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!!

Good luck for the flight lolly. Wishing you sleeping children and lot of spare seats to spread out into.

Have a good flight lolly. Forgotten the ages of your kids - but just wanted to give you a good news story:

We were really worried about DD1 on the flight (Dublin-Heathrow-LA-Auckland no stopovers, just 30-odd hours straight). She's a very feisty 4 year old who needs a minimum of 2 hours hard physical exercise a day. She was brilliant. Slept on both long legs of flight, was fascinated by her own little tv. To the extent that I never even had to open the bag of distractions I had packed

We won't mention DD2... who, despite being generally angelic decided that she was a newborn again and fed every hour for the entire flight...

Good luck!

Sibble - that's 24 hours of your life chat is what I was told about labour the first time round.

They lied - it was 50 hours with major blood loss!

Well, you'll be nearly here Lolly...woohoo!Hope the flight is going ok!
We have had a mixed time here.Gran in hospital again,so Mum feeling very guilty and considering going home. She seems to have picked up so Mum has started to relax.
We went over to The Bay Of Plenty today, did lunch and walk at The Mount,then a play on the beach. Gorgeous weather!Despite it being bloody freezing this am at dd's assembly (when she collected her pupil of the week award...stealth boast!) Hot hot hot!
Then drove through Tauranga city...loved it! I know dh now looking at jobs there. I would be reluctant to move though. Cambridge is really lovely and Tauranga is only an hour away.
Also,have met some great people since we have arrived and older kids are making friends at school and kindy...hmm

Hello - I'm here in my motel eating chocolate chippies which are apparently an 'NZ favourite' - have to say I'm not overwhelmed by them myself but I am pleased with NZ. Despite being a bit overcast, the weather was fab and everyone we've met has been SUPER helpful. I now have a phone and after an hour and a half fixing car seats, we now have a massive hire car which I've had to drive round today due to DHs driving misdemeanour. Was bricking it to start with but getting the hang of it. Been over to the north shore to look at a car and also walked into Newmarket which was lovely. Devonport is lovely too- can see why it's so expensive. I wish really.

So flight was knackering and Heathrow mega stressful with the bags (one is still there i think) but the boys were amazing. DS1 pointed out he didn't say 'are we nearly there yet?' once. He did however poke ds2 in the eye with a toblerone which was his only moment the whole way. Ds2 had a moment where he peed all over himself in Singapore airport and I lost it a bit (not a positive parenting moment). Ds3 was loud but all the Singapore airline women loved him and DS4 was an angel despite lots of puking which is normal for him.

They seem to have adjusted to the time difference and are all in bed now but they could get up at 3am so not counting my chickens.

Bank, more cars and get into our bach tomorrow plus locate errant suitcase.

Tauranga is lovely - my friends coming this weekend live there. They do find it a bit quiet workwise though.

welcome lolly. it must feel good to just be here, be off the plane etc...good luck with all the organising over the next few weeks.

Well I did the round the bays today - group of girls from work and it was fun...bit mad though as ds2 had a party early afternoon and we have just got back from a street BBQ. Ds2 is in bed as he has his meet the teacher and order the uniform for his new school tomorrow morning and keeps crying at the drop of a hat - overtired give away!

You sound like you're getting there,lolly! The trip doesn't sound too horrendous,I think if you imagine it to be totally awful...the reality has got to be better!!
I think we're in for a week of showers,still warm though,picking up on Sat. Gotta be better that Scotland though,eh?
Yeah, was well impressed with Tauranga,it is so different from Hamilton

I'm totally unprepared for this clothes wise- the jammies i packed for ds2 were those fleecy ones with feet on which are all wrong.

I arrived in my Uggs and north face and it was so warm my feet had swollen and I couldn't get them off. The boys wore shorts and t shirts today - this has only ever happened on a Spanish holiday. I know we'll get the rain this week but as long as it's not 2degrees outside and blowing a horizontal wind to make it cut your face in half I'm happy. I'm sitting inside now with the windows open and just a T shirt top on. I'm used to sitting inside with my heating on full blast whilst wearing my north face so this is such a novelty. My poor north face ....he's been such a good friend.

Welcome lollystix, glad the flights weren't too horrendous. Where will you be looking to live (memory of a goldfish, sorry), is it the Shore?

Welcome to NZ lolly. Glad you all made it in one piece. fab weather this weekend in Northland - DH and Ds went off on their first sea fishing expedition yesterday, caught red snapper and ate it for tea!

It is warm at the moment, wet too but at least it's warm wet. DS lives in shorts, t-shirts and sandals. Probably won't wear long trousers until after Easter, he hasn't worn proper shoes since late September. There are lots of sales on at the moment if you need summerish clothes lolly. JK Kids is nice quality, K Mart is good value as are Cotton on Kids.

Buy yourself lots of lovely cheap yet nice wine from New World to celebrate!

Ooh - went to new world in remeura - tres posh. The wine was not so cheap as i had expected. Bizarre isn't it that you can buy kiwi save cheaper in the UK than here. Saying that they do seem to have good specials on. Is there anything I should be looking at?

They were nice - they let ds2 use their staff loo with no dramas - can't ever imagine that happening in Tescos. Prices seemed very similar to UK but cheese not cheap at all.

Sav - not save - I've had 2 glasses but not that pissed - just feel need for sleep so off to bed now

lolly I just buy whatever wine is on special New World will usually have one or two decent wines on special for about $8.99 or $9.99. If you get time there are plenty of vineyards near Auckland to visit, the villa maria winery is pretty good and pretty close to the airport. Loads and loads of vineyards near Matakana - about 50 mins drive North .....

Welcome lolly!

That New World is a bit crap IIRC. Try countdown at Greenlane or New World Eastridge near Mission Bay. The Countdown at Sylvia Park is expensive as is the New World at Mount Wellington. I also buy some stuff at Nosh but am quite selective there as I was in M and S in the UK.

You will need the UGGs in winter!

Agree New world is a bit crap.Countdown much better imo. We also do a weekly shop in pak n save...it was a bit of a shock when I first went,birds flying about etc! But I'm used to it now. You get your cheese there,or countdown when it's on special...never buy it full price if you can help it. Same with yoghurt,bacon,chicken and steak (you get fabulous fillet steaks here for a great price) never could have afforded in uk! Wine is often on special,I just got some Lindauer from Countdown for $8,usually about $20.
If you need stuff from Briscoes also try and wait,they have half price sales regularly.
Never been into Nosh but it looks nice from the outside.
Now I need some advice! Does anyone know if there is somewhere I can bulk buy sausages and rolls?? We are having a sausage sizzle and swim party for dd on sat (please stop raining!) about 30 kids coming...eek
Also,where can I find wrapping paper and birthday cards that are not ridiculously expensive?!Even pak n save are steep,this is where I miss Asda/Tesco!
One more...we are having a hard time finding a children's shoe shop. There seem to be a shortage of good quality shoes here. I asked my neighbour and she said,Posties or The Warehouse! But they are just awful. Got dd some black sandals from the Warehouse as just couldn't find anything else...she went to school crying that they were slipping off her heel etc.

Oh,lolly get your veg from the veggie shop,but keep checking prices (seasonal)...I think we have covered that but just wanted to let you know again

The supermarkets here are franchises so even the same chain vary a lot in price. The new one at Mt Wellington is lovely but more expensive for some things.

AB- have you tried the Mad Butcher? I'd look at the 2$ shop for wrapping paper etc. If not then the Warehouse.

Shoes wise we normally get them from the UK. There is a shop which post kids shoes for about 4GBP I think.

www.littlerascalsshoes.com/

AB Our local $2 shops have plain wrapping paper, not amazing quality but fine for kids birthday presents when it just gets ripped off in a nanosecond anyway. Some of them have ok kids birthday cards too. I also got some kids birthday cards from the Warehouse, I think they have a range for $2 or $2.50 or something.

Whitcoulls sometimes have a half price on all cards sale so you could stock up then. I think it's only about once a year though.

Shoes, hmm , K mart have some ok-ish ones, is there one near you though? I think they are mostly in Auckland.

I did a market research group last week about the Warehouse kids clothes and shoes...what we thought of the quality etc...I think by the end they were regretting inviting me and the other British person in the group as we didn't hold back in what we thought

AB Mad butcher for sausages in bulk, you can get huge bags of the things there!

For children's shoes I order from the UK. I have just bought DS a pair of cheap trainers from the Warehouse to keep him going for the next 3 weeks, a bit too wet here for crocs now. My mum is coming out in 3 weeks and is bringing new winter shoes. The Clarks website will not send children's shoes overseas, but many small shoes shops in the UK will. M & S children's shoes are very good compared to NZ standard! If you want to check your DC's shoe size I've found the startrite website very helpful, they have a widget thing to measure feet pretty accurately here

Hey Lolly- thanks for bring the Edinburgh weather with you!

Windy,but SO hot! No rain for us today.