October is almost over

It has been a month, since we moved into a new home for "now". This house is not as great as our Christchurch home. In fact the owners seem to be like chalk and cheese. Where our Christchurch landlords loved and cherished their former home, and were quick to address any problems, this one seems to be a moneymaking scheme and no pride is taken in it's appearance. For less rent than we were paying in Christchurch this one has been a bit of a disappointment so far.

Still, we are comfortable enough - even though the kitchen is a nightmare (ONE power outlet and a rubbish oven), and the water pressure in the bathroom is pretty much a joke. I just don't get landlords who spend nothing on their property. Don't they realise it would increase resale value, and maybe even get better tenants in the future ?

Psst, been here a month and only just realised we can see this from where we park the cars. Doh !

Also have noticed a few other things about life up here in the big smoke:

• The traffic isn't as bad as what everyone tells you
• There are amazing parks - everywhere !
• Public transport is pretty good, so far
• Farro is like Moore Wilson but there are more of them
• There is an ACTUAL Park and Ride (at the airport) - like a real one as in "they are everywhere in the UK"
• The dawn chorus is really noisy - it is ages since we've been woken by such chatty avians
• There are birds everywhere, I'd forgotten how noisy Mynahs are since there are none in Wellington or the South Island
• It rains - we've had more precipitation in a month than we had in the whole year we were in Christchurch. Mostly only drizzly showers, but a few proper heavy downpours. I've missed that.

I would just like to say as well, that job searching is not my favourite thing.

Change

I'm being a bit rubbish about keeping up to date with all the happenings lately.

So, here goes:

1. Christchurch is no longer my home - it was great while it lasted, but circumstances made it hard to want to try and stay. Jobs with a predetermined end date, rents which were out of my reach if it was just going to be me.

2. I think Marlborough/Nelson/Tasman could be my home one day - so much amazing scenery.

3. Auckland is my home now. Just as expensive as Christchurch for not as great quality, so we are still housemates for as long as it takes to get on our feet separately.

4. There are new places to explore.

5. My life is still in boxes...

So anyway, today we went on a bit of an explore because we have to go driving to get used to the traffic, and check that the Navman can cope with it even when we can't.

So first we went to Parnell for Pizza. At Sals. We'd tried it once before on the Shore, but this was closer, and we just wanted one slice. 

'Cos that is all you need believe me.

Then we went for a walk up through the shops. It still has that village feel which is nice, so close to the craziness that is the CBD. We happened upon these guys painting a mural. SO clever.

 then we had us some gelato

and went on a l-o-n-g drive to find the lighthouse at Manukau Heads. 

It would have been prettier on a nicer day, but it was on the list of free things to do in Auckland - so we have done it now. It was free (well a donation to go in to the lighthouse) but there isn't anything else much to do once you get all the way there...and then there is the cost of petrol. Hmmm.