And so the Roller Coaster begins.......

eric_amanda

Today we are packing our things and finally moving in with Erics parents. This is the begining of our journey to NZ, although the last 6 mths have been a rollercoaster in themselves, this is the begining of the real journey.

We had our leaving party on Sunday and have been trying ever since to move so that we can organise everything for the removals company. They will be packing us up on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

We have invested in a Laptop, however from now on our internet connection will not be as regular and so we will not be able to keep up with the goings on here on the forum as we have in recent months (addiction!)

We will then fly out of Manchester on 11 Aug.

So for now, thank you to everybody here on the forum, without you all I'm not sure we would have made it this far so soon. And best wishes to everyone else with all of your plans, and we look forward to reading more when we are settled in Whangarei.

Take Care

Amanda & Eric

karltsmith · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:57 pm Post subject:

God speed and a fair wind to you both! Clapping

Timbo · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:10 pm Post subject:

All the very best for what is sure to be a wonderfull future in Nz.
It WILL all have been worth it. Clapping

abdul · I Like It Here Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 75

Hi Amanda and Eric

all the very best.
Hope that the ride is a smooth one.

One litttle tip
Buy one of the those UK main extension leads ( the rectangular ones on a lead that has about 4 or 6 plug points), and throw it in with your luggage.

When you reach NZ, chop off the UK type 13A plug and buy yourself a NZ plug ( about NZ$ 5) and connect it to the end. This means that you can still use some of the UK standard appliances (like your mobile chargers, shavers, lap top etc) witjhout buying a UK to NZ adaptors for each appliance.
These UK to NZ adaptors cost NZ$ 10. (The cheapest that I bought was from Mitre 10 )

Cheers

Abdul

michelle · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:37 pm Post subject:

Best wishes to you both, will look forward to hearing from you when you arrive.

Michelle

Lisa.C · I Like It Here Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 75

Amanda

Firstly thankyou so much for all your help and advice these last weeks Nice One

I wish you and your family the very best of luck in your new future Clapping

Also hope it won't be too stressful these last few weeks living with the inlaws Nutcase

Try to keep in touch and let us all know how you get on Yes

Lisa

Moorf · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:39 pm Post subject:

Amanda & Family - all the very best and please keep us informed... perhaps we'll meet at one of Kiwi's famous parties?!

Nice One

kiwidebs · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:27 am Post subject:

Good luck Eric and Amanda

I know I'm only new and haven't posted much (yet - be warned, lots to come yet!!). I just wanted to wish you luck with the move and hope it all goes smoothly. It gives me goose bumps to read threads with people actually doing what we hope to do in little over a year's time!! Look forward to hearing all your travel tales and hints and advice from someone who's 'been there, done that'!!

Debs

eric_amanda · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:26 am Post subject:

Wow

Thank you all for your kind words and good wishes.

Thanks abdul for your hot tip, although I must confess that Eric had already thought of it, but thank you anyway.

And Lisa, my mother-in-law has to be the best going so hopefully it should not be too stressfull!

Thanks again and we will let you know how we get on.

Best wishes to you all

Amanda & Eric

eric_amanda · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:09 am Post subject:

Hi all

Well we arrived at last on Friday. The flight with the three children could have been far worse than it was. We had some probs in the airports, particularly Singapore with lack of help and getting through security etc, but we made it!

We had a sticky moment in Auckland with an apple, but was let off with a friendly warning (the apple was supplied by the airline and had somehow made it into a carrier bag).

Eric's employers met us at the airport with two cars (we had 219kg of luggage!) then drove us up here to Whangarei. What a drive! They have found us a fabulous 3 bed fully furnished house in Kensington overlooking the sports centre (boy does it get busy) and Whangarei, and despite the weather we have been enjoying the outdoors, we even cooked on the BBQ the other night!

Have been busy this week, sorting things (unpacking took 2 days), looking @houses, and we have a car in our garage that I think we are intending to buy today (yes they let us bring it home!) although eric's employers have provided us with a car for a month but even so we are planning on buying two cars from the same place (haggle).

So all in all not a bad first week, although getting some things done with the children is hard work, just need to find somewhere now and then for them to let off steam!

We now have asic internet access and so will try and pop into the forum at bit more regularly fom now on and let you all know our experiences.

By the way, vegetables seem much more tasty here and bigger oh and we had steak and that was tasy too, even the fishfingers the children had last night tasted much nicer.

Amanda

Moorf · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:16 am Post subject:

Yay Welcome Back Amanda!!

Sounds like all is going well for you guys Clapping

keep us posted on progress!! Looks like you're off to a good start!

Nice One

Will be us soon.... Hmmm

michelle · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 6:58 am Post subject:

Good to hear from you, will look forward to reading more as you settle in.

Michelle

karltsmith · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject:

WELCOME TO GODZONE Happy NZ

From The Smiths cool

Junnifer USA · Testing The Water Joined: 15 Aug 2004 Posts: 6

I am new to the forum and have read some of your old postings through to your recent arrival. It is soooo exciting to me to hear about your successful hourney and the adventure of it all! I am in the US on the east coast
Would you answer a few questions:
1. DId you ship most of your furnishings? Are you glad you brought your own furniture? I hear that NZ furniture is expensive and not high quality. Do you find that to be true?
I am thinking of selling the kids beds here and rebuying in NZ.

2. Are kids afterschool extracurricular activities expensive? Music or Art or Tutoring?

3. Has the integration of your cildren into school been friendly and smooth?

COngratulations!!! I am so excited for you!

petersmit · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 1:35 am Post subject:

Bravo!

Maybe we will bump into you in Whangarei. We are due to leave Canada for Whangarei on 1st or 2nd of October. fingers crossed

My wife and I were able to visit Whangarei before we made our big decision. We were able to get our daughter accepted at Pompallier College. Both of us were impressed with the school.

Peter