Container Update...

Our ship has come in!

Lee has been tracking the progress of our vessel as it came back into GPS range in the waters around New Zealand and it was on schedule to arrive 16-Jan at around 8:30pm.  The excitement of actually getting our stuff is killing us!

itajai express at 4:00pm

I went today to take what we hope is the final paperwork to the NZ shipping company responsible for customs clearance and delivery to our new home.  Everything appears to be in order and we just have a few details to work out with the Jeep once it clears the MAF customs guys.  Our last steps... last 7-14 business days of glamping in Titirangi :)

We went downtown to watch our ship come in, have a little dinner, and celebrate the approaching end of our container's journey across the great Pacific.  The weather was gorgeous and we walked to the end of the Queen Pier to watch as the Itajai Express rounded the last corner by Devonport.  Hmmm... 8:30... where or where is our ship?  Oh well, time to catch a beer at Brew on Quay and refresh the GPS tracking on the iPhone every 60 seconds :)

walking down queen pier

the "cloud" event space on queen pier for rugby world cup 2011

itajai green indicator - slowly comin' in

9:30pm found us back at the end of the pier and... thar she blows!!  The Itajai is a HUGE ship and needs the help of several tug boats to maneuver into her slip at the port.  We watched until we couldn't keep warm anymore and headed home.  The ship is headed back out on Tuesday and our container (fingers crossed) has finally landed in Kiwiland!

itajai coming into port

tugboats changing ship's direction

HUGE ship - wonder which container is ours?

First things first...

27 Nov 2011 05:30 - Arrival in Auckland

No time to waste!  In the rental car and immediately off to look at potential rental houses.  Over the next three days, we visited about 20 houses including one uninhabitable dump in exclusive Brown's Bay and a number of other "questionable" abodes.  Finally, on day three, second to the last house, we found it!  An unexpected location with unexpected character and quality... Titirangi.

The owner was relocating the very next day and was kind enough to allow us to view the house in the midst of her move.  Owner, known to us as "Berger", hailed from Germany via Toronto via the South Island.  She renovated the house in 2006 with "choice" double glazed European windows and a sharp kitchen.  The downstairs is funky and unique with sliding doors that can create multiple rooms or one big man-cave for the boys.

The views from the patio are very tropical.  The back decks overlook a preserve filled with tree ferns and exotic birds including our own flock of wild parrots.  On clear days, we have a great view of the Auckland skyline from the top deck and master bedroom.

back decks of the house

  

view of Auckland from master bedroom

We move in on Friday, just in time to pick up Li'l Ella from quarantine jail.