I need to find a house. I also need to find a school. And they need to be of a standard which does not trigger homesickness in my wife and children and a desire to knock it all on the head and return back to the UK before we’ve even started.

With a list of ten houses to view, today would be make or break.  The first house was not very promising so I was a bit worried that I was not going to find a decent house. The third house was very good – a 1900 house (or villa to use Kiwi terminology) – a weather board house with a veranda and lots of features, a lovely kitchen and panoramic views across the bay to the city and the sky tower. There was also an option to take the house furnished so I thought this would be the one. However in the afternoon I viewed another furnished house which was 150m from the beach , walking distance to school and 8km to work (with a cycle way). In the upmarket suburb of St Heliers surely this was a banker that would ensure terminal homesickness would not kick in?
A house is only going to be as good as the school so the next day I met with the Headmaster of St Heliers school and the Head of the local kindergarden (both walking distance from the house). Meeting with the Headmaster and touring the school left me with a very good impression of the school (the Head had met with me at short notice despite there being a school inspection in progress) . Ellie will be in year 5 and Cari will be in year 3. There are 2 x year 5 classes and 3 x year 3 classes. 62% of the school are White New Zealanders (Pakeha as they are called) or European. 38% are other nationalities including Maori, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Burmease, Tongan, Fijian and Samoan. Ellie and Cari (and mum and dad) will be able to make lots of new friends around the world. Meg’s Kindergarden was very friendly and is across the road from the school. Meg will be able to go 2 or 3 afternoons a week. Again there is quite a mix of pupils. All looks good.

The deal is done at the estate agent and with key in my possession I move in. Unpacking is a breeze as I only have 1 case. I now live at 33a The Parade, St Heliers, Auckland.

Shortly after moving in my mates Huw Baldwin who I played rugby with at Brecon RFC and his brother Gethin (25 and 25 yrs old respectively respectively) turned up at the house and take up residence. They are travelling around New Zealand for the next 10 months and I’d invited them to stay. The deal is they cook and wash up and generally fetch and carry for me in return for free lodgings. They are good company so I am enjoying them being here (even if they do sleep in long after I have gone to work).

Busy week, with some proper work at Telecom NZ too. So I topped it off with a Friday evening trip to Hamilton to watch the Chiefs (Waikato) against the Lions (South African side) in the Super 14s. Waikato is a farming and forestry area and the crowd is equipped with cow bells and, believe it or not, one guy had a chainsaw. When the opposition take a penalty or when the the home team score the chainsaw is revved and the cow bells ring. The Chiefs won.

On Saturday evening Mount Smart stadium is the venue to watch the Auckland Warriors against the Parramatta Eels (a Sydney club) in the opening NRL game of the season. The League crowd features some pretty ‘heavy duty’ Islanders  and Maoris. The Warriors won convincingly.

And on Sunday the reality of how I am from Wales is brought keenly into focus as I get up at silly o’clock to watch Wales v England in the Six Nations. In the afternoon a trip to Waiheke Island to see if it would make a good day trip for Ruth / Kids / Gillian when they arrive. It is a 35 min ferry trip from Auckland. As it turns out it is a lovely place probably best described as an island version of Pembrokeshire with vineyards. I was the only person on Palm Beach and had a nice swim in the sea.

Not a bad start !