Today Sabine and I drove to Oamaru. Along the way we stopped at Moeraki Boulders, which are these huge round football looking like rocks that are in the beach. I got my feet wet from the tide which soaked my socks for the rest of the day.
Next we visited the iSite of Oamaru to get our bearings. Sabine fancied eating fish and chips so we found a nice place at the harbour which served it. However it was tourist prices unfortunately. still, I enjoyed it.
There was this very New Zealandy event going on. Off road vehicles were turning up with dead wild pigs and Red Deer strapped to anywhere possible. They offloaded there hunt to be weighed for a competition type thing. I asked a few blokes behind me what was going on and they said there is a prize for the heaviest and ugliest kill. This of course was going on in the outside with all the local kids and families around. No one cared nor battered an eyelid. Just your everyday normal thing, having a bunch of dead carcasses lying around. Family friendly fun!
Next we visited a lookout point for yellow eyed penguins. We didn't spot any pengis but we did see a adult female Sealion lying around near us on the cliff and a juvenile Sealion hopping about at the shore. I think I was here in 2009.
Next we drove inland to see the Elephant rocks. These weird grey rocks come out the ground in very strange curvy formations which I guess gives them their name. They have filmed a scene from the Hobbit part 1 here, as well as 'Aslans camp' from the Narnia films. There is a beautiful view of the Southern Alps here too. We had really nice weather today which was a bonus. I got too hot at times. I noticed a bunch of locals in t-shirts and shorts today. It wasn't exactly hot, but it definitely wasn't cold like it has been.
After that there was a long drive home and a final shop from The Warehouse and Pac n Save.
Sunday 27 August 2017
Saturday 26 August 2017
Dunedin: 26th Aug 2017
Today we woke up to a grey day, so we decided to go to the Cadbury Factory. Today, or whenever this weekend, is a major(?) All Blacks game. I haven't been following the rugby in the slightest, not even online like I used too. But the shop windows around town, plus the beer tents that were installed at the Octagon was a dead give away that a game is being played this weekend at some point. It could even be on as I type this. Sabine was the one who told me they are facing Australia. I had no idea. Today though we had to be careful as the city is full of people coming over to watch the game, which boosts the tourism here. I would say the general populous of the city has increased massively these past few days because of it. It shows with the number of people on the streets plus getting stuck in traffic lights. Regardless, I phoned the Cadbury Factory to book an appointment for 12.30pm, then Sabine and I did a shop at Pac n Save.
After that we went to town and found that the Cadbury factory was booked right up until 1:15. On the streets there were quite a few Australians wearing their signature yellow shirts on, including those in the factory tour itself.
The frontage of Cadbury World was really well designed. The tour itself wasn't what I expected. At no point did we see a production line. At all times the rooms we went too were enclosed with only the external windows to other buildings being all you could 'see'. However the walls in each room were painted with information and even showed a video or two of how they make things. The most interesting part of the tour was watching a huge chocolate cascade happen right in front of us. If we got too close we could have been splashed by it. However it was 1 ton of liquid chocolate being poured into a hopper. Its on a cycle so it gets sent to the top, splashes down, then gets sent to the top again ready for the next tour. This liquid chocolate gets replaced once every month.
Another interesting moment was eating what they call the "crumb". Its like chocolate however its in its most basic form. It would sell really well if they market it, however Cadbury don't because 'if analysed by other companies, they can copy their trade secret from its ingredients' or some such bullshit. Hey hum. There was a liquid chocolate machine on tap which we could use to fill a small cup. very sickly. The tour guide was very happy to give away chocolate bars after visiting each room. Afterwards, Sabine and I had a hot chocolate in the cafe which tasted yummy. Well it would have been if we didn't eat so much of the stuff beforehand. I would say it was more like what I dub as Chocolate Hot. Sabine and I should go back there at some point when we can appreciate the flavour more. So, overall, all the free bits of the factory at the frontage; the shop, the exhibition and the cafe, were actually the best parts of the experience. But I'm still happy I did it.
The factory tour will continue after next year when Cadbury pull out of NZ. We got the impression it will actually improve the tour by incorporating another building. And as for the yearly Baldwin Street Jaffa Race, the guy said that next years will be the last ever. Not the one that happened last week. No doubt we will give that a miss next year also. lol.
Next, Sabine and I visited the Railway station. That was really nicely decorated. New Zealand knows how to build nice buildings. After that we visited the Chinese Garden. That was small but incredible. Its totally enclosed so you get the feeling that you are in a small corner of China. There is a pond with Chinese rocks and beautiful looking buildings, including a tea shop where Sabine and I had a pot of Chinese tea each. Mine was Honeysuckle tea. This was my highlight of today.
Sabine even tried on a gown with a hat which was funny.
We visited a few pet shops to get some things for the garden birds. We wanna attract the birds but they aren't coming down with the things we presently have for them. As for the kitties, we have the bowl of food inside the house now. Its by the open door so they physically need to enter the house to eat the bowl. But they know its there. They still don't like being touched.
After that we went to town and found that the Cadbury factory was booked right up until 1:15. On the streets there were quite a few Australians wearing their signature yellow shirts on, including those in the factory tour itself.
The frontage of Cadbury World was really well designed. The tour itself wasn't what I expected. At no point did we see a production line. At all times the rooms we went too were enclosed with only the external windows to other buildings being all you could 'see'. However the walls in each room were painted with information and even showed a video or two of how they make things. The most interesting part of the tour was watching a huge chocolate cascade happen right in front of us. If we got too close we could have been splashed by it. However it was 1 ton of liquid chocolate being poured into a hopper. Its on a cycle so it gets sent to the top, splashes down, then gets sent to the top again ready for the next tour. This liquid chocolate gets replaced once every month.
Another interesting moment was eating what they call the "crumb". Its like chocolate however its in its most basic form. It would sell really well if they market it, however Cadbury don't because 'if analysed by other companies, they can copy their trade secret from its ingredients' or some such bullshit. Hey hum. There was a liquid chocolate machine on tap which we could use to fill a small cup. very sickly. The tour guide was very happy to give away chocolate bars after visiting each room. Afterwards, Sabine and I had a hot chocolate in the cafe which tasted yummy. Well it would have been if we didn't eat so much of the stuff beforehand. I would say it was more like what I dub as Chocolate Hot. Sabine and I should go back there at some point when we can appreciate the flavour more. So, overall, all the free bits of the factory at the frontage; the shop, the exhibition and the cafe, were actually the best parts of the experience. But I'm still happy I did it.
The factory tour will continue after next year when Cadbury pull out of NZ. We got the impression it will actually improve the tour by incorporating another building. And as for the yearly Baldwin Street Jaffa Race, the guy said that next years will be the last ever. Not the one that happened last week. No doubt we will give that a miss next year also. lol.
Next, Sabine and I visited the Railway station. That was really nicely decorated. New Zealand knows how to build nice buildings. After that we visited the Chinese Garden. That was small but incredible. Its totally enclosed so you get the feeling that you are in a small corner of China. There is a pond with Chinese rocks and beautiful looking buildings, including a tea shop where Sabine and I had a pot of Chinese tea each. Mine was Honeysuckle tea. This was my highlight of today.
Sabine even tried on a gown with a hat which was funny.
We visited a few pet shops to get some things for the garden birds. We wanna attract the birds but they aren't coming down with the things we presently have for them. As for the kitties, we have the bowl of food inside the house now. Its by the open door so they physically need to enter the house to eat the bowl. But they know its there. They still don't like being touched.
Sunday 20 August 2017
Dunedin: 20th Aug 2017
Today we got up early to drive south to The Catlins! The area is known for its waterfalls and we both wanted to go, despite the crap drizzly grey weather.
We listened to music CD's in the car, ones we bought from The Warehouse yesterday. They were pop songs at first then 80's electric stuff we had never heard of. No 80's tunes we have either heard of anyway. Still it was fun!
The first waterfall we arrived at was the most advertised; Parurukawanukini falls, Oh sorry I mean Purakaunui Falls. It was a nice cascading waterfall across a well made track. We even bumped into the same travellers we met just up the road. Thats the thing about today, everywhere we went there wasn't much tourism or people in general, at all!
The next waterfall we went too was Matai Falls, where the waterfall was equally as good.
The next one was Barrs Falls.
After that we drove past Papatowai where Mum, Dad and I stayed in 2009 behind a newsagents. I even saw the place as we drove past, twice.
Maclean Falls was good, as there were two waterfalls in one to see.
After that we had fun getting around difficult rocks at Koropuku Falls. On the way back there was a cutie wood pigeon that wasn't bothered by us in the slightest as we walked past it.
After that the GPS said there was another one to visit, but it only took us through the unmade roads to nowhere. We did however spot a bunch of wild Peacocks that we even saw flying! Like properly flying like it was something they could do with no effort at all! Wow!
We had dinner in the same Subway as yesterday. Even the same tasty sandwich. Yum!
We listened to music CD's in the car, ones we bought from The Warehouse yesterday. They were pop songs at first then 80's electric stuff we had never heard of. No 80's tunes we have either heard of anyway. Still it was fun!
The first waterfall we arrived at was the most advertised; Parurukawanukini falls, Oh sorry I mean Purakaunui Falls. It was a nice cascading waterfall across a well made track. We even bumped into the same travellers we met just up the road. Thats the thing about today, everywhere we went there wasn't much tourism or people in general, at all!
The next waterfall we went too was Matai Falls, where the waterfall was equally as good.
The next one was Barrs Falls.
After that we drove past Papatowai where Mum, Dad and I stayed in 2009 behind a newsagents. I even saw the place as we drove past, twice.
Maclean Falls was good, as there were two waterfalls in one to see.
After that we had fun getting around difficult rocks at Koropuku Falls. On the way back there was a cutie wood pigeon that wasn't bothered by us in the slightest as we walked past it.
After that the GPS said there was another one to visit, but it only took us through the unmade roads to nowhere. We did however spot a bunch of wild Peacocks that we even saw flying! Like properly flying like it was something they could do with no effort at all! Wow!
We had dinner in the same Subway as yesterday. Even the same tasty sandwich. Yum!
Saturday 19 August 2017
Dunedin: 19th Aug 2017
Today is the yearly Dunedin Jaffa race, sponsored by Cadbury! Its a yearly thing they do where they release these tiny balls of chocolate called 'Jaffas' down Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world. Each are numbered, and those participating in the raffle can buy a ticket. The winning ball/ticket will win you a prize, apparently! Its feared though that this event today is the very last one, as Cadbury are closing the factory here in Dunedin.
This morning we had an appointment with our landlords to fix the kitchen tap as it was dripping from the base. They came and fixed it.
Next Sabine decided that the Jaffa race would be over crowded. I too wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of watching thousands of tiny balls be released down a hill. kinda boring. We watched a few videos of it on YouTube and that was that.
So we didn't go.
Instead we drove to town where our front left hubcap fell off. We retrieved it but it looks banged up. Its new too.
We looked in a gift shop.
I had the idea of visiting a tunnel called Mount Stuart Tunnel walk track, where its possible to see glow worms. We drove there, stopping off at a place in the middle of nowhere called Milton, that actually had a proper Subway there! We couldn't resist. We actually were just laughing about it the whole time. Its this town that just appears in the middle of seemingly nowhere at all. This Subway did an amazing lamb footlong sub which was really tasty. We also got a L&P too.
After that we drove too and found the tunnel track, but was closed off by DOC for some reasons. Too unsafe. This could be because of the floods, or maybe the tunnel is just unsafe now. In 2009 it was open and was really nice. In either case I was really disappointed. We drove back and went to The Warehouse and bought a cat bowl, then Pac N Save for cat food. The idea is to attract the 5-6 cats that visit our garden every day. We want to pet them and eventually invite them inside, but its proving a difficult task.
A huge grey and white kitty ate the bowl of cat food. He was still too skittish to want to be petted. After that there was a black one feeding which got chased by another black cat just as Sabine went to try and pet it. All cats in this area do not want to be petted by us so far, apart from the ginger one that I stroked next door.
This morning we had an appointment with our landlords to fix the kitchen tap as it was dripping from the base. They came and fixed it.
Next Sabine decided that the Jaffa race would be over crowded. I too wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of watching thousands of tiny balls be released down a hill. kinda boring. We watched a few videos of it on YouTube and that was that.
So we didn't go.
Instead we drove to town where our front left hubcap fell off. We retrieved it but it looks banged up. Its new too.
We looked in a gift shop.
I had the idea of visiting a tunnel called Mount Stuart Tunnel walk track, where its possible to see glow worms. We drove there, stopping off at a place in the middle of nowhere called Milton, that actually had a proper Subway there! We couldn't resist. We actually were just laughing about it the whole time. Its this town that just appears in the middle of seemingly nowhere at all. This Subway did an amazing lamb footlong sub which was really tasty. We also got a L&P too.
After that we drove too and found the tunnel track, but was closed off by DOC for some reasons. Too unsafe. This could be because of the floods, or maybe the tunnel is just unsafe now. In 2009 it was open and was really nice. In either case I was really disappointed. We drove back and went to The Warehouse and bought a cat bowl, then Pac N Save for cat food. The idea is to attract the 5-6 cats that visit our garden every day. We want to pet them and eventually invite them inside, but its proving a difficult task.
A huge grey and white kitty ate the bowl of cat food. He was still too skittish to want to be petted. After that there was a black one feeding which got chased by another black cat just as Sabine went to try and pet it. All cats in this area do not want to be petted by us so far, apart from the ginger one that I stroked next door.
Thursday 17 August 2017
Dunedin: 17th Aug 2017
I dropped off Sabine, did a quick shop in Pac n Save, then came back and watched 'Your Name'. Its a very good anime film that for some reason Sabine gave up on months ago. But today I wanted to watched it and so I did.
The USA Wells Fargo bank account transfer worked via Pascall and Ryan, our friends from America. Thanks to them we now have our money in BNZ. It was stupid though as we couldn't make a simple bank transfer from our accounts internationally. So instead we did a bank transfer to Pascalls account, which arrived to her in the post as a check, can you believe it, and she simply did the international bank transfer once the check was processed. This took way too much effort. But thankfully that's settled now. The old American leasing company only got into contact the other day to say that someone moved into our old flat one day later then we expected too. We never knew up to now and just assumed. So we can put America to bed now. Not completely behind us, but very nearly.
Later today I met Sabine in town after her work and we went to the mall for dinner. The original plan was to go to the Japanese event at 5:30, a steak house, to meet with everyone and have dinner there. However after looking online at the steak houses prices we couldn't afford that. So instead we decided to have dinner at the mall like the other day.
Sabine had a kebab, and I had an Indian curry. Other choices of restaurants available were the Wok place that Sabine chose last time, and there is also a Mexican. Oh and a Subway. My Indian curry was done in seconds. The guy just spooned the curry into a bowl, placed rice and the plate and charged me for it. Instant. It was tasty but warm. I would have preferred more of it, and hotter (not as in spicy hot, but literally it was verging on being luke-warm). In retrospect Sabine's kebab took the guy ages. And it came very hot. She got her yogurt sauce with it too, the same stuff you get on German kebabs. England has absolutely no idea when it comes to making kebabs. Nothing is processed out here. Its either Lamb or chicken, or the two mixed in together if you wish. very real meat.
After that we went to Starbucks only to find it shut due to the Dunedin CBD water issue. Some cafes have to close because their machines don't boil the water. The council has decided the water to be safe, as long as its boiled. I cant believe Starbucks is one of cafes that dont boil their water.
We went back to the mall and went to a cafe that was serving hot drinks, and then we waited until 5.30. We walked to the beef restaurant where this supposed Japanese meetup group were. Luckily we were met by Sabines colleague. We sat around this table and there was food such as nachos and spare ribs, however things didn't feel right with the group. It didn't help that two of the people were, how do I put this, full of themselves. One woman couldn't stop talking and it seemed that the whole conversation was about them and their work. At one point I distinctively heard her say that she doesn't like students joining the meetup group. Um, hello? WTF?! Why? There was an Asian guy there that looked bored, and two other girls just talking to each other. It just seemed off. No Japanese at the group either. And why meet at a western like steak house restaurant anyway? That's off-putting for a Japanese group to me.
Sabine and I left just slightly after a few others left.
The USA Wells Fargo bank account transfer worked via Pascall and Ryan, our friends from America. Thanks to them we now have our money in BNZ. It was stupid though as we couldn't make a simple bank transfer from our accounts internationally. So instead we did a bank transfer to Pascalls account, which arrived to her in the post as a check, can you believe it, and she simply did the international bank transfer once the check was processed. This took way too much effort. But thankfully that's settled now. The old American leasing company only got into contact the other day to say that someone moved into our old flat one day later then we expected too. We never knew up to now and just assumed. So we can put America to bed now. Not completely behind us, but very nearly.
Later today I met Sabine in town after her work and we went to the mall for dinner. The original plan was to go to the Japanese event at 5:30, a steak house, to meet with everyone and have dinner there. However after looking online at the steak houses prices we couldn't afford that. So instead we decided to have dinner at the mall like the other day.
Sabine had a kebab, and I had an Indian curry. Other choices of restaurants available were the Wok place that Sabine chose last time, and there is also a Mexican. Oh and a Subway. My Indian curry was done in seconds. The guy just spooned the curry into a bowl, placed rice and the plate and charged me for it. Instant. It was tasty but warm. I would have preferred more of it, and hotter (not as in spicy hot, but literally it was verging on being luke-warm). In retrospect Sabine's kebab took the guy ages. And it came very hot. She got her yogurt sauce with it too, the same stuff you get on German kebabs. England has absolutely no idea when it comes to making kebabs. Nothing is processed out here. Its either Lamb or chicken, or the two mixed in together if you wish. very real meat.
After that we went to Starbucks only to find it shut due to the Dunedin CBD water issue. Some cafes have to close because their machines don't boil the water. The council has decided the water to be safe, as long as its boiled. I cant believe Starbucks is one of cafes that dont boil their water.
We went back to the mall and went to a cafe that was serving hot drinks, and then we waited until 5.30. We walked to the beef restaurant where this supposed Japanese meetup group were. Luckily we were met by Sabines colleague. We sat around this table and there was food such as nachos and spare ribs, however things didn't feel right with the group. It didn't help that two of the people were, how do I put this, full of themselves. One woman couldn't stop talking and it seemed that the whole conversation was about them and their work. At one point I distinctively heard her say that she doesn't like students joining the meetup group. Um, hello? WTF?! Why? There was an Asian guy there that looked bored, and two other girls just talking to each other. It just seemed off. No Japanese at the group either. And why meet at a western like steak house restaurant anyway? That's off-putting for a Japanese group to me.
Sabine and I left just slightly after a few others left.
Tuesday 15 August 2017
Dunedin: A dinner with Sabines manager
Today Sabine and I were invited to her managers house for dinner.
I went to Liquorland during the daytime (its just down the road) to get a cheap bottle of wine, and came across a Merlot selling for $8.90- the cheapest bottle available.
Along the way I noticed that both the long haired ginger tom and the black kitty live opposite ours. :3
In the evening we drove to the peninsular to Allans house, that's her managers name. He is EXACTLY how I imagined him to be. Tall, grey hair and very much a kiwi. Sabine was weirded out the whole time for the reason why her manager wanted to give her a dinner in a situation where two families meet up. I understood though. A work/family relationship is very much a thing here in NZ.
They live in a REALLY nice area too. very posh.
My Merlot was received very well. I got to meet his wife and step daughter too. We all had a great conversation about where everyone has been in the world, and the good and bad things that happened to Sabine and I to get to this point living where we are now with the stupid renting rules they have here in Dunedin.
I for one really enjoyed tonight. Sabine came away thinking what is she supposed to do now, invite them over for a dinner now? Work in a certain way? I just think over here in NZ, work people do these sorts of meet ups as a way of being polite to their employees, and getting to know them and their families a little better outside of work. Its just a nice thing. However I would agree that had this happened in the UK, I too would be weirded out, wondering what the real reason for it would be about. In the UK a lot of the time, office workers act as 'friends' to each other, where employees pretend to be friendly to each other to save their skins so to speak, when truly they dont get on at all. But nope, I actually really enjoyed tonight. Allan and his family are really nice.
In other news the town centers' water supply was drained out completely due to some idiot pumping contaminated water from the nearby reservoir into the water mains. It doesn't effect the house water here in Ayr Street, though it does effect Sabines work place. Hopefully the issue will be resolved tomorrow.
I went to Liquorland during the daytime (its just down the road) to get a cheap bottle of wine, and came across a Merlot selling for $8.90- the cheapest bottle available.
Along the way I noticed that both the long haired ginger tom and the black kitty live opposite ours. :3
In the evening we drove to the peninsular to Allans house, that's her managers name. He is EXACTLY how I imagined him to be. Tall, grey hair and very much a kiwi. Sabine was weirded out the whole time for the reason why her manager wanted to give her a dinner in a situation where two families meet up. I understood though. A work/family relationship is very much a thing here in NZ.
They live in a REALLY nice area too. very posh.
My Merlot was received very well. I got to meet his wife and step daughter too. We all had a great conversation about where everyone has been in the world, and the good and bad things that happened to Sabine and I to get to this point living where we are now with the stupid renting rules they have here in Dunedin.
I for one really enjoyed tonight. Sabine came away thinking what is she supposed to do now, invite them over for a dinner now? Work in a certain way? I just think over here in NZ, work people do these sorts of meet ups as a way of being polite to their employees, and getting to know them and their families a little better outside of work. Its just a nice thing. However I would agree that had this happened in the UK, I too would be weirded out, wondering what the real reason for it would be about. In the UK a lot of the time, office workers act as 'friends' to each other, where employees pretend to be friendly to each other to save their skins so to speak, when truly they dont get on at all. But nope, I actually really enjoyed tonight. Allan and his family are really nice.
In other news the town centers' water supply was drained out completely due to some idiot pumping contaminated water from the nearby reservoir into the water mains. It doesn't effect the house water here in Ayr Street, though it does effect Sabines work place. Hopefully the issue will be resolved tomorrow.
Monday 14 August 2017
Dunedin: Life in New Zealand. Part 2
~Kathy~
On the 4th of August Sabine and I did something totally crazy. We decided to view the car we were interested in and ask a bunch of questions on the legitimacy of the mileage. They reassured us it is standard procedure for the importation of cars into New Zealand, that everything gets checked properly twice, once by the New Zealand car importation authorities and again by the AA. The car we were looking at was a Honda Fit Jazz with an incredibly low mileage. The guy from Midway Motors explained that he goes to Japan and looks at the cars that are left in garages for years because everyone just uses public transport instead. Sabine and I looked at each other and decided to buy the car. The reason why we never said anything until now was to just give ourselves a bit of time to use it, and realise just how much we need it. We had to give back the rental car on the 7th and I personally went to collect Kathy the moment it was ready on the afternoon of the 9th. As soon as I read its new Number Plate that was dealt with THAT MORNING, I realised what its name would be. The reg is KTH303, so naturally I just read it as Kathy.
The car drives much like the hire car, though I have noticed you need to move the steering wheel more. Both Sabine and I drive everyday. I drive a lot too. I've been driving her to work and back, and to Pac n Save. I scouted around the other day for other decent parking spots closer to town but unfortunately couldn't find someplace closer to the road home, so the best place to park is actually still where we were always parking originally.
I'm right now just trying out the Boysenberry Ice Cream from Tip Top as I write this. Its the best! I saw it in Pac N Save yesterday (sunday) and decided to get a tub. XD
~The weekend just gone~
Early Saturday morning there was a knock on the door and a package arrived. I seriously thought it was our new GPS for the car, but instead it was an internet hub! Sabine got internet for our new home after all! Its a monthly package using 'Skinny'.
In the afternoon we drove to a nearby waterfall called Nicols Creek. We had to walk uphill for a while but got really close to it. There was a cute Fantail giving us a show on the path during our walk back down.
On Sunday we drove to Waipori Falls, south of Dunedin. It was a very long car journey, especially in the winding gravel roads of the wilderness. Eventually after many kilometers we arrived in the middle of nowhere, but there was an empty car park with a power station. We were the only ones there! I mean there was only a few cars that were on that road going up, as well as 3 motorcyclists, but that's it. The walk to the falls was okay, so long as you didn't look to your left with the shear drop without a guardrail. At the end it was actually quite nice, though overgrown. You could hardly see the falls.
On the way back to Dunedin we drove to a wetlands called Titri Creek. It was officially closed off, however this must have been due to the flooding. The flooding wasn't there anymore, so we decided to ignore the warning tape and we walked the track. At the end was a viewing platform overlooking the wetlands, valley and hills of south Dunedin. We weren't the only ones doing so either. A guy with his dog walked the track and ignored the warning tape also.
We had to call out the Chinese landlords on Sunday evening as the bloody oven wasn't heating up. We wanted it to cook our pizza but were forced to microwave it instead. The landlords spent ages tinkering over the useless thing and eventually gave up, realising that we were right. Sabines just text me, telling me that the technician will be coming over on Wednesday, the same day our power changes companies from the Landlords to ours, which we decided to go with Flick. So yay, its possible the technician will be here working without power. Brilliant. sigh...
On the 4th of August Sabine and I did something totally crazy. We decided to view the car we were interested in and ask a bunch of questions on the legitimacy of the mileage. They reassured us it is standard procedure for the importation of cars into New Zealand, that everything gets checked properly twice, once by the New Zealand car importation authorities and again by the AA. The car we were looking at was a Honda Fit Jazz with an incredibly low mileage. The guy from Midway Motors explained that he goes to Japan and looks at the cars that are left in garages for years because everyone just uses public transport instead. Sabine and I looked at each other and decided to buy the car. The reason why we never said anything until now was to just give ourselves a bit of time to use it, and realise just how much we need it. We had to give back the rental car on the 7th and I personally went to collect Kathy the moment it was ready on the afternoon of the 9th. As soon as I read its new Number Plate that was dealt with THAT MORNING, I realised what its name would be. The reg is KTH303, so naturally I just read it as Kathy.
The car drives much like the hire car, though I have noticed you need to move the steering wheel more. Both Sabine and I drive everyday. I drive a lot too. I've been driving her to work and back, and to Pac n Save. I scouted around the other day for other decent parking spots closer to town but unfortunately couldn't find someplace closer to the road home, so the best place to park is actually still where we were always parking originally.
I'm right now just trying out the Boysenberry Ice Cream from Tip Top as I write this. Its the best! I saw it in Pac N Save yesterday (sunday) and decided to get a tub. XD
~The weekend just gone~
Early Saturday morning there was a knock on the door and a package arrived. I seriously thought it was our new GPS for the car, but instead it was an internet hub! Sabine got internet for our new home after all! Its a monthly package using 'Skinny'.
In the afternoon we drove to a nearby waterfall called Nicols Creek. We had to walk uphill for a while but got really close to it. There was a cute Fantail giving us a show on the path during our walk back down.
On Sunday we drove to Waipori Falls, south of Dunedin. It was a very long car journey, especially in the winding gravel roads of the wilderness. Eventually after many kilometers we arrived in the middle of nowhere, but there was an empty car park with a power station. We were the only ones there! I mean there was only a few cars that were on that road going up, as well as 3 motorcyclists, but that's it. The walk to the falls was okay, so long as you didn't look to your left with the shear drop without a guardrail. At the end it was actually quite nice, though overgrown. You could hardly see the falls.
On the way back to Dunedin we drove to a wetlands called Titri Creek. It was officially closed off, however this must have been due to the flooding. The flooding wasn't there anymore, so we decided to ignore the warning tape and we walked the track. At the end was a viewing platform overlooking the wetlands, valley and hills of south Dunedin. We weren't the only ones doing so either. A guy with his dog walked the track and ignored the warning tape also.
We had to call out the Chinese landlords on Sunday evening as the bloody oven wasn't heating up. We wanted it to cook our pizza but were forced to microwave it instead. The landlords spent ages tinkering over the useless thing and eventually gave up, realising that we were right. Sabines just text me, telling me that the technician will be coming over on Wednesday, the same day our power changes companies from the Landlords to ours, which we decided to go with Flick. So yay, its possible the technician will be here working without power. Brilliant. sigh...
Friday 11 August 2017
Dunedin: Life in New Zealand. Part 1
Well, considering I wont be posting as often, this is where my Blog posts will stray from my diary. As i've said previously, i just copy & paste my diary into this blog. But alas I wont be doing that anymore. This will be from a fresh perspective and less descriptive, I guess. Right now I've found myself in the local library. Its huge! Wouldnt mind working here but there arnt any jobs presently. Im typing on my phone with tiny text so appologies for misspellings.
We moved into our new home. We both agree its not perfect, but its all we got. Its furnished so there is that. The bed is nice and comfortable. Hopefully it wont be as cold in the bedroom either as the AirBnB was. The chinese lady hasnt cleaned a damn thing by the way. Maybe the essentials (if you call the carpets 'essential') but its a different story when you start opening draws. Theres a lot of dust about too which isnt a great thing. Theres no WiFi at the moment. So this morning I was doing a bit of unpacking. I also moved things about so that the room layouts work better.
I really cant tell what belongs to the previous tennant and what belongs to the chinese landlady. I was thinking about cleaning around but I got lonely and wanted to see the sun, so here I am, typing away at a library and waiting for Sabine to finish work.
Jesus christ that lady is HUGE. She needs to go on a diet and Pronto! 0__0
Actually I quite like the seating arrangements in here. They have proper arm chairs dotted around.
Death in Vegus is a great band. So pleased im listening to them right now.
New Zealand has crazy hills. They are ok if you need to walk down them. Sorta like san-fransisco (Cheers spellcheck, not) as Sabine would say. But walking up them is a killer. lol. Great views though.
I saw they were selling ice cream earlier. None from TipTop though. Why is that I wonder? They have other brands at the moment. TipTop is still around though. They sell this one called a JellyTip which maybe could eventually be a rebranded Rad? But the jelly is red, not green/yellow. Im more interested in the pies at the moment. Too cold. This morning I genuinely thought I was in late February or early March. I was trying to remember between the two months it actually was before it hit me. -_-;
The mall is pretty cool. Its deceptively huge inside. Okay the workers in this library all look of retirement age. 0__o
Yeah err, the mall. Um. Its big inside, and has mostly female marketed clothes shops. There is one tech shop in there, with overly expensive DVDs. Talking of which, its weird how the DVD rental shops are still doing business over here. In the UK you can pick up DVDs for a fiver. Over here they are $18-$25.
Maybe i can rent the latest season of games of Thrones like the good old days when it comes to DVD. Unfortunately I have no idea when it will be out. I miss it like crazy and it sucks not having the means to watch the new episodes that are currently airing.
What else is there I want to say... Its just turned 5pm. I hope Sabine finishes soon. Very lonely without her around.
I hope I get a job soon. Sabine was told that something like every 10th New Zealander studies countryside ecology. So chances of getting a job there are slim at best. But i do look everyday regardless. Same as library jobs and anything suitable in Dunedin really.
I'm really happy Sabine loves her job. Though she is still going through the motions of doing the standard procedure courses to use the things in her lab by herself. She has to do this whereever she goes, even if she knows it off by heart from using other labs abroad.
Theres this event thing on facebook, a bit like japan club and meeting at a restaurant. I hope we go. I miss my friends from England. Need to make new ones and still havent yet. :(
We moved into our new home. We both agree its not perfect, but its all we got. Its furnished so there is that. The bed is nice and comfortable. Hopefully it wont be as cold in the bedroom either as the AirBnB was. The chinese lady hasnt cleaned a damn thing by the way. Maybe the essentials (if you call the carpets 'essential') but its a different story when you start opening draws. Theres a lot of dust about too which isnt a great thing. Theres no WiFi at the moment. So this morning I was doing a bit of unpacking. I also moved things about so that the room layouts work better.
I really cant tell what belongs to the previous tennant and what belongs to the chinese landlady. I was thinking about cleaning around but I got lonely and wanted to see the sun, so here I am, typing away at a library and waiting for Sabine to finish work.
Jesus christ that lady is HUGE. She needs to go on a diet and Pronto! 0__0
Actually I quite like the seating arrangements in here. They have proper arm chairs dotted around.
Death in Vegus is a great band. So pleased im listening to them right now.
New Zealand has crazy hills. They are ok if you need to walk down them. Sorta like san-fransisco (Cheers spellcheck, not) as Sabine would say. But walking up them is a killer. lol. Great views though.
I saw they were selling ice cream earlier. None from TipTop though. Why is that I wonder? They have other brands at the moment. TipTop is still around though. They sell this one called a JellyTip which maybe could eventually be a rebranded Rad? But the jelly is red, not green/yellow. Im more interested in the pies at the moment. Too cold. This morning I genuinely thought I was in late February or early March. I was trying to remember between the two months it actually was before it hit me. -_-;
The mall is pretty cool. Its deceptively huge inside. Okay the workers in this library all look of retirement age. 0__o
Yeah err, the mall. Um. Its big inside, and has mostly female marketed clothes shops. There is one tech shop in there, with overly expensive DVDs. Talking of which, its weird how the DVD rental shops are still doing business over here. In the UK you can pick up DVDs for a fiver. Over here they are $18-$25.
Maybe i can rent the latest season of games of Thrones like the good old days when it comes to DVD. Unfortunately I have no idea when it will be out. I miss it like crazy and it sucks not having the means to watch the new episodes that are currently airing.
What else is there I want to say... Its just turned 5pm. I hope Sabine finishes soon. Very lonely without her around.
I hope I get a job soon. Sabine was told that something like every 10th New Zealander studies countryside ecology. So chances of getting a job there are slim at best. But i do look everyday regardless. Same as library jobs and anything suitable in Dunedin really.
I'm really happy Sabine loves her job. Though she is still going through the motions of doing the standard procedure courses to use the things in her lab by herself. She has to do this whereever she goes, even if she knows it off by heart from using other labs abroad.
Theres this event thing on facebook, a bit like japan club and meeting at a restaurant. I hope we go. I miss my friends from England. Need to make new ones and still havent yet. :(
Wednesday 9 August 2017
Dunedin: Just a heads up
Tomorrow we will be in our new home. We wont have internet so I wont be posting as much, nor as often. Our day to day life will be that shes at work and I will be applying for jobs. Life is going to start being a bit samey from now on. However If I'm in town I will find a WiFi spot and post something.
Tuesday 8 August 2017
Dunedin: 8th Aug 2017
Today Sabine walked to work, and I too walked to town for an 11am appointment with a work agency. I had a computer literacy test and was interviewed by them. After that I went to the other agency and had to watch a rather graphic DVD about work safety.
I also had to go to Sabines work place to sign a piece of paper regarding the direct debit for our new electricity provider, Flick.
Sometime during lunchtime I sat on a bench at The Octagon and ate my pre-made sandwich watched the world go by, including watching some razz dazzler red legged seagulls. They have such a comical personality. They chase each other off by razing their necks up with their head down, then squawking at the other gull with their neck down and head up. I have to get this on video at some point! XD
I walked home but in a longer way to avoid walking up (and then down) some hills. Walking up the hill that this AirBnB is at is a bit of a killer. Maryhill is the suburb.
I cooked Sabine dinner tonight again. This time it was veg & mince with rice, with a hint of pre bought tomato and basil sauce.
I also had to go to Sabines work place to sign a piece of paper regarding the direct debit for our new electricity provider, Flick.
Sometime during lunchtime I sat on a bench at The Octagon and ate my pre-made sandwich watched the world go by, including watching some razz dazzler red legged seagulls. They have such a comical personality. They chase each other off by razing their necks up with their head down, then squawking at the other gull with their neck down and head up. I have to get this on video at some point! XD
I walked home but in a longer way to avoid walking up (and then down) some hills. Walking up the hill that this AirBnB is at is a bit of a killer. Maryhill is the suburb.
I cooked Sabine dinner tonight again. This time it was veg & mince with rice, with a hint of pre bought tomato and basil sauce.
Monday 7 August 2017
Dunedin: 7th Aug 2017
This morning we went to the new place to have an official house inspection. The Chinese lady has to be one of the nicest people I know around here. She's kept things for the previous tenant in a shed after she suffered a fallout from her ex husband or boyfriend. Now she's living in Christchurch and hasn't got the means to collect her things. The Chinese landlady feels for her, and it seems the stuff which was trashed wasn't her but her partner. Who knows, however the Chinese lady promised that regardless in two weeks she will get rid of it, freeing up our property 100% for us and us alone! Also, the locks were changed, completely. wow that was very fast indeed. The bungalow is very very nice and the Chinese lady seriously cant do enough for us to make it nice. She truly believes in us to keep her place nice and she's right. Somehow her niceness is enthusiastic. Its sad that she's had a rough time.
So next up I drove Sabine to work then did some shopping at Pac n Save then The Warehouse. Our new bed will be King sized after all that, so we need King sized bedding.
I drove home then applied for jobs online.
Later I had to pick up Sabine in town and drive us back. The rental car had to go today and after a phone call to the guy, we returned it and walked home. Its very very sad that we cant drive anywhere now. I'm kinda gutted to be honest.
So next up I drove Sabine to work then did some shopping at Pac n Save then The Warehouse. Our new bed will be King sized after all that, so we need King sized bedding.
I drove home then applied for jobs online.
Later I had to pick up Sabine in town and drive us back. The rental car had to go today and after a phone call to the guy, we returned it and walked home. Its very very sad that we cant drive anywhere now. I'm kinda gutted to be honest.
Sunday 6 August 2017
Dunedin: 6th Aug 2017
Today Sabine and I used the key to offload our stuff into our new property. This time the Chinese lady wasn't around, so it was pretty nice to have the time to look around unguided. The floor was still damp. I hope it dries by the time we move in properly.
After that Sabine and I visited a property that she was eager to see because online it looked quite nice. However in reality it was, well, okay? I guess? For New Zealand standards it was average but to be honest for English standards it was appalling. The house was made of wood, rotting in places from the outside with mold in the bathroom. The heat pumps were placed in stupid areas and the house also had high ceilings. So yeah, not that great. But it was still a huge property. The guy that showed us around was an Argentinean architect and didn't mind talking about how shoddy NZ properties can be.
Next we went to Orokonui Ecosanctuary! Its an on-shore predator free island where we saw lots of birds feeding at leisure. We saw many Tui's, Bellbird's and Silvereye's on the bird feeders, not to mention wild Kaka feeding and sitting in a tree near us. There was also a walk to 'New Zealand's tallest tree', however it wasn't much to look at. It was just a tree growing very tall. On the way back I found where the Takahe were housed. There were two of them in a fenced off area.
Interestingly enough, there was a place that is specially setup so you can see Sirocco Kakapo when he comes to visit, with the next visit being this September. Now if only they can find him, he's been missing for months now....
I cooked dinner again and it was lovely. Sausages with veg, onion and a can of '4 beans'.
Sabine says the Chinese lady has changed the locks! WOW that was quick!
After that Sabine and I visited a property that she was eager to see because online it looked quite nice. However in reality it was, well, okay? I guess? For New Zealand standards it was average but to be honest for English standards it was appalling. The house was made of wood, rotting in places from the outside with mold in the bathroom. The heat pumps were placed in stupid areas and the house also had high ceilings. So yeah, not that great. But it was still a huge property. The guy that showed us around was an Argentinean architect and didn't mind talking about how shoddy NZ properties can be.
Next we went to Orokonui Ecosanctuary! Its an on-shore predator free island where we saw lots of birds feeding at leisure. We saw many Tui's, Bellbird's and Silvereye's on the bird feeders, not to mention wild Kaka feeding and sitting in a tree near us. There was also a walk to 'New Zealand's tallest tree', however it wasn't much to look at. It was just a tree growing very tall. On the way back I found where the Takahe were housed. There were two of them in a fenced off area.
Interestingly enough, there was a place that is specially setup so you can see Sirocco Kakapo when he comes to visit, with the next visit being this September. Now if only they can find him, he's been missing for months now....
I cooked dinner again and it was lovely. Sausages with veg, onion and a can of '4 beans'.
Sabine says the Chinese lady has changed the locks! WOW that was quick!
Saturday 5 August 2017
Dunedin: 5th Aug 2017
So firstly we had an appointment at 9:30 to see a flat. And by a flat, I mean a FLAT. This was our first flat viewing, and instantly I realised one thing; it was very warm inside! The flat was incredibly well insulated but still, not for us. A bit very small with no garden space. Not that it matters anymore.
After that we went to The Warehouse and bought bedding stuff. We also went to The Warehouse in town which had more stock such as electric blankets and over-blankets. I had no idea what an over-blanket was until dad told me the other day. I even asked an assistant and he told me you sleep with both. The electric blanket to warm the bed before you sleep (so you turn it off once in bed), but the over-blanket can be kept on and even has a timer. you can have it on for x number of hours before it switches off. This is going to be much needed here.
We took our new stuff directly to the new property. I have a key so I can get in to drop off some of our stuff before move in day. We bumped into the Chinese landlady and her husband, cleaning the place ready for our arrival. I asked directly about whether the previous bad tenant still had a key, and she said that unfortunately she still does. She tried to cover the story slightly by saying it was 'lost' but I wasn't having any of it. I asked her outright to change the locks before our move in day. Sabine later emailed her to say that if she isn't doing it, we will be. I'm sorry butI'm not having any crap here. This previous tenant was a bad person and even smashed some furniture (at least 4 wooden chairs. There were originally 6 dining chairs, now theres only two). The husband finally got round to noticing the final warning notice on the door to the property (how can you miss this notice? I saw it and read it the other day for goodness sake) and according to Sabine he had a face of horror when reading it. The notice was for the previous tenant about some court hearing. We read it the other day before putting it back on the door knocker.
Ok, next up today we visited Otago Peninsula. We drove to the end but never visited the albatross centre. Instead we walked down to the beach where Mum, Dad and I previously waited for the blue penguins to arrive that time in 2009. Unfortunately now there are metal steps leading down to the beach, with a platform with metal railings at the beach itself. You don't touch the beach once. Maybe this is a good thing? But I don't think so personally. But maybe its best for the penguins.
We saw an interesting bird species on the cliffs which turned out to be a spotted shag. They had funny sticky outy red feet as they were flying. I also saw an albatross for like 3 seconds as it was flying around. After that we attempted to see the castle called Larnach Castle but that would cost money. maybe when its spring we will go.
After that we went to The Warehouse and bought bedding stuff. We also went to The Warehouse in town which had more stock such as electric blankets and over-blankets. I had no idea what an over-blanket was until dad told me the other day. I even asked an assistant and he told me you sleep with both. The electric blanket to warm the bed before you sleep (so you turn it off once in bed), but the over-blanket can be kept on and even has a timer. you can have it on for x number of hours before it switches off. This is going to be much needed here.
We took our new stuff directly to the new property. I have a key so I can get in to drop off some of our stuff before move in day. We bumped into the Chinese landlady and her husband, cleaning the place ready for our arrival. I asked directly about whether the previous bad tenant still had a key, and she said that unfortunately she still does. She tried to cover the story slightly by saying it was 'lost' but I wasn't having any of it. I asked her outright to change the locks before our move in day. Sabine later emailed her to say that if she isn't doing it, we will be. I'm sorry butI'm not having any crap here. This previous tenant was a bad person and even smashed some furniture (at least 4 wooden chairs. There were originally 6 dining chairs, now theres only two). The husband finally got round to noticing the final warning notice on the door to the property (how can you miss this notice? I saw it and read it the other day for goodness sake) and according to Sabine he had a face of horror when reading it. The notice was for the previous tenant about some court hearing. We read it the other day before putting it back on the door knocker.
Ok, next up today we visited Otago Peninsula. We drove to the end but never visited the albatross centre. Instead we walked down to the beach where Mum, Dad and I previously waited for the blue penguins to arrive that time in 2009. Unfortunately now there are metal steps leading down to the beach, with a platform with metal railings at the beach itself. You don't touch the beach once. Maybe this is a good thing? But I don't think so personally. But maybe its best for the penguins.
We saw an interesting bird species on the cliffs which turned out to be a spotted shag. They had funny sticky outy red feet as they were flying. I also saw an albatross for like 3 seconds as it was flying around. After that we attempted to see the castle called Larnach Castle but that would cost money. maybe when its spring we will go.
Friday 4 August 2017
Dunedin: 4th Aug 2017
Today Sabine drove to work early. I stayed at home to do this online test thingy for the university job application. Its in about 6 parts and tests you for working in various Microsoft office packages.
I remember her saying to me that I should meet her at the car at 10:15, usual car parking spot area. So I walked there, earlier than on time, and she wasn't there. I had to wait a while for her to turn up but that was fine. She had some issues getting her IRD number but its sorted out now. For some reason she was done with work after that.
We drove to a few house viewings around midday. One to the north of town, the next on a cliff to the south of the peninsular, and the third was one that Sabine and I already took a sneaky peak at earlier in the week from its outside.
After that we came back for lunch then went out again to sign the rental contract to 6 Ayr Street. The Chinese lady greeted us again and gave us our key. So we can start using it for storing our stuff which is handy. However we will move in on Tuesday. Its a nice, small, bungalow surrounded by high hedges and trees. Its not perfect but its not such a bad place either. Dunedin is a student city and you cant rent very easily this time of year because of which. However the rents this time of year can be cheap because of this. Come January, the rents are EVERYWHERE and prices sky rocket for a few months.
After achieving that goal, we went shopping at Pac n Save and got this awesome seafood pizza for dinner. We had a lot of fun trying to figure out the fuel lock tank thing in the car, and finding the unlock button for the flap, only to find the next fort knox which was the fuel cap. We figured out it needed to be unscrewed anticlockwise whilst being pushed down. How annoying.
The pizza was really good. though we both couldn't eat it all in one hit XD
I remember her saying to me that I should meet her at the car at 10:15, usual car parking spot area. So I walked there, earlier than on time, and she wasn't there. I had to wait a while for her to turn up but that was fine. She had some issues getting her IRD number but its sorted out now. For some reason she was done with work after that.
We drove to a few house viewings around midday. One to the north of town, the next on a cliff to the south of the peninsular, and the third was one that Sabine and I already took a sneaky peak at earlier in the week from its outside.
After that we came back for lunch then went out again to sign the rental contract to 6 Ayr Street. The Chinese lady greeted us again and gave us our key. So we can start using it for storing our stuff which is handy. However we will move in on Tuesday. Its a nice, small, bungalow surrounded by high hedges and trees. Its not perfect but its not such a bad place either. Dunedin is a student city and you cant rent very easily this time of year because of which. However the rents this time of year can be cheap because of this. Come January, the rents are EVERYWHERE and prices sky rocket for a few months.
After achieving that goal, we went shopping at Pac n Save and got this awesome seafood pizza for dinner. We had a lot of fun trying to figure out the fuel lock tank thing in the car, and finding the unlock button for the flap, only to find the next fort knox which was the fuel cap. We figured out it needed to be unscrewed anticlockwise whilst being pushed down. How annoying.
The pizza was really good. though we both couldn't eat it all in one hit XD
Thursday 3 August 2017
Dunedin: 3rd Aug 2017
For starters, we cancelled the viewing for the property we took a peak at yesterday that looked like it was going to fall down.
Very early on Sabine told me to get ready to see a house that was a private listing.
The house was nice. it has a cottagey feeling about it. Lower ceilings so easier to heat (and by low ceilings I mean a normal UK standard height). I'm not a fan of the shower, but that's something I will have to compromise on.
Next I drove Sabine to work and didn't use the GPS to get to pac n save. I wanted to get something for dinner tonight, but never used it in the end. Came back and filled in some forms. Next I drove to town and went to the job agency. I met Sabine sometime during this part of the day and grabbed her standing next to BNZ nearby outside. We went home together and cooked some sausages and reheated the potatoes. We had to be quick because tonight there was her works dinner do thing at a restaurant in town. that was enjoyable. But the parking wasn't. we both had a hand in attempted parallel parking in a spot next to this restaurant. that was funny on hindsight.
Im not in the mood to type. We had a viewing cancellation later in the day. And it looks as if we have the cottage! We sign the contract tomorrow.
Very early on Sabine told me to get ready to see a house that was a private listing.
The house was nice. it has a cottagey feeling about it. Lower ceilings so easier to heat (and by low ceilings I mean a normal UK standard height). I'm not a fan of the shower, but that's something I will have to compromise on.
Next I drove Sabine to work and didn't use the GPS to get to pac n save. I wanted to get something for dinner tonight, but never used it in the end. Came back and filled in some forms. Next I drove to town and went to the job agency. I met Sabine sometime during this part of the day and grabbed her standing next to BNZ nearby outside. We went home together and cooked some sausages and reheated the potatoes. We had to be quick because tonight there was her works dinner do thing at a restaurant in town. that was enjoyable. But the parking wasn't. we both had a hand in attempted parallel parking in a spot next to this restaurant. that was funny on hindsight.
Im not in the mood to type. We had a viewing cancellation later in the day. And it looks as if we have the cottage! We sign the contract tomorrow.
Wednesday 2 August 2017
Dunedin: 2nd Aug 2017
Today I drove Sabine to work then went to Pac n Save for a few things. Then I drove to the edge of town and walked in. I needed to go to the bank as Sabine text me to say that our cards have arrived. Beforehand though I went to the IRD centre and updated my card number that I got in 2007 (I kept it safe with me all this time!). After that I went to the i site and got myself a bus timetable, and then I went to the bank. In there I was served by Marlene our bank manager again. I think we are on first name basis by now lol. Sabine walked in unexpectedly so we ended up getting our cards at the same time.
We had our first NZ hot chockys at Starbucks afterwards which was nice. The guy working there even went around and served everyone a free square of chocolate browny each. That was a nice touch.
Sabine went back to work and I started going from job agency to job agency. I even enquired in the big public library and the medical uni library. No jobs going. Otago Uni is even going through a bad patch and letting go nearly 200 people, whilst freezing jobs. Sabine working in science though is totally different from those problems. Hers is based on project grants so its a different kettle of fish.
Sabine and I met in town and went home so I could have a late lunch. We visited two properties this afternoon. the first was near baldwin street and was cold with very high ceilings. The next house we kinda viewed for a laugh. It was an ex guest house, a b&b. It was massive and very grand. It has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms lol. Actually the whole thing was on sale for $500,000 which is actually dead cheap for what it actually is. In the UK it would be over a million, easy.
Before returning home Sabine wanted to take a peak at a house she cant view tomorrow. It turned out to be an empty home where you could easily peak inside though the windows and walk around the property. Ok we were cheeky. The wood pillars connecting to the veranda are VERY dodgy. one even coming out of its socket. the whole front could collapse.
I cooked Sabine a meal tonight. it was what mum would call 'boy scout sausages' with boiled potatoes. I had Watties baked beans and Sabine had loose corn from a tin. Watties beans taste very nearly the same as back home, though I did have a choice of 'Heinz baked beans english recipe' when I was shopping. However these cans were twice the price.
Its a real bummer but our first choice furnished house has been accepted by someone else. >_<
We had our first NZ hot chockys at Starbucks afterwards which was nice. The guy working there even went around and served everyone a free square of chocolate browny each. That was a nice touch.
Sabine went back to work and I started going from job agency to job agency. I even enquired in the big public library and the medical uni library. No jobs going. Otago Uni is even going through a bad patch and letting go nearly 200 people, whilst freezing jobs. Sabine working in science though is totally different from those problems. Hers is based on project grants so its a different kettle of fish.
Sabine and I met in town and went home so I could have a late lunch. We visited two properties this afternoon. the first was near baldwin street and was cold with very high ceilings. The next house we kinda viewed for a laugh. It was an ex guest house, a b&b. It was massive and very grand. It has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms lol. Actually the whole thing was on sale for $500,000 which is actually dead cheap for what it actually is. In the UK it would be over a million, easy.
Before returning home Sabine wanted to take a peak at a house she cant view tomorrow. It turned out to be an empty home where you could easily peak inside though the windows and walk around the property. Ok we were cheeky. The wood pillars connecting to the veranda are VERY dodgy. one even coming out of its socket. the whole front could collapse.
I cooked Sabine a meal tonight. it was what mum would call 'boy scout sausages' with boiled potatoes. I had Watties baked beans and Sabine had loose corn from a tin. Watties beans taste very nearly the same as back home, though I did have a choice of 'Heinz baked beans english recipe' when I was shopping. However these cans were twice the price.
Its a real bummer but our first choice furnished house has been accepted by someone else. >_<
Tuesday 1 August 2017
Dunedin: 1st Aug 2017
Today Sabine and I had a house viewing with a guy who showed us around a really nice bungalow on the flatter part of Dunedin. After that we had to follow the car GPS to the hilly outskirts that seemed really nice however the house that the guy showed us was the worst place we have seen yet. The owners of the house didn't even know that there was a house viewing. To be honest it may not have been their fault, however the house was in no fit condition for house viewings. Such a state. There was a guy that answered the door half dressed who Sabine noticed had some sort of thing around his ankle. This could have been some type of exercise thing, but to be honest, from how the home looked, it was probably a house arrest device. His mother was also half dressed and didn't seem to care about much. After that viewing Sabine and I went to town by parking the car nearby the edge of the town centre. We walked to two leasing offices and handed in our applications. The second place told us that the home we wanted was already snapped up. Too bad, but still, it wasn't our first choice.
We came home for lunch. Craving a toasted sandwich, I toasted the bread in the toaster, then put the sandwiches in the microwave for 1 minute to heat the filling. It kinda worked. After lunch we drove to the home of the lady who the BNZ lady told me about. This lady was selling a 4x4 Mitsubishi which was actually in good nick, but the model was from 1995. holy crap no. The lady was so nice though. Her child was running about and so full of life. Sabine gave the vehicle a test drive around the block and didn't like it. The lady was also selling things from the house which may prove useful in the near future.
Next we shopped at Pac n Save. After that came home then started looking at cars online. We decided to visit the garage behind the back of town and they told us a few things and even showed us a car that had just arrived today which looked pretty good. Sabine also gave that a test drive.
Phoning dad later on, he told us that the car we saw was probably a bit dodgy for its age and low mileage.
We came home for lunch. Craving a toasted sandwich, I toasted the bread in the toaster, then put the sandwiches in the microwave for 1 minute to heat the filling. It kinda worked. After lunch we drove to the home of the lady who the BNZ lady told me about. This lady was selling a 4x4 Mitsubishi which was actually in good nick, but the model was from 1995. holy crap no. The lady was so nice though. Her child was running about and so full of life. Sabine gave the vehicle a test drive around the block and didn't like it. The lady was also selling things from the house which may prove useful in the near future.
Next we shopped at Pac n Save. After that came home then started looking at cars online. We decided to visit the garage behind the back of town and they told us a few things and even showed us a car that had just arrived today which looked pretty good. Sabine also gave that a test drive.
Phoning dad later on, he told us that the car we saw was probably a bit dodgy for its age and low mileage.
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