Peter and Xiaoli Tours

My marketing was unsuccessful yet we will increase sales!

I spent all the winter months rebuilding the website and really doing a marketing push into Asian countries we have traditionally been strong with. In particular China. But despite favourable comments where-ever we targeted we have seen, nor look like seeing any business from it except maybe in the very long term.

Have I lost my skills I ask myself? I don’t believe so and if anything I have improved. So what I now believe has happened is that despite our strength with current business in the Asian market just maybe its not our best growth potential.

The 2017/18 tour season sees us with mainly business out of England. Possibly one tour out of China but that if it happens is a referral. On one hand we should be happy as I believe turnover will be up over 33% but its not where we spent so much time and effort targeting.

There is also frustration as we made very good contact and were costing tours for several agents and they decided it was time to change employ and in one case have a baby. So its start again.

Our website since I launched the new one in Feb/March this year is growing with hits month on month. October is our highest month yet and we hit that record back on the 21^st of the month. To a certain degree that should be expected as summer approaches. I do like the statistical information I can get from the new website. I believe figures although lower than our old website, are more quality rather than quantity.

Google keeps contacting us to run an ad-words campaign but past experience says that all that achieves is huge hits, but no business. So we will keep with our marketing ways but maybe start looking at markets outside Asia for growth.

The accommodation business Ninety Mile Beach continues to coast along. We have put no effort into growing down periods which have great potential for growth as it taxes our resources far to much. And in the far north of New Zealand it is hard to find the staff we require unless we offer them full time jobs. That at this point of time we do not wish to do. Still hoping a buyer may come along and relieve us of that business. A great business with huge potential but we just don’t have the time or energy with the tour business plus farm to run, to also grow the accommodation.

Another 2 weeks and I am constantly on the road. Trying hard to complete projects that need my input before I disappear. Tomorrow its beach fishing time. Important if you work hard, you must also find the balance and take time out to recharge the batteries. For Xiaoli and I that’s fishing. She will join my mate on the bluff 50km up the beach why I go even further north with the kite and long line. For me I will take several of my dogs with me for company. They love running on the beach and when I talk to them, they don’t talk back. Sometimes that’s nice.

This afternoon its build Xiaoli some box gardens with fences around to keep her poultry out hopefully. She wants to plant more bulbs so she has flowers to enjoy but also ulterior motive, grow more bulbs for eventual sale next season. Her aim is when we have sold the accommodation she manages, to grow her seed and bulb sales nationwide. Turn what has been a hobby to date into a business which she enjoys.

www.peterandxiaoli.com

PS If you want to buy the accommodation business, speak to us. Look at those views! And in those waves are the Snapper!

I must be getting soft in my old age

I just posted an advert on Trade Me for a 7 day South Island New Zealand tour at an exceptionally good cost of $1700 per person but added a bonus offer of a trip back to Auckland. That is an exceptionally good offer.

November 13 sees the start of an 18 day tour with a group from England. The consultants that booked us maintains the only ever use tour guides that are considered within the top 5% in the industry. Not sure how they ascertained we fall within the top 5% but who am I to complain. We are rated highly, I know that but I am just not sure how you would know we fall in the top 5% in our profession. I guess somehow they must research that.

I look forward to touring with a group from England. Actually this summer have 3 groups from the UK. In my years doing tours I guess we have never targeted the UK market so never had English tourists on the long haul tours. It will make a nice change as our specialty seems to be the Asian market. Probably because we do target that market in particular China with Xiaoli being Chinese.

On conclusion of the 18 day tour I have 20 days up my sleeve before the next long tour starts plus our tour vehicle will be in Christchurch so why not offer a good deal on a South Island tour before I return north. The bonus is they are welcome to join me as I head back north as long as they cover their own costs on route. It is a damn long way back to Auckland or in my case 5 hours further in the very far north. But some great experiences on route starting with the ferry trip. Just hoping to get to the ferry from Christchurch the No 1 highway is open again to traffic or it is going to add even more hours to the journey. The No 1 being closed after Kaikoura through earthquake damage.

I am ready for the tour season to start proper again. I am rested. I am in the mental frame of mind ready to tour. I guess getting bored with admin over winter as I drive the marketing and get financials in order. I have caught my share of fish when weather has allowed. I am sure the fish will be happy to know I am working again.

Fishing, a sport I love. Its not always about catching the fish, its also about getting out and doing it. Catching the fish is a great reward but sitting on rocks or in the boat with line out is a very good way to unwind. Let the problems of the world just sail on past. I love it. Too old to play rugby now but fishing I can hopefully do until the day I die. And hopefully that’s many years off yet.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1447488529&ed=true

www.peterandxiaoli.com

Today I was very disappointed – Bloody angry

Holiday makers had checked out of 2 of our 3 units after 2 nights and left our kitchen and bathroom areas disgusting. Pigs is all I can say.

Three familys rented 2 units. Against Xiaoli’s better judgement and without my knowledge, they had bought with them a cat. We do not normally allow pets despite the fact we are known animal lovers. Xiaoli had told them the cat would need stay in the studio unit and I assume it did. I was greeted with kitty litter spread over the bathroom floor and out into the carpeted area. I was not impressed.

The main unit upstairs the bedrooms were fine. The bathroom floor was disgusting. Absolutely filthy.

The kitchen well I don’t know where to start. The floor. Unbelievable. The bench and stove. The previous nights dinner dishes unwashed. 2 large pots of food on the stove, one with food burnt to the bottom.

Xiaoli had received a call 11.30am to say there was a power cut and they were soon leaving. Hang on I said to Xiaoli, why are they still there? We are rigid on check out time of 10.30 with very prominent notices in the units but I guess since we don’t live there they didn’t feel a need to leave early.

The power cut the neighbour tells me was very brief. So people you were just pigs. I would never leave somewhere leaving it like you did. Take it for granted you are banned from returning. I just wish now on Sunday I had not towed you off the beach. I should have just left you stranded watching the tide come in around your car.

I am angry. That used to be my house I lived. It still is a house I have very fond memories of and a love in my heart for. Today I had tears in my eyes. I literally went around the house turning all lights off. Turned off 2 towel rails, even a heater and here we are mid spring. I am running around in shorts and tee shirts. Then I left. I guess I need calm down and confront again tomorrow.

You whoever you were, were just ungrateful pigs. I hope someone one day treats your house like you did ours

www.peterandxiaoli.com

My last Ninety Mile Beach 4wd tour for 2017. From now on its the lower half of New Zealand 18 day plus tours to see 2017 out

Today I took a group of 6 from Guangxi China on a 4wd tour up Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga. The day started with me having to tow customers of ours staying in the beach accommodation, of the beach. Idiots despite Xiaoli telling them yesterday never double checked tides and were in 2wd’s. Idiots is all I can say. Fortunately they never made it through the soft sand to get on to the beach proper. Had they got through they would then have been caught out by the incoming tide with no where to go. No other words except damn idiots.

My group were with me and Xiaoli in our 2 4wd’s and we were headed up the road as we had done our homework and checked the tides. First stop was at Houhora Heads where we looked out to the Pacific Ocean. Smiles were on all faces and at the stop I managed to sort out who spoke ok English so they could sit up front and translate for me. At that stage Xiaoli had not caught up so all 6 were with me. Xiaoli caught up at Rarawa Beach along with a couple of German hitch hikers she had picked up that were heading for the Cape as well.

Rarawa a beautiful white silica sand beach. Tide had receded enough for us to get the vehicles on the beach. Some very happy customers sitting behind me. From Rarawa it was on to the ice cream shop. I wish I had not partaken as it meant no lunch for me. In hindsight I would have preferred the lunch.

Gave them 1 hour for the walk to the light house. Much more than needed but there was no rush to get to Ninety Mile Beach as low tide was later afternoon. From what I hear they loved the walk. I chose to wait in the car. Have walked that walk many a time. Didn’t see the need to do it today.

Off to the sand dunes so they could have a play on the sand boards. Warned them well how to slide down the sand hopefully avoiding broken bones. Told them it may be painful breaking the bone but not as painful as the one and a half hour drive to civilisation and a hospital will be. Obviously they took not. No broken bones today.

Had the drone with me and finally away from the wind that made me hesitate using it earlier. But for the life of me, I could not get the imagery to show on the cell phone. So as much as I could fly it, I could not take photographs as for whatever reason the drone was not talking to the phone. Bugger. Worse I was to find out was happening on the camera issue later.

From the dunes it was down to the beach. Multiple stops including one to gather Tua Tuas (cousin to the Pipi). My guests were looking forward to eating a feed tonight yet not one came in the water with me to gather them. That surprised me so I collected enough for a one wok cook up. No need to freeze out in the water if they are not going to join me.

From there it was check them into the motor camp where they were booked for the night, our accommodation being full. Xiaoli and I washed the 4wd’s with the high pressure hoses. Once complete we bring them back to the farm where I decide to download the many photos I took on my large Canon camera. Disaster!!!! The SD card must be faulty. Not one image on the card and older ones there now corrupt. Bugger. Not a day for cameras

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

Sashimi yesterday, crays today

The things I force myself to eat and to think I am just a poor person on the pension. Yeah I know, yeah right.

Poor maybe in that we don’t have ready cash but yes we have assets and a tour guide when I can be bothered to push the business does okay. But sashimi and crays come about because a number of years ago I jumped in the deep end by leaving city life and heading to the provinces. No set plans except I knew I loved fishing so picked an area that I knew going fishing was not hard to do.

In the big smoke (city) you cannot buy genuinely fresh fish for sashimi. Reality if fish shops and supermarkets sell fish that was caught out at sea a minimum of 24 hours prior and reality a number of days prior. Packed in salt ice until the trawlers are loaded up and ready to come back to port.

We are lucky Xiaoli and I, we both love fishing so we can enjoy our sashimi 1 to 2 hours after we catch it. We reality is sometimes we slice it and enjoy while still out fishing. Sometimes we forget that in the store for Snapper you pay $30 to $40 a kilogram yet in our house it is abundant. On occasions if we have to much even for us we deliver to the elderly in our local town.

Xiaoli and I try to be self sufficient in life. Grow our own vegetables. Obviously catch fish. We run about 50 plus hens, numerous ducks, geese etc etc. Our food supply is well taken care of.

The crayfish was tonights dinner. A gift from a friend who sets his own pots from time to time. We have pots also but never seem to get around to setting them.

My recommendation to everyone, leave the cities and explore what life offers in the provinces. If you need the cities for work, then start spending weekends further afield.

Prior to me moving to the far north of New Zealand I bought a caravan at parked it at a campsite at Pakiri, north of Auckland. Every Friday night we would head there. Stay there until 5pm Monday morning, then head back to Auckland for work. A great lifestyle. Every week it made work life easier and you had the weekend to look forward to.

Often the weekends were walking the long beach there. Sometimes surf casting, sometimes catching crabs. Sometimes just collecting shells. Weather conditions permitting, sometimes it was night spearing for flounder. But importantly we had a ‘life’. No longer tied to the city. We had weekends we couldn’t wait to come around so we could disappear again. The friends became closer friends as we would tell them to join us for the weekend. Rent a motel or cabin at the camping grounds. Live ‘life’.

During the day if we are tired of the beach head to the local farmland, find watercress and other greens that grow freely. Worst scenario, visit a local vineyard. Downside to that was having to dress up.

We are lucky to be able to enjoy our fresh fish and Crayfish. But then we can because we chose a lifestyle that allows us time to harvest our own food on our doorstep. And have fun doing the harvesting. Life is what we make it.

People say to me ‘where’s our meaning their fish’? The same place ours was. In the sea. Buy yourself a rod and reel. It doesn’t need be expensive and go catch your own fish. Believe it makes a fun and rewarding day. Sometimes you wont catch any fish, but it doesn’t matter as the day would be enjoyable anyway

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

The boss said I could go fishing!

Last night my boss (XiaolI) agreed I could go fishing today with my mate. I had not told her conditions may not be favourable but I was missing feeling that bite on my line, then hauling it back through the surf and up on to the rocks.

The day started with a beautiful sunrise which inferred good weather was in store for us. 6am up to the roosters crowing ell before my alarm was set to go. But so be it. Have a coffee then I hear the boss has also arisen. Apparently chickens hatching in the incubator. So make her a coffee as well before I load the fishing gear in the 4wd. Didn’t grab my favourite reel as tat was still rigged for boat fishing and was to lazy to strip it down. After all, it would have taken all of 2 minutes. But grabbed my new Penn which I had only tried once prior. Time to christen it properly.

Couldn’t drive the 50 kilometres up the beach as it was just gone high tide, so head up the road and through the forest road to the bluff. The winter had taken its toll on the forestry road but the 4wd was fine. Not sure the 2 dogs I bought with us thought it was that great.

We exit the forest through the sand dunes to beautiful calm at the bluff. (The rock outcrop 50km up Ninety Mile Beach). Park the 4wd and let the dogs out for a run while I put on track shoes comfortable walking over the rocks. Assemble the fishing gear then we are ready to go. Two heads poke up behind the rocks we are about to clamber. 2 seals that had obviously come in over night to rest up. Now disturbed by us the rush off back to the safety of the sea. Not the only seals we were to sight today.

Get to what we term the high rock ready to cast and over comes a wave and I am saturated. The only wave to catch me out the whole 4 hours we were there. Damn. Wet and cold. What a great start.

Within 2 minutes of my first cast I had our first fish. An ocean running kahawai. Often we throw them back as they are not what we were targeting but this one I had a specific point for keeping. Food for my carnivorous turtles I had back at the farm. My turtles for a number of years now have lived on fish we catch. They like a meat with blood and the Kahawai meets that bill. Now their winter semi hibernation is over, they are hungry.

The morning proceeded well with 20 plus good size fish caught. Our freezer was bare, but no longer. Sashimi eaten for a late lunch with soy plus wasabi. To lazy to make a dip or was it the craving meant we couldn’t wait.

Its great the fish are returning after their wintering away in warmer waters. If this is the sign of what the fishing is going to be like this summer, then it’s a sign we are very happy with.

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

Ninety Mile Beach New Zealand – Beautiful

That video I took on the cell a short time ago as I sat on Ninety Mile Beach while my boss Xiaoli plus two of our customers were picking shell fish ready for tonights dinner. They ideally need be picked 4 to 5 hours prior eating and left to soak in sea water. This allows them time to spit out sand they may have in the shell. Nothing worse then when you are eating them and you can feel the gritty sand on your teeth.

I know the video shows it as a very misty day which it is. But swells are down. All factors are looking great for fishing but my boss says outright, ‘NO’. And people wonder why I refer to my beautiful wife Xiaoli as ‘BOSS’. What she says goes unless you go behind her back or better still just don’t tell her your intent. But this morning that was hard as I picked her and 2 of our customers up at the beach accommodation we own and my fishing gear was obvious to everybody with my rod between seats and the stink of bait in the rear.

My boss two nights ago shows she must still love me. She saw a 4.2 metre boat for sale on the Chinese SkyKiwi internet sight based Auckland. Thought it was a perfect boat for us and wanted to make a call about it. I was somewhat taken back with surprise and it was late evening so I said lets in the morning talk about it and let me see the photographs when properly awake. I slept with a grin on my face Thursday night. That had caught me totally surprised and even more so because I have my 5 metre boat I only bought 18 months ago sitting right outside my window.

Friday morning comes and I stay quiet and low and behold she raises it again so I said send me the link from her computer so I can translate the text etc. Her computer I had bought last trip to China so software and everything is in Chinese. In the past she complained about software being in English.

Anyway, back to the boat. I get the link, not the photos as you need be a member on SkyKiwi but the text I could translate. Then looked at pictures on her computer. They don’t need translation. And I agreed it appeared a great boat but said its too expensive for us and you would need offer a lower price for us to justify buying. She said you cant do that as that’s the price the man wants and comments from watchers say the price is right. Well I said maybe it is right but we wouldn’t buy at that price.

I still have this grin on my face I am trying hard not to show. Haha. So I said if you wont ask about the money then give me the cell number and I will text him with I think a good buy price is. Reluctantly she gave me the number but saying he will never sell that low. 10 minutes later I had a text back saying yes. Bugger! The boss was taken back. I have let the seller know it would be subject to my mate sighting and saying okay because its 5 hours away but now subject to my mate we now own 2 boats.

My boss I have under rated. I never had plans to buy a second boat but it would appear we now have one. And the boats compliment each other as my original boat is a good deep V which is great further out to sea.

Still hacked off I cannot fish Ninety Mile Beach today so have come back to the farm sulking to myself. The boss can clean the units and get them ready for tonights incoming customers. I will keep my dogs company and wait on my mates call to confirm whether I have or not bought a boat sight unseen

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

A few words can mean so much

A Korean friend of mine left me a comment on a blog I wrote re mental health. 3 simple words, ‘I love you’. I have been on a buzz ever since I got up this morning and read those 3 words.

Julie and I go back 11 months to when I escorted her and 20 others on a tour through New Zealand. From day one we hit it off. All in innocence and still is. But sometimes on tours I meet special people. Julie is in that category. We have kept in regular contact ever since.

The ‘I love you’ words were Julie expressing her feelings of warmth as I have been mentoring her ever since we met on some personal issues she had and I guess still does. But until she read that blog she was unaware I had suffered chronic bipolar and I guess the penny dropped. It made her realise where some of mentoring was coming from.

I never judge people. We are all different in every which way. I never give recommendations. Only listen to issues and try help people to express them. I know Julie has conquered issues she had and I know those 3 words last night were her acknowledging what we have together.

For me right now, my dilemma is we have not gained the tour enquiries this summer I thought we would given the extensive marketing I did through winter. A new far superior website. A business trip abroad following 3 months of targeting the right people for appointments. But alas, the emails are silent. The phones are silent. On a positive note we have great tour bookings in place November to February but they came through untargeted sources that head hunted us. But very disappointing for me all my work is yet to see rewards.

Xiaoli tells me we only have the odd booking for our beach front accommodation Ninety Mile Beach for the key summer holiday period when we are normally booked out by now. I wonder whether that is to do with the fact New Zealand is in limbo right now since the government elections and no actual party yet able to form a government?

The accommodation doesn’t worry me as the closer it gets to Christmas and traditionally we are turning people away. The bookings will come. Our spring weather yet still has reminders of winter in it so that is another factor that doesn’t help.

I am craving to go fishing. Withdrawal symptoms are really kicking in. Tried to get out on my mates boat 2 days ago. Made it to the fishing spot and I dropped the anchor in 30 metres of water only for him to become really ill. Seasick. And he like me never gets seasick. So no electric anchor winch on his boat so slowly I retrieve the anchor by hand from the 30 metres it sat in. What a long haul that was. Arms still suffering. And no fish as we headed back.

Yesterday I said to the boss (Xiaoli) lets go put the kontiki out. The kontiki for my readers is shaped like a torpedo and tows up to 25 hooks up to 2 kilometers out to sea. Being an Island nation we obviously have a lot of sea and reasonably abundant in fish. But no, the boss did not want to, nor my mate, so still no fishing.

Tomorrow is Friday the 13^th so I do not take risks or I would head 50km up the beach to the rocks to fish. Had a bad experience years ago on a Friday that fell on the 13^th so now I play it careful.

I guess fishing will wait to maybe Saturday.

Back to some marketing today. Our tour books are relatively full but I want the satisfaction of knowing my own marketing to new avenues has worked so I need keep targeting the people already contacted. If a booking comes I will always find the way to do the tour. Every problem has a solution. You just need find the solution

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com