Thursday, October 15, 2009

Hello to all, after a long pause…..

Here is a long overdue blog update! Sorry for the wait, but got all sorted now with the new laptop, internet connection and downloading all the photo’s!!

We are now staying for our second week in a furnished flat in Auckland CBD, which is quite nice, as we are making it our mini IMG_3442 home. We currently looking for a rental home, but the search is progressing very slowly. Only 2-3 weeks before you want to rent a house do you need to start looking, this is the custom here in NZ. The property agents also work totally different here than in SA, in SA they will call you and actually bug you to rent and come view a house. Here you do all the leg work and they get paid??? Don’t understand it, maybe they work different when it comes to selling...

We also had a freak cold front last week, which bought on snow. This snow was falling at a level from 200-300m high above sea level, about 2-3 hours drive away from Auckland. There were people that were snowed in on the mountain pass, had to be rescued and their cars could only be retrieved the next day...but the previous week before that was the red dust in Australia...weather has been going crazy. Something to get used to in NZ.

DSC04991The weather is getting warmer here and we are looking forward to great weather. We had our first taste of great weather on Sunday and enjoyed fish & chips on Mission Bay beach. All the little kids out picnicking with parents and friends, all having a great relaxing day out....

 IMG_3438 The cats are both fine and well, love it when we come to visit, but quickly get bored with us again. We try to change something in their cage every week to keep the boredom at bay. They love this tunnel that is made out of material and crinkly paper, with holes in the middle, they chase each other in the tunnel, great fun...

Also have some treats for them which they love, we also figured  IMG_3429out that they like the chicken favour and not the fish/salmon favours. But they are getting spoilt; I tell ya...they get tuna every Sunday!! I think it’s every Sunday, not sure if it’s every day, but they love it!! We will need to continue with that.....we miss them two so much.

Otherwise all is going well with us and Kevin & I love walking around in the city. Especially now with daylight saving, the evenings are light for longer....can’t wait till it stays light to like 10pm....only down fall is that if you get busy with something, you don’t realise it’s getting late, till it’s too late!!

Have started to take some photos and will be posting it regularly...the city...people, etc. On Friday the city is hosting a “Lighting Show” on the Ferry building on the wharf, we’re gonna go and will post the pic’s for all.

IMG_3464

On 26 Oct we are also going to have our first national holiday in NZ, Labour Day, yippee long weekend for us!!! If we have bucks, we’ll try to drive up North and go see some sights. So much to explore, so much to do, we don’t always know what to do first.

Yeah and Auckland had a bus drivers strike, a STRIKE!!! And then the bus company locked out the driver, so there were minimal busses. All the kids were going back to school on Monday and no transport was a nightmare!!! The Mayor of Auckland have now stepped in and told the bus company to solve this problem or their contract will get revoked and another company will be appointed to do the busses in Auckland city...wow...now after 3 days all has been resolved, driver, kids, mayor and all happy...strike in NZ => wow, but getting resolved so quickly= >never before seen in SA...

IMG_3361

It’s amazing how all the things work here, everybody have their little thing to do. Sometimes they do it strangely, but it gets DONE! Slower than back home, but still done....the slow part is also still some getting used to for us. I’m sure we’ll get there...

DSC05001

Missing all of you!! All our love &regards

Till next time, which I promise will be sooner than later....xxx