Shipping...

MikeO

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
12,152
Reaction score
200
Location
Dereham, Norfolk, today...
30th September 2016

An early start - I've hired a van and my neighbour Nick and I are on the road at the crack of 0500 to try to beat the traffic on the notorious M25.

Strapped firmly in the back of the van is my trusty 1150 Adv - packed for two months travelling.

The journey is uneventful and just before lunchtime we are manhandling the bike down the ramp (loaned to us by our other neighbour Dave :thumb2) and I'm leaving it in the hands of Kiwi Daniel. He gets his name from being very fond of Kiwi-fruit - the fact that he is a New Zealander is apparently a complete coincidence...

i-7mDmmdH-L.jpg


The Adv has been cleaned to within an inch of its life (of which more later
bluduh.gif
), had new tyres fitted and is loaded to the gills for a trip - Nick and I head back to Norfolk...
 
Lets hope there's a fire extinguisher in there somewhere :popcorn
 
Transit

I'm shipping using New Zealand Motorcycle Adventures - recommended to me by Grizzly (from UKGSer). They keep me informed of everything that's happening to the bike during transit - from Gravesend to Panama by the Spirit of Hamburg, then on to Auckland by the Spirit of Auckland (appropriately enough). Daniel sends me a picture of the Adv being loaded...

i-v7BTv7J-L.jpg


...using their very neat cradle system...

i-9PShB5D-L.jpg


...and then sends me a link so that I can track the progress of the ship in real time...

i-SK3bTpp-L.jpg


I shop around and find a good flight schedule (Heathrow to Los Angeles - four hour layover - Los Angeles to Auckland) at a fairly reasonable price and then send Daniel the wrong date of arrival...
umph.gif


Of course, I don't realise I've sent the wrong date until much later. I sleep the sleep of the ignorant, watch the ship inch its way across the Atlantic and count down the days until I fly...
 
5th January 2017

I receive an email telling me that my bike was deemed to be in need of cleaning when it arrived in Auckland. I was warned that they were very particular about the cleanliness of bikes, so I spent a day and a half cleaning the bike before it went and I would have eaten off any surface on it.

I email Daniel and he makes enquiries. Apparently the Customs guy found some mud up under the mudguards, so rejected it...
bluduh.gif


With the retest fee, it's a total of about £150 - which I could have done without paying - but the shipper's hands are tied, so I pay it and take it as a lesson learned...
 
:popcorn COME ON :popcorn it's like at the pictures, you spend half an hour watching adds and movie trailers..... Give us more :popcorn :popcorn :popcorn :thumb

PS. I feel sorry for you, having to pay £150 to do same thing again :rolleyes:
 
Looking forward to another great ride report Mike. Love them.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
29th January 2017

I receive a call from a lady called Marie, telling me that she is at Auckland Airport to pick me up. Since I'm in bed in Norfolk, this is obviously going to be a problem. I realise that I have given Daniel my departure date, rather than my arrival date...
doh.gif


I apologise and email Daniel - unfortunately this will now mean that they won't be able to meet me on arrival, but have kindly left my paperwork with the desk staff at the Ibis hotel (where I'm booked for two nights).

What a plonker I feel...
umph.gif


30th January 2017

Departure day! I've slept well, despite the guilt I am feeling about leaving my dog Marnie in kennels for an expended period, and my neighbour Nick and I are on the road for 0900, heading south west towards Heathrow. We arrive just before midday - I thank Nick effusively and drag my hand baggage behind me into the cavernous Terminal Five.

I decide it's time for a spot of lunch...

IMG_0745-X2.jpg


Huevos Rancheros
DukeGirl.gif
I feel like I'm in Los Angeles already.

I waddle over to the security check (I'd checked in on line yesterday) and have my anti-perspirant confiscated. I don't bother telling the lady that I've been travelling with the same size and shape of aerosol for over ten years - airport staff haven't generally been recruited for their flexibility or sense of humour...
biggrin.gif


Once through security, I make my way to the departure gate to see that I'll apparently be travelling to LAX by A380 Airbus...

IMG_0746-X2.jpg


...which will be a new experience for me.

We board on time and it's clear that the aircraft is not going to be full...

IMG_0749-X2.jpg


...which is just as well - there's not much legroom (when is there?
biggrin.gif
)...

IMG_0750-X2.jpg


...but I have a row of four seats to myself, which easily makes up for it.

IMG_0751-X2.jpg


BA's inflight entertainment system is excellent - I watch several films and some TV during the 11hr flight.

We eventually arrive at LAX and I have to clear immigration, customs and security, despite never leaving international 'airside'. I make my way towards the departure gate for my American Airlines Boeing 787, distracted only briefly by coffee and doughnuts...

IMG_0753-X2.jpg


The flight is rammed full - the seat pitch closer than the BA A380 - it's a 13 hour flight, during which time I watch a lot of films and TV, the names and details of which escape me at the time of writing.

Eventually it is over. We land at a bright, sunny, Auckland. Inexplicably (to my body clock), it is now Wednesday morning. The hotel is a mile or so away, so I decide to stretch my legs a little and tow my luggage over there. I arrive about 20 mins later, to find that my room won't be ready for another hour (it's about 1030 local here). I sit in a puddle of sweat in the foyer, answering emails and generally feeling grotty. I drink some water and feel marginally better.

Salvation, in the shape of the lovely Paea (pronounced Pie-Ah), arrives and I am given the key card to my small piece of heaven on the fifth floor. I have a shower that was like a religious experience, turn the ac to Pluto and go to bed.

I sleep like to dead for twelve hours, have something to drink, then sleep for another seven...
clear.png


I have another shower, then make my way downstairs and pay a visit to the Countdown supermarket across the road, to buy some essentials - like antiperspirant and a couple of plug adapters (mine are on the kitchen table at home
bluduh.gif
). I then drop into a locally owned and run café...

IMG_0755-X2.jpg


...which has an extensive menu...

IMG_0754-X2.jpg


...from which I make this choice...

IMG_0757-X2.jpg


DukeGirl.gif


With my arteries hardening, I make my way back over to the hotel and leave a voicemail for Brian, who runs the Bike Vault, where the Adv has been awaiting my arrival. He has very kindly offered to pick me up from the hotel (it's about a 30 minute drive) and reunite me with my bike.

Since there are no room 'phones, I set up with my laptop in the foyer and make a start on the journal.

The plan will be to get the battery reconnected, reconfigure the luggage and then take the bike down to a testing station (a bit like an MoT testing station) for a certificate allowing me to ride on NZ roads.

By the time midday comes, I am beginning to suspect Brian hasn't got my message, so I try the number again and get through to him. He'll arrange for someone to come over in half an hour - excellent!
thumb2.gif
 
OK Mike .... I'm not going to be chirping up every five minutes saying how much I'm enjoying this, how good the photographs are :D

But rest assured I shall be patiently waiting for every instalment, and certainly won't miss one :thumb

Now carry on regardless, ride safe and enjoy ... and keep us all informed ;)

Thank you

:beerjug:
 
Welcome to Aotearoa Mike O
I am looking forward to your RR on this one.
Please please be careful on our roads in particular watch out for am pair of dangerous creatures that can attack at any time in any location they are called a "local" and the other one is called a "tourist".
Both at their worst when behind a wheel.
Do enjoy the stunning scenery and beautiful empty roads of the South Island
Keep the speed down too as our boys in blue take exception to going fast and remember on public holidays they drop the tolerance down to 4kmh from the usual 10kmh.
If you need any assistance around Wellington feel free to PM me.
And it doesnt always rain here.

Adrian
 
Really looking forward to this - I'm in....:beerjug: Have a great trip....
 
I have only flown 'american'once, it was actually a Continental flight and as a result, I have no intention of ever flying with an american airline again.
 
^^^^^^ Agreed.

Mike - I'm thoroughly looking forward to your RR - Book One was magnificent.

Apart from the loose nuts behind the wheels, look out for Kea birds on South Island - they will eat anything rubber/soft on cars and bikes (wiper blades, seats, window seals etc.)! Strangely this includes KIA cars too because they can't read or talk.

Enjoy Erehwon.

PS Have you read Twisting Throttle by Mike Hyde?
 
It can't be 12 months since your last one already. Excellent as always
 


Back
Top Bottom