[Dave & Sandra]

I'm here :clap :clap :clap

But it wasn't easy :? Flight to Singapore was fine, munching Nicorette chewing gum all the way. :( Caught up on a few films I'd missed out on in UK. Booked a room in the transit hotel and collapsed for 6 hours. Got my wake up call and prepared to meet Moorf. :clap Sitting there at the sunflower garden waiting expectantly and was finally approached by two people and she said "Are you waiting for somebody?" Then I knew it was Moorf and Woz. Couldn't possibly have identified her by that picture on the forum when she was blonde, now a brunette. :laugh :D They are a great couple and helped me through a harrowing moment.

I got the immigration officer from hell!!!! I saw him closely scrutinising somebody else's passport and was hoping I wouldn't get him and of course..................... you guessed it. :wah

I'd got return tickets for a month ahead so put on the landing form that I was staying a month and gave the address in Feilding (near Palmerston North) where Dave had bought the house.

He stared at my landing form and said

Him:'Staying for a month?' - Me:Yes.
Him:'Going to Feilding?????????????' (there was definitely a query there)Me:Yes - it's near to Palmerston North which is nice.
Him: 'Have you been here before?' - Me: Yes (brand new passport - as it would have run out before 2 years was up.)

I knew he didn't believe a word I was saying. Three problems - I was alone, I was going to Feilding, where no tourists ever go, and I had a brand new passport.

Him: 'Can I see your return ticket?' I gave it to him. He was staring hard at his computer screen all the time. Then finally stamped my passport, but he really made me sweat.

So I went to the baggage collection and while I was waiting a female immigration person came up and asked if I was Mrs Castree and that there was a problem with my passport :eek :eek :eek :eek :eek :eek I nearly have heart attack. Followed her back - she checked my passport and the computer screen and said it was OK. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT. :booby :booby Trying to frighten me into a confession? I never,ever want to go through that again. Dave said I should have been honest with them and said I was going to meet my husband. I just don't know - but they let me in.

Transferred to domestic terminal and sat with Moorf and Woz for a while then went to the gate to get my flight to PN. Then they announced that it was cancelled and we should go and collect our luggage and report back to check in, this was 11:30 am. They said we could wait for the 4pm flight or go to Wellington, which was boarding in 5 minutes, and get bussed to PN. I went for the bussing option. So arrived at Wellington at about 1pm and bus was laid on for 2pm. My case had burst due to being overpacked. :roll: Eventually arrived in PN at 5pm just as the 4pm flight from Auckland was landing. :no

Welcome to NZ I thought.

But then Dave was there and you can imagine what a wonderful sight he was. :clap :clap :clap Took me back to our new house and WOW. The outside had just been repainted and it is probably the most beautiful house I have lived in (from the outside anyway). He is in the middle of constructing a fish pond and stream in the back garden which is humungous. The inside needs a bit of work doing on it. Wood-burner is brilliant and keeps the living area quite warm. The bedrooms are cold except for the two dormer bedrooms, which get the rising heat from downstairs. But a heater in our bedroom makes it nice and warm and can be put on a timer so it's warm in the morning.

Anyway, I'm going to go now before I bore the pants off everybody, and Dave says it's time for bed. ;) We have a lot to do tomorrow.

More soon

Sandra

[Tanya]

Sandra

You did it!! Well done :clap :clap

What a scary time at immigration - somehow they make you feel guilty even if you have done nothing wrong!!

Hope all goes well with you - enjoy!!

Tanya :angel

[Kim39]

Glad to see you arrived safely :clap :nice1 Bet you are totally :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Keep everyone informed on your experiences during this transition from hell to heaven :laugh. Am sure your missing Warrington already :laugh :yes

[susanlin]

Hi Sandra and Dave

Welcome to NZ! Gosh - what a horrid time you had with immigration - just the welcome you needed! I too had a nervewracking time when I visited last year. I was travelling with my 2 children, meeting my hubby in arrivals. As my son was walking ahead of me through passport control, this immigration officer shouted " Stop the boy!!" My son turned in alarm and I dropped my bag I jumped so much. The immigration officer then demanded to see the soles of his trainers - for dirt! She begrudging waved us through after a thorough examination, satisfied we were not a contamination threat to the environment! I was really upset at the way we were treated and intended to complain at the rudeness, but as soon as I got out of the airport and finally hit the road, I forgot all about it in my excitement at being in NZ!
Best wishes to you both - enjoy your new adventure! (Beats Warrington doesn't it? Mind you , I am so homesick I would love to be in Warrington right now to see my dear old Dad :( )

Sue

[Diny]

Blooming heck Sandra - just your luck.
Can't blame the officer for looking abit 'sus' when youmention Feilding ....... NOTHING happens in Feilding. We really are going to be neighbours !!!!!! Ashhurst is a hop skip and a jump from you.

The house sounds good, bet it's good to be back with Dave ;)

(An early night 'cos there's lots to do tomorrow ....... oh come off it !!!!).

By the way - PB was born in Fielding !!!!!!

Keep us posted.

Diny

[Raeven]

Hi, Sandra,

Can you believe you finally made it?? I guess you can, after what you were put through by the immigration dewd from hell!! I'm so glad it all turned out ok.

Thrilled to learn you love the house, but not surprised.. sounds like Dave knows your tastes and preferences. I can't wait to get a personal tour!!

Love your posts and can't wait to hear your next installment!! Congratulations on attaining your dream!!

All the best, Rae

[xanctus]

wow. good to hear that everybody arrived safely...but I must say. I am quite disturbed with most of immigration people did...however, maybe they just have to do their job eh? but I don't know, everytime I go pass immigration to every country always make me nervous (cause they may ask question that make you make a mistake or something) :uhoh :? :(

[Diny]

At 'Immigration Training Camp' they pull you to one side during your final week and give individual instruction on how to be a 'proper bas***d'.

Diny

[MelissaLG]

Dear Sandra,

Yay! :clap So glad you made it, and survived the bad scene with the immigration jerk :booby . Good on you for keeping your cool. :nice1

Your new home in Feilding sounds wonderful! I am definitely jealous of the fish pond....I have always wanted a fish pond! I may have to hire Dave to build me one! What can I bribe him with?? :laugh :laugh

Anyway, I can't wait for the time when we can get together....with Diny and PB in Ashurst, me in PN, and you and Dave in Feilding...plus I know SoCal Gal will also be in the area somewhere, well, we will just be a fine gang! :mrgreen:

Keep us posted!

Melissa

[SoCal Gal]

Alright, Sandra! You did it, girl! Way to go! You are HOME now and that's all that matters! I am just down the road about an hour (I think) My new town in March will be Otaki, can't wait to come up and see the fish pond! And see Melissa's doggies, and everyone else!
Good job and many congrats!
:cool

[Diny]

Hey folks ...... had some folks to come and view the house tonight.

They're coming back on Sunday and want to make us an offer !!!!!!

Yikes ....... Ashhurst here we come.

Diny

[Moorf]

WOOOOHOOOOOO :clap :clap :clap

[bbq]

Hey folks ...... had some folks to come and view the house tonight.

They're coming back on Sunday and want to make us an offer !!!!!!

Yikes ....... Ashhurst here we come.

Diny

way to go Diny

best of luck

alex :nice1 :nice1

[Diny]

Doing a very good impression of a headless chicken at the moment !!

Diny

[bbq]

Doing a very good impression of a headless chicken at the moment !!

Diny

I just toasted your luck over a nice glass of NZ wine...

added to Moorf and Sandra's postings & my status changing yesterday, I feel pretty optomistic all of a sudden
:D
cheers

alex

[veronica]

well done Sandra, glad everything is fine now. its funny how if you are an honest person people like customs officers etc always make you feel like you have done somethoing wrong, bet guilty people don't get that feeling.

[bbq]

its funny how if you are an honest person people like customs officers etc always make you feel like you have done somethoing wrong, bet guilty people don't get that feeling.

dead right Veronica

I used to travel weekly to Frankfurt and always seemed to get stopped. In the end I use to go to the declare channel and say "I have nothing to declare, but you would only stop me anyway" Guess what, they still looked through all my stuff.

I reckon my middle name must be "GUILTY"...

cheers

alex

[Diny]

You're right - there does seem to be a sudden splurge of good luck. However ... an offer is just an offer .... means nowt until dotted lines are signed and cash is in the bank.

However - every great journey started with a single step.

D'ya know - I think I may go and partake in a glass of vino too.

Chin chin old boy.

Diny

[Moorf]

:uhoh :uhoh I chatted up the customs officer - I'm an honest, nice person.. really I am !!! I always chat 'em up, ask silly girlie questions etc... works a treat.

I rarely get stopped, and if I do it's not for long - but I guess that's because they just want me to SHUT UP!!! :laugh :laugh

It's always worked for me... when going thru the MAF screening in Auckland I started chatting to the guy about how we had our hiking boots in the shower etc etc - he said "so you are confident they are clean, there's a huge fine if they're not"... I said "I'm so confident that you can open the case and check if you like" ... he said "Nah, off you go"..... :laugh :laugh

[lindajax]

Well done Sandra for keeping cool :cool I would have wet my pants!!!!! :laugh

Hope now that your back with dave that will be a distant memory to be filed away ond forgotten !!

Diny - well done getting offers !!
we've got offers and comin anyway :eek
Love
Linda x

[jesselyn]

welcome to NZ sandra! sorry to hear about your experience - hugs. maybe dave was right, you should have told them youre gonna join him... anyways, you cant turn back the hands of time :?. good thing, helen and warren were there with you :yes.

enjoy the reunion with dave ;)

jes :angel

[jesselyn]

hi diny,

good luck with the offer! :hopeso

jes :angel

[Pakeha Boy]

Huh, whats that? We got an offer?? :eek

[Michelle and Richard]

Hi Sandra, welcome at long long last, sorry about your traumas just what you need after a day on an aircraft.

Chatting up immigration officers eh Moorf, I know someone who did that recently in America he then asked her out on a date, when she refused he pulled her and the rest of the crew she was with to one side and grilled them all for an hour.

Sandra it must be lovely to arrive to a new home instead of a cold rental, enjoy, sit down with a glass of wine and toast your new life.

Michelle

[Moorf]

Hmmmm, I'm obviously not worth asking out on a date !! Either that or Woz looks more menacing than I thought :laugh :laugh

[robothamma]

Sandra,
I am so glad you got there ok and are finally back with Dave! :clap Didn't I just warn you about Auckland Immigration :eek I have now decided after reading your post it's us "Northerners" they don't like, now what have the "Southerners" been saying about us ? LOL :laugh :laugh :laugh :nice1

Kim
You had better watch out! Not only are you a Northerner, but a trucker as well!!! :nice1 :laugh :laugh :laugh

Me I'm just hoping Christchurch Immigration is a little friendlier! :hopeso :eek :nice1 :laugh

[Diny]

Pakeha Boy

Read your office e-mail !!!!!!!!!! That'll teach you for not phoning home more often.

Diny

[Moorf]

Ah, Christchurch Airport had a sign saying "No Northerners Beyond this Point"... :laugh :laugh :laugh

[Dave & Sandra]

Hi y'all

So glad to be home. :clap :clap

Kim/Susanlin - not missing Warrington one little bit. When are you getting over here Kim? :hopeso

Diny - Fancy PB being born here. We're in Camden Road - do you know it? Went to Dave's local, Murray's, tonight and met some Kiwi's that Dave has got to know. They were really friendly and welcoming. We went through Ashhurst today, which looks like a really nice town - it's been a lovely day, the first one. Dave drove me through the Manawatu Gorge and past the windmills and saw the snow covered volcano Rahepu (is that right?not sure) off in the distance - beautiful.

Allison - I went through Otaki on my marathon trip on the bus from Wellington to Palmy. About 40 minutes away. Looks like a very small, rural kind of town.

Rae - Drop in whenever you are up here - still not happy about the red walls in the living room :laugh Maybe you can get here for New Year if we manage to organise the barbie on the beach. Although I don't think Melissa will get here in time.

There's me and Dave, PB & Diny, Allison (SoCal Gal) - oh no March she just said, Moorf and Woz might be able to make it and whoever else makes it to this area. Maybe it will have to be an Easter barbie.

Michelle - even with the misgivings about Dave finding the house without me, I'm glad that he did and that I don't have to start looking for somewhere to live - just concentrate on making this house like home. It's taken away a lot of the hassle. Just as well we have similar tastes. :mrgreen:

And yes, I can confirm that Moorf sweet talked her way through the anything to declare bit. She is such a charmer, wish she had stood with me at the immigration desk - at least they were there to help calm me down afterwards. Thanks Moorf & Woz xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

:hopeso still for draw on Wednesday, hoping it stays at 100.

Good luck to all - Sandra

[Diny]

Wow Sandra

Reading about your driving through Ashhurst and the Manawatu Gorge made me feel really wierd. It's amazing that you've ended up in the same area as we will. Mt. Ruapehu is spectacular isn't it. You wait until you drive up the desert road - you'll get some amazing views. I don't know the street names of Fielding, but I can direct you right to the Warehouse - next door to Woolworths. If you sign up at the VideoEzy video rental shop be sure to say hello to the manager - his name is Graeham Foster and he's an old friend of PB's from years back. Say Mark Norrie says hello (his mum didn't christen him Pakeha Boy) :laugh

Will read your posts with great interest - keep them coming.

Diny

[jo b]

Sandra/Dave

I have just picked up on your 'experiences', Moorf's too. Keep posting them they are great read.

I am a bit worried about Moorf's comments (think it was moorf) That Christchurch had a sign saying no Northerners :laugh . We fly into CC on our 3rd holiday but our 2nd 'will we or won't we move trip'. :uhoh

Now where did I put my cockney rhyming slang book.
:laugh

Thanks for taking the time to keep us all posted.

Joanne

[Moorf]

Immigration Test at Chch Airport =

Repeat after me...

"The rain, in Spain, falls mainly on the plain"

:laugh :laugh :laugh