u/Rustyznuts

Hi.

I'm looking to get my first set of tree climbing gear for occasional use around my property. I'm an experienced rock and alpine climber and have done plenty of forestry work and ground work for several arborist friends.

I have wholesale access to Edelrid so they are by far the cheapest option for me and most reviews seem pretty good. They have the original Tree Rex on clearance $170 cheaper than the Tree Rex 2. Does anyone know if there are worthwhile changes for a relative amateur or should I just save a few bucks?

I was just thinking that I can't pinpoint when it started feeling like a long time between Christmases and Birthdays and became the blur it is now.

Just yesterday I sent an email the stated I'd do something in 2026. But then I realised that it is 2026 already. I've been busy and productive with work, travel, projects at home. So I'm not worried that it's wasted. But it's over half way through the year and I'm still filling in forms and writing emails because I haven't recognised that it's not 2025 anymore. Time has gone fast for a while now but I really don't know when it began.

Do the years go by quickly for you or do they still drag on like they do when you're young?

Does anyone grow amaranth? I was recently in South America and they used it as a breakfast cereal or in musli bars in a popped form and I quite enjoyed it. I gather it is also quite good for biomass in a food forest. Do you grow Amaranth? Is it worthwhile?

Hi All.

I'm 28M and struggling with making a decision on my property, finances and honestly might be creeping into life advice.

I bought a run down lifestyle block in an expensive area (neighbors all worth $2m-6m) when I was 22. I paid $770,000 for it as I had made significant capital gains on my first home. The property is now worth $1.15-1.25m and I owe about $400,000.

My issue is that I sort of expected to be in a relationship eventually which hasn't happened, and I've had enough of flatmates so have been living alone for most of the last 2 years. Having kids was a significant goal for me in my early 20s but is fading now. Therefore the 3 bed/2 bath house doesn't really fit me anymore. I enjoy the land and gardens as well as the garaging and workshop space.

I'm at a point where the property is a blank canvas. The house in better condition than when I bought, irrigation and water in place, and the problem trees and missing fences fixed. If I spend more money on putting trees and fences in it will only be for me and would be overcapitalising if it's not somewhere I want to stay. This decision needs to be made sooner rather than later or I'll loose the progress I've made.

This property has taken most of my spare money which I haven't minded as it has been better for my mental health than my first home which was in town. However I am loosing the drive for it (and to be honest life in general) with nothing to aim for.

Aside from this property my other general financial information is: Working shifts totalling 4-6 months per year in fishing industry, $90,000-130,000/year, recently closed side hustle that was making $30,000-40,000/year, putting $50/week into Sharsies - balance ~$5,000, Kiwisaver on 6% and current balance ~$61,000, about $35,000 across my other bank accounts (emergency savings, mortgage lump sum, projects fund, travel and fun money), 2 vehicles I didn't finance (daily driver and Landcruiser 4x4), no debt other than mortgage.

I'm considering selling and buying a larger block in a lower value area and possibly building a livable shed more suitable to single life, buying a couple of rentals with minimal debt and hitting the road for a while, keeping the current property and just staying as is. I don't think I could live in a built up area myself and I struggle with the idea of putting a significant amount of money in intangible assets like Sharsies.

I look forward to going to work but have thought about changing for a new challenge as it's been 10 years. However the idea of giving up $100k/year and potentially having to work 5 days a week, especially when I'm almost 30 and have no qualifications has put me off. Or at least I haven't found an alternative yet.

Any advice?

I will be taking a night bus from Huaraz to Lima in a couple of days. I'll arrive at about 7am and have to be checked in at the airport at 10pm. Looks like the best options come in to the La Victoria area.

I'm a first time traveller and don't like being in a rush so I am looking for a few things to do for the day. Maybe a museum, botanic gardens and a good restaurant.

Recommendations please?

Hola

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What's your favourite Peruvian food. Everyone told me I would live for Peruvian food. I've been here for a few weeks now and have a few to go and honestly I've been thoroughly underwhelmed by the food I've eaten so far. Seems to be that everything is served with half a ton of rice and potatoes.

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Saltado is just a bad stir fry ontop of potato chips and you guessed it, more 🤬 rice.

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I know, not a traditional dish but I asked for the biggest thing on the menu and they got me a burrito and again 90% 🤬 rice. 39 Sol too so a fair price I was expecting more.

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A lot of people have told me the ceviche is good. However as a commercial and recreational fisherman with Pacific Island family from a country with more variety of fish I can taste that the fish here hasn't been well cared for. Now that I'm inland I'm also getting more suspicious of the fish.

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And dont kid yourselves. Broaster and Brasa is just fried and roast chicken. They've got it everywhere in the world.

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And how do you make the bread and many baked goods so dry?

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Whinging aside I have definitely enjoyed the guinea pigs that I've eaten.

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You produce good olives here.

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I've heard that Llama is a thing but haven't come across it yet. Will I near Huaraz?

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I've enjoyed the variety of fruit and have seen some creative breakfasts and desserts with it. I also come from a fruit rich home though.

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Come on! What's going to redeem this country and my 2 month holiday of unsatiated hunger?

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In V threads that you don't want to utilise naked (due to potential freezing) would you use 5mm cord as opposed to 6mm. I would usually use 1/2" tubular webbing but cannot find any where I am.

This use case is in situations where there are unlikely to be others see/use the anchor and likely to be used soloing.

The Aratere was owned by KiwiRail. A state owned enterprise. Two of the main issues are:

In most developed countries they do not allow vessels to be sold to entities who profit from scrapping vessels in substandard shipyards and require them to be appropriately recycled in accordance with the Hong Kong Convention and MARPOL. There is no indication that this will be the case with Aratere/Vega

Aratere was also flagged to a "flag of convenience" and crew paid and treated not only below New Zealand standards but also below international minimum standards for seafarers.

Why, when we as a country worry about single use plastics, cow farts, and washing our cars in the driveway do we not care about a significant national asset and the associated human and environmental cost of the way in which it has been disposed of?

A bit embarrassing but...

I've been travelling through South America (Bolivia and Peru) for almost a month. I haven't had the full blown, uncontrollable shits at any stage but for the last 2 and a bit weeks I haven't had a comfortable/normal poo.

This is my first time travelling to a developing part of the world. Everywhere else I've been you could safely drink tap water sort of thing. I feel like I've done everything right. Not open my mouth in the shower, drink bottled water, eat at busy and/or well reviewed places, wash my hands and carry antibacterial wipes. I've lost quite a bit of weight and struggling to stay hydrated despite taking the meds I was given before travelling.

I'm supposed to have another 5 weeks and was looking forward to trekking and heading up to altitude but I'm already feeling quite weak.

I was working at midnight in stormy weather when most of the power went out. I only have lights to the top story of the house. All 7 RCDs are still up/on bit only 1 circuit is on.

Is this a problem with my house wiring or something off the property? Do I contact an electrician or the faults line with the local network company?

In my family there is a shotgun that belonged to my great, great grandfather. The family member who holds it is due to renew their firearms licence shortly and will be registering their other firearms at the same time. They came to me to help with disassembly of the rifle looking for a serial number. Unsurprisingly it predates serial numbers so would have to have one added to be registered.

However there seems little point in keeping a Damascus barrelled, hammer action, black powder rifle locked away where noone ever sees it. Especially considering that it is probably more dangerous to the shooter than anything at the other end unless you are a knowledgeable black powder reloader.

So they have asked if it is possible to deactivate it. I know that firearms or replicas which can easily be converted to a usable firearm cannot be displayed and have to be stored as per the usual rules.

Does anyone know if welding the firing pins shut and plugging the barrels is sufficient? Or what might be acceptable as deactivation?

I'm off to Bolivia and Peru in a week or so. I'm an experienced climber in New Zealand but only climbed to around 3000m. I climb, ski and instruct beginner mountaineering. This is pretty much my first time travelling (in my late 20s) and definitely my first time at altitude.

I'm going to South America with a guy (early 50s) who has done a few high altitude trips. We have Illimani, Huayna Potosi, Nevado Pisco, Huascarán and Alpamayo on the list over about 7 weeks.

I have no idea about the travelling, the altitude or mountaineering in a foreign country. I don't often research routes beyond surface level of grade and general feature at home and just pick a mountain and head up what looks right. This is probably not the best approach, so tips on where to research these routes would be helpful.

Gear wise I've just worn out my first pair of Nepal Evos after about 12 years and replaced them with Nepal Cubes a few climbs ago. I have a set of now well loved Petzl Lynx that I usually use on less technical climbs (keeping my sharp pair for ice). I climb in long-johns under shorts (very Kiwi) and my shells ontop when it's cold or wet (Kiwis are used to very wet conditions and strong UV but not necessarily extreme cold). Should I carry my 800 gram -2⁰C comfort bag with extra insulation and a bivvy bag or my -23⁰C bag (about 1.4kg) and sleep ontop of it in my liner at lower altitudes or should I buy a -6⁰C bag before I go or in La Paz?

I'm going in with low expectations for myself. I'm not worried about money or turning around. I'll be happy to climb a mountain and acclimatise well. My climbing partner is very wealthy and can just hire a guide or join a different party so I'm not stressed about letting him down. We've left the technical climbing to last to see how we're doing.

Any wisdom on things you would have liked to know about travelling, altitude or climbing in South America are much appreciated.