[actiongirl76]

We've arrived, but boy has it been stressfull!
Both the lead up to leaving the UK, and the initial week in Auckland has not been easy. Having said that - I don;t regrett it for a minute.
Preperation, organisation and having some time off work to prepare is essential.

Its been a busy time since arriving, and we have hardly stopped... but I think we are getting there putting all the bits and peices we need together.

We have bought a car (subaru imprezza SRX 4wd - (James new toy)) and are currently touring the North island. We spent a week in Auckland, then a few days in the Bay of Plenty, and we are now down in Wellington until the weekend when we go back upto Auckland again. Its a very very beautiful country, and everyone is so friendly and helpfull. Its similar to the UK in many ways, but so different in others.

The driving is definitly very different - the kiwi's are all over the shop!
Lorrys and people towing caravans don't appear to have speed limits, so will go thundering past you in the fast lane of the motorway, which is an interesting experience! I'm currently refusing to drive in Auckland, so my OH has that pleasure :)

I would highly recommend pre-booking car hire and accomodation for at least 1 week when you get here. Give yourself some time and headspace to adjust.

I can also recommend GM Motors near Auckland fro car buying... we spent 4 days looking for a car, and finally come across these guys. Our 99 Impreza (with just 87ks on the clock) cost $6,700 (about 2,500 pounds), and was fresh off the boat from Japan. Oddameter checked and certified, free 3 month warrenty, serviced and AA checked. Great customer service - and we will certainly be buying our next car from them.:yes

We are currently staying in a lovely bach (pronunced Batch) in Welly.. and we
now just need some jobs!

Hope everyone is well :)
Actiongirl.

PS: supermarket shopping is very different over here - Pack N Save was a bit too overwhelming for us (like Aldi with everything in boxes), so we now shop at foodtown/new world - which is a bit like sainsburys. We may change as we get used to the kiwi lifestyle, but at the moment we seem to be finding comfort in the familiar :laugh

[StevieD]

Good post, different innit?!!

It takes time to settle down as you would expect, but you find that it comes easier as you go along.

All the best to you both.

[Sunkissed]

Thanks for the info. I look forward to your next update.

[benandclare]

Looking good :nice1

Welcome to New Zealand

[slider]

Great post :nice1
Looking forward to the next 1 - I'm interested to see just how quickly folk adjust to living the Kiwi way of life and leaving behind the UK one.

[holland]

Welcome to NZ!!
driving does take a bit of getting used to!
Good Luck with the job hunt!

[Red Devil]

Good to hear everything is going well... also good to hear you're a Scooby-Doo (Subaru) fan. We've just arrived back from our successful 3 week 'recce' trip and every other car seemed to be a Subaru... saw plenty of Legacy B4's (saloon version of Impreza WRX) which are rare as rocking-horse doo-dar in the UK.

Good luck with the job hunting and enjoy your new toy, sounds a bargain at that price :)

[jackie m]

Great post. Everything seems to be falling into to place. Keep us posted.

Jackie

[dusk]

Best of luck with the settling in and job hunting :)

[JandM]

Glad to hear it's going well.

(I'm getting puzzled about the driving thing, though. NZ driving just didn't bother me at all, on either visit. My worst half-hour on NZ roads was trying to find my way OUT of Auckland CBD with my then 83-year-old mother map-reading - which she can't, or I wouldn't've been IN Auckland CBD in the first place. But the problem was only sussing which way to the particular motorway I wanted. The other traffic seemed just as much undecided/egotistical/law-abiding/spaced out/homicidal as I'm used to in southern England.)

[peebles16]

Great post and thanks for the update - looking forward to more too :D

Good luck on the job hunt :)

Karenx

[Den]

Welcome from us too, we have been here a couple of weeks longer than you guys.
Other half just started work this week, so does take a few weeks. (especially where we are)
I prefer Newworld for shopping too, but maybe cause that's all we have!
When we went to Taupo we shopped in "Woolworths" for grocery's and that was even better.
Wish I could shop on line! (missing Tesco's)
As for the driving -apart from the give way rule I think it's an improvement to the UK - especially the parking with the flow of the traffic thing.
Good luck and keep us posted

[actiongirl76]

Talking of parking... we managed to get a ticket on our 4th day in NZ, for parking our car on the wrong side of the street (apparently you can only park on the side of the road that you are traveling in). The street was in a quiet residential suburb, so we were curious as to how we managed to get a ticket.
Our landlord told us that there is a phone number the public can call to report parking offences, and you either get ticketed - or of its a serious offence (eg. parking on yellow lines) you get towed away! :exit
That reminds me, I must pay that ticket before the 28 days expires!

We have now been in Welly for 4 days, and I have to say the driving is 100% better than in Auckland. It also is less hectic than Auckland. I loved the North Shore, but even with everyone at work it was still busy and bustling.. and I'm questioning if thats what we really want from New Zealand?

At the moment I'm torn between Auckland and Wellington. Its sunnier and more tropical in Auckland (palm trees!)- but very busy, and the house prices are almost as bad as the UK. BUT it is very close to Northland, Coromandel and the Waitekere Ranges - all of which are pretty amazing and make great weekends away.

Welly is windy (warm wind - not cold like in the UK ...brrr) and a bit cooler, and for the past 4 days it has been overcast so perhaps we haven't seen it at its best. House prices are a lot better... not sure on sporting activities - we will find out this weekend and I shall report back to you all.

Actiongirl.

[actiongirl76]

PS: Thank you for all your warm wishes. My OH seems to be doing well wowing the agencies and having lots of meetings. I, however, still haven't finished rewriting my CV... I seem to find any excuse to procrastinate and not do it. Obviously buying skis on trade me, and reasearching ski accomodation in Whakapapa (pronounced fhakapapa ;) ) is clearly more important! lol

PPS: I beleive that in most cases when you see a Wh (as in Whaitekeri ranges or Whakapapa.. it is pronounced Fh... perhaps other forum members will correct me on this??

[JandM]

PPS: I beleive that in most cases when you see a Wh (as in Whaitekeri ranges or Whakapapa.. it is pronounced Fh... perhaps other forum members will correct me on this??You're right.

[JayBee]

Thanks for your update and advice - keep them coming! Good luck with the job-hunting

[shakyle2906]

Good luck with the rest of your plans, and glad to hear you have settled well so far!


Keep us posted.

Sharon
x

[Destiny]

Really great posts. Its great to hear your opinions of NZ life. I don't think you can beat the opinions of the newly arrived. The parking rules are obviously something we need to check before coming out in 6 weeks' time. Thanks for the warning on that one!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Wellington. Hope the sun comes out for you. Where do you plan to move on to next?

Many thanks

Destiny