A New Dawn - 30th June 2009

Well, after all the planning and farewell partying, we finally set off on our epic adventure. A couple of sets of R-R engines powered us to the other side of the world where we were welcomed by a beautiful sun-rise over (the clouds of) New Zealand.





Once we had broken through the cover, we were treated to the wonderful sights of the snow-covered Southern Alps - whetting the appetite for future trips to the ski-slopes.

I had wondered how I would feel once we landed - indeed had committed some expected emotions to words on an affirmation card - but was not really expecting to deal with the comment from the immigration officer as we passed through passport control......
"Welcome home and good luck in your new life in New Zealand"!

We had been warned that it was cold - but the conditioning had not really prepared for the temperature drop that we experienced - around 20 degrees between the balmy London we left on Sunday and Christchurch this morning! Matt and Louise had kindly arranged to play taxi-drivers and move us to our digs across town although the place was all locked up on arrival and we had to wait around for the agent to arrive and open up.

Once inside we suddenly realised the difference that double glazing and central heating makes to a house in the depths of winter. In the UK, most people can't remember what it was like pre-CH/DG. Well, can I ask you all to dig deep into your sub-conscious and exercise that old dendrite so that you can sympathise with us! BRRRRRRRRR!! Still, it makes for good winter sports!

Anyway - we've arrived safely. Didn't lose any baggage en route and didn't get charged for being well over the limit! We're out setting up bank accounts and buying some mobile phones - plus a few extra layers for around the house! Jet-lag resulted in a 5.30am get-up this morning (Weds) so I think it's going to be another tiring day....

There'll be some pictures posted to this blog in due course - just watch this space.

Ready For Take Off

This blog will be updated in due course with pictures and stories of our last month's preparations before heading off to New Zealand - watch this space!

Just over 4 weeks to go.....

Well, after a hectic April, May promised to be nice and leisurely....not!

We spent a long Easter weekend in Friog and were joined by Steve, Debbie and kids - enjoying, amongst other things, some time on the water at nearby Bala.



After our break in Wales we headed - via Bristol and an evening with Duncan Cranmer and boys - down to Portsmouth for "Cousin Matt's" wedding to Lou - our soon-to-be fellow Christchurchians. Great family gathering at the Maritime Club and well hosted by the Ashworths.

A period of much welcomed alcoholic abstinance descended and the gym saw a few more visits in an attempt to halt the worryingly increasing waistline!

Not for long though, and I was off to London to meet up with college pals Steve Apted, Sham Dhar and Hugh Thompson - sinking a few beers in the Devonshire Arms somewhere near Clapham Common. My journey to the Smoke was also for business and I spent the day with Mike Finnigan - CEO of "i2i" - who has agreed for me to be an "i2i" franchisee in NZ. Awesome!

Back in Derbyshire, we enjoyed a pleasant trip up to Dovedale for a sunday afternoon picnic - though the sun seemed to bring everyone else out too!
I also managed to squeeze in some decorating around the house before going over to Wales to complete some (promised) decorating for Jack and Eve. Chris and I also enjoyed an afternoon of power-kite flying whilst we were there - as a precursor to doing some kite-surfing lessons. Good fun but very hard on the arms!

Mid-May, Maria and I headed off to Barcelona for a short break (away from the stresses of our impending wrench from the UK!). We had a fab time - did lots of Gaudi-spotting, ate plenty of Tapas and drank lots of Cava! We also witnessed the reaction of the FC Barcelona fans to their team's success in the Copa de Rey - they are mad! Upon our return, we were informed that we have a prospective tenant identified for our house - good news.

Back to Stockport for a family gathering with cousins and old school pals - kindly hosted by Mum and Dad at Well Mead.




This was quickly followed by a flying trip to London to watch the filming of Question of Sport at the BBC Television Centre. We were lucky enough to be invited into the green room - many thanks to Caroline Roberts for that treat - where we mixed with Tuffers and Matt plus a gaggle of other sporty celeb types.

Signs of burn out were starting to show and a few snuffles and sneezes were appearing at a regular rate, so the planned Bank Holiday trip to Friog was postponed for some Derby-based R&R. I actually spent the time mostly in the loft putting more floor-boards down for storage purposes and sorting through 8 years worth of "stored stuff". Horrible, dirty job.

Bank holiday Monday - it must be London then, and off to meet up with my Pembroke College Camping pals and respective families - Christine Raeside, Leon Robins, Jay and Sally Macleod. Unfortunately we happened to choose the day that 60,000 Burnley and Sheffield Utd fans were also using the M1 to get to the Coca-Cola play-off final so the journey to and (particularly) from the capital was a little slow and tedious.
However, we still had a great time - meeting up at the Tate Modern, sauntering along the south bank, lunching and then working our way to Covent Garden for some street entertainment before departing for the congested motorway north.

2 weeks off work - isn't it time to go back now?

So having been unemployed for 2 weeks, I am now into un-chartered territory - what should I be doing with my time?

I know, a weekend in London with Maria and my University Football pals for starters. I had helped to organise an Oxford Old Boys match vs. a team from Westport, Connecticut and was rewarded with a great victory from a great bunch of footballing heroes plus a much treasured signed shirt (the other one with Ronaldo's autograph was also appreciated too!). A trip around the national portrait gallery and a visit to George's wine bar on Villiers Lane had been the cultural gloss on the visit.

On return to the northlands, I then had a wonderful night out in Bredbury and Romiley with some of my closest family.


A few games of pool in the Travellers Call with Dad, John and Chris started the ball rolling.
Then it was off to Romiley and a trip down memory lane to the Romiley Tandoori (re-branded Indigo?!) with cousins Sara, Ian and Stuart and then last orders in the Romiley Arms - only because the Stock Dove has been shut down!

Easter school holidays were upon us and Maria, Sarah and I headed to Blackpool to ride "The Big One" and another memory lane encounter with Jane, one of Maria's nurse-training pals for Manchester General Hospital.






We have now descended upon Friog in Mid-Wales, home of Jack and Evelyn, for a family Easter. The weather so far has been very kind and we have enjoyed a couple of fantastic walks around the local hills.






This place will definitely be missed when we are on the other side of the world - but we have so many great memories of the place. In particular the score of 29 that I posted on the Fairbourne 9-hole golf course yesterday morning. My best ever score and unlikely to be beaten!!

Skiing in Praz de Lys - 25th to 27th March

OK, so 3 months to go before we up-sticks and head off to the other side of the World - sounds like an ideal time for a skiing break in the Alps, then! Unfortunately, as the only breadwinner in the house, Maria stays at home with Sarah, whilst the male contingent of the Burns family head off to Praz de Lys in Haut Savoire for a few nights at Ant & Eve Roberts' fab appartment.

We have 2 and half days of great skiing around the village and in nearby Sommand. The weather is kind to us - dumping fresh snow as we arrive, a further covering during our second night and a wonderfully sunny afternoon in which to enjoy the powder.
Of course, being Alpine novices, we are caught out by the sunny conditions and end up with bright rosey complexions, ie sunburn!



Chris does a great job as chef des jours - with my only real task being to stack and empty the dishwasher plus make the morning cup of tea. (And of course, supply the stream of Euros to pay for everything!)


Altogether a great break. Many thanks to Ant & Eve for the use of their apartment. If it wasn't for the fact that we're going to be a long way away, I'd definitely be looking to return to this lovely part of Europe again.

Chris, however, is not so sure as he fears that there may be more to this Alpine life than he is currently comfortable with!

The end of an era - let the new one begin!

So that's life at Rolls-Royce over with!?! Thanks to my colleagues who joined me for a few drinks in the Dolphin Inn in Derby to celebrate the occassion of me leaving. Some very kind words from Ian Hill and fantastic gifts from you all - as I said on the night, exactly what I would have chosen and they will be treasured forever. A few of us carried on into the early hours in some of Derby's other fine establishments, culminating in a late night dance at Scream!

People keep asking me how I feel. I've not really had time to take it all in yet. Besides, I'm not sure whether I can rightfully declare myself unemployed until Monday. It's just an ordinary weekend at the moment.... Actually, we've headed over to the in-laws for the weekend - I'm practising living on the coast and walking along beautiful deserted beaches before breakfast!

Visa's have arrived

We actually received our residency visa's last weekend - so one of my little worries has now gone away. Each of our passports now contains 2 stickers inside - 1 is the right of entry as a resident and the other is a residency return permit - should we leave NZ for any reason within the next couple of years. Maria's started filling in her NZ Nursing Permit application form so that she can start to apply for jobs. I've started scanning the "Seek" NZ jobs web-site regularly to see what sort of jobs are coming up in Christchurch. Plenty of accountancy roles showing up! Priority at the moment though is to hone the winter sports skills so that we can take the Southern Alps by storm. The kids and I spent the start of last week's half-term at Glenshee - skiing and snowboarding - and Chris and I are booked in for 3 days in the French Alps the week after I finish at Rolls-Royce. That's only 3 weeks away now and heading my way fast! After 21 years there, it's going to be a bit of a shock when I don't have to get up and go in. Still, there'll be plenty of other things to occupy my time for the next few months at least!