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!!

Yep, T + T have pretty big sales on quite often.

That Salefinder website doesn't include all the shops - the Warehouse isn't on there, for example - but you can always check out their website separately.

omg, ants, ants, ants. i totally sympathise - we have to have ant baits down permanently. i even caught them coming out of the plug socket once!

great to hear everyone is settling in ok. love all the websites - am off to check jk kids now.

We have found wet n forget's bugga off one of the best products for ants. Not cheap (and I don't have shares ). We sprayed last summer and it lasted for ages, we've run out and they've returned so time to get more... Bought some blue gel stuff as a temporary measure.

Only in NZ would they call a product Bugga off - love it

I thought the same - great name!

Ha,I was thinking the same. A bit like the drink drive campaign...
" Stop a mate drink driving? Bloody legend!"
Dh said he saw another one last time he was over here,it just said
"If you drink and drive,you're a bloody idiot"
(you have to do it with the accent for full effect!)

Anyway,the baby has learnt a new word....COCKCROACH!!! Im so proud.
Off to buy some bugga off!

Thanks again for the sale site. Dh is going to kmart today (didn't know that existed here) and buying a bbq. Sale ends today so we spotted it just in time.
Think it was whatshesaid? Cheers, anyway

Yep, was me :). I didn't even know you had a K-Mart there, is it in Hamilton?Some of their kids clothes are OK - nothing fancy but quite well priced, you can always wait for a sale .

Have you checked if Placemakers or Hammer Hardware do it?

This is the website. We use the Pukekohe branch (which has moved so that's why we couldn't find it last week!). LOoks like there's also one in Hamilton and on the North Shore. It really does last months. The 2 litres (although expensive) did our house and bach for a year.

www.wetandforget.co.nz/buggaoff.htm

Don't know how much delivery is as that would add to the cost obviously. They also do specials (we bought ours reduced last year).

We also have the shower witch (dh swears by it - I'm not sure).. DOn't they have great names - love Miss Muffet's revenge as well

lollystix, I've been in Greytown for the last 3 nights!! Just think I might have talked to your mum in the French Baker or at the pub :)
Had to drag myself back to Wellington today as I'm back to work on Monday and have loads of chores. I say "drag" because it was an absolutely stunning day in Greytown today. I love it over there.
However, had a sad moment in the Vet/Pet shop there today when the assistant told me one of the dogs they had in the display cage in the window actually belonged to one of the victims of that balloon accident - now in need of a new home. :(

LOL buzzybee - I always thought NZ was a small world - mad as a fish isn't she - bless. Did she say what she was doing? Did she look happy? I haven't heard anything in over a week from her so not sure when she gets back? I have no number for her and she hasn't replied to my last email but her DH did and he didn't say a peep.

Very sad about the dogs though - must be such a major event in the area-really horrific.

Wooohoooo...our container is coming today!!!!!!!

Excellent AB!!. Will be like Christmas for the DCs all over again. It is just so nice to have your own stuff, it will make your rental place feel more like home. Enjoy!

Oh yes,it was. I never thought I'd be so glad to see all my old crap!
The kids were SO excited.My 5 year old dd was just going "MY BED!I can sleep in my bed!aaargh!"
I felt very guilty for making her sleep on an airbed. I thought Id have a great night sleep in my lovely bed...shouldn't have counted my chickens.
Dh was so chuffed to have his playstation back,he say up playing Black Op's and drinking.
Then came to bed and snored...loudly.Then ds2 woke up(teething) and ended up in our bed.
So I slept half on,half off of the bed.And I say "slept" in a bitter,laughing way. Ds2 has enlarged adenoids and tonsild and snores like a train..so along with dh there was quite a din.
Dh then started sleepwalking (he and the older children are terrible for nightime shouting/wailing/walking)and kept walking into the wall,over snd over again!
So, I am as knackered as ever!
But,at least I am posting this from...my lovely sofa!aaaahhhh
It's sooo nice to have familiar "stuff" around me.And the kids are just delighted to have their things bakc.
There is still so much to unpack - boxes everywhere,crazy! I don't know how we're going to fit a 2 storey house into a single storey.

LOL about the sleepwalking AB. I've been playing musical beds with the babies last night too whilst DH was away in Manchester in a lovely hotel with work having a jolly night out .

Who did you use to ship with and how long did it take? I've had crown, PSS, Pickfords and Anglo to quote last week. Thinking on using Anglo - seemed the most clued up and one of the better prices.

My visas are in the system - I've had confirmation by email this am - sadly I need a passport number to log into their status and that's in with the visas so I'm goingh to have to wait on the letter to find out who my case officer is.

Oh,yes,musical beds.Always a laugh!
We were the same again last night,only four in my bed last night and barely 3 inches for me to sleep on! I was very precarious on my side,wobbling about not sleeping! Made a bit of a dent on the unpacking this am though.
It is going to be crammed here.We have just found all the porch coats and shoes etc...No idea where theyre going to go..no porch here and no space in wardrobes(tiny)
We used Pickfords.They were fine. And they gave us a good price - £3,300 i think. And the container was filled to the brim.
I would tell them a price you're happy with. Dh said he'd had a quote from another company (he didn't) and whadya know?Pickfords came in just under imaginary figure!

Re passports etc..I would make a copy of passport/birth cert etc just incase theyre away somewhere and you need info for somewhere else!
Good luck

Everyone else...enjoying this lovely weather?? i got burned to a crisp the other day...rookie mistake!

Thanks for letting me know you did this AB with pickfords. Was thinking on telling Anglo that I would give them the job if they knocked £300 off (which would mean about £3,300) but felt a bit devious- they did say on walking out the door that they'd sharpen their pencil to get the job.

Tonight I have gone to bed alone but it's anyone's guess how many men I'll wake up with - sadly none of them will be DH as he's still camping in the sittingroom until the baby moves out.

Oh and yes I'm enjoying the weather in Scotland. A warm day today at about 2 degrees. It was minus 5 a couple of days ago. Wonder why we're trying to move

Suncream, AB, suncream! Don't mess about with the sun out here! You know what NZ"s most common cancer is, don't you? (I'm sure you can guess). Glad you're enjoying the weather though, this is proper NZ summer weather now.

Anyone in NZ been to Queenstown with kids? Any recommendations for stuff to do? Went 15 yrs ago, going down for 6 days next week.

I toasted myself yesterday too. Should know better!

We took our 2.5 year old to Queenstown in August Whatshesaid. We were supposed to be there for 5 days but had to stay an extra week cos of the snow.

We did the cable car, took the steamboat to the farm and back, went for a walk in the woods. I think you'll have a much bigger choice with older kids and if you can drive. If you eat steak I'd recommend Flame- excellent food.

Thanks littlestkiwi my dcs are only slightly older (4) and slightly younger (18 months). I had read about the steamship to the farm and the cable car - they sound good.

We are hiring a car for the time we're there so we can go further afield - probably a day in Wanaka, there's a maze place near there that's meant to be good for kids.

I'd love love love to go to Milford Sound but I just think it's way too long a day for the 18 month old (and possibly the 4 yr old too).

I'm not that fussed on steak but dh is a total carnivore so I'll recommend Flame to him :)