Hope in the Doom and Gloom
I read an article by Kris Sayce in Money Morning recently and thought it was worth mentioning its most salient points.
At the moment, all we are reading about in the press is financial doom and gloom. The problems in Europe, especially in Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain (affectionately now referred to as PIGS) and the debt riddled United States of America.
Trimming the Transport Budget
Mate, I wish I had a little more cash in the bank! To help this happen, you could get yourself a higher paid job but reality says your current job is pretty good, anyway. What are some things we can do when we feel like saving a little more money when it comes to getting from A to B? Once you’ve made the switch to a hybrid car or to an economy model, is there anything else you can do to reduce your fuel bill – and your carbon footprint?
On sunny days, why not bike instead of taking the car? If your work premises are under a half-an-hour bike ride away (or about 5 kms), then this is a great way to keep yourself fit. Using your car less and biking more is going to be good for keeping your body in shape while popping aside more cash in the bank for that holiday away. Of course, if you have to take half a dozen children and/or lots of gear or a trailer, or if it’s pouring with rain, then you’re probably going to stick with your good old car. But if you can take a break from behind the wheel, why not? Shorter distances can be walked.
On The Other Side Of The Tasman Part 3: The South Island
The 2011 Rugby World Cup has kicked off with a bang, as it always does, and the Wallabies have (thankfully) won their first game against Italy. It won’t be until later that they go down south, and for those of you who are planning to head over later rather than sooner, this gives you time to plan your South Island road trip.
On The Other Side Of The Tasman Part 2: North Island Drives
Those who plan on visiting New Zealand to follow the Wallabies during their upcoming Rugby World Cup campaign are likely to have one North Island road trip on the agenda: a trip down from Auckland (where the Wallabies play Ireland) to Wellington (where they’re highly likely to beat the USA). This trip can be done in one day, but it pays to allow a night’s break in the middle. The trip from Auckland to Wellington is one of the classic New Zealand road trips, and you’ve got a number of ways to go about it.
The most straightforward way to get from Auckland to Wellington is via State Highway (SH) 1. This takes you down the middle
of the North Island for the bulk part and then the lower western side. It’s by far the most popular route, as it’s more direct. However, you don’t have to stick on this highway the whole way – you can choose to go down the east of Lake Taupo on SH1, or you can turn right south of Tokoroa and go down the less popular western shore following SH32, which has a lot more forest. The two routes meet up again at Turangi. After this, you get to what’s known as the “Desert Road”, but if you come from, say, Alice Springs, try not to snigger when you hear the locals calling it this – it’s not that much of a desert, but at least it has a striking cluster of active volcanoes. The volcanoes are unlikely to go up and close the roads, but the Desert Road can be closed by snow. This is unlikely in the middle of September, but isn’t impossible, so keep and eye on the weather forecast and take warm clothing if the weather looks a bit iffy. As you keep going south, things get a little tame (and the roads a little more crowded) as you get south of Bulls, but if you head east along SH3 to Palmerston North (notable for the wind farms – you can’t miss them) and through the Manawatu Gorge, you get onto SH2, which is more interesting from a driver’s perspective, as it’s got more hill work and corners to have fun with.
Level 2, 9 Help Street