Honest opinion of life in NZ plz...
Discussion
jamieheasman said:
burriana500 said:
Hey Richard - how come you managed to get the Chim into NZ within the last 12 months with all the new regs
Shhhhhh! Are you trying to get him and his car thrown out? Let's just say he was very, very lucky!
nuff said 
>> Edited by burriana500 on Monday 19th April 10:00
I'm very late with this-have been concentrating on the importation-issue page,but thought I'd offer you this link. it appears to have been contributed to by a hard core of the sort of British visitors who give British visitors/ migrants a bad name but it will certainly help fill out the negative end of UK visitors' impressions of NZ (should you feel you need that). Aadmittedly they are all mountain bikers and therefore possibly brain-damaged.
This is the link:www.singletrackworld.com/forum/read.php/f=2&i+990634&t+990634
as for me, i couldn't live anywhere else, but i'm biased, having lived here for all of my 43 years - apart from 2 years in the UK in '78-'79.
auckland is going nuts. there's substantial smog here now and the motorways are clogged, but yesterday i took my small boat out from central Auckland and in 15 minutes was swimming on an uninhabited beach on one of the hauraki gulf's many islands. the catch of course is that the more who flee overpopulation and pollution elsewhere, the more they contribute to it here.
By the way, NZ,s clean-green image is largely fiction-it's just that ,so far the population of dirty lazy people who don't give a toss about the environment is comparitively small(just most of us here)
pakeha(us whiteys) NZers make no effort to understand the Maori (generalisation) but still get goose-bumps when we see a Haka performed properly(and sometimes even when the all-blacks do it)
I love this place, and i'm worried about seeing it spoilt, and the selfish i-saw-it-first part of me wants people (large numbers of them, anyway) to stay away but i'd say if you're at all an outdoors person and affected more by lanscape than architecture, come!
Roger
This is the link:www.singletrackworld.com/forum/read.php/f=2&i+990634&t+990634
as for me, i couldn't live anywhere else, but i'm biased, having lived here for all of my 43 years - apart from 2 years in the UK in '78-'79.
auckland is going nuts. there's substantial smog here now and the motorways are clogged, but yesterday i took my small boat out from central Auckland and in 15 minutes was swimming on an uninhabited beach on one of the hauraki gulf's many islands. the catch of course is that the more who flee overpopulation and pollution elsewhere, the more they contribute to it here.
By the way, NZ,s clean-green image is largely fiction-it's just that ,so far the population of dirty lazy people who don't give a toss about the environment is comparitively small(just most of us here)
pakeha(us whiteys) NZers make no effort to understand the Maori (generalisation) but still get goose-bumps when we see a Haka performed properly(and sometimes even when the all-blacks do it)
I love this place, and i'm worried about seeing it spoilt, and the selfish i-saw-it-first part of me wants people (large numbers of them, anyway) to stay away but i'd say if you're at all an outdoors person and affected more by lanscape than architecture, come!
Roger
I'm very late with this-have been concentrating on the importation-issue page,but thought I'd offer you this link. it appears to have been contributed to by a hard core of the sort of British visitors who give British visitors/ migrants a bad name but it will certainly help fill out the negative end of UK visitors' impressions of NZ (should you feel you need that). Aadmittedly they are all mountain bikers and therefore possibly brain-damaged.
This is the link:www.singletrackworld.com/forum/read.php/f=2&i+990634&t+990634
as for me, i couldn't live anywhere else, but i'm biased, having lived here for all of my 43 years - apart from 2 years in the UK in '78-'79.
auckland is going nuts. there's substantial smog here now and the motorways are clogged, but yesterday i took my small boat out from central Auckland and in 15 minutes was swimming on an uninhabited beach on one of the hauraki gulf's many islands. the catch of course is that the more who flee overpopulation and pollution elsewhere, the more they contribute to it here.
By the way, NZ,s clean-green image is largely fiction-it's just that ,so far the population of dirty lazy people who don't give a toss about the environment is comparitively small(just most of us here)
pakeha(us whiteys) NZers make no effort to understand the Maori (generalisation) but still get goose-bumps when we see a Haka performed properly(and sometimes even when the all-blacks do it)
I love this place, and i'm worried about seeing it spoilt, and the selfish i-saw-it-first part of me wants people (large numbers of them, anyway) to stay away but i'd say if you're at all an outdoors person and affected more by lanscape than architecture, come!
Roger
This is the link:www.singletrackworld.com/forum/read.php/f=2&i+990634&t+990634
as for me, i couldn't live anywhere else, but i'm biased, having lived here for all of my 43 years - apart from 2 years in the UK in '78-'79.
auckland is going nuts. there's substantial smog here now and the motorways are clogged, but yesterday i took my small boat out from central Auckland and in 15 minutes was swimming on an uninhabited beach on one of the hauraki gulf's many islands. the catch of course is that the more who flee overpopulation and pollution elsewhere, the more they contribute to it here.
By the way, NZ,s clean-green image is largely fiction-it's just that ,so far the population of dirty lazy people who don't give a toss about the environment is comparitively small(just most of us here)
pakeha(us whiteys) NZers make no effort to understand the Maori (generalisation) but still get goose-bumps when we see a Haka performed properly(and sometimes even when the all-blacks do it)
I love this place, and i'm worried about seeing it spoilt, and the selfish i-saw-it-first part of me wants people (large numbers of them, anyway) to stay away but i'd say if you're at all an outdoors person and affected more by lanscape than architecture, come!
Roger
The thing that I noticed the most when travelling, was that most parts of europe has this heavy overwhelming amount of history, like ancient castles and cultures. To put things into perspective volcanoes wernt even erupted here while you guys had quite an established civilisation over there
You have to understand that NZ is a very young country in comparison. We have some castles, but they are not that old.
You have to understand that NZ is a very young country in comparison. We have some castles, but they are not that old.kylie said:
am also a landscape painter www.kyliesmith.com if youre interested
Nice website Kylie
And if all the NZ chicks look like you, I'm on the next plane! Seriously though, I see you're from Canterbury. I was thinking of moving to Christchurch, and would value your opinions if you're familiar with the place.
I'm in IT, so Wellington is on the cards too, but I like the look of Christchurch.
Thanks,
Alan
wedgepilot said:
am also a landscape painter <a href="http://www.kyliesmith.com">www.kyliesmith.com</a> if youre interested
Nice website Kylie
Seriously though, I see you're from Canterbury. I was thinking of moving to Christchurch, and would value your opinions if you're familiar with the place.
I'm in IT, so Wellington is on the cards too, but I like the look of Christchurch.
Thanks,
Alan
Hi there Alan,
I don't really know what the majority of us look like but we are mainly decendants of you lot so can't be half bad huh!? I came from a little Town called Timaru which is about an hour and a half drive south of Christchurch its region is called south canterbury. However I spent heaps and heaps of time in Christchurch as the shopping is much better
. The town planner that designed the layout of Christchurch, also designed Melbourne in Australia if you have ever been there, they are very similar in style, both very beautiful cities. It is a very lovely spot, you have extensive sea views as its situated on the East coast and also has extensive views of the snow capped mountains. You are within an hour and a half skiing distance to MtHutt Ski field, many lakes and rivers if your into the outdoors. If you have kids there are a few excellent universities to choose from, resturants and bars very good and general living down there is nice. If you are in IT well then you can pretty much set your self up from anywhere I guess. There is a drag strip and circut track there if your into that scene, plus car clubs of most marques are plentiful. If you need to know more just ask, I can just go on and on and bore everyone to tears LOL
Thanks Kylie, that's all useful stuff. I didn't know there was a drag strip and circuit nearby, that could just be the thing that swings it! Gotta get the priorities right, after all I've already been in touch with Porsche Club NZ, and it seems pretty active, which is good.
Cheers,
Alan
I've already been in touch with Porsche Club NZ, and it seems pretty active, which is good. Cheers,
Alan
Yip the racing down there is very strong including V8 supercars, Porsche GT3 series, Formula 5000, Top fuel, Top alcohol etc run. The events down there are big. If you do a search on Ruapuna Christchurch NZ you can see pics of the tracks and types of racing. You also have a big track at Timaru for another option.
I found some GT3 action for you to look at www.motorsport.org.nz/mrnz/Pages/Pagestext/porschetext.htm
Our transport system over here is pretty shocking compared to the UK but it does exist, thats beacuse we choose to drive our much treasured cars instead
I found some GT3 action for you to look at www.motorsport.org.nz/mrnz/Pages/Pagestext/porschetext.htm
Our transport system over here is pretty shocking compared to the UK but it does exist, thats beacuse we choose to drive our much treasured cars instead
It's not so much worse than the UK as non-existent!
The trouble with NZ is that the few dictate to the majority. The government has plenty of money to spend on transportation (roads and public transport) but every scheme is blocked by some do-gooder organisation or other (usually the Green Party who want us to ride cannibis powered bicycles everywhere).
Even when the Greens and all the other political parties allow a road to go ahead you get some Maori group trying to wring a few dollars out of the situation by claiming a Taniwha (a Maori monster) is sleeping under the ground where the road is planned! I kid you not. That would be the equivilent of the M25 being held-up because the Loch Ness Monster's brother was having a nap under Watford!
Oops, I've started ranting! Erm, oh yes, track days are usually really cheap and most of the circuits are open to the public for testing when there are no races on!
The trouble with NZ is that the few dictate to the majority. The government has plenty of money to spend on transportation (roads and public transport) but every scheme is blocked by some do-gooder organisation or other (usually the Green Party who want us to ride cannibis powered bicycles everywhere).
Even when the Greens and all the other political parties allow a road to go ahead you get some Maori group trying to wring a few dollars out of the situation by claiming a Taniwha (a Maori monster) is sleeping under the ground where the road is planned! I kid you not. That would be the equivilent of the M25 being held-up because the Loch Ness Monster's brother was having a nap under Watford!
Oops, I've started ranting! Erm, oh yes, track days are usually really cheap and most of the circuits are open to the public for testing when there are no races on!
I think during world war II (someone correct me), the American government appraoched our government offering to build a four lane highway from top to bottom of the country, our response at the time was that we will never need it 
utter crap we are so backward sometimnes!. Its all true about certain parties holding up roading plans to make our roads a better safer place. Apart from that most other things are good.
utter crap we are so backward sometimnes!. Its all true about certain parties holding up roading plans to make our roads a better safer place. Apart from that most other things are good.Isn't public transport viewed as a 'good' thing then? In the UK, we're constantly being told we should get out of our nasty, smoky, polluting cars, and use the nice clean environmentally friendly buses instead. Or did I get those descriptions the wrong way around...? 
Cannabis powered bicycles sound like fun though
Cannabis powered bicycles sound like fun though
Yeah it is, and its the way we are heading, but many Nz'ers like myself arent too fond of sitting by complete strangers in a bus shelter on a cold day. I prefer my warm heaters in the car and listen to music to pass the day travelling around the place. So its going to be hard to get people out of their cars.
The Green party don't like buses very much because they run on diesel (or LPG) and ride on roads which they don't want built or maintained! Of course they are just one group causing problems.
Personally the rail network is my favourite target for development. At one time in the distant past the rail network was very good but ageing rolling stock, an odd gauge size (aparently) and a shift to moving goods by truck has almost destroyed it. Still, once you have a line cut out of the country, surely it's a fraction of the price to lay new sleepers and some track? I'm not just talking about the local trains either, but the 'inter-city' types too. Hamilton, for instance, should be perfectly commutable being only 100kms away, but it takes nearly three hours to get there by train! It's a shame the rail network has been left to go to seed as I can think of no more pleasant way of seeing NZ.
Has anyone ever been to Melbourne? Their tram system is what Auckland needs (I can't speak for the other cities because I've never lived anywhere else in NZ). Not only do they operate like, err, trams, but they then convert into light railway! Marvellous - very little cost (relatively speaking) in terms of installing tracks, and they could use the existing train infrastructure too.
Anyway, I'll stop criticising now. If I had a job that meant I could live anywhere, I'd be off living in Fairly or some other little backwater instead of this bloody rat-race. That's NZ at it's best.
If only I was a published writer, pop-star or famous artist!
Personally the rail network is my favourite target for development. At one time in the distant past the rail network was very good but ageing rolling stock, an odd gauge size (aparently) and a shift to moving goods by truck has almost destroyed it. Still, once you have a line cut out of the country, surely it's a fraction of the price to lay new sleepers and some track? I'm not just talking about the local trains either, but the 'inter-city' types too. Hamilton, for instance, should be perfectly commutable being only 100kms away, but it takes nearly three hours to get there by train! It's a shame the rail network has been left to go to seed as I can think of no more pleasant way of seeing NZ.
Has anyone ever been to Melbourne? Their tram system is what Auckland needs (I can't speak for the other cities because I've never lived anywhere else in NZ). Not only do they operate like, err, trams, but they then convert into light railway! Marvellous - very little cost (relatively speaking) in terms of installing tracks, and they could use the existing train infrastructure too.
Anyway, I'll stop criticising now. If I had a job that meant I could live anywhere, I'd be off living in Fairly or some other little backwater instead of this bloody rat-race. That's NZ at it's best.
If only I was a published writer, pop-star or famous artist!
Hi Jamie, Kylie and co
Been a while since i posted something on here, but i couldn't resist this one, I came to NZ in Jan, 2003 from Dublin via the UK having spent 23 years in IT - Teradata if anyone has heard of it. Couldn't get a suitable role, much to do with the 'tall poppy syndrome' that exists here, and so i re-trained as a signalman on the railways.
Based at Otahuhu in South Auckland where all the action happens, certainly could tell a few stories about TranzRail. (or TollNZ as its now called). Can't say it was my best move, but its a job.
The trains are decrepid and are likely to remain so for the next 5 years.
As for Auckland, for a westernized city of 1.5m, i find it aesthetically ugly (ie not thought into future planning or development) and the infrastracture is a joke (not just the railways but roads, housing etc) and i live in the most prosperous area of Auckland, Remuera.
Considering moving back to the UK in November unless i get something better or move out of Auckland.
My partner is a Kiwi and even this Jafa has had enough.
Regards
Trevor
Been a while since i posted something on here, but i couldn't resist this one, I came to NZ in Jan, 2003 from Dublin via the UK having spent 23 years in IT - Teradata if anyone has heard of it. Couldn't get a suitable role, much to do with the 'tall poppy syndrome' that exists here, and so i re-trained as a signalman on the railways.
Based at Otahuhu in South Auckland where all the action happens, certainly could tell a few stories about TranzRail. (or TollNZ as its now called). Can't say it was my best move, but its a job.
The trains are decrepid and are likely to remain so for the next 5 years.
As for Auckland, for a westernized city of 1.5m, i find it aesthetically ugly (ie not thought into future planning or development) and the infrastracture is a joke (not just the railways but roads, housing etc) and i live in the most prosperous area of Auckland, Remuera.
Considering moving back to the UK in November unless i get something better or move out of Auckland.
My partner is a Kiwi and even this Jafa has had enough.
Regards
Trevor
Fair enough, Auckland by no means is a reflection of the rest of the country and a shame if you have to look at going home before scouting the rest of the country. Many Aucklanders seem to think that everything is here in the city and never really venture to the south island for a look, plain snobbery and arrogance. Quite common here. A common funny saying from Aucklanders is that if you live south of the Bombay hills, your not worth worrying about. I see it as a funny joke, but some people are serious about it. Again depends on what you want out of life. If you want the perfect job, sure you going to have to look around if your an immigrant its tough out there, or as many people do, they hook into their own bussiness venture. But I see there are plenty of lifestyles to choose from here. I choose to take a slice of everything, I couldn't care about the railway system too much as you come to realise about my earlier comments, but love the old heritage side to it. And am the first to put my hand up to go on those heritage trails when the offer is out.
I can pop down to the beach for windsurf in 10mins and only 20mins drive to escape the hussle of the city is really neat. Within an hour from home I am on a plane heading anywhere. I guess having family in the south island makes it a great getaway from here in Auckland.
I moved here to further my art career, which has boomed, my partner started up a small business here 7 yrs ago now has three branches nation wide with loads of staff and we are about to purchase another massive warehouse to put our overflowing stock in, business couldn't be better. Shoot me down if I am wrong though, its just a single opinion. We have realised that you have to make your own haven, people will not help you, you have to help yourself to get ahead.
Also you have to look at the layout of Auckland and how once apon a time it was a small town with villages everywhere. Geographically if you look at the narrow landmass where the two seas meet together, it was never intended to be a big city, hence why its so stretched out and a nightmare logistically. Christchuch and Wellington are so much better off. CHCH IMO better transport with some heritage trams same as those in Melbourne (same town planner) as mentioned previously.
I can pop down to the beach for windsurf in 10mins and only 20mins drive to escape the hussle of the city is really neat. Within an hour from home I am on a plane heading anywhere. I guess having family in the south island makes it a great getaway from here in Auckland.
I moved here to further my art career, which has boomed, my partner started up a small business here 7 yrs ago now has three branches nation wide with loads of staff and we are about to purchase another massive warehouse to put our overflowing stock in, business couldn't be better. Shoot me down if I am wrong though, its just a single opinion. We have realised that you have to make your own haven, people will not help you, you have to help yourself to get ahead.
Also you have to look at the layout of Auckland and how once apon a time it was a small town with villages everywhere. Geographically if you look at the narrow landmass where the two seas meet together, it was never intended to be a big city, hence why its so stretched out and a nightmare logistically. Christchuch and Wellington are so much better off. CHCH IMO better transport with some heritage trams same as those in Melbourne (same town planner) as mentioned previously.
its a shame NZ is been judged by Auckland so often at present.Its not even half the size of Birmingham in the UK but so much controversy surrounds its so called difficult enviroment.If you choose to live in a city then one has to accept the failings of urban life.The rest of NZ is quite simply very different.We live very rural and travel around the South Island plenty.....it sure is quiet down here.Business is booming,theres very little pressure in anything and to be frank the roads are excellent.There are few of them and Southland has 3000kms of gravel roads but there is very little traffic and even smaller amounts of congestion.The motorists manners are not the best i've seen in the world by far but compared to Italy, Portugal and the UK i'd say here is pretty good.Figures for accidents may be telling a lie or interpreted wrongly as because the crashes here are usually at higher speed(because theres so little traffic) and therefore are usually more serious.There is also a more relaxed ellement to the roads here which makes people put their guard and awareness down....i dare say this leads to the sort of accidents the world over is use to.Undue care and attention!
If you look at the total number of kms of roading in NZ and the numbers of people who use the same roads you see its a rather unbalanced senario.There may be very little public transport but to be honest there isn't really a great need for it other than in Auckland.Perhaps people should stop heading for Auckland and try settling somewhere else in this green and pleasant land.
If you look at the total number of kms of roading in NZ and the numbers of people who use the same roads you see its a rather unbalanced senario.There may be very little public transport but to be honest there isn't really a great need for it other than in Auckland.Perhaps people should stop heading for Auckland and try settling somewhere else in this green and pleasant land.
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