[oldtimbo]

than never, as Mum always says when I phone her.
I thought I should say "Hello, Gidday, Hows it goin" to all you good folk.
Some may already know me as simply "Timbo" from days of old, but since I have now been off the forum for about 13 months (thanks Telecom NZ), I think oldtimbo is more suitable.
We, my wife Sarah, and I, came to new Zealand in December 2005, with nothing more than a camper van booked for our first two weeks. Having sold up in England, we were pretty much commited to making a go of it.
Having toured around Northland and west auckland, we found ourselves in Whitianga on the Coromandel. Sarah was offered a job at the local care facility for the elderly/infirm, and this was good enough to secure a 2 year work permit. I found work with a local contractor who was in fact recently relocated from Hamilton for a change of lifestyle. The building industry is booming up here at the moment, and any body looking for work in relevant fields could do a lot worse.
We plan on putting in an application for PR as soon as possible, which will probably not be until Dec. 07.
As a foot note, it is worh mentioning that we came to NZ with no children to worry about, and no plan of action. This is obviously not an ideal way of doing things for a lot of people, but it is working for us.

[jubjub]

Hello there, old boy

Glad to hear you are enjoying it, wondered how you were getting on.

One of that last things we heard was about you getting chased by a shark... I have to admit I had a chuckle, but only cos I knew you were still alive after the experience!

Its good to hear you have both found work, what about a house or you still living the hippy lifestyle in the camper?

[oldtimbo]

Hi Sal. No, no camper these days. We plumped for a nice shiny new house in the Waterways developement up here. If I was not forced to be on dial up internet, I would put some pics up.
Bubbles and co. came to stay when they first arrived.
With hindsight, I really dont think the shark was interested in me half as much as I was in it.

[Jo Jo]

Hello oldtimbo,

We're going to be neighbours. I'm moving to Whitianga in September. We'll be the other side of town to you, though, on Centenniel Heights.

Jo Jo

[oldtimbo]

Hi Jo Jo. Nice one. We looked at the hill, but shyed away due to increased building cost among other things. You wouldnt happen to know Elaine and Brendon by any chance? Look forward to meeting up for a beer/wine or 6

[StevieD]

Hiya old bean welcome back. Just a quick update to you - the container's gone!!! Looking forward to hooking up some time in the next couple of months coz we fly out next Friday yay!!

[oldtimbo]

Hello young man. We have some good friends in town who come from your part of the world. The Wirral to be precise, but they claim not to be "Scousers".

[oldtimbo]

By the way. You will be arriving just in time for a beer.

[StevieD]

Wirral?? Scousers?? No chance, wrong side of the water. If they from Birkenhead they would be "wackers" (had to be careful there spelling that one out :laugh) but depending on which part of Wirral they from, suppose they just called Wirralites.

Like the comment about the beer. :nice1

[oldtimbo]

Then "Wackers" they be. LOL . I have to say though, he is a brilliant stand up comic. She could talk for England/NZ.

[Marie P]

Hi Old friend ..........can you believe that we have both been here 15 months .

Good to hear from you and that things are going well.

Take care and keep in touch.

Marie x

[katandbob]

Hi Sal. No, no camper these days. We plumped for a nice shiny new house in the Waterways developement up here. If I was not forced to be on dial up internet, I would put some pics up.
Bubbles and co. came to stay when they first arrived.
With hindsight, I really dont think the shark was interested in me half as much as I was in it.

Tim, have you looked into Woosh?, we are in the same boat as you as far as Broadband via Telecom! (although you could always canvas your neighbours and get them to register interest in BB on their website - the more interest then they will look into putting an extra exchange in near our township!) - Haven't posted flyers around the neighbourhood yet! As I doubt most of them wouldnt know how to turn a PC on! most are retired by the looks of things.

But Woosh can be ok most days - just not good enough for gaming or video msn, but I can upload pics ok.

Nice to see your settling in,

Kat:clap

[oldtimbo]

Thanks for that Kat. Yes,I have tried all the angles, but without Telecoms co-operation, it is a non starter.
We do have a guy in town who is busy developing his own wi-fi network, but obviously things are slow to start with. Oh well, I just need to be patient.

[Kim39]

Got your PM Tim, and it seems you are a man of very few words, or was that the ale talking:laugh Glad to read you guys are doing fine. Ask your Wirral friends if they are not scousers then that must mean they are Cheshire folk, as The Wirral is actually in Cheshire. It may raise a smile from them.;)


Kim

[oldtimbo]

Sorry mate, 6 too many Macs Golds.:laugh
Hi Marie. Doesnt time fly when you are having fun.