HELLO From New Zealand

HBFS

Hey! I resent the slating of airport security here!

painted_lady

Oh, 2 years ago today I was touring round South Island in a campervan.
Now I am in rainy Yorkshire with a toddler to entertain.

chevalier

HBFS said "Hey! I resent the slating of airport security here!"
HB it is not the rules per se, it is the lack of training. They have picked on 100ml of liquid I am assuming because anything more than this if it was explosive component would be too dangerous. What annoyed me was they could see that there was way less than 100ml OF LIQUID in the bottle, even if the BOTTLE was a bigger size. And then to say it was ok because it was for a medical condition, made it totally laughable. So I could be bringing a full bottle of 'medicine' and say that and they WAVED ME THROUGH! Didn't even ask me to prove it. I mean come that is carp in anyones book. And then we got searched again in the departure lounge. Asking me why I had a heavy fleece jacket on. Er I am flying into the depths of a New Zealand WINTER so I will need a coat. Er doh.


Sorry it was the unthinkingness of it. they were more like call centre cold callers, working to a script and if you didn't fit then they didn't know what to do. Certainly didn't make ME feel any safer.

chev

chevalier

painted_lady wrote: »

Oh, 2 years ago today I was touring round South Island in a campervan.
Now I am in rainy Yorkshire with a toddler to entertain.

Haven't got down to South Island yet, will be one of the internal holidays we take, whilst i am sorting out my residency. But i bet the toddler would love it......

chevalier

Wow over two weeks since the last post, the time really flies here. One thing to get used to is not having a half term here. So I will have to see how Anthony copes with a 10 week term, let alone me.

The good news is that we managed to at least check (and actually unpack about 90%) the boxes that hadn't been unpacked so that we could submit the insurance claim form with a day or two to spare. I now have got my chest of drawers back together and just have to put the clothes back in there, and things will be a bit neater. The furniture restorer has done a lovely job on it so I am really relieved as it was a family piece of furniture.

I have now started taking the reduced dosage of the anti d's 50mg from 75mg. Doesn't seem to be any negative difference yet, but it has only been 6 days or so, so I guess I won't just yet. Still pretty nervous about it, but just trying to get on with things, and keeping my fingers crossed. I so don't want it to go wrong for the boys sake as much as mine. Before I was diagnosed I was a really horrible person to live with for about 6 months. So positive vibes guys.

Right must go and do some surveys (they are backing up a bit). They will be the core of any spending money that I have for when we come back to the UK for a visit.

One thing that was unexptected was that OH logged onto his UK account one night, and there was wait for it 24k sitting in his account:eek: :eek: :eek: .

After a bit of a panic, we found out that if you leave the country and have been a higher rate tax payer, then the company your work for can only charge you the basic rate tax or something on your wages, and have to refund the difference. So we will still have to pay it to the tax man, but not until next year.:T :T :T . So it has gone in a high interest account in the uk to earn us some money .

Wish we didn't have to pay it back though as it would be a large amount of the money we MAY have to pay out if the financial ombudsman doesn't come through ref the oil tank....:rolleyes: . Yes that is STILL ongoing. sigh

chev

Wol2

Spooky CHev

Replied to your Pm today....first time I've logged on for a bit. Things certainly sound like they're going in the right direction...well done. Are you starting to feel a bit more "settled" yet?

Well done on the reduced dosage..:T .and the forestalled tax payment.:D ..and just remember when you come back to UK..it's just the flight you need...the rest of us will be happy to put you up and ferry you around!! If you're ever coming back through Gatwick.(suspect it will be Heathrow?) .let me know..I'm 20 mins drive away(and can offer o'night accommodation with decent shower !). But what the heck..Heathrow is only an hour :cool:

Hugs HUn..you;re doing really well and I'm still (even more) dead jealous!! (Please please can I be your au pair ...pretty please.... :rotfl: :rotfl: )

xxx
Wol2

painted_lady

Chev - yes the toddler would love it. We found out we were expecting just after that trip (hence our last holiday as our relationship knew it) I was in Australia at the time and partner returned home. I had my LBM when I got home from oz, but trust me, I wouldnt change a thing.
Wanaka, Tekapo, Queenstown, Dunedin and Oamaru were our destinations from Christchurch. Would love to come back, the whole point of my trip was friends wedding in Sydney, she has a LO now too and one on the way, would love to come back, do north Island and visit said friend in OZ.

chevalier

well not that i should encourage you painted lady, but the nz dollar is quite weak right now, so maybe start to save? I think we will wait to do south island until it is a bit warmer. I don't 'do' cold at all, and it is pretty chilly down there at the moment. All the adverts seem to be about skiing/snowboarding etc.
chev

smashedbooboo

Hi Chev, pleased to see you have ALMOST unpacked. We miss you here. Hope you are starting to settle in.

The weather here is pants hun, so you are certainly not missing anything on that front LOL xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seaxwyn

Hi Chev I looked for Alpro soya dessert in Sainsbury's today but they didn't have it. The closest thing I could see was own-brand 'freefrom' soya-based custard, which had a sell-by date of June 09. I'll have a look in Holland and Barrett next time I'm in town to see if they have it.