Hallowe'en and Guy Fawkes Day!

Parties and fireworks!






As our downstairs flat mates are young Americans and fun loving Kiwis it was sure we were going to have a big Hallowe'en bash and so all the witches and vampires made thier way round to Roseneath Terrace for a fun night complete with creepy alleyways, gross things bubbling on the stove, cobwebs and Jack-o-Lanterns.



Just a few days later the English celebration of Guy Fawkes Day took place with people setting off their own crackers and fireworks for several days leading up to and then the night of November the 5th we saw the most amazing light show from our perfect vantage point on top of Mount Victoria....




Two barges out in Wellington harbour did syncronized blasts that reflected over the whole bay and filled the night sky with perhaps the best firework display we have experienced.



Just fabulous!!!

New Places, New Faces

We have been getting to visit different city areas and suburbs ……all new stores to check out with the different brands and names for things. Happy to have our GPS to help us find shop locations and to pick up the various items we won the bidding on.




It is fun exploring and meeting some nice folk ……some who live in amazing homes built into the sides of hills. (Have started a photographic study of the wild wonderful cliff dwellings of Wellington!)


So many Wellingtonians have homes in nearly impossible places with structures jutting out of the rock face or built into the side of a steep incline….A path leading up or down is often the only access and parking pads are perched precariously over hanging the road. It seems many do not have even that and just park straddling the curb on the already narrow streets.







People park anywhere they can and facing whatever way is easiest which makes it so confusing that the cars may be parked coming at you on both sides…..”am I going the wrong way on a one way?…am I on the wrong side?” Driving continues to be like in a video game and just like in the games, one gets better.



Parking in our own garage is still a challenge…I know don’t complain as we have a garage and if you fold the mirrors in and come at it at exactly the right angle with just the right oomph to get over the drainage ditch…you may even get in with out a side swipe!





Now that Robert has draped a very long extension cord out our back window, over the roof, across the neighbours lawn and down into the back of the garage I can park and charge my scooter there too!

Scooterella

So now I have these cute little wheels for me to bomb around on....My electric "scooteretta" has enough power to get me out to those nice beaches at the south end and then back up the steep hills home!

More Out and About....

This time was for practicing driving so we headed way up into the hills!

Out and About

We are enjoying visiting different areas of the city for fun and to help us choose where we may want to buy.

Settling in.....

All is going well here with things moving along quickly.We have organized so much in the two weeks we have been here...banking, vehicles, insurance, blackberry, shelter. We looked at so many places and then rented a great unfurnished apartment in a quiet yet still central area. We have a good landlord, nice neighbours and amazing views.
So we are very happy with it and are quickly acquiring things using “TradeMe” for some items we don’t mind second hand…like the little portable oil heaters. We now have 4. Also a neat wooden clothes drying rack, a couple of good solid tables, a heated towel rail and a bright red computer chair. We have been having fun doing the online auction.(stopping myself from bidding on things just cause its cute and cheap!....keep the focus Swan) We are gradually accumulating the basic things we need to have our flat be functional and comfortable. The challenge is deciding what to buy knowing we will be shipping most of our house contents over so don’t want to get too many things we will then have to get rid of yet not wanting to be “camping out” for the next few months either. Well trade me is fun and we can always sell stuff later!

At home at Roseneath Terrace

Now we have spent a few nights in our new digs where our snazzy Aquacoloured Velour Swivel sofa makes a fine bed.





It is just grand to wake up here with the sun coming up over the eastern mountain ranges.




The sky a stunning mix of pinks, orange and golden swirls glistening brightly off the calm sea in Evans Bay, holds certain promise for another fabulous day in New Zealand!



It seems that even if it has poured rain steadily all night it is clear for the sun rise, and this spot is especially nice as it is in the protected bay and doesn’t get the wild winds that some areas of Wellington are famous for this time of year.













We can see both water and lush gardens from most of our windows and were joyously surprised to find that we are just a short hike from the Mount Victoria lookouts that two years ago we had climbed to from the city side.














How good for me as I like to go for early morning walks alone and these are both safe and incredibly beautiful. Also a nice place for us to watch the sunsets with the stunning 360 degree views.