[KatieBen]

We finally got here. Admittedly a little nervous about whether they would actually let us in (medical issues with PR so hubby here visa-free on 6 month visitor permit) but we breezed through in the end. (Immigration officer did get a little snotty when she found the work permit, but she thought it was his cos it says "doctor" on it - she was so embarrassed when I pointed out that it was mine that she mumbled something and stamped all the passports rapidly!)

Initial thoughts...

... you guys aren't kidding about how cold houses are! We have all the wall heaters on constantly and we're still in scarves and jumpers :-)

... this country is more beautiful than I remember.

... everyone here is amazingly friendly compared to the UK. The taxi driver from the airport gave me a mini-guided-tour (and knocked some $$ off the cost) to introduce us to the area. The person who organised the house rental greeted us on the doorstep with a bag full of groceries and had already filled the fridge with wine.

... banks are unbelievably efficient. Within an hour of walking into ASB, we have accounts, eftpos cards, full internet banking and savings accounts for the kids. That would have taken around 3 weeks to sort in the UK.

... it is a very long way away indeed. Really a very very long way. I'm not UK sick (yet, I imagine that will come once the jet lag goes) but I am realising how difficult it is to "just call" family for a chat. And how irritating it is when my father has "do not disturb" permanently set on Skype!

... TimTams are yummy.

... fruit and veg here tastes unbelievably lovely compared to the watered down tastes we're used to from the UK. Couldn't get over how amazing cucumber, of all things, tasted. (I know, cucumber for breakfast is a little odd - we've been up since 04:30, it became more of a lunch!)

... I think that's all for now. 2 weeks to enjoy and explore the place before I start work, looking forward to every moment!

[Scotty69]

Hi KatieBen
Good to hear you all arrived well and are starting to settle in nicely. Yes the fruit and veg great here :nice1
If your wanting to call home the best thing I have found is Easy Call phone card that you can use from your home telephone at no extra charge you get them from the dairy's here and I find a $20 last us about a month that is calling the UK about 3 times a week (long conversations).:D

Where abouts are you, good luck.

Natasha

[BkyMonster]

We use our skype to make calls to family phones (since half the time they don't answer or turn the computers off!). Just use a credit card or similar to add some money to the account and it's quite cheap. Took us close to 6 months to go through the initial $10 USD charge with a mix of long phone calls and short ones telling people to turn on the computers. :p

[dusk]

glad you landed safely :)

Quite right about the fruit and veg! Tomatoes are great too (if you like them) and gold kiwi fruit are worth a try (they're cheap at the moment)

have fun settling in

[benandclare]

Lovely post guys, remember that first day too :D

Also use Skype to call phones back in UK , normally to tell them ti turn on computer so we can Skype :nice1

Oh and welcome to New Zealand :cheers

[sekilau]

I will recommend 3 INQ phone if you don't have one.
Your friends/relative can turn on the skype all the time in UK and it does not cost anything(as far as I remember, check if local dealer/3 Shop).

In such case, no matter where they are, they can be reached.
it is especially suitable for parents, who feel computer is too complicate to operate.

Lovely post guys, remember that first day too :D

Also use Skype to call phones back in UK , normally to tell them ti turn on computer so we can Skype :nice1

Oh and welcome to New Zealand :cheers

[dbonnett]

We finally got here....

... you guys aren't kidding about how cold houses are! We have all the wall heaters on constantly and we're still in scarves and jumpers :-)

Welcome to Nelson! The weather just turned really cold in the last few days and even in our new house with 2 heat pumps, we can feel it! At least we haven't had the snow/winds/hail that much of the country is enjoying ;-) The sun should also warm things up in the afternoons.


... this country is more beautiful than I remember.
Especially with the fresh snow on the Western Ranges, it does look like a postcard, eh?

... it is a very long way away indeed. Really a very very long way. I'm not UK sick (yet, I imagine that will come once the jet lag goes) but I am realising how difficult it is to "just call" family for a chat. And how irritating it is when my father has "do not disturb" permanently set on Skype!

... I think that's all for now. 2 weeks to enjoy and explore the place before I start work, looking forward to every moment!

As others have suggested, there are ways to make it easier to ring back "there" - we have also used things like JahJah to allow cheap phone to phone calls - it doesn't depend on having a fast internet connection and worked great from our rented houses.

Also, I had left you a private message to say that we can help out with anything you need until your container arrives, just give us a ring or drop us a note. Our contact details should be in the PM.

[JandM]

Glad you're safely in. All the best!:nice1

[tea drinker]

Glad to hear that you have arrived safe and sound :cheers

[kiwi.]

the area. The person who organised the house rental greeted us on the doorstep with a bag full of groceries and had already filled the fridge with wine.


I remember people being friendly all but that is pretty cool!

[willow]

hi katieBen,

i blinked and you had gone! suddenly you are in Nelson! I am all ears on the place as we are due to arrive in September or it could be even sooner as the job I wanted needs me asap.............that is scary as i had my head set on september and now a July date feels really soon.

I hope you enjoy the two weeks before you begin work and then you find the hospital to be a friendly welcoming place.

you will be real experts on the place by the time we get there, locals infact!:clap

[KatieBen]

We were initially due to make it here in December and suddenly I start work at the beginning of June - know that scary feeling well!

Initial impressions of Nelson are that it's fantastic and that I will have to get a lot fitter if I want to cycle up the hill to the hospital every day (we are in the town centre at the moment and although most of it's flat, the hospital seems to be half way up a mountain).
It definitely felt like that pushing a buggy up there yesterday.

I think coming out in the winter is better than the summer, it means the weather can only get warmer :)

[Alan]

Tim Tams are great but try Squiggles!!!

[KatieBen]

There is a biscuit called Squiggles? My 3 year old will adore it, whatever it is.

That's me off to Woolworth's tomorrow then :)

Edit: OK, I googled it. What is "Hokey Pokey", please?

[KerryS]

Edit: OK, I googled it. What is "Hokey Pokey", please?

It's cinder toffee, or honeycomb of the sort found in a Crunchie bar - not the sort in a beehive.

[JandM]

It's cinder toffee, or honeycomb of the sort found in a Crunchie bar - not the sort in a beehive.And/Or an ice cream flavour with little bits of that in. Lovely!

[KatieBen]

It's cinder toffee, or honeycomb of the sort found in a Crunchie bar - not the sort in a beehive.

oh my. Yummy. And here I was hoping that the extra weight (comfort eating with migration stress!) would be easy to lose...

Oh well, on the plus side I get to buy some new clothes ;)

[andrewp]

oh my. Yummy. And here I was hoping that the extra weight (comfort eating with migration stress!) would be easy to lose...

Oh well, on the plus side I get to buy some new clothes ;)

I don't think it would be possible to move to NZ and loose weight! Everything is way too yummy here!