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The Scottish Highlands in eleven days

Bruce — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:48:59 +0000

Scotland. Even the name of the country causes something to stir in my McKenzie blood. The last time I was there in 1994 we didn't get to the North Western Highlands and so in early September, between the high season/ school holidays and autumn proper, we drove 2845km (1768 miles) in our tiny 698cc car to scratch that itch. Here is our admittedly full but rewarding route and accommodation plan, complete with downloadable maps, KML files for Google Earth, and itinerary/ POI files for TomTom navigation devices. For more photographs, see here. Day 1: Home to Glasgow Although not itself in the Highlands (as demarcated roughly by the Highland Boundary Fault), Glasgow served as the staging point for our expedition. We arrived mid-afternoon after a long drive so had several hours in which to visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the overrated SECC beside the black waters of the Clyde (not comparable to the Sydney Opera House as suggested), and the civic centre. We stayed centrally at the Thistle, a tired hotel not deserving of four stars (the window sill in our room had been used as an ashtray; we were flabbergasted to see a smoker puffing away in the corridor beneath a smoke alarm; housekeeping fit pillow cases inside-out, etc.). There's free WiFi for patrons at the Kama Sutra Indian restaurant—if you find yourself in the, err... position without it (excellent food with excellent service too). Day 2: Glasgow to Kilchoan Click thumbnail to enlarge imageRoute and points of interest for Day 2 Not far from ...

The limestone paving of Malham Cove

Bruce — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:11:58 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

This weekend just gone my wife and I met up with David from the Internet for a walk, talk, and geotagging/ track logging at Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales. One of the natural attractions along the Pennine Way, from the bottom this 80m tall and 300m wide crag is one impressive wall of rock. No water has fallen down the cliff face since prehistoric times; today the gentle Malham Beck mysteriously emerges from subterranean origins at the base. But it's the weather-eroded limestone "paving" at the top of the crag that is the real attraction. The dissolved plant-filled fissures are known as grykes, and the blocks are termed clints—since you asked. Aside from the oddity of the paving, the views from the Cove and surrounding hills are remarkable. The rolling green hills, dry-stone walls, and constant threat of drizzle are so quintessentially English. Well worth a day trip. Click thumbnail to enlarge imageThe limestone paving of Malham Cove

Lathkill Dale in the Peak District

Bruce — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:37:42 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Lathkill Dale in the Peak District is considered "one of the country's finest limestone valleys". Lathkill is one of five separate limestone valleys comprising the Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve, which is managed by English Nature. Friends took us walking in the area yesterday (we hadn't been for a while) and we were reminded how lucky we are to have such easy access to this part of England. The river Lathkill running through the Dale contains the clearest water we've seen anywhere in England. Some of the limestone outcrops that punctuate the valley walls can be seen above the stone wall in the right of the picture. This is fairly typical Peak District scenery, and quite hard to beat on a sunny Spring day. Click thumbnail to enlarge imageLandscape around Lathkill Dale The walk took us about 5 hours, first travelling west along the Dale from Youlgreave before climbing out of the valley just over half way to Monyash. At Monyash we stopped for liquid refreshments at the pub, then headed east along the second half of the Dale to our previous crossing point, climbing out at that stage to return to Youlgreave across the fields. As you can see in the following track, the panorama was taken from a high meadow looking down into the valley. Click thumbnail to enlarge imageOur route around Lathkill Dale Download a KMZ file (57KB) for viewing in Google Earth

A break in the weather

Bruce — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:19:38 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Yesterday's treacherous weather foiled our walking plans. We set out under blue and sunny skies, arriving at our departure point some 25 minutes later under a blanket of grey and chilling precipitation. We didn't go far, returning to the car as the rain got heavier and then turned to sleet. We were safely home when it turned to hail, and then snow. Not to be thwarted this morning we were out the door before 0700h, but this time the skies co-operated and we enjoyed clear but crisp conditions as we took the opportunity to try out my recently-acquired Holux M-241 GPS data logger. As you can see from the following KML conversion of our track log, we drove in from the south east, and began our walk heading along Curbar Edge (seen here previously) in a north-west direction before continuing south along Baslow Edge. By zooming in using Google Earth we could confirm the accuracy of the track; each deviation corresponds to points of interest we left the path to inspect. A track log (in blue) showing Curbar Edge and Baslow Edge in Google Earth Click thumbnail to enlarge imageCurbar Edge after a sprinkling of spring snow The forecast for later today is 0 degrees with hail, sleet, and snow. English weather is fickle at best, but in spring especially it's the early bird that catches the sun.

Back in Britain

Bruce + Simone — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:56:56 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Our year abroad started in China and finished in Australia. In between we spent most of our time living and working in Wellington, the City at the Heart of the Edge of the World and the capital of New Zealand. Having written our last post from New Zealand we've now returned to our previous address in Chesterfield (near Sheffield, in the Midlands) where we've found that some things have changed, and some things never change. For all intents and purposes Project Koru has run its course, although we would like to think the essence of our experience will endure. A brief recap It's been an eventful year travelling to, living in, and returning from New Zealand. Here's a recap, 12 images spanning 12 months: This YouTube video requires Adobe Flash Player. Arrival It was a chilly and damp day, with that oh-so-familiar grey sky, when we arrived into Manchester Airport. We return to some beautiful scenery, and look forward to re-acquainting ourselves with old favourites such as Curbar Edge. Simone anticipates bearing witness once more to the dramatic change in seasons that she missed in NZ. Simone's mum had made arrangements with the neighbours to leave a colourful pot of pansies on the doorstep. Said neighbours left a chill-bag containing basic supplies at the back door. Our friends in Matlock got the Smart MOT'd, taxed, gassed-up and parked outside the house ready for use. Our house minder had catalogued all our post, and our intermittent house guest had done a good clean. Thanks everyone; it was ...

Last post from New Zealand

Bruce + Simone — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 05:46:27 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

We've left Wellington and will shortly leave New Zealand and begin our journey back to the UK via Australia. Project Koru, our "year out" from life in the UK, has essentially run its course. Watching Wellington's harbour disappear from the rear view mirror as we turned into the Ngauranga Gorge for the last time was a sad moment for both of us. Wherever we go next, we'll always be Wellingtonians, as the city at the heart of the world's edge has left a permanent impression upon us. We'll miss Wellington, we've no doubts about that. We had hoped to stay, as Wellington seemed to hold reasonable answers to a few of life's basic questions. What to do? One of the primary reasons for embarking on Project Koru was to allow Bruce to make a difficult decision concerning his career. Would general practice (GP) in New Zealand be a viable alternative to the same in the UK? Should he re-train in a non-clinical discipline such as public health, or leave medicine for IT (where everyone we know personally seems to be under high pressure). The opportunity to try out GP here helped Bruce be clear about his desire to move away from clinical work, and in this respect Project Koru was an unqualified success. Bruce decided on public health as a new career path, complementary to his experience in primary care and medical informatics. Simone was quite happy to continuing working in her chosen speciality of family planning and reproductive healthcare. Where to work? Bruce applied ...

Financial affairs in New Zealand

Bruce — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:34:45 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Planning on working in New Zealand? How much tax you pay depends on the length of your stay, your income level, and whether you qualify for tax exemption on foreign income. If you'll be self-employed you may need to be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST), and just like employees will need to pay levies to New Zealand's no-fault personal injury insurance scheme (ACC). Most of your banking, like the filing of your tax return, can be done online. Income tax rates and residency You need an IRD number (Form IR595, or phone 0800 377 774) if you are working in New Zealand. The tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March, and the amount of tax you pay is determined by your residence status and your income level: If you are working in New Zealand for less than 92 days you do not need to pay income tax (but may need to present a tax exemption certificate to your employer); If you are working in New Zealand for between 92 and 183 days and are self-employed you will be charged a 15% or 30% non-resident withholding tax on your New Zealand-sourced income; If you are working in New Zealand for more than 183 days you will be considered resident for tax purposes and tax will be deducted on your worldwide income at the following rates: Earnings Percent Income up to $38,000 19.5% Income 38,001 to $60,000 33% Income over $60,001 39% What happens when you leave New Zealand? According to IR292: You become a non-resident for tax purposes if: you're away from ...

Maintaining a base in the UK

Bruce — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:56:12 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

So you're going to live in another country (or go travelling) for a year. What do you do with your existing house, car, and other trappings while abroad? The answers will depend in part on whether your house is occupied (by a tenant or sitter) or stands vacant, but in both cases there are several things to keep in mind as you plan your absence. Council tax Council tax is a local authority tax on domestic property in the UK—the equivalent of regional rates in New Zealand. We phoned our local council and, to confirm we were given the correct information, visited Citizen's Advice in order to find out how much council tax we would be charged. It turns out that if your house is still your primary UK residence and essentially furnished, you will be charged the fully amount of council tax—even though you won't be making use of council services. Paradoxically, if your find a student tenant, you will be charged a reduced rate—even though your household is therefore making use of council services (waste collection, etc.). It's a different story if your house will be vacant and effectively unfurnished: A dwelling which is vacant will be exempt from council tax for up to six months. Vacant means unoccupied and substantially unfurnished... If the dwelling is still vacant after six months, it may be subject to a discount. What if you're expecting guests and your property is exempt? If they're arriving inside the first 6 months, and staying no longer than 6 ...

Insured to the hilt

Bruce — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:17:26 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

Lots of things can go wrong when you travel. Lots of things can go wrong when you stay put too. Spending a year away from our usual home base meant we had to consider protecting ourselves and our stuff both in and in-between two countries. As a result during the course of Project Koru we've had to maintain and newly purchase a number of insurance policies. It may seem like wasted money, but our financial advisor has always been careful to ensure our financial planning is underpinned by appropriate insurance. If you're planning a long trip, these notes might prompt you to ask pertinent questions. Travel insurance It was almost impossible to find a UK-based insurance policy that would cover our travel to New Zealand and our return one year later; almost everything we looked at required a return trip inside 3 months. For example, STA had an annual multi-trip policy on offer that would have cost £125 for the two of us—but we would have had to return to the UK every 2 months! On the telephone (the website didn't allow trips more than 12 months) they suggested that we each take out a Standard Premium policy that would cover us for: 15 months; Loss of valuables up to £1500 total; Loss of individual item up to £400; Loss of computer up to £1000. At a cost of £639 per person. That's £1278 total: ouch! We decided to opt for one-way travel insurance (we used Downunder Insurance) for UK to NZ via China (and back via Australia, ...

GP College confused over qualifications

Bruce — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 06:32:25 +0000

From http://www.bioneural.net :

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) remains confused over whether its Membership examination (MRCGP) is a qualification or merely an indication of "club membership". Non-Members are told not to refer to "MRCGP" and "qualification" in the same breath—although it would appear that the College can. Back in 1998 it cost me in the order of £500 to sit all four modules for Membership of the Royal College of General practitioners by examination. To continue using the designation "MRCGP" I am asked to pay £417 per annum (2007–2008 rates). I wrote to the RCGP last month as follows: I passed the MRCGP examination in 1998, and am currently applying (from NZ) to work as a locum in the UK. On the Performers List application I am asked for "medical qualifications", including qualification, institution, and date. Is the following acceptable, given that I am not a paid-up college member? Qualification: MRCGP Institution: RCGP, UK Date: 15.07.98 In other words, does the MRCGP "count" as a medical qualification? The RCGP replied as follows: Use of the designation "MRCGP" is restricted to those doctors who are currently in good standing as Members (good standing in this context is taken to mean those who have paid their annual membership subscription fee). As you are not currently a paid-up Member, I confirm that you are not eligible to use the designation "MRCGP", nor can you state that "MRCGP" is a qualification—the letters mean "Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners" and do not of themselves denote success in the College's exam (the ...