Family time kiwi style

I’m currently sitting in the Qantas lounge at Auckland Airport. I’m waiting to board my flight home to Sydney after spending five days with my brothers and their families in New Zealand. It’s been a relaxing weekend filled with plenty of laughs. I also took time out on Friday to spend an afternoon with my brother Hamish. I was keen to learn what I could about his recent transition to retirement. He retired after selling his business in early 2024.

I flew into Tauranga last Thursday. My flight from Sydney was delayed almost an hour, which made for a rather tight connection in Auckland. As a result, I had to haul my luggage from the international terminal for a quick and sweaty bag drop at the domestic terminal. However, thanks to my codeshare ticket, I was able to cool off in the Air New Zealand Regional Lounge before boarding my connecting flight to the Bay of Plenty.

Friday night was spent at the Sailing Club overlooking the Mount and Pilots Bay. Here we caught up with Matt and Shelley’s fabulous group of friends, enjoyed a pub meal and watched the Friday night football game on TV. Their group of friends is another reminder that I need to build the same kind of loyal clique for my retirement years. My friendship networks have become very fragmented over time, and often driven by external factors such as work.

Saturday night we enjoyed family drinks and nibbles at Matt’s before venturing out for an extended family dinner at a local Thai restaurant. The family also surprised me with a cake celebrating my retirement. Sunday afternoon the McGregor boys joined up with Ross, one of Matt’s friends, for nine holes of golf at Summer Hill. This is a rather hilly but scenic course overlooking Papamoa and the Bay of Plenty. Matt scored best. I scored worst. However, in my defence, it was my first game in more than 18 months, possibly longer. Nicole then dropped by to show off her brand new motorbike when we returned home. 

I’m proud to say I’ve managed to squeeze in daily walks along the beach, and back via the scenic boardwalk just minutes from Matt and Shelley’s house. It was wonderful to get outside, feel the breeze and enjoy the therapeutic novelty of an ocean view. My phone app says I’ve managed to average almost 7700 steps over the last seven days. I’ve decided that my retirement is going to involve a lot of regular walking (and if I can get motivated, some light resistance weights two or three times a week).

Hamish was full of handy and sage advice about the hard-won lessons he’s learned about retirement. He’s got me thinking carefully about proactive steps I can take to avoid some of the challenges he’s faced, as well as take advantage of his recommendations for a fulfilling retirement. He’s certainly given me plenty to think about.

While I’ve been away, Garry has taken it upon himself to rearrange the downstairs bedrooms in our apartment. He’s moving the home office into the less glamorous room that extends underneath the main staircase. This frees up the more spacious and light-filled room (with its own balcony) for use as a second bedroom. I must admit that it’s something I’ve wanted to do for some time, so I’m delighted Garry has come to the same conclusion. I guess you could say our transition to retirement is underway as we start shaping our home environment to suit our future.