Ambrosian

Hurrah!! This morning, the courier returned our passports with the magic blue residence visas. and it has been all go since then.

Managed to book just about the last two reasonably priced business seats on Singapore Airlines. Flying out on Friday 5 December, via Singapore, to ChCh.

Everybody we tell is saying 'you must be so excited' But the thing is, I don't know what I feel - possibly shell-shocked - running around trying to get things done before we pack up/clean the rental/sell the car. Spent nearly 2 hours at the bank but that is all done and dusted now and thankfully, a friend wanted our Rav 4.

I think I will be OK once we get to the airport and then I can relax as everything that can be done, will be done by then.

Our 7-year old grandson doesn't know we shall be arriving, he thinks he is going to the airport to watch the planes arrive/take off. He will be so amazed when he catches sight of us. There won't be a dry eye in the house.

Well it has been a long time coming - application put in on 12 March 08 - but at long last we have made it.

All the very best to those still waiting, either for their visas or trying to sell their properties before they can make the move.

I shall pop in occasionally onto the Forum and if I can answer any queries from my experiences of going down the Family Sponsorship route, I will be pleased to do so.

Sue
xx

zummerzet_lou

Huge congratulations. We found the arrival of those blue stickers all to be a bit of an anti-climax after all the plans and talk of ITAs etc.

Safe travels .. and look forward to seeing you in CHCH!

Feel free to shout if there's anything you need etc!

Lou

garryhg

Congratulations and good luck for your future...I got a lump in my throat when i thought about your grandsons face seeing you arrive at the airport,My little boy is 7 also,and i can just imaging how happy that would make him to see his grandparents arriving,especially if it was to stay...all the best and enjoy being with your family..Jacky

nukiwi

Thats great news, I bet you are so relived. Your grandson will be thrilled that you will be here for Christmas. What a surprise for him.

Enjoy the business class experience, we did it with Emirates and it was absolutely excellent, seats lay almost flat and so comfortable, food and champagne all the way and a chauffeur to collect us at the airport. Trouble is we are spoilt now and will want to travel business all the time

shirl

Brill news. We took the same route as you 2 years ago and we arrived at Christmas to our children and grandchildren holding up welcome banners at ChCh airport. I had to run down the moving stairs once I saw their faces and I had seen them all waving frantically from the viewing deck as well, although they couldn't see me waving back from the plane LOL!!!

Have a great reunion and a wonderful Christmas with your family.

weejie

Great news Sue,hope all goes well with your new life in NZ. Enjoy.

Phyl x

Ambrosian

Thank you girls and boys for your kind words. Yes, it will be the best of Christmas presents all round.

Our arrival date is good timing as we shall have time to settle in with the family and go and look at houses, sit back and think about things and then when things get back to normal mid-January and after our 1-week trip up to Lake Brunner, we shall be ready to get cracking and buy our home in the Darfield surrounds.

Hope it won't be too long, Phyl, until you are flying down to Dunedin.

Happy Christmas to you all.

Sue xx

BEVS

Congrats to you after all that long wait.

Don't be a stranger now.