Council booking a long and winding road
Yesterday morning, the first business day of the month, bookings opened at 8am for camping in Auckland Council parks in February (six months hence). A Westmere reader, who camps at Tawharanui each year, rang at two seconds past 8; waited 49 minutes to be answered; successfully completed a booking (with a very nice human being); was transferred to an automated line to punch in the credit card details; was told (robotically) the transaction had been approved; and pressed 1 as instructed to return to the booking line. After a further 12 minutes, a very nice chap came back on the line to say it was all confirmed. That's one hour, one minute and three seconds to book a week's camping. He wonders whether someone should introduce the council to the internet and the concept of online booking.
Walking fish heads
Scientists from Australia's James Cook University have told reporters they have spotted an aggressive fish that can walk on land making its way towards the country from Papua New Guinea. The native freshwater "climbing perch" can live out of water for days and has survived short saltwater treks from PNG towards Queensland.
