Pastor Flaps

Just a quick update to say how we are getting on

We are having a great time in NZ following our few days in Australia. Brisbane was a clean and modern small city which I think most people would like. We went to Auz Zoo on Wednesday and one of my wifes dreams come true. The zoo a good size with each enclosure more than being enough for each animal.
I have got a new hobby now having bought a digery doo.
I flew my power kite on morton island in Brisbane and after it had been up for about 3 mins it was attacked by a rare pelican. I had to land it straight away in the sea, otherwise I would have sliced the bird in two. Which would not have been good for murdering a protected animal in Australia.

We have got a hire car for the next 22 days to get us around the island.
Yesterday we went looking at houses and to generally get a feel for the area we are staying in for the next week, our home is a motel which is better than our house. It has two rooms, a large kitchen dinner and lounge. We have under floor heating and a large corner jet bath. The motel is only 12 months old and kitted out for corporate use. It also has a swimming pool which we hope to use tomorrow. Cost is $180 per night which I know is a little high but well worth it having 2 small children.

Its hard to believe I finished my job over a week ago. I feel like I am on holiday from work and will be going back when we return to the uk. Everything is all a little surreal right now, with many pinch me days to see if we are dreaming and trying to get our heads around what could be home. For research for my interview next Wednesday, I have been in 4 supermarkets today and they are not of the same standard of the UK. The are more like Kwik Save / Asda/ and some old Tesco. The are ok and have a basic range of products, but that is really all people need.

Our plan for where to visit in NZ changes daily and we make time to visit Queensland and Christchurch. So bungee could be on the cards!!!

If anyone needs any specific info whilst we are over here, please do ask and we will help were we can.

Weather is good today so its off for some more visiting of pastures new.

Will keep you updated when we can from.

Paul and Family

Gra.B

Cheers Paul, liked the kite flying story!

Would love to hear about Queenstown if you make it there,

Enjoy the trip,
Gra..

Akaubear

Glad to hear you're having a good time! I guess you've tried out good old Pac 'n Save (the NZ equivalent of Kwik Save….) If you feel homesick for Tesco, they often have Tesco's own brand cleaning stuff in the Warehouse!

Maybe we’ll bump into you on Saturday too!

Nicola.

Don

Hi Paul, glad you're enjoying it, don't foget the turning left driving rule (give priority to oncoming traffic turning right!)

Any thoughts on Christchurch welcome as we'll hit town in a few weeks.

tinaj

Great to hear that all is going well - keep us updated with your progress.

cinderella

Hi there,

You must go to Queenstown. It is fab, you will all love it.

hevs

Hi, its good to hear of your progress, keep us posted

Itchyfeet

Wow! It must be sooo exciting for you all!
Good luck! Enjoy!!

sully4441

Oh dear only back two weeks and now we're discussing whether we want a new house, an old house or built from scratch. Can't remember feeling the same about Spain. LMS

GetMeOutOfHere

Lucky sods

Great to have regular updates of your travels and truthful observations.

Could let us know more about the motel accomadation, could be handy for myself with little uns like yourselves.

Thanks for finding the time to post Paul

Pastor Flaps

First its competition time

The following slogan is advertising a service / product in New Zealand. "Show Us Your Crack"
For those living in NZ will know what this, so hold back and leave those in the UK to guess. This did make us laugh..

Well since we last wrote we have been traveling lots around the area of Auckland looking at several Townships including Papakura, Drury, PukeKohe, Waiuku. We traveled to the top of a peninsula to several lovely bays and beaches and took loads of photo's which we will bore you with on our return.

We have had a tour around Auckland City with friends, with a trip to Mount Eden which has 360 degree views across the whole of Auckland. Its free so saves money from going up the Sky tower. The city is smaller than we expected, but very clean with a sailing theme very obvious..
On Monday we went to Hamilton which is 1hr 30 from Auckland. This could be a possible place to live, as the price of houses is much lower with more bang for your buck, more land and rooms for the price. Hamilton has an English feel and is more suited to families rather than couples. Its very nice and the best area we have seen so far.

Top news in New Zealand at the moment is Flatulence tax, a convoy was underway with farmers moving through the Auckland region to protest the Government's proposed flatulence tax. Farting from Cows and Sheep is the biggest contributor to the emissions problems they have. The Welsh government may catch on to this soon.

Some must haves we found so far are, Top Loader washing machines. At first we thought they were a little behind in the times, but all those that have moved over from the uk, would not switch back to a front loader. Electric garage Doors are also a must. As nearly all houses have a double garage it would be too much effort to get out of your car and open that big door, so they have a switch in the car. Fuel is a third of the price in the uk. The cordial is awful, however much you try and mix it with water, it really is bad. Ribena is 6 pounds a bottle so we are drinking orange juice and bottled water. Jamie Oliver is massive over here and in Auz. He has his own TV series aswell as Jamies Kitchen. He sponsors certain products and people love him. Internet connections are a lots slower out here.

Today I have my interview and I have been able to meet up with 2 families who have moved over with Progressive to get an insight into what I need to know and what they may ask.

On Thursday we leave Auckland to go traveling around New Zealand. We are going to the Coromandel, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington. We then go to Nelson in the south Island for 4 days staying with a family Juliet has made contact with. We then fly back upto Auckland to meet up with some friends and review the job situation. We are hoping to travel to the top tip of the North Island when it will have hopefully got a little warmer. Weather at the moment is between 14 - 16, although it will be a lot colder in the south island.

The kids are still being fantastic and very patient. It is hard mixing traveling and meeting people with fun for the two of them.

We have found everyone to be very helpful and friendly. They help you in shops when your just looking around and have found that people seem to do all their shopping during the week thus freeing up their weekends to do as they wish and also the shops on a Saturday are closed half day and most of the towns have a 5.30pm feel to them, there's just no one around, its very different.

One honest comment would be that the buzz and excitement around coming to NZ and the thougt of living here seems to have gone or been reduced. We dont know if its becasue its winter, or that the mountains are similar to what we were used to living in Wales 4 years ago. We have only seen Auckland so it is very early days to make a decsion or judgement, but these are our feelings right now. Everyone we have met has said that they would never go back to then uk and that they love it. We dont feel ike that right now.

Well that's all folks for now, we will write again soon.

Watt Dabney

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pastor Flaps
First its competition time

The following slogan is advertising a service / product in New Zealand. "Show Us Your Crack"
For those living in NZ will know what this, so hold back and leave those in the UK to guess. This did make us laugh..

That ad makes me laugh every time. I think its so funny. The other i had heard of (but not seen) was a poster ad for a drain rodding service which said "if your shit don't flow, call vidpro" brilliant!

The cordial is crap, I have taken to giving the kids more juice but have found Rose's cordials here in my local countdown. Lime and blackcurrant which is cheaper than Ribeana but just as nice.
Auto garage doors are great, kids like opening the door in time for dad as he rolls up on his motorbike.

Glad you are having a good time, although it can be a little stressfull and tiring. Give it time before you feel like you want to stay, you have to put down some roots before it starts to feel even slightly like home.

If i can be of any help just PM me,

Paula

Don

Don't forget to time your trip to Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel peninsula - just after high tide is best, then you can build your spa as the tide goes out. Maybe in winter not so crowded. But should still be warm enough when you're in your spa (too hot if you are in slightly the wroing spot!)

southerner

Thanks for the post - its good to hear your first impressions.

Like many I suspect the massive excitement you felt before your move has made it difficult for NZ to live up to all your expectations. See how you feel after another couple of weeks.

The best of NZ's mountains are far away from where you have so far been, and even in your travels to Rotorua and Nelson you will only glimpse 'average' NZ mountains. The really dramatic ones are found from Arthurs Pass (about level with Christchurch) down to the bottom of the South Island.
In fact kiwis would not seriously call anything in the north island a mountain except for Mts Taranaki, Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe (ie the ones that have snow cover throughout the winter).

With all respect to Wales' mountains, they are completely different to the Southern Alps.

Enjoy your travels, and please keep us posted of what you find and think.

jajpe

Hi Paul and family - really glad things are going well so far and thanks for taking time out on your holiday to keep in touch with us at home!! Great to hear your first impressions and I think a lot of people will identify with your initial loss of excitement in NZ!!

To be honest I really disliked my first couple of days in Christchurch. I kept saying to my husband that I really felt it wasn't what I had been expecting and that I thought our experience would be a holiday and nothing more. I actually felt really upset about it as I knew my husband had his heart set on going there to live and I felt panicky that I wasn't going to like it and I would end his dream! I think no matter how we try it is impossible not to have preconceived ideas about the place and in your head its hard not to wish for paradise!!

What I'm saying, (before I bore you to death!) is give yourself time. Try not to force yourself to like it but more just soak the place in and see if it doesn't get under your skin!! It certainly did for me and I can tell you exactly where!! I was standing at the edge of lake Tekapo on a perfect sunny day with slightly snow covered alps in the background and I just fell in love!!

Don't worry about the buzz wearing off. I think you'll come home with different ideas of what NZ is really like but buzzing just the same!! Just try to make the most of everyday and try not to analyse your feelings too deeply just yet!!

O.K. I'll stop raving now, but please keep in touch with the forum when you can and take care with all the travelling!! All the best,