We arrived back in NZ on the 3rd of December, today is the 7th of January and that month has flown by. As yet we are still not settled and have been buzzing about like bees in a bush over the last few weeks.
The first week was spent in Auckland staying with Carol's son Luke. A time for sorting and organising, we bought ourselves a car - a 1991 Toyota Carina (pillarless 4 door Celica/Corona) done 150,000km. It cost us NZ$1700 and needed some repairs and a new stereo. This was the cheapest good car we could find in Auckland, in comparison with the VW we bought in England it is way overpriced. The VW would sell for NZ$5000 over here. Yes it has been a little hard adjusting to the prices here, food especially is much cheaper in the UK.
At the end of the first week we headed back to Rotorua to reconnect with friends and go to the SCMCC on Friday night. Back to Auckland again to again then from there a long journey down to Napier to visit Kent's family and have an early christmas bbq. Everyone is really well and happy, we had a great few days there and sealed the depth of our (defacto) marriage with Kent giving Carol his mother's old engagement ring.
Back to Rotorua where Carol had an interview for a job helping with the census that is on in February of this year and Kent was contacted by his old boss about coming back to work for him again. On Christmas day it was on out to Ohope where we visited Kent's Aunt Nita (Edinburgh Brian's mother) and cousins and also visited Kiwi friends Kajal and Dave who we met in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia. Kaj & Dave are now the proud parents of 6 week old Theo - congratulations! On from there out to Te Kaha to spend the week with Todd & Dannelle and family by the sea on the quiet and beautiful East Cape. We went out with them on their boat and caught lots of different types of fish some of which was smoked at the bach. Carol discovered she loves smoked fish warm from the smoker - YUM!
The weather all this time was just beautiful, sometimes too hot for Kent but Carol has been loving it. New Year was spent quietly with Todd & family on their deck looking out over Rotorua city with lots of laughing and kiwi humour and we could easily see the fireworks put on at the lakefront at midnight.
Back up to Auckland again this time to spend a week at Carol's brother Martin's house looking after their mother while he and his family holiday in Gisborne. That is where we are today, except for one day of rain we have had lovely weather. The time just disappears each day with this and that, the beach has had a walk or two and we went in to Luke's one day to help with some alterations he is doing. Also were able to spend some time with Alan, a Brazilian we met in Curitiba who is visiting over here, and drove him around the Auckland bays and countryside.
Our next post should find us settled back in Rotorua for a while at least - we shall see...
