One Year Down...

The first year in NZ has come and gone. Nothing very exciting happened to celebrate this event in our lives...

If I remember correctly, we drank some champagne (sparkling wine) a month AFTER the 1 year anniversary! Terrible, I know ;-).

But, that's how it is. I think the first year of any big change in ones life, should not count for too much. My system is / was in shock! I've actually aged - grey hair popping out everywhere, wrinkles, super dry skin, blah-blah-blah! So I am hoping that all these "issues" will now go into reverse cycle as we start our second year in NZ. 

What I can say about this move, is that it changed the way we think about things OR see things. We look or see or find or try new opportunities, because we have to!! Which is a beautiful thing! Not always a nice experience, but I do believe it will be worth it in the end!

We have plans for an exciting second year. It should be fun!

Monarch Butterflies in our garden... earlier this year.

Andre trying to catch a wave.

Surfing next to Wellington Airport - NZ

Himatangi weekend away with friends.

Chatting to Ouma - Himatangi.

Collecting wood with Oupa - Himatangi.

Still my Baywatch man!

B&I having fun.

Action photo :-)

Catching Up #1

Watched a bit of "Nurse Jackie" (on TV) last night and it was something the one doctor said about losing his son... something like: "time doesn't heal you, it just takes from you!" Wow!
So, I sort of gotta thinking..... damn, I must update all my blogs (because it makes me happy) and stop doing things that doesn't matter! 

Because, it's true! In my opinion - time takes from us and doesn't give anything back... except memories and experiences! So, we should create more opportunities to have more good memories and fun experiences. It becomes part of us and maybe something we can take with us when we leave this earth!

September it will be a year since moving to NZ. We've experienced many emotions, stress, positive and negative things, fun things, depro sessions, illness, extreme tiredness, sleepless nights and some really good social evenings with people that have enriched our lives. Taking the good with the bad ;-).

Flip, it's tough moving countries, but we believe this is where we should be - at this point in "time", so, we have to make the best of it! Otherwise we would have gained nothing!

So, here are some photo's of The Louw's shuffling around Wellington / Kapiti Coast region, NZ... March / April '15.

Celebrating my Dad's birthday - together for the
first time in 10yrs!

Upper Hutt, Wellington, NZ - Somewhere in the
Akatarawa Forest. Bare hills after all the Pine trees
 were chopped off.

Ben and Dylan looking at bicycles
with very big off-road tyres!

Ingrid eating a NZ version of a hot dog.

The race begins... thinking of our friend, Brendan Hindes,
in SA. He would have loved taking on this challenge!

Blackberries everywhere - you can never go hungry
in NZ.

Picnic time - somewhere along the Hutt River.

Imaginary fly fishing... practising my rhythm ;-).

Hutt River. I love this pic.

Zoo Time - Wellington, New Zealand

Thanks to Absolutely Positively Wellington (on FB), we received a voucher to visit the Wellington Zoo! 

The last time we visited a zoo was in 2010, in Perth.... so very big! Wellington Zoo is a nice size... you can see everything on one outing :-).

The highlight - we saw some African animals... not all of them :-(, but some!

The beginning...

Hhmmmm?

The first photo... at last! We didn't see any animals for quite a while!!!
I guess they were snoozing!

Really nice way to display their animal cages... 

A Sun Bear

Tiger - the best shot I could get of this beautiful animal!

Taking a break, darling.

Now we are in Africa...

Some buck.

Now we are in Australia.

One of my favourite little animals - Meerkat.

Can you spot the Red Panda??

Week 2 - Wellington NZ

What we've been up to...

Hahaha - well yes, Andre couldn't resist "training" the kids to chop wood - under

supervision, of course. Wellington has beautiful summer days (like today) and then

some windy, rainy, cold, mesirable days! And the kids just love getting involved, so... why not ;-). 

Me, I don't like chopping wood (sounds like Grumpy Smurf??)

Ingrid's turn first.

Then Ben. 

This is what we do when the sun is out!

Ingrid's Christmas sing-a-long at school.

The way to the kids tree-house.
I made the steps!

The kids put up some notices ;-) 

Another route to the tree-house... the
bush way. All still in our garden!

At least the tree-house has a "sort of" a
floor and a foot-swing - hehe

Our First Visit...

... to Wellington!

We travelled to Wellington in early October. Andre had an interview in Timaru (South Island), but his flight was from Wellington.

And, of course, we went along on the road-trip! We saw all these cute little towns on the way, with many second hand stores, antique shops and coffee shops etc. 

It took us the whole day to drive to Wellington, from Hawkes Bay (where my parents live), eventhough it's only 4hrs away :-). 

Waipapa - one of the towns we stopped so I could look at
some antiques. 

Wellington - My first thought was:
"Tunnels in earthquake country!!!" 

"No Way - another one!!!"

Wellington at dusk.

Te Papa Museum - Wow, what an experience! You need
at least 2x full days to really see everything. 

Te Papa - everything designed with kids in mind. 

Te Papa - Maori traditional Meeting House.
Very decorative and attention to detail 

Te Papa Museum - View of Wellington. 

"The Beehive"
Parlament Buidling, Wellington.

Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealand. Our new home.

It's been a while... 

It's been about 2.5 months since we've left South Africa. And it's been a week since we've moved into our rented house in Tawa, Porirua City,Wellington. This house was meant for us, because we had one day to find a place to stay and it was pure luck (and help from above) that we found this one!! Close to everywhere, but away from the noise! So lucky!!

An interesting, challenging, sad and happy experience. Sad, because we left our BFF behind, but also happy, because now our kids can get to know my parents.

Andre started his new job on 1 Dec. and the kids went off to school. They all seem to be very happy with everything! It's like a great, big adventure :-).
Me... I'm just starting to catch up with the last couple of months!!

So, to "click off" my first post from NZ, here are some photo's of our first outing...

First days in NZ - Manukau City (Auckland). We stayed in
Cockle Bay. Awesome view!

Ben with Oupa. We last saw Oupa and Ouma in 2010.

Pekapeka. This area is a natural Wetland, but was used
as a dumping area in the past. NZ is now all about
conservation and all the Wetlands are protected areas.

Pekapeka - with a walk-way.
I love this photo!!

Pekapeka - Some of the scrap metal and building rubble
can still be seen at the site.

Pekapeka - Andre and the kids on the walk-way.

Pekapeka - and then I must pose for a photo too ;-)