As I write this there is no internet connection. Bugger!
The issues with living remote in New Zealand. We may live in the supposed winterless north in the far north of New Zealand but a storm with reasonably high winds has come through, so I am guessing it has in some way knocked out the transmitter. Or maybe its our own device on the roof that receives the signal. Who knows, all I know no internet means no phones as well. Cell reception is very intermittent here so going to be a quiet day. A chance to clean up a little.
The boss, Xiaoli – the wife, is back Thursday. Collect her at about 8pm from the Auckland Airport which means 1am home. Going to be a long day I guess.
On the way down I need call the parrot shop in Kerikeri and collect breeding boxes for the budgies and Cockatiels. That time of year. Chickens are already hatching which will make the boss happy to see. I know at least 3 geese are sitting on clutches of eggs. Probably some of the Muscovy ducks as well as I don’t seem to be feeding as many right now.
Need call in at a high school where I have an appointment to discuss international students from China attending that we can bring through business. New Zealand per head of population having one of the highest ratios of Chinese students abroad in the world. Good business for us, good for the school as it brings in much needed funding which can go towards our own New Zealand funding, and good for the community. A win for everyone.
Since I left China Xiaoli has had 2 further meetings. One in Weihai through a contact of hers who I know she has signed a memorandum of understanding, as I prepared it. The second Chongqing with a travel consultant who I have been talking with. Hopefully both positive for ‘Peter and Xiaoli Tours’.
I will never do such a short trip with lots of internal travel again in China. You survive the trip but once back the recovery is just to long. It knocks you around to much.
Talking about China, Air China have advertised I saw yesterday, $501 return to China for their autumn. Had I not just been there I would be tempted at that price to hop on a plane and go back.
Business for Peter and Xiaoli Tours is still quiet as is our accommodation. Spasmodic business typical of this time of year. Good bookings in place for tours November and January. 20 day tours for groups out of England. January can be a strange month for us with tours so its good to have a lengthy booking in place. The other months now we are through winter should just start falling in place.
The accommodation Ninety Mile Beach is picking up and many enquiries are starting to come for the summer peak season. The boss can take care of those on her return. Just a pity the accommodation has not found a buyer but it is a cash cow through the peak season so we will ride out once again, then look at shutting the doors the quiet season. Time we got a life of our own back together. We spend most of summer apart as I travel the country with tourists, time we put ourselves first.
With tours this summer I want to push our 6 day North Island tour which takes in a cruise to the White Island live volcano. Parts of it are unique to us and it is a superb tour route. To me it equals the South Island tours we do, just in a completely different way. Also hoping that just maybe we can get to quote a mix of tour plus fishing, the latter being one of main past times. Time will tell.
Both long tours for English groups in place take in both Islands so now we need find groups for slightly shorter tour routes.
Prime aim of the China trip was to grow the business so we can bring more family into it. So need keep that objective right up there. So hopefully a busy summer season approaching.
Peter and Xiaoli Tours 