Just a quickie to let you guys know we made it OK - loving it already despite the fact that Mum has turned up!!

Shall do a big newsy ( and hopefully helpful) post when we get the laptop connected to the information super highway.

Hiya Pollster!!!!!!!!!

Glad to hear you made it ok........look forward to hearing all your news!

Petra

Hi Pollster!

Quick - get that laptop connected!!!!

looking forward to your posts,

Miss ya girl

Glad everythings OK except the mother

Post soon big pants

Well done Pollster...now we need to know EVERYTHING!!

wahey been lookin 4 u c`mon post big 4 da wannabe`s

Yahey Pollster!!
Wheres me piccies ?
Want to see the locals cursing more brit immigrants

crikey pollster, that was quick!!!!!!
hope you get sorted soon......!

sue

Apparently her other half wants to sort her out soon too

Hooray!! Welcome to the South Side of the world Pollster!!!
Look forward to your observations from your new home....!!!

And - in what is the fastest time in BE history - I have the laptop connected online and am now writing this to you watching the surf thundering into Oakura beach!!!

Right then.......

The flight - Singapore Airlines - as good as ever - but boiling hot during the first leg and I am always cold on flights - it seems the further forward of the aircraft you are, the warmer it is. We moved 10 rows back for the second leg and it was appreciatively cooler there - much more pleasant - so a little tip there!!

There were loads of babies on the flight but no throttling was required as they all behaved themselves impeccably!

Missed our domestic connection at Auckland due to an hours delay at Singapore (no reason given - it was like being on the Tube!) but that was OK as my sister and her little boy had turned up to surprise us with a big welcome to NZ! Managed to get on the next flight to New Plymouth where Cathy - the woman from NPDC - was waiting to greet us along with my bloody mother who - despite being told quite firmly that she was NOT to come down until invited - has been in New Plymouth for a week and is now bending our ears about where we should live, eat, shop, go etc etc - all very nice of her but her idea of what we should do is often VERY different to ours and we would have liked to be discovering things for ourselves but hey - I digress.

Cathy took us to the house they have rented for three weeks for us - 500 yards from the beach, three bedrooms, deck, barbie, washing machine, dishwasher, a fridge full of food, phone line etc etc and gave us the keys to her car which we are apparently to borrow for the next few weeks until we get our own. (and try saying No - she gets quite aggressively insistent in a nice way of course!!)

There was a MASSIVE bouquet of flowers on the table and a bottle of champers in the fridge and frankly we couldn't have felt more welcome - we have soooooooo fallen on our feet.

Had a bit of a wander around the town this morning - seems a really nice place - people are really friendly - and overall we think ( on the basis of a jetlagged morning) we are going to be happy here ( rose tints firmly in place)

Been to Pak n Save for some groceries - didn't seem that cheap really- about on a par with the UK for the things we bought - but intend to try New World a bit further up the road on Monday for a big shop. Shall keep receipts and do a run down if anyone is interested.

And that is about it for now.

Monday is set up a bank account, start looking at rental properties ready for the when the dog comes out ( they won't allow her in this house as they have just had new carpets installed which is a shame) and buy my Toyota Hilux Surf that I want ( and I shall insist on calling it a ute although I am aware it isn't one technically) so shall have more info about prices etc then.

Shall also contact a couple of people I have met online for beers next week so shall start making some friends!!

So that is the news from the Pollsters so far!!!

We have realised that we forgot to unlock our mobiles before we left the UK so will have to buy new ones - apparently Vodafone is the only service provider out here except Telecom - which have crap coverage and you can't take them abroad. Bit annoyed about that as I have a VERY swish mobile from home but hubby is insisting I get a cheapie one out here as cash is tight to start with .

Getting online was a piece of piss - called Xtra who set an account up straight away and off we went - didn't need an bank account number, credit card number or anything - told them we were in temporary accomadation and we would be moving on very shortly - no worries on that score - very different form the UK where you pratically have to undergo a DNA test before you can set anything up.

Ummm that's it until I remember anything else!!

Oh - and sorry Timber but your request for a bonk came too late and Jock - what is this obsession with my pants? And I don't wear big ones so

You've hit the ground and are up and running quick. Who is this annoyance from the NPDC?

Hope you enjoy NZ.

The annoyance is my bloody mother - Cathy is the HR woman from NPDC (New Plymouth District Council) - where hubby is going to be working - and is definately NOT an annoyance - she is extremely helpful!

well done and fantastic of you for logging back on so quick....

Hubby has done lots in working with the disabled through the local council......can you be our sponsers Poll....

So very happy for you this family says, and hope one day to meet you out there....x

Enjoy Poll,
Sherry x