[david]

Hi all
Just thought I'd let everybody in the UK (sorry others) know do not miss Sunday 25th September, BBC2 8-9 pm. The ups and downs of a family emigrating to NZ. Hopefully this programme will remove all my wife's doubts and give me the green light. :laugh :laugh :laugh
Can I just say well done Sandra, I'm green with envy. :nice1 Hopefully not for too long. Bet you and Moorf had a good chinwag and I'm looking forward to some great first impressions from you both.
- David.

[Michelle and Richard]

Waited weeks for this one and then its on the week after we leave, will have to get someone to tape it for us. I have a feeling its Wellington.

Michelle

[david]

Wonder if it's someone on the forum. Hmmmm... Not you Karl is it :laugh :laugh :laugh

[karltsmith]

No not me!

I remember an advert asking for people to apply for such a fly on the wall documentary but its not my cup of tea having a camera poked up my nose 24/7.

I saw one a coulpe of years back with a couple that really cheesed me off because they were so negative about everything they came into contact with!

The main thing that cheeses me off in NZ, suprisingly you might think, is the poor standard of driving! It's about the only thing I whinge about....they're bl**dy maniacs....and thats just on a good day!

Karl

[AliJax]

Linda & I applied to be on "Get A New Life", but bottled it when they wanted is to make a short video - I mean filming yourself who would :roll:

Never find us infront of a celluloid film n' movin picture box thingy :no

But still we should've, but would we have so much fun exchanging titbits like this :laugh

[eric_amanda]

Karl

Is it just in Auckland that the driving standards are terrible, here in Whangarei I have absolutely no problem with driving standards (except for a few boy racers)?!

We are coming to Auckland in a few weeks for a conference to do with Eric's work, I am already dreading driving around with the children whilst he is busy with his conference. Maybe I should just tie the children up in the hotel for the duration!

Amanda

[karltsmith]

Hi Amanda,

I supose I'm hyper-critical on this one but I do see some idiotic driving behaviour. You probably won't get rattled with it on just a quick trip into AKL however I experience the following with alarming regularity!

a) Drivers pulling out from side streets or car-parks will look straight at you knowing they dont have enough time to pull out but will do so anyway. This happens to me daily! They then don't match the speed of the traffic so you end up slaming on the brakes. I've seen six accidents like this 2 rear enders and 4 side swipes and had countless near misses myself. It's as if they cant judge speed and distance.

b) Cars turning left will, without indication or warning swing out to the right just before turning left so they don't have to slow down. This one nearly forced me off the road.

c) Cars making right hand turns onto main roads will do a) above and in additon end up on the wrong side of the road so you are confront with a car in your lane driving towards you and trying to pull into their own lane .....scary...very scary! This one has happened to me at one particular junction/intersection so often I've lost count. It's on a gentle bend with a minor road off. People on the minor road just pull out without a care in the world. Lost count of how many times this one happens.

d) U turns without indication or warning on multilane roads...just a screach of tyres and you're looking at a big 4x4 (usuallly) side on who then decides ther is not enough room to complete the manouver so stops in your lane and looks the other way.

e) Safe following distances are unheard of! Expect to be tail gated especially on the Motorway!

There are so many more but these are just the classics.

I have also personally witnessed more accidents through stupid driving in 6 months than I have seen in ten years in the UK.

Anyway...Good Luck.

Hopefully this is confined to AKL.

Karl.


PS You could always drop in for a coffee rather than drive around all day or I could meet you somewhere. How old are the boys?

[Annierobrigado]

Never find us infront of a celluloid film n' movin picture box thingy :no

But still we should've, but would we have so much fun exchanging titbits like this :laugh

hiya alijax

why not? your hair looks great. i like the color. :nice1

annie

[Annierobrigado]

There are so many more but these are just the classics.

I have also personally witnessed more accidents through stupid driving in 6 months than I have seen in ten years in the UK.

Anyway...Good Luck.

Hopefully this is confined to AKL.

Karl.





hi karl

then i wouldn't be able to invite you over to manila for a visit? these are just some of the vehicular behavior of drivers in manila, and not just cars. you have jeepneys, buses, motorcycles and tricycles.

no, you can still visit manila. i'll have a driver for you so you dont have to drive. driving in nz is a piece of cake then!
:laugh :laugh

annie

[jesselyn]

these are just some of the vehicular behavior of drivers in manila, and not just cars. you have jeepneys, buses, motorcycles and tricycles.


you forgot the pedicabs annie :mrgreen:.

jes :angel

[Jon]

Hi all

Does anyone know if they are going to be showing extended shows sometime, because they usually go out in the following week at 6pm, but the para-olympics are on?

Cheers
Jon

[Kim39]

I supose I'm hyper-critical on this one but I do see some idiotic driving behaviour. You probably won't get rattled with it on just a quick trip into AKL however I experience the following with alarming regularity!

a) Drivers pulling out from side streets or car-parks will look straight at you knowing they dont have enough time to pull out but will do so anyway. This happens to me daily! They then don't match the speed of the traffic so you end up slaming on the brakes. I've seen six accidents like this 2 rear enders and 4 side swipes and had countless near misses myself. It's as if they cant judge speed and distance.

b) Cars turning left will, without indication or warning swing out to the right just before turning left so they don't have to slow down. This one nearly forced me off the road.

c) Cars making right hand turns onto main roads will do a) above and in additon end up on the wrong side of the road so you are confront with a car in your lane driving towards you and trying to pull into their own lane .....scary...very scary! This one has happened to me at one particular junction/intersection so often I've lost count. It's on a gentle bend with a minor road off. People on the minor road just pull out without a care in the world. Lost count of how many times this one happens.

d) U turns without indication or warning on multilane roads...just a screach of tyres and you're looking at a big 4x4 (usuallly) side on who then decides ther is not enough room to complete the manouver so stops in your lane and looks the other way.

e) Safe following distances are unheard of! Expect to be tail gated especially on the Motorway!

There are so many more but these are just the classics.

I have also personally witnessed more accidents through stupid driving in 6 months than I have seen in ten years in the UK.

Karl, this sounds like the driving behaviour of drivers in the UK. So obviously this trend is worldwide :laugh . As an HGV driver i shouldn't be surprised when i hit the NZ road network then.

[Lily]

Hi Jon
I just checked out the programme line up for BBC2 for the rest of the week, and it looks like it will only be a 'one off ' programme :(

I liked the follow-up shows too :nice1

Lily

[Jon]

Hi Lily

I think they will show it sometime later (hopefully), I guess we'll all just have to keep looking through the tv schedules - and the first one to post with receive a special prize and the adulation of millions!!!


Cheers
Jon

[Moorf]

We're dying to know what the program was like - what impressions it gave etc and did they come back??!!

Anyone in UK-Land awake?!!

Moorf

[Timbo]

We were not very impressed Helen. You would not have learnt anything really.
Wifey had a kiwi Dad, so no problem with visa. She a nurse,he a bobby.
Wellington was their choice of destination as it is close to Dad (grandad).
Wifeys Mother has sent them to Coventry for leaving. Yes they stayed.
All in all, not very exciting I thought.
God knows how these relocation firms earn or jusify the money, based on what little they had to do.

[Lil]

Hi Moorf, yes of course they stayed, has anyone ever taken the return ticket home? They were a really nice family- he American ex marine turned British Policeman, she British Paediatrics Community Nurse, with three little uns. They were on the Kapiti Coast, a bit too sleepy looking for my taste - 25% of the population are old aged pensioners. They showed them shopping in Pak'n'Save with those wonderful kids shopping trolleys. I don't know how far in advance they film those things but they said they spent $50-150 per week on food shopping, which seemed low compared to what others have said. Gave good insight into schools and kindy but mostly focused on problems they had with Mother being difficult about their move. Her father is a Kiwi and he lives within an hour of where they were living, she had only been in contact with him for the last year so her mother was most miffed.

[Carol]

yes of course they stayed, has anyone ever taken the return ticket home?


I do know people who literally got a return ticket and went home before their furniture arrived!

I was talking to my brother (in the UK) on the phone while the programme was on this morning.
He said it was quite good and recognised a number of places from when he visited us.

The kapiti coast is lovely........ this was taken on Kapiti island looking back towards the mainland.

http://pic12.picturetrail.com/VOL399/2227803/4352134/67888249.jpg

And this one was on the mainland (Paekakariki) looking up the coast towards Paraparaumu with Kapiti Island on the horizon
http://pic12.picturetrail.com/VOL399/2227803/4352134/67887914.jpg


sorry if the panorama takes ages to download......


Carol

[Carol]

ooooerrrr sorry - I think I've just made all the posts go weird with that panorama!!!!
:oops: :oops: :oops:

[Annierobrigado]

you forgot the pedicabs annie :mrgreen:.

jes :angel


:eek :uhoh :oops:

yeah thanks jes don't you just want to crush them!??

annie

[Phil&Shell]

We sat around the wireless ( well TV really) last night to watch a family like ours live out there plans in NZ. Well it was interesting enough but seemed to gloss over the important things a bit in order to make a TV program, there was the expected dramas and tears and a few views of the town, Paraparamu on the kapiti coast ( a strange choice for a young family since the its the retirement capital of NZ!)

As i said it was interesting enough, and lets face it when you think about making this sort of move you take all the info you can get.

Best wishes.

Phil

P.S. They stayed and all lived happily ever after!

[Diny]

Although the programme was quite entertaining, I don't think it highlighted anything that we don't already know. Compared to some of the 'tales of immigration misfortune' we read about on the forum, I think they had a pretty easy time of things.

Have to say though - the 3 kids were very well bahaved and really took to their new lives like ducks to water. I hope my 2 boys adapt as easily as they did.

And the house they rented - it was nice wasn't it?

But don't fret Moorf - you didn't miss out on much, I'd give it 6 out of 10.

Diny

[jo b]

I thought it sounded like they hadn't told her mum until the day before the film crew came (when they sold their house).

No wonder she couldn't speak to them they must have dropped it like a dart from a plane especially as they were now going in 2 weeks :eek

Jo