New Zealand - That 6 months in post

Nicola

3rd March 2006, 10:51 AM

Hi all

Sorry I have not contributed as much as I did before we arrived in NZ. I do keep intending to but circumstances just take over.

It is now almost 6 months since we arrived in sunny Hawkes Bay, and they are not kidding. We have had more sunny days here in the six months than I had in the UK for the last couple of decades. All in all we love it here and have settled in OK. There are obviously gripes, there always are. But there are less here than I had in the UK, although we still have to get through a winter.

The kids have settled in to school and made loads of new friends. Kids are so much more friendly in Havelock than they were back in Berwick.

Peter is working away earning us some money.

I have joined a local patchwork and quilting group which is so friendly. I go to Yoga classes, very chilled. And I have just started Stain Glass evening glasses, something new for me. Unfortunatly there are no IT jobs on the horizon in Hawkes Bay, what a shame I will just have to spend the days sitting in the garden.

We have bought a house at last. I think we viewed every house in the area at least 3 times. Then we saw the one we have bought, I fell in love with it on the doorstep, and we put in an offer straightway. We will be moving at the end of April which seems a long way away. I will be so glad to get out of our rented house, even though we love it here, I just want to be in my own home.

:cheers Here is to the next six months, I am sure I will enjoy them as much as the first ones.

tigerlily

3rd March 2006, 11:02 AM

lovely home! congratulations!

Very glad that you have settled well, it warms the heart to hear these stories of people who have found a nice place for themselves.

jess

3rd March 2006, 11:16 AM

Thanks for the update! I especially like your new kitchen!!:clap

Diny

3rd March 2006, 12:28 PM

Nice house - hope you're very happy there. We were in Napier & Havelock North last weekend - very sunny & warm - lovely area.

Diny

Milliemoo

5th March 2006, 01:08 AM

willsken

5th March 2006, 04:28 AM

I love the size of your garden. How lovely to hear it really is very sunny - we are heading to Hawkes Bay and that was the reason we chose the area. :D

Nicola

5th March 2006, 07:22 PM

Hi Nic,

Great to hear from you.

Here's some questions to get you thinking....

1) What do you wish (if anything) you would have done differently before/after the move?
2) Did you have an idea of a household budget before you left and if so is it accurate to your new life?
3) Do you still see yourself in Hawkes Bay 5 years from now? Possible another part of NZ ?
4) What (if anything) has been a shock in NZ?
5) Where's your 1st holiday going to be?

Easy questions to answer

1 Coming here sooner or winning the lottery before we came.

2 No and it is much the same as in the UK, we tend to just muddle through. We tend to cut our cloth to fit our budget. And our live style has been better, but we have used up all our savings. Though we have gone from two salaries to just one.

3 We see ourselves here in 50 years time, at the moment we have no inclination to go anywhere else.

4 Our first holiday was to Wellington. We would also like to go to Australia and Japan. Peter is going to look after the kids for a week or two while I go backpacking around the south island with my best mate when she comes over. Yes I know that I am really far to old for backpacking, but never had the oppertunity(sp) when I was young.

Milliemoo

5th March 2006, 09:12 PM

Great !

* insert clapping smilies *

Milliemoo

katandbob

5th March 2006, 09:15 PM

Easy questions to answer

4 Our first holiday was to Wellington. We would also like to go to Australia and Japan. Peter is going to look after the kids for a week or two while I go backpacking around the south island with my best mate when she comes over. Yes I know that I am really far to old for backpacking, but never had the oppertunity(sp) when I was young.

He he .your neva 2 old :D We didnt do anything so exciting when we were young...too busy changing nappies, but then again they say life begins at 40, and mine sure got more interesting...cant wait for 41!!

Kat :raebanana

wendywolf

12th March 2006, 07:27 PM

Hello there,
Im 44 soon to be 45 and will be backpacking by myself from April 21st to June 21st. May even bungee on my 45th if I can find the right place to do it. I had looked into bus tours but they all seem very young oriented pub crawling adventures. I opted for homestays and farmstays and no particular bus route.

Let the good times roll..at any age!

Wendy :cheers

" Yes I know that I am really far to old for backpacking, but never had the oppertunity(sp) when I was young.[/QUOTE]"

Smiler

12th March 2006, 07:38 PM

Yeeehayyyyy!! Go Wendy, go Wendy :nice1

Welcome to the forum and the rollin' good times :raebanana:raebanana