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Living overseas

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Original poster

Chat for those living in New Zealand

142 replies

Shells · 03/02/2009 00:19

Hi everyone. Thought I might start up a new chat topic as our other ones seem to have fizzled out, especially with Christmas/holidays etc. And I think maybe there are some new faces around too.

I've got lots I'd like to chat about.
Isn't it great that school is going back .
Are you worried about how the recession will affect NZ?
Why did I go camping with a one year old? and other stories from the holidays.
And it would be good to hear everyone's news really.

So, just to get the ball rolling. I'm Shells, I am a Kiwi but lived in London for 18! years. Came back 2 years ago with English DH and 2 DSs (7 and 4), and now have DD who is 13 months.

OP posts:
Original poster
Shells · 03/03/2009 19:14

Oooo how exciting! So do you mean overseas? And would you go as far as Europe? Or maybe just Australia/SE Asia?

Or are we talking a week on Waiheke Island?

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WhatSheSaid · 03/03/2009 19:55

I was going to ask too, NZ or overseas? And how far overseas - just Oz or further afield? Melbourne would be my suggestion for Australia.

Sibble · 03/03/2009 23:00

oh how exciting. ditto Melbourne for Oz. Further afield I would go to New York. I have yet to go but have a pact with a girlfriend we will meet there one day, her flying from the UK and me from here works well. We were meant to be going at the time of the 9/11 bombings so cancelled. It would be cold, but the lights and atmosphere great.

How is everybody fairing with the psycho weather. We were at the beach for the weekend. We bought a bach and picked up the keys on Friday. The boys and I were there on Friday and were scared half to death, it's slightly elevated and was literally swaying in the fierce winds. Got up the next morning to find a chair (not ours) in the garden. By Sunday we were in the surf, didn't sunblock the kids (first time ever as it was so overcast) and ds2 was so burnt I was embarrassed to take him out on Monday . Lesson learned and never again! Ds1 took out his new surf board he'd saved up for and bought off trade me and lost one of the fins it was so rough . So my mission is to find a replacement by Friday. Having said that we were cooking in the heat yesterday. Who knows what this weekend will bring.

KerryMumbles · 03/03/2009 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhatSheSaid · 03/03/2009 23:16

Yup, pretty warm

Auckland - pleasant, mid-20's, bit of a breeze today, not as humid as a week or two ago.

Original poster
Shells · 04/03/2009 01:02

Here in Wellie it really feels like Autumn already . Nice afternoons (sometimes) but c-c-cold this morning. I'm not ready for it....

Sibble your weekends sounds eventful!

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Sibble · 04/03/2009 02:54

shells - weekends do tend to be a bit frantic. dh is not one to sit around! the funniest bit of the weekend was having friends over for dinner, discovering the box of crockery and cutlery had been left at home so they headed back to theirs (just down the same street) to bring some of theirs and also bought a board game called cranium with them - now I love board games but dh hates them. Watching him mime marcel marceau had to be seen!!

thirtypence · 04/03/2009 04:06

It's a warm sun here with a cold wind. Not weather to sit out in, but I just took ds to play mini golf after school.

If I had a week on my own I would probably go Melbourne or Sydney, but probably Melbourne. Limitless budget I would go and have a look at Vietnam. In reality I would end up in Wellington.

buzzybee · 04/03/2009 08:16

LOL Thirtypence!

Assume a limitless budget. Of course that's not the reality but let's not limit options here!

Remember only 1 week so that probably rules out Europe. Besides a week in Rome no longer seems so thrilling after you've lived in London and become accustomed to 30 quid flights to all the major centres of Europe.

My basic criteria are that it has to be somewhere memorable that I've never visited before - or if I have visited only passing through, not properly.

So that tends to rule out Australia although South Australia / vineyards could be an option.

If I was to go as far as Europe I'd love to go to Istanbul.

Closer to home, New York does kind of appeal but I think I'd want to go with someone?

Ditto Asia (for different reasons) but I guess there is the tour group option In Asia Rajasthan (India) and Japan have the most appeal.

All thoughts appreciated!!

thirtypence · 04/03/2009 23:41

My boss went to Japan on her own and survived. My SIL went to Hong Kong on her own, but she did go with a friend when she went to Cambodia and Pakistan.

KerryMumbles · 04/03/2009 23:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lavenderbongo · 05/03/2009 03:15

Hi - I wonder if you could just ask for a bit of advice on this thread. Dont know if any of you kind ladies remember me but I spoke to soem of you a few weeks ago about moving to Wellington. Well I have arrived and been here almost a week now and we love it. We have finally found a place to rent just outside Wellington in Whitby.

I just wondered if anyone knew of any toddler groups/toy librarys/things to do with young kids (girls aged 4 and 2) in that area as I have been dragging them round looking at houses all week and I want to do something for them now.

Thank for all your help.

Original poster
Shells · 05/03/2009 04:42

Hello Lavender - I do remember you. Welcome!
I don't know the Whitby area at all. If you find the local library or plunket rooms, they're bound to have notice boards with activities listed.

OP posts:
thirtypence · 05/03/2009 08:16

Yes, I second that you ring Plunket - they can let you know if there is a playgroup at the Plunket rooms nearest you, and may have other information about stuff to do.

buzzybee · 06/03/2009 06:50

Hi Lavender. I suggest you also find the local Kindergarten. You may like to put the girls names down on the waiting list for places (its free!). The minimum age is 3 but most parents put down names at 2. They are probably also very used to pointing families in the direction of local playgroups until they get a Kindy place! Have you tried the Porirua swimming pool - I think its re-opened? (they had a fire). Next door to the Pataka Art Gallery and Cafe which is another good place to check out.

Original poster
Shells · 07/03/2009 19:28

HAve you got a car yet, Lavender? You have done very well to find a place to live in a week.

Would you like to come for a cup of tea with your girls one morning? We are in Island Bay, so its a fair old drive (you will need a car), but we have lots of toys! I've got a 4 year old and a 14 month old at home, so company for the kids.

OP posts:
Sibble · 08/03/2009 17:57

hi Wellingtonians. Has anybody been to the Monet exhibition yet. Am due down to Wellington at the end of May with work and am wondering whether to bring it forward to catch the exhibition. Cheers.

lavenderbongo · 09/03/2009 03:34

Hi - thanks for all the advice Shells, Buzzybee and thirtypence. I have looked up Plunket on the net and it looks like there are a few things near me that we can go to. Shells - I would love to come for coffee one morning - my girls are 4 and 23 months so almost the same as yours. It might have to wait until I have got used to driving my new car. I am picking it up tomorrow and its a large people carrier and an automatic - so not something I am used to. I almost mowed the chap down when I took it for a test drive.
I have to say that I am loving NZ so far - people are so friendly and the weather has been changable but great - we visited the Kapiti coast at the weekend and the girls loved the sea.
Thanks again for everyones help.

Original poster
Shells · 09/03/2009 04:41

Lavender - ok mail me on michbirch(at)hotmail(dot)com when you're ok to drive!

Sibble - no, haven't been - a bit of a cultural black hole in our house at the moment - can't seem to get to anything.

Buzzy -hows the travel plans. What about one of those fab sounding 'foodie' tours that they do to places like Vietnam or Shanghai. Although maybe it would be full of retired folk...

OP posts:
buzzybee · 09/03/2009 07:48

Actually that sounds quite cool Shells. Have friends in Shanghai on diplomatic posting and while I probably wouldn't stay with them it would be nice to see them. Plus I think Air NZ flies direct which is a big plus! Do you know of any particular tours?

buzzybee · 09/03/2009 07:49

Sibble if you like Impressionists you should definitely try and come when its on, its great!

buzzybee · 14/03/2009 04:52

Maybe we should try and organise a MN meetup in Wellington? I've started a separate thread here

WhatSheSaid · 19/03/2009 07:42

Quick question for everybody, how many of you have medical insurance? I haven't and never have, being brought up with the NHS and everything free. I know in theory healthcare is free in NZ too but I'm interested as to how many of you think it is advisable to get it.

Neither dh, dd or I have any health issues (apart from me having high blood pressure) and the only real healthcare experience I've had is being pg and having dd, when I thought the care I had was excellent.

I know that for non-urgent problems having insurance will mean quicker treatment - I suppose I'm really wondering, in the case of major illnesses, do you think the free healthcare is good enough?

Just been thinking about this sort of thing so much more since having dd...would be interested to hear your thoughts.

Sibble · 19/03/2009 17:51

whatshesaid - we have private mostly because dh got it as part of his package originally, he now gets a subsidy but we pay the top up so I've never not had it here and can't really compare. I do know that whenever we have needed a referral for anything we just go to the GP who writes a letter there and then and we are seen virtually straight away privately for no additional cost. We've never experienced, fortunately, major illness'.

Dh's friend however was diagnosed a few months ago with bowel cancer, most likely early but the wait on the state system for surgery was a few months he used his private insurance and was operated on the following week and started his chemo in the period he would still be waiting for his initial surgery. Now this of course could be a one off, but I would not want to be waiting for surgery to remove cancer, albeit what they thought was early compared to others on the waitlist.

I'm interested in others experiences too.

buzzybee · 20/03/2009 08:59

Hi WhatSheSaid. A bit similar to Sibble here - I get a subsidy through work and top it up. I never had it before that. Have to say though that its been a huge blessing not having had to wait. In the past 6 years DD1 has had grommets put in no waiting, I had op for endo (and bled so much during surgery they thought I had a bleeding disorder - turned out I'd just be throwing back too many nurofen!), and DD2 has moved from public health system to regular appointments privately with specialist for her dilated kidney. I also have annual mole checks with dermatologist and occasionally have one removed as a preventative measure as we have melanomas in the family.

It is very hard to compare against what it might have been like in the public system and none of these are "major" illnesses. I certainly dread to think how I would have coped much longer without the endo op and DD1 was so much better after the grommets - but both would no doubt have been done eventually.

We did have quite good experience with DD2's dilated kidney and in fact now see the same same specialist privately we saw in hospital - its just that I can specify the time!

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