Originally Posted by mezuk04

Going to download them on the BBC iPlayer, although I can only get several starting from 6

Originally Posted by LoobyHighland

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all your lovely messages and kind words. I didn't realise so many people would cry at my friends and family messages! It was soooo hard saying goodbye to everyone, but we're here now and absolutely loving every minute of it. The weather is fabulous, the children are having the time of their lives. We went swimming in the Pacific Ocean yesterday - how cool is that! I know it's early days, and probably the 'rose-tinted' specs are on at the moment, but everyone here in New Plymouth has bent over backwards to help us, and couldn't be more friendly. Ruby arrived safely on Saturday, and so the 'crazy gang' are back together again. All the kids are enrolled in their new schools, and looking forward to starting on Feb 2nd. All have heated swimming pools, and so many sports on offer they don't know where to start! Doug is ready to start work at Transfield on 2nd too. His boss & family have taken us under their wing and we've been for a BBQ at their house already! As for me, I'm looking forward to waving everyone off on Monday, grabbing my book, sunglasses and drink, and sitting in the garden all day. Yep, its lazy, but well deserved I reckon!! Gonna make the most of these few months of summer before the rain comes. And we all know how I feel about that!! If I can help anyone with any queries etc, please feel free to message me and i'll do what I can to assist with any of our experiences. TTFN, LOL Lou and all the family xxxxxx

Originally Posted by carolineshewan

can we use i-player in nz?

Originally Posted by kamburu pat

No Caroline, we can`t. I`m staying in Wellington with my son for a couple of months, so not living here all the time, he has set me up with a computer and I have the BBC website, including the news and weather from North Yorkshire, where I`m from. It does state that Iplayer is currently only available in the UK. Of course, if anybody knows anything different , I`m sure we would all be interested.
Pat.

Originally Posted by LoobyHighland

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all your lovely messages and kind words. I didn't realise so many people would cry at my friends and family messages! It was soooo hard saying goodbye to everyone, but we're here now and absolutely loving every minute of it. The weather is fabulous, the children are having the time of their lives. We went swimming in the Pacific Ocean yesterday - how cool is that! I know it's early days, and probably the 'rose-tinted' specs are on at the moment, but everyone here in New Plymouth has bent over backwards to help us, and couldn't be more friendly. Ruby arrived safely on Saturday, and so the 'crazy gang' are back together again. All the kids are enrolled in their new schools, and looking forward to starting on Feb 2nd. All have heated swimming pools, and so many sports on offer they don't know where to start! Doug is ready to start work at Transfield on 2nd too. His boss & family have taken us under their wing and we've been for a BBQ at their house already! As for me, I'm looking forward to waving everyone off on Monday, grabbing my book, sunglasses and drink, and sitting in the garden all day. Yep, its lazy, but well deserved I reckon!! Gonna make the most of these few months of summer before the rain comes. And we all know how I feel about that!! If I can help anyone with any queries etc, please feel free to message me and i'll do what I can to assist with any of our experiences. TTFN, LOL Lou and all the family xxxxxx

Originally Posted by LoobyHighland

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all your lovely messages and kind words. I didn't realise so many people would cry at my friends and family messages! It was soooo hard saying goodbye to everyone, but we're here now and absolutely loving every minute of it. The weather is fabulous, the children are having the time of their lives. We went swimming in the Pacific Ocean yesterday - how cool is that! I know it's early days, and probably the 'rose-tinted' specs are on at the moment, but everyone here in New Plymouth has bent over backwards to help us, and couldn't be more friendly. Ruby arrived safely on Saturday, and so the 'crazy gang' are back together again. All the kids are enrolled in their new schools, and looking forward to starting on Feb 2nd. All have heated swimming pools, and so many sports on offer they don't know where to start! Doug is ready to start work at Transfield on 2nd too. His boss & family have taken us under their wing and we've been for a BBQ at their house already! As for me, I'm looking forward to waving everyone off on Monday, grabbing my book, sunglasses and drink, and sitting in the garden all day. Yep, its lazy, but well deserved I reckon!! Gonna make the most of these few months of summer before the rain comes. And we all know how I feel about that!! If I can help anyone with any queries etc, please feel free to message me and i'll do what I can to assist with any of our experiences. TTFN, LOL Lou and all the family xxxxxx

Originally Posted by LoobyHighland

Hiya, good to hear from you. Hubs new job is here in Caithness, and that's whats going to make the decision to emigrate more difficult as good jobs are few and far between being so far north. It's a toss up of financial security 'v' new adventures in NZ.

It was such a surprise to get on the programme. Along with many others I'm sure, I watched it religiously back in January and it started to sow a restless seed of 'there must be more to life', ie NZ or AU. So, I sent an email through to the general BBC enquiries website and they forwarded it to the wanted down under department. Never heard a dickie bird for a couple of months and then an email came through with an application form. Filled it in and sent it straight back. Then, nothing for a few more weeks till a telephone call one teatime out of the blue. 40 minute chat with me and hubs. Was told if we got through to the next stage it would be a filmed interview. Got a call the very next day saying we'd made it to the next bit. Travelled down to Inverness and had a tv interview, took about an hour. Was asked pretty much the same questions as over the phone, why did we want to emigrate, people we were leaving behind, what did we want to do etc. It was explained that we were one of 60 families through to this stage (out of 5000 who'd applied!), and that only 20 would be picked (13 for AU and 7 for NZ). 10 days later we had a phone call to say we'd been picked!!! Still in total shock! Now it's a case of all systems go, tons of paperwork to get through, permission forms, lifestyle questions, driving consents etc etc. Good fun though as I love admin! (saddo!) We're off to New Plymouth in September. We asked for the Taranaki area as Dougs an engineer and this area has lots of onshore/offshore opportunities. They film us for a week and then we're holidaying/exploring for a week. Cos Dougs started a new job he may have to fly home after a week, but me and the kids are going to stay out for 14days.

Are you looking at emigrating at the moment??? I know they've closed the applications for series 3 (Jan '09), but there's no reason come the new year why you shouldn't apply for series 4. I'm sure due to the popularity of the programme it'll keep going for a while yet.

Sorry I've rambled, it's good to get it all out and chat!! My friends and family are sick of me going on, so I'm trying to be quiet at home now! (am bursting inside!)

You find yourself constantly trying to find reasons to stay or go. Its a permanent merry-go-round! Lou xx