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A fairly quiet week and the good weather finally broke. Maybe it was with good timing that I'd planted a few vegetables in the garden as we got a bit of rain. Fortunately, we missed the remnants of the Australian dust storms that had engulfed Sydney and Brisbane. They affected Auckland and the North Island a bit. The boys have broken up for school for two weeks and we've had a busy week socially. Someone had a birthday during the week, but as the video shows, she's not acting her age!!
We discovered Spencer Park reserve yesterday to the north of the city. It had great climbing frames (as seems typical of Christchurch playgrounds), but also three long 'flying foxes' or aerial runways that we all had a go on. A five minute walk through the forest and we were on the beach with the surf crashing in. As per usual, someone had to go for a paddle.
Today was a good day, in that we might have found a church that suits us all and is relatively near. Only time will tell. It's also been good to entertain guests and be invited out by friends this week. It's the relationships that will really help us settle. We feel blessed.
And finally, another pretty picture of the valley just up from home. A less pretty picture yesterday afternoon was my panting face as I tackled the steep climb to the right of the picture on my bike for the first time. Dodgy gears and a lack of fitness dashed my hopes for next year's mountain stages of the Tour de France. Still, the challenge has been laid down and my goal is to climb Worsley Road (check it out on Street View, it's steep!)
Until next time, Bye
To celebrate 50 days in New Zealand, we thought it was time to let you know:
- Five things we like
- Five things we don't like or miss (You can probably guess that missing family and friends is top for all of us)
- The best day so far
So here goes...
Matt
Five things I like are:
- School activities like the range of things to do, including sport. The work is more challenging
- The atmosphere and landscape
- Everyone is friendly (well most are)
- Weather
- Ice cream choices like 'hokey pokey'
Five things I don't like or miss are: - Missing friends and family
- TV channels are rubbish
- Boys shoes are bad
- Ketchup
- Grapes
The best day so far was the
first that I played in a touch rugby match at school
Josh
Five things I like are:
- People in New Zealand are friendly
- New flavours of ice cream such as Orange Choc Chip
- Doing a lot more sport at school, like rugby, football and cricket
- The toy shops are good
- Family outdoor activities
Five things I don't like or miss are: - Missing family and friends
- Shoes
- TV channels
- Missing English pronunciation
- No theme parks
The best day so far was biking at McLeans Island (which isn't an island)Ali
Five things I like are:
- The close proximity of a range of different sceneries; beach, the 'Lakes' (aka Port Hills), 'Switzerland' (aka Mount Hutt), 'France' (aka Akaroa), Christchurch centre and shops.
- Having met the Payne family at Singaport airport; Chris has become a good friend - just what I needed! Also having the Smiths nearby (older and younger) - always a delight to see familiar, friendly faces.
- The 'can do' attitude of New Zealanders; they are eager to give a good service and please.
- Children can be children and enjoy their childhood for longer; there doesn't seem to be the pressure to grow up too quickly.
- Range and choice of restaurants and really good value; huge yummy icecreams for the equivalent of 60p!!
Five things I don't like or miss are:
- Miss family and friends and don't like having to remember what time it is in the UK when we phone/skype.
- The poor choice of good quality shoes - Sorry to Mum & Dad for having to post out shoes for Matthew from the UK!
- The NZ 'Marmite' - yes, it may be called the same name but is not a patch on the real thing! Oh and ready to serve custard - when I asked at the supermarket they thought I was barmy!
- The English National Curriculum - it would be great if I could just get a job using what I know already, without having to get my head around a different curriculum.
- Still seeking the right church near us in Christchurch; will be great to be part of a Christian family again soon.
The best day so far was cycling at Mclean's Forest - beautiful sunny day, fun cycle track around the forest and great company with my three boys!
Mike
Five things I like are:
- The landscape and scenery; from the Southern Alps to the beaches, forests and Port Hills. It's stunning and accessible.
- Work is interesting and challenging. It's also given me the chance to travel to the North Island.
- The welcome we've received, whether it be at work or from friends (new and old).
- NZ pies and ice cream, though not at the same time!
- The NZ 'get up and go' attitude to life.
Five things I don't like or miss are:
- Missing Mum & Dad and others, though we've spent more time on the phone and Skype than ever before.
- We haven't found a good church in our part of Christchurch...yet!
- I'm missing 'The Guardian' and the butcher's shop in Tadcaster.
- I've less free time than I had in the UK
- I miss similies being completed! Kiwis describe things as "Sweet as" or "Big as" or "Good as", but never complete the phrase (see the blog link to the 'beached whale' for some fine examples.
The best day so far was going skiing at Mt Hutt. Good snow and less than two hours from home.
It's the end of our first full week at No.186 and it's starting to feel more like home. I guess that whenever you move house, it seems strange at first. It's as though you are on holiday but never go home and at that point the new house begins to be home. Maybe having moved so far, the feeling is exaggerated.
I left the 'Mainland' (South Island) for the first time last week, heading up to the Bay of Plenty for a couple of site visits with work. It was great to get out and see a bit more of the country, even if it did mean an early start and four flights in one day! The views from the plane were amazing as we went from Wellington to Tauranga, during which we flew right over the snow-capped crater of Mt Ngauruhoe (better known as Mt Doom in the Lord Of the Rings films). The picture of the top is where I had lunch on my day 'oop north'. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!
Fortunately, my flights were with those capable but not too serious people at Air New Zealand. The cabin crew treat their customers as people, with friendly informality... On which other airline would the stewardess refuse to serve my snack of chips (crisps!) until I had pronounced it in a kiwi accent so that it sounds like 'choups'? And the safety video is worth a second look. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Mq9HAE62Y. Brilliant
We've had a busy weekend. Yesterday, we were cycling at McLeans Island on the banks of the Waimakariri. Our bikes are well and truly 'christened' with NZ dust after 15km through the forest on a track that included lots of humps and fast banked corners. Today we were 'church hunting' again and then had friends round for our first NZ Sunday roast dinner. The Yorkshire Puddings rose!
Last night, I sat and watched the rugby on TV with the boys. As the Springboks increased their lead over the All Blacks, Josh turned to me and uttered the telling words "I don't think we are going to win this". Maybe, he'll be trading his England rugby shirt in for one with the silver fern on it!
As I've written this, the sun has set and the view (below) from the office has faded for another day. So farewell for now and thanks to all of you that contacted me at the end of last week. Your thoughts were much appreciated. 
We are in own place at last. Thank you to Howard & Jill and Ian & Julie for their fantastic hospitatility over the last three weeks. You have been so generous.
With nice timing, our container arrived on the 1st September, exactly a month after we arrived in the country. I took the morning off work to help with the unloading, then left Ali to 'nest'. She also had to await a visit from the MAF Inspector, who needed to check our bikes, tents, boots, etc for creepy crawlies, seeds and other bio-contraband. We got off quite lightly, with only one pair of boots and some Christmas decorations requiring fumigation, so they've been take away.
It's lovely to have all of our own things again and the house is now starting to look like home, thanks to Ali's hard work. I've still to find out where everything is, especially in the kitchen. We've rediscovered things we'd forgotten that we had and it's joy to have more of a choice of what to wear.
The lounge is still looking a bit bare, as we await the delivery of a new lounge suite, but otherwise we are just about 'ship shape' and ready to receive guests!
We've also got the phone and internet installed, so we are officially linked to the outside world. Get in touch.
Until next time, Bye
