Kakapos in Sydney 14 June - scribed by Sammy

Maverick the kakapo continues his adventure around the world after flying for the first time. He wakes up in Bruno Bouchet's house looking forward to a day in Sydney. After breakfast he sets off to walk to the train station. At the train station we get our tickets and aboard the train (choo choo).The train was a nice fast ride underground. At the station we had to switch trains and after five minutes we were in the center of Sydney. Maverick met Bruno's sister and then Maverick  went to art museum with lots of cool lights unfortunately maverick didn't go in most of the rooms because it was to bright� . When we had finished looking at all the rooms we had hot chocolates with Bruno. We went to an old restaurant that we had gone to the first time we went to Australia. We were hoping to eat desert pizzas but they stopped making them� . But they still had normal pizzas. After that we had to wait ages for our flight to Bali when maveric encounters his second flight.

Kakapo - Kulture Shock - Bali - 15 June

Kakapo Kulture Shock 15 June - Maverick scribed by Toni

Having arrived late last night, i found my way into the garden beneath a rather strange looking tree covered in ants.  At the base of the tree was a statue swathed in cloth and adorned with flowers.  How strange.  Perhaps it is a Balinese Garden gnome.  After my second flight, very little sleep, very bad food and 6 hours in a very big plane on an airline called Jetstar  I couldn’t help but sleep despite my strange surroundings.

I woke this morning to lots of loud noises.  Are they cicadas?  No! I’m told the sound is lots of motorbikes.  What an insult to my ancient ears.  

After breakfast - lots of yummy fruit for me - Pawpaw, watermelon, star fruit etc. John said we were to go shopping!

We need food for breakfasts, veges and sandals for John and Sam as well as sunhats for James, Lucy, Sam and Dad.  OK, I thought!

Looking out the car window, there was traffic everywhere.  Thousands and thousands of motorbikes that insulted my ears as early as 5:00 a.m. lots of cars all communicating by beeping.  How does this work?  this seemed like total Khaos.  No-one shouts here, everything is peaceful, everyone lets everyone in.  So much traffic though no stresss.

Our first stop was the fish market.  Apparently Toni wanted to go here.  How can we even stop here I thought.  People everywhere! cars everywhere!  We were whistled into a parking spot by a man with a  referee’s whistle.  He was paid 2000 rupiah and then we got out.  Sammy complained loudly about the heat and this did not stop until he made it back to the swimming pool.  The children climbed out of the car and looked at their mother with disdain - what do you mean by bringing us here they were thinking.  The first stop was a vege stall, Everything was packed into plastic bags - I was truly horrified.  Where can all this plastic go?  Why not use a basket or paper bags?  I found out a few days later when Uncle Tutnik pointed out the rubbish dump.  Too many plastic bottles, too many bags all piled high on a giant heap as tall as the buildings that surround us.  What to happens to the sea when all the plastic flows in?  My worries for Bali are endless, though not for the heart of the people.

Balinese children were playing, whilst mothers shopped. They all looked happy and healthy and as Toni pointed out to Sam, they weren’t whining about the heat.  Lucy stared in shock and James wondered where he could find a RC hobby shop.  Toni told James that in Singapore they would probably find one at the Science Museum.  They certainly would not find one in the fish market.

Uncle Tutnik took the family to a big shopping centre where all their needs were attended to.  Luckilly I was able to stay in the air conditioning and sleep quietly as is my habit.  It was great to have an hour of peace from the children constantly bantering.  Uncle Tutnik met friends and talked with the other drivers.  My feathers are fizzy in the heat, my old Kakapo feet are sore from the concrete and my ears….

The family returned with their needs and Sam’s cries were finally met with a return to Jimbaran, our first Indonesian meal in the little Warung around the corner.  I munched on leaves next to the Koi pond whilst the kids sampled the delights of coconut juice and stir fried excitement of various kinds.  It is good to see them eating their vegetables.  The children returned to their favourite past time of swimming and Toni enjoyed a massage from Sumi.  The best part of my day was when a cockroach jumped from the massage table - Sumi stamped on it and I was able to crunch through the rest of the juicy fat tasty morsel.  Sammy wanted a massage so Sumi also set to work on Sammy.  This is the sort of life I think this young man would like to become accustomed.

John cooked dinner and the children begged for sleep….. Ahhh peace at last and a glorious though warm garden to relax and ponder in.

Maverick the Kakapo takes flight for the very first time - 13 June

Flight No.1, Australia -  Lucy scribing for Maverick

Squaaaawk! It's me, Maverick the kakapo reporting on the flight to Australia! I was quite thrilled I was flying for the first time, because if you have brain, you would know that kakapo are flightless birds and being one of the lucky kakapos to be able to fly is quite an ecstatic thought. We are
waiting at the Queenstown airport and there is quite a lot of time before takeoff. The family decided
to go to the cafe to eat. (I couldn't eat any of the food because I can only eat the berries of certain plants, it's quite inconvenient.) Sam, being clumsy and silly as usual, knocked his water all over James's trousers. I, and everyone else thought that James looked hilarious, though John was grumpy at Sam for spilling the water AND forgetting his phone. After having the food, they went off to look at some shops. The kids went to the remarkable sweet shop OBVIOUSLY! (They didn't
even give me some sweets.) Sam was nice enough to donate a Wham! bar to Lucy, she was looking at some other sweets when she got attacked from behind. Her best friend, (though in my opinion she is far to loud and energetic) Renee, and Lucy's other good friend Mikayla had come to pick up their Aunty and happened to be in the sweet shop. (I personally love sweet shops and have realised by now that they are kid magnets.)

After the visit to the sweet shop Lucy said goodbye to Renee and Mikayla and went back to the cafe table. Toni went with the kids and said they could get something. James got some chewy gumball things and Lucy got a bubble gum birds egg. Luckily, it was made of bubblegum and wasn't an actual birds egg. (Or even worse, a kakapo egg.) Lucy got the sour ball out of the middle of the egg and gave it to James. The effect was immediate. James's face made weird and interesting shapes. At one point his face looked like a very very old man's face and not his own face. By then it was time to go into the terminal.

After going through customs, the family did some shopping, buying everything from headphones to delicious lion bar bites. Finally, it was time to board the plane.

It seems that unfortunately, I had to stay in my bag (which I thought was inconvenient because kakapos need their space.) and couldn't have a go on those weird interactive touch-screen TVs on the back of the seats that my family were using. They were so into whatever that were doing, you could set a firework above them and they wouldn't even blink, apart from when they needed to blink. The flight service people gave everyone a choice of food: chicken salad, fish and the most preferred, beef pie. They were served in plastic containers that looked like they contained space food, but this was plane food so it wasn't far off from that. Apart from that, the food didn't look to bad, even though the mashed potato was orange and the greens were floppy and not a rich green colour like my glorious plumage. I am also intrigued by how they magically conjuncture up food from behind the curtain at the end of the plane. For a short part of the way, James had enough brains to take a time-lapse of the flight, but not to remove enough apps and photos to store it. After the main course the air flight people magicked up some tea, coffee and softdrinks. That magic must be pretty powerful because they made some really good chocolateappear. ( Or so I'm told because they didn't consider giving me some.)

After two and at half hours of sitting and pondering about how the air flight people magicked up food and how those weird TV things worked we finally landed at Sydney in Australia. I was feeling tired from the flight and it was a great comfort when Lucy cuddled me when we were driving to Bruno's house. Oh! I forgot, you don't know who Bruno is. Bruno Bouchet is an amazing writer who wrote the book "Lab Rats".  Though, I have to be a good kakapo because professor Xanax might give me ugly human arms or do something even worse! Check it out here

http://brunobouchet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Lab-Rats-in-Space.mp3

Apart from this I quickly realised that there was another risk, Blix! Blix is a fluffy, curly, kakapo destroyer (more commonly known as a soft coated wheaten terrier or a dog), so, while I am telling Lucy this story to write down, (if you had a small brain you would know that kakapos have claws which are terrible for iPad screens.) I am hiding in my bag hoping Blix can't find me. Oh well, I guess that's all for now, so I'll see you next time you read a blog. Squawk!

Glenorchy Nimbys - Nitpickers and Anti Competitionites

When you read the newspaper articles covering the recent resource consent hearing you are made to think that the opposing submitters are NIMBY'S, nitpickers and anti-progress, they want you to think that the most fervent person opposing is mentally unstable, they want you to think that anyone whom has a business is anti-trade competition.  WHY?

As summed up by one of the supporting submitters whom was specifically asked to speak last. "Sometimes the Process got in the way".

Perhaps the real reason is they really don't want you to understand the true WHY?

The reason the resource consent had to be notified was due to 'Camp Glenorchy' applying to obtain permission to do things outside the Vision Plan and outside the District Plan.

I don't believe there is one person who is a complete 'anti' - most people realise that there is no stopping a project when there is provision for future growth in zoning for the progress of the town.  There is a great framework to be very creative in the Vision plan and District plan - i.e. the framework decided through proper process as to the way Glenorchy can be developed.  Equally 'Camp Glenorchy' can apply to go outside these plans and equally people can object through the submission process.

If at this point you want to put this blog into context here are some links:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/323451/oio-consent-missing-purchase
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11410084
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/66628780/Glenorchy-rift-ripping-the-town-apart

Glenorchy Entrance changes - Why the opposing submitters have raised their concerns.

Can you imagine the entrance to Glenorchy.  Our current vision plan included the planting of trees to make a true entranceway to Glenorchy.  These were duly planted and have 10 years growth on them.  This picture is Milbrook - can you imagine cutting out a large section of these trees and putting in natives where the equivalent of Camp Glenorchy will be.

Now think about setbacks - there is a 10 metre building setback on the plans which was agreed to in the original subdivision - this is to keep the look of the entrance into town.  'Camp Glenorchy have said that this does not apply to them on a legal interpretation of poorly drafted rules.

Imagine now that you have the back area of cabins built right up to 5 metres from the road.  How does the entrance-way to Glenorchy feel now?  Would 10 metres that is in the plans feel better?  Now imagine where cars will naturally want to park if the back of the place they are staying is right by the road even if there is a carpark for them on the site.  Add the footpath along the road behind these accommodation facilities.  

Building Heights - Why are there objections to 7.5 metres

There was a meeting in 2012 with Scott Figgenshow from council with regards to the Glenorchy township section of the next district plan.  No-one could agree on anything except for the building height remaining at 5.5 metres.  So how did that suddenly change?  Don't try and read the minutes of the GCA meeting this changed in, ask someone that was at the meeting how this really was decided on.  Ask if it was on the agenda, ask how many paid up members voted on the item that was not on the agenda?  Was any process followed let alone the Glenorchy Community Association constitution?  There were lots of people at that meeting - the majority attached to 'Camp Glenorchy' in some way.  If process isn't followed, how is any decision legitimate?  Has everyone in town had a chance to speak to the motion or even consider it?  How can they if they don't have this on the agenda?  How can they plan to be there if the agenda itself is not out till just before the meeting.

The lawyers in the hearing were first saying that the Camp Glenorchy height breech didn't set a precedent and then next pointing out the trees and other buildings in town that already breech the 5.5 metre height limit.  Personally I would love to be able to build to 7.5 metres in Glenorchy township, as well as probably every commercial operator in town.  Does the township really think it is okay for Camp Glenorchy and no-one else.  Does this cause commercial disadvantage to the other operators in town when another commercial establishment is allowed to be a nearly 50% higher?

Impact of Camp Glenorchy 'Scale' - Why objections to the scale?

Extract from the District Plan for Glenorchy:-

“the purpose of the Township Zones is to maintain low density residential character
interspersed [scattered among or between things; placed here and there]with a 
number of non-residential activities”

Why have the submitters got concerns with the scale?
Will the numbers in visitor accommodation in the township exceed the residents?
Is there any planning for these sort of visitor numbers let alone the extra numbers of day visitors as a result? Has the GCA made a submission for the new district plan on how this is to be managed?
Have the GCA really thought about this before sending in a submission saying everyone is totally for this?  Have the GCA members read and understood the resource consent application?
Is this staged incremental low density growth when you compare it to the township of Glenorchy?

The submitters posing these questions are not against progress, not against Glenorchy and they are not star struck by the promise of the positive aspects of the plan.  The submitters are realists looking for the best for Glenorchy just like everyone else.  By people seeing the submissions for what they are:- i.e. as dialogue towards the best outcome, hopefully we all be a few steps closer to what is best for Glenorchy as a home, a workplace, a town and a place for all our visitors.

Farewell Samson - A Life and a Legend has passed

He witnessed and arrived in my life at exactly the same time as the love of my life in 1999 and has been with me every day since. 

He lies next to me un-burdened by the arthritis that left him having to bark to be helped up and unable to walk more than a short way unaided.  I hope now he is chasing rabbits on the river flats, barking for stones and logs and feels ready to spring off the wharf to chase the biggest log we could hurl in, and that his bark is there not to ask us for help, only to tell us the log he’s swimming for is not big enough.

Samson greeted every guest and all will miss him.  I am sure he took the odd sausage from a Kinloch camp BBQ and his affection sometimes was definitely motivated by his stomach, though for all that met Samson they will have been loved for a passing moment by an all-giving Golden Retriever boy who is not forgotten by anyone that arrived at Kinloch.

Samson is the reason we are at Kinloch.  When we looked at the lodge, we shook our heads at the amount of work that needed to be done, though you could not beat his enthusiasm and sense of rightness.  There is something about the lift of the head and the tail and the sheer perkiness of a decision.  He didn’t need to talk to tell us that we had to convince the bank and that this would be our home for what is now nearly 13 years.

We used to let our guests take the dogs for a walk and if they felt like it they would go.  I remember two keen animal loving vegetarians take them off for a walk only to witness Samson and Delilah tearing a baby possum apart.

Samson used to be an adventurer and I miss his tail raised proudly as he found something exciting to smell or dig out.

In the early days we spent a very fraught three days looking for Samson only to eventually find him down a canyon.  Perhaps it was a ploy to go canyoning as Mike Elvidge from Queenstown Canyoning had to come and rescue him.  Samson seemed to enjoy the adventurous side of life and even jumped into the driver’s seat on Dart River when Grimmer came to pick up guests on the beach. 

Once children arrived Samson was always there and understanding of time and the push-me, pull-you affect of bringing up a young family whilst still involved and responsible for a busy people-related business.  He was a great comfort when our families on several occasions questioned our sanity.

Samson according to my mother in law – bought up the kids.  He has always given us great comfort and surety and has been there for all of us – our regular heart-beat,  an un-judging friend and a constant giver of un-yielding love. 

Samson left us tonight with pink lipstick on his head placed for his beloved dog-mother Helen Cambell (Helly Welly) and I have struggled down a Bombay Sapphire to remember the early days and to farewell him in style and bring myself to write this.

We love you Samson.  You will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace

Amazing Photo at Turners Creek near Kinloch

With Glenorchy about to celebrate its 150th anniversary seeing photographs or things in their current authentic state from yesterday framed beautifully in photographs such as this is really special.https://www.facebook.com/REEMCBETHPHOTOGRAPHY

I mentioned some amazing local people that work for us.  Sharee is one of them.  Glenorchy is a hard place to make ends meet whether you are a business or a local person trying to support a family.  One needs to work harder for less and you need to be able to think outside the square to succeed.

Sharee has three great kids between 4 and 8, a great husband who works for DOC and lots of furry animals to look after.  Aside from this Sharee follows her passion for fine photography and is in the process of building a highly successful business in photography.  We love the shoot she did of the Glover children last year.  When the kids are in tow, you may find Sharee at the Lake House using her eye for detail, making over our guest rooms or working on her photographs at the Trading Post over a cappuccino.  We are trying to persuade Sharee to sell some of her wonderful photos, framed with matt board and in cellophane.  This is the perfect souvenir from Glenorchy.

Looking to get the right people on the bus

Recently I read a book by Jim Collins - Great by Choice.  In fact I listened to this while travelling to and from Glenorchy on www.audible.com.  If you have little time though do a bit of driving then I thoroughly recommend this book and Audible.

Jim Collins talks about getting the right people on the bus.  Wherever possible, we always seek to offer locals work and have 3 fantastic locals that work on a contract or casual basis with us already.  If I had their permission I would put them in the blog, though I will mention them when I have asked permission.

Finding people that get you, your values and your business is probably the most important thing you can do. Working with a good team on a win/win basis is fantastic. I was incredibly lucky last year to have the most amazing local working for me doing this job.  Sadly she left for the more lucrative shores of our our closest neighbour -Australia.  Working with the wonderful Ashtyn made me realise that not just trying to employ locals, employing the right local is key to the continued growth and success of our Glenorchy arm.  Equally, it has taken us too many turns, to learn the lesson of the devastation for everyone when you try and make a job work for someone, rather than find the right person that fits your values and the job description.  Our hospitable side has had us sometimes make bad employment decisions.  We have tried to 'help' by giving jobs to people that have wanted to work in the past at both Kinloch and at Glenorchy when we haven't had the right position for them.  Thanks Jim Collins - I totally hear you.  Your most valued asset is not the people it is 'the right people.'

We are able to get an endless string of fantastically qualified overseas travellers with one year work permits whom are able to work through our busy season, though part of all of our problems in Glenorchy is seasonality....  Watch this space, I am very sure the right person for the Trading Post is under our noses.  If you have interest in looking at the sort of person we are looking for in Glenorchy click on the link Glenorchy Trading Post Positions

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