After a busy few days hunting for cars and houses (and we've now found both) we were able to relax a bit and take a better look at our new city.
There has been a Pan Pacific gathering in Auckland this week, with most of the delegates staying at our hotel. This has meant loads of interesting encounters, and plenty of indulgence towards the kids. And probably people mean well, but it just encourages the kids, really
Anyway, this morning the kids were treated like celebrities when we arrived in the foyer. Fijian, Raratongan and other delegates, were taken by the Princess’s blonde curly hair, and the Little Man’s reddish-blonde hair. They insisted on loads of photos and even dragged me into a few! I tell you, it took us ages to get through the foyer, though the kids loved
the attention. One woman even gave the Princess a beaded ring as a present, much to her delight!
Afterwards, we had our first experience of Auckland’s changeable weather. I took kids off to the park, while Husband went to morning tea at work. We spent a pleasant 40 mins or so there – kids making instant friends as they do, a shirt-less dero joining us for a few scary minutes (as they apparently do, here). We basked in the sun at the playground, then walked down to a nearby market. Kids spent some of their pocket money, then I realised the sunny skies had clouded over.
“Quick kids, we better get back before it rains,” I said, as giant-sized raindrops began pelting us in the head.
Luckily we were only a few blocks away! We soon found out the rain is cold here – not warm like in Brisbane.
We completed arrangements for the rental (and coughed up a small fortune for the privilege to do so).
In the meantime, we needed a bank cheque. Imagine our pleasant surprise, when we found out the cheque was free – “It’s your money, so you can use it the way you like” the teller said.
Even better, the bank had free interactive TV games for the kids to play while it was organised. If we’d been waiting for an appointment, we could even have enjoyed a cup of coffee or tea on them. I like the way NZ banks treat their customers!
Later, I nervously took the wheel of the new car, to follow Husband who was dropping off our rental. All went well, until my GPS took me to the wrong place. K, in the rental car, had no idea where I was and he’d left his mobile in our new car, so we had no way of knowing where each other was … luckily our ESP kicked in and we managed to find each other, but not after a few stressful moments.
We strolled around a market at nearby Aotea Square that evening, before finishing the night with another Asian meal. That night, the kids discovered Donut Dude - a long-haired, tattoed, bikie-type guy who apparently serves up the best donuts in the world from his little caravan.
There has been a Pan Pacific gathering in Auckland this week, with most of the delegates staying at our hotel. This has meant loads of interesting encounters, and plenty of indulgence towards the kids. And probably people mean well, but it just encourages the kids, really
Anyway, this morning the kids were treated like celebrities when we arrived in the foyer. Fijian, Raratongan and other delegates, were taken by the Princess’s blonde curly hair, and the Little Man’s reddish-blonde hair. They insisted on loads of photos and even dragged me into a few! I tell you, it took us ages to get through the foyer, though the kids loved
the attention. One woman even gave the Princess a beaded ring as a present, much to her delight!Afterwards, we had our first experience of Auckland’s changeable weather. I took kids off to the park, while Husband went to morning tea at work. We spent a pleasant 40 mins or so there – kids making instant friends as they do, a shirt-less dero joining us for a few scary minutes (as they apparently do, here). We basked in the sun at the playground, then walked down to a nearby market. Kids spent some of their pocket money, then I realised the sunny skies had clouded over.
“Quick kids, we better get back before it rains,” I said, as giant-sized raindrops began pelting us in the head.
Luckily we were only a few blocks away! We soon found out the rain is cold here – not warm like in Brisbane.
We completed arrangements for the rental (and coughed up a small fortune for the privilege to do so).
In the meantime, we needed a bank cheque. Imagine our pleasant surprise, when we found out the cheque was free – “It’s your money, so you can use it the way you like” the teller said.
Even better, the bank had free interactive TV games for the kids to play while it was organised. If we’d been waiting for an appointment, we could even have enjoyed a cup of coffee or tea on them. I like the way NZ banks treat their customers!
Later, I nervously took the wheel of the new car, to follow Husband who was dropping off our rental. All went well, until my GPS took me to the wrong place. K, in the rental car, had no idea where I was and he’d left his mobile in our new car, so we had no way of knowing where each other was … luckily our ESP kicked in and we managed to find each other, but not after a few stressful moments.
We strolled around a market at nearby Aotea Square that evening, before finishing the night with another Asian meal. That night, the kids discovered Donut Dude - a long-haired, tattoed, bikie-type guy who apparently serves up the best donuts in the world from his little caravan.
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