Pinkie Pie

Just wanted to have a bit of a catch up with you all - not been on much lately...so thought it would be good to see how you are all getting on...

Anyone heard anything yet on their ITA? Bugger all at this end so far...

Anyone sold their house or bought a house in NZ? Still lingering on the market at this end

Anyone about ready for the off or just got there? Looks like it's going to be Jan 06 at the earliest for us still

God, what a depressing thread this is so far...

But on the plus side - we did some more carbooting yesterday and made £163.50!! and in the process of doing these carboots we have reduced the contents of our house and garage by so much that I think we'll be able to squeeze into a 20ft container now and save loads of dosh...yeay bonus...

So, anyone got any news to share or progress/status reports...

bookemjano

Progess Report

We're moving along nicely. Got the kids into the school we wanted, we arrive on the Sunday, they visit the school after a week as it's school hols then, and if they like it they start next day. School are only going to charge us international student fees until hubby gets a job, and we've got several agencies setting up interviews for the first and second week.

We think we have a new home for the dog. We advertised him everywhere we could locally and arranged for him to go to NCDL if it came to it, but we really didn't want to dump him a dogs home however good they are. We put an advert on Petseek and a family rang us yesterday wanting to see him. They're coming from London (we're in Manchester) on Saturday and taking him back for a week to see how it goes. They're very keen and they have children and someone home all day so hopefully it will work out. Breaking my heart to let him go but it's got to be done and at least this way if it doesn't work out we've still got time to try something else.

House sale is on course for completion on 30th September (touch wood).

Freight quote being done tomorrow. Everything that can be bagged and tagged has been, the dining room is split into two - half for sale and half to take. The big things, such as furniture and electricals, have been circulated to friends and family. So far the couches are sold and we have a possible buyer for the car.

I have a weekend away booked with my best mate, we're going to be pampered and fed and waited on in a very nice hotel.

Everyone knows, we have no-one else to tell. ITA will be ready to submit by end of September, we will take it with us and submit it in Christchurch on 4th October.

So, so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed for me that it stays like this!

Status Report

Officially knackered!

Pinkie Pie

Wow, Jan, I'm impressed - Full steam ahead for you then my love and my goodness you haven't got long left now have you!!!

bookemjano

Just under 6 weeks. Going way too fast, but not fast enough if you know what I mean.

Biddy

I've bought a house in Waikanae - oops suppose I'd better tell Sarah
In Singapore on way back home at mo - will fill in more details soon.
Biddy

pixi-dust

we've got 5 weeks to go till we leave.

So far, not managed to sell house (oh dear!) Sold business, managed to sell both cars (who knew there was so much demand for an old vauxhall Tigra!) and the buyer for mine has paid me the money - BUT will pick it up the day before we leave. What nice guy.
All animals rabies injected and we're getting through all the other vet stuff to get them over - very strict time limits on things.
Stopped work this week!
Really making great headway with the gigantic list.

Still to do
House clear out. (next week)
clean bikes and lawnmower

so all in all not too bad - however it feels really bad! why??????

Joshlin

Great thread Pinkie!

Here goes - update from us:
move out of house in 6 days time
frantic cleaning / flat packing in 7 days time
shippers in in 8 days and out in 9!
house sale completes in 11 days. (we're in the money!!!! - although not for long me thinks)
party in 5 weeks
on plane in 6 weeks (gotta little holiday somewhere in amongst all that!!)

temporary accommodation booked for 1st month - little cottage in christchurch

stress starting to show
alcohol consumption rising

still to do:
sell car, finish emptying loft, rehome cats (can't give them away!), set up bank account.

bookemjano

Firstly, well done in all you've managed to accomplish given the pressure cooker you're living in.

Secondly, who knows but it really feels like sh*t doesn't it? I've already started saying goodbye to people I know I won't see again, and suddenly conversations about NZ are not 'you're doing what? wow, fantastic, great, you're really brave, what a dream to make come true' - they are now 'love and best wishes to the whole family, please keep in touch, hope it's all you wish for and more'. I allow myself one cry every day, otherwise the casket is going to blow.

My biggest worry now is the leaving party - don't know how I'm going to get through that. Going away for a couple of nights for a girlie weekend with my best mate as well, that is going to be sooooooooo hard!

Your house will sell, ours took 5 months.

bookemjano

I think I may be keeping at least 10 people in jobs in the Baileys factory.

I walk into Asda and the customer service guy gives me a trolley with it already in.

Re your cats - got my dog rehomed (fingers crossed, will know for definite on Saturday) on this site www.petseekuk.com It costs £4 for a four week advert and you could put all the cats on one photo and list them that way.

pixi-dust

you are so right with the leaving of people bit!
Every single person we meet or talk to or bump into - my husband sys - hi! we must catch up before we go - regardless of whether the last time we saw them was 5 years ago!!! I think I am standing about with an absolute look of horror on my face!
We have actually decided against a party - I just think that it would be too hard for me ( i am a big sap!)
I've been doing a fair bit of tear shedding lately - but I'm actually finding it quite therapeutic!

The funny thing - the easy part was the work involved in getting PR and organising timings and dates - I enjoyed this (for the most part - not the midicals!!) the hard part for us has been when we have to rely on other people for things - like the buyer of the business - who hasnt actually paid for it yet! :scared: :scared: The amount of stress involved in this had been of simply gigantic proportions. I know it will be fine - but there is this tiny bit of my brain that lets it fester away!!!

Joshlin

so agree! - while it was under our control, filling out the forms etc etc it was just something we were doing - now trying to tie up all the ends when it's so reliant on others is tough

pixi-dust

Pinkie
thanks for this thread - its lovely to be able to chat with people at the same stage. We're not alone!

bookemjano

We still our ITA to focus on so we've still got that to keep us busy, but the emotional side is so much worse than I expected. To anyone starting out, don't underestimate how hard those last few weeks are!

Joshlin

don't know about you, but I think I am in denial - people keep saying to me "aren't you scared" " you must be excited" "you're so brave" and I don't feel any of those!

bookemjano

I'm not sure I'm brave, though people keep saying I am, I think maybe I just haven't thought it through enough!

Two emotions are taking up most of my time - excitement, I just can't wait to get over there and get on with my new life (praying to Thorntons, the god of chocolate and the only one I revere, that it all works out and we stay), and sadness at all I'm leaving behind or giving up.