This will be a word post, not a picture one!

So, we have been in NZ since 14 January.  We left Barker Street on the 7th, staying with friends, Walter and Jenny, down at Wynnum in Brisbane.  There was still a bit of back-and-forthing: to supervise the loading of the removal truck, to clean the house for the pre-settlement inspection, and for John’s family to collect the whitegoods.  Even with that done there were still jobs – cancelling utilities, international mail redirection, changes contact details.  We did manage a few days at Moffat Beach on the Sunshine Coast with Walter and Jenny, and then a few last minute things including a lovely lunch down at Cleveland with Jeff and Janette (John’s brother and sister-in-law) and we were off!

We are staying with my parents in a place called Paraparaumu Beach, about 45 minutes north of Wellington.  It’s been all go since we got here: we have paid the deposit on a car (a Mazda CX5 – red of course! – due around the second week of February), and had three days of looking at houses and units in Wellington, which is where we plan to live.

The first day of checking out open houses was extremely disappointing. NZ, like Australia, is in summer shut-down mode until towards the end of January.  Even so, what we saw was expensive and required a bucket-load of work.  So, we followed up some properties that were open for private inspection.  That was a bit more promising.  And yesterday (yes, Sunday is the big real estate day in Wellington, not Saturday), we had a second visit to an apartment which had taken our fancy in a suburb called Miramar – marvellous views over Evans Bay and afternoon sun (always a bonus in NZ).  But then we saw another apartment for the first time which challenged us about our preference for the first.  So we are chewing over the pros and cons of each.  We are back to see the second (in a suburb called Seatoun) sometime next week.  It also has lovely views, is in a smaller building, and is more sheltered from the prevailing winds.  But it is more expensive.  But we would have Peter Jackson for a neighbour.  He seems to own a chunk of then neighbourhood!

Much of our time has been taken up with life tasks but we’ve had a fair bit of down time too – but we have no routine (aside from house hunting), so are very much looking forward to having our own place and being able to put down some roots.  It has been nice though, spending time with my parents and being able to just chill a bit.  And yes, we are still following the news from Oz.
There will be pictures anon: hopefully of our new abode soon!