[Babette & Andy]

SORRY SORRY SORRY :o - for not posting much of late. Hope my congratulations, well done and welcome messages have come through to many of you by means of 'telepathy'. We've been 'a bit' busy of late because:-

WE FLY OUT TO NZ ON THE 6TH OF MARCH :raebanana :raebanana

After the many house selling horror stories I've read over the past 17mths I didn't want to tempt fate by telling you all of our update too soon. But (hoping that I'm not tempting fate now), as it's only 4 weeks before we go so I thought it was about time to tell you all what's been happening here.

We got an offer on our house 3 weeks before Christmas (been on the market 7mths) from the people at No 22, we're No 36 (mad I know - but we're not telling them!!) We're now in the final stages before exchange, which is likely to be next week, and completion should be 1st March.

Have decided to go with GB Liners who will pack on 24,27,28th Feb (see thread in other section) and will say a few prayers when all our stuff leaves us.

Staying at a friends house (they'll be on holiday) for a few days whilst all this is going on, and then at the inlaws for 2nts. Booked Singapore Airlines direct for the 6th of March (VERY good online prices) staying at Manchester Airport Hilton for our last night in the UK, and after a wonderful 6 days of relaxing at the Rasa Sentosa resort we'll be landing in Auckland on Monday 13th March.

Been very hard making the decision of Auckland and not our first choice Christchurch. Andy's been over for 2 job hunting trips, and in his line of work (IT Project Mgr) there simply isn't that much going on in Christchurch. He's made some excellent contacts though, and even at the last minute if something does come up in ChCh we can still change. But as things stand AKL will be the place we'll call home when we first get to NZ. Booked into a Motel near Ali & Linda, and no doubt will get together with many other expat forumites once we're there.

Well that's all for now. Have lists and lists of things to do (Andy is currently washing my car :yes ready to take a picture for in the Autotrader).

For now, please send some positive vibes our way and hope that the next 4 weeks go off without a hitch. See some of you at our last NW meet on the 18th.

Hugs
Babette, Andy, Lianne & Amy Edwards

[willsken]

Wonderful news. Very please for you all. Hope everything runs smoothly for you. :nice1

[jocalla]

GREAT NEWS!!!! :raebanana

[K&CS]

Fantastic news. You fly the day we arrive in Christchurch. I know what you mean about not wanting to jinx things - I'm sure it will all go through very smoothely for you.

Kate x

[katandbob]

:raebanana :raebanana

Babette, Andy, Lianne & Amy

Congrats to all, we can celebrate on the 18th, wish we could go earlier, but I am sure the time will fly once I have finished work and am sorting the wedding plans out and spending quality time with Cole (then I will probably wish it to go slower! :( )

kat

[gil]

Babette and Andy, that is such brilliant news! Refills me with optimism for our own sale.
Well doe you guys, and who knows, we might be with you in Auckland very soon!
All the very best,
Gil
xx

[StevieD]

Well done you lot! So the flag will be signed then, about time too!! Will see you at the Mascrat on the 18th then??

[zardell]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

Excellent news - well done you.

See you all on the 18th.

Julie

xx

[Miggy]

Well done and I'm sure all will work out fine - see you on the 18th and I'll be bugging Andy for any IT contacts he's happy to pass on :-)

[Howie]

That's such good news! :raebanana
We're hoping to book our tickets this week and are looking at a similar time frame. And we're going to Auckland too. It's so exciting and stressful at the same time isn't it?
Congratulations on the big move.

Susan

[Albertz]

Excellent news :nice1 :nice1 , we'll hopefully be on our way too in early april all going well, all our fingers XXXX :raebanana

[Smiler]

Babette, Andy and girls,

We are so pleased for you. :nice1:clap:raebanana

This has been a long time coming and everything will now go to plan for you. Enjoy the next few weeks and we are looking forward to seeing your NZ posts.


Deborah & Gary

PS the kettle is always on if you do pass through here. :laugh

[Marie P]

Finally !!!

I always felt bad that we kind of rushed past you in the final stages .

But you are coming now , :raebanana

Best wishes for your last ,crazy weeks :nice1

See you over here guys .

Marie ,Dave ,Ellen ,Joe and Louise .

[Diny]

Fantastic news !!! Have sent you a P.M.

Well you've waited a long time for this - and had some amazing 'ups and downs' on the way. Enjoy it.

Try not to worry too much about changing your initial location. I'm a great believer in putting in a few hard yards when you first arrive - heading for a different location to what you had initially decided upon will work well for you. Go where the work is, get a few months under your belt, then start making a few decisions regarding where you really 'want' to be. 7 months in the Manawatu has done us proud, now it's time for us to start looking at pastures new - it'll work for you too.

Pity you're not here a few days earlier and you could have joined us for the Taupo meeting !!!

Good luck for the next 4 manic weeks - you'll be right.

See you soon.

Diny

[Dazza]

Wahoooo :raebanana another NW crew member on there way, will there be room on this flag after the meet :cheers

Well done and good luck.

Daz, Wendy & Luke

[Debbie]

Well done you. Hope the next few weeks go smoothly for you. Enjoy.
Debbie

[Suzy Rimbo]

Hey!

How great it is to hear that every thing as finally come together for you guy's and your on your way, :raebanana :clap

You have had a lot to deal with this last few months I know, but you have been so patient and stayed positive the whole time and finally it has paid off for you.

I cant wait to see you all again, I'm sure if you settle near Ali & Linda even if it's short term, you will love it.

Keep in touch, I hope the flight and your holiday goes real well.

Take care

Love Suzy x

[Babette & Andy]

Thanks guys for all the good luck wishes - really means a lot.

For all of you out there that are wondering (like we were!) when it's their turn - hang in there and it will happen!! Will keep you posted these next 4 weeks, as I start to loose the final bits of sanity that remain . . .

Babette

[Kim39]

Excellent news Babette. The final piece of the jigsaw is in place and the last of the original NW crew makes their way here. :clap Good luck for the next 4 weeks and i'm sure it won't go belly up for you.

Kim

[KD17]

Just read your excellent news - many congrats :raebanana :raebanana

I hope all goes smoothly for you.

Best wishes


Keith & Debby

[tigerlily]

Babette-

congratulations!

and I don't think it's so crazy that they live down the street and are buying your house- it just means, you kept it up well and they already know the neighborhood and love it!

When we sold a house a few years ago we had 2 offers- one from someone who lived 2 streets away and one from a person in another state. We decided on the person who lived close because because we knew for sure that they knew what they were getting- real estate is all about location.

Good luck on the coming move!

[Babette & Andy]

Things have gone from madly hectic to insane in a matter of days:-

The completion date on our house has changed from 1st March to 24 Feb, which means the shippers are coming a few days earlier (middle of half term). It was this date or not till 11th March, which as we've got flights booked for the 6th was not really convenient.

I'm still working till 17th Feb, as I was afraid of handing in my notice too soon incase house sale fell through. Could really do without this now though.

Andy put our cars on the Autotrader website last Wednesday and this morning has sold both our cars :clap full asking price for both, and both accepted that we need to keep hold of them till 20 Feb (will have to rent one after that). I've put up loads of posters selling baby/toddler items and did a table top (like car boot but inside) sale this morning. Bit dissappointing, only came away with £30 but better than throwing things away.

Busy weekends coming up:- I've paid for my sister to fly over from Holland next weekend, as she's not making the move till around September time to NZ. Also have our final NW meet to attend (to sign THE flag), kiddies birthday party on Sunday, and Andy's going to see his beloved Stoke City play a FA cup tie for the final time with some of his mates.

Then the hectic week of half term, shippers, house completion followed on Saturday 25th by our leaving party - Phhewww :exit Soooo much to do, sooooo looking forward to our break in warm Singapore when these next 3 weeks are over.

Anyway, I'm rambling, which is how my mind is working at the moment. Knowing that so many of you have already gone through what we're doing now, and have made it to the other end, is of great support.

Thanks for reading and for all your messages of support :nice1

Babette

[jess]

Wow. Best of luck Babette! Soon it will all over on the UK end. I hope it goes very smoothly for you!!

:nice1

Jessica

[Singel]

Yipeeeee.................... :raebanana

Wahoo...................... :raebanana

Babette and Andy,

GOOD LUCK and a smooth transition to this part of the world :nice1

:clap

[K&CS]

Babette

I can relate so much to what you're saying. We move out next Thursday (nowhere near sorted) and we've got all sorts of visitors/sleepovers/half term etc going on. Still, it's exciting, isn't it? I'm so glad I've got my best friend, red wine to keep me calm!

Good luck - try not to panic! It'll all work out!

Kate x

[kiwidollie]

Hi Babatte

So glad for you that you'll soon be making the move. We know how you are feeling at the moment because we're in the same boat! Shippers are in Wed and Thur of this week and house sale completes on Friday - we've got our leaving 'do' on Friday night and then we're in temporary digs until we fly out on Friday 24th Feb. It's so exciting isn't it but also scary and there is just so much to think about and so many balls to keep in the air.

We've only got we've only got 14 hours in Singapore so we'll be doing a whistle stop tour - lucky you to have a nice relaxing break - enjoy!

See you on the other side.

Alison, Neil, Sam and Rosie x

[K&CS]

Alison, you're almost on the same timescale as us. We've got packers in on Wednesday and Thursday but we don't fly till 27th. Is everything mad there? I spoke to Wendy this morning (of Wendy and Dazza fame) who flies a day after us but is moving out today and she sounded pretty calm. Really weird times....

Sorry, Babette - don't want to hijack your thread, but by the sounds of it you'll be too busy to notice!! Bet you can't wait to finish work.

Kate

[PaulandHelen]

Hi Babbette,
Ive just read all the posts for this thread and its quite entertaining how it starts with the flights are booked, the shippers are coming etc followed by the wishes of good luck for the future, which i would like to include us in by the way, followed by a a post saying o my god ,date for completion has changed ,shippers date has changed, i'm still at work and everything has gone ballistic!!!!
I feel for you and the pressure you must be under but i have to say this thread has made me smile and i don't think there is any other way to start this adventure! i am a firm believer in having to know both sides of a coin and if at was all easy i don't think it would be the same.
We wish you the very best of luck for the coming weeks and the challenges of your new life, you'll be fine.
P+H

[kiwidebs]

Hi Babette

Good luck with the shippers and all. I know what you mean about things suddenly going mad - we went from believing we were going to have to put the house back on the market and booking a long weekend in Rome before doing so, to suddenly having a long weekend in Rome in the middle of packing up the house. We had five days in Rome in the middle of the 10 days we had between exchange and completion!! Madness. We arrived back on the Tuesday evening, were up till 3am sorting stuff in the house, then the shippers/packers arrived the next morning at 7.30am. They were amazing. Had all the house (apart from some curtains and the beds/bedding) packed by 2.30 that day, the next day they arrived at 7.30 again, had all our stuff down to the ground floor by 9.30 - the crate arrived at 10.15 and left by 11.45.
We are flying Singapore on the 7th March (so won't be far behind you) - are you stopping over? We're stopping for five days with friends who live there.
In the meantime we're living out of suitcases, moving from friend's places to hotels, to in-laws. I'm now living in Plymouth with the kids and the in-laws and Mark is working up in London, staying at a friend's flat during the week, and back at the weekend.
Hope it all goes well for you and I wish you luck with the packing up etc. Let us know how you get on.

Debs

[Babette & Andy]

Wow, so many of us going around the same dates!! It's sort of helping to know (in a perverse kind of way ;) ) that there are many of us going through the same madness.

Wendy & Dazza - so looking forward to seeing you on Saturday - please leave some pudding for us this time :laugh

Kate - wow you're upto your neck in things too, hang in there!

Alison - it's all happening for you guys - hope you're getting some help from your teenagers!

Debs - wow we're going to be in S'pore at the same time. We fly out one day before you, and will be there for 6 days (flying out on Sun 21.00hrs to AKL what about you). We're having a wonderful holiday at the ShangriLa Rasa Sentosa resort - maybe we can meet up somewhere? Planning on doing a night safari whilst there. Let me know or PM me.

Anyway, at work at the moment (feels very surreal to be here as sooooo much to do at work).

Hang in there fellow forumites, and thanks so much for all the words of encouragement :clap

Babette

[katandbob]

Well see you at the meet, we'll sign the flag, and have some 'cake' and you can give me some tips on how to spot bad estimators for when I do the rounds in April :o

hope its not to hectic....see you Saturday

Kat

[Pamela]

Wow Its all happening for you, So pleased for everyone thats going in March and there seems to be lots of you,

Wont be many left here soon, Yipeeeeeeeeeee we all say, NZ is heading for one hell of a Party when we all get out. Goodluck with all the mad things that you have to do, Emotions must be all over the place but so worth it,

I am sure that lots of people on flights out to NZ must look around on the plane and think is he going for good is she going for good everyone looking out for forum members we should all wear name tags in flight, LOL.

Pam