We're away again

A friend of ours, (who happens to hold the esteemed position of being the oldest living Bridge Keeper of the "Kopu" Hauraki Bridge - which will not be demolished if we have any say about it, despite what the NZTA says), makes wooden toys. Because I made him a DVD of my photos of the last time the Kopu Bridge was literally opened (it's a swing bridge) he made me a multi-storey carpark with a wind up car lift for the sons of a school friend of mine. 

The problem is that my friend lives in Christchurch, which is the largest city in the South Island and home of major earthquakes. To courier it there, even with the discounted rate we get at work, would be over $50.00. So we decided that (while it most definitely won't be cheaper, it'll be a more enjoyable way of spending our money) we'd take it down ourselves.

We can't visit Christchurch without riding the Christchurch to Greymouth railway line, so we checked out the Mainline Steam web site and, joy of joys, there were two steam train trips happening in July and two in August. As it was already July, we decided to time our visit with the first of the two August runnings; the theory being that it will still be winter and with any luck there'll be snow about. We've done the trip in summer and autumn, but never winter, so this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Then we did some thinking. Our plan was to take two suitcases, one inside the other, and pack our clothes inside the internal case and around the wooden toy. This way we'd still have only two pieces of luggage on the flight, but would still have the convenience of our own bags when we got to Christchurch.

Then we thought some more. The box the toy was in was still quite big. Not heavy; just big. What if we had to pay Air New Zealand baggage handling fees when that was pretty much what we were trying to avoid?

I mentioned our dilemma at work and T, who is the “Logistics Manager” and had his brain switched on, suggested that we send it down with a pallet load of wheelbarrows.

Brilliant!

So I dragged the box to work on a trundler, (how come trundler isn’t a word according to Word?). It only tipped over twice – Both times in the middle of the road. I’d step off the kerb and as the trundler (please leave the R on, Word. It’s a trundler, not a trundle) stepped off as well, it would start wobbling until it finally tipped. Fortunately, like I said, it’s only light so I was able to pick it up and carry it to the other side of the street.

And in case you’re wondering, it was too big to strap to the back of the Pink Purrer.

I got it to work successfully and it sat in my office for a couple of days, while Barrie helpfully offered to take it home for me. I declined with thanks.

Then a couple of days ago, snugly protected by the tray of a wheelbarrow, our parcel was sent southwards.

So how were we planning on collecting it from the warehouse, you’re asking?

Easy. We will be staying at the Tower Junction Motor Lodge for the first two nights, because it’s the closest to the railway station. It is also only four minutes drive away from Bunnings Riccarton; a store where New Zealand Wheelbarrows frequently delivers wheelbarrows. Our warehouse operators are happy to take a tiny detour and drop the box off at our accommodation and the motor lodge operators are happy to babysit the box until we arrive on Saturday 10^th of August.

So we’re sweet.

And getting excited.

Now, if we could only have a cold snap and get a snow dump down to 770 metres (Arthur’s Pass) instead of 1700m where it presently is.

If we don’t get to see snow, we’ll be gutted.

So tune in next Friday - 9th August - to see how we get on.