We're still in the early stages of considering moving to Wellington, but as we are not telling the family until we have made up our minds I don't know who else to ask. These are my current queries if you are able to help:
Gardening can you buy English cottage garden plants there, or just natives. Although I am fully prepared to engage with native plants, I will need some plants to remind me of home: roses, lilac, iris, peony etc
Montessori I have noticed that there is a Montessori school near where we are moving to, which follows the mainstream curriculum. It looks lovely and just what I'd like for my DD7. I guess I just want to know whether doing this will mark us out as hippies, and possible count against DD when she tries to get a job or whether it's quite common for people to chose different kinds of schools for their kids.
heat pumps now I know that central heating doesn't exist there, and people rely on gas heaters, wood burning stoves and heat pumps. How about under floor heating? I hate being cold, so am trying to work out what I need to look out for in the estate agents details. There are some brick built houses, but I guess that they aren't so good in an earthquake.
Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.
Living overseas
Another NZ query - a few random questions - gardening and schools (again) and central heating
SarfEasticatedMumma · 27/05/2015 06:25
- Yes of course you can buy English Cottage plants. My mother has a delightful English country cottage garden.
- Montessori schools do look beautiful and I can completely understand the attraction. I have been looking at the one closest to us for our eldest child who is turning 5 next birthday. Looking around it seems to me (though I am in Auckland) that they are a perfectly common and 'acceptable' choice for kindergarten and up till about the age of 7 or 8. At that point a lot of parents seem to withdraw their child and put them back into the mainstream system.
I think maybe that is the point that people compare their child to their friends children and get worried that they are not yet reading and so on? As if the stakes become to high and they don't want to 'risk' it.
Read the ERO report of the school you are looking at and compare it to other schools in your zone and that should give you an idea of where it stands in the community.
www.ero.govt.nz
- You can get central heating but it isn't common. Probably the same with underfloor heating or it will only be in certain rooms. The ironic thing in NZ is that Auckland which is much warmer but where houses cost 57 bazillion dollars is far more likely to have those things.
Personally I don't find heat pumps that effective but they seem ubiquitous nowadays. I also hate
the cold and we just have oil column heaters blazing in every room. So we are always tasty warm but with a huge power bill.
Look for double glazing and effective insulation. i.e. the roof, walls and floor. Don't buy a draughty old villa unless it's been done up to a high standard. You will freeze. Wellington is lovely on a good day but can be bitterly cold.
Good luck!
Thanks under you have put my mind at rest. There are just some plants I need to have with me. 
Ooooh - that sounds lovely. I may try to recreate Sissinghurst in Petone. .
My DD can read and write already so am not that bothered about that aspect of school. I am more interested in whether she can learn at her own pace and follow her interests.
rail to NZ???? How awesome would that be? But I'm guessing it is smartphone for 'cruise'.
and yes, there's a reason the sheep dress as they do. 
My uncle and aunt traveled to my wedding in London via the Trans Siberian. They flew to Singapore, then to Beijing, then Trans Siberian to Moscow.
I've done the London to Beijing trip entirely by rail. It's possible but takes several weeks. Moscow to Beijing is 9 days.
Bear in mind that there's nothing between Antarctica and Wellington. When the Southerly wind blows it can get fierce and cold. The block just outside Wellington train station is notorious for bins full of broken umbrellas on windy days. On the plus side though, it makes windsurfing an easily accessible sport 
Don’t want to miss threads like this?
Weekly
Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!
Log in to update your newsletter preferences.
You've subscribed!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.