Fate happens.

SOOOOOO....... what to do now?

We have a place on SUNDAY, but the car was due back that very day. Where would we stay until then?

Some would crack under the pressure in this (or a similar) situation.

But we did not. We soldiered on.

This is probably because as we were getting the Sunday accommodations resolved, our new landlord, Paul tells us that if we were willing, he would let us sleep in a little basement utility room – or at the very least put our stuff there.

This was wonderful news!

Our plan until that moment was to keep our little car for one more day so as to sleep in it if no other form of accommodation presented itself. Now we wouldn't have to pay for another day for the car, as that would eat into an already straining budget.

We quickly and excitedly agreed to this, for despite it being a tad drafty and lacking in a true bed, we were beggars – as it were – without a begging cup to catch the change (metaphorically, of course, thank you very much – we weren't to THAT point physically). But we were enthusiastic beggars. Very, very grateful and happy beggars.

All this to say that we now had a roof and a building over our heads until Sunday, in which case it would be just a roof.

Paul shows us around what will be our new place and we meet a couple of the other tenants. All very nice so far. On the way out we see a lady shifting stuff (a term, I have come to understand is synonymous with moving stuff) to a room in the building we will soon be staying in.

Being the helpful people that we are, we quickly asked if she needed any help, and as there was quite a bit of stuff to move, she quite quickly accepted our offer.

As we were carrying various boxes of nick-nacks, paddywacks, and house plants, Paul stops us with an:“Ah, just the people I was looking for!”

Uh oh, I think, he may ask me to “take care of” somebody and seeing how he's been such a nice guy I may have to agree to it.

It turns out all he wants us to do is put some heaters together. Whew, that is much better. Plus he promises to take us out to lunch at his favorite pizza parlor once we're done!

We get that knocked out pretty quick (again, we are enthusiastic) and then we're whisked off to the nice pizza restaurant right down the hill.

I think at this point it may be prudent to explain to you what “down the hill” entails by way of showing you where we live.

Directly across the street.

Can you spot the New World grocery store?

Looking down the street.

Looking up the street.

Wellington is a compact city. We live a short bus ride into the city center, known as the “CBD” or Central Business District. This is where the “heart” of the city lies – from the busy nightlife to the corporate headquarters of this and that, to the best shopping and arts vibe in the country. It will take us less than an hour to walk across the whole CBD from where we live. We are equally close to the Bay, which boasts a beautiful walkway and actually has a real live beach. There is a bus stop (with a roofed bench and everything!) one block away from our home. 4 blocks down the hill are the Newtown shops - a variety of stores from a butcher to consignment shops and “dairy's” (fast-food if you will), to the New World grocery store, and much more.

This is why we love New Zealand. Just look at this place - in the middle of the 'big city' of Wellington, the second largest city in the whole country – trees, birds, flowers, foliage! And as I mentioned the bay is right next to us - though we've yet to see it. Savvy readers, you already realize this is foreshadowing.

Foreshadowing (doo doot doooooooo)

Once we return from our delicious and delightful lunch (we met Paul's dear wife) we moved our belongings into our new, if purely utilitarian, digs (in fact our room puts the 'utility' in 'utilitarian'). Then we dive in the car and wind our way up town to Ace Rentals, to drop our adventurous Nissan Sunny off – we have 15 minutes to get there before our two-day contract expires, but we make it just in time.

We walk back home due to accidentally getting off the bus at the wrong stop and not wanting to waste money on another bus fare. But it's not far, and besides - the weather's fine and we don't have anywhere we need to be.

We check out the shops along the way, pick up a scant few necessities (such as food) and finally make our way to our new home.

We lie in the darkness on our makeshift bed – the smell of turpentine and paint in the air – and all we can feel is happiness.

So now we have a place to stay. Now all we need is to get jobs.

And then we will be able to afford to eat at the pizza place on our own dime.

One of the best things about New Zealand is that even if everything costs money, kiwi kindness is all over the place and it's usually free.

Just over the top of this hill...