WHERE'S BEST TO LIVE IN NZ AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW:PART 3!!!!(HOLY SHIT!)

[AngryBeaver]

Can you believe we've finished finished off another thread? Jeez we can talk!!
Just an update..we've found a nice double glazed,4 bed house,with nice garden. So that's one stress off the last.
Hilongwhitecloud

When we first arrived I sent OH out to buy water for our kit. He came home with 1 2l bottle and 1 1l bottle of fizzy. Dunno what we would have done with that- have a spritzer while we waited to be rescued I think.

I finally got an earthquake kit sorted this year - don't forget nappies and formula if you use them (and loo roll).

Te Papa is excellent - don't miss the kids Discovery Centres - there are a couple of good ones on the fourth floor. I often take the girls on a wet day as it is free entertainment (you just need to take out a second mortgage to pay for the car parking there).

If it is really foul weather then there is junglerama in Newtown (though it will be mayhem on a wet weekend).

Definitley do the cable car to the top of the botanic gardens and walk down past the brilliant playground, stop off at the cafe by the rose garden, and then go through the historic graveyard (very interesting) and down past Parliament. A great walk on a nice day.

The art gallery at Porirua is good - and the cafe opposite do obscenely large slices of cake. One time we went to the gallery when DD1 was about 2. They had a sculpture someone had made out of those pink biscuits with hundreds and thousands on, so she made a beeline for it and suddenly about five attendants stepped out and formed a barrier. So we had to make a quick getaway from there - seemed a bit of a daft thing to have at kid level on a gallery if you ask me - just asking for trouble.

No really, you have to get your kit sorted out (stern mother voice).

My mum and dad have been through it all in Christchurch and you just never know. At the very least you need working torches, water and first aid. There are some good lists on line (can't find links right now) of stuff to get.

I know for Mum and Dad they were ok for food because you can always find something in your cupboard, but the water was off straight away as was leccy and gas - so a camp cooker is good too.

I'm in total denial about the earthquake/emergency kit. Really must sort it out. DD1 is, however, well trained by her kindy. Although she got quite worried what DD2 would do as she couldn't 'be turtle safe'. It took a while to convince her that I'd look after her.

Keeping fingers crossed for you AB

justa I hope you get things sorted for your DS...sounds stressful!!!

Justabout have you spoken to your GP about private referrals etc, he may have an idea about how long you would have to wait on the public system and whether it's worth going for private referral.

Hi all

Can anyone please tell me how much the application lodgement fee for the visa's is?

Thank-you

Sorry AE, don't know, it's many years since I had to do those forms.

Hope you get an appt soon justabout and hope ds1 is not in too much pain. Have you been given some decent painkillers for him?

I just found out our wind-up torch also has a compass on it and a mobile phone charger. I still don't think by itself it qualifies as a proper emergency kit though .

I'm finally cracking tonight and putting the heater on.

Not sure cos i was an NZ citizen anyway (by virtue of being born here but raised in UK) so DH just applied for the spousel visa from here. The info should be on the immigration website somewhere (and i would imagine the fee probably goes up every year anyway!).

DH has his citizenship ceremony in June so he will get his passport. He has to swear allegience to the Queen. ha ha.

I thin water is one of the main things to stash in your kit. I just went through a phase of popping one or two bottles in with my weekly shop and it soon added up. I also have refilled pop bottles of water for washing etc.

Justabout - i think the public/private health sectors are pretty good about sharing information - but you have to nag them a bit to fax or send the information on IME

What type of visa? We were work visas (form 1115 I think) and they were £165. Kids were on mix of student and visitor for £125 and £75

Thanks lollistix.

We have Talent visa, family work visa and 2x visitors visa.

lollystix even

AE - all the fees can be found on the Immigaration NZ website here

Immigration even - doh!

Is anybody else cold??? Whatshesaid I can't believe you are only just putting the heater on. We've had the fire going of an evening for weeks, plug in heater last night, hot water bottles and today (oh joy of joys) a heatpump is currently being installed. I can barely feel my fingers while typing. The HRV system said it was 6 degrees in the loft this morning - not good.

On another note - ds2 started a new school a few weeks ago. He has been asked for a play date by a boy in his new class, his mum has also rang having found our number on the internet, the boy has asked me also if he can come to play numerous time - the problem is ds2 says he doesn't want to go to the boys house or him over to play. Would you make him and if not what would you say to the boy/mother. I am really torn between - would one play date really hurt, you might enjoy yourself and it seems the right thing to do (the boy doesn't seem to have other friends) and it could be too much like hard work talking ds2 round and a nightmare if it didn't work out (although an hour after school is hardly the end of the world). Deep down I think I should make him let the boy over but it seems mean to make him do something he really doesn't want to do????? BTW ds2 is usually very sociable so this is unusual.

The entire length of our house that faces north has windows in it, so if there is any sun the house warms up really well. On sunny days it's been getting up to 24/25 degrees inside (living area is upstairs too so no trees/houses blocking out sun). So it's only been dropping to about 18/19 overnight as it's so warm from the daytime. Yesterday was miserable though - heaters and hot water bottles were used.

I have no idea about playdates - thankfully so far all dd1's have involved children she likes and who like her. I have all this to come.

Oh I am so jealous, our last house was North facing and all windows, hot, sunny and lovely. The new house I have named 'the batcave' it's North facing but a Queenslander so has this huge overhang that is stopping any natural light coming in also large windows but no bifolds. DH and I were at logger heads this morning as I hate it and him and the boys love it (they love the 3 acres of flat land outside). My one hesitation before we bought was whether it would be dark and cold and I was talked around - lesson when buying a house - stick to your guns.

Oh I was so cold last night. Our room has loads of windows and a couple of them won't close - one has a 1/2 inch gap which DH was shoving his scarf in to block it. No form of heating at all (but we have been lent loads of heaters which we haven't used yet). And then by 9am it's toasty again - weird.

The playdate thing is tricky Sibble isn't it.
I would do a neutral venue - beach/playground/something and make it short. And also say to the other mum that DS is finding the move a bit hard so is a bit anti social - just to hedge your bets. Then if they don't get on - its ok to not do it again. And if they do - fine!
Hopefully anyway...

Frigging cold here too. Yay for a sunny day today.

Car was iced up this morning - first time this year!

We have had the heatpump on for ages too. In fact last night DH got out of bed at 2am (he is still jetlagged) and sat in the lounge with it switched on and then we both left for work this morning and left it running, so have been paying to heat an empty house all day

it was stifling when i got back as well!

I thought I had packed proper warm stuff for wells but now I wish I'd brought a scarf and gloves. I also forgot dd's coat so we're going to have to buy one tomorrow.

I also just installed an econo panel in dd's bedroom. It's great and is apparently cheap to run at 10 c an hour. Still waiting for my insulation though.

Ice on the car Bobbish? Crumbs, that's cold. We only had 5 proper frosts last winter up here in Northland, so I suppose you must be quite a way further south. I too finally turned the heaters on last night, but are lucky to have an almost entirely North facing house, would love a wood burner though.