Back to Welly and back to School

Hi folks, yep the holidays are almost over - booo!

And Katie starts soon too - fingers crossed with the old visa thing but should have a start date of 4th of May. For those of you who don't know, Katie has a job as Regional Tennis Development Manager and will be rejoining the workforce soon.

I am actually sitting in my office and it's Saturday - I am not doing a whole lot of work though if I am being honest but I did want to upload some more photos to flickr and also add some to the blog.

We will be getting a landline really soon for our house and we will also be all set up to use Skype regularly too so things as they say can only get better!

Here are a couple of highlights from the last month - more photos as I say are on flickr. (www.flickr.com/katieandsteph88)

What a month!

Hi everyone,

I started writing a blog entry last week and never got round to posting it because we have been so blinking busy!!! Sorry the blog has been sparse - this will be fixed once we get internet access in our new hoose. (and photos will be added)

Paul arrived last month and we (as Katie mentioned in her previous post) walked Tongariro which was fantastic - we did a million and one different things when Paul was over - went to comedy clubs, out for dinner, went to whanganui for lunch - moved house, just the usual kind of stuff that everyone does in a typical week. It was brilliant.

Then on the day Paul left, Sam and Emma arrived - just in time to run Paul to the airport! Then we had a great time with Sam and Emma (who are on their 12 month honeymoon for those who don't know) we did barbecues, beers, day trips, a cycle home from my work that nearly killed Sam. (It is seriously uphill) T'was great to see the pair of them and who knows where or when we will catch up next! Somewhere exciting no doubt.

Then - on Sunday just there, Katie and I flew to Christchurch to meet my Mum and Aunt Chirstine and we have been driving all over the South island seeing the sites:

We've been to Willowbank to see Kiwis, we've been on the Christchurch tram, we've went to Akaroa for Lunch. We then went to Hamner Springs for a wee shot in the hot pools and the ladies all got massages.

Then we drove for miles back round towards christchurch then over Arthurs Pass which was stunning and that took us to Greymouth (we'll just pretend the speeding ticket for Steph never happened by the way). We then drove to Westport then onto Nelson and the drive was again, fantastic. We are in Nelson at this very moment and we thought we would have a quiet day today - then we changed our mind and headed off to Abel tasman national Park for a boat trip round the beaches to see the seals and some of the sites. Brilliant - and we are off out for dinner just now then heading on a bit of a winery tour tomorrow - it's non-stop action all the way.

Staying in Blenheim tomorrow night before we head to Wellington on the interislander ferry for a well earned three day rest in our house before Mum and Christine head off to Singapore. (they've already conquered Hong Kong and Sydney)

When the dust settles, we catch our breath and we get on the internet again I will write more but here are a couple of other bullet points of note:

* Katie got a job! Working as Development manaager for Tennis! (mmore news to follow)
* Our great friends Lorna and Iain are now in NZ too - they are in Auckland and Iain has started his job already - a trip to Auckland is definitely in the offing!

Anyway, best be off - will write more soon,

Phew!

SB

Road Trip!

Hi,

Just incase anyone is looking for us in the next few days we thought we'd let you know we are off on a little road trip with Paul. We are going to attempt the Tongariro 1 day crossing - considered one of the best one day walks in the world and thought to be the best in NZ! Also has lots of Lord Of The Rings filming locations.

We are also moving out of our lovely house-sit today (boo!) and getting set up in our new flat (yay!) which means that we won't have a landline or access to the internet for a little while, so incase you were wondering why we're not in contact its just temporary and we'll be back soon!

Hope all is well at home xx

From House Sitting to Furniture Sitting!!

Hello, Sorry it has been a while since you have heard from us! We have been busy setting up home and living a slightly less adventurous lifestyle. You will see from the photos that we have found a fab place to rent which we are so happy about, but we forgot one minor detail - we have to furnish it! Anyway, with Steph working in a school there has been no end of very generous offers and we are now the proud 'caretakers' of a flatscreen TV, a queen bed, a fab leather sofa, some lights and a full professional drum kit (don't ask!) We have also bought the entire contents of our friend's kitchen and dining room (plus bikes and a sofa) as they are moving back to the UK this week so we thought it would be good to help them out while getting some essentials for our place. Its funny, back home I was of the opinion that everything had to be brand new and matching, but I have quickly dropped that attitude as NZ is very much about recycling!! I haven't found any diamonds in the rough of the Salvation Army yet (just fleas and mould), but I hear the Mary Potter Hospice charity shop is THE place to be - we will be taking a trip there soon. Don't worry we won't be getting beds or anything from there so it will be safe if you come to stay!

This week I hope to hear about a possible job opportunity. I have been looking but not applied for anything yet. We felt that it was a great chance for me to take some time to crack on with the masters while we were living rent free, but now that the house sitting is drawing to an end I will have to get out there and earn a crust. Quite looking forward to the challenge actually and prepared to look at something a bit different - as long as it earns a decent wage and not too stressful!

Our reputation as NZ's top house sitters has hit the press! We have been contacted by some past 'clients' for repeat business in April but we have definitely moved on from house sitting for the time being. Its quite funny though, we've been housesitting since December and I have been notified by so many people from the website wondering if we were available that if we had continued to do it we could have lived until August in Wellington just going from house sit to house sit. However, it does have its downsides, like cats, and killing plants (?!) and taping Prison Break for Margaret every Wed evening so we are very much looking forward to our free-time and our surroundings being completely our own!

We are really looking forward to seeing lots of friends and family over the next month. We've got Paul coming in 9 days, Sam and Emma arrive at the beginning of April for a few days as a stop over on their honeymoon, My friends Doug and Pat are on a trip with a stopover in Wellington on the 11th April so we will meet them for dinner and then we fly to Christchurch to meet Steph's mum and Auntie on the 12th April for 2 weeks. And last but not least, our bestest buddies Lorna and Iain will be hopefully joining us for a life down-under soon! So now that we have a place to call our own, if anyone else fancies a wee holiday or something more permanent in NZ you are more than welcome to come stay with us!

Well, we will write some more when we have done something a bit more worthy of telling you!

Byee,
Katie xx

KO on her bike

KO on hers
Originally uploaded by katieandsteph88

Katie and I have both now got some wheels and yesterday we did a huge bike ride round the bays here at Wellington. It was a great day but we were both knackered after the Tour De Welly and had a quiet Saturday night watching crap movies on the telly.

In other news, we are starting to get our house together and we have had offers of 1) A Television 2) A brown leaher sofa and 3) a Drum kit to furnish our new house with. So it should be an interesting (and possibly noisy) place when it is finished.

My brother comes out on the 23rd of this month and we should be almost all moved in by then hopefully although we won't be able to leave the house sit completely until the end of the month.

Hope everyone back home is well - and that you haven't fallen asleep reading our blog recently ;o)

More photos are now at Flickr.

India v NZ 20/20

India v NZ 20/20
Originally uploaded by katieandsteph88

Just thought I would post a quick photo from the recent 20/20 game of cricket between India and NZ (the blackcaps) - Strangely for cricket it was actually an exciting game with it going down to the very last ball. NZ won and everybody was happy - apart from the Indians.

our new place.....finally an end to moving around

Hi everyone, sorry we haven't been in touch on the blog lately but today I was speaking to my cousin Karen via facebook, she mentioned the lack of posts and I have been spurred into action. You'll probably notice there are a few different entries today - if any have disappeared off the page then you can use the "older posts" link at the bottom to retrieve them.

Anyway, yes well the photos above are our new place in Moana Road, Highbury, Wellington - I should mention that we only have the upstairs part and the downstairs will be rented by someone else. Unfortunately we have to pay for this one but it is all ours for the next 9 months which is fantastic. It's got a great view, a balcony, two bedrooms - I can't really do it justice here so you'll just have to come and see it for yourself.

We will post more photos once we get in but for now we need to try and furnish the flippin place (it's unfurnished) which is going to be pretty funny as we will be doing it on the cheap (and on the scrounge ;o) We can move in on the 23rd of March but will be need to finish our housesit first before moving in for real.

Life is going well just now for both of us - We now know where we will be living, Katie has been busy sussing out employment prospects (in between managing to respond to adverts for houses - you have to move so quickly here to get the place you want.) and I have been busy teaching at the school. My job is certainly busier than I would like but I'm sure the pace will settle down soon - still enjoying it though although it is hugely different from secondary.

We are both still managing to get out and run regularly - it's so much more motivating to exercise here cos everyone is doing it. Both of us are definitely seeing a big improvement in our fitness which is great.

Newsflash - it's only just over three weeks before my Bro arrives here in Welly - it is going to be brilliant and i can't wait. Will be great to see the big man again and I am sure he'll enjoy it over here (it's all Hobbits and magic and stuff ;o)

After my bro leaves my Mum and Aunt Christine then arrive which will be brilliant too - we are meeting them in Christchurch and doing a wee tour of the South Island before coming up to Welly for a few nights.

Some other great news that we had over the last few weeks are that good friends of ours from back home have decided to up sticks and move to New Zealand too. Unfortunately they will be in Auckland but it will be brilliant to have them in the same country and I am sure we will make every effort to see each other as often as we can. (they shall remain nameless in case not everyone back home knows already - I'm sure they do, but just in case)

Right I'm off now to fix my bike - the brakes have decided they don't want to work anymore which is going to be a problem what with the steep hills here in Welly.

Will write more soon - and will try to remember to be more dilligent!

All the best,

SB

Cuba Street Carnival

IMG_8716
Originally uploaded by katieandsteph88

Another big event we went to recently - the Cuba street carnival. It was great, lots of live bands, people dressed up, street markets etc. For the parade itself though it was pretty hard to see anything so most people ended up doing a bit of a spiderman and climbing up on buildings - we were with Tara (teacher from my school from England) and her boyfriend Will and decided that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. We ended up getting drinks passed out from a nearby pub so we were having drinks on the roof watcing the parade.

Billy Connolly

IMG_3273
Originally uploaded by katieandsteph88

Not the best photo I will ever take but there were people lurking ready to steal cameras from anyone caught filming or photographing this show. I did feel however that I should take a photo for my Dad as he very kindly paid for our tickets and our dinner before the performance. Thanks Dad.

Winery tour

IMG_8635
Originally uploaded by katieandsteph88

Just a quick photo from a winery concert we were at a couple of weekends ago at Alanna estate in Martinborough with our friends Shona and Steve - all the New Zealand favourites were there - Anika Moa, Opshop and the Legendary Dab Dobbyn. Never heard of them? What do you mean? ;o)