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!!

Ps thank you all for your advice,I did find some nice cards in the $2 shop...and I'll get the sausages from the Mad Butcher (very off putting name,I feel.Makes me think of mad cow disease..!)
I looked on the little rascals website but every shoe I clicked on was out of stock...typical!Some lovely shoes though

Welcome lolly! Glad to hear you've settled in well AB.

Shoes - I buy a good quality pair of trainers from Rebel Sports when they have a sale for my kids. Nike or Reeboks etc. They last until they grow out of them basically - usually about 9 months. Worth it spend $50 or so. Or at one of those factory outlet malls where they sell end of line sports shoes. When I was growing up we always bought kids shoes at Hannahs!

Ok, party bag question...I'm hoping they are an English thing and Kiwi kids don't expect them?!
It drove me mad in Uk

Hi AB, I'm in Wellington and I'm afraid that party bags are kind of expected. They're not usually a big deal, a few lollies and a cheap toy, some stickers or a balloon.

Birthday presents usually get ripped open by birthday child as soon as they can get their grubby mitts on them. Birthday candles are lit and cake is served at the party, it doesn't usually get sent home with the guests.

Ummm trying to think of other weirdy british birthday party traditions that I've heard about on MN.

DD2 (7) loves singing the Mad Butcher's jingle at the top of her voice

"You just can't beat the Mad Butcher's meat"

Party bags - from my experience sometimes they get them and sometimes they don't. Lots of people do a 'lolly scramble' i.e. buy wrapped lollies and randomly throw them at the kids for a massive lolly hunt/grab. They then just take the lollies home. I have done this but usually nicely suggest they share with others who don't have many. Also have done pinatas for most of boys parties (although not the cheapest option) it also occupies alot of time and they love it. Party games with prizes, pass the parcel, musical statues, bumps, egg and spoon races very popular at moment with 5-8 year olds.

But IMO there is not the pressure for party bags and for them to be all singing all dancing, if they go home with a handful of lollies they seem to be happy especially if you have big numbers coming.

Also saw the question about cards and wrapping. We make all our own birthday cards, boys like doing it and nobody has ever said 'cheap skate' . Wrapping paper, bulk buy in the sales - like everything else you can pick it up really cheap. I usually buy red, gold and silver in the Christmas sales and use for everything. (Not practical I know for now but maybe useful tip for next year).

Yep I agree, party bags at many parties but not absolutely essential and if you do have them they are usually just a few bits - lollies, balloon, stickers are what I did for my 4yo's last party. I wouldn't automatically expect a party bag, it's just a bonus ime.

A friend did a treasure hunt round the garden for lollies and various little bits and pieces and the kids filled bags with what they found and that was their party bag. Pinatas pretty popular round here too but not that cheap (though I think Warehouse Stationery sell empty ones you can fill yourself).

Oh the weather - everyone seems to be moaning about it but it's still warm so not sure what the fuss is all about. The North Face got an outing yesterday so he was pleased.

Have got our new car today-dh happy now. Just driving back from eastern bays which is very, very nice!! Off to see a rental in town this pm but going to look into eastern bays.

Mum arrived yesterday with her DH and has the eldest 3 this am. The irony was she's taken them to a soft play centre this am due to the Edinburgh weather. Last night they were light sabering on the deck though which is a total novelty to me. Lovely to see them play rather than watch TV.

Jet lag kicking in now - we all seem to be getting up at 5am.

Keen for joining the meet ups when I sort myself (and find the section).

Lolly- if you are looking for rentals in the Eastern Bays I would recommend Ray White in Kohimarama and Barfoot and Thompson in St Heliers. Set up the alerts for new properties on Trademe and on the Barfoot website as you need to be fast. The demand here is quite high so be prepared to apply on the spot if you go to an open home. If you need a nursery place I can recommend my daughters place- PM me if you want the details.

Lolly - I can also recommend Harcourts for rentals out on the east coast bays. We got our place through the Milford office who were very good. Apparently we were looking at the absolutely worst time: just before the new school term started, so things may have settled a bit. But in the end we found a place fairly fast.

I love it out this way... Can also give nursery details if you end up out this way - DD1's place bent over backwards to sort out a place for her as she was already 4.

Oh no,now I'm realy paranoid. I took the presents for ds and he said thank you and I put them away. I usually sit with them later and write down who it was from as they open them! I didn't realise it was rude here!
I do it for practical reasons,the thank you note as I mentioned and also,don't you findd that if they open them at them at the party,they lose bits/the whole pressie/other kids want to play with them and it causes trouble??
Will have to tread carefully a next one Speaking of which. Im having it at an outdoor pool,was thinking of doing a few games,but will have no music for pass parcel/bumps/statues etc...anyone think of anything else? I will pinch sibble's egg and spoon,for a starter!

anniemac for you...I am just peoplesick

Ok - I'm over this rain now...

So another chaotic trip to Pak n save. Fish fingers - is it normal for them all to only contain 59% fish?

I was coming on to apologise to lollystix for the weather but I see it's not bothering you

anniemac If it's any consolation it's pissing down with rain and I am having to dig socks out of my drawer after 4 months of going barefoot.

AB I've never had anyone give thank you notes after a party - the present is opened when you get there so the parent and/or child thanks the giver straight away.

Egg and spoon and treasure hunt for lollies went down really well at dd's last party Ab, would you be able to do treasure hunt at outdoor pool?

Saw 2 rentals in town this pm. Depressed - the 30s weatherboard types. Would be lovely to buy and do up but as rentals they were really bad. The first had black mould up the Walls (so familiar) and no kitchen but for a baby belling style cooker. The second was better - they wanted family apparently but were pulling the bath out - very dated and all for $820 a week!!

Got a viewing in at heliers tomorrow but think it will be too wee. Littlest - I'll pm you.

Re party bags I find them quite useful for getting the guests out the door at the end with a minimum of fuss!
Here in Wellington to present etiquette seems to be to save all the presents as the arrive in a pile and then have a "present opening" ceremony - often seems to be after food but before cake. Presents are opened but not the boxes inside (i.e. items are not played with straightaway). Children will often ask "when will the presents be opened?" almost like its another party game.

We went to a pool party recently and the only party game was a pinata and that was fine (probably didn't even need that TBH).
Wow lolly $820pw!!! I couldn't imagine paying that. You could pay for an $800k mortgage with that. I didn't realise Auckland was so much more expensive than Wellie.

Yes buzzy - $820. So I know I shouldn't convert but that's £1800 a month for a house with a 1970s kitchen, a trainspotting bathroom (from which the bath is so decayed it's being removed) and electrics from the 30s. Done up would have been beautiful but in it's current state I just can't get my head round paying that much (nor can I afford to with no job just yet). Strangely it's been on the rental Market for a couple of months now - can't think why? Apparently the landlord is fussy about who he lets out too.....

I think rents are often based on the number of bedrooms and not how nice a place is. The good places go fast- particularly at the moment. If a house has been on the market a while there is a reason. Hang in there.

We gave up on trying to find a bath - there's 2 showers in our place and DH is trying to figure some way of sorting out an improvised tub for DD1 for the times she'd prefer a bath.

We found the rents cheaper over on the shore - our budget just didn't stretch to anything near the size we wanted anywhere nice in or near the city. Most Aucklanders seem terrified of the commute, but other than our last place, it's the shortest commute DH has had in about 10 years!

and that teaches me to read messages when sleep deprived ... Just realised that Lolly was talking about the eastern bays, which are of course totally different from the east coast bays

That said,.. It is really very nice out this way