Hi all
Seems an age since I was last here (yes yes MB it IS an age). Anyway heres an update;
Jacky finishes her 1 year post-grad nursing position on saturday. We were reading an old old email from 2006 from the director of nursing in Nelson saying that she gets dozens of un-solicited requests for employment from the Uk each week, it is very very rare that they ever employ from outside NZ bla bla bla..... The same woman has offered jacky a PT position when she finishes the course. She is loving the work, and loving the people she works with. She's truly sorted!
Ellen starts at intermediate school in Feb. Yikes! She is looking forward to it as all the other kids will be like she was when we first arrived, they dont know anyone else in the class. "Its easy to make friends, you just walk up and say hi to them and smile" according to Ellen- hope that dosent work too well on boys at the moment.
We had 16 for Christmas dinner, jackys sister & family, my bro & family, my mum and an old friend of Jackys from Holland. We took off in convoy to Rabbit Island for the mother of all BBQs, a few tinnies, cricket, body boarding & indegestion.....generally in that order. Was a hot day too. The place was pretty busy, the next party was about 50m away. Thats busy.
To celebrate our first year here, 15 years of marital bliss (to each other!) we took a helicopter flight over the Abel tasman Nat Park and got dropped off at a place called Awaroa Lodge. Boat, foot (or helicopter!) access only. It was bliss. An oasis of good food and chilled wine in the middle of the bush, next to a 1km beach. It has to be the most memorable day we have had in New Zealand.
The Beach at Aworoa Lodge (Really Busy)
On the Patio for a Yummy Lunch
Saw Snow Patrol in Chch. Fantastic, really cool cab driver who told us to ring him at the encore and he would pick us up outside, underneath the Tui beer billboard....... yeah right! (NZ joke). Sure enough he was there and he knocked back 3 better fares while he waited for us. Took us to the BEST kebab shop in town and back to the hotel. He then picked us up for the airport run & stopped the meter as he gave us a guided tour of downtown Chch. He was great, a true kiwi bloke.
Been to see Anika Moa and the Blackseeds at a local hotel (see 'em on you tube - blackseeds "cool me down" personifies kiwi summer holidays), well it was in a marquee type effort behind the hotel (read "Pub"). Fantastic night out. 600 people giving it what-for in a tent, all helped on the fragrant tobacco every third person was smoking. Brooke Fraser in Feb at a vineyard, taxi home booked, ahhh!
FINALLY took our driving tests. I JUST passed 32/35 and expected jacky to rip the P!$$ out of me, she didnt though, she got 32/35. On a serious note if you have been in NZ for more than 12 months (from the date stapped in your passport) then you will be classed as driving without a licence if the cops pull you over...but also your insurance will probably be invalid. Not a legal issue as you dont need car insurance but a big fnancial one if you write off thousands of $ worth of car.
Anyway life is as sweet and a bowl of honey with sugar on the top at the moment. Reading other peoples posts, its probably due to a smattering of good luck and secure jobs that has given us the foundations to enjoy the summer as we are doing.
Promise to post again this year sometime before christmas.
Cheers all
Nick