[John Z]

BIGFOOT is coming to NZ THIS YEAR, to do some more great stamping.

The word is out: end november/beginning of december we're going. No matter if the house is sold by then. We don't want to be here anymore, we want to be there. So we're "just" doing it!

Stamp, stamp, stamp ("Can you feel it?"). :D

And as a bonus: 4 summers in a row, YEAH.

Actually it's SIZE 43, but who care's: WE'RE COMING!

[Mickstim]

Good for you Brave Big Foot!! Hope we'll be there too.

[holland]

Good Luck John Z!!!!!


J and G x

[Belmont Babes]

Good luck Johhny Big Foot! Hope it all goes rwally smoooothly

[swissmissdesigner]

I like that attitude!
Good luck Big Foot!
Stamp, stamp and stamp again!

[kellyfamily]

A man after my own heart , leave the house and come anyway lol.
p.s
Doent matter how big your feet are you will get shoes to fit here!

[Silverwing86]

Ooooffff, I'm almost falling off my chair from the huge tremors coming through here :laugh !!

Good on ya' for cutting through the knot (for those not familiar with the language; this is a Dutch expression, rather loosely translated :D), and making a go of it:raebanana! But ummmm.... how do you figure 4 summers in a row ??? Am I missing something obvious :confused: ??

Give us a holler if you're ever around our parts (Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Hibiscus Coast), and you'd like to share a chat and a coffee/beer/wine/whatever ?

Good luck and enjoy !

Silver

[peebles16]

Good luck John Z hope to be making the move soon too!

[John Z]

Mickstim: Well, you know what to do now... I think I already told this very short story sometime before: when we were in Miami oneday a Porsche 911 came passing by. Maybe you know they have a rectractable spoiler on the back. When the car was picking up speed the spoiler came up and suddenly you could read a text coming from under it: "Just do it". I loved it.

Holland: thank you! Won't see you in Holland I guess? Better in NZ!:raebanana (Actually I don't live in Holland.... it's like the British/English thing)

Belmont Babes: Yeah, I missed the W.Rally championships too. I was hoping to be there when it started. Anyway: thank you.

Swissmissdesigner: when we get there I'm planning to live in my own designed house. How about you?

Hey Kellyfamily: long time no see. The last time was.... hm..........well it was in Groningen. Well, at least your bus was on "de Grote Markt". A man's got to do what a man's got to do...:nice1

Pass the Dutchie Silverwings, we'll have some dinner! Dutch treat?:cheers
4 Summers? : No1 was summer 2006 right here, No2 was summer 2006/2007 in Australia/NZ, No3 was/is summer 2007 right here, No4 will be SUMMER IN NEW ZEALAND!!!!!

Peebles16: thank you too. Did you already set a date? Or did you like many of us get caught by homeownership?

Cheers, John Z.

[holland]

Hi John Z,

We don't live in Holland....its our surname!!!!!

J xx

[Mickstim]

Hi John

Believe me as soon as someone buys the house we will be there. Packed and ready to go!

Bx

[peebles16]

Same for us John just sell the house and we're away!!

[Silverwing86]

Pass the Dutchie Silverwings

:laugh
we'll have some dinner! Dutch treat?:cheers

Sounds great John, it's a date ! There are some really great places to eat around where we live, just let us know when !

4 Summers? : No1 was summer 2006 right here, No2 was summer 2006/2007 in Australia/NZ, No3 was/is summer 2007 right here, No4 will be SUMMER IN NEW ZEALAND!!!!!

Ooooooooooohhhh, okay, apparently I didn't read up well enough on your recent travels :o, that is very excellent indeed !

.... wait a minute though .... now that I think about it; do the 'summers' in Holland really count ?? (sorry, simply couldn't resist, you may reprimand me severely during dinner :D !)

Silver

[MaxG]

4 Summers? : No1 was summer 2006 right here, No2 was summer 2006/2007 in Australia/NZ, No3 was/is summer 2007 right here, No4 will be SUMMER IN NEW ZEALAND!!!!!



Just to balance things out, if all goes according to plan and we get out to NZ next (northern) spring, we'll have had six consecutive midwinters (2005/06 in UK, 2006 in NZ, 2006/07 in UK, 2007 in NZ, 2007/08 in UK and...

(We visited my brother in NZ in 06 and 07, and the only time the kids can be out of school long enough is the long summer holiday)

[John Z]

I love a healthy, dynamic balance! :cheers

Good for you MaxG, at least the job, that is :yes AND for moving to NZ of course. At least the NZ winters are pretty mild, so they say (have yet to find out...).

PS
Can't/couldn't you get an extended Christmas-holiday?

[MaxG]

I love a healthy, dynamic balance! :cheers

Good for you MaxG, at least the job, that is :yes AND for moving to NZ of course. At least the NZ winters are pretty mild, so they say (have yet to find out...).


Well this winter was slightly warmer and drier than July in the UK as far as I can tell! Didn't stop everyone complaining though - rather weird to see people all wrapped up, with hats, gloves and all while we think it's T-shirt weather. But then we are hardy northern types.


PS
Can't/couldn't you get an extended Christmas-holiday?

No, they really don't like you taking your children out of school during term time - you have to ask permission and they always say no. Elder daughter had exams anyway (both years), so going in the summer meant it was after her exams had finished.

[John Z]

It's crazy how suddenly everything is going so fast! One moment we're slowly but steadily preparing our move and the next moment we have a personal bank manager in NZ, apply for visa and have them ready within a week!

I guess this must be the rollercoaster I was reading about.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Next: where exactly are we going to land...

But first:

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! (can't have dinner now)

JJJJJJJJJJoooooooooooooooooohn Z

[lockstock]

You were warned about the rollercoaster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap

[Silverwing86]

...apply for visa and have them ready within a week!


Wow John, how in heavens' name did you manage that ?! What's your secret ??

Silver

[John Z]

I don't think it's a secret Silver, neither very special? But I'm glad it seems to be going smoothly. It seems everyone involved did their job right?
If only the house would be sold very soon I'll really jump for joy.

We already have a NZ white wine to "enlighten" our dinner tonight. (I haven't seen any reds so far (here)).

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

:cheers John Z

[Silverwing86]

Getting a visa sorted within a week not very special ?? Hmmmm, perhaps I misunderstood :confused: ? What kind of visa are we actually talking about ?

Silver

PS Still enjoying the rollercoaster feeling ?? :laugh :cheers

[John Z]

My wife corrected me; it was 9 or 10 days...Sorry.

It's a "work-visa", I think that's not unusual?

Thank you for reminding me of the rollercoaster, I was so busy today working on a deadline I forgot for a moment.

But hey, I'm back again. :laugh

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[John Z]

OMG, where are these last weeks? Only 2 weeks from now and we're "going home" :laugh . I'd love to leave all of this behind.

In my "farewell-column" (in the magazine where I have my column) I stated some global trends and made a quick translation into how these have changed our society (societies?). It felt good allowing myself to see/say things the way they are instead of constantly shaving of the sharp edges because things may be too confronting.

Really everybody thinks that we are so courageous (leaving for NZ) and that they wish they could go. They share my criticism on society, but do nothing about it. I'm proud to say that I managed to change the construction of Powerlines through our city and therefore changed the property values for a few hundred families (not even to mention the health effects!), but how many thanks, how many support? There were about 150 people in city-hall when I forced the local-government to explain things to the public. And as said: I changed things, I know ONE person can change things. But where were the others? They were of into town, shopping, spending, buying stuff to make their homes look like the ones on TV. It's not about what it is, or whatever, it's just about having it look expensive. It's plain modern decadency. The Roman Times are back and I'm not waiting for the decline. We're supposed to learn from history, not to copy it...

In the beginning of my farewell-column (this time I had 2 pages) I related to time and space: they never will have an end AND there never was a beginning... (watch out, I can see smoke coming out of your ears). And in between we are discussing "the right colours" and the "dancing of the stars"... We've become consumers of whatever they feed us with and in our modern decadent society I have no way of getting away from it all. I have no choice.

Sure, NZ will have it's own share of shallowness, consumerism and non-essential humbug, but, with 15 people per km2 in NZ and 470 in the Netherlands, I know where I can choose to follow my heart. In NZ I can go looking for Kiwi's: the fruit, the birds or the people. I can go looking for them where and when it pleases me: on an empty beach, in a dark forest, in the countryside or in a big city. In NZ I still can see, feel where we are in between our endless history and our endless future.

And it's only 2 weeks from now!

[John Z]

Hidiho!

Nothing is going to be the same from now, we've arrived. It's great, we had a great journey via Dubai. It turned out to be a great plan since we're not even half as tired from the trip as the first time. Then we had a great welcome, a great car waiting for us to get us to a great apartment.

I just can't think of anything now but GREAT, GREAT GREAT.

Cheeeeeeeeeeers, JohNZ.

[Silverwing86]

Hey hey, may I be the first to say:

Welcome to New Zealand :clap :clap John !

Glad the trip went so well and just wanted to say that I remember the feelings of

... GREAT, GREAT GREAT

oh so well :nice1 (still feeling that way 10 months on, by the way) !

Enjoy getting settled in your new home country and let me know if you need any help with anything and/or if/when you'd like to meet up for a :cheers and/or a meal...

Silver

[John Z]

Hey hey, may I be the first to say:

Welcome to New Zealand .....John !

Glad the trip went so well and just wanted to say that I remember the feelings of



oh so well (still feeling that way 10 months on, by the way) !

Enjoy getting settled in your new home country and let me know if you need any help with anything and/or if/when you'd like to meet up for a .....and/or a meal...

Silver

Thanx Silver,

the only thing that's not working properly is the daily rhytm, but it's rapidly improving! Today we went investigating on what Hamilton had to offer as from the consumerist-residu left in our minds and we were very much impressed by it. As with groceries the choice is wider and better than we had at our local "Albert Heijn" from about a week ago! So maybe I should invite you for dinner first? :laugh

In the afternoon we went over to coastal Raglan and it started to sink in. I have moments of great joy where I seem to feel we're really living here, and not just on a holiday. I enjoy the smiles on my wifes face and feeling the ones on my own. And our son..., well he always was a happy bird and now that we found that one of his favourite toys from Lego (Denmark!) even cost less here he is even happy though his playing-room is in the container for six weeks!

Cheers for now, JohNZ (so happy to change to "NZ", finally home)

[Silverwing86]

Hi John,

My apologies for the delay in responding :o. Been very busy, what with my mother arriving in the country for a three month visit and all...

...the only thing that's not working properly is the daily rhytm, but it's rapidly improving!

What's the problem with your daily rythm, the remnants of jetlag perhaps ?? What time of day did you arrive in NZ ? We arrived on the late night flight (arriving in Auckland at 23.40), and we found it an ideal way to get into the right day/night rythm.

Today we went investigating on what Hamilton had to offer as from the consumerist-residu left in our minds and we were very much impressed by it. As with groceries the choice is wider and better than we had at our local "Albert Heijn" from about a week ago!

Wonderful to hear about your shopping experiences. So often I read on here and other forums that people complain about a lack of choice here, but our experience was just like yours, enormous choice of wonderful stuff (hence the huge amount of kilos gained since arriving, be warned :D !) and most of it is so much cheaper than what we were used to !

Just today my Mum and I shopped for some Ladys' Lingerie (okay, perhaps not something you might shop for every day :p ?), same brand as in Holland but half the price, what a joy !! Same with clothes, no matter if it only lasts a season as it's so incredibly cheap ! Which reminds me, we loooooooooooooove The Warehouse, been there yet ?? What about Pak-n-Save (gooooorgeous Chocolate Mud Cake !) ??

So maybe I should invite you for dinner first?

Dinner sounds great, just give us a holler where and when and we'll come running ;) ...

In the afternoon we went over to coastal Raglan and it started to sink in. I have moments of great joy where I seem to feel we're really living here, and not just on a holiday. I enjoy the smiles on my wifes face and feeling the ones on my own.

How absolutely heartwarming and soooo recognisable !

Can also imagine your little one is a happy chappy as I understand that toys in general are very well priced here !

Enjoy your 'honeymoon' period, please do let us know if you need any help and how you get on ?

Silver

[John Z]

Hi Silver!

I was pretty much annoyed lately because our (wireless) internet-provider let us down big time. After registering I had one day of succesfull internet-connection and from then on it went "downkarioi"...., with the trog last weekend: the local business-provider probably forgot to turn a switch or whatever, so from friday 1700 hours I could send a message at all. First unstable connection and then even nothing at all.

And now..... a free wireless connection. I have to sit outside on the balcony (it's a bit chilly this moment, but I'm prepared), but now I have a stable connection!

Our surprise goes on and on. I really cannot understand the trouble people are having with all kinds of groceries or whatever things they want to buy. I even have an Apple shop, just around the corner.

Everything* we want to buy, we can find, and most at surprisingly low prices! It is as if the EURO is back to the Guilder. Which reminds of the general feeling of many people in the Netherlands, that when the EURO was a fact, that the numbers in the prices were the same, just the EURO sign was there where first was the guilder sign. BUT one EURO was the same as 2,20 Guilders!

So now the old times of the Guilder are back :yes

I said "Everything" with a "*", because I just can't seem to find good hiking shoes!!! As a kind of ritual I threw my old hiking shoes away in Amsterdam-Hilton, just before we flew of. And then I took my new hiking shoes. By the time we arrived in NZ, they started to hurt and I found one detail in one shoe that wasn't right, so......

If anyone knows of a shop in the Waikato that sells "Panama-Jack" hiking shoes, well you know what to do!

So, back to your post:

We arrived in the afternoon from Dubai, it was a good trip since we had rested/adjusted to time, for 2 nights in a luxurious suite (they thought we weren't coming because I had provided them with a wrong creditcard-detail), they wanted to make up for thinking we weren't coming etc.

I'm OK now with the time-difference, sitting on the balcony, looking over Hamilton, seeing all the (christmas-)lights AND the far away mountain-horizons. Yup, feels more like home than I ever did in the Netherlands or even Europe.

From the balcony I can see The Warehouse, which was introduced to us as follows: if you can't find it anywhere, go to the Warehouse, they'll have it. Well, maybe not the quality I'd prefer, but yes, they seem to have it all.
As for toys: The Warehouse had the Bionical toys on sale, which our son has a crate full of in the container, so now he could buy a few more (he didn't yet have in his "collection") at 25% of the price in the Netherlands!

We have all kinds of restaurants, a great library (!!!) and within about a month we'll live in our rural house, just 10-15 minutes from Hamilton. My God, me is a happy bird!

I'll stop now, before I'll fly of this balcony!

Cheers, JohNZ

[miep]

Welkom in Nieuw Zeeland!

Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself. Have you already bought a house?

[John Z]

Ha die Miep, long time no see!

We're renting an appartment now and from the 13th of januari we're renting a beautifull contemporary house (real, not just "modern" ;) ). We've decided to buy a piece of land and build a "home-designed" contemporary house (later), just to show how it should be done :laugh
We found a few interesting pieces of land and I made some designs for them, to fit with the qualities of the specific spots. The only thing to do now is hearing from our real estate agent that our house in the Netherlands is sold.

Of for dinner now,

Cheers, John.

[Silverwing86]

Hi John,

Haven't heard from you in a while, wondering how you all are faring in Godzone ? Everything okay ?

By the way, my apologies for not replying to your post sooner, but the last three months have been incredibly busy with my mother visiting. Unfortunately she's gone back to Holland now :wah, the house is soooo quiet, takes some getting used to !

Anyway, just curious how things are, hope they're all good and you're happy campers !

Cheers,
Silver

[John Z]

Hi Silver!

Haven't been on the forum too much lately myself, busy with the good and the bad...

The bad first: when our container arrived everything seemed OK, on schedule, happy birds etc. etc. But.... when we started unpacking.... it seemed... someone... who been "packing" on the top floor of our house in the Netherlands... seemed to have enjoyed himself.... ruining, crushing ALL my architectural models that were in the attic AND distributed parts of objects through all kinds of boxes (about 400) all through the house. Although the moving company should have unpacked everything, they didn't, partly because they just didn't, but also partly because they just couldn't. They promised to my son that all his Playmobile buildings would stay intact (he has a room full of those). Well, as you may guess they (2 out of 4 men) just dumped everything in big boxes without any respect.

I've stopped unpacking a few weeks ago, everything we need is there and someday I'll finish the rest.

The good then:

we are here.

(I could finish here...)

We are living in a beautifull place that we first saw for sale when we were still in the Netherlands but could not get into the auction in NZ. Now that we've been able to rent that same house we're happy we didn't buy it. The same kind of decadency we were getting away from is here too, the lot! But at least here we have a choice to get away from it, where in the Netherlands we couldn't.

Now we just found half-a-small-mountain for sale and we're in the proces of making it ours. In the meantime we've been looking at several different kinds of land that triggered some ideas for new designs. Happily I now have some basic NZ based ideas to work from.

My son is doing amazingly well at school and the same is for my wife. Well, not amazingly, because we knew she'd be (doing) fine, but she's happy where she is right now.

A few times I found myself thinking "goddelijk" (devine), describing the basic feeling I had when just realising where we are now. Now I have to take care that I don't get used to it too much, take it all for granted. (It helps to just write that down :laugh )

Are you enjoying some great weather too Silver?

Cheers, John.

[miep]

Good to hear you're doing well!
Don't worry you won't lose the goddelijk feeling that fast, just read some news on Wilders (Dutch mad right wing politician) for example and you'll have it right back!

Let me know when you (or you Silver!) intend to do some travel in this region, it would be fun to meet up.