different as

Being in a new place, irrespective of country, continent or hemi-sphere, we get to meet a steady stream of new people who all ask the same question - "how long have you been here?"

The answer should be (and obviously is in a numerical sense) straighforward. As I write we've been in New Zealand for 230 days, or 7 months and 18 days (courtesy of this), but the query only raises more questions and a feeling that something less specific would be more appropriate.

It would be easy to say something like "2008", "last year" or "last christmas" as they're all literally correct, but what I'd really like to say is something like "a while now..." because that's what it feels like.

It's true that emotional ties apart, the UK seems like a long, long time ago, and this has been aided in no small part by our constant mental confusion over where exactly we are at in relation to the seasons. Sure we know it's winter, the cold frosty mornings and sky-high heating bills will attest to this, but it's easy to be confused when enjoying a perfect ever-so-slightly sunburnt afternoon on a beautiful sunny beach in august.

okains bay 2006 © Paul Allan White

In a reality where one has to work to put food on the table, any place can feel like home. This is especially true when you're in a country where MPs are being roundly and rightly abused for rorting the system and double-dipping their expenses. In the current economic climate (© & ^tm everyone everywhere) attention is now turning to making sure that migrants aren't unfairly taking Kiwi jobs, especially as many Kiwis are returning home due to the bleak job outlook in Australia, Europe and beyond. Despite casual racism being alive and well over here, there is thankfully no equivalent to The Sun or News of the World to help fan the flames.

Luckily for us IT workers are much in demand, and our passports have been upgraded to allow us to stay indefinitely with Section 18A restrictions being removed. After over six months at work I'm finally working on, and thoroughly enjoying might I add, concentrating on web work.

Work is settled, Cathy is working (and playing) hard at her playgroup and music groups along with Maddie, and Katie and Hannah are loving school, netball, football and art-club. Not that it felt like it, but I reckon we're over the hump...