That is a VERY nice first kukri. There are so many poorly-made kukris with un-tempered, chromed blades out there that it's sometimes hard to weed through them to find the good ones.
They are definitely a unique feel. A kukri is one of the few large knives/ swords that not only breaks the general rule of "don't use that on a tree", but most can even make for a reasonable chopper. It's a great camp-knife or work knife. I like the beauty and detail of piha kaettas, but the functional sensibility of a good kukri is a beautiful thing in its own way
Congrats, good find.
-d