Ramblings from NZ and Australia. All welcome in the midst of winter!

[dontevenblink]

So I know there are quite a few of us living here in NZ or Kiwis in the UK who might want to join in. Would anyone fancy a chat thread? I know there was one a few years ago but nothing I can see anymore.

I've been out here about 4 1/2 years, were on south island, now on north but not in either of the big cities. Weather is sunny but cold today. It was so cold last night our taps didnt run this morning properly until a load of orange gunk came out, we now have hot water again luckily. How do you stop the pipes from freezing without central heating? The house was empty for years before we got it and the pipes had burst apparently. Luckily we just rent it. I've been onto the landlord to ask for a heat pump as there is no heating apart from the plug in oil radiators we have and you can see your breath in the mornings! Did anyone else also have a crazy amount of rain this week? We've had nothing for ages so the farmers were all worrying so was definitely a good thing for them.

On the very plus side it has been mainly still hot here and this is the first week I haven't wanted to venture out with the dog (although obviously still have). Still love walking and seeing the beautiful surroundings we live in, never gets old.

It's that time of year again (where did the year go?!) when all the toy sale catalogues are coming out and dc have been flicking through debating already what they want for Christmas. I normally buy a few things to put away for Christmas so as to spread it out but not sure I can be bothered yet [lazy emoticon]. Plus they keep changing their minds... It normally feels christmassy too at this time of year which puts me in the mood, but not as much this year for some reason. Does anyone else do layby?

Anyone else want to join me in my kiwi ramblings?

Gap or Next clothes or shoes would be a great present for children. Even better would be books, they're hideously expensive here. Make up would be good, particularly if your hostess wears UK brands - I ask my visitors to NZ to bring Boots No7 which don't deliver internationally.

I've thought of something to bring! Footner! That sock thingy that helps slough of dry hard skin on your feet! Boots don't deliver and I'd love it if someone bought me a packet, wearing flip flops (or jandals as we call them) almost all year takes its toll on your feet! Maybe not a good idea to surprise your friend with that though, they might get offended, lol.

Hahaha lost yes those would be the ones! The suburb we used to live in was sandwiched between a golf course and the beach so there were only two ways in and out, at one point they managed to turn it all into a massive one way system so if you drove out and had forgotten something (like schoolbags ) then it took a good 20 mins to drive round to the other end and get back in again! Where you are I can just imagine it being just as bad, but gorgeous views at least I used to love taking the dc round to corsair bay.

That Margaret Mahy playground was amazing!! Shame it took so long to finish, the dc were not impressed that it was finished just before we left. What's happening with that huge slide they wanted to close?

kiwis I really like the sound of that footner thing!

Grey day today here.

And now very heavy rain. We are staying inside and making gingerbread men, feels like the right time of year!

dontevenblink
I was just re-reading the thread and was wondering what laybuy means ?

Layby is when you put down a deposit on an item in a shop, and the shop then 'lays by' the item (i.e. puts it aside). You then make periodic payments on the item until you've paid it off. No interest is charged, and it was commonly used for, say, big $$ toys mid-year, which you would aim to pay off by Christmas. Don't know how commonly it is still used.

crabb I haven't done lay-by in years... I think the last thing I did that with was a print I bought from a bookstore when I was in uni! I'm not even sure if it's still a thing here... Hmm. It's a good idea though.

Hi habibi, layby is basically when you want to purchase some more expensive goods (normally over $50) e.g. Christmas presents, you can choose the stuff, put down a roughly $10 deposit then leave the stuff with the store. You then have 3 months to pay it off, normally fortnightly. When it's paid off you can collect your stuff. Basically it's a way of spreading costs without taking credit, there's no credit agreement or check, and is no interest at all. You can get your money back if change mind. I find it quite useful, having 4dc, but DH hates it as I still think he thinks it's taking out credit, despite me explaining several times...

Living in the Middle East must be pretty different to NZ, have you been there long?

Haha big cross post! Gets used a lot still here but it has been said we're about 20 years behind a lot of places...

crabb you explained it way better than waffling me

Margaret Mahy dontevenblink - the new slide has been closed temporarily. We (yes, me too) did get down it beforehad though . There are a few spaces that were almost impassable for an adult on the way up - squeezing through spaces in netting of about 12" (and I am not small...); kids jammed in like sardines, busily thrashing around & kicking each other in the head and so on.

Sounds like the problem is kids climbing up the outside of the slide, towers and tunnels, or trying to climb up the inside of the slide whilst a constant stream of other screeching kids come hurtling at top speed down the vertiginous slide (very steep & fast). I'd say the issue is perhaps kids not being told to get off the outside or stop trying to climb in...?? ! Darwinian selection in action maybe? . Let's hope they open it again soon.

I have a pretty good idea where you must have been living, too - nice up there! We're toasty in rebuilt post-quake house so have views & warmth [toasted marshmallows]

Hi I am another Australian Mner addict. Have spent lots of time in the UK but home is here in chilly, wintry and bleak Melbourne.

I am being a bridesmaid in NZ later this year- the wedding is on the beautiful Waiheke Island. My cousin is marrying her female partner - we are all in our 50s and very excited.

Hello! I'm also in Perth but right now I'm in freezing cold Bridgetown I the south west. Used to live in Sydney and China before that. Perth is definitely home now.

I'm seriously debating a light weight puffy jacket from uniqlo or muji. I'm freezing. Definitely gone soft!!

Hey JantheJam, that's why they call it Fridgetown! I'm in South Perth, its bloody cold here too, we had actual frost on the car yesterday morning, it was even on the news! Still, we're not getting it as bad as the rest of Oz from what I see on FB anyway. Thank god it doesn't snow in WA!

We have left the UK for the Middle East about 8 years ago don'tevenblink and camels and 50 c summers are all our gulf born children have known.

We travel a lot and one thing that plays on my mind is that when my parents lived in NZ (70s and 80s) my mother said she found she felt terribly isolated geographically .
They had come via posts in Singapore and Hong Kong and I think she missed the exotic!

i know there are many more flights these days but I was wondering anyone feels little adrift living in such a far flung place ?

I can't get over the temperature difference between where I am, and Wollongong (less than an hour away). I was down there today, and it was 16 degrees. By the time I got back to my house, it was 6. How?!

habibi Yep. Despite living between two (soon to be three) airports (and more small airports), it still seems a pain in the ass to travel domestically, let alone internationally. My husband spends a lot of time overseas for work and he dreads the travel every time. It is very isolated unless you only want to travel to NZ/the pacific islands/Indonesia etc. And I have no interest in any of those places except NZ!

Hello all! I'm English...an expat now living in South Australia. I love it here....been here for a year and it was a big decision but it's lovely. :) Cold at the mo which is ALSO lovely as summer here in SA is HOT!

Hello, crabb. Thanks for your thoughts. It's all utterly shit, of course, and am now wading through the paperwork, helped by DH having kept everything. Changing passwords, etc., etc. I've been helped by friends offering specific skills: I will sort out your computer. My work has been good, very understanding.

As trivial as it sounds, the upturn in the weather, with some sunny skies, has lifted my mood.

I was going to ask if you were still working. I'm glad they're supportive. How long before you go back?
Sun and blue sky make a huge difference, don't they? I had great difficulty living in the UK for 2 years - the grey just got me down. How long have you lived in Australia?

So, so sorry for your loss echt

Still have lay-by here as well. Lots of my friends use it for toy shopping for Christmas, yes. Totally alien to me so I haven't used it but may come to it at some point.

Re. the gingerbread - does NZ do "Christmas in July" as well as Australia? It's not a universal thing, but some places really go all out for it, with Christmas trees and fake gifts underneath the tree etc. I remember the first time we went to Jenolan Caves, from the Blue Mountains, in July - they had a 20' tree up with wrapped boxes underneath, DS1 was ecstatic! Less so when he couldn't have one of course! But I believe they've stopped that now, after new management came in :(

Hi to all the new people! Jan you were helping me on my what to do with all my lemons thread I now have lots of slices in the freezer! In fact I've now made just about everything lemony I can think of, have frozen zest and juice and given bags away and I still have loads left! If only you were all a bit nearer I could send you some

lost I'm impressed you went down the slide! I'm more one for water slides (has anyone been to Splash Planet, best NZ can do in terms of water parks!). Shame they've closed it, I think you're right if children insist on climbing up it they need to accept they're going to get hit...! Fingers crossed they reopen it soon. They're building a new playground where we are with water play like at the Margaret Mahy one but only about a quarter of the size.

It's funny everyone talking about how cold it is, when I moan to my dmum she often remarks that would be considered warm in the UK . I'm guessing we're all acclimatised to the warm, does anyone find they freeze when they visit the UK? I love the fact there is so much sunlight here.

habibi I don't think you really realise how far it is until you get on a plane. Everyday life I don't think about it, but I've missed my 3 weddings in the last couple of years of close family and then I do feel the distance. My 4dc are all 8 and under so we just camp at the moment round NZ as we still have so much to see! I wonder when the dc get older if we'll feel it more?

Skype makes such a big difference, I often think about how isolating it would be without that. Friends of my parents moved to Auckland in the 80s but came back within a year as they felt to isolated.

Yes thumb we have Christmas in June/July here. The Sunday Farmers market had a Christmas themed one a couple of weeks ago but I was most disappointed as there were no mince pies or mulled wine Hot cider though, yum. Some places do have Christmas trees up, but I haven't seen any here, Christchurch used to go a bit more into it but maybe that's because there are a lot more expats there and it gets colder? Lots of early Christmas layby catalogues been out though.

Ds3 who has never been to the UK asked me yesterday why it doesn't snow at Christmas

We have a midwinter Christmas with our friends every year. What started off as 13 kiwis in their twenties having a mid-summer Christmas in London 8 years ago has turned into 20 adults and 17 kids having a midwinter Christmas two weeks ago. We call ourselves an urban family, and it's pretty awesome. We all pitch in, and funnily enough it's much less stressful that the real deal in December! We had turkey, ham, roasties, and all the trimmings for main, and a Christmas pudding (Nigellas this year instead of my usual Delia) and pavlova for dessert.