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Thanks mate, the word are appreciated for sure. Lots to do, never a dull moment to say the least and yes planning in the air now bier Maya will have a rest, she is busy floating her way across back to Kiwiland as we speak. Cheers Andi |
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I know, 3 years and 2 weeks blasted past like we only left yesterday. Next, Africa and up ...nutha 3 years away yet tho ... need $$$$ Cheers Andi |
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Thanks for the kind words and yeap we are happy to be at home now. Cheers Andi |
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Thank you and you are welcome my friend, thanks for the invite and we might just take you up on that, likewise our doors are open mate you would be welcome, same deal as Gipper, the DR 650 is here to use gratis, just your fuel cost only. Don't be sad ... be glad we are not boring you to tears :rofl: Cheers Andi |
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Can't drink beer but may have a rum or 10 and some fine Central Otago Pinot Noir. So far so good, difficult is something we don't see, everything seems so easy now after the trip, in New Zealand everything just works for the most of it....besides my life has never been normal so we don't need to stat now :rofl: Cool as in the Sahara and nice to know the Tiger performed well, expected nothing less they are a top notch machine to say the least. If NZ is on your list mate you are welcome here anytime, as with the others the DR is your for the taking around Kiwiland. Likewise with the rubber ...cheaper keeping it that way down. Cheers Andi |
New Zealand - Back Home
Back home in Wanaka now after 3 years and 2 weeks or 1109 days away, been unpacking crazy time.:eek1
Our house looked like some cardboard boxes had exploded ....which they had. https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/537/18...a9ef4aba_b.jpgIMG_8616 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr We were suprised how much stuff we had and how many clothes we have, Ellen went mountain biking and it took her ten minutes just to decide which gear to use.:rofl:rofl May the 20th came around, our 9th wedding anniversary, Ellen got a nespresso coffee machine https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5460/1...b9a90ba7_b.jpgIMG_8805 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr ....and I got a Sherco 4.5i, seemed fair.:rofl Her name is Novia (Girlfriend in Spanish) FFS DON'T tell Maya :eek1 https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/404/18...f63a08df_b.jpg356909783 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8875/1...9bf19137_b.jpg356909196 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr Bro was coming down from Christchurch so he brought it with him …well done that man, when he arrived it was like Christmas, his Beta 498 and my Sherco 450 on the trailer looking ready for action and the fact of seeing Paul and Debbie again was wicked cool being he is my identical twin bro.:clap I have work coming in but not for a another week or so, Ellen started on the Monday after we got back (full time if she wants it) so small adjustments to be made. All in all Wanaka is beautiful, not perfect but pretty ****in good and compared to anywhere we have been in the last three years it still rate No 1. So we have been busy as doing domestic stuff, a nice change from travelling …but not as cool. Our base of friends here in Wanaka are still an awesome bunch of OAH’s (Old Age Hooligans) and still in fine form, the Wanaka Motorcycle Club going well. Interesting the changes that have gone on since we have been away, way more houses and the place has grown big time, luckily still no Mc Dees, KFC or traffic lights WOH HOH.:clap My groan at cellphones is still rife but it would seem that smarts phones have invaded and imbedded themselves. I have a great Sonim waterproof phone with a 3 month standby time battery but the numbers and letters are small and although I can see through a bra at 200 meters the shit right in front of me is fury … or my arms have gotten shorter so the big old folk numbers on an iphone etc are welcomed and beat bifocool :huh glasses …. thus I might have to eat some of my own words however I still refuse to have an answerphonesecretarykinda thingy. Yeah that’s right if you ring and I don’t answer I am not there ….and my smart phone will tell me I missed a call from you so I am not sure why I need a message as well, starting to sound old now but some things are still worth more than gold and that is your own time and space...make the most of it:clap Now, back to moto stuff (sorry Graham and Andi) ((our cool neighbours in front of us who stalked us all the way)), the new (ish) Sherco is a 2008, only has 65 hours and is quite simply a weapon, I will keep her under the covers so the Russians don't see her :wink:, her name is Novia which means girlfriend in Spanish, she is a feisty young thing.:evil Novia has more grunt than a paddock full of pigs and only weighing in at 109 kg (some 90 kg lighter than Maya before adding house and contents) when you crack it open you have to be seriously pointed in the right direction cos you ARE going there and at pace, while she can get off her arse in style she is not as angry as a KTM 450 etc so kinda nice, she is fuel injected too and the mapping is surprisingly good. In my quest to go lighter I have found my direction, so Novia will be kitted out with more gas capacity etc, being as light as she is will make her a dream to take a good look around the next corner which in New Zealand we have a lot of. Like I always say you have to love what you ride and when I push the start button on Novia that little hooligan kid feeling comes over me and the devil shoots the angel clean off my shoulders and the all important part is she turns man parts from kindling to wood. Life wise, having read a lot about post trip depression etc I am very aware of what can go wrong after the big one. A pattern that seems to follow through is returning to no home or a small flat, no work etc so we have been keeping busy enough, we both still are alive with travel fever and know this is the interim to the future, why could you not be positive about this. I guess we are very lucky to live where we do too, this is our view normally https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/512/18...6442e035_b.jpgIMG_8622 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr This was our view after mum nature bought us a polar blast off the Antarctic, beautiful. https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/478/18...f6a08099_b.jpgIMG_8641 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/492/18...bbb45ec6_b.jpgIMG_8640 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr I have to say both of us are in great spirits and now we are back into mountain biking etc which is well cool. I think the key is to keep busy and yes get to work (sorry for swearing) if you need money and get back into life, it may not be as free and easy as travelling but when you are standing, alive and well and dreaming of you next big adventure …well shit what more can I say. A Special Part To Think Positively About Life - For Big Kev a WMC member. It would be about 12 years ago I started what we call the WMC, The Wanaka Motorcycle Club. It has bought about 50 - 60 riders in a town of 6000 together and formed a great based of moto head friends and off moto friendships. I want to write a small blurb for a great member of ours Big Kev. While it is easy to get consumed with a great trip away time has to be taken to stop, take a look around and appreciate your family and friends. Big Kev has always been an active member in our club, on our "Round The Blockers" weekend ride he was always there, track days for a blast on his 2.3 liter supercharged Triumph, general rides and social gatherings. Big Kev is fighting relentless cancer which has seen him sidelined recently, I want to wish Big Kev all the strength to fight and I know I say this from me, the WMC and every moto head I know as well as family and friends that feel the same. Stand tall my friend. Thanks for reading and take the time to consider your time. Cheers Andi |
Haere mai from exotic Waihi. Glad you're home safe 'n' sound.
My thoughts go out to your bro, Big Kev and hope he can over come his cancer battle - kia kaha. I lost a good friend to the disease last year. On a more positive note, your view from home is much nicer than the one from mine. Enjoy! |
Thanks Andi and Ellen
Nice of your to offer me the bike to ride ,i may take you up on it one day if you agree to show me the sites ,haha
Sorry to hear of your friends battle with the Big C .wishing big Kev all the best. wow what a beautiful place you guys live in ,i have only been through Wanaka ,one day i want to come and see wings over Wanaka Anyhow i will PM you my details on FB so if being home becomes too much maybe you might like to jump the ditch and have a visit . Thanks once more for entertaining us all over the last few years ,i'm sure at times doing the blog has been a chore . All the best Noel.:D:D:D P.s the Sherco looks like a mountain of fun |
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Sorry for the late reply, Hola to Waihi :thumbup1: I have a following post for Big Kev who lost his battle with the rust, extremely sad to see him go but in a kind way now he has left to a higher place and will be watching down on us. Sorry for the loss of your buddy too, we don't need more reminders to live life as best we can eh. The view is nice, we are lucky, the country is great (despite one or two sillies) which is even nicer and we get to share it. Cheers Andi |
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Show you some sites...name the date!! As above Big Kev lost the battle, I cried mate, didn't even try to "Kiwi Bloke" it I just let it out, my riding buddies as well could not hold back.....big tuff buggas still feel it. Wanaka door are open anyway and yeap plenty to see here. Sherco all road reged now so I can legally chase old ladies down the footpath!! Cheers Andi |
Big Kev 1956 - 2015
As life progresses the bad things come with the good things. I wish just to write about Big Kev, a great member of our Wanaka Motorcycle Club, good bastid through and through. Big Kev rode a Triumph Rocket 3 which he supercharged as well, the man could ride it like a small trail bike keeping pace on the race track and road with no problem whatsoever. A dedicated dude, warm and passionate moto head Big Kev finally gave in to the relentless cancer he had been fighting. His funeral was for me was the most heartfelt funeral I have ever been to, not afraid to say I cried a lot struggling to even mutter the words to the songs we were trying to sing. Not to dwell on the sadness of a great man taken early we wish to remember him for the total dude, beer drinking moto loving petrolhead that Kev was that always bought a big smile to everyones face. I know I say this for me and from the WMC members, Gayle your loss is hard and is felt by fello members and riders, Ride in Peace brother you will be missed. https://farm1.staticflickr.com/482/1...58bce5ef_z.jpg95 by Ellen Delis, on Flickr Cheers Andi A video made by Doon, a well respected member and riding buddy, onya Doon, great job for the vid. https://youtu.be/CoDd0zDJEJk <iframe width="960" height="720" src="[MEDIA=youtube]CoDd0zDJEJk[/MEDIA]" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
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Please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of Big Kev. You're 100% spot on about living life as best we can. I just wish I didn't seize up in the frosty conditions NZ's had of late (LOL). I'm hoping to do Survivor Scooter and the TranzAlpine next year, so I might see if you guys want to meet when I'm in your part of Aotearoa. Stay warm... Kia kaha, Peter |
Hi guys , have just been reading yr blog. Sounds like you've had a great time over the lasr few years. What a blast, great ride ,great friends. Well done , the hardest thing now is returning to a 'normal' life.
We would like to do something similar but would like to know how you managed to purchase and register bikes in the US. It seems to me it's difficult unless you're a US citizen. Please tell me how you managed to do this:thumbup1: Many thanks Andrew |
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E us at twomotokiwis@gmail.com, would love to catch up, will be up north in Feb so maybe then if not down here? Cheers Andi |
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Yes we had a great time for sure, returning home has been interesting but we are lucky where we live and settling down has been ok to be fair. We have friends who live there so we used local addy and licence numbers etc, easy enough to do without being dodgy, just optimising your information 8-) Cheers Andi |
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