GREETINGS FROM LAVALTRIE, QUEBEC, CANADA

SPECIAL NOTICE!

In advance of and following our trip to New Zealand, I was a member of a New Zealand racing chat group on line.  This group was very helpful in helping me setup my NZ racing plan.  They have also been very supportive as I have posted my NZ Trackchaser Reports.  Several, in fact, have joined my email distribution list just as you have done.  If you would like to read any of their recent comments, simply scroll to the bottom of this report.

 

I have received feedback from many TR readers regarding the workability of my website.  Recall, two readers (from New Zealand and the U.K.) alerted me to the fact they were having problems seeing all the pictures on the site or accessing it in general.

 

Just one more person, in the recent survey, told me they were having trouble out of a large group of respondents.  I really don’t know how to troubleshoot this problem when I can’t replicate it and most people are not having a problem.  I’m guessing it may have something to do with a computer not having enough memory.  My son’s guess is that user’s may not have a current version of Internet Explorer.  Anyone who has a problem might try contacting www.freewebs.com.  If you find a solution, please let me know.

ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AT WWW.RANLAYRACING.COM  FOR THIS TRACKCHASING TRIP.  MY WEBSITE HAS MORE THAN 5,000 PHOTOS OF THE TRACKCHASING SIGHTS I’VE SEEN DURING MY TRAVELS.

I WOKE UP IN SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA YESTERDAY MORNING AND WENT TO SLEEP IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.  THIS IS WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY.

PEOPLE/STRATEGY/TRAVEL NEWS

 

The Strategy                                                                                    

 

It’s important to get off to a fast start during the first couple of months of each trackchasing year.  However, most North America racing locations have cold weather during January and February.  With auto racing being primarily an outdoor sport this creates quite a challenge.  Race promoters won’t hold very many events outdoors if they think their paying spectators are going to be uncomfortable in the cold.  Spectators feel the same way!

 

There is one type of race promoter who doesn’t mind the cold weather.  As a matter of fact, they REQUIRE it.  I’m talking about ice racing.  Yes, in case you didn’t know, ice racing is a very popular form of motorsport in the Northeast and Eastern Canada.  You might try looking at Rick Young’s ice racing photos on my website (www.ranlayracing.com) under the “Guest Photos” tab to confirm this.

 

I last went ice racing in 2001.  My travels took me to Quebec, Canada.  I caught the coldest weekend in years.  The thermometer read -38 degrees Fahrenheit.  There was also a 20 M.P.H. wind.  I did that trip with two veteran ice racing trackchasers, Commissioner Will White and trackchasing founder, Guy Smith.  These two know a little about cold weather.  They both said it was the coldest racing weekend they had ever seen.  After being outdoors for a very short time, Will’s video camera froze up and my 35mm Canon still camera did the same thing.  After that experience, I was not very keen on ever going ice racing again.

 

It’s been about five years since that experience.  Time seems to dull the memory of the pain experienced back then.  I was looking for somewhere to trackchase.  Trackchasers, Rick Young and Will White provided some ice racing dates that told me I could get a weekend trackchasing double.

 

I estimate that ice racing events are cancelled at least 50% of the time.  Veteran ice racing trackchasers might have a closer to reality estimate.  Why do they cancel?  It’s not cold enough!  Most ice racing is done on frozen rivers or lakes.  The temperatures have to be cold enough to generate 12 inch thick ice or more.  When the ice isn’t thick enough, the races are cancelled.  Sometimes the races are cancelled with a day’s notice or less.

 

When I used to buy non-refundable airline tickets, (pre-September 2006) a last minute ice racing cancellation would be an expensive problem.  With my new airline arrangement, I can cancel without penalty with virtually any notice at all.  This meant that I could go ice racing without financial penalty……if I wanted too.

 

I figured I would give ice racing another chance.  Even though I hate the cold with a major passion, how bad could it be?  I did some internet research and came up with a plan.

 

I would fly into Toronto and go to a race somewhat near there on Saturday.  I would then drive over toward Montreal and go to a race there on Sunday.  I could fly home on Monday from Toronto with two new tracks added to my total.

 

I made my airline reservations.  I made my rental car reservation.  I made my hotel reservation.  I put together the driving trips maps and plotted my route.  I would depart sunny Southern California on Friday morning, only hours after I had played golf in shorts and a short sleeved golf shirt.  I had a plan.

 

Shortly before Carol and I went to bed on Thursday night, I stumbled across a website describing another ice track that would be racing near Montreal on Sunday.  Then I received an email telling me about a third possibility up near Montreal.  For the personal safety of that individual, I cannot reveal their name.  Nevertheless, just 30 minutes before I went to bed, a new plan was in the making.

 

The road trip driving distance of my original plan of flying into Toronto would add up to about 900 miles and yield two tracks.  My new idea would bypass Toronto and have me flying into Montreal.  I would still get a minimum of two tracks but……the round-trip driving distance would be reduced to just 250 miles or so.

 

The cost savings in gas alone would likely be around $100.  Cutting out nearly 700 miles of driving in a little more than two days on the ground looked like a good idea.  It was going to be cold and they were forecasting snow showers.  That combination could make covering the original 900 miles troublesome.

 

Therefore, with just 30 minutes before bedtime, I was on the phone and computer canceling my Toronto air reservations, rental car and hotel.  I then booked an entirely new airline trip into Montreal with accompanying rental car.  I figured since I would be clearing customs after 10 p.m. on Friday night I would simply get a hotel room on the fly.  That’s how I normally do it.

 

You might be seeing a pattern to my trackchasing strategy.  I really don’t know what track I am going to next FOR SURE until I walk through the gate.  I am always looking for a better opportunity.  Would you be willing to travel like this?

The Trip

 

I guess I could say my trip started when Carol and I went to bed on Thursday night.  She won’t be going on this trip.  She’s still recovering from New Zealand.  Nevertheless, she can be an important part of the planning and support that’s needed for a successful trip.

 

When I fly standby with my airline partners, I prefer not to have any checked luggage.  I don’t want my bags heading to Toronto when I make a last minute decision to go to Montreal.  Most of my trips are three days or less.  I have learned to pack light enough to cover my needs with just carryon luggage for a trip of that duration.

 

The weather forecast called for the high temperature to be about 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  Although compared to my previous ice racing experience that sounded like a heat wave, to a man from Southern California it sounded cold.

 

You see I wear shorts nearly every day of the year.  My cold weather gear consists of some lightweight cargo long pants and a sweatshirt.  This weekend’s plan demanded a little more than that.

 

I decided to go with my long underwear (tops and bottoms) that was last worn several years ago.  I would wear my blue jeans over that (worn about once a year).  I would then use my nylon golf rain pants as a windbreak over the blue jeans.  I would wear a couple of long sleeve t-shirt type shirts over the long underwear and finally have my UCLA jacket as my outer most garment.  That should do it.  At that point, Carol and I clicked off the lights.  The bag was packed, the reservations were made.  I would simply wait for my 5:30 a.m. wakeup call.

 

Carol and I continued to chat about the trip in the dark.  She was concerned I wouldn’t have enough warm clothes.  I have to give her credit; she is always concerned about my well-being as I am of hers.

 

After some more discussion, she needed to act on her concerns.  She said, “Don’t you have any boots?”  “No, I don’t have any boots, it’s time to go to bed,” I replied.  “I think you do,” she insisted.  “Do you want to go look for them in the closet?” she inquired.  “No,” was my short answer.  “Do you want ME to go look in your closet for your boots,” was her next question.  “Yes,” seemed like both the right answer and the wrong answer.  Nevertheless, I went with it.

 

Shortly thereafter, she came back with the news.  No, I did not own any boots.  She wouldn’t give up.  “I think Jimmy (our son) has some ski boots,” she offered.  “O.K., if you can find them that might work,” I said.  Off she went into either the garage or Jimmy’s bedroom dressed in her nightgown.  By the way, even though our children range in age from 28-32 and have not lived at home for several years, they still each have their own bedroom.  I guess I’m glad they do.  Maybe that’s where the ski boots are!

 

Our son Jim is 6’4” tall and weighs a bit less than me.  I might be able to use his stuff.  Soon Carol came back with a brand new pair of ski boots.  “Try these on,” she directed.  I did.  The size 12 ski boots were minorly snug and I wasn’t wearing socks.  I think my feet have expanded after years of wearing only athletic shoes and deck shoes.  The boots came up to about mid-calf and had a sheepskin type lining.  They might do very well in the Canadian cold.  We turned off the lights and went to bed.

 

After a few minutes, Carol said, “You’re going to be cold with what you are planning to wear.  I think Jimmy has some ski clothes that might work for you.”  It was getting closer and closer to my 5:30 a.m. wake-up call time.  “O.K. bring it on,” I said as I tried to humor her.

 

She went away and soon came back with two beautiful pairs of ski trousers complete with shoulder straps.  She even had a bright blue ski jacket to offer.  What was she operating on the side, a sporting goods store?

 

The ski pants were a bit snug but workable.  The jacket made me look like an older, plumper version of Jean-Claude Killy.  All right, I would take the stuff.  This solution created a new problem.  How would I get it all in the travel bag that was already jammed to capacity?

 

I ended up taking 75% of the stuff I had already packed and leaving it home.  I stuffed the ski boots with just about everything that would fit until they were packed solid.  The bag would barely close but it did. 

 

I felt I was more than prepared to challenge the Canadian cold on its own terms.  Carol and I once again turned out the lights.  She had come to my rescue yet another time.

 

Just as I was about to nod off, I got a jab in the ribs.  “You’d better not land in Montreal at near midnight without a hotel reservation.  You don’t speak French and they won’t want to get up at that hour to give you a room.”  She might have a point.

 

Into my office I went.  I quickly checked www.sidestep.com.  Hotels were more than reasonable right around the Montreal Airport.  I picked out a Rodeway Inn just 1.2 miles from the airport.  Perfect!  Now we could really go to sleep.

 

The airplane ride from Santa Ana to Montreal via Chicago was uneventful.  I still love to travel even on a Friday night when all of the business people are doing their very best to get home after a week on the road.  I did that for 30 years and really didn’t care for sitting in a middle seat and getting home at 11 p.m. on Friday night.  However, I did it and it paid off for me.  Today I was even able to fly first class from Chicago to Montreal aboard an Embracer 170 regional jet.  This is a very nice airplane.  It was brand new.  With only one other person in first class, it gave me the feeling of having my own private plane.

 

It was snowy when we landed at the airport.  Customs was a breeze.  The customs agent asked only one question in a rather gruff voice, “Why are you here?”  That wasn’t exactly the open arms Welcome Wagon greeting I was hoping for.  I figured I would just answer the question.  “I’m going to the ice races.”  Apparently, that is not a terrorist response.  I was permitted to pass.

 

Next stop was the National Rental Car lot to get my car.  I asked for directions to the Rodeway Inn.  The two attendants conversed with each other in French.  They started laughing and mixing French words with the American words, “Rodeway Inn.”  I asked them what was so funny.

 

One told me in English with a heavy French accent, “The hotel is a very old building.  No one ever goes there.  They might have cockroaches.”  Great!  I told him I figured the cold weather would have killed all the cockroaches by now.  He chuckled.

 

The Rodeway Inn was old.  It wasn’t anything like what a Rodeway Inn might look like in the states.  It actually looked like it could have been a hotel in France.  It was quiet, clean and fairly cheap.  I liked that combination so much that I made a reservation at the hotel for Sunday night.  It will be a great location for an early morning Monday flight.

 

Every one I met in Quebec was helpful when asked.  The predominant language is French.  I know enough French to say “Please, Thank you, I don’t speak French and Orange Juice.”

 

When I go on trips like this without Carol, she sends me off with as much local currency, in this case Canadian dollars, as we have stashed in the house.  This amounted to $27.13 Canadian.  That meant I would need to find an ATM.

 

Today’s race wasn’t until 2 p.m.  The track was just about 77 kilometers from the hotel.  It being Saturday morning, the hotel clerk directed me to a restaurant just a kilometer down the road.  He also told me the place had an ATM.  I figured $100 should do me for the weekend.  I’ll use credit cards whenever I can.

 

I dined on Jus D’ Orange, baked beans and breakfast egg and sausage sandwich, all for $5.77CAN.  My waitress did not speak English so she called for backup.  I spend my waiting time looking at the pictures in a French language newspaper.

 

 

 

 

The People

 

I was very pleased with my people experience in Canada.  Maybe it’s my charming nature (maybe not), but everyone seems to take either a sympathetic or empathetic interest in helping me on these trips to foreign countries.  For that I am extremely grateful.

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK STATS:

 

GRAND PRIX DE LANAUDIERE, LAVALTRIE, QUEBEC, CANADA – TRACK #1,150

 

This track was my seventh all-time in Quebec.  It was my third ice-racing track to go along with Loc Moran and Circuit Jacques Rainville.  Trackchaser commissioner leads the Quebec pack with a stout 42 tracks.  I’m in 12^th place in the Quebec province standings.

 

 

 

 

 

RACE TRACK NEWS:

 

GRAND PRIX DE LANAUDIERE

 

Finding the track was a breeze.  The location was extremely well signposted with bright yellow signs that sported large red letters that read, “Course.”  I arrived at 11:30 a.m.  This gave me time to try certain clothing configurations to see what might work best in the cold.  I don’t have a temperature gauge in the car, but I would guess it might be 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit with not too much wind.  It might be colder.  The wind is what can make cold temperatures unbearable.

 

The main focus of racing today at the track is motorcycles.  The bikes are being supplemented by quads (ATVs) and cars.  Of course, cars are the only trackchaser countable racing going on today.  The cars will run three heat races (qualifications) each.  Their finale will be tomorrow but by that time, I will be off to my next ice race.

 

The parking and pit area are located adjacent to each other in a large snow covered area surrounded by trees.  There is solid glare ice just under the thin layer of snow.  This makes the footing treacherous.

 

I heard very little English being spoken at the track.  Actually, I have heard very little English spoken anywhere while I’ve been in Quebec.  Sometimes folks have asked someone to help them speak English to me.  At other times, they themselves have spoken halting English.  Nevertheless, I’ve always been able to get my point across well enough not to starve or miss out on anything.

 

Everyone seems dressed for the occasion.  This includes the standard boots, ski pants and jackets as well as heavy gloves and stocking caps.  I’m the only one wearing a New Zealand Karadu Traders hat.  Everyone looks the same in heavy clothes and a stocking cap.

 

My first venture out told me my low cut black “basketball referee” athletic shoes might not be a good choice.  I replaced them with Jim’s ski boots.  I could only use some thin black men’s dress socks since the boots are a bit tight to begin with.  The boots were better but after 30-45 minutes outside my toes started to get cold.  This meant I would try a new piece of technology just introduced to RANLAY Racing for the 2007 trackchasing season.

 

I’m talking about “Heat Factory” toe warmers.  These came my way via a stocking stuffer from Santa.  The toe warmers are adhesive pads that affix to the outside of my socks at the toe.  I then put my boots back on and “presto changeo” my feet will stay warm for six hours.

 

Several of the racing competitors have plastic sided shelters with heaters inside.  I guess they’ve done this before.  The track offers a huge canvas sided tent for shelter.  Inside the tent, refreshments are sold including COLD BEER!  Yes, Coors Light seems to be the beverage of choice.  In a miraculous example of personal courage, I passed on the sumptuous Canadian delight, Poutine.  Of course, Poutine is a concoction of French fries, brown gravy and mozzarella cheese. 

 

I was really surprised to see so many Canadian fans drinking beer on such a cold day.  I was even more shocked to see the actual competitors drinking beer in the pit area.  I can’t recall seeing that anywhere before.

 

I scanned the racecar pit area.  There were 15-20 competitors.  Each has studded tires for traction on the snow and ice track.  Imagine about 100 two-inch ice picks sticking out of your car’s tire and you’ve got it.

 

The motorcycles and Quads/ATVs race on an oval.  The cars race on a road course that surrounds the oval.  The racing surface is entirely ice and snow.  Between races, a series of trucks with snowplows smooth everything out again.  This is all pretty new to me. 

 

During my last ice racing experience with temperatures ranging from 30-40 BELOW zero Fahrenheit, the best we could do was stay out of the car for about five minutes.  Today, I again used the National Rental Car Racing Ford Taurus as a warming hut, but the cold temperatures were somewhat manageable.

 

I was in the car warming up at 12:15 p.m.  Since the auto races weren’t supposed to start until 2 p.m. it seemed like I had all the time in the world.  I could not see the racecourse from where I was parked, but I could hear the action.  I heard what sounded like an automobile engine.  I decided to investigate.  I wouldn’t want to be sitting in the parking lot when the countable auto race went on without me.

 

Yes, what I heard was automobile racing engines.  I would later learn that this was “heat #2.”  There were three separate races for 6-7 cars each in this heat.  Each race went for a distance of six laps.  From what I could gather, an earlier set of three races went on as “heat #1.”  Later, at about 2:30 p.m., the final set of heats, “heat #3” repeated the three-race process.  This was different than what the promoter had told me would happen.

 

I was able to see each car race twice today in a total of six races.  Each race lasted about five minutes.  There were no full course yellows that I noticed.  During heat #2 spectators were allowed to get right up to the edge of the ice track.  I got some great pictures doing this.  By the time heat #3 rolled around, they were not allowing spectators to get nearly as close to the action.

 

When the cars were not racing, the motorcycles and quads were.  Again, I was able to get some super action pictures of these competitors.  You can see them at www.ranlayracing.com.

 

Overall, ice racing is not really my cup of java.  As I said, I don’t like cold weather.  The racing isn’t much to write home about and it’s a long way from home.  I may try this from time to time but not much.

 

 

 

 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

 

It was cold.  I was dressed pretty well for the conditions.  Whenever I could I stopped by the concession tent or my car to warm up.  Toward the middle of the afternoon, the wind started to pick up.  Tomorrow the weather is supposed to turn worse.

 

This is what www.weather.com has predicted for my trackchasing tomorrow (Sunday), “Snow flurries early. Cloudy with a few snow showers possible later in the day. Cold. Wind chills may approach -10F. High 8F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%.”

 

When I fly home on Monday morning at 8 a.m. from Montreal, the expected temperature is predicted to be -8 degrees Fahrenheit.  That, along with a 14 M.P.H. wind will provide a wind chill temperature of -28 degrees Fahrenheit!!  By way of comparison, San Clemente is expected to have a high temperature of 78 degrees on Sunday afternoon.  Of course with the wind chill figured in it will only be 75 degrees.

 

Let’s see.  I live in arguably the very best climate in the world.  Nevertheless, I am willing to fly across the entire country so I can stand out in 8 degree temperatures with 25 M.P.H. winds.  No, I cannot explain it either.

RENTAL CAR UPDATE:

 

Even in Canada, I try to stick with my U.S. travel partners.  That means I’ll be driving the National Rental Racing Ford Taurus along the snowy back roads of Quebec.

 

Friday total driving miles – 1

 

Saturday total driving miles – 117

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME TRACKCHASER STANDINGS UPDATE:

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 100 tracks (plus or minus) of my current trackchaser total.

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California – 1,150

 

2.  Allan Brown, Comstock Park, Michigan – 1,105 (-45)***

 

3.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania – 1,079 (-71)*

 

4.  Rick Schneider – Bay Shore, New York - 1,066 (-84)*

 

7.  Ed Esser, Madison, Wisconsin – 966 (-184)**

 

 

* Warning, you are within 50 tracks of being removed from this list. 

 

** Special exemption.

 

***  This is an exciting new development.  I will go into much greater detail in a future Trackchaser Report.  Stay tuned.

 

 

Other notables

 

These worldwide trackchasers are within 10 tracks (plus or minus) of Carol’s current trackchaser total.

 

31.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California - 303

 

32.  Chris Economaki, Ridgewood, New Jersey – 302 (-1)

 

33.  Gary Jacob, Turlock, California – 301 (-2)

 

34.  Ron Rodda, Lincoln, California – 297 (-6)

 

 

 

 

 

2007 TRACKCHASER STANDINGS

 

1.  Randy Lewis, San Clemente, California - 12

 

2.  Carol Lewis, San Clemente, California – 9

 

3.  Gordon Killian, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania – 3

 

3.  Mike Knappenberger, Reading, Pennsylvania - 3

 

5.  Guy Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 2

 

5.  Pam Smith, Effort, Pennsylvania - 2

 

5.  Rick Schneider, Baytown, New York - 2

 

8.  Several tied with one track

 

Tracks have been reported from 21 different worldwide trackchasers this season.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading about my trackchasing,

 

Randy Lewis

#1 Trackchaser Living West of the Mississippi

 

That’s all the news that’s fit to print from San Clemente where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all of the children are above average.

 

 

 

 

CUMULATIVE TRAVEL DISTANCES:

 

AIRPLANE

 

Santa Ana, CA – Chicago, IL – 1,724 miles

 

Chicago, IL – Montreal, PQ - 746 miles

RENTAL CAR

 

Montreal Duval International Airport – trip begins

 

Lavaltrie, Quebec – 49 miles

 

 

 

 

TRACK ADMSSION PRICES:

 

Grand Prix De Lanaudiere - $15CAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past trackchasing reports are available at:

www.ranlayracing.com

 

Official trackchaser standings can be viewed at:

www.trackchaser.net  

 

Some of my standings data comes from www.trackchaser.net

 

 

 

 

 

UPCOMING TRACKCHASING PLANS

 

My new airline arrangements allow me to plan future trips spontaneously.  This is helpful.  The RANLAY Security Department allows me to share future race dates only with my most trusted friends.  If you are interested in applying for a “Most trusted friends future race dates security pass,” you can apply by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope along with a black and white copy of your passport as well as a list of your personal household addresses over the past 20 years to ranlay@yahoo.com.

 

 

 

 

RACETRACKS VISITED IN 2007 (** not the first time to visit this track)

 

1,139.  Meremere Dirt Track Club, Mere Mere, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,140.  Meeanee Speedway, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand - January 1

 

1,141.  Top of the South Speedway, Richmond, New Zealand - January 2

 

1,142.  Woodford Glen Speedway, Christchurch, New Zealand - January 3

 

1,143.  Robertson Holden International Speedway, Palmerston North, New Zealand - January 5

 

1,144.  Taupo Motorsports Park, Taupo, North, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,145.  Waikaraka Park International Speedway, Auckland, New Zealand - January 6

 

1,146.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (inner oval), Anaheim, California - January 13

 

1,147.  Angels Stadium of Anaheim (outer oval), Anaheim, California - January 13

 

1,148.  West Valley Speedway, Surprise, Arizona - January 14

 

1,149. Sandia Motorsports Park (road course), Albuquerque, New Mexico - January 28

 

1,150. Grand Prix De Lanaudiere, Lavaltrie, Quebec, Canada – February 3

 

 

 

 

 

NEW ZEALAND CHATROOM FEEDBACK

 

Hey Randy. Awesome reports. I have enjoyed reading all the reports on the NZ Tracks. Interesting getting the American slant on some of our NZ way of doing things. Awesome.

Cheers and thanks once again for the entertaining reports.

Dean Watts 88p Superstock

 

 

My wife whos being in new zealand for over 3 years now loves the new zealand speedway scene. she doesnt think much of what goes on in the states.also the reviews are a little basic on ranlays site .

 

 

Ranlay's site is a personal diary about his travels, people they have met and the thousands of tracks he has visited.
It is not a programme of the meetings nor is it a page for results.
He is a chaser of tracks, not drivers or classes although he must have favourites ... IMHO.

Mike

 

 

 

Basic or not Randy delivers more than what a lot of NZ tracks do when it comes to reviews of meetings on websites.

 

 

 

I think Randy's site is awesome. I could get lost in his website for hours reading about his adventures all over the world! Was a shame I didn't get to meet ya Randy, but hopefully next time you come over to NZ.

Keep up the great work on the site and look forward to reading more about your upcoming adventures on there soon. Am particularly interested in reading about the Stockcars on Ice in Quebec!

Cheers,
~ Yaz.

 

 

 

hey ya good stuff had a chat with you when you arrived at Taupo and didnt even know it.

 

 

 

Obviously nobody told ya that we are known as 'New Zealanders' or 'Kiwis'.......New Zealandites sounds a bit strange lol. (no offence intended by the way)

Have read all your reports, most enjoyable to read thats for sure. and some great pics to go with them as well.

You must have pretty good taste, cos i'd have to agree that Pompeii Pizza in Palmerston North do make a darn good pizza. Any pizza which comes with cashew nuts on it has to be a great pizza