Ramblings from NZ and Australia. All welcome in the midst of winter!

[dontevenblink]

So I know there are quite a few of us living here in NZ or Kiwis in the UK who might want to join in. Would anyone fancy a chat thread? I know there was one a few years ago but nothing I can see anymore.

I've been out here about 4 1/2 years, were on south island, now on north but not in either of the big cities. Weather is sunny but cold today. It was so cold last night our taps didnt run this morning properly until a load of orange gunk came out, we now have hot water again luckily. How do you stop the pipes from freezing without central heating? The house was empty for years before we got it and the pipes had burst apparently. Luckily we just rent it. I've been onto the landlord to ask for a heat pump as there is no heating apart from the plug in oil radiators we have and you can see your breath in the mornings! Did anyone else also have a crazy amount of rain this week? We've had nothing for ages so the farmers were all worrying so was definitely a good thing for them.

On the very plus side it has been mainly still hot here and this is the first week I haven't wanted to venture out with the dog (although obviously still have). Still love walking and seeing the beautiful surroundings we live in, never gets old.

It's that time of year again (where did the year go?!) when all the toy sale catalogues are coming out and dc have been flicking through debating already what they want for Christmas. I normally buy a few things to put away for Christmas so as to spread it out but not sure I can be bothered yet [lazy emoticon]. Plus they keep changing their minds... It normally feels christmassy too at this time of year which puts me in the mood, but not as much this year for some reason. Does anyone else do layby?

Anyone else want to join me in my kiwi ramblings?

Oh that sucks re. the kids' channel, don'teven - we had the opposite, a dedicated channel called ABC2 started up just after we got here in 2009, and then another one called ABC3 not long afterwards. ABC2 is for the preschoolers and kindy sort of age, ABC3 for the older kids. Both of them run all day without ads - just like CBeebies and CBBC on cable/Sky in the UK (if you're familiar). ABC2 closes at 7pm, and ABC3 goes on a bit longer (not sure til when, we don't usually have that one on). Many a day I have thanked my stars that ABC2 exists!
It's also useful in the morning before school, because I know which programmes happen at what time, so I can work out when we have to leave (boys are both very good at just switching it off).

That's lovely of you to include us hijacking interlopers in your title, thank you!

Thank you Mnhq for changing the thread title

Thumb I am very jealous of your kids channels! Dc1 was only 3 when we left UK and cbeebies was great then. We used to have tvone, tv2, tv3 and Four as well as Prime and the Maori channel and that is pretty much it (they introduced plus one versions of the main channels a couple of years ago too). Four had the kids programmes on until 10am but they've just got rid of it completely and put in a channel called bravo which from what I can work out just shows cheesy American reality shows. NZ tv really is awful - thank goodness for Netflix Although we have far less available in Netflix here though grrr. I suppose its the clip side of there only being 4 million people!

What have people got planned for school hols?

Hi there,
I'm as the name suggests a kiwi who moved home 3.5 years ago after spending 8 years in the UK. DD1 was born there and MN was a lifeline back then. Five years later it still is, even if I mostly only lurk.

We're in the Waikato and have added to the tribe, 2DD and one more due in two weeks. I think it took 18months and the arrival of DD2 for me to really feel settled here.

I def miss central heating, the heat pump keeps us warm but isn't warming at all, if that makes sense!

Hi all...
I'm in Chch with DH (a kiwi) and our 2 DDs (3 and 3months). Been over here for 10yrs, through the earthquakes and out the other end and love the lifestyle, although agree on houses in general being cold here. We just built our new home so thankfully in a super insulated, warm home with a heat pump and fire which makes all the difference. Last year we were renting while the build happened in a bold house so life wasn't so comfortable then. With the new rental rules that just came into force can you make landlords put heating in?
We had a day trip up to kaikoura yesterday to see the baby seals at the waterfall nursery up there. Our eldest DD loved it and it was an easy 10min tramp up the track to see them. Thinking about taking the three year old skiing in August but not sure which field is best for little ones . DH learnt on a club ski field so he doesn't know much about the more commercial ones . If anyone has any suggestions that would be great, preferably with a nice cafe I can wait in with the baby!

Hi kiwiscantfly and chur! Exciting for the new arrival kiwis, I had dc3 within 3 months of arriving here which really helped me settle I think as I was too busy to think about it all! Dc4 is now almost 2 We haven't visited the Waikato but we were thinking about maybe heading that way in the summer, I really want to go to Mata Mata [geek emoticon]

Chur friends of ours take their dc to Mt Hutt skiing. Think their youngest was about 2 or 3 when he started. They have lessons and childcare I think, and there is definitely a cafe there. I've never been as I don't ski but they do a lot and they said that was the best one. We used to love seeing the seals along the coast to Kaikoura, we tried to go whale watching last year when in laws were staying but it was closed due to bad weather. Missing all the holiday stuff that was on on the holidays in Christchurch!

We asked out rental agent about some heating and he's going to look into grants but he says the landlord spends all the rent on her teeth! and still owes him for the plumbing bill 6 months ago - she is pretty crazy... the house had been sitting empty for years apparently before they finally cleared it out

One from Melbourne calling. Good grief it was cold and windy today!

Looking at posts, I so love the seasonal food buying and have become completely acclimatised to it. I see parents moving their kids on from non-Aussie produce; "Wait for the stone fruit to come in". It no longer occurs to me to buy grapes out of season form the USA. Nah.

I do miss English strawberries, though. Tassie ones are pretty good because of the cool climate, but not quite.

For those who emigrated to NZ from the UK is there anything you really miss or is hard or expensive to get hold of.
I want to get nice gifts for friends whom I'll visit later this month . Preferably very non perishable as have a few stops on the way .
Cosmetics ? clothing ?

habibi - I'm jumping the gun on the NZers but my UK friend who lived there said that M&S underwear was the thing to bring - apparently the stuff in NZ is often very poor quality. I've noticed this with Aussie undies as well, so always stock up on M&S knickers when I go back to the UK! Same with baby vests - hideously expensive here, and much lower quality - I get better value/quality in Tesco in the UK.
So, cotton stuff. :)

echt - it was SOOOO windy today, wasn't it?! We were out at the local park on a playgroup holiday meet up, and nearly got blown away - bits of our picnic DID get blown away! Gave up after a couple of hours. It wasn't too cold when the wind dropped, because it was nice and sunny - but wow the chill factor was amazing!

Thumb, agree on the underwear but thankfully M&S do free shipping to NZ on orders over NZD $50 (I just did a shop as the exchange rate is so favourable at the moment). Delivery is surprisingly quick. I stock up on tights as well as they are stupidly expensive over here. Have to go and feed the baby but will be back later to read the thread properly!

What about children's clothes and shoes ? I know NEXT and Boden do worldwide but do you have GAP ? Monsoon ?
Thinking a pretty dress/ outfit for my friends 7yr DD and some clothes for her toddler son.
She mentioned skiwear to be very limited and expensive and as I am near an outlet currently I'm going to have a raid but wanted some surprise gifts too.

habibi we have very limited choice on childrens clothes here and what we do have isn't great quality so some nice quality clothes would be great. Especially dresses. Even Sainsburys does better quality stuff than most here. Next does deliver but it's quite a limited choice. Do the supermarkets still do dress ups? We still have a gruffalo dress up we bought in Sainsburys about 6 years ago that is still going strong and you can't get anything like that here - everytime it comes out on a playdate or dress up occasion people always ask where we got it.

Where do people shop here? I've found Kmart clothes wash and try the best. People go crazy for the farmers half price sales but most kids clothes I've had from there have fallen apart pretty quickly.

echt and Thumb I saw on the weather last night it had been crazily windy your way and that it was supposed to be headed this way. Not sure its going to reach HB but looks like a lot of NZ has warnings for later.

echt you're right, if the dc ask for something out of season I just tell them it's not in season and they just accept it. It's not something you think about in the UK is it which is a bit sad really?

Toddler boy clothes = SUCH a good idea too - I always stock up on those when I go back to the UK as well. Admittedly Target and KMart do have some, but it's so expensive in comparison, and again, the quality just isn't up to it.

Can I join? I always feel a fraud posting on MN, as I'm Australian and have lived here all my life, except for 2.5 years in the UK in the 90s. But I love MN and have been on it for 8 years and feel at home!
I live just outside Canberra, like Thumb and Liz semi-rurally. It's bloody windy and freezing here today! We've got a view to the Brindabella Mountains from our place and can see snow. There were flurries here earlier but it didn't settle.
I'm in front of the fire, and have a lamb curry in the slow cooker, so it's all good!

Oh, and Echt, hope it's not too stalker-y, but I saw your thread about your DH. I am so sorry for your loss. How are you doing this week?

Dropping in to wave the flag for Auckland here! I'm a born and bred Kiwi. Can't write too much right now as am embarking on toddler dinnertime, but at least I'm place marked now!

crabb I was on essentialbaby for a bit, but didn't like it, so moved over here and like it a lot more so far! Less sticks up bums and less cliquey.

How foul is the weather?! It's 5 degrees (although according to Google, it "feels like" -1.2... sounds about right). I'm hoping we get a bit of snow at some point. We have a house in the Snowy Mountains, and I'd be there right now if I wasn't having a baby any day now. The cold weather seems less shit when it's accompanied by snow? Haha.

That lamb curry sounds delicious. Perfect for this weather!

Oh, a real mid-Winter baby! Good luck with the birth.

Hi again,

After four awesome cool but sunny days it's turned cold and grey here, I've actually been cold on and off all day.

I agree about Kmart clothes being awesome and farmers stuff not lasting. Luckily my litre brother lives in the USA and I buy lots there and he sends it over. I love Carters and Osh Kosh, but it is hard to go past $6 tshirts for the girls from Kmart.

Had a hospital appt today for my ELCS in two weeks, and an appt for ENT for DD2 last week. I'm really disappointed in the service there at the moment, they seem so short staffed! Wait times are long and we have been given next to to no notice when appts are given. Once you do get seen the service is top class but what a hassle! It really reminded me of having DD1 in the UK five years ago. I think my vote in next years election will be a health based one.

Takeaways for dinner here, I didn't get to the supermarket today so it's Chinese. I really wish we had a curry house nearby like the ones in the UK.

Hello from a cold and windy Wellington (so what's new...)! We moved back here just over a year ago and now have DD. Heading back to the UK for a few weeks next month, very happy about the exchange rate in all this Brexit business!
habibi the clothes we'll be stocking up on are H&M, Gap and Primark (for nursery) - the rest we can get quite easily. Oh and the supermarket clothes.

Waving from Perth! Its bleeding Baltic here too, there was frost on my car this morning goddammit! It was the coldest night in four years (it was one degree where I was) or something. And it absolutely pissed down all weekend too, we had hail, thunder, high winds, we didn't leave the house. I thank all the gods every day for my log burner, which I never thought Id hear myself say when I moved to the World's Sunniest City! I really can't wait for summer. I do love it here buy why did I believe my husband when he told me not to bring my jumpers/fleecy dressing gown and electric blanket!

I do know if I ever go back to UK/Ireland on holiday, the weather there will surely kill me now I've gone so soft!

Thanks crabb

Glasto Would love to visit Perth sometime! Everyone I've known who's been there has loved it. Not sure I could handle the summers though.

I have to admit I'm looking forward to some warm weather too. Mainly because I might kill the next person who coughs or sneezes near me. I feel like I've used a hospital's worth of hand sanitiser recently.

Hello - I'm also just outside Christchurch. Nice & warm inside today (with the logburner on) but howling outside. Have been here for too long but am from the UK, and have also spent time in Aus, with most of my family there. Dd is 7, and was born here (and has a cracking kiwi accent...).

Chur - Mt Hutt does have good beginner slopes, and a BIG cafe (with great views). If you want to venture further afield, the Remarkables faces north so is lovely & sunny for the non-skiers (with cafe & deck). And is excellent for the skiers too :)

I love the seasonality of the fruit & veg - asparagus & strawberries fo Xmas; feijoas in early winter. It's great. Other good things - easy to get in to see a doctor (I read the stories on Mumsned with complete horror), and the local school not only does not have locking gates (also read about these on Mumsnet with horror) but doesn't actually have gates at all. The point being that nobody is in the least concerned about this, which is great. Outdoor adventures are plentiful & accessible, & people are friendly. And really nice libraries (!) - the one in New Brighton here is in prime spot overlooking the beach, with armchairs to sit in.

REALLY miss decent TV (yes, in agreemement with everyone else on this - it is utter shite here), newspapers & pubs. And Ikea. The closest one is in Sydney :) No Amazon, no Ebay. For many things, there are local equivalents (sort of) but not Ikea.

To people thinking of emigrating, Christchurch still is stuffed (still no city centre; roads up all over the place; many houses still being demolished/rebuilt). Would strongly advise going elsewhere. Although the quality of housing is improving with all the post-quake builds & repairs... Dunedin has a great feel, but is pretty cold in winter (perhaps not when compared to the UK). Lots of friends in New Plymouth - oil industry & surfing being the draw-cards I think. Nelson lovely (bit hard to get to though). Wellington fab.

One thing to conisder is the distance between places - often forgotten in comparison to Aus. It takes 6 hrs from CHCH - Queenstown, for example.

Bit longer than intended... We hope to get back to the snow again very soon - so great that it is very accessible, and in fact you could go sking and surfing the same day if you felt so inclined.....

Thanks , I suspected as much . There are lots of supermarket dress ups still in blighty .We actually live in the Middle East and do annual primark/ supermarket raids for children's school and everyday basics and often buy the dress ups for bday gifts .
Luckily we do have all the major UK brands but they are more expensive.

I actually lived in NZ as a child and my mother sent for England for everything that she couldn't make .
I remember catalogues coming and then what we ordered arriving months later !
We even got shoes from Harrods via my Aunt.

Very excited to be visiting NZ again !

Hi crabb, joellevandyne, pingoose, glastokitty and lostinthecolonies! Hope I haven't missed anyone, apologies if I have. Great to see so many of us out there, I often 'bump' into others so knew there were a few

Lovely sunny day but very cold, ended up at a school holiday event at the local toy shop this morning and McDonald's soft play at lunch. Those soft play areas are great, I don't know why they don't have them in the UK. Raining heavily here now though, I am so jealous of those of you with fires and log burners, or any type of heating come to think of it! We've got a plug in oil radiator but it's not great. Luckily the dog likes to snuggle so is my very own hot water bottle.

Christchurch is a funny one. I really liked living there and there was always so much going on, beautiful scenery, we lived right next to the beach and the forest and I could have happily stayed there. In many ways you don't miss the lack of a centre due to the malls and a lot of places you wouldn't know there has been a quake. And I really miss the museum and the botanic gardens and the kids miss the trams and gondola. BUT I do not miss the never ending road cones and daily changing roadworks and diversions, especially having lived in the east it could take ages to get anywhere. I didn't realise how much it was annoying me until we moved somewhere without them.

You mean the diversions that start, send you off down a few streets, then the diversion signs simply stop. No idea where you are, how to get out or how to get back to wherever you thought you wanted to go . We're next to the port, so a veritable feast of moving road closures... Have even had closures above & below the house, discovered when we tried to leave in the morning... HOWEVER - the new Margaret Mahy playground is absolutely amazing.