[Byronc]

Hello,
I have been reading this forum for months but have not posted much.
We just returned a week ago from a visit to NZ. We visited Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Before we left, Christchurch was our top choice for a place to live. It still is but Wellington has moved way up - partly because thats where the jobs are for my profession (GIS).
I did like Wellington far more than I anticipated, but still prefer the laid back pace of Christchurch. Wellington's weather was great while we were there, but everyone told us that it was unusually nice.
I do wonder what Wellington would be like if we lived there. Unfortunately we did not get out into the suburbs. I did enjoy the high energy buzz of Wellington CBD but could not imagine living it 24/7 with a young familly. I would like to know what the suburbs are like and which suburbs people would recommend for a family with 2 kids ages 11 and 7. We like the outdoors and alternative schools, but would also like to be close in. (I don't enjoy commuting! )
Also, what about the wind. There were only occassional winds while we were there. I have read alot about how windy it can get and how many days of gale force winds Wellington has a year, but what I don't get an idea of is what a typical windy day is like. I mean do these winds blow continously through the day and night when the come, or do the peak at certain times of day and then go away. When I visited, I noticed the mornings to be calm, the winds to pick up in the afternoon and then calm down again in the evenings. Is this typical?

[clg]

Let me take a stab at some of your questions. We moved from Los Angeles to Wellington about 3 months ago. We REALLY like Wellington. As you have seen, the CBD has a great feel to it. You can get out of the city very easily though. We live in a suburb about a 10 mintue drive out of the CBD, I take the train in each day which is a bit less than 15 minutes to the CBD. We live on a hill and our backyard is a reserve so I feel like we live out in the sticks but in 10 minutes I can be in a city. Geat place for kids, we have a 2.5yo and there is a lot to do here for her. We have 2 libraries we can walk to and some shops. 3 good parks within walking distance, including a pool and a large reserve. Housing here can be expensive though, cheap by LA standards though!

Wind is a bit overrated for welly. It does get very windy here at times but is is not like that all of the time. We do have some windy days but most days are not like that. Normaly you will have winds for something like half a day to a couple days but then it will go away for a week or so. Spring and fall are supposed to be the worst. According to a TV show here a few weeks ago welly has something like 26 days of gale force winds a year, auckland has 2-3 days like that and I forget CCH. Gale force winds sound worse than they are though so don't let that scare you. Once you are here you tend to not notice the wind much unless it gets really up there which is maybe every 2-6 weeks.

Lots of job opportunites here which you already seem to know about. If you have any questions ask, I am sure you will get some more posts to!

Chris

[Smiler]

Chris

Did you miss out on Monday then? :laugh :laugh

Byronc.

Have only been here 7 weeks so I can give you a newbies point of view if it helps.

We stayed in the CBD for our 1st week and I found it too noisy. We are now out in Miramar, 10 mins to CBD but we also have a reserve below our deck and then the water. We are about 600ft up on the hill/cliff and it's brill. Our rent is comparable with what we paid in the UK but we lived in the country in an expensive detached cottage. Here we have stacks more useable room, 180 degree views to die for, airport 5 mins, beach 5 mins too and its a quiet residential place which we like.
There is masses to do, we are struggling to do it though, (work and personal circs at the moment) but that will settle down and we are looking forward to the events we will go to. There seems to be masses to do with children and a lot of it is free or a small charge.

The wind..... it really doesn't bother me at all. I love seeing the weather change and the fact you can have 4 seasons in one day. I might notice the wind more as we are exposed where our house is. On Monday, people could hardly stand up in the street and somebodys BBQ top came down on our deck, but the sun came out, wind dropped and later that evening we had another front that we watched come over the cook straits. If you go near the beach at this time it's a bit like being shot blasted.:laugh

There are days with no wind and hot days with a little breeze which is lovely.

Hope this helps some.

Deborah

[G&K]

Hello All

First posting on your forum here !

Been reading all your good advice for a while though...

Moved to Wellington in August this year and must say we LOVE IT...!

Me and my fiance really settling in well and finding our feet...

Have to agree with all the above statements - weather not a major problem (yet !) BUT it is supposed to have been a good Winter - but hey ho, Summer is a coming...

Anyway - wanted to say Hi and Big Up Wellington - we love you !

G&K

[clg]

Smiler, yes, Monday was windy! Our house is sheltered so it was not too bad there, no BBQ's flying around that is for sure! My office is on the waterfront though and we really felt it there. It did not help we are in a brand new building with a lot of outside work still going on hence lots of dirt to get blown around!

I was really prepared for the wind to be around much more so that to me has been a nice surpise. I am really OK with some big windy days as long as it is not always windy so i'm not too worried.

[Avalon]

The wind can sometimes get so strong that I litterally cant walk - and eactually have been known to go backwards ( im sure its quite amusing to watch really), but Id aggree with the above - its not too often, and more than made up for the fact on calm and balmy days you get to sit on the harbour wall or pop down to Oriental Bay beach for a picnic!

Im not a fan of Welly for living in - BUT it muct be stressed that Im a country girl, and cities and suburbs are my worst nightmare, so rather than being a problem with the city - its just not for me and my life. As cities go - its a good one. I never felt unsafe, even walking round at night, and there is often a "Buzz". The cafe culture is just to-die-for Imho - and many cafes are actually open quite late.

If you liek theater or music - theres quite a bit on offer (though I have personally found some of the prices being charged a little on the steep side for what you get), and I could rave no-end about the cinema (the Embassy - not the reading which is just a multiplex).

Dont even think of looking at Kapiti or The Wairapa if you dont like commuting. Either puts you a good hour or more from the CBD. I cannot honestly comment on other suburbs, except that Setoun and Eastbourne ore hideously expensive (though wonderful).

Good luck

[Avalon]

Oh, forgot to say - teh wind in the Wairapap can be just a fierce - I thought my chimney was going to fall off the other day!

[tpagenz]

I was born in Christchurch myself but now live in Wellington but like you having a young family we live 20min from the CBD in Pauatahanui. This is a really beautiful rural seaside community which is probably the most central place to live in Wellington but offers a great outdoors lifestyle that really is quite unique including boating, tramping, kayaking. Unfortunately we are leaving but thought you might like to check out our house at:

Seaside Wellington House 20min to CBD
http://www.heystack.com/Motukaraka/

Good luck with your move to New Zealand!

[Smiler]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I've been looking at your house on the real estate site,and didn't know you owned it. I'm :D with a big green eyed look.

It's gorgeous. Why are you leaving and how can you?:confused:
Where are you heading to now?

D

[tpagenz]

Thanks!

We are moving to Whitby which is only 10 minutes away and another great suburb for people with families moving to Wellington, although Pauatahanui is more scenic and therefore more sort after.

My son is going to a different high school than anticipated so are moving so that he can walk to school.

We have had a wonderful 10 years at our house and will be sad to leave.

For people moving to Wellington with families and wanting better weather than central Wellington, try Pauatahanui, Whitby, Pukerua Bay, Churton Park, or Johnsonville

All of these suburbs are easy commutes to Wellington!
Hope this info helps!

[xanctus]

We came for visit this past September, and we visited Auck, Wellington and Palmy North (relatives live there). As far as we know up until this moment Wellington is our choice, because of my wife IT industry and it seems graphic/web design industry also keeping up.
We like CBD a lot because it is quite easy to go anywhere, even though we got quite frustrated on driving the city for a short period of time hehehehe ( but after while was all good). We also did manage to see some suburbs, such as Miramar, both Hutts. Thorndon and some more places (forgot the names).

As for the weather...well we came from USA in midwest area(Milwaukee to be precise) and winter can be really2 cold up here and Chicago is just 1.5 hrs away...and we all know, that Chicago could be the windiest city in the world (somebody told me this, not our personal word :D) and compare to Wellington is about the same thing. It was quite windy and rainy that time...but it's not like making us dislike and won't live there.

One more thing why we like Wellington : The city layout is just unique.