our trip.

A Story: When I was working, a customer built a building (as shown above), but illegally added two extra stories outside his building consent. His theory was that the Council would retrospectively approve it and he would make more money. However, the Council wouldn't and ordered him to lop off the extra stories. As you can imagine the cost would have been horrific. And it would have served him right in being too smart. But from our point of view, having lent him the money, we had concerns that the extra cost might send him down the gurgler (bankrupt).

But one day he came in with brilliant news. The N Z Government had just recognised the Communist Government of China (Norm Kirk's Labour) and they wanted to purchase the property for their Embassy - which they duly did. As the property was now Chinese territory it was outside the Wellington City Council's rules. Very lucky.

Quiz: What a farce this week. We came second equal with 2 other teams so actually got less than the team that came 3rd but that was no problem. It was the questions.

He must have had at least 4 wrong answers. He thought Greenland was a country (it is a dependency of Denmark), most Americans died in WW II (it was the Civil War), Dexy's Midnight Runners were Irish (they come from Birmingham) and there were probably 3/4 others.

Computer: Having problems with YouTube. The answer is that a new default accelerator program that Adobe has added has to be rendered inoperative for some PC's. However, in the usual brilliance of most of these programmers, how you do it is you right click the video. But you can't as the video won't play. So it is Catch 22. Pathetic. Still looking - along with thousands of others - for a solution. Why don't they just not make it a default? Too simple I suppose.

Still bad news

Japan: Still tragedy and now feared over 10,000 dead - it would seem the vast majority from the tsunami not the quake - and it is likely to go much higher.

Nuclear Power Plants: They are a real worry due to the chance of radiation.

However, another way to look at it is, if it was a hydro electric power dam; what would the damage be if it had been hit by the tsunami - it would be 'WWII Dam Busters' all over again. The problem with nuclear power plants is that when they go wrong they can really go wrong and affect areas outside of the local environment.

Christchurch: Meantime, on the local scene things are not all sweetness and light as problems start to emerge. Difficult, follow the rules, council officers, sewage problems, illogical decisions, delays, etc. On the National Radio program 'Media Watch' several people were interviewed about the problems. On thing mentioned was a mobile radio station that has been started up by a private person broadcasting local info such as what portaloos are full etc.

Why hasn't the Council/Government done this?

Fund Raising: Rotary held a fund raiser which raised $10k for the local Hospice and so far around $1400 for the Quake.

Birthday Boy - MONTY!!

The birthday boys cake

The PC boy answering the phone

Monty and his biscuit

Monty. Although he has he official birthday in February, because we were away in Vietnam and that it could be tied in with a friend of Sarah's boys birthday a party was held at their Playcentre yesterday.

Some more pics -not from the day -

I first thought this was Kipp as he was so serious - but it is MONTY!

Kipp with his pen

And now Japan

Massive quake in Japan - 8.9

What a tragedy is unfolding before our eyes.

It is almost unbelievable that the above tsunami is moving at near the speed of sound.

It seems the tsunami has been the killer with over 1000 predicted dead. I have just seen the PM saying our team of 48 USAR (Urban Search And Rescue) are on there way with 6 already gone. How ironic that the Japanese rushed 70 to assist us and they now have to return to their own tragedy and we in turn now have to try and assist them.We watch as the death toll continues to climb as Japan recovers from the most powerful quake in its recorded history and the towering tsunami that followed.

It is reported that 200 and 300 bodies have been found on a beach in Sendai alone. I see that the giant Alaska quake (over 9) killed only 3 but the tsunami following killed over 100.

A real worry is that they have many nuclear power plants and some are causing worries - so much so that they have shutdown 11 plants that have left 4 million people without power, and many airports and transit systems remain closed.

Winding Up

China: We are getting geared up for our trip to China. This morning we went into the Embassy to apply for the Visa's. Cost $140 each - I am told by Angela the same cost applies to Chinese wanting a Visa for NZ. I wonder if our Visa form wants so much information - relatives and their occupations, list of every place you will be staying etc.

More Mad Men: From the They are still at it file. A judge tells a thug who kicked a 2 year old to death -

"You did a monstrous thing, but I do not think you are a monster," a High Court Judge told the killer of a two-year-old boy today.

In Wellington, Justice Joseph Williams sentenced Rikki Leigh Scott Ngatai-Check, 23, to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years."

Another Judge, after an Armed Offenders Squad callout, arrest a guy who had a cache of weapons and said to have a mental problem, gives him bail.!!

Quiz: Great result. Won the bonus of $550 - I knew the answer (Worlds oldest flag = Denmark) thanks to a friend who told me this about 12 months ago. And we came 2nd.

Interesting Fact: In the Sunday Times - 91% of all leaders in a democracy lose their jobs at the next election after a major event like an earthquake. I would have thought it would be the opposite but it seems after the initial optimism dampens down and reconstruction starts to stall things turn sour for the incumbent. Hmmmmm - I assume Mr Key knows this.

Earthquake

What a tragedy. As I said in the post about Vietnam we were in Hanoi and watched it with horror as we got the TV1 news. The good news is that all our friends in Christshuch are safe.

Literally hundreds of photos up on the Net and in the Newspapers but here are just some.

I wonder if all is going as well as they say.

I see today that the first lot were allowed back into the CBD. But they had to ID themselves as entitled to enter as they queued at the cordon. And that caused delays as they had to check the ID and some, entitled to enter, had weak ID due to the quake destroying their documentation. So those with strong ID waited. Why didn't they get people to go to their local Police station in the week prior and carry our the ID function there and get an Entry Form from the Police so they arrived and went straight through.

I hope there is a good review of the Civil Defence reaction in due course.

Rugby: Great win (and much easier than I thought) to the Crusaders over the Waratahs and as for the Highlanders undefeated and beating the Bulls - incredible!!

Mad: I read an article on the plane that the 1940's Walt Disney Fantasia has been remade as Fantasia 2000. Tellingly the original had a whole segment about evolution while the 'modern' version has deleted that and replaced it with a piece on Noah's Ark.

We are not much better - we have all sorts of nutters who say they predicted the quake.

All Photos

VIETNAM

Top 3 pictures are from when we visited a "White Thai' village about 3 hours drive from Hanoi. It was interesting but has become too commercial.

I wonder if Google know this. But what can you do - asking them to change (even legally) would be a waste. Just have to take it as good advertising.

This is a view of the Soccer game we attended in Hue with a shot of the 'sound section' in action.

Christine taking a Cyclo ride in Hue.

We saw a road that had a small silk shopping complex in HCMC and this was there.

From memory this was when we went to visit the tombs in Vietnam. We knew that the Nazi Swastika was a reversal of an ancient Asian symbol.

Me going down a Viet Cong foxhole. I got down OK but couldn't get out!!

In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) we saw all the Tet (New Year) lights.

More from HCMC.

Heading towards the floating village in Cambodia.

Angor Wat in Cambodia. Notice how brown and dry it is. And hot!!

From the afternoon we went to the 'Airbenders' house.

L-R his grandaughter, the 'Airbender' Christine, his wife and me.

Us with the 'Airbender' (far right) and his wife and grand-daughter plus a friend

who is a martial arts expert.

Taken from our Hotel at Hoi An -it had great views.

Christine at the silk worm factory.

At the Citadel in Hue and typical of the poor and dangerous maintenance throughout the country. They need a marketing person to tell them how to run their tourist attractions - tidiness, safety, get rid of the overblown staffing (they have the staff but are putting them into the wrong areas - checking tickets instead of cleaning).

A market in Hoi An.

Typical of the loading - or rather overloading.

On the river at Hoi An as part of the Tet celebrations.

Hoi An. The first time we went down this road it was jam packed with vehicles but when the end of Tet came it reverted to a tourist friendly motor vehicle free area and was policed accordingly.

A little bit of ingenuity. They used a plastic bottle to protect the electricity from the rain.

A little bit of propaganda. They had various signs up but we got the impression it was all just for show and ignored by the people.

More in the market at Hoi An.

The river at Hoi An.

From The Citadel at Hue.

Another shot of the river at Hoi An.

The dot in the top middle on the grass is a water buffalo grazing.

The Cinnamon Hotel at Hanoi.