where's best to live in nz,and what do we need to know?

[AngryBeaver]

My dh has been on at me for a year to move from the uk.He wanted Quebec,which looked gorgeous and romantic,but i wasn't sold on the winters and coudn't leave my mum.
He recentley said he wanted to move to NZ and i thought ,yeah if it's warm and a better life than here,let's do it.
So we've got fuck all money and 3 kids under 4.5 ...but we want to do it.
I don't know what's changed in me for me to agree ,but I hear th schools and hospitals are fab,and just want the best life for my lovely children.
I'm worrying though because I've read the houses are crap and cold.
We want sun,space and not too expensive (don't we all!)
We thought Tauranga,but that seems quite busy and we've read about boy racers.
We don't want Wellington as we've heard it's windy and weather not great.
Does anyone know about Nelson?Heard it's nice weather,but what's the reality?
We are going to put the house on the market this week,I am shitting myself,but I feel it's now or never.
Any help or advice,gratefully recieved

You're really selling Welly to me scroobious!I f it wasn't for the weather,I'd be up for a change of plan
I've heard someone describe Aukland as The Most Boring City In The World. Am hoping that's not true!
Dh has informed potential employer that he would be prepared to go for a temp working visa in order to be in nz sooner if the job offer came.
He also said he'd be prepared to make the move alone,initially,to ensure he wouold be there for the launch.
That would mean me flying with 3 kids under 5.6 to NZ.This does not sound like a good time for me
I suppose if this was the case,at least he'd be able to find somewhere to live and buy a car etc.
He could also go and check out Waiheke and see if it's a possiblity.
I think it sounds/looks very romantic,but with limited resources,would that fade very quickly?
Torbay has much more on offer day to day and more amenities/social opportunities.It does seem a bit built up though.
Tricky, tricky,tricky

On the washing topic - we brought our Fisher & Paykel frontloader washing machine back to France with us as it was only a few years old. I always thought F&P were good and was sceptical about the comments on here, but it has just died and the Bosch replacement is AMAZING - clothes have never been so clean! so maybe you guys are right after all...

Gosh, that sounds really frustrating lolly. Fingers crossed for the trip to Chch.

Weather, what weather? Had the air con on in the car and walking round without a coat on today, it's been so damn warm! Seriously freaky for the middle of winter but, believe me, I'm not complaining!!

Your DH's idea to go first sounds like a good way to test the water, Angry. A bit daunting for you, I know, but at least by the time you cart 3 DCs out on a 30 hour flight you'll at least know you've a home to go to and that your DH likes his job etc.

Shelscrape - I agree with Zachary, the YHA is a great location - loads to do and plenty of cheapish places to eat in and around Courtney Place too. Just sorry I'll miss you. Would be great to know a few MNetters over here.

Lollystix - Have you heard about further earthquakes in Chch?? They happened yesterday. A 5.7, then 4.4 then 6.3 in the space of about an hour.

Not fun.

lollystix,sorry, i missed your post there. That sounds promising. I agree face to face would be easier to get things sorted.It's very hard to secure a new life from the other side of the world..people like to see who they're dealing with, ime.
Fingers crossed for your dh..and hope all goes well with his tattoo..i hope he's sure about it..I'm in the process of having mine removed (wish I had a timemachine to go back and slap stupid teenage me!) and ooooh,it hurts!!

It's his first tattoo - age 37! He's mr clean cut and now he's getting some massive Maori design on his shoulder. He plans on getting off the plan and having a sleep that night and then 7 solid hours of tattoo. I feel so bad I can't be therevand will he asleep here cos he's held my hand through all my contractions. So he's been welded to his i phone about the ash clouds. Quantas not flying but all others are and he's with quantas - he's gutted just now. Seems costs more to fly under the ash. Air Nz and virgin are doing it but quantas don't want to use the extra fuel.
He's met the director before in costa in Newcastle a couple of years ago but this phone call business at midnight is getting rather protracted and we need some progress.

lollystix, any progress?
scroobious yes,wait for me!! it would be so chuffim awesome to come to a nz meetup. Fingers crossed for this offer in july.People are starting to ask me if it's off (our move) wish I'd never told anyone!
Mum had another 'chat' with me saying, you'll be miserable ther,you'll cry everyday,you can't live withoout us (the family) it's very unsettling for us all..and the best?...I saw some nz people on the news and they looked like hill billiys....I.AM.SERIOUS!

Sorry,I'm quite drunk,have a had a bad day!

Hey angry - I'd be drinking with u if it weren't for being on my own in charge of 3 tinies and the one in the oven. Deposited dh at airport late this pm - he'll be somewhere over Germany I reckon now on the BA star alliance thingy via Singapore. Poor wee lamb was so sad to be leaving us. Ds2(almost 3) keeps saying 'daddy gone zezelaland - come home soon'. I've had his mum on phone tonight drunk skirting round the tattoo issue - she's not impressed - says they're all upset about it! He's 37 ffs! He only told her he was having tat and that it was in Nz on monday as he knew she'd call constantly and he was right. She has been calling him 3 times a day at work to discuss! God knows what they'd say if we do get our bums over there- I think she's a bit suspicious though. Ignore your mum Angry - with respect she's just desperately trying to push her agenda. My family would all be doing the same. Only u and dh can decide what's right for you and if it doesn't work out u come back - nothing ventured and all that. Bottoms up!

uugh,how rough do I feel today?? never again!
I've got to take them all to a nursery for Father's Day activity/making and then to the village Summer Fayre...I may vomit.
I meant to say Congrats on the pregnancy...how lovely... hope things go smoothly for you until dh back..it's a challenge looking after 3 little ones on your own isn't it.
Mum has offered (indirectly) some posh adventure playground garden thing for dc's, a new kitchen and a new car..but only if we stay
ps i do know how to spell hillbillies,but i was very, very drunk

Lol at hillbillies. She's probably right- there are a few about. I used to watch countryfile in the UK. Here the equivalent (Country Calendar) is more likely to be about pig hunting than anything else. There are people here who live out in the wilds off of the land.

Lollystix- you've given me a kick up the arse as I'm feeling sorry for myself being on my own for a week with DD. It doesn't help that OH keeps posting about seeing dolphins over breakfast.

Thank god the tat is done-7 hours. I barely slept a wink last night with the worry for him (and ds2 and 3 didn't help). Matchstick eyes at work today. He texted to say never again. Think he's utterly exhausted after the flights and now with friends in tuaranga. Hopefully he can get on and enjoy his holiday. Still no bloody job though!!!

kiwi i think i'd propbably prefer a hillbilly to a stuck up tosser (lots of them around here!)

lolly oooh,that sounds painful.he must have really wanted that tat! Fingers crossed for job confrmation soon.

You'll have to let us know what he thought of tauranga.that was where we originally wanted to go,but there's no work there. Apparantly it's lovely weather and lots of kiwi's go there for their hols.

dh is in a dilemma re this potential job.He wants to tell the guy that he could be over quicker if he gets some of the prelim visa stuff done now,medical etc and then the potential employer would have to sign a form saying he was offering him the job.BUT, this might piss the guy off.
He said he would be interested in employing dh(not a firm offer),but that he would need to be there by oct.The job is being advertised in july.
He's worried about harrassing the guy before he's even been offered a job and looking cocky and pressumptuous.
There really isn;t a way of wording an email that appears not to do this..we have tried,but anyway you word it sounds really cheeky

Could you just send an email which give an outline of how the timing would work? Most employers don't seem to know much about the visa process so you could just say a work permit without a job offer would take x weeks, with one would be x weeks. The only issue I see with this would be medicals. It would really suck if your OH went then you or the kids were turned down for work permits. When I applied we had to get OH's, then apply for mine.

Wouldn't it look a bit weird though,seeing as he hasn't really been offered the job? Dh reckons if he got such an email he would think it well pushy. Also,I think he will know about the visa process..he's originally from wales!

he he! Incidentally I agree with the littlestkiwi. I think employers here will value that information, rather than thinking he is presumptuous. It's a real plus point, I think that people here are much more down the line about stuff. And your dh can always word it in a way that is seen as being helpful and informative, rather than assuming he has the job. Good luck!

I think that's half of the problem scrooboius! HOW to word it so as not to make it sound like he thinks the job is his.We both tried for ages ,it went a bit like this..
Dh "I could say..no,no,that wouldn't sound right..hmmm"
Me " Oh,I know,just put it like this...noooope,that still sounds pushy,hmm let me think"
this went on for quite some time before we decided that it couldn't be done without him sounding like he thought the job had been offered to him !
Do we risk it anyway and hope for the best.He had already sent a brief message stating that he had looked into it and could get a temp working visa rather that a r.v which would quicken the process.So if he sent another one saying hello potential boss further to that, if you do a b and c,i could come out even more quickly,wouldn't the guy be like,fucks sake man i never said the job was yours,ive still got to advertise in july??AArrgh! sorry for bad typing baby crying

Angry - I agree with the littlestkiwi - 'shy bairns get nowt' I always say so be direct just stating what the relative timescales are.

I've been to Tauranga before - its lovely - really nice weather. I skyped for the first time ever last night to DH who was there with his friend at the time. He said they had said how quiet things were getting now there-lots less work.

So now DH will have just landed into CHCH for more drinking with his mates. One was flying in from Sydney but the flight has been cancelled due to the ash cloud. Wondering if DH will actually manage to get back out as he has to go back via sydney. He's supposed to be leaving saturday night but we'll see.

angry - people in NZ tend to be MUCH more direct in my experience than people in the UK. Just go ahead and tell him what you've found out. He won't think you're pushy, just helpful.

Well, there's been a development.dh asked a guy at work who knows the potential boss in nz,and he said DON'T ring him!He is trying to set up a new business, he will ahve a million things to do,he hasn't even advertised the job yet,he knows where you are and that you want the job so don't bother him.
BUT, then dh started ringing round to find out where we would go to have medicals etc (there was £100 difference in price between some places?!) and found out that they were getting booked up now for august !so we're back where we bleedin' started! Does he ring him and tell him that!!!
ffs!
lollystix hope your dh gets home ok!

Lollystix,did he get his flight?!!
I think dh is going to pay for police check,and then book in for medical (earliest available mid- july) should know about job then so can always go ahead or cancel.
Fuck,I hope he gets it

Angrybeaver, sorry I haven't quite gotten through all 29 pages, but I just wanted to ask why you are going for the WP and not for the PR? You don't need a job offer if you go ahead and apply for the permanent residency. And we found that there are so many more opportunities for employment once you have your PR.

Hi frickonastick..yep,there's a lot to trawl through,isn't there???
Because we're a few points off automatic selection,so we need a job offer to get through..is the basic answer..unless you know something we don't!

lollystix did dh get home?

Dh on way home. So cross with him cos his quantas flight from chch to Sydney cancelled so he paid £400(!!!) to get air Nz flight out to meet Sydney flight. He casually stated it would be ok cos quantas would refund him. Of course as anyone with any common sense could have told of course they won't. Sure enough they won't (he asked after air Nz flight bought) and they said try travel insurance who I know won't refund him. He then seemed to have some visa issue getting into oz but is landing in Scotland in about 10 hours. We've had big row over text. £400 all cos he didn't want to be late for work on Tuesday. The only consolation was that I went to the races and won £40 but I bet £30 so only a tenner up really.

Ah, that's a pain. But Quantas have cancelled their flights for days so he could have been stuck for a week. Some folk have been sleeping in the airport for all that time. So if you add up a few nights hotels and hassle it's probably worth it to get away and catch your long flight.

Anyone else in NZ freezing today? It was 13C in our kitchen this morning and DD woke at 1 am cos she was cold. Thank goodness for our lovely gas heating which warms the place up in about 10 mins.