[Red Devil]

Hi all

Thought it was time I stopped sitting on the fence and got posting... myself, wife and 4 year old son are visiting New Zealand in late March for 3 weeks with the intention of a permanent move out there in the near future and would really appreciate some help and information with the following:

1. We've been searching the internet for good deals on flights and wish to fly from Manchester to Auckland and return back from Christchurch... please can you advise of companies you've recently had good deals with.

2. Please can you advise of car hire companies, ideally one’s that will let you collect from Auckland International airport and drop off at Christchurch International airport.

3. We'll be collecting car hire from Auckland and making our way down through the North Island and hopping over to the South Island... from your experience, please can you suggest a route to enable seeing as much of the Country as possible, plus recommended towns/city’s to stop off at whilst travelling. We don't mind the route for the North Island, however whilst on the South Island we wish to visit Queenstown and Dunedin whilst making our way back to Christchurch for our return flight.

4. With regards work, my wife is a registered renal nurse (haemodialysis) and is currently searching the internet for nursing agency’s... from your experience, please can you advise of nursing agencies to approach that can assist both with possible vacancies and the immigration process :)

Going off replies to posts, we're very impressed with how helpful and knowledgeable members are and look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks

[benandclare]

Hi Red Devil,

We used these guys in Dec 2006 http://www.omegarentalcars.com/. we picked our car in Christchurch and dropped it off at Nelson and they were very helpful, even allowed us to extend the hire by one day at no extra charge to save taxi to Nelson airport :nice1

http://www.wises.co.nz/ I use this site to help with planning routes as their distances are pretty accurate and I find their timings not to far off.

Reckon your best way to see Queenstown and Dunedin and then back to Chch would be to head down the West Coast taking in The Glaciers , Wanaka, Queenstown and Arrowtown if you've time, Gore , Dunedin and then back up the East Coast.

We did it in reverse and took in Milford Sound and Te Anau, not sure if you'll have time for these.

When we did our trip we realised we'd only seen a smidgeon of NZ in our 2.5 weeks on the South Island and this was one of our reasons for emigrating so we could explore more. Still not been to NI apart from 2 days in Auckland .

Hope this helps

PS
Should see off the Villa this weekend :nice1

[nickydwuk]

4. With regards work, my wife is a registered renal nurse (haemodialysis) and is currently searching the internet for nursing agency’s... from your experience, please can you advise of nursing agencies to approach that can assist both with possible vacancies and the immigration process :)


Thanks

Can't help you with the journey as I am still in the UK but as for nursing agencies. I got my job through Geneva health http://www.genevahealth.co.nz/ but I also registered with Tonix http://www.tonix.co.nz/. Both were really helpful and gave me loads of info. Geneva have chased the NZNC about my registration and will be helping liaise with the hospital nearer my arrival. Try both and see what response you get. :yes

[benandclare]

On the nursing front, Clare kept checking out the job vacancies posted on the district health board sites :yes and applied directly

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/wpgIndex/Links-District+Health+Boards+Contents

[Red Devil]

Nicky... coincidently Tonix & Geneva Health are 2 agencies my wife has penciled in to approach, so she can make a start with emailing them next week, thanks for your help.

If anyone's got more advice and information they can pass on with regards a recommended route starting from Auckland and finishing in Christchurch, to enable seeing as much of NZ as possible in 3 weeks :eek: it'll be much appreciated.

Also, where do most people cross from whilst going from the North Island to the South Island?

Thanks
Simon

[JayBee]

Hello !!!
We had a fabulous trip travelling around the islands and would definately recommend the ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton, think it was about 3 hours long and seemed quite cheap. The views are stunning. I gather we were lucky as the crossing was quite smooth both times we did it!

[Huttvalleypom]

I am a registered Nurse, have now been in NZ for well over a year, I would strongly recomend Tonix, Kate whom I worked with was fantastic and helped us through the whole emigration process. Everything worked out pretty much as she advised and within a month of putting out my CV I had a job offer.

Claire Underwood

[Red Devil]

Hi Claire, thanks for the info. I see you're originally from Cheshire... my wife worked on the renal unit at Macclesfield General and we used to live in Bollington approx. 3 miles from Macclesfield.

... a job offer within a month of your CV going out, that's very impressive.

If anyone can recommend routes from Auckland to Christchurch as mentioned above it will be much appreciated.

Thanks

[madmungo]

We spent 3 weeks seeing the north island last Feb on a recce trip - I'd recommend head to Rotorua, then Taupo, then Napier and on to Wellington, a faily direct-ish route taking in some sights if you have the time (and money to stop over en-route!)

We didn't have time to cross on the ferry but I was told by Avis most companies want you to switch cars - i.e go as a foot passenger and then pick up a new vehicle at Picton to tour the south island.

Good luck, Chris

[Huttvalleypom]

Hello again, just had to say that we lived in Congleton and I worked at Macclesfield hospital on the MAU! Two of our three children were born at Macc. We are originally from Tewkesbury and Bristol and lived in Congleton for five years before coming to NZ last year. We originally wanted to live in Christchurch but couldn't get a job offer from there (it was April/May and their budgets were spent) thats how we ended up in Wellington. I now work at a private Hospital which as you can imagine is sligtly different and one hundred times better than juggling beds at Macc hospital!!

We travelled from Auckland to Rotorua, Whakatane (pitt stop to see friends) Napier and then to Wellington. Having now been to Taupo you should try to fit that in as well.

Claire Underwood

[Red Devil]

Hi Claire... same hospital as my wife, it's a small world we live in!!!

Please keep those suggested routes coming, it's a big help :)

Thanks
Simon

[IanW99]

Hi Claire... same hospital as my wife, it's a small world we live in!!!

Please keep those suggested routes coming, it's a big help :)

Thanks
Simon

I know that you want routes from Auckland down to Christchurch, but how much driving are you planning on doing and what will you be driving e.g. just a car or a camper van.

How long are you planning on spending on each island and do you want direct routes or places to visit as you 'slowly' make your way down?

For example, you can get from Auckland to Wellington in a day if you just want to drive and not really stop anywhere on the way.

Ian

[janrzm]

hi
we've booked our 3 week trip for the first 3 weeks of April this year flying Man - Akl with Singapore Air.
Picking up a car from Auckland airport staying at Tauranga,Taupo,Napier,Wellington & then going on the ferry with car to Nelson.
on return leaving the car at Nelson Airport and flying back to Auckland.
Keeping the same car the hole journey-booked through
touring-newzealand.com

not long now!

[Red Devil]

I know that you want routes from Auckland down to Christchurch, but how much driving are you planning on doing and what will you be driving e.g. just a car or a camper van.

How long are you planning on spending on each island and do you want direct routes or places to visit as you 'slowly' make your way down?

For example, you can get from Auckland to Wellington in a day if you just want to drive and not really stop anywhere on the way.

Ian

Ian... we'll be driving a typical family size car throughout the trip. Ideally we're looking at stopping off at selected towns/cities along the way for approx. 2 days max. to experience the culture, lifestyle, etc. that New Zealand has to offer. The 2 Islands will be split equally during the 3 weeks, however gut feeling says maybe an extra 3 or 4 days may be spent in the South Island. Not knowing the distances involved between towns/cities, thought we'd just run things by members to see what their experiences have showed... however we appreciate everyone is different, but at least it's a starting point :)

Jan... that's the sort of information we're after, named towns/cities along the 'general' route from Auckland to Christchurch. That way we can surf the internet and decide whether or not that particular town/city will suit us.

Thanks again all... please keep those routes coming.

Simon

[benandclare]

Try this site Simon :)

http://discovernz.co.nz/driving/smlcalc.html

[madmungo]

I'd definitely recommend the Skyline luge - http://www.skylineskyrides.co.nz/rotorua/ssr_luge/. My two kids and me couldn't get enough of whizzing down the concrete tracks. Not your traditional NZ nature attraction but is a "A World 'First' proudly designed and built in Rotorua"

[Red Devil]

... we've pretty much decided on the route for the North Island... any suggestions for a route starting from Picton, heading down the west coast and finishing in Christchurch will be much appreciated. We've got 10 days on the South Island and in particular are after recommended towns/cities and sights to stop off at whilst on route.

Thanks again :nice1