[Jobob]

Hi,
We've recently returned from a recce to South Island.. did alot of driving and sight seeing..Fantastic place by the way..
Didn't get the chance to meet any expats though.... Anyone out there??

Cheers

Bob :yes

[wiki]

yes, there's a fair few

[TrentBridge]

Welcome to the forum Bob.

We are thinking of South Island too, so come on, tell us what you saw, did thought about the place - please!! :cheers

[Derv]

I think there are lots of forumites in the South Island (aka the Mainland) but not so many actually in Southland itself. We've been to Southland on holiday a few times and liked it a lot, but we prefer the top of the South - which is where we live now - and we have no regrets at all.

[Jobob]

I think there are lots of forumites in the South Island (aka the Mainland) but not so many actually in Southland itself. We've been to Southland on holiday a few times and liked it a lot, but we prefer the top of the South - which is where we live now - and we have no regrets at all.

Derv is correct... We visited Southland, Otago & Canterbury...

We visited Invercargill, Bluff, Winton & Riverton in Southland over 4 days. We took a trip upto Queenstown for 2 days and then onto Dunedin for 1 day. Finally ending up in Christchurch for 6 days.
The drive was a pleasure.. Dunedin and Christchurch are busy enough but not with the same agressiveness you would find in Manchester and any other large town.
Depending what your looking for Southland has it all(We think) Ask someone about Christchurch in Invercargill and they will say it's pretty but busy and colder??. Ask someone in Christchurch about Invercargill and they say eemm don't know much about it only that you can't go much farther south? They even put it down a bit saying the weathers not as kind as it is here. Thing is the people we asked about Invercargill had never been there..

If you can get out there for a recce, you might just find what your looking for.
I know if and when we go that the first place we end up in won't be the place that we buy. We intend to rent and get to know the place before we put down roots. AT the moment Invercargill wins out on the life style side of things. No where around INV is furhter than 10mins away. Where as CHC we would have to work in the city but live out in a suburb. We want to be close by for our 5yr old making it easier for child care puroposes.

Queenstown is 2hrs away and fiordland is less. Invercargill has plenty of things there to do too.
Dunedin... we hit Dunedin when it was a little cool so the locals all had there wood burners going. We found it very smoggy which put us off straight away. We did only stay for 1 day so our opinion is pretty limited. Like I say 'go for a recce' and check it out for your self.

Any questions... just ask:yes

Bob