CS

In the last few days we’ve covered a lot. The distance between home and Queenstown is 11,800 miles, which feels like a lot but we’ve already met someone who is from Bath and someone that lived in Marlborough. It’s a cliche but it really is a small world.
The journey from the UK was long and we’re still catching up with sleep. We’re getting used to sleeping at the opposite time and feel like we know Queenstown better now, it’s pretty small so can already get around without a map. There’s also some familiar accents around town and quite a few Brits which makes us feel closer to home.

The weirdest thing is getting used to it being winter! It gets dark at 5.30 and there’s still the reds and yellows of autumn with the chill of winter in the air, so we’re hoping that the snow isn’t too far away. The LUMA lights festival is on at Queenstown Gardens over the Queen’s birthday weekend (a bank holiday in NZ!) which makes it feel like Christmas.. Two winters in a row will really take some getting used to.

One final thing.. peppers are bloody expensive here, especially red ones!

CS

As I sit here on our first flight of three to Queenstown I can’t help but have mixed emotions. We’re flying towards something new, having pretty much given up everything we had in the UK. The job has gone, the car has gone, the flat has gone and so has our life we knew from the past few years. We’ve left family and friends, who I will miss dearly, but we are heading towards one of the most amazing places in the world, New Zealand. I know it’s only for a matter of months and we won’t be gone forever but it’s a real leap into the unknown.

I want this blog to be about the experiences we have, not just the good but the not so good as well. We’re optimistic but realistic about what the next few months holds and I want to portray that accurately. So if you’re looking for something that’s full of sunshine and pretty things then you should probably head over and follow one of those rosy travel instagrammers.
What I’ve learnt today:

1. Most stuff that you have in your home is crap. I’m now down to 28KG and a blanket.

2. How to play Tetris inside a suitcase.

3. That I really value my family and friends. Leaving for somewhere without them is difficult and I know I’ll appreciate them more when I’m back.

4. Having slip on shoes on a plane is amazing, it’s like having comfy slippers to take off when you like!

So then, here we go, the end of the first post of many (I hope!).. I will try to keep these short and to the point and write often rather than having long rambling posts.

I don’t think it’s quite set in what we’re doing yet, but I can’t wait to see what is waiting for us…