Auckland NZ - Anyone have tips for moving there?

[nickiw]

DH is having 3rd telephone interview tonight, they seem quite keen and may want us out there in 2 months!! Any tips for good areas to live, schools etc??

Where is Kemeu?

Are you going to use sevenseas Chuffed?

If anyone feels like a nice cold sav blanc anytime after 18th Aug please let me know!!

yes, can you fit us inyour suitcase , i want to emigrate somewhere

We were but a friend found that pss? were slightly cheaper when they sent their stuff a month ago so we are using them now.
Kumeu is in West Auckland. It won't take long before all these regions become second nature a bit like the regions of London.

We have used all our money up so I think if we do return we will have to do it on the cheap!!

Just clearing out the RV, getting ready for the flight tomorrow. Coats, boots and jumpers at the ready, really want to sleep in my own bed again and have a nice warm bath. Our container arrives on 5.9 and hopefully we will find a house quickly and be ready to start again quickly.

good luck nickyw!
I'm sure everything will be fine.

Good Luck NickiW - will be VERY keen for a nice cold sav blanc, but not until Jan - we're leaving for NZ on 29th Nov, but will be in Christchurch until early Jan, then heading to Auckland. Can't wait!!! Although not looking forward to the flight with an 8 week old baby, but that's a whole different thread...

Which web sites are you using to look for rental properties?

Chuffed - do you have a website for the shipping company that you're using? Off on maternity leave next week, and my first job is to start getting quotes for our shipping... Joy.

pss

Our friends went on holiday to NZ when their daughter was 7 or 8wks and they said it was so easy. They had the bassinet, baby breastfed, and slept basically.
We now have 4 boxes and 2 big bags packed and still seem to have a housefull of stuff we're only in a one bedroom.
Kiwifruit might need to delay the Sav Blanc a bit as this bub is due the middle of Jan so I'll be a bit out of commission to start with as will probably need another c-sec. That's another story in itself trying to work out how to get onto the NZ maternity system when arriving in the country at 30wks and expecting to need one of them when almost everybody has midwife led maternity care and there is a shortage of obstetricians but it'll be fine.

Chuffed - I remember looking at a website for Auckland based obstetricians a while ago, will try and find it for you. I would register with a GP first - I guess if you need a C-section (vs elective), they will assign you an obstetrician? I know that if you choose to have your care under an obstetrician, rather than midwife led care, you have to pay for it, and it's about $2000. Don't know what happens if you start out under midwife led care and then they find out you need a c-section though...

Thanks for the shipping site, will check it out in detail later. Relieved to hear that your friends didn't have any problems with their baby - fingers crossed that we have an easy time too!!!

Here's the link Chuffed - Auckland Obstetric Centre

Birthcare might be worth a look too - their post natal facilities are rather nice as well - a friend of mine stayed there and loved it. Free of charge if you are in a 2 bed room, a per night fee if you want a private room. A lot of people deliver in hospital, then transfer to Birthcare.

Give me an 8 wk old baby over a 4 and 6 yr old anytime, just think, any problems and you will never see the people on the plane again, you get those lovely seats behind the bulkhead so no arrogant git reclining his seat on takeoff and never moving and you don't have to pay for their seat either!!

Hi NickiW - sounds like you're talking from experience there - have your 2 been a bit challenging on the plane??

Agree with you about the seat recline thing - I think they should just stop them from reclining at all, as the amount of difference it makes to the recliner is minimal compared the the difference it makes to the person sitting behind them. I never recline my seat, as I hate it when others do it to me, and it makes me so when the person in front of me does it - especially when they often end up sitting forward and playing video games or something anyway!!!

OK, rant over....

Thanks Kiwifruit - we were trying to avoid the private route as it is money we really won't have after 10wks of travelling. We have found out that if you just register with the hospital you aren't guaranteed who you get etc but it is free which is what I'm going to do and hope for the best.
So have you arrived now nickyw?

Been in Takapuna for approx 36hrs, loving it, really nice people, been to bank, started house hunting, really like Browns Bay and Davenport, more viewing tomorrow, bit cold, good sleep last night so not too much jet lag, what do you think of these two areas? Help!! Fab flight over only quarter full all spread out on middle rows and slept for 8hrs plus, excellent, off for some more fab cheap wine!!!

Kia Ora Nickiw - sounds like you had a dream trip! Browns Bay and Devenport are both really nice areas. Would maybe lean more towards Browns Bay, as I think that the access is a bit better, but I've never lived on the Shore, so could be completely wrong... What have the houses that you've looked at been like?

We spent the day yesterday driving around to suss out the areas. We have 3 viewings booked today and there are a few more I am interested in. Richard starts work on monday so as long as we can agree on an area together I am happy to look at houses with the kids next week. I love Browns Bay but like the fact of the ferry from Davenport just in case the job front changes in the future, all in all really like the Shore area, easy to say after 2 days! We are even considering buying a section in the future and building our own house, something we have always wanted to do in the UK. But, we have to start slowly and not jump in too fast!

Sorry quick Hijack do any of you know if our Playstation 2 and our gamecube will work in Nz its an english one.

our container arrives with ours in in 2wks, I hope it works!!!

We saw a great house in Milford today, 10 secs from beach, is this a good area, are the schools okay? Our other favourite is in Rothesay Bay, didn't really get on with Devonport today, Browns Bay good but nothing available near beach. Totally knackered today, eating far to much cake and drinking far too much wine!!

It will probably work - but don't forget the plug will be different. We brought some multi plug boards and then just changed the end plug to a kiwi one. The all our UK stuff could be plugged in without an adaptor.

nickiw it was Milford that I thought would be quite good for you originally. It is a good area, most of the areas on the beach side of the motorway are great. It takes about 10-15mins to drive to the ferry in Bayswater if work scenario changes you can ferry from there too.
My dh's parents live in Bayswater which is halfway between Devonport and Takapuna and we are between Bayswater and Takapuna but lived with an uncle in Milford for a while.
Also Milford would be a great short bike ride for your dh for work.
So glad you like it. No idea about playstation etc sorry.

Do you know what Milford primary is like? The property is ticking all the boxes for us. One concern is if we do want to stay can we afford to buy in the area? What do you think?

Houses are expensive in the area which normally signifies better schools (sounds snobby but it appears to be true). We've been overseas for over 5 yrs now so couldn't give you details but I'm sure you can find out what it is like. Have a look outside when the kids will be arriving, see what they are wearing no bare feet in winter - you'd be surprised how many kids go to school in poorer areas with no shoes on.
I'm pop in and see the school head, find out if they have a limit of numbers, how many they have, I doubt intake is full but it is worth checking.
As for buying, it is a pricy area, don't know how much money you have and it will obviously depend on the exchange rate as well to how much money you'll get in NZ$ for your £.

dh says that if you have taken your TV your playstation will work fine, games should also work if bought in NZ/UK as they both use PAL games.

We will be renting for at least 6 months, looking in Bayswater and Castor Bay today. We need to find a good house but also in an area we can afford to buy in eventually so the boys don't have to move schools again. Although it's winter here it's lovely, still in t shirts!!