Biddy

Well, after all the palava of getting rid of the house etc, I can now proudly say that

I'm Here!!

Auckland at 9.30 am on Wed 3rd August is beautiful, sunny and definetely shorts weather! Ha! It's like a British Summer!

I've taken some photos already but of course have forgotten my lead to connect to the PC so will buy one later and bore you ridgid with piccies!

Flight was really good. Singapore air - left Heathrow at 12 noon on Monday. 12 hr later arrived in Singapore. I hour changeover and straight on to AKL in 9 hrs. No sleep but arrived at 10.30 pm last night. Watched about 6 movies - stretched legs etc not bad at all. Good food - yum. Quick bus to local hotel and 5 hrs sleep and I feel right as rain. No jet lag at all. I think had I stopped over in Singapore then I'd be sufferring a bit. I've moved hotels - next door at the Pioneer Lodge Hotel (near the airport where I'll stay for 2 more nights) - free broadband in the rooms - big plus!

Jobs for today - activate bank account, buy leads for computer, contact recruitment agencies in AKL, get hire car - do a bit of sightseeing etc. Nice.
Have Skyped home already. Get Skype - it's flippin brilliant! Sarah and the kids all fine. Had a quick chat with Planty who was online about half an hour ago.

There you go. Thought I'd never get here, but here is indeed where I am. Looking good so far - I'll keep you posted folks.

Mike

Pinkie Pie

Just spotted you online Biddy and was about to pm you when you posted this...Fantastic to hear that you've got there ok and look forward to seeing piccies and getting further updates...

Have fun...

Sega Mad

Biddy

Excellent News!!!

Good to see things working out for you.

We hope its all plain sailing for you now.

Regards


Ali & Phyl

Kurtons

Hi Mike
Great to hear your there and settling in nicely when you say "british weather should we pack the jumpers or the T shirts ?just got the suitcases out ready to pack cant belive we'll be there in 16days I think your taking the best route driving down to Welly ,keep us posted on the best stop off places
Rich

Biddy

Are you doing the same drive?

I's hot today - gonna be 20 ish but I gather Welly is more around 12 - 15ish. Still T shirt weather in my book though.

Kurtons

Mike
Thanks for the weather update ill definatly pack more t shirts now as for the drive no unfortunatly we thought it would be easier to fly in as ive got an interview lined up on the 22nd and i wanted to get my bearings etc
take care
Rich and sue

Ransi

Good luck Mike....all the best

Debs70

Wahhooo!!! biddy arrives!

SarahB

Welcome to Auckland!!

Youve picked one beautiful day to arrive....couldnt be much better could it!?

Yes I think its t-shirt weather too.... hardly like mid winter is it?

Skype is good....we have used it since being here.

If you want somewhere truly beautiful to live come and join us over here in Beachlands....very friendly and stunning views and only 20 mins outside of Auckland!!

Have a good day

Sarah xx

SarahB

Have just PMd you...give me a call if I can be of any help at all.

Cheers

Sarah x

livewire

Beaut day here today. Have been out in the garden potting up Cannas and taking cuttings from a Hebe. Still a bit cold at night though so you'll need the jumpers and wooly socks for a few more weeks yet.

Biddy

I'm going to turn this into the really really boring NZ thread!

I've got piccies!

So day 1: (I know you want to know)
Picked up from hotel about 11am and taken to Manukau tp pick up pre booked car rental. Got a Toyota thingy which I can drop off in Welly if necessary - total cost for 19 days $670 inc insurance etc.
Popped into Dick Smiths to get Skype mic, broadband lead and Wendys for a coffee and early lunch (gotta keep my strength up!) - managed to spill the coffee all over a seat 3 seconds after getting it (maybe I have got jet lag?) so the nice lady got me a new one.
Pointed the car in the direction of Auckland and hit the road. 20 mins later there I was in the middle of AKL and no traffic probs. Parked up near to the skytower and headed for the ASB bank. Sarah had set up an account a month or so ago and we'd transferred some of the business sale money into it but it needed to be activated etc. That took about 1/2 hour and was easy peasy. The lady doing it all was dead helpful - so I now have an ATM card and we set up an internet account earning 6.75% so I can move funds around. Seems OK.

Quick walk down to the harbour side and a coffee. The weather was absolutely superb as you'll see from the piccies.

Back up the hill and a visit to the Skytower observation deck. Awesome! Couldn't have asked for a better day and view.

Then a trip out West hoping to go to Titirangi but got lost and ended up somewhere or other so had to stop and visit a Warehouse just to see what it was like. Big, full of everything and cheap - pile em high and sell em cheap seems to be the way here - no probelm for me as I'm a cheap sorta guy! Picked up a foldaway kagooly type thing (I'll need it in Welly!)

Drive back to hotel via some local shops to pick up some fruit and top up my mobile.

Found a curry house round the corner so shall pop out there soon to recharge my batteries. Interview with a rec agent tomorrow so better not get a hot stinky one!

1st impressions:- People are lovely. Everyone I've met has been dead helpful, smiley and happy. Nothing is too much trouble - even mopping up hot coffee. Auckland is like the curates egg - good in parts. It's very green and some areas seem gorgeous, but others seem quite run down. Infrastructure seems OK out of rush hour - roads were free flowing today. Weather as I've said was fantastic but apparently there's been loads of rain recently. It's now 5.50 and just getting dark - but if this is like the 3rd Feb in UK then I know where I'd rather be!

So here's some piccies - stop me when you get bored!

Biddy

And some more

Biddy

And more

Biddy

Here we go