Where we live now

Where we live now, a small insight into our new lives

New Zealand - New Start

I've not updated things in a while as we've had a very rapid start to things over in Kiwi land. We arrived safe an sound on the 8th of April and within 2 weeks we had rented ourselves a little house in a area of Christchurch called St Albans. We didn't have a vehicle for about 4 weeks so Danny bought push bikes and we went everywhere on them. Christchurch is mega flat, it is amazing dull as landscapes go and we try and escape to the hills as much as possible. The picture on the left is our new favorite place, Orton Bradly Park

The winter has set in now and our house is freezing, they don't do central heating over here or double glazing so the house doesn't retain any heat. Danny doesn't seem to notice as much as me as I'm working in my office upstairs a lot of the time.

Danny got a job as a assistant store manager for MacPac an outdoor company, i think he finds the job a little dull after the intenseness of life with Go Outdoors. I'm enrolled at the university in the Human Interface Technology Lab researching computer games and education for my PhD. It seems to be going OK but I've not had confirmation of funding yet so it could all go wrong very soon :)

I am enjoying being able to cycle to work it was one of my goals when i left the UK to not have to drive to work. Now instead of the M1 and Leeds each day i have a 25 minute cycle which takes me through the park, it's great until the rain started.

I'm also working as a relief tutor for a local technology college called NatColl. It's better than teaching in the UK as i have absolutely no responsibility in this role, that means no admin and no nurturing students :)

We bought a camper van a couple of weeks ago, a 1984 Toyota hiace. It's like driving a tank and the heater is broken so it's bloody freezing and like driving a tank. We've had one trip down to the south of the South island which was really awesome (if a little cold). Milford Sound is a great place to see and Mount Cook (below right), looked massive obviously Danny wants to climb it and I'm sure he will in a year or so.

We're not getting out and about so much at the moment due to work commitments and the fact it's winter and cold. But the snow should arrive soon and then we're going to start skiing. I'm gonna have some lessons ad try to learn properly so i don't break any limbs.

I'm sure there's lots of important things I've missed out but I'd have nothing to share with you all next time.