nickydwuk
6th October 2008, 10:49 PM
I was hoping to do a 1 week post but we have been too busy so here is our 2 week post. Like all new arrivals there is so much to do in the first few days. In the first week we hired a car then bought 2 cars. Opened bank accounts and bought furniture to replace that which we had left in the UK. We also applied for IRD numbers for me, OH & DD. We also sampled Pak n Save, Woolworths & New World so we could get an idea which suited us best. In our second week we signed the contracts for our house and got the keys so we are now fully fledged NZ property owners!! We also returned our hire car and picked up our own cars a Toyota Cynos and Vauxhall Astra Estate (although I think it is called Holden and not Vauxhall!!). We have done a little bit of sight seeing we went round the Cathedral in Christchurch, went up the Gondola and admired the fantastic views and have been on the tram around Christchurch. We have also been on numerous walks along the beach as our holiday home is about 2 minutes from Sumner beach. I went into the hospital early this week to see HR and get my initial MRSA screening done and get measured for my uniform I started today!!
Impressions the roads are so wide cant get used to people just doing a U turn when they feel like it, especially at traffic lights!!!! Everyone we have met has been helpful and friendly and we were even offered coffee & biscuits in the bank!! Unheard of in the UK. The coffees are to die for OH has got hooked on a Mochaccino and has to have one wherever we go. One down side it gets cold in the evenings or rather it did until the warmer weather arrived this week. We thought we would be tough Brits and not switch on the electric blankets but we eventually succumbed. Hopefully our new house will be warmer as it is double glazed and has new insulation. This house does have gaps around the windows and is a lot older. I now know what to get OH for his birthday on Friday some Morino socks :yes We have been lucky in the holiday home we have internet access but with 5 of us all vying for it access is limited. We have been able to stay in touch with family which has helped OH & his parents and DD with her B/F. The kids are finding it a bit frustrating as they cant really settle to anything until we move to our new house. It is still early days but we like what we have found so far.
Will try to post an update when we move into our house in 2 weeks time.
Impressions the roads are so wide cant get used to people just doing a U turn when they feel like it, especially at traffic lights!!!! Everyone we have met has been helpful and friendly and we were even offered coffee & biscuits in the bank!! Unheard of in the UK. The coffees are to die for OH has got hooked on a Mochaccino and has to have one wherever we go. One down side it gets cold in the evenings or rather it did until the warmer weather arrived this week. We thought we would be tough Brits and not switch on the electric blankets but we eventually succumbed. Hopefully our new house will be warmer as it is double glazed and has new insulation. This house does have gaps around the windows and is a lot older. I now know what to get OH for his birthday on Friday some Morino socks :yes We have been lucky in the holiday home we have internet access but with 5 of us all vying for it access is limited. We have been able to stay in touch with family which has helped OH & his parents and DD with her B/F. The kids are finding it a bit frustrating as they cant really settle to anything until we move to our new house. It is still early days but we like what we have found so far.
Will try to post an update when we move into our house in 2 weeks time.