davros1984

So here I am sat at Auckland airport waiting for the big trip back to the UK to start again. This follows a great holiday in Aussie last week.

Its been a wonderful 3 years in NZ. Heck i'm pretty sad to be going back, but there comes a time when you need to go back to reality (now for me). Fingers crossed in 6 months time I will have:

A) sorted my father out
B) bought a house
C) be happy with where I live
D) rediscovered work/life balance
E) spent plenty of time with family

I'll still contribute here and on the moving back to UK thread.

In the mean time - all the best everyone and keep enjoying life here in NZ!

BEVS

All the best to you both.

Safe journey and happy landings.

barnsleymat

Good luck pal

scrubbedexpat094

All the very best to you. Don't be a stranger. & have a good flight.

Deley

Have a good trip home and good luck.

Pom_Chch

Good luck with it all, Davros. I hope life treats you well back in the UK. Give us all an update soon. It will be good to hear how you are getting on.

All the best

Justcol

We all have places we need to be at different stages in our lives, safe flight and good luck for the future

pippalonghorn

Good Luck Davros. Have a safe flight home and hopefully me and the other half will catch up with you and your other half when you get settled.

Sparkleydiva

Good luck. Hope you've had a good journey home.

Hope to be following next year

Snap Shot

Nice one Dav ! Good luck with the further adventures of being you

The Weezer

Good for you and good luck, Davros. Hope you enjoy the next stage!

Bo-Jangles

Best of luck Davros - looking forward to hearing about life back on the other side.

bearskin

All the best - i will be looking forward to hearing how you get on back in the UK.

dannigirl

All the very best for you and your partner. I really hope you settle back into the UK and look forward to hearing how you get on!

davros1984

Thank you for all of your comments above.

I've now been back a few weeks, I'm probably still in "holiday" mode so I'm certain that some aspects of this post may not be so true in the coming months.

I spent the first week at my better half's parents in E. Sussex. It was a lovely quiet village, but driving was a bit of a nuisance. Sure, people seemed a lot friendlier and courteous than in Auckland, i.e. they give way, they let you pull out of junctions, no horns, easy to merge from 2 lanes into 1, I didn't get beeped for turning right or left. In addition, a lot more space between cars on the motorway - it made my past comments about Auckland drivers seem justified. Unfortunately, at times I have sat in traffic, slow, but moving traffic - primarily on the M25. This to me just reminded me of Auckland where driving 10 K's can take over an hour and 30. I did not enjoy driving to Brighton whatsoever - don't recommend it! For me, this has reiterated my point about not wanting to live in the South East, too many cars and people.

I'm now down in Cornwall, it has been wonderful. I've spent the past 3 days at the beach as well as driving about. I've been in the sea each day for almost an hour swimming. Sure it is colder than the waters around Auckland, but after 5 mins - its fine. You have to live right and you gotta man up. I will attempt to post a pic later. The roads are great, the cost of living (apart from petrol) is shocking compared to what it was for us in NZ. I would say so far, I am finding things I buy at about a quarter of the price that I did in NZ. I have bought virtually all of my food for the week for a mere 14 quid and fifty pence from Morrisons, this included some dairy milk and mighty scotch eggs!

The only time I have *deeply* missed NZ so far is when the rugby has been on, its just not the same here - too much football bias. Looking back, I feel like an incredibly lucky person to have lived and experienced NZ and I do not rule out a return someday.

Hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying life wherever you may be.