[Doggie 1]

Thanks @The Gonz, it was great to meet you and Elena and both Sue and I really enjoyed the morning with you guys and Craig & Kamini, John (Neptune), and Rick & Sue.
I know that when visiting, time can be limited but if the opportunity arises we'd love to catch up again before you leave.
Besides, you haven't been in a four door i30 yet.   
We felt completely at home with both of you and thoroughly enjoyed your company and I know that Sue felt the same.      

[The Gonz]

Zip it, Jamie. No derogatories about the West, thank you. My large flat white was a tidy $4, mate.

We also felt a very comfortable kinship with all of you that goes far beyond sharing a car forum.

we do regret not snapping a shot of  @Just Rick with his attack dog before he and Sue left but we did manage this: 

[CraigB]

Very nice day indeed, breakfast was great and was a pleasure to meet/catch up with some of the i30 crew and their partners and put faces to all these forum names as their all a great bunch of people

Gonz and Elena, you were great company and driving companions throughout the day   on our Leyland brothers tour of the city, looking forward to catching up with you again during your stay here

[Doggie 1]

I did see Rick taking a pic at one stage, so although he won't be in it, there is further photographic evidence of an Indonesian/West Australian meeting having taken place.   

[Dazzler]

Great to have a photo of most of you. Being a nice person seems to be a prerequisite for owning an i30 from my experience. 

[John B]

I agree.

[PhireSideZA]

Nice mugshots, guys

+ Hippo should be getting new tyres this week as the current TZ200's on the rear...let's just say that if a mosquito were to bite it I would be in trouble
- Tyre prices have increased exponentially since last year so I am looking at a fair share of my salary, but it has to be done
- Hippo also decided to blow the right hand side headlamp yesterday. This after it blew the left side one not even a month ago. I hope this isn't going to become a trend
- She is also still dripping gearbox oil every now and then, so I am going to fill her up today after work. I should actually just have the leak seen to but the cashflow right now doesn't allow for it
- Is it Friday yet?

[Dazzler]

- Hippo also decided to blow the right hand side headlamp yesterday. This after it blew the left side one not even a month ago. I hope this isn't going to become a trend

It is not unusual for them to go fairly close together. They have a finite life and have obviously done the same amount of work. 

[meehalych]

+ completed 14,7km running exercise today 
+ my weight has dropped back to 75- kg (it was 81kg when I started running in July). 
- running shoes for a fall/winter season costs a fortune (the ones with gore-tex)

[PhireSideZA]

- Hippo also decided to blow the right hand side headlamp yesterday. This after it blew the left side one not even a month ago. I hope this isn't going to become a trend

It is not unusual for them to go fairly close together. They have a finite life and have obviously done the same amount of work. 

Well, funny story actually:

June 2014 - Bought the car in
July 2014 - Put HID kit in, retired the Halogen bulbs to storage
August 2016 - retired the HID kit, put in the Halogens that I had in storage
August 2016 - Left side bulb blew, replaced
Sept 2016 - Right side bulb blew, replaced
Sept 2016, the same day! Left side bulb blew again

So now I STILL sit with only one headlight at the end of it all as another one gave up the ghost today

Today was actually a runaround of note, now that I think of it...

- Get home and realise you don't own a 17mm spanner to undo the gearbox fill cap = trip to the hardware store
+ While you are there, spot a 2 stroke petrol chainsaw on special and remember that your father needs one - send a snap of the special to him via Whatsapp
- Get home only to realise the actual reason you went to the hardware store is to get rubber tubing to fill the gearbox up with = off to the hardware store
- Get home and receive a call from your father telling you to buy the chainsaw as it's the last one in stock = trip to the hardware store
------ Get home and battle gale force winds, realise the tubing you bought doesn't fit inside the filler hole, mess gearbox oil all over the driveway and your car engine bay, cut yourself numerous times on the sharp edges of the engine components, discover the other headlight bulb also does not work, attempt to blow the oil into the gearbox with your lips, splash oil all over your mouth and face and car....this went on for a good half hour.
+ Job's done, go inside and relax with a very very well deserved beer

[The Gonz]

I wonder how  common is the knowledge that halogen bulbs should not be touched by fingers. The minutest trace of contamination from skin oils, etc will create uneven hot spots on the glass that will either shatter it or overheat the filament.

[PhireSideZA]

I only touch mine by the metal bit and the contacts, but what happens to it during production and packing is another story...in any case, I have 99% isopropyl alcohol to clean it up if I do happen to touch it

[Dazzler]

Wow, that's a  tale and a half Phil...

Great work Misha!

[PhireSideZA]

I should write a book...I'm sure it would sell alright

[neptune]

Sounds like you run over a Chinaman's cat......

[meehalych]

+  one month closer to the spring 
- still 5 months left to live out
- got a rear wheel punctured recently
- my Orient watch seems to start falling apart - two maintenance shop visits within a month

Any ideas of a possible replacements, lads?)  (I own Casio Edifice too; need a mechanical watch with sapphire glass and automatic winding)

[xiziz]

Not sure if its good or not, but I got 54.71l of Diesel into the 53l tank, first click, no brimming shenenigans. Tomorrow its time for service again.

I once had a watch, when I was 7 years old, then the battery ran out and I never had another one since. Yet I somehow still manage to keep better track of time than my watch wielding friends. I do get the entire jewelry thing, I just never was one for adornments.

[The Gonz]

Hey Doggie! 

+++++ Got an early Chrissie pressie for ya (I think you're just the candidate according to the forum population)

(click to show/hide)

http://chrisbrayphotography.com/courses/

 

[Phil №❶]

 

[Doggie 1]

Thanks Gonz. 
I prefer this one though.

https://www.facebook.com/David-Bryan-Photography-391171124299538/

[The Gonz]

+ came yesterday early enough to have lunch with Mrs G and quietly gave her a kiss hello
- she seemed cold and didn't acknowledge me, then said "Don't you say hello when you come home?" 

[Surferdude]

+ came yesterday early enough to have lunch with Mrs G and quietly gave her a kiss hello
- she seemed cold and didn't acknowledge me, then said "Don't you say hello when you come home?" 

Did you check the wardrobe? 

[The Gonz]

 

[meehalych]

- caught a cold, damn
+ bought a pair of Reebok running shoes with Gore-Tex, cheaper than on the official site)
- no chance to test it before next week

[xiziz]

Today was the first day it was dark all the drive to work, plenty of hi beam exersize... 6 months to go until I can see the sun rising before work. Still get to see the sunset for a few more weeks.

Time to get winter bulbs me thinks. Philips this time I think.

[meehalych]

xiziz
Time for a 6 months vacation then)

[The Gonz]

I remember driving a rental car in Aarhus like that, like another world!

[tohis]

Winter is approaching for sure. Yesterday I rode 250 km by motorcycle in chilly +6... didn't get sweaty! However I didn't get cold either, only some goosebumps but with good Gore-Tex clothes and grip heaters it was bearable. Tomorrow I will drive it to the winter storage.

At last week I already had to use ice scraper twice, and got few visible scratches into the windshield because it was dirty and dusty.  Changing into the winter tyres will not be very far away from now, possibly at next week.

[eye30]

I remember driving a rental car in Aarhus like that, like another world!

...... our house   must be a big place

[Asterix]

I remember driving a rental car in Aarhus like that, like another world!

...... our house   must be a big place

No it's not. Aarhus is the 2. biggest city in Denmark with a population of ca 250,000