Last Post of 2014 from Kiwi Land

As I write this we are waiting to leave and fly home. This will be a summary blog of our last few days here.

We made it to Hanmer Springs having giving a lift to a French architect who was walking the tracks from the far north of New Zealand to the far south. We only climbed a little hill in Reefton.

The snow was not there when we went to bed

Then we travelled on to Christchurch. At New Brighton the sky was blue, but the roads reflected the earthquake damage. We then drove on to Governors Bay. The hail was heavy and sharp. We got to our motel just as the heavens opened and continued through the next day, accompanied by damaging winds up to 138 kph. This was a 100 year event.

The next day we visited the city and went on a bus tour.  As it was pancake day we had a lunch of pancakes but they came with bacon, banana and maple syrup. The earthquake damage was significant. We got soaked walking through the city to the cardboard cathedral. There is no shelter on the walk. There are no buildings except in 'Restart' where we got cash.

The following day the rain continued and roads began to flood, the wind was still strong but the plane took off. The weather in Auckland was so different.

On Thursday we were back to our normal routine which was shopping, a paddle and watching the after school netball.

In the evening we went for a final visit to our friends Stefan and Debbie. He was travelling through Christchurch three hours before us on a visit to Invercargill. He is very hopeful of getting a job as a metallurgist in the large aluminium plant there. 

Making a card decoration for Zoe's birthday cake took me most of the morning. Once more we walked down to St Heliers.

There was an early start on Saturday as we all prepared to go to Zoe's birthday party. This was at a place called 'Jump' It was a large area of trampolines. On the way back we had lunch at a 'Coffee Club' after buying kapok at Spotlight.

Once again the house was busy early. Zoe was out at a sleep over, but Sally and Ian were busy getting ready for a barbecue when staff from Sally's office were calling in after they had completed 'Around the Bays'. We drove off to church and after coffee and a good conversation we went to Sylvia Park to purchase our presents to take home.

 I went with Ian to pick up Zoe at Riverhead. The four adults went off to Auckland to have dinner at a Japanese restaurant where the chefs cooked dinner on a hot plate at your table.

Sally was the only one to catch a piece of egg in her mouth.

On Monday we started to pack and take final photographs.

Emily, Sally, Zoe and Ian

Today the packing continues. When the cleaners came in we went down to St Heliers to take the last library book back and a last paddle. Now we wait.

Still Here

Sunday 18th

Around the Bays

Sally and Ian completed Around the Bays with a brisk walk in one and a half hours.

Strange route for a London bus

Sally's Company's Hospitality Tent

On the bouncy castle

Monday 19th

Very wet. Sounded as if a tap was left on as water run down the gulleys.

1. House work
2. Painting
3. Emily from Kindy
4. Emily to class, then to Pak n’ Save, then coffee
5. Pick up Zoe from Oscars
6. Ian and Sally cleared upstairs bathroom, toilet and Emily’s room. Zoe to sleep on Emily’s bed which was moved to parent’s room. Emily to sleep in Zoe’s room; ready for builders tomorrow.
7. Saw second part of ‘Dark Knight’

Emily's room cleared

Toilet and bathroom cleared

Emily in Zoe's bed

Tuesday 20th

A little rain. Temperature down to 20

1. Mum’s travel insurance purchased
2. Shopping in St Heliers. Great library system. Free order of books made less than a week ago. Email received to say they are ready. Found on ‘Orders Shelf’ labelled and in alphabetical order by surname.
3. Builders arrived.
4. Emily collected
5. Emily to special class
6. Zoe and Emily to dance classes
7. Collect snapper, chips and sausages

Toilet gutted

Bathroom gutted

The builders

Wednesday 21st

1. Spoke to Jenny on the phone
2. Collected Emily. Started to rain
3. Emily to class
4. Raining so took Emily to Lollipops in Ellerslie
5. Benny kept getting stuck in the roof
6. Rain really came down till into the night
7. No lights in kitchen and lounge. Cosy table lamps
8. Sally and Ian went to a school dinner
9. We baby sat

Skip removal

Opening created to make a
cupboard in Emily's room

Looking into new bathroom area
through opening

Window beading removed

Thursday 22nd

1. Spoke to Joni and Fiona on Skype
2. Did some work on my painting
3. Sally collected mum to go with her to an appointment for Emily
4. Four to Mission Bay for lunch
5. Sally did the Gymbaroo thing and went to work
6. Emily and grandparents had ice cream at Kohi
7. Went to Madill’s Farm play park. Emily found a friend from Kindy to play with. The pair looked sweet holding hands and running around the park together
8. The builders left when we arrived. Same lack of lighting as last night. I watched Benny get himself down from the roof space
9. Irene and I walked round to spend the evening at the home of a couple who I met while they were displaying their scale model of Noah’s Ark.

Painting on the terrace

Back of new cupboard and
plumbing for shower unit

New cupboard space

Benny stuck in the roof

He eventually gets down

Friday 23rd

1. Got up earlier so that Ian could take Zoe to join other children on a walk to school. Then we took Emily up to Kindy
2. We went to collect coffee at the local shop. The coffee shop was full of mothers waiting to get their coffee before going home after dropping the children at school
3. Irene and I then went to see the local doctor to get our medicines stocked up for the rest of the trip
4. Collected Emily at 12.30
5. Emily did some school work after dinner and I played with the Tomy trains with her
6. Collected Zoe from Oscars after school club

Electrics and piping fitted

Building work after first 4 days

Saturday 24th
I went on my own to Sylvia Park Mall to sort out my watch. The member of staff at Warehouse happily exchanged my broken one for a new one.


I was then accosted by young Israeli lady who offered me face cream and proceeded to polish one of my nails using very fine diamond paper. She failed to sell me a $100 nail kit.


In the meantime Irene and Sally had gone down to St Heliers for a facial and manicure.


After lunch I went off with Ian, Sally and Zoe to Mitre 10 for cupboard fitting and then to the pet shop for an aquarium bulb and snails. Irene stayed with Emily to do some baking.


The weather started well and we had planned to walk with Zoe on the Spit but it has deteriorated with rain and strong winds.

Present Week

Today we should be on a plane home.

Following our arrival back to Auckland last Wednesday we have collected a hire car and commenced our child care service.


On Friday I had the pleasure of seeing Zoe collect awards for good work in class. It was a lovely ceremony under the trees in the playground just before lunch.

On Sunday it was Zoe's birthday party. With the family we went of to a swimming pool which had been hired as a party venue. The party started with Zoe and her friends enjoying the pool. There were two pools. The shallow pool for the little ones like Emily and another for the older children.

The pool time ended with the arrival of piles of pizzas. Some of the children were very pleased to end the pool activities at this time. After pizzas Sally bought in her wonderful cake creation. This went down well.


Our working week started by collecting Emily from kindy at lunch time, doing some school work, and going to play with her on the beach. At other times of the week we have taken her to other educational activities such a Gymbaroo and, on Thursday, we have taken both girls to dance classes.


Wednesday was a special day. It was Zoe's birthday. We made an early start with a few presents at breakfast before the girls went off to school.

After school I took Zoe down to St Heliers where she joined with the other Brownies to sell their biscuits. We were there for about an hour. 

 

Next to the Brownie stall, outside the library there was a man with 1/90th replica of Noah's ark and lots of literature. We had a chat and many people stopped to talk to him. 

When we got back to the house it was all very silent. Then there was a giggle. In the downstairs playroom a party was set out. Ian and Sally had gotten home early and we all enjoyed a surprise party. Although, Zoe was a little annoyed that she had been told about it earlier. Unwrapping the rest of the presents followed.

Piñata busting

This is Benny.
He has still not figured out the cat-flap concept.

On Thursday afternoon we took Emily to Gymbaroo and then on to Kelly Tarlton's. While Irene was in with Emily I went for a walk to a nearby bay. It was good to be out without my camera and hat; not looking so much like a tourist. In the evening I drove out, with Irene to Devonport. We got caught up in the home bound city traffic, then under the new tunnel and over the bridge. It was interesting to see the comings and goings at Devonport harbour. As the ferry got halfway across the water from Auckland cars and buses suddenly arrived, streams of people got off the ferry and the car park went empty once more. I can't help but think that this must be a less stressful way of getting home from work than making the journey that we had just done.

Arrivals at Devonport

We watched as darkness fell and the city lights came on. The sun set with the same golden rays over the harbour bridge that we witnessed just before we left in 2009.

Yesterday it was really hot. 


In the morning I continued with my quest to extend our travel insurance. My UK company will only extend beyond 20th April, most companies will not insure non-residents. Two NZ companies will sell me insurance, but will not cover pre-existing medical conditions. Another company will cover anybody, anywhere but only under 60's. This morning I spoke to an insurance agent who started by telling me that I did not need insurance in NZ due to reciprocal agreements, but cover was necessary and possible for the Singapore bit but recommended that Irene be insured by a different company to cover flight costs and luggage.


After this I started on a painting. I bought myself a canvas, some acrylic paints and brushes. I have decided to paint a picture of 'Mount Cook'.


Emily did her work in the afternoon and was happy playing at home. The pool was tempting. The water was warm, but I was not sure of the quality. I now know how to test it and next time it happens I will be able sort it out.


Before collecting Zoe from her after school club I went to the chemist to get a months supply of my tablets. It had cost £35 to have an examination at the local doctor so that he could write out a prescription. It was a bonus to know that I was medically fit. Most items cost £1.50. Compare this to UK prices. It only took 10 mins for the chemist to put the prescription together, unlike the one week notice needed at home.


In the evening Sally took Irene and me out for a drink and our pudding before a walk along the sea front.


Today, Saturday, we got up  and Irene received Mother's Day presents from Zoe and Emily. (It is not M.D. here.)

Ian and I took the girls out in the hope of getting pony rides, but we finished up with a Dunkin' Donut and a visit to covered playground. The girls spent two hours there before returning with MacDonalds. They then went out to visit a previous nanny and see her baby.

We all went out to a 'Mother's Day' dinner in the evening.

Tomorrow Sally and Ian are joining in with 80,000 other people to do 'Around the Bays'. They will be walking 8.4km (5.2 miles) from the Ferry Building to St Heliers and finish off with a barbecue on a local park.