[bobbyj]

I saw this and thought I had to share it with you guys. The first website is a UK population estimate from the BBC. The second website is a similar report from NZ Herald...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7057765.stm

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=608&objectid=10471574

...and people ask me why I'm moving to Chch?!! hahaha

[SNK05]

OMG....just a slight population increase/difference then...lol...good ole Blighty!

Well, I know where I'd rather be :yes

[bobbyj]

Yep...and still fewer people in the WHOLE of NZ than there are in London!!

[Joanne100]

That is amazing, i sort of feel sorry for everyone in the UK, dont want them all coming over here tho, where would we all escape to then?

[Chiba]

Crowded is being physically unable to get on a train. Crowded is going across a pedestrian crossing without putting your feet on the floor. Crowded is not the UK.

:roll

[K&CS]

Crowded is being physically unable to get on a train. Crowded is going across a pedestrian crossing without putting your feet on the floor. Crowded is not the UK.

:roll

Hehe! I guess it's all about what you're used to. Although I never particularly felt like the UK was crowded (unless on a hellish visit to York!) when I lived there, I've definitely got used to the lack of people in the SI. On a recent visit to Oz, we were all terrified by all the people and the traffic and the motorways, whereas if we'd done the trip two years ago when we still lived in the UK, I'm sure we'd have thought it was lovely and peaceful! It's made us put off our trip to Sydney, because I can't do crowded anymore!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Crowded is being physically unable to get on a train. Crowded is going across a pedestrian crossing without putting your feet on the floor. Crowded is not the UK.

:roll

When we worked in London, there were plenty of times we were physically unable to get on a train....doors wouldn't even close...train not going anywhere, but people stand there like idiots and won't get off and wait for next train. Much nicer to have something from Covent Garden Soup Stand and wait half hour, than spend 1 1/2 hours standing on jam packed train.

[bobbyj]

I know what Chiba is talking about - I've seen Japanese commuters on the TV over here. As a Londoner though, I can assure you there is nothing quite like the Tube! haha

For starters I think, in Japan, if people spoke to each other they way they do on the Tubes there would be a national outcry. I like to think they wouldn't have it in them to be so incredibly obnoxious to another human being just because they can't physically squeeze another body part further into a fellow commuter's arm pit / crotch etc. Their trains are famous for being punctual, clean and reliable (if overcrowded)...ours are famous for being ageing, dirty, delayed and packed with offensive individuals.

Give me a month in Chch and I'll probably be singing the Tube's praises "Oh...do you remember how easy it was getting home from a night out on the town?", "We didn't have to worry about parking or traffic when we were using the Tube", etc etc...but, and I'm sure Chiba will agree, it's going to be nice getting used to life away from the Underground...and definately one of the things we won't miss in our new lives.

[dharder]

IGive me a month in Chch and I'll probably be singing the Tube's praises

I've been using the tube to get to and from work for the last seven years, and it took me about 1.5 hour each way on a good day (I know, I know, not a big deal for someone in London).

We went to Berlin last week to do some sightseeing, and boy, did I miss the tube! I found the trains dirty, people unfriendly, the system really difficult to understand and no help at all at stations (no ticket offices,etc). They had a replacement service going for the bit we wanted, so felt just like home... Except that the kids had to pay in Berlin!

Daniela

[Debbie P.]

Crowded is... when the police have to patrol the shopping streets before Christmas and get people into straight lines so that they can physically keep moving. As someone who used to work just off Oxford Street in London, I know what I'm talking about! Oh, and not being able to get onto a Tube at Oxford Circus was pretty normal all year round - I used to walk to Kings Cross instead.

So yes, I think we DO know what crowded is in the UK, despite some occasional scoffing from members of this forum. :( As someone else said, I guess it's about perspective. I'm NOT saying it's like that everywhere in the UK, though.

[Moorf]

We lived in London for several years, too, and after a major panic attack on the Tube I resorted to driving the 7 miles to work (from Islington to Kings Road) which took me anything from 1hr to 2hrs. Worth it though - my own space, my own music, ciggies to help with stress and a big 4x4 to barge around in.

Crowded is a multitude of things to many people - crowded here is more than 5 people on the same 10km stretch of beach or lake :D

[incredible hulse]

Yep - hope NZ doesn't grow too much; the infrastructure struggles to move the traffic freely as it is - can't imagine the traffic jams if they got more traffic on the road

[K&CS]

Give me a month in Chch and I'll probably be singing the Tube's praises "Oh...do you remember how easy it was getting home from a night out on the town?", "We didn't have to worry about parking or traffic when we were using the Tube", etc etc...but, and I'm sure Chiba will agree, it's going to be nice getting used to life away from the Underground...and definately one of the things we won't miss in our new lives.

Believe me you don't need to worry about parking and traffic in Chch!!! I'm still always about half an hour early for everything, as I still always factor in traffic and parking when I'm meeting someone on the other side of town - I forget that I can just drive there in 20 minutes and get a park straightaway!

The bus service is actually pretty good at night (depending on where you're living obviously). Sounds like you're in for a pretty major culture shock in little old Christchurch after London lol!

[Moorf]

Yep - hope NZ doesn't grow too much; the infrastructure struggles to move the traffic freely as it is - can't imagine the traffic jams if they got more traffic on the road

That may well relate to specific areas but it's hard to moan about the traffic here in Selwyn District of Canterbury when there's barely a car going past :D and a trip in to the township is totally void of queues/traffic jams and you can park outside the shop you want to nip in to !! All depends on where you live imho. When we visited Auckland a few weeks ago, we sat in traffic on the way from airport to hotel - lots of traffic - and it was a first for us in NZ!!

( hahah Kate, you posted at same time with virtually same info... :D - must be true then, eh?!!)

[incredible hulse]

That may well relate to specific areas but it's hard to moan about the traffic here in Selwyn District of Canterbury when there's barely a car going past :D and a trip in to the township is totally void of queues/traffic jams and you can park outside the shop you want to nip in to !! All depends on where you live imho. When we visited Auckland a few weeks ago, we sat in traffic on the way from airport to hotel - lots of traffic - and it was a first for us in NZ!!

( hahah Kate, you posted at same time with virtually same info... :D - must be true then, eh?!!)

True - unfortunately living North of Welly means we have to put up with the one road in and one road out concept. Must say I enjoyed driving in the UK recently and having a choice of roads to take ! Paying for parking on the other hand was a right pain :o

[Moorf]

Would be interesting to hear from some of the Chch mob who live north of Chch as I believe they have the worst problem getting in to Chch out of all the regions - yet I've not heard any of my friends who live there complain... they too have one road in / out I believe.

[wilson182]

I used to commute for about six months, from Rangiora to Wigram during the rush hour, and the novelty wore off after a while. That's the only time I've ever found it to be a pain, I personally never find it to be a problem outside of that - even on the weekend.

[veronica]

OMG youmean you haven't had to sit in Chch worst traffic jam...I mean one day it took me 5 minutes to get along the town end of Riccarton rd. to Westfield Mall :-)

[Chiba]

http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Bunker/2260/waterpark.jpg

[JJG]

Nice Chilba, looks like a typical hotel on the Costa Del Sol in summer :laugh

[K&CS]

OMG youmean you haven't had to sit in Chch worst traffic jam...I mean one day it took me 5 minutes to get along the town end of Riccarton rd. to Westfield Mall :-)

I spent 10 minutes on there back in July at rush hour. I was screaming and swearing like a woman possessed - it's amazing how quickly you forget what traffic is like....

[Sam B]

OMG Chiba - that is the most disturbing photo!! I hate crowds and used to feel panic rising when I had to use the tube.

I have never come across a traffic jam here yet - well, not a proper one. The UK can keep it's choice of roads - I like the nice empty ones here.

[coopers]

I read in the Press that the south Island population is now over 1 million....getting crowded!!

[Debbie P.]

Ok, Chiba, that IS crowded :exit , but that still doesn't mean the UK ISN'T (even if it's not AS crowded). Telling myself "oh, it's worse in other countries" doesn't stop my blood pressure rising when I'm sitting in a traffic jam for an hour after dropping off my hubby at work, 5 miles away from home!

I have never said that the UK is the most crowded country in the world, or even Europe, but it's still too crowded for me and many others.

Out of curiosity, are the crowds in your home country the main reason why you're moving to NZ, or are they incidental?

[Chiba]

Out of curiosity, are the crowds in your home country the main reason why you're moving to NZ, or are they incidental?

The UK is my home country. :)

[albion54]

It's not just the tube trains - the overground trains are the same during rush hour - which lasts 3 hours

went to an interview with a NZ company in london last week and one of the interviewers was staying with friends 40 min train journey outside london - he just couldn't believe people were squished onto trains at 7 in the morning.

and try driving the 'biggest carpark in the world' the M25 - which I do - in the morning - average speed 10mph and nearly 2 hours to do 30 miles and that is on days with no accidents. I'm lucky I'm only stuck with this 1 day a week and look forward to shipping out to NZ next year. Think I've just got a job offer coming.

[Debbie P.]

The UK is my home country. :)

OK, I'll rephrase... why are you leaving Japan?

[Chiba]

OK, I'll rephrase... why are you leaving Japan?

Pretty much right up there, yes. I gave my reasons in this thread (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?p=154220#post154220).

I lived in the UK for 28 years, including in London, and I've lived in Japan for 10 years. London doesn't feel crowded to me, but I do accept that it's a perspective thing. If I went back to London and worked there, after a few years I'd no doubt be irritated by the packed tubes. I'm really, passionately, sincerely, desperately hoping that won't be the case in Wellington...

One other thing to understand about Japan is: if you drive for an hour (or two) away from the centre of Tokyo, you're still immersed in urban sprawl. Even if you get on a plane to Hokkaido you'll still find vending machines everywhere and other signs of "civilization". It's the relentlessness of it that gets to me. Drive out of Welly and you feel like you're in a different world.

[Debbie P.]

Drive out of Welly and you feel like you're in a different world.

Oh how I hope so too! :nice1

[Brit Guy]

Hehe! I guess it's all about what you're used to. Although I never particularly felt like the UK was crowded (unless on a hellish visit to York!) when I lived there, I've definitely got used to the lack of people in the SI. On a recent visit to Oz, we were all terrified by all the people and the traffic and the motorways, whereas if we'd done the trip two years ago when we still lived in the UK, I'm sure we'd have thought it was lovely and peaceful! It's made us put off our trip to Sydney, because I can't do crowded anymore!


I'm from Derbyshire, and one of my favourite places to visit was York..... just loved the old bookshops, the shambles etc.... but the crowds and the traffic on public holidays!!! eeeeeeeeeeek