50 years in NZ - where did the time go?

Jennie and I married in 1972.  She was teaching at a school in Northamptonshire UK and I was a member of staff at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire.  Harold Wilson was the Prime Minister of the UK and things weren't going at all well for the economy.  A couple of Kiwis undertaking postgrad studies in our department suggested that we look at moving to New Zealand.  Trudging through wet snow on a Boxing Day, I broached the subject with Jennie who took little convincing, even if the initial plan was to just go for a couple of years as a sort of working holiday.  I was offered a great job with NZ's largest manufacturing company at the time and in early April 1975, we arrived in Auckland courtesy of Air France (well, their Pacific arm called UTA, dubbed Unlikely To Arrive).

Right from the get-go, we were made to feel very welcome both by the company and Kiwis in general who still possessed a national "can do" drive and humanity which seemed increasingly hard to find at a political level in the UK.  Any intent to return was quickly abandoned and we became NZ citizens as a commitment to our new home.  Now 50 years have passed in the blink of an eye and we have absolutely no regrets about the move, apart from the distance from our remaining relatives and oldest friends.  Even that distance has seemingly shrunk with current travel options.

Being a keen photographer, what I've done is attach a few photos from those early years through the decades to the current time which will undoubtedly provide a laugh regarding hairstyles and clothing.  It's only of marginal comfort that many others dressed in the same manner!  Seriously though, having a decent photographic record of our NZ lives is pretty pleasing and can be passed down the generations. 

Here we go...

1975

We'd only been in the country for a couple of weeks and bought a bright orange Ford Escort to explore the countryside.  The photo was taken in a geothermal area not far from where we lived.  I think we can avoid any critique of my black checked slipover, checked flared pants and Zapata moustache.

Oh dear, the not-so swinging seventies

1976

We took up sailing with the local club on a hydro lake.  The Frostply-class yacht was a lovely boat and we won the club champs in the first year. Sailing with one's wife can be challenging as they don't like having orders barked at them, causing a certain degree of disharmony. Jennie became pregnant which was a good excuse to stop sailing and I had a further season with the daughter of a club member as crew. Heather had an excellent command of bad language if she thought that my instructions were unreasonable!  After a further season, peace reigned with a number of solo yachts after Heather went to university.

Frostply class "Ariel" at Lake Ohakuri

1982

We had become naturalised citizens in 1980 (I think) to show our commitment to NZ.  A couple of promotions saw me in the position as Mechanical Engineering Manager at our biggest pulp and paper manufacturing plant, with as much time tackling union problems as pure engineering.  That didn't often spill over into leisure time and we developed some great friendships from that time which still last today.  The following photo was taken at a BBQ next door at Ian and Raewyn's place.  My choice of casual clothing hadn't improved with the oriental beer shirt but Jennie looked a million dollars to make up for my shortcomings.  Little wonder she's laughing.  

Is Jennie laughing at my shirt?  Even Lyndon is shocked

1983

By 1983, we had the full complement of children and marked it with a family portrait.  I'd mercifully toned down my choice of clothing but Big Hair and large spectacles were "must haves" among the female population.

Coming to grips with a young family

1987

The tyranny of distance became apparent with the passing of Mum back in the UK.  Fortunately, I made it back in time to say goodbye, mainly thanks to a travel agent who was, and is; a very dear friend.  One of the very few downsides of living on the other side of the world. Our CEO called me in when I got back and as a compassionate gesture, gave us the use of the company executive apartment in Auckland for a long weekend.  The amount of food and liquor they'd stocked the apartment with had to be seen to be believed!  It's personal gestures like that which are never forgotten.  It was also the same year that my closest friend and work colleague in NZ lost his life in a car accident.  Jennie and I went with the police to break the news to his family. That's something in the darker moments which will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Executive apartment - Mount Eden, Auckland

1988

It was actually 1987 which rekindled my love of motorcycles. I'd been to Auckland to pick up a yacht sail and next door was a Honda dealer.  I totally fell in love with a Honda GB400 in the window.  The salesman spotted a sucker and the purchase was inevitable.  Jennie wasn't best pleased but got her own back by buying a piano which was roughly twice the cost of the Honda - ouch!  The photo was taken in 1988 after I'd fitted an aftermarket fairing.

 

Honda GB 400TT and a rekindled love of bikes

1991

The kids were growing up fast and we had our first ever holiday without them as one of their godmothers volunteered to look after them.  We headed for Bali and had a wonderful time.  The car in the photo belonged to the Balinese factory owner who made a suit for me and sent us back to the hotel in it after measuring.  The only downside of the holiday was getting a stomach bug the day before we flew home. A bit touch and go despite swallowing a handful of pills before heading for the airport!

The Indonesian equivalent of a vintage Rolls Royce.  Surprisingly good actually

1992

The whole family get on so well and delighted to say that the typical teenage troubles turned out to be practically non-existent, with great school reports too. I'm also inclined to think that growing up in a mill town with a mix of backgrounds and ethnicities was good preparation for later on in life.

School days

1999

A wonderful and moving occasion when Lyndon, our eldest son graduated from Otago University in the south island. A great experience for him too as many of the Otago traditions, particularly at his college; parallel those of Oxford and Cambridge. Formally dressing for dinner is just one of those traditions. He subsequently took a further degree in Auckland.  Immensely proud parents. Like many other parents, we dropped him off at the halls of residence when he started his degree with not a dry eye in the car when it was time to leave. Our first-born had left the security of home. 

Academic study wasn't solely down to the kids.  A job change within my company saw me being responsible for implementing the international ISO 9000 quality assurance system at numerous sites.  For credibility with external auditors and customers, I was required to take the postgrad quality assurance course and exam at Massey University. Studying again in my 50's was bloody hard work!

Otago University, Dunedin.  The day after Lyndon's graduation

2001

Our second son, Kerryn, had almost completed his degree at Massey University in the north island when it was time for our daughter Victoria to start hers at Canterbury University down south. Both occasions were far less emotional, thank goodness.  We combined making sure Victoria was settled in with a month's holiday in the south island, touring in Jennie's first MX-5 sports car and having all sorts of cool adventures.

One of these adventures was a trip by quad bike into the foothills of the Remarkables mountain range. Jennie wasn't too keen initially and I kept my mouth shut when I discovered that the quads were 2 stroke "screamers", not farm machines!  I needn't have worried though as Jennie was a fast learner under the watchful eye of an instructor and she left me for dead on a tricky downhill section strewn with rocks!

2 stroke quad bikes in the foothills of the Remarkables

2002

2 down, one to go.  Kerryn graduated with honours from Massey University and once again, we were enormously proud parents; partially for their academic success but mainly because they had grown into hard-working, caring and independent young adults.

Graduation day, Massey University

2010

After completing a psychology degree with honours, Victoria studied part time for her psychology Masters, graduating in 2010. We made sure that none of them had debt when leaving uni to give them a good start in life but they were under no illusion that they now had to use their education and not come to us for handouts!

Graduation day, Canterbury University

2019

After a career of long hours and also prompted by several company ownership changes, I decided to retire in 2008 at 60. We moved permanently to our beach property and apart from a consultancy project with my old company, we slipped into retirement mode pretty easily. Work on the property and sea fishing from a runabout were regular activities but we also volunteered as tutors for Senior Net, a nationwide organisation for assisting seniors with computer-related matters.  That was really enjoyable and great value to both us and local senior citizens.  We also travelled a great deal with trips to Australia, Alaska, Canada and through Asia and Africa.  We had some wonderful holidays but from a personal viewpoint, Africa just squeaked home in first place.   The wildlife and scenery and travelling by 4x4 was spectacular.  Hard to pick a single thing but ballooning on the Serengeti at dawn, followed by a champagne breakfast straight after the flight was pretty darned special.

Dawn on the Serengeti

2022

Riding motorcycles had been my passion since the age of 16.  I realised that to safely extend my riding into the older years, I needed to upskill and regular readers of the blog will have seen a lot of posts about me joining the NZ branch of the UK Institute of Advanced Motorists in 2011 (now IAM Roadsmart) to be formally trained in police roadcraft.  Passing the advanced test, then Observer (mentor) and Examiner was a massive honour but even more importantly, it's allowed me to ride (and drive) safely for longer than I otherwise would have done, plus pass skills onto other riders who wanted to lift their game.  The photo was taken at home just before going for a ride with treasured friends.  Despite a few niggling problems with the KTM 790 Duke, it was the one which made me laugh more than anything I'd previously owned.  It was a hooligan of a bike, always encouraging immoderate behaviour - a good bike to finish my riding career on.  It was right up there in terms of favourite bike ever but just shaded by the Triumph Street Triple which did everything brilliantly. 

The hooligan KTM 790 Duke

2023

It turned out to be something of a watershed year.  Older bodies don't bounce well and as I'd got pretty much all I wanted from motorcycling, it was time at 74 to retire from bikes before age and physiology became a significant factor.  Sea fishing, travel and mountain biking were already in place as fall-back activities but Jennie had dropped a bombshell in 2021 that we should think about buying a classic car to do more stuff together.  There are plenty of posts about the squabbling which went on about what to choose but the 1972 MGB GT turned out to be perfect for us and a lot of fun.  I don't miss motorcycling as the fall-back plan has worked out just fine. The photo was taken at an MGB 60th Anniversary event in Auckland.

A great turn-out of MG's - Auckland

For quite some time, Jennie has been a volunteer with the Coromandel School of Mines Museum. In recent times, she's had the role of President/Chair and has been involved with a number of significant projects to keep exhibits relevant.  2023 saw her project manage the installation of a building which was originally used for manufacturing dairy products for an early settlers residence (butter cheese, etc).  That consumed massive amounts of time but the end result was spectacular.  Here she is in her finery at the grand opening by the Coromandel Peninsula Mayor.  Everyone was hugely impressed, not least me with respect to the project feedback!

Jennie at the opening of the museum creamery, 2023

 2024

Another action-packed year although we would have gladly avoided some of the action!  Long overdue knees were successfully replaced over a 2 year period and I ran out of talent on my mountain bike, resulting in a broken femur on a gnarly local trail.  They're all documented in the blog so a short mention is sufficient.  We also had a wonderful holiday in Australia's Outback, travelling by 4WD truck.  It was an amazing experience which shouldn't be missed.

Prairie Hotel - Parachilna, South Australia.  A real gem in the middle of nowhere

Christmas was spent on crutches at our younger son's place.  Our 5 grandchildren were present and a photo of them in bright matching Christmas PJ's is an appropriate way to end the post.

The grandchildren - Christmas decorations in their own right!

It's only when putting together a post like this when you realise why 50 years has passed in a flash with so much going on.  There are plenty of other happenings too but they'll never see the light of day in print.  Any regrets about the decision to move to NZ?  Apart from the previously mentioned distance from family and old friends, none at all.  Nowhere is perfect but it's been a blast and long may it be so!

 

Rehab and Adult Toys

For those of you with dirty minds, you're going to be disappointed!  In this instance, "adult toys" refers to classic cars and motorcycles!

The previous post outlined the circumstances of my mountain bike accident and surgery to repair a broken femur.  A number of people were involved with my rescue, several of whom I hadn't previously met.  I was able to track them down, thank them personally and give them each a gift for Christmas.  As with any small community, (population ~1600), news spreads fast so I've had to endure plenty of mickey-taking since the accident every time we go into the village.  Jennie has received nothing but commiserations for putting up with me but I have a plan in place to show appreciation for her not stabbing me to death during rehab.

Rehab has gone well but it's been painful and slow.  Use of crutches stopped a couple of weeks ago and exercises including pedalling a static bike continue to build leg strength and flexibility.  It will be a while yet before I'm back on the mountain bike, even simple road riding.  Confidence has taken a bit of a knock as the time draws closer but we'll get there.  I'm also somewhat anaemic from the surgery but iron-rich food should help in that respect.

Sincerest thanks for your notes of support, comments on the last blog post and also Facebook.  It genuinely means a lot when you're fighting what feels like an uphill battle in terms of recuperation.

The opportunity to do anything interesting has been a bit limited.  Driving our modern vehicles has been ok but actually getting into our MGB GT has been impossible until recently.  Even now, some minor contortions are required.  It so happened that the Coromandel Classic Car Club held its annual car show last weekend for bikes and cars of all shapes and sizes so it was into the MG to see what was on display.  Perfect weather, good food, a ukulele band and line dancing demonstrations to complete the country atmosphere; plus a stunning array of vehicles.  Here are some of the photos I took, with some narrative where appropriate.

If I remember correctly, the registration sticker said a 1934 F series Morgan 3 wheeler.  It's powered by a side valve Ford engine of either 8 or 10 hp.  The vehicle on the background is a 1933 Essex Terraplane.  

Morgan 3 wheeler and US-made Terraplane

Rear view of Morgan and Terraplane

A modern "classic" this time - a 2002 Ford Thunderbird.  It clearly has a European design influence compared with earlier Thunderbirds but in my humble opinion, looks a bit bland. Apparently had a reputation for transferring road vibrations throughout the car.

2002 Ford Thunderbird

The rear end of a 1964 Ford Thunderbird, complete with streamlined headrests.  All the excesses we've come to expect from a convertible of that era.

1964 Ford T'bird

The next 3 photos are of my favourite car at the show, despite all the wonderful exotic hardware on display.  It's a 1950's Borgward Isabella manufactured in Germany.  One of our UK neighbours had one for years.  What makes it my favourite is that it's a genuine recent barn find from the Auckland region. The paint is original but time and UV has reduced it to an odd brown-pink colour. There's the slightest dusting of rust in a few places but no serious rusting or rot at all.  I hope that it's left "as-is" because that's what attracts attention.  

Borgward Isabella

Isabella dashboard and steering wheel

Isabella engine bay

This is a 1942 Chevrolet Fleetline with an in-line 6 cylinder motor.  Production was deferred in 1942 because of WW2.

Chevy Fleetline

The BMW Owner's Club brought 15 classic BMW's along.  They were from the days when you could actually tell them apart and they still look great.

BMW classic mix

This 1955 Cadillac looks like something out of Toy Story!  The finish was nigh-on perfect. 

1955 Cadillac Series 60

A motorcycle for a change.  A Czechoslovakian Jawa CZ owned by a local resident.  Pretty sure that it's a 175cc twin from the late 50's or early 60's.  I was given one and got it going but never registered it for road use.

Jawa CZ 175 2 stroke

A couple of British 650's.  This particular BSA Lightning was from the early 70's when the British motorcycle industry was in decline.  Designed with American market styling, it was a decent bike but didn't have the good looks of the earlier A65 Lightning and sales were poor.  The Triumph Bonneville was what captured the public imagination in the early days and held a number of world land speed records (hence the name).  This model is probably from 1965.

BSA Lightning and Triumph Bonneville

The HRD Vincent is one of the most famous bikes of all time.  This one is absolutely flawless. It's a generalisation but any Vincent 1000 will probably sell for upwards of NZ $50,000.  Looking on British auction websites, prices vary considerably according to precise model and condition.  There are a few currently being advertised at NZ$130,000 or more - a good investment, eh?

HRD Vincent 1000

The 2 cars below were a mainstay of the 60's in Australasia, the '62 EH Holden Special station wagon and a '62 Chrysler Valiant.  The Holden in particular was a favourite on the surfing scene.

EH Holden and Chrysler (AUS) Valiant

A seriously large Ford Galaxie.  I saw them raced at Silverstone in the late 60's by Jack Sears and Sir Gawain Baille.  They took up a fair percentage of the track width and added another complication to getting past them!

Ford Galaxie, 1968 model with 7 litre engine

Another 7 litre job - a '75 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible.  Looks very presidential before armour plate became necessary.

75 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Some nice local machinery from different eras.  a '74 Toyota Landcruiser, a 1979 Mitsubishi Jeep and a 1936 Ford Coupe in metalflake cherry red.

A nice mix

Arty shot of a 1973 Jaguar E type V12

E Type Jaguar

A flawless finish on this Chevy truck

A Chevy work of art

Orange must be the new black!  '22 Corvette being driven by a local young lady.

Attractive Corvette, equally attractive owner

A V8-powered hot rod which started off as a Ford Prefect with an 1172cc side valve engine!

Originally a UK Ford Prefect

The Ford Prefect origins can clearly be seen from the rear.

The original is just about recognisable

A modern "classic" - a 1990 Nissan (C33?) Laurel.  It looks to be drift car inspired with lots of goodies under the bonnet including a big turbo.  Compliments to the person who engineered it and it was so clean that you could conduct surgery in the engine bay.

1990 Nissan Laurel Turbo

The vehicle below is a 2013 replica of a 1933 Ford. The owner would have had to jump through hoops with transport authorities to make it road legal.  Given the problems I had with the MGB GT for a minor discrepancy, I take my hat off to the owner for perseverance and craftmanship!

1933 Ford replica

The Australian-made Valiant Charger is a personal favourite of mine and only superficially resembles the US-made Dodge Charger.  I'd be very happy to own one but collectors have pushed it out of my price range!

1972 Valiant Charger

Our GT engine bay pretty much in its normal state - doesn't take much looking after considering that it's almost a daily driver.

1972 MGB GT

I hope that you've enjoyed just a handful of photos from the car fair. Exhibits must have been 200 or so, including our MGB GT which earned some nice compliments.  A large proportion of them are owned by residents of the Coromandel Peninsula.  Given our low population density and relatively remote location, I'm always amazed what people have lurking in their sheds.  I suspect this represents the tip of the iceberg!  I'd like to think that we're merely custodians of these cool vehicles and that they'll continue their march through time with future custodians who will love them as much as we do.

When things turn to custard

Long-term readers of this blog will remember several posts (the first being in November 2011) about the older motorcycle rider and upskilling to prolong one's riding in safety. It generated a lot of productive discussion and even ended up as a chapter topic in one of US motorcycling guru David Hough's motorcycle safety books.

As a brief reminder, I joined the NZ branch of the UK Institute of Advanced Motorists, learning Police Roadcraft and progressing from raw recruit to Examiner before retiring from riding at 75 years of age in 2022. The benefit was massive and still is, not only in terms of riding and driving skills but also interpersonal aspects of life and much more besides.

The question of when to stop riding altogether became a regular discussion topic and the answer very much depends on individual circumstances. My retirement took 2 distinct steps.  As an IAM Examiner/mentor, I'd regularly cover 500 km days from our rural home and as I got older and several years of doing it in all weathers, I retired from official duties and just did social riding in our area which is a rider's paradise.  The final step followed the inevitable acceptance that old bodies don't bounce too well in an accident, irrespective of who was at fault. Sooner or later, there was a good chance of a serious "off" occurring.

My last ever motorcycle ride

The decision to stop wasn't particularly traumatic, perhaps surprisingly as it had been a passion for not far short of 60 years.  That was down to a deliberate act on my part to have some decent fall-back interests to replace the void left by riding bikes.  Where we live had some bearing on this.  A runabout for sea fishing was purchased as it was something that Jennie and I could enjoy together, particularly as we can launch within a couple of minutes of home.  It was Jennie's suggestion that we bought a classic car as the classics scene is particularly active in our area and the roads are a perfect fit.  After a rocky start when we couldn't agree what to buy, our 1972 MGB GT has worked out perfectly.  Serendipity actually, as it also happens to be the year we married!  The Coromandel Peninsula also has great bike trails so an e-mountain bike was purchased for a bit of fun and as a nod to staying fit.  So there we are - plenty of fall-back activities to replace motorcycling or whatever your long-term passion has been.

The Giant Talon e+1 MTB

Over the last 12 months, I've had both knees replaced, the last one only a few weeks ago.  That's down to sport when I was younger but cycling has been good for them, as well as being part of rehab.  Also great for cardio health and as an extra bonus, I've lost over 12 kg in the 2 1/2 years of ownership.  Visited some great out of the way places too.  What could possibly go wrong?

Less than 2 weeks ago, I continued my rehab with a decent off-road ride involving altitude changes through farmland and forest.  Riding on an uphill part of the trail, the clay surface had turned to marbles as we haven't had rain for some time. Without warning, the bike developed wheelspin, snapped sideways on the pronounced trail camber and spat me off.  I knew I was in serious trouble as my leg just flopped about and the pain was off the scale.  I didn't know then but I'd broken my femur just below the ball.  I always carry a phone and made the call to Jennie for help.  After giving me an earful, she got onto the ambulance service who accurately located me with an app which they emailed.  Fortunately, I was less than 1km into the trail at that stage. A couple of passers-by were able to offer initial assistance, then Jennie turned up, followed by my local doctor and one of his practice nurses who had been notified by the ambulance service.  The local ambulance wasn't available and one from the next town was an hour away so some happy juice was administered to help with the pain, especially major muscle spasms.  Interestingly, ketamine didn't make me run off at the mouth or any other unfortunate side effects, but it certainly dulled the pain.

A number of other locals turned up to help and as it wasn't possible to get the ambulance to the crash site, a local fishing charter operator carefully drove his Toyota Hilux utility up the narrow trail.  More happy juice and I was lifted onto the back of the Hilux - something I never wish to experience again!  Transferred to the ambulance which then drove 160 km to Waikato Hospital, which had all the required resources.  To shorten the story, I was operated on to reattach the ball, being sent home a few days ago to begin painful rehab. 

Looking like Frankenstein's Monster in hospital

Relieved to be home

Some of the bruising between knee and thigh - plenty more coming out:

Just a tad tender

With the festive season upon us and lots of outdoor activities in the warmer months, there's plenty of incentive to put the effort in to getting fit again.  Getting in and out of the MG is likely to be a stumbling block for a while.  Less so for our daily drivers.  Robust negotiations with Mrs J have been concluded (and by probable default, our daughter).  Mountain bike ownership will continue to be permitted as long as I stick to sealed roads or level gravel trails which aren't goat tracks.  As there are no level gravel trails within 50 km of home, Jennie has me neatly cornered.  Our sons have wisely not taken sides, at least publicly. They don't want to antagonise their mother but I suspect that privately, they might entertain the thought that slightly risky pastimes when reaching the same age as their father is what life is all about.  I don't intend to fan those particular flames.

I'd like to acknowledge the local Coromandel residents who appeared as if from nowhere to rescue me.  I feel pretty emotional about that and am working on a plan to recognise their wonderful assistance.  Community care is alive and well!  All countries on Earth appear to have challenges with their health services and NZ is no different.  However, the ambulance staff and hospital team from orderlies to surgeons couldn't be faulted in the care which they gave to me - delivered with grace and good humour too.

Just to round things off, there are a couple of noteworthy thoughts to take away.  Firstly, knowing when to stop doing risky things isn't a bad outcome. In my case, age dictates that pastimes involving potential injury is going to have consequences.  I don't have any difficulty in cutting challenging off-road trails out of my future.  Secondly, have a fall-back plan for when something which has been a lifelong passion has to be flagged away.  I've still got a few fall-backs which makes life well worth looking forward to.  I hope that you have too.  My over-riding plan is never to have to say "If only....."

Every good wish for a magnificent 2025!

Classic exhaust sounds, a replacement muffler and an MG Christmas lunch

Some vehicles have such a distinctive exhaust note that you know what they are before you see them, irrespective whether they're bikes or cars.  My KTM 790 was like that, partially due to the 435 degree "big bang" firing order. Showing my age, Mike Hailwood's 1960's Honda 6 cylinder 250/350cc race bikes arguably had the best exhaust note of any i/c engine ever produced (HERE).  I've also read that the crisp exhaust note of the first and second generation Mazda MX-5 Miata was deliberately engineered to mimic the Lotus Elan, which allegedly provided the inspiration for the Miata.  Similarly, the 1.8 litre MGB and GT has a flat, distinctive burble.  Here 'tis:

I love the sound of our GT echoing off roadside cliffs and buildings, particularly on downshifts.  The human ear is a wonderful thing and a few days ago, it didn't sound "quite right" - call it a "gut feel" if you prefer. A quick inspection didn't reveal anything and I was left wondering whether it was my imagination.  The following day, we were returning home from lunch at a local beach cafe and the exhaust note was definitely louder and a little different - time for a proper look when we got home.

The problem was obvious when shining a torch underneath - a hole around 20mm diameter had appeared near the entry to the muffler.  A closer inspection revealed that quite a bit of the area around the hole was paper thin.  The external paint on the muffler was fine so clearly, it was internal corrosion which had caused the problem.  It was a regular occurrence on older cars with a lack of corrosion-resistant materials.  Short journeys also contribute to the problem where exhaust systems don't get sufficiently hot to evaporate moisture.  This was certainly the case with the previous owner (custodian?) of the MG.

Living a fair distance from major centres, getting replacement parts either involves mail order or a lengthy trip in one of our other cars.  A temporary fix was in order until a permanent solution could be organised.  A tube of exhaust cement was discovered in the shed and the recycle bin was raided for an empty aluminium can of alcohol-free cider!  Half an hour later, a patch had been cut and wired in place, and a gentle drive made to cure the cement.  A complete success and back to the typical MG exhaust note!

An alcohol-free exhaust repair!

Just in case the muffler was non-standard, I sent a sketch with dimensions to the MG specialist in Auckland.  Fortunately, it was the correct original and they had a replacement in stock which arrived a couple of days later.

A pristine muffler replacement

Being the eternal optimist with an hour before dinner, I set about changing the muffler.  What could possibly go wrong with just two clamps holding it in place?  Jack up the rear end to give a bit better access and slacken off the front and rear clamps.

Getting improved access, but not good enough

Unfortunately, Murphy's Law intervened.  The clamps were easy enough to remove but the muffler was stuck fast onto the exhaust system, a combination of underseal and carbon I suppose.  There wasn't sufficient room under the car for me to deliver a decent blow to the front of the muffler to break the seal.  No convenient underbody ledges to try and jack it backwards either.

Exhaust pipe well and truly wedged into muffler

Darn it!  The only thing to do was have a word with friend and near-neighbour Bruce, who owns a garage in the village and services our modern cars.  Bruce has proper vehicle hoists which give sufficient clearance to have a decent swing with a mallet to break the seal between the muffler and exhaust pipe.  My initial reluctance to ask Bruce for help was the amount of mickey-taking I'd have to endure about old farts in old cars.  Amazingly, he was quite restrained and within half an hour, the job was done.  Bruce's king-sized mallet did the trick!

New muffler ready for clamping up

Bruce putting the finishing touches to the bolt-up

There was further concern when Bruce spotted that the handbrake cable which runs between the rear wheels off hangers on the rear axle was rubbing against the exhaust pipe.  It clearly had the capability to damage both components although there was something at the back of my mind which suggested that I'd previously read about this issue.  When I got home, a quick search on the MG Experience internet forum revealed all.  Bruce's vehicle hoist lifts on the bodywork which meant that the rear axle and suspension were unloaded and dangled further down than normal, causing the cable to foul the exhaust pipe .  However, with the suspension supporting the bodywork in the normal driving position, there was plenty of clearance - phew!  I'd never previously noticed the condition as I jack the rear of the car off the differential, simulating the normal road-going configuration.  Every day is a school day!

Today, we travelled the 320 km round trip to Hamilton to attend the MG club's regional Christmas lunch. Our near-neighbours in Coromandel who own a couple of MG's also attended. Our cars were polished to within an inch of their lives so that we weren't regarded as the poor country cousins to the city members. Imagine our surprise when we found out that we were the only ones who bothered to turn up in our MG's - the rest were in their everyday drivers!  Poor show by the locals but our neighbours won 2 of the 3 raffle prizes on offer too - karma!

A quick update

The trip through the Australian Outback in August was sensationally good, September and October to date have been rather less so!  We arrived back in NZ and both Jennie and I were laid low with severe chest infections which very nearly put us in hospital. It wasn't Covid but may have been an influenza variant.  All we could do for a few weeks was sleep and exist on protein drinks.  It was the worst that either of us had felt in decades and it was fortunate that we were both fairly fit in terms of recovery.  Losing a further 4kg on top of the 12 kg lost over the last 2 years from mountain biking means a certain amount of expenditure on new clothes!

Unfortunately, this meant that I had to cancel my scheduled second knee replacement but that finally happened a few days ago in Auckland where I had the first one done last year.  I detailed that experience at the time so there's no need for much comment other than to repeat just how good the team and systems are at Ormiston private hospital in Auckland. Literally everyone at all levels of the organisation are focussed on making the patient stay as pleasant as possible.  An example, which whilst minor in nature; typified the human touch.  A theatre nurse walked with me from the waiting area to the theatre.  She linked fingers and we held hands on the short walk.  I made some smartass remark about how nice it was considering that we hardly knew each other and she deadpanned that she wanted to make sure that I didn't do a runner from the hospital!  A perfect response to break the tension. Everything went well and 2 hours later, I was sitting in Recovery sucking on a lemon ice cream - awesome! Four hours after that, I was walking the hospital corridors with the aid of a Zimmer frame. 

Nice view of Ormiston at midnight from my room window

My only "complaint" is rather trivial.  A catheter was inserted you know where for the first 36 hours.  When it came time for removal, the nurse said it wouldn't hurt, just feel a bit odd.  With my English heritage, you'd think that a uniformed nurse getting up close and personal could have erotic undertones.  It doesn't - not even close!  If ever I have a catheter removed in future, I want to be as high as a kite when it happens, thanks! 

Shortly after catheter removal - not a lot to smile about....

Pink leg is from antiseptic paint

Two days after surgery, I was sent home; having demonstrated the ability to negotiate stairs on crutches.  Now comes the painful bit - rehabilitation exercises!  Jennie has taken it on herself to make sure that I don't backslide or do dumb stuff.  Just after arrival home, she headed out to the supermarket with the warning "Don't do anything stupid whilst I'm away".  Hardly a ringing endorsement of faith in me following orders, is it?  With summer not far off, it's a good incentive to get mobile again.  Aiming to be back on the mountain bike riding gentle trails by early December.  Should be able to drive my RAV4 or Jennie's Jazz RS in about 2 weeks but the MGB GT will be more problematic.  Firstly, it's a manual but the ergonomics will probably stop me from getting in and out of it.  Maybe 4-6 weeks for that one.

Most countries seem to complain about the indifferent state of their health systems but my personal experiences of the NZ health system has been outstanding in terms of outcomes but most importantly, arising from the dedication of the wonderful people working in it.  Absolutely worth their weight in gold.

We drove the 150-odd km from home to the hospital a day early to get settled into our nearby accommodation and to organise a new offside wing mirror for Jennie's car which had been smashed off whilst parked in our village a few days previously.  We had a picnic lunch at Maraetai Beach in Auckland's eastern suburbs and there were heaps of retired greybeard types like me doing some fishing.   Every one of them had a drone to take their line offshore for about 800 metres and the following photo shows the guys nearest to us.

Is it really fishing?

Admittedly, the technology is impressive although it takes about 30 minutes to get set up.  Bait the line, hook it to the drone and press the button on the controller.  The expensive ones seem to be programmable to drop the baited line, return and land without further intervention from the fisherman.  Most of the rods had electronic warning devices for when a fish was hooked.  Not a lot of skill required, eh?  In this particular instance, no fish either which I found perversely pleasing!  At least from our boat, we have normal rods to catch them.  Well, Jennie catches them and takes the mickey at my relative lack of success compared with her.  Maybe I'm just a grumpy old geezer - certainly hope so!  

A good news story to end with.  Rehab has included watching the America's Cup finals from Barcelona.  Good old YouTube has it live at 1am NZT.  Current Cup holders NZ are competing against Great Britain in the best of 13 races final and NZ are leading 4-0.  It's the oldest sporting trophy in the world and was first competed for in 1851 between the British and America.  The British got a hiding and in all that time, still have to record a win.  Hope I haven't jinxed things.  C'mon NZ!!!

Taihoro, NZ's America's Cup defender (file photo)

Normal service to be resumed next time......