Taupotreeman

Turangi has changed somewhat since you were here maybe? It's all holiday homes now with a smallish local community. Anyway, I'll take Turangi over most of the places I lived in the UK anyday Ahhhh, so is it snow boarding today or a dip in the hot pools maybe? Hmmm can see the green rising now

Drew, there's snow on Pihanga, snow on the Kaimanawas so there'll be more than enough snow on the cones for some downhill stuff.

Vanuatu? Since when did it snow in Vanuatu?

Feel free to catch up if you have the time.

Well most of it had gone again after mild conditions and lots of rain but yesterday and last night it hosed down and this morning we have had heavy rain and showers and the wind is pretty fresh in Turangi and Taupo so I'd reckon there's at least 5 to 10cm of fresh powder up there. I'm heading past tomorrow on the way back from work so I'll have a nosey but the forecast is for more of the same over the weekend so I'd break out that snow board.

It's such a hard life. I mean, I live within 30 - 40 minutes drive of the ski fields, 5 minutes from thermal hot pools, 5 minutes from the lake edge. Oh the hardship, THE TORMENT! Jealous yet?

Moved out Feb 1998. Took a while to get residency, about 7 years I think. Immigration made it really difficult so I hired a lawyer who made it really easy (but expensive). We got citizenship about 2 years ago which was relatively simple. Never had an urge to go back to ol blighty until I saw how much snow you fellas had this year. Sometimes the 35 degree christmas days get a bit too much and you would like a white christmas. Then I get over it and go back my BBQ lunch

Sorry, one other bit of info re work to residence. You need to be 55 or under. Just do a google search; NZ immigration work to residence.

If you're looking at staying then I'd definately look into that work to residency unless you meet all the other criteria. And if it makes you feel any better; we just got my old man residency. He has type 2 diabetes, smokes like a chimney and is 68 years old. Still reckon you haven't got a chance?

Treemenders; just sent you a PM but I've just been reading Mark's reply re Asplundh which is also something I suggested. I did forget something that may also work. Not sure if you are just after a holiday or something more permanent. If it is the latter you could look into the work to residency catagory. This is purposely for those who do not meet the normal residency conditions because of something like skills, college ed or age. This is how I got my residency. It takes a couple of years but is a quick way to get through all the immigration BS. You just need to get the job offer and get moving. I'm not sure of your quals or skills but, reading Mark's post, they sound like they are pretty good so the work to residency might be the way to go. Just depends if it is actually just a holiday you are after. Believe me, once you're here you might not want to go home.

There's Darwin's theory in action right there. Shouldn't make light of a serious subject but you have to ask yourself the question........how dumb are some people?

Nice additions wisewood.

You're only as old as the women you feel Same still applies with sufficient funds etc. Most people here if they want to do a swifty head for the orchards. If you want to save a heap of money and just have a holiday you can swap working, for a roof above your head and a feed every night. Heaps of people and places jumping on that band wagon now and it's all legit.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the way you look at it, immigration have had a massive crack down on this sort of operation. Forestry outfits won't do this anymore as most come under the management of oragnisations hired by the forest owners (usually Maori) so everything has to be above board and legal. Also, as I said before, if you get caught flouting the laws you'll get booted out straight away and by that I mean you are marched straight to the cells and then straight to the airport. You are then banned from entering the country for, I believe, 5 years. It will also show up if you try to get in to places like OZ or the States so think long and hard before you try pulling a swifty.

For what it's worth; I can't understand why it can't be removed anyway and better specimen, more suitable for the location, planted as part of the removal consent. To some degree I agree with kjames. Why are we so desperate to save every single tree? OK let the muck slinging begin.

Haha, sorry Mark, was between replying and having a conversation in the office so didn't read your post properly. Thought you meant what drugs do they test for, duh!

I'll second what Goaty said. The immigration dept are useless everywhere. Even when we applied for residency we got different stories from different departments as to the requirements hence the suggestion you get a lawyer if you are really struggling. The visa is generally pretty straight forward to get but again, it takes time. If you work for one of the bigger arb outfits they can usually get you straight on as they have agreements in place with immigration which means they don't have to go through all the BS paperwork. I would, however, suggest that if you want to look into the arb side of it you ring the major players in NZ from the UK before you leave. Don't email, don't wait for a reply, just keep ringing. Most are keen to get guys on and they can probably smooth the process heaps for you. Forestry is a whole different ball game and as I said before, the guys that work in the bush are rough and ready and don't accept fools lightly so you need to be on your game all the time. My suggestion would be to get in with a large arb outfit. It's easier once you have your visa to swap it over to another employer once you are here.

Worked on the 330Kv and 500Kv in Oz. Pacific power showed us the video nasties as part of the induction. None of this play acting. One video was an American utility worker who filmed himself in hospital as his body slowly died. He got a shock through his right hand, earthed through his big toe. 13KV. They amputated his toe, then his lower leg, then opened up his upper leg as it started to swell. The guy kept a video diary of the whole lot until he died about 2 weeks later. Watching that as an induction into line clearnce has stuck with me since and everytime I think about taking a short cut the image of that guy's face creeps into my mind.

Mark, they are pretty much testing for everything. I've been involved in setting up random drug testing after working on sites with guys lighting up. Don't get me wrong; I don't have an issue with what people do in their own time and I'm first to admit I've been there and done that. It's just when it comes to it affecting the ability to work safely. That goes for the booze as well. I've turned up to work in the morning with my foreman rolling in still blind drunk after coming straight from the club. I have a few colleagues who are national contract managers. I spoke with one only two days ago. He has just fired 6 guys who were randomly tested after one of the staff noticed they looked a little out of it. 4 were sent packing for failing cannabis testing and 2 for alcohol. These guys work around EHV conductors so there's no room for error. Forestry has gone into the testing pretty hard as drugs used to be rife throughout the industry. Most outfits will offer rehab after a failed test unless that test was done after what could be considered gross misconduct. Anyway, Hijacked tree menders thread enough. If you want to start a seperate thread I'm more than happy to throw more info into that thread.

You're going to need a work visa whatever you want to do outside of a holiday. You could apply directly for a temporary working visa which usually gives you anywhere from a year to 3 years. Even though you are over 30 you should still be able to get one. You would have to show that you have sufficient funds in the short term to support yourself along with a return ticket. All that could be done from the UK or from NZ once you are here. Once you have that working visa it will open a few more doors for you and if you take the time to ring the forestry outfits and explain what you have. Most usually mean that you are legally able to work in NZ rather than having full residency but if push comes to shove you can always go for a groundie or machinery operator position with one of the larger tree outfits. If you get caught working without that visa you'll get booted out of the country and refused entry for five years. If you're really serious about it you could always hire yourself an immigration lawyer to point you in the right direction. That's what we did and if you get a good one they are worth the expense.

If you PM me I'll keep my eye out and send you a couple of contact numbers if I see anything.

Have a look on the trademe website under jobs. There are usually always jobs for log haulers, machine drivers etc. on there. It's heavy work and the guys are pretty hard core and full on. Drug testing etc is mandatory. There's also usually jobs going in the local papers. Central North Island is a huge forestry area so you need to look in places like Taupo, Rotorua, Coramandel etc in the weekly local rags.

That's worse than spot the ball! Looks mighty warm down there bro but can't wait to see the photos.

Nightmares for ever after visualising that!

I'd have a vertex vent in that colour.