Just back from NZ

[Lozza]

:icon_biggrin:
Hi everyone
We have just returned home after our recent trip to NZ. WOW is all i can say. It was everything we thought it would be and more. Picked up our campervan in christchurch and then drove round visiting Timaru Queenstown milford Sound wellington new plymouth to name but a few so any questions please ask as i feel we are well equipped now to answer. Trip didnt go smoothly all the way though in taupo went on jet boat up the rapids and disaster struck hit a rapid hard and my mum unfortunately broke her back. Trip ended abruptly with a five day spell in Rotorua hospital after being airlifted by helicopter out of ravine. All i can say is thank god im a nurse and thank god we had insurance. We were well looked after and mum has made an incredible recovery. Dad husband and kids had to return on scheduled flights whilst my mum and me remained until she was discharged and we were flown back first class. Apart from this it didnt dampen the love we had for new Zealand and we plan to submit our EOI now were back and hope to return to Christchurch. So any questions please ask

Lozza

[Jodie]

Hey Lozza,

OMG - Sorry to hear about your Mum. :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif Is she OK? What an awful thing to happen! :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif I can't imagine it.... How is she coping?

Glad you had a good time here tho - where did you like/not like?

Jod

[lanzilla]

We head off on Hol in two weeks and are staying 5 nights in Taupo. Guess I'll give the Jet Boat a miss now.
Hope Mum is feeling better now?

We are only visiting North Island, but 18 nights should be sufficient to have a good look round and suss out the opportunities available.

[Lozza]

:icon_biggrin:
Hey thanks for concern my mum is well on her way to recovery thanks. Where did we like/not like thats easy loved it all. I can honestly say there wasnt one place i didnt like. We have decided on Christchurch and following interview at hospital am now just sitting with fingers crossed. (Think it went ok they are now seeking references) second to Christchurch was New Plymouth. The places i least liked were wellington Dunedin and Auckland. But these were still ok. Te Anau is the most beautiful i think closely followed by Taupo. Rotorua smells but is very quaint. Overall it is FAB!
Lozza

[Ellienbrian]

Hi Lozza, I'm glad your Mum is recovering. Sounds awful. I think I'll leave out the rapids as well!
Did you have interviews arranged before you left UK? Are you with an agency? When do you plan to move to NZ? :icon_question: :icon_question: You did ask for questions :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif We're going out in Jan/Feb for a month. We're going to try and see as much of the place as we can. I keep thinking of parts to miss out and then someone will comment on how beautiful they are.
Did you have accommodation booked in advance?
Love to hear from you.
Ellie

All these people on our doorstep and not one paid us a visit :icon_cry:

Lozza is right on the areas around here, Rotorua is a bit whiffy due to the sulphur in the air, but what a fascinating place! I've got a few pics of the steaming pools so I'll put them up on here so you can all have a peek. We'll be going to Taupo some time soon, so will get some pics of that place too, so anyone visiting will get an idea of what it looks like. Be prepared though, the photos just dont do NZ any justice! In real life, it is 100 times more amazing to see, and you will be hooked for life!!

I hope you are going to visit us Lanzilla?! We'll give you a tour of Tauranga!

[Lozza]

:icon_biggrin:
In answer to all those questions. Yes i am with an agency Beresford Blake and thomas but i havent used them i have to say im not that patient so have done it off my own back. Had sent off my cv to alot of hospitals before going and also i went to the expo and made sure everyone knew who i was. From the expo Liz hill from match group put me in contact with the ED manager in Christchurch and i promised to call in. However most places wanted me to stop by once they knew i would be holidaying so i explained that it was after all a holiday and as i had my kids and parents with me it wouldnt be fair to go to every hospital so we agreed i would go to the hospitals that were in an area we liked. To cut a long story short loved christchurch and phoned them towards end of holiday and got telephone interview so i would hopefully come back to UK with job offer just waiting my references now. I also just called in to New Plymouth and introduced myself to ED manager who was very interested. To get around NZ we had a camper van arranged in Uk before we left and it was a fantastic way to get round. If we liked somewhere we stayed a few days if we didnt we moved on. My advice is you cant plan it you have to see when you're there and everyone has different ideas on what they like so take no notice of anything anyone tells you (ha ha why am i writing this then?) And it just goes to show before we went i had kinda settled on living in north island but when we got there south island is by far the prettiest and where we now want to be. So enjoy yourself and take it as it comes. We were there for 21 nights in total and saw most of what we wanted to see. Hope this helps
Lozza

[Lozza]

Oh and as for moving asap. As soon as i get job offer can send EOI which is all ready to go then put house on market so hopefully be out there by June 2005.
Lozza

[lanzilla]

[quote:7e3b12e6a9="Taffy"]
I hope you are going to visit us Lanzilla?! We'll give you a tour of Tauranga![/quote:7e3b12e6a9]

If you'd like to email me a contact tel no. Taffy I'd be happy to meet up.
We are staying at Quest Taupo from 22nd Dec to 28th Dec before heading up to Auckland for 7 nights. BOI from 17th to 22nd Dec.

Would be good to get some inside info and in return I'll buy lunch. :icon_lol:

Errr.. only one problem with those dates!

Were going back to UK on 20th Dec - 5th Jan!

:icon_rolleyes: