Where's Best to Live in NZ and what do we need to know: PART TWO!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Wow,have just gone to post and it wouldn't except it! So have had to start a new thread. Hope everyone finds it ok.I feel a bit like we've all been out for the night and somehow got seperated and no one has their mobile!!
Anyway,this was the question I've had to cut and paste from the old thread:...

Sorry,have had a quick look but can't see...has anyone used emirates?
I think the sky couch thing looks good,but we'd have to buy a couple and that would be pricey.
Dh reckons Emirates are fine,but I don't think he's anticipating how different it's going to be travelling that disatnce with 3 exhausted infants.
He has limited travel experience as it is and the longest he has been on a plane with them is 3 hours. He keeps saying it will be fine,they'll sleep for loads of it...somehow I'm thinking this will not happen!!

Just read the news. Hope you're all OK in ChCh. Xx

Hey febes-we have friends in Amberley and they texted that the aftershocks had been going on all day - are they still occurring?

Justabout-quick question re form 1146 (I remember u saying you had probs with it). I've had a shot at it tonight and statutory declaration has me stumped. I don't know any justices of the peace or public notaries (or what they really are other than magistrates?). My friend is a fund lawyer though - do you think that would do? Who did you use?

Lots of aftershocks. One at 5.30amish and another at 6.40amish so a great start to the day!! We had DS in bed with us at 11pm last night because he woke up to a big one but they slept well after that.
The sun is shining and we are all good- off to a BBQ at a friends this afternoon before getting home for the big guys visit . Merry Christmas everyone!!

Merry Christmas NZ!!

well almost - I'm a wee bit ahead of myself. Baby brain has no idea what day it is just now (don't do days - just 3 hour sleep cycles). Only occurred to me yesterday that the fridge was totally bare. Ended up in Tescos at 9pm last night - twas like a plague of locusts had descended on the fruit and veg aisle. Only brussels left.

Huge congratulations on the house - that's you sorted by Xmas! Very efficient.

It's form 1046 where he has to 'sponsor' me and we evidence we're married

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have a great one, wherever you are x

That's the sort of Xmas dh is looking for - he hates the Scottish winters. Tbh I think we have the best weather in the country today - quite warm (relatively speaking that is- still got heating on). I've been thinking alot that this could be our last Baltic Xmas. Dh is well up for north shore since he heard about fishing off the harbour in devonport.

Think process probs was different if your dh a kiwi(forgot that bit) - got halfway into ds1's form then realised his passport expires just about when we leave so that's more admin to slow up the process.

Been up since 6. All presents opened by 7 - knackered already

We stretched out our presents till 3pm Christmas Day - had the stocking presents and 1 big pressie in the morning then the tree presents after lunch.

Had a lovely Christmas Day here with water sprinklers, trampoline, new swingball set, lots of lovely food and a warm day to enjoy it all on.

We were talking about the commute from the Shore at our Christmas dinner! Typical Aucklanders talking about the traffic (though we were all British/Irish) One of our friends who was round for Christmas Day used to live on the Shore. He said he could leave at 6.45 and be ok but then some days if he left at 6.50 he would then be stuck in traffic for ages. The bit he got stuck on wasn't the motorway - it was one long road he had to go on to get onto the motorway. He lives in town now. But he never tried the bus so maybe that would have been better for him.

Happy Xmas everyone! Sorry I'm late to re-join the party,but as someone realised,we have moved in to our rented house and it has taken a while to get internet access. (were looking for the best deal,2degrees was best but don't do it in our area,so have gone with slingshot...who is everyone else with?)

So interesting to hear what everyone has been up to.
I've only had time to scan so forgive me if I miss anyone out.

Firtsly, febes,glad youre all safe and well and had a lovely xmas

Secondly. justabout blimey,there's no flies on you is there?? Keys to your own house already?! And I think it looks lovely too,by the way I showed dh (who also thought it was lovely) and told him we were on similar time scales.
We both really want to buy here. Renting is just not for me. I think we will have to sell in UK first,so want to get house on market. I reckon our tenants would leave after the 6 months then,though. And maybe would be difficult to get someonme who wanted to rent a house that was up for sale.hmmm

highlander how come you're not coming anymore?

lolly How goes it now?

and juniper (hope I've got that right)* hello

Christmas Day was weird,had a little cry midday,but picked up. Bought some beef from Countdown for Xmas lunch.But it looked really pink. I said to dh,the roasties are done but this meat looks raw! He tasted it and said "that's ham!"
I said "Well,it says Cornfed silverside beef!" and tasted it too "and this bit tastes like salty beef!"
We were at a loss as to what it was,and so we had some kind of Cow-Pig for our lunch!!
Off for a walk to the Lake now,seeing as I ,managed to eat my own body weight in Whittakers fruit and nut yesterday!! Hoping to burn some of it off!

Oh whatshesaid - you have me worried now. The commute and your friend. Did he leave at 6.45 to get to his desk for 9am (so 2.15hours) and was he cbd? I was thinking on using the bus which I know has it's own lane but if I don't work we'll not be able to afford life and I'll go out of my tiny however I'll have to do a nursery and school drop off before and after work whilst also having to get into CBD in the middle and DH now seems set on the shore .

No, he left at that time simply to avoid getting stuck in traffic for ages! He owns a garage (very near the CBD) so opened early anyway, he needed to be at work well before 9. Where he lived was probably 15 mins off peak drive to his work - he just didn't want to sit in traffic and it to take ages, so he left early.

Don't worry too much - I have another friend who commuted (from Glenfield) on the bus and reckoned the bus journey took 40-45 mins in rush hour. The bus stop was right outside his house and the bus ended in town very close to his work so his journey was less than an hour door to door. He preferred sitting on the bus listening to music or reading to driving anyway.

Ab glad your Christmas Day was OK, it was bound to be a bit weird when you've only been here such a short time. I guess you must be feeling OK about being here if you're thinking of buying.

We're with Telecom for our internet, they're OK, we used to be with Woosh who were good but our coverage/signal (it was wireless) went really bad for some reason so we switched. I think once you are outside the major cities your choice of internet providers is quite limited anyway.

AB- I think you may have bought corned beef which is salted. I had it at a pals when we first arrived. It's a rookie error like getting salt n' sauce on your fish and chips when you first move to Edinburgh. .

We are with orcon for internet. Not the cheapest but we use it a lot and I used to work from home. They also don't tie you into a contract which is good if you plan to move.

Look into TelstraClear for phone and internet.

Ahh,interesting. A schoolboy error,eh? I won't do that again.Why is it pink,though?! Is it actually real beef? Sorry,you are now the kiwi meat expert !

Yes,we really like it here and although we've only been here a short time,I can't see us going back to the UK.It feels right.
The nights are pretty hard for me,I confess. Dh leaves for work 12.30pm and doesn't return until sometimes 12 am.Sometimes working 6 days. It's a long time to be on my own.Seems worse because it's in an empty house,I suppose.
We really want to buy. We were looking last night at houses we could afford to get without selling ours ie mortgage payments around the same $ as we pay to rent. And what we could get if we sold ours...wow!
Think we'll get ours on the market!

We were going to get a huge paddling pool with canopy for the kids from Bunnings,but we have since learned that ALL pools must be fenced in by law,so that's out.A pity,cos anything to give me a break is a good thing. Plan B,anyone?!

Erm, just a little paddling pool? They don't have to be fenced - not where we are anyway, the rules vary fron council to council but I can't see the tiny inflatable ones needing a fence.

To keep the dcs busy in our garden we have swings and slide, trampoline, little sandpit, little paddling pool and they just got a swingball set for Christmas too. The tramp was new in November so is still getting a lot of use but they play with all of it really. Water is always a winner too.

Corned beef is real beef. Put into a pot and cover with water with a bay leaf, pepper corns, some vinegar and sugar (I think) and simmer for about an hour. Then you take out of the stock and slice thinly. You can use the stock and mustard powder and an egg and it makes a nice mustard sauce to go with it. Cheap family meal. You should get yourself the Edmonds Cookbook- it is the stock standard recipe book found in every kiwi home. It has the recipe. I can't imagine its very nice roasted!!
Paddling pools shouldn't need a fence but proper pools do lots of drownings in NZ amoung preschoolers . You should get a slip and slide and attach the hose pipe and throw in a few soap suds and they will be happy for hours. Otherwise a sprinkler on the lawn is simple watery fun.

Yuk,I feel queasy now!We ate that shit! I will have to get the cookbook!
Re. slip n slide.Do you think mine would be a suitable age? The 3&5 year old would love it ,obvioulsy.But, the 18 month old would have to be able to join in.I'm worried about slippin and slidin' ourslves into a&e!
We had a great day today. Went to the bosses house for a barbie,lots of food swimming,and too much alchohol(not for me,driving!) but it was great,really enjoyed it.
Love it here!
Not looking forward to the weather in the next few days though.Looks reallly crap

Pleased you're loving it AB - that's really good news. Weather cannot be worse than the UK (although it's not to bad in Edinburgh today - but last year it was minus 15).

Hi again, glad everyone had a good Christmas especially you AB, it's very reassuring to hear how quickly and well you have settled and how much you love it! I hope all the ChCh posters are ok, fingers crossed that things will settle now.

Lolly, the form 1046 was the one we had to fill in, like you we weren't really sure about it. I just got a friend of mine who is a solicitor to sign it, I am not even sure they checked it out though! It does seem odd when you have to have police checks and doctors check and then someone who potentially doesn't know you signs a form for it all to be ok'd, but there we go the oddities of the immigration process!

We have booked our flights so I am starting to quietly panic about getting stuff done. We were hoping to go with Crown for relocation but after telling us they would negotiate on price for over a month they have told us now they won't! So will be getting a few more quotes over the next week or so.