[debnjohn]

Right! :P I'm all booked for my reccie trip to Christchurch, arriving (very early) Sunday 17th April, and leaving lunchtime Wednesday 4th May.
I intend to stay in the area (as cheap as possible) and find out as much as I can about job opportunities, housing, shopping etc etc. Ideally I'd like to get a few interviews lined up with agencies and/or prospective employers (if possible in the short time span).

Are there any recommendations for car hire? And similarly for cheap accomodation? I'm travelling solo (Debbie has the harder job staying at home with our boisterous boys :P )

And finally local employment agency contacts?

Many thanks,
John.

[Marie P]

GOOD LUCK TO YOU :hopeso

Best wishes ,

Marie x

[jesselyn]

good luck with the job hunting! :hopeso :hopeso :hopeso

all the best,
jes

[Jo and Andy]

Sure someone in ChCH will give you a hand, and I am eager for all the advice they give you, and you will be able to give back, when we try and get there.

Good lukc with it all, and have a good easter.


Jo

[Moorf]

Hi John

What line of work are you in? I'll be happy to help you out on this front.... how about contacting Veronica re accommodation? Kiwi on this forum is also a mine of info re shopping/housing etc.

Between us all I am am sure we can get you sorted :nice1

Moorf

[veronica]

Sounds like another excuse for a meal out, how about Pomeroys this time. Any other takers.

[markkellaway]

John,

When we were there last year we used Omega for the rental car:

http://www.omegarentalcars.com/

They were very courteous, cheap, and they pick you up from the airport too (and take you back!).

We stayed at the holiday Inn, but if you want a backpacker or the like I'm sure someone here will be better placed to advise, maybe Veronica?

Cheers,

Mark. :P

[shagen]

Hi John,

We were in Chch last week. We stayed at a cottage on Perth Street. It is a self contained unit and very close to a supermarket and take aways. It would be ideal if you were with your family but if you are going solo, might be on the high side. PM Veronica. She runs a backpacker in Chch.

We rented a car in Wellington and used it throughout our one week in NZ. Got it from Apex Car Rentals. Wasn't the cheapest but service wise was great, even sorted out ferry tickets from them. All with a phone call.

I contacted several recruitment agencies and managed to secure some interviews before I arrived. Due to my job, most were in Wellington but the one I used in Chch (Ryan Recruitment) was excellent! PM me if you want more details and contacts.

Hope this helps.

Shagen

[debnjohn]

Thanks for the replies everyone. :nice1
I'm working away from home for the Easter weekend, so my internet access is limited, but I'll get back to folks ASAP.

Shagen - I'm travelling alone and am not difficult to please so a backpackers will be ideal.

Veronica - I'm up for meeting anyone when I'm over there!

Moorf - I currently work as an Electronics Engineer, but don't have a degree so by NZ standards I'm a Technician (not that I mind). I have lot of experience in manufacturing (mostly high technology) and also have supervisory experience. I guess I need to take advantage odf my Electronics experience to gain the highest wage, but that's not the reason we're moving to NZ; I'm willing to take on any work that'll support us.

Jo & Andy - I'd love to share any & all info. I get. Hopefully us in the south will be having a meeting on April 9th, when I'll be taking orders for stuff to bring back (newspapers/maps/whatever) ! It will be really nice to give something back when this forum has been such a huge help to us :P

John

[adamsat]

My experience a few weeks ago was that NZ agencies are a little more narrow minded than those in the UK and don't readily pick up on the idea of transferable experience between industries, no matter how often you say it to them. If your main recent experience is in electronics manufacturing, that's where they will try to place you. There is some electronics manufacturing companies in the area (I met one of them) but I don't think it's as big as some other industries in Christchurch. It's also worth bearing in mind that unless you have very in-demand skills, if you can't give a definite date when you will be available to start work it will count against you.

As you're over there for a couple of weeks my advice would be to try to get direct contact with some companies. I only had a limited time to do this as I (in hindsight) spent too long talking to agencies. Every company I cold called asked for my CV and gave me a named contact to talk to.

And one last piece of advice. While in Christchurch never play word Yahtzee against Dutch students.
:laugh

[Jo and Andy]

Fantastic info Adam, I started preparing a list of companies in similar fields from the yellow pages (or equiv, can't remember) and thought we would contact after we get PR, regarding opportunities. (Or before to get info).


Deb / John.

Where are you meeting on the 9th, we can't make the NW meeting as at a christening, and feel the meetings must be good. Andy used to work in Swindon, so know it's not that far from here.

Well

Have a good easter

[Hannah-NL]

Andy, nothing wrong with playing Yahtzee, or did you have any bets on the outcome? :laugh

[MB]

While in Christchurch never play word Yahtzee against Dutch students.

Andy - LOL. I have an idea that, after the thousands upon thousands of experiences, suggestions, nuances and instructions are distilled from this forum, that one rueful pearl will be the single bead of pure understanding and wisdom that is enveloped under a fierce mountain peak (somewhat like "42" in Hitchhiker's). :laugh

Cheers,
Matt.

[veronica]

Its a tad humiliating when people to whom English is a second language can still beat you at word/spelling games in your own language. :oops: :wah We are thinking of hiding the word yahtzee and just leaving the number one out until we recover. :? :?
Lets not talk about this..................what was it that you were saying Deb and John.

[Babette & Andy]

John - in case you're still looking around for a place to stay, my hubby stayed at the Stonehurst Accommodation when he went on his reccie (spelling?) in October. They offer various types of accommodation, from backpackers to 2 bed apartments, very central location, all mod cons and we thought very reasonable. If you're interested PM me and I'll find the website / details for you.
In any case, have a great trip. Hope you'll have as much success as Shagen and Rimbo :nice1 :hopeso :nice1
Babette

[Hannah-NL]

I don't think it's a shame John, Veronica...
Over here they start to teach kids english in class 6, we see english and american tv all the time.
Me, for example, I have been on holiday to the UK about 7 times now.
I read my books preferably in english because they last longer that way.
The dutch are just really "close" with the english ;) :cheers

[Babette & Andy]

Hannah said:
The dutch are just really "close" with the english

I can second that Hannah - I came here for 2 weeks 15yrs ago and married my British hubby! :laugh
Babette

[veronica]

It's not a shame for you guys, just for us. Still we did have an English champ at connect 4.

So far here at the Backpackers here we have had a total of 27 nationalities through since January and they have all been able to speak at least some English. (thank goodness as my smattering of French and German wouldn't cover that lot.)

Sorry Deb and John, your thread is getting off track. back to the point. We do have a fair bit of knowledge about arriving in Chch as we only got here ourselves last May. We are in contact with hire car firms and can help out on that front, as well as normal 'things' about the area. If you want any specific info PM and we will have a go at answering, what we don't know Helen probably will and if she doesn't between us we can have a go at finding out.

[debnjohn]

Can anyone suggest an easy way for me to get on-line during my Christchurch visit? I was going to bring a WiFi laptop, and in another thread DrPhred gave THIS[/b] (http://www.telecom.co.nz/

Deb / John.

Where are you meeting on the 9th, we can't make the NW meeting as at a christening, and feel the meetings must be good. Andy used to work in Swindon, so know it's not that far from here.

[/quote]

Jo and Andy, the southwest meet is going to be slightly north-east of Salisbury, at the Pheasant Inn/Hotel. It's a bit cheeky, but [b]THIS (http://www.dstl.gov.uk/about_us/maps/porton.pdf) unrelated web page gives a rather good map to the Pheasant Inn !

[adamsat]

I can't answer the questions about the Telecom Xtra account but internet cafe's in the centre of Christchurch are cheap and fairly plentiful. Going rate is $3 an hour. There is some difference in what they charge up to that point and after. Best price I got was $5 for two hours.

On a slightly different subject one of the internet cafe's in Cathederal square also sells phone cards and mobile phone sims. I'd recommend getting some phone cards when you are there for calling home. I got one with 200 mins to the UK for $10. A vodaphone sim is also a good investment if you are job hunting. They are around $35 and come with $15 of free calls.

[debnjohn]

I can't answer the questions about the Telecom Xtra account but internet cafe's in the centre of Christchurch are cheap and fairly plentiful. Going rate is $3 an hour. There is some difference in what they charge up to that point and after. Best price I got was $5 for two hours.

On a slightly different subject one of the internet cafe's in Cathederal square also sells phone cards and mobile phone sims. I'd recommend getting some phone cards when you are there for calling home. I got one with 200 mins to the UK for $10. A vodaphone sim is also a good investment if you are job hunting. They are around $35 and come with $15 of free calls.

That's excellent information Andy, thanks very much!

John