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DandV

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Everything posted by DandV

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  8. All three of the grey water discharges in our boat got blocked at some stage. The previous owner left us with his tame bit of multistrand that he used for this task. A hell of a fiddle. But we found that the hand pump he used for extracting stray water from the bilges very effective, with the bottom immersed in the canal, and the outer hose pushed hard against the hull penetration. Then pump, about 5 strokes was all that was needed. Trying to keep your face clear. Al sorts of crud would then appear in the hand basin/ sink and then drain much more freely back out.
  9. First of all. What sort of narrowboating are you intending? Live aboard, all year, or all summer? Or all summer holiday plus short breaks all year? This influences heating choices and clothes washing options. Is access to the entire network important to you? This sets up maximum craft dimensions. For how many years? By yourself, two of you, or at times a whole group? As a couple we found a 2 plus 2 arrangement ideal. Have a look at lots of boats. Wilton is a good place to see a lot. And the concentration of other brokerages nearby. This limits the amount of traipsing around the countryside in your initial quest. You will also get a gòd idea as to who to trust your boat with, when you sell. But doing this will give you an idea what you will get for how much, and what features you consider desirable, and a basis to rank those desirabilities. But don't over think it, or be too dogmatic. You are best to resign yourself to having to making comprimises here, as otherwise the time boat hunting will take too much time away from actually boating.
  10. Fixing, or rather taking the actions that reduce the "values" of existing property are deeply unpopular amongst the property owning class. When our previous Government reduced interest rates as a Covid measure to keep our local economy buoyant, house prices rose about 20% as the covid stimulae were invested on real estate. The property owning class were very happy with their new found wealth, but those seeking to get into the market were devastated. Our then government attempted to rectify this by savage rises in the interest rate and massively increasing the build rate of social housing. The effect of this was property prices then dropped 20% The property owning class were then deeply unhappy, and this was a major factor in the last change of government. This new government is reducing the new build rate of social housing, and reversing liberalizing restrictive regulations that impedes intensification within current urban boundaries. House prices are now rising again as scarcity with increased immigration is putting upwards pricing pressures. The property owning class is happy once again. But those not in the property owning class are being screwed even more. But they are unlikely to vote for a more left wing government anyway.
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  12. There is no one size fits best. Whilst the bulk of absolute housing need, no spare bedrooms, is for one or two bedroom units, there is also a requirement for multi bedroom properties, even five and six bedrooms, for those who choose to live in multigenerational family arrangements, Not the norm in those of us with Anglo Saxon heritage, but not uncommon for those with different heritages. Here, particularly for our maori and pacifika peoples but increasingly those with Asian heritage.
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  16. Unfortunately the current horrendous costs in parenting children are depressing the birthrate to below the replacement level. The natural result of this is an aging population, with more and more people no longer in the workforce, and requiring more and more care, paired up with fewer and fewer people to care for them, and a reducing tax base. The problem that Japan is currently experiencing. Perhaps this though could be overcome by providing more state support in child raising to at least incentivise bringing the birthrate back to replacement level.
  17. We travelled around quite a lot, so it was a self set task to sample the local ales. London it was Younger's, or was it Youngs? Before we left for the UK then, Bass, and Tennants Lager were being brewed here under licence. Bass I found underwhelming in both NZ and Britain. The NZ Tennants I found fairly innocuous, but found the the Scottish brewed product surprising potent! Perhaps it was all in the Loch water after all? When we were back regularily a decade ago cruising on the narrowboat there was such a range of locally craft beers, some which I found very good and others weren't to my taste. Unfortunately the ones I really liked I never found again. And when it was really hot, I did revert to chemical lagers. Even Heineken.
  18. Watneys Red Barrel was certainly a warning pint. It was the on tap beer on the ship that bought me to the UK in 1974. Very disconcerting, if that was to be the fare from these legendary British pubs that we were intent on patronising. After that first pint stayed we cans of Australian lager for the rest of the voyage. 4X, VB and Fosters, such was our desperation. It took finding Camra, and some time, and even more practice, to discover the pleasures of a good well looked after and drawn British crafted pint.
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