Destination: Home

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Well life has changed a bit in the last month…… drastically really when you consider we were climbing volcanoes and dropping in on blue footed boobies nesting in the Galapagos islands just a few weeks ago. We landed at Auckland airport at on a Thursday morning to find uncle Grant’s friendly face waiting for us, armed with a bag of Vogel’s and some marmite for breakfast; just what we had missed in the last few months. Instead of haggling with any more taxi drivers, we were escorted home to start our new life in New Zealand.

We walked into our empty house, a blank canvas for the first time since we brought it three years ago, and wondered where to start….what should we do first?! Paint it, knock out a wall or turn a room into another bedroom, or……..get a job??!!! No way, DIY is WAY to exciting for that. In the last two weeks we have been painting, re-carpeting, decorating and furnishing the landing pad and coffeeing ourselves in Ponsonby and Parnell while we adjust back into NZ life.

Yep, this is what life has come to... paint covered trackies and baggy te-shirts, but the reward is fantastic. We have watched the space transform from a rental property into something that feels like home. We would love to put up some photos of the finished product, but have learnt that rooms can not be built in a day and require boring and expensive things called ‘building permits’. Email us if you are curious and I will send you the before and afters when they eventuate.

We are loving living next to my cousins and their family, the kids are around most days. When I opened a box expecting a TV a small child was found inside!! I was not allowed to keep her sadly, her parents wanted her back. The kids have been a great help (hmmmm) when it comes to the paintwork.

So there concludes our travel blog from Brazil to Blockhouse Bay. Last week we had the first lot of international guests (Sarah and Flo from Germany), so lets hope that is the start of many more. Destination New Zealand is the best one yet, come visit us soon!!!!

Chow
Nicole and Callum
xxx

Highlight: Family, friends, coffee, food, water, draws, chocolate fish
Lowlight: The carpet takes 6 weeks to arrive, the lounge suite takes 4!!
Best Munch: MEAT!! Roasts, seafood, fresh fruit
Best Gulp: Marlborough Pinot Noir, Cals flat whites
Rate: 10/10
Interesting Fact: In the region around Waitomo caves you can witness the shearing of a rabbit daily at 12:30pm

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