I do have a couple of figures nearing completion on the painting desk but I have not had a lot of spare time in the last few days - game at Julian's on Weds, out for dinner after my picking my wife up from the airport Thurs evening, out to a delayed work Christmas function on Friday evening and then we have had a weekend in Rotorua, hitting some more bush walks....so, not a lot of painting going on.
BUT, I do have something that merits a blog entry - a lightening quick figure delivery ex the UK courtesy of Royal Mail.
This is a small order of Border Reivers from Hoka Hey Miniatures, but the important point to note is the date it was posted in the UK - 14 January - it was delivered here on Friday 21 January and allowing for time differences. that's a six day trip - which would have been bloody impressive three years ago, before anyone had ever heard of Wuhan or Covid! I have literally had up to ten items purchased on our local auction web site take eight or ten days to get here from the S Island!
Now, here are some random images with very tenuous connections to my wargaming
The Auckland Ferry Building where we had our Christmas function on Friday evening (we sat on the second floor balcony overlooking the ferry terminal, where you can see the four white awnings in this image)
View from our dining table on the balcony around 7pm
The menu - I had the seafood chowder which was a full meal in itself, and then the steak and the chocolate selection!
The main course - beautifully cooked steak
View from the Ferry Building by the time we were enjoying our main course.
The tenuous link with wargaming? Well, if I had not had to go to this meal, I could have been enjoying an RCW game at Julian's for the first time in a couple of years.....
Final pic for tonight - I received this in an email at work on my first day back, asking me to confirm it was, in fact related to me...unfortunately, it was
Tenuous connection number two? The only time I am on this road is a Sunday morning (check) en route to a wargame at Barry's place - so I obviously got this in early December when I attended my last game of 2021 - thanks New Zealand Police, you are doing a fine job keeping our roads safe!
There will be some toy soldiers next time - promise!
An interesting post. I am impressed how quickly your parcel came.
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY TGM - the best I have ever had was about three days but that was years ago - ordered on the Friday I think and it arrived following Tuesday - if I am not mistaken, it was good old Front Rank!
DeleteHoka Hey are regulars on the game show circuit and nice people, I have had some nice terrain items from them. A week is impressive, though I have noticed a big improvement of all postal stuff after the hectic busy Christmas postal rush, just one of the benefits of January here, as it is cold and there is a natural post Christmas lull in most aspects of life.
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm, yes, Alan of Hokahey Hey seems a pleasant chap based on my email dealings with him. Nice figures too! I have a very small order from Hasslefree that's several weeks old, so I think this particular postal journey was an aberration unfortunately
DeleteAs Norm has said, the post Xmas lull is in full swing here, certainly chez moi. Plenty of stuff planned and reading going on, alongside real life stuff that needs to take priority.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed damned quick postal delivery that can take longer here in the UK using second class post. Nice to see some more sights of NZ and reminds us of the warmer weather to come:)
Thanks Steve, I was certainly very impressed with how quickly these figures arrived, having got used to four to six weeks in the last couple of years.
DeleteHoka Hey minis? Have to try! :-D
ReplyDeleteThey have quite a limited range but took over another range of Border Reiver figures that are really excellent ....have a look at their website Michal, they might have something to interest you!
DeleteThat is speedy for postage. Added bonus is Hoka Hey Border Reivers are lovely figures
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was quick Scotty and of course the figures are very nice indeed
DeleteI like the Hoka figures but just have too many projects at the moment 🤔
ReplyDeleteYes I have seen your recent blog Matt! This is really a tidy up of the completed (yeah, right!) Border Reivers project. I bought three dismounted "family" groups from Hokahey but still need the mounted versions to finish thing off....now only two more to go!
DeleteSpeeding ticket on the way TO a game? Hardly surprising. Certainly understandable. We all get excited on game day.
ReplyDeleteLol and the dumb thing is Jon, it's a fixed camera...it's been on the same spot for years and I have driven past it dozens of times before, so I don't know why I forgot this time....I might have been on the phone (hands free of course!) and been distracted.....
DeleteSuch is life in the fast lane...at least your figures are emulating your need for speed.
ReplyDelete....owner of several (tickets) over the years.
Thanks Joe, yes, the figures certainly must have travelled quicker than me! I have had a few over the years in NZ too, but considering I exceed the posted limit virtually every day at some point, I gave only had approximately one every five years, so I can't complain really!
DeleteSix days to get to New Zealand… that’s impressive…
ReplyDeleteI’ve had parcels that have taken longer to come from London….
That’s a nice looking steak…
All the best. Aly
The transit time was pretty incredible Aly, as mentioned, I have also had things take longer to arrive from another NZ address. The steak was pretty good too, as was the enormous bowl of seafood chowder I had as an entree!
DeleteThe meal looks nice, and I quite like that part of Auckland. A few nice pubs around there too. $80 seems quite reasonable for the speeding fine - we'd have to pay over $180 for the same offence.
ReplyDeleteCheers Lawrence - yes, the bottom of the city around the harbour is a nice area and plenty to do, particularly with the new(ish) Viaduct area added in.
DeleteI am always confused why so many New Zealanders seem to think everything is better and cheaper in Oz. I was a bit unlucky as if I had been 9km or less over the limit, the fine would only be $40 I think! Mind you, if they can catch you doing 30km or more over the limit - which on a motorway is only 130km or 80mph - they can impound your vehicle on the spot for 28 days!
Nice tales of the life of a wargamer. 😀
ReplyDeleteHaha...thanks Stew. I would prefer to have been writing an AAR on an RCW game, but c'est la vie, if not la guerre!
DeleteWow - bummer about the late traffic fine! I could've went to more figures. Lovely sights and meal too.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed Dean - I feel a bit stupid - as ZI say, that fixed camera has been in the same place for YEARS - I must have been day dreaming - or, as I said above, possibly on a phone call...
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