Dewb09

Finally have got around to doing an update

We arrived on August 11th and headed for a well earned holiday in Nelson with the In laws, which was fantastic Sorted a NZ driving licence, activated bank account, bought a car & joined local library, all rather painless. Enjoyed being back in Nelson wished we could have stayed but no go on the job front for hubster.

So took ferry over to Welly on 2nd September to begin our new life. Not a smooth crossing so was feeling quite queasy at times but I am bit of a wimp with motion sickness though.Still cant believe it takes 3 HOURS to cross I had visions of it being similar to going to the Isle of white

We currently are staying in our holiday rental up on the Kapiti coast (furnished) which we had booked from the UK via bookabach, has turned out to be fine, well equipped and nice enough for when you first arrive with nothing to your name. Only a few steps and we are at the beach which coming from a city is quite a novelty.

After doing lots of trips out and about and generally having a good old poke around the area we have managed to finalise where we would like to settle. We have now found a school DD is happy with and we like and as of today we have managed to secure a rental in that area. With a bit of luck we maybe able to enrol the girls into school by next week. So bit by bit it is all starting to come together.

Still cant believe it when I drive along the coast that this is home & I live her now!

Have a good feeling about settling here and I hope it turns out to be the life we hoped to achieve by moving here, yeah sure stuff is expensive but I honestly feel the best stuff in life is free anyway.

As for missing the UK, way to early to say and skype goes a long way to help bridge the gap.

Dewb xx

BevK

Hi Dewb,

Its really great to hear you are settling in well You've achieved a lot in a short space of time and with such a positive attitude, I'm sure NZ will eventually become the place you call home for good. Look forward to hearing more updates. Take care.

alchris

sounds like you have hit the ground running? great to hear things are what you expected and are going well for you and your family

bevissa65

Welcome to NZ Seems to have taken you ages!! Hope it is everything you hoped it could be. Good luck, Bevissa

Dewb09

Thanks all So far so good and we are loving being here. It makes all the planning and thinking our house would never sell almost worth it.

Older one starts school on Monday, have no idea how we will get up & out the house as the last time we did that it was 23rd July Little one will start new entrants after the end of term break. Girls are joining various club & I went to my first (since arriving) Zumba class the other evening. Bit by bit we are starting to pick up our old life but over here instead!

My Mum is already making noises about visiting us in the new year & my son is planning a trip next year in time for the Rugby

have to just say a big thank you to Moso & family who have taken us under their wing and have helped us settle here.

Dewb

AngelaandJim

Hello

What a great update your doing so well really pleased for you great the girls are settling too. Sympathise with the crossing we had a rough one too I was sick the whole way. Skype is great for staying intouch.

Enjoy your new life xx

Angela x

BEVS

Sounds like it's all going well. ... apart from this Zumba thing.

Dewb09

Very successful first day for eldest who started school yesterday.She thoroughly enjoyed it and has a lovely teacher Little one will start after end of term break.

Pick up keys for new rental on Thursday evening, our ship arrives Wednesday and we have a delivery slot for Friday with MAF coming out to the property. So a busy weekend for us unpacking the zillion of boxes we have, kids will love having their own things around them again.

Got stung by not reading the small print on an ad for a rental and have to pay a $490 fee we were not expecting. One of those horrid little scenario's were it is there in the small print if you look very very carefully and they rely on the fact that you will check the little box to confirm terms & conditions before reading all the blurb only downer on the whole experience so far.

DEwb

simonsi

Bummer, what was that for???

Dewb09

We looked at a rental on a website and did not realise we were entering a contract by arranging to go and view through this site. If it resulted in us taking on the rental (which we did ) we have the pleasure of paying them one week rent for putting us in touch The annoying thing is we also saw this place on trademe but had not realised it was the same place, hence making the appointment. Trying to dispute it

On a good note Container arrives in port today & we have a delivery date for Friday, MAF coming out to us for inspection. All providing the container has not been blown away somewhere in the Pacific

Dewb

Nelly Trolley

Hadn't realised MAF would come out to do an inspection at your property. Thought they didn't inspect all containers and if they did that it would be at port.
Is this usual?
Best of luck it will be exciting to unpack all your worldly possessions again.

MnB

Hiya Dewb!!
So good to hear everything going to plan for you & yours, fantastic DS planning on combining visit with rugby all you need now is the world kick boxing championships to be held in NZ

The hidden fees of rentals stung us too the letting agent fees were a bit of a shock....especially when we decided to move on!

Hope your container arriving bring you loads of happiness!!! have a great week end in cardboard city ....we're off to a secluded villa on Majorca for 2 wks!! going to feel strange only flying for 2hrs instead of 23 but looking forward to the R&R

Miss you in the bar.......
B x

Dewb09

Yeah not that unusal, maybe they fancied a trip up the coast

Dewb

Dewb09

hope your container arriving bring you loads of happiness!!! have a great week end in cardboard city ....we're off to a secluded villa on Majorca for 2 wks!! going to feel strange only flying for 2hrs instead of 23 but looking forward to the R&R

Miss you in the bar.......
B x[/QUOTE]

Thanks B Oooooo Majorca sounds lovely, yes the idea of flying ony a couple of hours bliss.....

At least we will finally get our computer so we I can then spend more time in the bar erm on expats I mean

Hubster is off on a boys only trip on Saturday/Sunday just in time to miss the unpacking still only 280+ boxes as least I will not have time to feel lonely

Dewb xx

simonsi

1 week letting fee is std for any agent, as long as you are only paying one letting fee...

In port today delivery on Friday is VERY quick, ours hadn´t even been released from the port in two days....