I passed!

Yayyy!

I took my test for the NZ Driver's License and passed (got one wrong).

Only a teensy bit overdue - have been here 1 year and 3 months and should have done it before the year was up - oooops! Anyway 'tis done now.

I spent a couple of evenings reading the book and finally made myself go to the AA centre near Botany.

I left the house that morning, waved a tearful farewell to hubby and son, squared my shoulders and bravely drove to the test centre.

Once arrived, I queued with a couple of other Brits, some NZ teenagers and an Asian guy.

Cost was $84. Upon handing in my form to the nice gentlemen in AA attire, I was given a quick eye test and had my photo taken for the license (that should be interesting!).

I was then told to go through the door at the end of the room.

Upon entering, I was immediately transported to the Twilight Zone of misunderstanding the Kiwi accent (not happened for a while too).

This is the very perplexing question asked by the lady behind the desk:

"Are you clear?"

I stopped in my tracks, I was not ready for trick questions - clear for what? For landing, take-off, alcohol, drugs?

I just looked at her and said very politely:

"I was told to come in here to take my test".

She answered me with the same question again:

"Are you clear?"

Jeez - now I felt I was in some kind of surreal Marathon Man film, being interrogated, but not knowing what the heck for! I was getting a little stressed by now (not helped by the fact that I was about to take a test of course.......).

After a few seconds delay and a bit of gold fish mouthing (ie looking like a complete moron), she put me out of my misery by asking (very slowly as though I was deaf):

"Is your name clear"

PING - It finally dawned on me - she was wanting to know if my name was Claire!

I stated very clearly that I was not Claire, gave my correct name and proceded to sit down and sweat it out until we were all given our test sheets.

We were then told to sit at the partitioned desks, turn off our mobile phones and scratch out our answers (the multiple choice test was like a very long scratch card consisting of 33 questions, I think and you were only allowed to get 3 wrong).

I was the last one to finish, mainly due to extreme caution and doing the easy ones first etc etc etc. Anyway, my paper was checked through and the upshot is that I now have a temporary Kiwi license and am awaiting with trepidation my credit card type NZ actual license - trepidation is due to terrible photo that I am sure is upon it.... Ah well - never mind!

The weather here is very humid at the mo and quite sticky. It chucked it down yesterday! However, should be sunning up again soon!

I can tell its getting summery due to the amount of flies and noisy insects outside!

The other night we were watching TV, when the french doors were crashed into by a flying something or other. Upon carefull examination, we saw a HUGE moth recuperating on the balcony floor - it was the size of a small bird - HUGE! Soooooo glad it couldn't fly in! We always shut the windows at night anyway due to the mosquitoes that enjoy feasting on hubby! A few minutes later, we heard another bang against the kitchen window - son commented that we were being beseiged! All windows in house were immediately checked!

Why is everything so BIG here! Big ants, massive plants (related to triffids I reckon) and ginormous ducks (according to visiting daughter). Must be all that sunshine and rain!

Anyhoo - that's it fer noo really. Just enjoying the hols, cleaning the house, reading for my TESOL course, swimming in the sea and the local free pools and scrapbooking etc - oh yes - and watching lots of mindless telly. The Living Channel has loads of stuff on it from the UK and Sky News is also direct from the UK at certain times of the day (therefore, whatever you are watching at 9.30 in the evening - I am watching at 10.30 am the next day and it's all live!)

Well tara for now and I will write soon!

Hope all is well with you - wherever you are.

Byeee.

x Sue