7 days countdown to departure -reflections

[themilkybarkid]

Well less than 7 days time we fly out to Wellington.

It's been a long 3 year journey in planning and research, LOTS of questions, LOTS to consider, LOTS of gathering info, LOTS of emails, LOTS of thinking things through and a memorable 3 week reccie ... but we are almost there with considerable thanks to this FORUM!

We've managed to open an account and send £15k to Kiwibank via HiFX - glad we did cos the £ has gone down since and we would have lost a good few hundred if we did it today - gonna have to get used to that. The packers from Allied Pickfords arrive on Tues, container on Thursday -so we are frantically juggling between decluttering and seeing friends and family - will all our belongings fit in a 20foot container? Will we be ready? We still haven't packed our suitcases or decided how much or what exactly to take with us yet.

So far it feels that so much good is coming from this move/adventure. Yes we'll be sad to leave people, but we are all capturing the importance of the moment, valuing each other, realising how important we are to each other, letting each other know how much we value one another - and that is such a privilege and a good thing!

I'm now beginning to feel the enormity of the move, I have no regrets only excitement for our new chapter, but some apprehension for our two sons now in their mid 20s we leave behind. Rationally I know it'll lead to great independence and it's great they have lovely girlfriends too, but emotionally it's a little hard to move on.

Still a few cleaning jobs to do for MAF, lots of trips to the tip, freecycle, friends etc. Still need to book a taxi for Sat to take us to Manchester. Need to borrow some stuff to camp out in our own house for two nights -that'll be strange - but we preferred doing that rather than stay with friends or B&B. It's really quite hard to know who to see and how to divide up your time. On the Friday night before we go we may just throw a late invite for an informal gathering in the local pub to say goodbye to folk.

Hope to meet up with some ENZ folk in Wellington late Jan early Feb -PM me if you are interested/free. Once we get basic stuff sorted in Welly in first few days we are going to take a couple of weeks holiday wandering around Wellington and surrounding areas - Kapiti coast/Wairapa valley etc., before I start work on the 25th.

We are jumping into this move with both feet striaght into the deep end - we've gone and got PR, and have sold our house in the UK, quit our UK jobs and said we'll give NZ 3 years and see how we feel. When we began thinking about the move in 2007 it seemed a good idea - today the reasons for going to NZ and leaving the UK seem even stronger. We are concerned by the trends in the UK towards a country run for bankers and multi-national business not for people, ridiculous overcrowding which makes movement and enjoyment of the country frustrating - even impossible at times, an erosion of freedoms and civil liberties with a police or nanny state, a pre-occupation with risk, fear and terror, waging wars in other countries, a seriously fractured infra structure, a depressing climate - NZ is no utopia but seems better placed on most of these issues and offers other benefits too. I don't see things in the UK improving over my lifetime -quite the opposite.

I don't think we'll be financially better off in NZ, probably worse off. I think there will be cultural aspects of UK life we'll miss, I think we'll have less choice of consumer goods. I think we'll physically see much less of our UK friends, I think there is a risk or good chance of parents dying while we are out the country - but our eyes are open to these aspects/consequences of life in NZ, and on balance it's still well worth the move. We have our parents support, and we'll be looking to keep in touch via Skype, FB, telephone and email mainly. The move gives a new adventure for others as well as us somehow.

We've got accomm. booked for first 3 months to take stress off, but I'm a bit daunted about renting an unfurnished house once our container arrives as I realise it's important to have a positive experience in these early and difficult initial period. Even more daunted by buying and leaky house syndrome. Tend to think we might want to move to Raumati Beach area/kapiti Coast or even Carterton/Greytown - but who knows at this stage -will see when we arrive and see how places and areas 'feel'.

Can't sleep and I've found this conversation with ENZ has helped tidy my thinking. Hope it might help others too.

All has gone very well thus far, so here's hoping these final few days proceed okay - best of luck to those thinking and planning a move.

[mooncalf]

Good Luck. Reading your post makes me realise again why we left the UK!

[GrumpyGoat]

Sounds like the reasons we left the US.

And we did face some REALLY hard times in the first year but we knew we could never return (due to those same reasons you listed) so we managed to stick it out. And we are well and truly settled now. We love it 110%

Good luck on your last days and all the work left to do!

Good luck on your trip and arrival!

And good luck on your new life in NZ!!

[JandM]

All the very best, MBK. ((()))

[girlwithanewf]

Have a good journey, any questions when you get here do send a message.
Make the most of your last few days in the UK and you definitely want to have that last night in the pub with all your friends!

[Automotive]

Reading your post somehow is exactly (almost) how we are feeling now. Lots of this and that....It's never easy to leave families and friends behind plus the land that we've grown accustomed to. Our departure will be mid Apr, just one trip with no reccie
All the best come what may

[sanko]

Hope all goes well.

Try to enjoy your last few days. You will deserve that drink on friday!!

Fingers crossed, this will be us in August.

[JaniceW]

Best of luck. We're in Paraparaumu/Raumati Kapiti Coast so give me a shout if you're in the area. We love it here even though we've only been here a month and a half. We have a fantastic rental overlooking a lake and the mountains and there are plenty of places to buy that have no leaky roofs! Plenty of choice too - new builds and old. So far the weather here is great and when the wind blows in Wellies, there's only a breeze here. Also a very easy commute by train or car.

[themilkybarkid]

thanks Janice - kapiti sounds good!
may give you a shout when we are visiting the area cheers!

[dilanium]

Good luck!