[Paul and Linda]

Hello everyone, it's been a while but I am finally back, just got my PC set up at work (it's my first day today), and head is still spinning esp at work, so just a quick note to say hi and that we are all fine and loving every minute here in new plymouth. We are in a motor lodge until the end of the month when we will be moving into a rental, got our cars (expensive, but nice) and kids are both into school.

Missing our stuff (esp my x box! no comments please) and feeling the withdrawal symptoms from all that is british/home. We're not homesick as such but we are completely freaked at how different every single thing seems to be!

Our stuff isn't getting here until 25 november (not impressed with Crown this far!) so I can get back onto the forum in full swing then.

Well, off to lunch!

Hope you are all doing well

Paul

[Smiler]

Hi Back!

Good to hear you again and glad you are doing well. 1st day at work/school/new country is always head spinning but sounds like you are settling in nicely.

No comments on the x box, except what is a x box?:laugh

How long is your container taking then?? Or do I wanna know? Ours is on the Bangkok Express and I'm sure there is a lie in one of those words.

Take care. Look forward to hearing how you are settling in with the rental etc.

D&G

[Diny]

Good to hear from you. So howcome you changed your destination to New Plymouth? Nice place though eh.

Keep us posted - and hope you feel more settled soon.

Diny

[Cardiff Irons]

Hey Paul, I was just saying to Gil the other day (on our way back from the Expo) "we haven't heard anything from Paul lately". We hoped no news was good news.

Glad to hear that you're enjoying life and hope you settle down as quickly as possible. Right, I'm off to play on my X Box.:D

[kiwidebs]

Hi Paul

Good to hear things are going well in New Plymouth. Have the kids settled into school ok? Can't believe your stuff is still so far off - I thought it only took six weeks to get to NZ!!
Nice to have you back on the forum. Look forward to hearing more once you are fully PC'd up (and recovered from your x-box withdrawal and reacquaintance!! :laugh ).

Debs

[jewelsvani]

Hi Paul and Linda

I have short listed new plymouth as an area I would love to live in, what are your opinions of the place? Did you find it easy to find work there? Good luck with it al hope it goes well for you. :)

[jubjub]

Yay, you made it.

If you miss your Xbox that much, you may just have to nip down the local arcade, just take the kids with you as an excuse... :D

[Kim39]

Glad to see that someone else has landed and seems to be enjoying every moment:nice1 Keep us all posted as the days and weeks go by.

Feel for you when you say Missing our stuff (esp my x box! no comments please) as this is going to be hard for me with the PC not being to hand, espeicially since i have just bought the game FIFA manager 06 and am totally addicted:laugh

Enjoy your new lives folks.

Kim

[Moorf]

you may just have to nip down the local arcade

... or the library - many of the Chch ones have Xbox and Playstation so assume the ones up north may have too :nice1 - and it's free :D - but you may have to play Rayman or Nemo :laugh

[StevieD]

Well done guys! Keep us posted.

Kim - Ron Basset - England manager!! :) Love it, jumpers for goalposts....

[mechidna]

I can sympathise about your x-box. I actually packed my PS2 and brought it on the plane with me, as well as a couple games to keep me occupied. Hang in there!

Michele

[sweetpea]

... or the library - many of the Chch ones have Xbox and Playstation so assume the ones up north may have too :nice1 - and it's free

OK, that is just about the coolest thing ever. Xboxes at the library ...

[Paul and Linda]

Thanks everyone, we decided on New Plymouth right at the last minute based on a better job offer and also a fair bit of internet viewing to get some views of the place.

In our opinion it is absolutely gorgeous. As I drive around the mountain every day going to work, I can't help but laugh out loud at how magnificent it looks and how lucky we are to live here.

The job I have is with Shell, so I cant comment much on other employment prospects but the town looks pretty prosperus.

The beaches (black sand) are fantastic and we picked a hatfull of mussels at the weekend (under guidance from an old chap we met on the beach). They were fantastic.

Been for a company melanoma chackup this morning as even though it is only spring the sun is furious here at the mo (not like last week with asll the rain....which was still nice compared to UK rain (I think its the way that most of it comes down during the night and the daytime stuff is intermittent.

We called down to Palmerston North last weekend (sorry we didn't arrange anything chaps but we didn't have decent internet access (the PC at the hotel is completely pants)) and got an incredible blast from hailstones while we sheltered in macdonalds. We went down as someone told us that there were cheaper cars there than here, but we didn't find that the case at all.

We stayed at the camelot lodge (very nice rooms)for a night. I will be back in Palmy in December for a Holden driving course (at the racetrack?) so we could meet up then for a pint.

I thought the town was great, very busy and friendly and the square was a lot bigger than I thought it was from looking at the web camera.

Anyway, better do some work, speek soon

all the best