Going to NZ - Anyone got any ideas??

[DaveS3]

G'day Guys,

Bit of prior planning on my behalf.
Strangely enough I am going over with a big group next year to NZ to play in the NZ National Band Championships and wish to stay there for an extra week or two

Going from about 9/7/08 to ~ 2 weeks after that.

I am organizing bookings for the group and wish to stay on with maybe me and a few mates.

We will be starting in Christchurch, then whatever after that.

Any ideas, or 'must do' items or things to see and experience while we are there??

I haven't really explored anything yet and plan to start now and do a bit or searching.

Any personal experiences would be great.

Dave.

[Wazza]

Dave

So your a Brass bandie huh?

Who do u play with. i am guessing an A grade band by the sound of traveling. I have made the trip to the championship a few times in the last few years.

Will you be in Brisbane at easter? If so would love to catch up.

Talk to you soon

Wazza

[DaveS3]

No mate - B Grade, but have played with few A grade bands here and there.

Play for Maroondah Brass - but if I say so where at the top of B Grade.

Not going to QLD as it will be similar $$$ to NZ and it will be more fun.

Dave.

[cartm58]

well take hand clipper shears for the sheep some of the kiwis are bit scraggy in the bum

[Wazza]

Sweet Dave

I currently play with "the Feds"

But did my time with XLCR and conducted a B grade band in bris for a few years.

Pity you not heading upto the sunshine state but i can see your point. We are looking at heading over to NZ as well next year as we have no travel costs for next years nationals. We did make the trip to Melb this year with ok results.

Talk to you soon

Wazza

PS what do you play?

[DaveS3]

Play tenor horn at the moment, but did start on Trumpet then cornet at school.

We did OK as well this year as well, placed the highest Vic Band in the section but the results and adjudication were interesting to say the least, far different that what was expected but you get that - we were pleased with everything though.

Excellent thing to be associated with XLCR at the moment :D

Dave.

[Vern]

As for NZ, take a snowboard/skis and your wallet and get down to Queenstown and have a good time. If you make it there, grab a burger from the Furgburger (sp) you won't regret it.:D

[Quarks]

Strangely enough, Dave, I've already something quite similar!

Easter last year my school concert band went over to NZ for a week's competition in Christchurch (got ripped off in the comp, but that's another story) and then stayed for an extra week to do the other stuff.

I can't remember doing anything overly interesting in Christchurch - nights were filled with:
1/ getting drunk because we weren't told we couldn't :twisted:
2/ going to a go-kart racing place :burnrubber:
3/ looking at the pretty lights from Cracroft reserve (near Cashmere, and on the only hill in town!)
In short, the most interesting thing was playing 'spot the landy' every day:angel::wasntme:

We headed down to Queenstown and did the jet boats & visited the bungee place & Arrowtown, but there's a lot more fun to be had when it doesn't have to pass Education Dept. risk assessments!! :D

PS. I'm a Horn player & occasional conductor (ryde band) ;)

[DaveS3]

Definitely going boarding, thats booked in for sure, want about 3 days for that - one of the birds who is going is a mad keen skier so there will be others.

It is the rest of the sightseeing i am interested.

Cheers
Dave.

[DaveS3]

So I guess Queenstown it is.

I'll give that a squiz over the net.

[Wazza]

Sounds like a fun trip

Dont need a permit tuba player do you?


Wazza

[DaveS3]

Not yet, but you never know:)
They are definitely the most inconsistent lot in the band.

[Wazza]

Whos your conductor?

Ill see if i can scam a seat. I have my A.MUS and B.MUS and B.ED

Several state and national solo and band titles,,,,,,,,, please let me come :D


Cheers
Wazza

[DaveS3]

Ive sent you a PM mate.

Thanks for the offer.

Cheers.

[Vern]

If your going for a board then go to Cardrona, it is the better of the mountains in the area, Coronet Peak is boring (if your any good it is, alright for a day) but it is the closest to Queenstown. Cardrona is about 45min away. Heard Remarcables is good but road was closed when i was there.

[camel_landy]

Ah ha! More Brass players!

Me... I'm a Tuba player. EEb is my main instrument but I have been known to play BBb... (which is a bugger of an instrument to go marching with!!!).

As for what to do... Well, there's plenty to do in & around Christchurch by foot/bus. However, if you've got use of a 4x4 then head out to Queenstown as there's a number of routes you can do out there. Arrowtown, Macetown & the run over the hills and down by the Nevis River.

If you want something a little closer then go north to Hanmer Springs as there's a few routes through the Molesworth Station you can do.

Obviously... It's all going to be dependant on the time of year, etc...

[camel_landy]

Ahhh... Just see when you're going. Most of the tracks will probably be shut.

Hey ho.

you can probably go skiing instead then. :D

M

[Wazza]

Ah ha! More Brass players!

Me... I'm a Tuba player. EEb is my main instrument but I have been known to play BBb... (which is a bugger of an instrument to go marching with!!!).


I know that feeling. spent alot of years marching with a BBb Sov. now i play a nice Yamaha Maestro EEb. nice horn so much better response to a Sov.

Cheers

Wazza

[camel_landy]

Hmmmm.... I've played some really nice instruments in the past....

Where I used to live, was just around the corner from the Boosey & Hawkes factory and a few of my mates had parents that worked there.

The EEb that I played for a while started off life as a reject... It was pulled off the shelf by my mates dad, turned into a large bore, 19" bell, decent compensating valves... The list goes on. Thing is, every time it had another 'mod' it had another dunk in the silver bath.

It is still a lovely instrument to play but it is by far the heaviest EEb I have ever come across. Thing is... It's also one of the hardest EEb basses to get to 'rip' as you just get a solid wall of sound out of it. :D

M

[DeeJay]

You can always pay $245 for the privilige of driving a Landie :)

http://www.everythingqueenstown.com/item/36/Nomad+Safaris+4+Wheel+Drive

[jimbo110]

You can always pay $245 for the privilige of driving a Landie :)

http://www.everythingqueenstown.com/item/36/Nomad+Safaris+4+Wheel+Drive
Almost all of the operators down there run Defenders, just like mine :p

[Rayngie]

Definately get to Queenstown, call a guy called Greg from Fat-tyre adventures ( my wife's cousin ), he can hook you up with some heli mountqain biking, very cool stuff.
Give Christchurch a miss though, my wife lived there and moved to Dunedin for excitement!

[hiline]

hey Dave

while your in NZ ask a local farmer how he finds his sheep in long grass :D



























Delightful :angel:

have a good trip mate ............