We're here! We've landed in Christchurch, and spent our first week getting to grips with the kiwi life. It's been a mix of emotions and jet lag, and a busy week of setting up bank accounts and house viewings. There have been times when we've turned to each other and said "can you believe this is real?!" and times when all I've wanted is a cup of Yorkshire tea. But we've survived and overall had a very good start.
On our first day here, we did nothing more than nap, and eat Thai food. It took us longer to get through immigration and customs than the last few times we've been in New Zealand, what with having so many bags and the fact that we are staying longer than 6 months, so we finally left the airport around 2 hours after landing. By that point, we were too tired to do much else other than sleep and eat! And our first weekend was spent food shopping, opening a bank account, napping, and trying very hard to get ourselves on New Zealand time so we could hit the ground running on Monday.
On Monday, D started work and I began the house hunt. While we may not have secured a rental house yet (we're staying in a holiday home for the time being), we have managed to get a good idea of what is available, and have even put in an application for a property. The hardest thing to get our heads around is the fact that nowhere (and I mean NOWHERE) has central heating. It is currently the start of spring, around 10 degrees celsius, and not one single home we have viewed has central heating. They rely on heat pumps in the living area, which throw out hot air and are fairly efficient, except they only heat the room that they are installed in. I think we will be stocking up on warm slippers and jumpers for next winter!!
The rest of the week has been a bit of a blur with jet lag and D being busy at work. I managed to get out into Christchurch town and have a walk around and of course, drink lots of good coffee. Christchurch is in the midst of some major rebuilding, and even since our visit in June there are shiny new roads and structures. One building that hasn't changed much is the Cathedral, which is still awaiting decisions on its restoration.
On Friday the sun was shining, so D and I met for lunch at the Botanic Gardens. These gardens are stunning at the moment, with the cherry blossom out and ducklings in the pond. I'm looking forward to visiting as Spring turns to Summer, and seeing the gardens in full bloom.
The weather has been amazing this week, much better than our last visit in June; bright, sunny, and clear even though it is pretty cold. So on Saturday D and I decided to get out for a walk in the Port Hills to make the most of the weather and our new hometown's proximity to nature. After all, one of the things we promised ourselves with this move was that we would do more than just work or sleep.
Standing on top of this hill, I turned to D and said "can you believe this is home now?!" - it still feels very surreal. To have these beautiful views and walks within 20 minutes of home is just incredible; the Southern Alps to one side, the sea to the other. We're looking forward to getting our walking boots out more often
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