That’s what we heard the radio announcer say this morning during the breakfast session. “Sorry about the weather for all our Rugby World Cup visitors. It’s usually so much nicer than this in October”. The weather has deteriorated a bit. Last week we had brilliant sunny weather, and we were wearing shorts, tee-shirts and sandals. Only at home I hasten to add. Robin is comfortable wearing shorts down the street, and to the shops, but not me. The fine weather has deserted us over the last couple of days and we are back in trousers, warm socks and jumpers, with the gas fire blazing. Never mind, the weather will clear up again before too long, I’m sure.
Bad weather notwithstanding, Robin had to make a quick trip down to the Post Office today to buy some more “road miles”. Here in New Zealand, drivers of vehicles powered by a fuel that isn't taxed at source (eg, diesel, electricity), regardless of the weight of the vehicle, must pay road user charges. Other vehicles whether petrol or diesel with a manufacturer's gross laden weight of more than 3.5 tonnes (3,500 kg) also incur road user charges. Owners of a diesel car, ute or van, require a distance licence, purchased in 1000 km units (or multiples of 1,000), and Robin buys 10,000 at a time. The vehicle must be continuously licensed, which means that drivers must buy a new licence before they have driven all the distance covered by the previous licence. Our road user chargers were almost all used up, hence the trip in the rain. Now we are legal to take our 4WD on the road again. It has been an expensive couple of months, as the car registration also fell due, as did a couple of insurances.
With no Rugby World Cup games to watch today, Robin is keeping busy catching up with the news of the world with his nose buried in the newspaper. Our home town is right behind the RWC too, and this is how the Council has decorated the approach to the Railway Station, by adding a set of goal posts.
Upper Hutt Railway Station, complete with goal posts
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