OUR FIRST DINNER PARTY

We've met some really wonderful people and we're so relieved at how accepting the Kiwi's are of the immigrants. We were a bit worried about how we'd be accepted here as we all know how the immigrants to the UK are sometimes treated.

Anyway - they have all looked after us so well. This was our way of saying thank you to them.

Can you believe this - The lady to the left of the picture in red is an old acquaintance of Neil's from Edinburgh. We knew each other about 15 years ago and we both share a very special friend. She moved out here 8 years ago - as soon as we got chatting we realised we have probably moved in each other's circles in the past. The six degrees of separation theory proven?????????

A Christmas Message

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL 2007 TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us through our 2006 journey. We would certainly not have got here without you all (and this extends to work colleagues also) who supported, encouraged and helped us on our way - thank you.

For both of us, 2006 was a wonderful year with some of the biggest events so far in our lives. Our wedding in June being the highlight and we were honoured to have so many friends and family there to celebrate our union with us.

We're hoping that in 2007/8 we'll see some of you this side of the ball and you are all more than welcome to stay over at our pad (not all at once though).

We wish your 2007 to be at least as fantastic as our 2006 was.

Lots of love.

Ray & Neil.

CHRISTMAS DAY - KWIW STYLE!

Well what a day! - We decided to do the turkey and trimmings after all as we couldn't understand the whole 'twice cooked ham' thing - when we find out what its all about - we'll reveal!

Whilst it was cooking - we strolled down to the beach with a bottle of bubbly and a cheese board - very decandent! What we didn't expect was the number of people with the same idea (we think half of China was on the beach with us!!).

We thought we were onlt there for about 45 mins but when we got back - the turkey was frazzled as we'd actually been on the beach for almost 3 hours!! We're sure you can guess who else was frazzled! (both your's trulies!)

We decided that this was the day we would go into the water - needs to heat up a bit still but its almost tropical compared to Blackpool!!

See the people swimming in the sea? They've got their santa hats on - how cool is that?

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING - DOWN UNDER

As many of you will know - we have a very great fondness of Nicky Nacky Noos! Well we thought that was all over when we left the UK (we secretly stocked up before we left) as we didn't think there would be similar shops here. Well - this has turned out to be a Nick-Nack-Noo paradise!!

Here's some piccies of our day out when we went Christmas Shopping.

Note Neils' new sporty company car - it goes like sh*t off a shovel! Its got loads of exhausts - not sure what they all do - but as long as it gets us from A to B!

A Few Christmas Sunsets

These were taken from our balcony on Christmas Eve.

SANTA CAME EARLY!!!!

Ray has eventually filled his life long ambition of owning a water blaster - some UK neighbours will confirm his attraction to them!!

Anyway we bought this one off Trademe which is the NZ version of ebay. This outdoor furniture was left by the departing prior owners so he's blasted it and its come up good as new.

Now we have a willing and able person who can wash windows (23 of them in our new house) and cars - Result!!

ITS CHRISTMAS - HOARAGGHHH!!!

Well it certainly doesn't feel like Christmas!!

Its really odd - its warm, sunny (intermittantly), the sun goes down at 9 ish and back up at 6 ish - what the hell is going on???

We can't beleive that when you go to B&Q they've got Christmas decks up, playing Christmas songs and we're in our bloddy shorts - what's that all about?

Chritsmas Day (we're told) will be very nice but quick lunch then down to beach with bottle of wine - WHAT?? Where's the turkey (they do ham here), cold nights, log fire, crap TV, brandy, mince pies etc etc????

Anyhoo - here's some snaps of Neil's Christmas party at the zoo - in a marquee. We're glad to say that we've found some other P*SS artists who can join us with our hobby - boozing!!

The guy in Stripy Shirt is Neil's new boss and the people we're we're hugging are some new friends we've met. They are South African and really great fun. Neil works with the lady who is fast becoming his sole mate!

SUNDAY

He're a few snaps of last Sunday when we went out for some lunch. These piccies are from a place called Devonport which is about a 10 min drive from our house. Its a little seaside resort just on the opposite side of AKL City with amazing views. Its really nice to sit on the beach watching people sailing about in their yachts. We're hoping maybe next year (if we're good!!) santa will bring us one too!!

The weather on this day was awesome but we've still not got into the habit of wearing sun protection. Whilst its not very hot (about 22 on this day) the sun's strength is severe due to the hole in the ozone layer above NZ - you can actually feel it penetrating your skin. We've been given loads of advice about always wearing cream or else covering up. As Ray is working outside all day he readily comes home looking like a frazzled beetroot!!

The weather however does not always look like this and later today the weather broke and for the rest of the week its been very very wet and windy. We're getting really fed up with the wind because we want to get out there but we can't for fear of being blown away. The Kiwi's tell us that by Jan we should have wall to wall sunshine till about April - if you want to visit - get over here now!!

OPEN HOME CANCELLED

Well well well!! What a week. Saw the house a couple of weeks ago and loved it to death. put in crazy low offer expecting to get laughed out of the door but.................they accepted!!!! Horaghh!!

So on the day of the move all went really well until we turned up here - and the vendors hadn't moved out!! No one told them that we were actually moving that day!! our removal company had to move them out and then us - in!1 What a nightmare. Anyway - we're in and love it. Here are some piccies of our first couple of days and the views which are awe.some

How big is that erse?????!!!!!!

No Longer Billy No Mates - horaghhh!!!





We (at last) got some mates - we were becoming a couple of billies!! Anyway - they invited us to their beach house at Waihi Beach to do some surfing. Thankfully,

we couldn't get into the shed where the surf boards were (forgot the key!!) as the water was freezin. We had a really great time and most of weekend was spent in pub!

A Tuesday Night Stroll After Work





Can anyone believe that we've travelled half way round the globe only to live in bloddy Birkenhead - good thing here is - your wheels are safe!!

This area is actually considered one of the less desirable areas - can you believe that!! We think its gorgeous - but some areas are completely idyllic!

Now what's this pile of old crap doing here then we hear you ask!!! Well this is a fantastic scheme opertaed by the city council. Once a year, you are allowed to throw all your rubbish out into the street and it lies there for 2 weeks. In that time,anyone can come along and take what they want (Ok for the record - we'd never be seen dead taking old crap away) and most of the stuff has actually gone!!! People turn up with vanms taking as much as they can - its a brilliant scheme. The remaining stuff is now being collected by the council but there's not a lot left.

A Rainy & Cold Day Out




OK - enough already!!!. The weather has turned really bad and we think all the rain on the globe has landed on Auckland!! Will it never stop!!!!

On this day we decided to go out anyway and it actually brightened up - horaghh!!

We went to a beach called PIHA Beach which has black sand. The waves are awesome and thus a surfer's paradise. When we got down to the beach - we found hundreds of people surfing - bit too cold for us though!!

What is truly amazing about the Kiwi's is that the rain will never deter them from getting the BBQ out. These people were having the best time ever - we really wanted to join in!

We saw some people getting rescued out of the water - the currents are really severe and some surfers got dragged out.