Nicky's new life,New Zealand: 5 years in New zealand

5 years in NZ. That went very quickly. It has been (and continues to be) a busy time of our lives, perhaps too busy. We have settled into the way of working a lot and enjoying the beautiful surroundings we live in. We have had an amazing run of good weather. With the exception of about 4 or 5 days rain since mid-December, we have now reached May and the norm is sunshine. Autumn has been more like summer and shorts and t-shirts are still the choice of most.

Our business has moved forward again and we have moved into new premises on Mapua wharf. A lovely new building was completed and we and 5 other businesses moved in to our new units just before Christmas. The new building and the landscaping around the wharf area has made it more popular than ever. NZ tourism in general has had a bumper year. Our region has had it’s best ever tourism season and with new air routes to and from Nelson airport, it looks like that trend is set to continue.

Our business has been all consuming as we increase our bookings and with our more labour intensive guided tours becoming more popular. Lisa continues to work at the restaurant and they too had another very hectic season. Unfortunately the stresses of long hours etc has taken its toll as she is currently off on sick leave. Hopefully a winter of rest, recovery and TIME to enjoy where we live will help get back on track.

We have enjoyed some days off here and there. Golden Bay is a 90 minute drive from here, yet the pace of life “over the hill’ is even more relaxed than here. We have found a lovely place to chill out for a couple of days. It is a beachfront cottage at a lovely place called Adrift. We went there before the season started and again in late February.

In the 5 years we have now been here, we have started to take some things for granted. What is seen as normal now goes un-noticed, except for a few times when you remember that not everywhere is like this. I think nothing of seeing older people exercising and groups of people in cycling gear sitting in cafes. Women in key and lead roles in organisations go without comment. When you go to a DIY store, the assistants don’t think you have got lost just because you are in the power tool section! On one occasion on of our llamas got stuck in a fence and broke her front fetlock. We were advised by a knowledgeable friend and neighbour to make a splint. We needed a piece of plastic pipe for the job and went to the DIY shop to get some. When the guy asked us what we needed and why, our response brought no reaction whatsoever. It is a country where practical solutions to practical problems are commonplace. The llama made a full recovery and we added to our skill set.

What next? I think this winter will help us slow down in the off season and take stock of how we can get the work life balance a bit more in balance. The bookings are coming in for next year so there isn't a lot of down time. I am looking forward to cycling and gardening and not having to get up in the winter mornings until it is daylight (about 8 am)
The other thing we can do this winter, is fill in our application forms for our NZ citizenships!
I will report on that when it happens.

Here are some the photos of some of the things I've mentioned.