thepiesleys
17th December 2006, 08:38 PM
well, where to start? apart from a few hurried posts at the local library we have not had a chance to post, both because of net access and because lack of time/energy.
a few thank you's are in order - to gill and steve - your welcome pack of grocery essentials was very kind and useful with my ever hungry sons (especially the tim tams) Thank you to Babette for supplying toys for my youngest, that was a really thoughful and welcome gesture - and a big thank you to Sal (jub -jub) for inviting me to several outings to meet with people and making me feel a lot less like 'billy no mates!' and lastly to our new neighbour Wally an 86 yr old kiwi who gives us rhubarb and is teaching my 8 yr old to grow grapes, tomatoes and pumpkin - a real star!
All of the above have helped after our initial shakey start, what with delays at every opportunity on our already marathon journey, it took us 30 hours of travel time to get here, not to mention electric storms! as a lot of you can appreciate with 3 kids it was knackering to say the least.
Our youngest son (2 1/2) was very ill the day after landing, the worst he has ever been, so we had to find a doc. and spent 3 days fretting terribly, on the fourth day he was happliy bouncing away on the trampoline at the motor lodge and demanding cheese on toast! - kids! -
Being behind with our search for a house and a car we convinced ourselves we were going to be in the lodge at christmas, welcome as we were made, this was not something to lookforward to. When we found a house we liked and could afford to rent it had either gone already or was not available until late Dec or Jan. We received a tip off from a friendly estate agent about the house we now have, it didn't make the press before we snapped it up. It is a decent build, but a little more than we wanted to pay in rent and although in a lovely area, we think rather too quiet and too much like England albeit the nicer parts, to be much of an adventure, so we may move sooner rather than later. It was never our intention to stay in Auckland, don't want to be a JAFA as my kiwi friends at home say.
Rather than log reams and reams of stuff already covered on here i am just gonna list some observations so far
Food, fine, not really much choice in supermarkets and some of the addities and salt contents are a bit scary but on the whole o.k
Beer - too chilled and too fizzy! although OH likes lion red i think it is more like lager than beer, i have taken to drinking wine, which is very good value and a decent quality (am in danger of turning into a bit of a lush actually, drinking most evenings!)
Who stole christmas?! ( not necesserily a bad thing?)
Very clean, tidy, pleasant but strangely empty streets.
Lots and lots of sporting activities for the boys - FREE SWIMMING - at the local (Lloyd Ellsmore)
Generally people seem calmer and more accepting of each other, i did not have enough money at the check out, no-one tutted or stomped to next que just smiled and waited!!
weather - just like home, four seasons in one day!
Second hand furniture is expensive and not good quality, however we have bought some really good stuff in garage sales which i find good fun.
i wasn't really prepared for just how much stuff there was still to sort when we got here and also not prepared for how lost i sometimes feel (emotionally and practically!) not to mention how nervous i get at chipandpin when my card does not work, or i dont know where to post a letter, buy a duvet etc, etc,
this moving country lark really is a test of character.
All in all i like what i have seen so far, NZ is truely a beautiful part of the world, we went up to murewi beach, wow what a rugged,spectacular bit of nature, and i love the way the kiwis say hey, or ey all the time when they are speaking!
I'll stop waffling now as i am not sure i am making sense any more!! but will toast NZ once more before i sign off :cheers :cheers or maybe twice more!!
Sue
a few thank you's are in order - to gill and steve - your welcome pack of grocery essentials was very kind and useful with my ever hungry sons (especially the tim tams) Thank you to Babette for supplying toys for my youngest, that was a really thoughful and welcome gesture - and a big thank you to Sal (jub -jub) for inviting me to several outings to meet with people and making me feel a lot less like 'billy no mates!' and lastly to our new neighbour Wally an 86 yr old kiwi who gives us rhubarb and is teaching my 8 yr old to grow grapes, tomatoes and pumpkin - a real star!
All of the above have helped after our initial shakey start, what with delays at every opportunity on our already marathon journey, it took us 30 hours of travel time to get here, not to mention electric storms! as a lot of you can appreciate with 3 kids it was knackering to say the least.
Our youngest son (2 1/2) was very ill the day after landing, the worst he has ever been, so we had to find a doc. and spent 3 days fretting terribly, on the fourth day he was happliy bouncing away on the trampoline at the motor lodge and demanding cheese on toast! - kids! -
Being behind with our search for a house and a car we convinced ourselves we were going to be in the lodge at christmas, welcome as we were made, this was not something to lookforward to. When we found a house we liked and could afford to rent it had either gone already or was not available until late Dec or Jan. We received a tip off from a friendly estate agent about the house we now have, it didn't make the press before we snapped it up. It is a decent build, but a little more than we wanted to pay in rent and although in a lovely area, we think rather too quiet and too much like England albeit the nicer parts, to be much of an adventure, so we may move sooner rather than later. It was never our intention to stay in Auckland, don't want to be a JAFA as my kiwi friends at home say.
Rather than log reams and reams of stuff already covered on here i am just gonna list some observations so far
Food, fine, not really much choice in supermarkets and some of the addities and salt contents are a bit scary but on the whole o.k
Beer - too chilled and too fizzy! although OH likes lion red i think it is more like lager than beer, i have taken to drinking wine, which is very good value and a decent quality (am in danger of turning into a bit of a lush actually, drinking most evenings!)
Who stole christmas?! ( not necesserily a bad thing?)
Very clean, tidy, pleasant but strangely empty streets.
Lots and lots of sporting activities for the boys - FREE SWIMMING - at the local (Lloyd Ellsmore)
Generally people seem calmer and more accepting of each other, i did not have enough money at the check out, no-one tutted or stomped to next que just smiled and waited!!
weather - just like home, four seasons in one day!
Second hand furniture is expensive and not good quality, however we have bought some really good stuff in garage sales which i find good fun.
i wasn't really prepared for just how much stuff there was still to sort when we got here and also not prepared for how lost i sometimes feel (emotionally and practically!) not to mention how nervous i get at chipandpin when my card does not work, or i dont know where to post a letter, buy a duvet etc, etc,
this moving country lark really is a test of character.
All in all i like what i have seen so far, NZ is truely a beautiful part of the world, we went up to murewi beach, wow what a rugged,spectacular bit of nature, and i love the way the kiwis say hey, or ey all the time when they are speaking!
I'll stop waffling now as i am not sure i am making sense any more!! but will toast NZ once more before i sign off :cheers :cheers or maybe twice more!!
Sue