English update!

Wow, it’s already been 4wks since we left the Netherlands to fly around the world to find a new temporary home in New Zealand!

Here is a short update in English, for pictures please scroll to the Dutch sections.

We have been blessed with great friends who brought us to the airport, a babysitter who turned housesitter and an airline that didn’t lose our 10 pieces of luggage!

The first week we spent in windy and sometimes rainy Wellington. We visited Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary, to see what New Zealand looked like before the first humans arrived. We saw the LOTR workshop at Weta Caves, rode the cable car up and walked down through the botanical garden, visted the zoo and the national Te Papa museum.

I had my orientation course about working as a GP in New Zealand. 

Two weeks ago we arrived in our new home-town, Taupo and moved into our temporary accommodation with a beautiful view!

We enrolled Lily and Isen at Hilltop School and bought them their first (oh no, second for Lily!) schooluniform!

Before I started to work this week we had plenty of time to explore Taupo and its surroundings. We visited the thermal area at Orakei Korako, we swam in a hotpool in the river, hiked Mt Ruapehu after we went up in the chairlift (which was luckily open today!) and saw Mt Doom (the real name is Mt Ngauruhoe, where we temporarliy live, so we live at Mt Doom!). The Huka Falls have been photgraphed and the children’s Sinterklaas presents where finally bought at the Warehouse! Lily opted for a skateboard, Isen got an clay icecream maker and Cleo wanted (another) doll.....

For Lily’s birthday we went to Hobbiton and saw all the little houses that were used in the movies. 

There are great thermal pools at DeBretts resort were we had a relaxing afternoon and Isen has been signed up for swimming classes at the local swim school.

We even had time to visite the local library which surprised us with a huge selection of books, so hopefully the children will be fluent in English after this year!

This week I have also started working and after some more orientation I have three sessions with patients already and so far I have enjoyed every minute of it.

Next week we will move to our definitive place, so lets enjoy the beautfiul view while it lasts.