[Diny]

Well maybe love and hate is going abit far - how about likes and dislikes.

Sometimes threads about what people do and don't like about living here are hijacked (yeah - I'm guilty of this) and the original intention of the thread gets lost. Different lists from different people will/should illustrate that there's no right or wrong, good or bad, black or white. We all know what we like and what we don't.

So - how about a simple list of what we do like and what we don't like. I know it sounds abit 'regimented' (opinions without discussion) but I reckon it would be interesting to compare lists. I'll start - In no particular order:

Likes:

Scenery
Quiet roads
Warm summers
Fruit & Veg
Beaches
ANZ Bank (they've been brilliant)
Cheap car & house insurance
The Warehouse
Fresh fish - massive choice and reasonable price
Clean air, rivers & lakes


Dislikes:

The Education
Housing
'Sometimes' the laid back attitude which can come across as lazy
Rugby (and all the other sport that's rammed down our throats)
TV
Hoons and the pathetic Gangsta culture
Awesome - the most over used, inappropriate word ever

That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure there will be more later. There's more items on my like list than the dislike list so I guess that's a step in the right direction.

Diny

[Nienke]

Just a short hijack :p ....: why do you dislike the education?

[Diny]

Just a short hijack :p ....: why do you dislike the education?


Will PM you.

[GeorgeM]

This may sound perverse, but I actually see the fact that TV is awful in NZ as a 'love' rather than a 'hate'.

It means that we hardly watch any - there are now many evenings when the infernal machine is never switched on at all, and I doubt whether that was ever the case in the UK (where the free-to-air TV is probably the best in the world).

The end result of this is that we do things that are far better for us - walking the dog on the Port Hills or the beach, reading, playing our music. Even just sitting down as a family and talking to each other, would you believe!

If it weren't for the rugby I'd probably be happy to get rid of it altogether (I know that Diny will never understand that!) - on Sat I watched the Crusaders game at 5:30 and apart from a couple of snatches of the news whilst cooking tea the next time I sat in front of a TV this week was last night to watch Reunion for an hour on Sky (yes, I know, a program doing a round up of last week's rugby and looking forward to this weekend's. We are all saddos at times.... :o )

[Diny]

Bang goes my idea of 'just a list' then eh.

[Moorf]

Likes:

Uncrowded
Countryside & Coastlines
Variety (people and places)
Opportunity
Back to basics
Warm sun on cold days

Dislikes:

Hoons
Hoons and... err..
Hoons
Hard pushed to add another but I'll throw spiders in cos they're bigger and uglier than I thought they'd be :D

[Paul and Linda]

Dislikes

Tv (awful)
Sky (worse)
Houses (cold and damp)
Burning wood (fun but smelly and not environmentally good , lots of particulate pollution)
Tea, we've bought some australian tetly tea but can't beat the stuff we get in the uk.
ITS NOT CHEAPER HERE and we thought it would be
No family
car prices
rollercoaster roads (highways....that's a laugh, wait 30 mins just to overtake!)
"so how are you liking NZ?" argghhh don't ask me again!
paying for dentist/doctor (haven't sorted the med ins yet)
not much choice on the job front in the area I'm in for me
overall it's a bit dull, very quiet (must admit I'm quite a towny)


Likes
The air is pure (don't know what winters going to be like with all the wood fires)
lots of sunshine
quiet
extra curricular stuff for the kids at school, (although paying for it is a dislike)
swimming pools
beach and sea

mmmmm all a bit unbalanced at the mo but then again that's how I'm feeling.

[willsken]

paying for dentist/doctor



Sorry, but I have just booked to see the Hygienist at our surgery and can't get an appointment until the 14th April and the cost for Ian and I is £53! This will be the first time at a dentist for nearly a year as our last dentist stopped seeing NHS patients and we couldn't find a dentist who were taking new NHS patients on. (I won't go private on principal! I already pay for this in my national insurance) rant rant :roll

Bang goes my idea of 'just a list' then eh. - Diny

Diny, I hang my head in shame. I just couldn't help myself :o

[jo b]

Likes,

Relaxed attitude
Open Spaces
The feeling that you really could be anywhere in the world
The feeling of it being safer for kids
Lots of things for the kids to do
The Weather (well it's been good so far but it is end of summer after all)
Education
Opportunities, there are so many for people with initiative and foresight




Dislikes
Chinese takeaways
Housing
Education (I know it's in both but I am split because there is some great education you can get here and not so great, another thread again really)
The lack of ability for most Kiwis to embrace anything in the building trade new i.e. UPVc double glazing and you know why because the aluminium manufacturers make a fortune on what they churn out.
The fact they don't dress up. I love dressing up when I go out but everyone always looks like they have a potato sack on tied at the waist with string
Haircuts, I have never seen so many BAD haircuts in one place (but that's probably Dannevirke)
I can't get the level of job I was doing in the UK (middle management for BT), in or around this area
Moari and Pacific Islanders thinking they are Black Rappers!!!!! What's all that about. They just look like complete idiots.

But overall it's early days for me.

My mum asked her granddaughter who is 10 does she love it in NZ. She replied I don't love it just like it. I suppose that's where I am at.

But the early days of adjustment can play tricks with your mind believe me.

Jo

[jubjub]

Nice

Beaches close by & generally very clean
Relatively light traffic (compared to a major UK city)
Walking round shopping centres most days without getting bombarded by folks dashing about
Healthcare, despite having to pay for most things, its clean and generally efficient (same day doc appts etc)
nice open streets that have individual houses, not the usual "estate" feel that has taken over in UK
dog loves spending all day outside in his new garden
I feel less stressed, but maybe cos I am not working any more
Don't care I have got an oldish (and fairly ugly) car, it does what I need, and thats great
Climate, much milder so far than UK and have been hear 9 months
Lots of nice parks to go to, most that the dog can come too.

Annoying


Loud cars being driven stupidly fast, doing donuts & handbrake turns (aka hoons!)
TV, its mainly regurgitated US series (several series behind!)
Price of a (good) hairdo in proportion to earnings
No curry has met our high standards yet (although a couple have been decent), most are just supermarket ready meal standard, if that.
Lack of babysitter (knew that would be a prob though, and UK would not have been so different, families were a distance away)
no local pub in walking distance to nip out for a "quick half", hence the drink drive prob here
Price of international travel in proportion to earnings
Not knowing where to buy stuff, but thats just lack of experience, and will get better

[Nicola]

The fact they don't dress up. I love dressing up when I go out but everyone always looks like they have a potato sack on tied at the waist with string
Haircuts, I have never seen so many BAD haircuts in one place (but that's probably Dannevirke)Jo

Jo you should come for a visit up to Havelock or Napier, we are just up the road. Loads of people really dress up here, I usually feel a bit of a scruff. There are some nice clothes shops here as well. Very different from the UK, much more adventurous!

[Bubbles]

Dislikes

Moari and Pacific Islanders thinking they are Black Rappers!!!!! What's all that about. They just look like complete tits.


:laugh :laugh

Oh Jo.
Just spat my tea out all over my keyboard. So much so, I've had to swap for my spare. I think its knackered now. :uhoh
It would appear you have as much diplomacy as me at times. You tell it how you see it. :D

Honest talk, I find it quite refreshing.

John

[jo b]

Hey John

I speak as I see but if you knew me in person there would be a humourous Peter Kay accent added!!!

Jo

[Diny]

the very same Peter Kay accent she used when she was asking about the 'wine card'. Blooming funny.

Diny

[Kim39]

Kim will probably put his own list on, but here is my thoughts on things.

Likes:
Feel less stressed.
My rental (so much so not in any hurry to buy, and it's warm)
less traffic.
The fact that I live in a Town, but has a village feel, only 11,000 people.
The fact that my youngest who got bullied in the UK really enjoys school now!
The quiet roads.
The fact that tv is so bad that Kim and I talk to each other now instead of just grunting.
We do things as a FAMILY, rather than do our own thing.
The fresh food.
The warmer climate.
The scenery.
My car.
The Kids feel safer.
More things for them to do, parks not being vandalised, and a bmx track round the corner from where we live, kids can go on there own.
The beaches.

Dislikes:
Miss friends.
Not being able to get decent crisps.
Office work over here being different to the UK.
Being accosted as soon as you walk into a shop.

Think it's fair to say that I well and truly like being here in New Zealand. :nice1

Elaine (Kim 39 OH)

[katandbob]

OK here goes and I really should be heading off to Palmy now to meet Diny but it's her fault for this thread anyway!!!!

Likes,

Relaxed attitude
Open Spaces
The feeling that you really could be anywhere in the world
The feeling of it being safer for kids
Lots of things for the kids to do
The Weather (well it's been good so far but it is end of summer after all)
Education
Opportunities, there are so many for people with initiative and foresight




Dislikes
Chinese takeaways
Housing
Education (I know it's in both but I am split because there is some great education you can get here and not so great, another thread again really)
The lack of ability for most Kiwis to embrace anything in the building trade new i.e. UPVc double glazing and you know why because the aluminium manufacturers make a fortune on what they churn out.
The fact they don't dress up. I love dressing up when I go out but everyone always looks like they have a potato sack on tied at the waist with string
Haircuts, I have never seen so many BAD haircuts in one place (but that's probably Dannevirke)
I can't get the level of job I was doing in the UK (middle management for BT), in or around this area
Moari and Pacific Islanders thinking they are Black Rappers!!!!! What's all that about. They just look like complete idiots.

But overall it's early days for me.

My mum asked her granddaughter who is 10 does she love it in NZ. She replied I don't love it just like it. I suppose that's where I am at.

But the early days of adjustment can play tricks with your mind believe me.

Jo


sorry to hyjack......jo but when r u going to change ur signature? ;) ....Kat....ps cant wait to do my list

[Amerikiwi]

Likes -
The beautiful harbour views (just can`t get too much of the ocean)
big white puffy clouds
amazing foliage
no snow!
general good nature of kiwi people
becoming a new fan of league rugby

Dislikes-
no central heating to warm damp walls in the winter
no window screens in the summer
no American football... or fans to discuss it with
no close friends here (yet)
Auckland traffic lights (who needs traffic cops, just make everyone stop at the next light... again, and again, and again! LOL!!)

[jonSE]

Likes

Space
Cheap Housing - yes OK it's not insulated and is "tired" but 4 beds 2 baths and 1/4 Acre with 90 degree sea view within 45 mins from Auckland CBD for 1/4 of the central
London rent for a 2 bed apartment.
Steinlager
Waiheke - a land lost in time, leftover marijuana fumes from the 60's and old fashioned village culture
Steinlager
Hoons - if they drove fast they'ld be dangerous, lots of noise and not much action.
Dirt Track racing on a Sunday afternoon.
Commuter ferry culture
Clean blue warm sea
Steinlager - did I already mention that:cheers
Fish (just about any species) and Kumara Chips
People care - even strangers?
Dirt roads
The alcohol limit for driving is more if you're over 25 - why?
Space
Maoris and Pacific Islanders - the "family"/"whanua" focus could teach us westerners a thing or two. I have yet to find one I didn't like at first meeting. Including the guys (and girls) at the Waitangi celebrations on Waitangi day carrying flagpoles with the Maori flag above lots of others - like the Welsh Nationalists flag, A Hammer and Sickle, a Ferrari flag?????? - Hey Bro come to the Waitangi protest - fly the Maori flag, just get all your other flags and tie them on underneath.
Maori and Pakeha kids on Waitangi day at the pier jumping off the mooring piles and having huge amounts of fun - it looked bloody cold to me.
Libraries:nice1

Dislikes

Volunteer fire brigade on the island - when the siren sounds either THE BOMB is about to go off or the tide is about to come in in Arnside
Auckland - I think it might be Honk Kong in drag
Chinese takeaways, there isn't one on the island, I didn't like them in the UK, I still don't eat them:(
McDonalds
Curries - someone lost the plot when they exported them to NZ - a trip to the West Midlands is in order
Toyotas (Nissan (not the maxima) Subaru and Mazda are cool)
Continental Motors in Auckland
NZ Wine
Waiheke Wine (apart from Zell)
It's not a 60 minute ferry ride to France (the only reason to return to the UK)
Speights and Lion Red
Red meat - they must export all the good stuff.
Bread - for a so called "Green" nation the bread lasts so long it must endow you with eternal life if you eat more than 2 slices. Tesco value bread is probably the healthy alternative!
Why can't they produce a decent double cream- there's enough cows.
There is only one job in NZ for my wife and we know the guy that does it - hence we are going to OZ
There's only one cop on Waiheke - that's why all the locals drive home from the pub after far too many.

OK that'll do for now. I am sure I'll think of some more

Has any one noticed that it's only females who have complained about shopping here?

[Kim39]

Kim's other half has done her's so here's mine.........

Likes:

Amazing sunsets...never two the same
Amazing starry nights, i have never seen so many shooting stars
My 4x4 Land cruiser(b%^&*y cheap compared to UK)
been said before....scenery
silly, but being able to work in shorts
slower pace of life
easier lives for my girls, no peer pressure
warmer climate
respect shown by the youth of NZ(here anyway)
mostly what Elaine has said also..........

Dislikes:

Seeing the industry(transport) i am in basically way behind europe
realising i have to do 70hrs a week to achieve a decent income
boom boxes in the clapped out crap the youths drive around in
no decent sport on normal telly,unless you have SKY, which is naff anyway
crap TV
computer always on the blink sice we arrived
stupid law saying give way to the oncoming car wishing to turn right
The fact that tv is so crap that Kim and I talk to each other now instead of just grunting.
.....i'm dead:no
kiwi driving.....mad sods
maybe more,but just can't think at the mo, what with having just done 70hrs, i'm knackered:laugh

Moari and Pacific Islanders thinking they are Black Rappers!!!!! What's all that about. They just look like complete idiots.
a classic Jo :yes :nice1

Kim

[Carol]

likes
being able to walk around Wellington late at night with no fear
Getting the train home and enjoying good natured banter with strangers
Kumeras
HAving to put up with frozen Yorkshire puddings (because mine never work anyway)
Simplicity of life - no-one really cares when you decorated your house last.
Being called "ma'am" at the petrol station
Having our own kiwi here - she never gets tired of telling us!
Being able to walk along the sea front in Welly and entertain ourselves for ages for free!
Monteiths Summer Ale
Wineries
Kiwi kids that I teach
Being able to "pop in" to see Parliament sitting

Pumpkin Soup - it's grown on me!
Staying at friends' batches for nowt.
That glow that happens at sunset sometimes when the light is just right.
The view out of my classroom window.
Non s moki ng public places

dislikes
Being referred to as a bl oody pom (yeah whatever - get over yourselves!!)
Being so far away from my mum and dad
No 'Russchian" for my vodkas
every road I've ever travelled on here!
The Ministry of Education!
Hoons
Most TV - never watch it much these days actually! (a good thing!)
Being taxed the way we are
No NHS
Cobb & Co (YAK!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Having to ask for vinegar on my chips
No decent Chinese take-aways
and finally.....
Pak n Save

;)

[Chutney]

Gonna sound like an idiot here, but for the benefit of those of us still at the other side of the world, what are hoons?

Kiwi equivalent of charvas, perhaps?

[jubjub]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=5432&highlight=hoons


this help Mike??

[Chutney]

Ah, I see.

More "sad gets" than charvas then.

[Moorf]

Make that "lethal" sad gits in lethal cars. Boy racers in the UK have got nothing on these idiots...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoon

[Pamela]

I Hate the fact that I am still HERE cannot wait to reply to this thread lol.

[zardell]

Ditto Pamela.

There's bound to be some 'hates', but at least this hateful waiting for NZIS will be over.

Great thread Diny - thank you..........sorry I've hi-jacked it !

Julie

xx

[sweetpea]

Likes:

Jandals
Rarely needing to wear actual shoes, or dress up at all
The phrase "World Famous in New Zealand"
Tui, L&P, Hokey Pokey ice cream, meat pies, and fish and chips
Not having to pay for gas before you pump it
The $10 a pack cigarettes that made quitting smoking very easy
Freakishly starry nights
Roundabouts
Really, really disturbing public service announcements on TV (now I'm paranoid about turning at an intersection and can't bear to think of the tar I had poured into my lungs)
Being able to see The "L" Word and the Sopranos without paying for cable
No snakes or big, scary wild animals
How close the "country" is to the "city"
Dislikes:

Outdoor-only dogs and their accommodations
Quality dog kibble being out of my price range
Kiwi bluntness, lack of diplomacy (and this is coming from an American)
Possum noises that sound like the dead have risen

[Jules]

dislikes
Being referred to as a bloody pom (yeah whatever - get over yourselves!!)


I totally agree with you there Carol, it does my head in. I told one of my friends who used to call me a Pom that I didnt like it and she was so ashamed and appologised and she hasnt mentioned it since :nice1

Jules

[Diny]

Hold on - don't know how on earth I managed to to miss this one of my dislikes list - this is a BIGGIE ......

I deeply dislike (don't like the word hate) .......

NEW ZEALAND REAL ESTATE AGENTS !!!!!!!

Oh yeah, they're friendly and helpful and seem to go that extra mile for you. Don't be sucked in - they don't work for the vendor or the buyer, they work for themselves and they are supreme scum !!!!!!!

Feel better for getting that oiff my chest.

Diny

[jubjub]

Hold on - don't know how on earth I managed to to miss this one of my dislikes list - this is a BIGGIE ......

I deeply dislike (don't like the word hate) .......

NEW ZEALAND REAL ESTATE AGENTS !!!!!!!

Oh yeah, they're friendly and helpful and seem to go that extra mile for you. Don't be sucked in - they don't work for the vendor or the buyer, they work for themselves and they are supreme scum !!!!!!!

Feel better for getting that oiff my chest.

Diny

Forgot you were house hunting... having fun I take it? I have just started reading "dont sign anything" by Neil Jenman about Estate agent tricks, its an eye opener in places, but some of the things I was familiar with, as I had been toying with the idea of being one (ducks for cover :exit )

Another like I had forgotten about was the Ice cream, thanks for reminding me Sweetpea, the New Zealand Natuiral stands in malls seems to have the best Boysenberry and Hokey Pokey know to mankind....

[Glenda]

Have a dislike everyone seems to have forgotton - sandflies - how long must a poor soul wait before becoming immune to their bites? It is impossible remembering to spray on the insect repellent after every bath/shower.

One of the good things about NZ is being able to park and not bother with getting out the purse for coins. OK, city parking has to be paid for, and there are some areas with meters - but generally it is free!

:)

[sarahw]

OOoh I like this one!

Likes:

THE WINE - yum!
The views
The Weather (although not right now - its blowing a gale!)
Living 2 mins from the beach
Accessibility of sports - can kayak, mountain bike, windsurf, fish, swim, waterski, sail etc. all within a couple of mins of home.
Being able to walk into a posh restaurant in jandals, shorts & a raggy old t-shirt & noone bats an eyelid!
The wine (did I mention that?! oh well it deserves 2 mentions!)
Fush & Chups (that's Fish & chips to everyone else!)
Pak N' Save (sorry Carol - I LOVE it!)
Morning Tea - (that's an excuse to have 30 mins to an hour off at work to eat cakes and drink tea & chat with your workmates!)
2 hour lunch-breaks!
BBQ's all summer
Not wearing anything on my feet except Jandals for 6-7 months of the year
Fresh fruit & veg that doesn't look uniform & fish straight from the water onto the BBQ!
How friendly everyone is
The rugger - how accessible spectator sports are
The lack of people - recently went to Australia & felt claustraphobic in Melbourne (same population as whole of NZ - how would I handle London now!?)
How friendly people are on the phone when you phone a company to ask to do something - you don't get some grumpy person at the end of the phone like they're doing you a favour - it shocks me now when I have to phone the UK bank that people aren't stopping to have 5 mins chat with me to see how my day is going!
I could go on forever but I'll stop!

Dislikes

Not many....
Sausages - OK Chicken n' Cheese Tegel are the only ones I'll eat - I'd kill for some proper pork sausages right about now!
Indian food - we've only found 1 restaurant that we like & that cooks something hot & spicy enough & its in the city.
Broccoli & cauliflower in Chinese takeaway - what is that about?!
The driving - its a joke that they make us take 'driving tests' when we get here - if you've driven in London you should automatically qualify as a driving instructor in NZ!!
Erm... that's it folks!

In short we love it & there's not a lot that's put us off - way better life than we had before.

[Hannah]

Likes:

- People walking into shops with their swimming 'togs' on
- Adults jogging while pushing buggies
- People walking dogs while cycling
- Teenages rollerblading down steep hills while pushing buggies
- 'Courting' cars (teenage hoon lads in flash cars cruising up and down main street following other girlie hoons in their souped-up hot hatches until the gals car pulls over so the laddie hoons can inspect the girlies engine and exhaust. Reminds me of female tigers laying down ready for male tiger to do his thang!). It's like a form of very safe sex (safe for them, not for us pedestrians)!
- All 'dairies' (newsagent/corner shops) look the same - like a converted shed
- Fish and chips - never feel sick and bloated after eating them here
- Cheap and cheerful tat in The Warehouse - brings joy to my kid's lives
- NZ teachers (does not include supply teachers, according to my son)
- Lots and lots and lots of swimming pools in all sizes and temperatures
- People riding unicycles around the shopping centre
- The Wind Wand in New Plymouth (worth an internet search for non-NP's)
- Libraries
- 'Private' beaches on the sunniest of days
- People body boarding when it is freezing cold, windy and rainy
- The fact that it is rarely freezing cold, windy and rainy
- People wearing jeans and eating crisps in important meetings at work
- No two houses look the same
- Kids at school being given $2 to pop down the shops and buy milk for the teachers
- High board Diving is still allowed in swimming pools (unlike many UK pools)
- Clean beach, sea, streets, grass, air, sky, rives, lakes, etc etc
- Jandals (flip flops) - nearly everyone wears them!
- People swim in rivers and lakes (including me who jumped into a lake fully dressed a few weeks back because i was too hot!)
- Mail boxes on the boundary of your property..and the fact that it has never occurred to anyone to steal mail from them! (or maybe it has, which explains why my ITA hasn't arrived yet:-)
- Very elderly people swimming in the fast lane in the local pool and then jumping on bikes to cycle home - I want to do that when i'm 80!
- The 'morning tea' and 'afternoon tea' culture at work, where everyone downs tools and gravitates towards the kettle and then sit around for ages talking about their lives over tea and cake. Tea break in NZ doesn't mean you just sit at your PC while drinking tea, it means tea BREAK!


Dislike:
- Tea (even during 'morning tea') - it's rubbish, too weak.
- Having to ask for 'English Breakfast' tea everywhere I go. Tea is just tea!!!
- Curries - big niche in market for good Indian Chefs. i think 'Indian Chef' should attract extra points on the skilled migrant category.
- Employers don't tell you salary until you accept a job. I've never seen a job advertised with a salary and even at interview was told 'we only discuss salary with successful applicant' (what?)
- IT systems in health service (where i work) - to modern & gimmicky, I hate new IT systems!
- The fact that I wake up in the morning in NZ during summer feeling like i'm in a damp stone cottage in Scottish Highlands - why are NZ houses like fridges?
- Naff holiday/annual leave entitlement (compared to UK)
- The latest fashion where boys have to wear their shorts several inches below their boxer shorts so you can see the top half of the boxer shorts. My son looks permanently like his shorts are falling half way down his legs and he insists on wearing the same pair of boxer shorts for the rest of his life because they are trendy. (Are the kids doing this in the UK?)
- Power walkers - usually middle aged women with lycra gear carrying baked bean tins and walking in a frenzy with an obsessive look on their face. Why not just walk normally, but fast - why all the lycra gear and gizmos?


***Today I walked out of the swimming pool with my son, who suddenly shouted 'oh man, cool, look at that'. I looked across to see two teenage lads, on ROLLER BLADES, coming down a STEEP hill at great speed ... pushing a buggy with a small baby in!!! They were headed towards the sea front so my son and I ran over (to help when they crashed!) only to see them suddenly and very last minute swerve safely round the corner to continue their high speed journey along the coastal walkway. I said to my son "only in New Zealand"...and that's what I really love about this place!!!

[Debbie]

I deeply dislike (don't like the word hate) .......

NEW ZEALAND REAL ESTATE AGENTS !!!!!!!

Oh yeah, they're friendly and helpful and seem to go that extra mile for you. Don't be sucked in - they don't work for the vendor or the buyer, they work for themselves and they are supreme scum !!!!!!!

Feel better for getting that oiff my chest.

Diny
So it's a universal thing then...
I had a great long line of expletives at hand to describe my UK estate agent but your right Diny "scum" sums it up.
Sorry to go off thread.
Debbie

[Singel]

Ok, here are my lists.................

Dislikes
1) hoons
2) hoons
3) hoons
(echo the same as Moorf)
Fortunately, we don't have this problem in our area :raebanana
4) Stupid give way rule to vehicles turning right
5) Rugby (find it too violent)
6) Sandflies

Likes
1) saw rainbows very often (sometimes, double rainbows :nice1 )
2) scenery
3) 5 mins walk to the beach, clean and safe for kids to swim and calm water for kayaking
4) 5 mins drive to the "open space" rural area
5) 15 mins drive to the Huana Ranges for tramping, mountain biking
6) 10 mins drive to the Botanical Gardens
7) fish and other seafood
8) fruits & vegs
9) cheap car and house insurance
10) nice & quiet (within the largest city in NZ)
11) weather (lots of sunshine during winter time*)
* there is no winter, it is just a changeover from autumn to spring cos the average temperature is 15 degree.
12) free parking everywhere except the CBD area
13) could afford a brand new car
14) friendly and helpful kiwis
15) kumeras
16) non-smoking in public areas
17) roundabouts
18) BBQs

[Singel]

Sorry miss out one important thing that I like............. ;)

19) can go anywhere without dressing up, nobody bothers

Hey, hey...............really like the laidback kiwi style :clap :clap :clap

[Singel]

Hmmm..................I need to make it to no. 20 of the "likes" list

Don't have to drive to and fro from work in the dark during the winter time :raebanana

sorry folks, my brain keep on churning without stop :laugh

[Diny]

So it's a universal thing then...
I had a great long line of expletives at hand to describe my UK estate agent but your right Diny "scum" sums it up.
Sorry to go off thread.
Debbie


Sure is !!!!! But my God they're supreme scum over here. We're selling our house through Greendoor. We may have to wait a wee while longer for it to sell but that's OK, we're in the fortunate position of not having any time limits to work to, we'll just sit it out until a buyer comes along.

We're getting charged a flat fee which is literally thousands less than the real estate agents would have charged, and all the wheeling and dealing is done directly with us (which is great).

Our house is listed on the Greendoor website and Trademe until sold. It is advertised in the property pages of the newspaper (Manawatu Standard) along with all the other estate agents ads, usual shop window ads and as many 'for sale' signs as we want, including a massive picture board. Today we noticed that the ad on the internet has only stated one bathroom - it's missed out the cloakroom, we've been onto them and that is being changed. So far we're happy with them. We had an open home on Sunday which was well advertised (had a house full).

For anybody who has the same deep rooted dislike of real estate agents I would recommend Greendoor.

You can see our property here http://www.greendoor-realestate.co.nz/properties/details.asp?ref=PN100

Diny

[Singel]

Diny, did you buy another house?

you are now a true blue kiwi, buying and selling of houses :laugh

Good Luck with the sales :nice1

[foolsgold99]

Hold on - don't know how on earth I managed to to miss this one of my dislikes list - this is a BIGGIE ......

I deeply dislike (don't like the word hate) .......

NEW ZEALAND REAL ESTATE AGENTS !!!!!!!

Oh yeah, they're friendly and helpful and seem to go that extra mile for you. Don't be sucked in - they don't work for the vendor or the buyer, they work for themselves and they are supreme scum !!!!!!!

Feel better for getting that oiff my chest.

Diny

Not sure this should be in a NZ thread, has anyone ever met a Kiwi estate agent, in Auckland they all seem to be Yarpies :laugh

[Diny]

Diny, did you buy another house?

you are now a true blue kiwi, buying and selling of houses :laugh

Good Luck with the sales :nice1


We're in the process of buying another rental to add to our 'portfolio' (God that expression makes me whince). As soon as we sell the house we live in then we'll find another to buy.

Transient wheeler dealers at the moment - and having a ball.

Diny

[Park City Partner]

OK, had to chime in on this one but also should qualify that I am having a bit of a hard time adjusting.

Likes

My Kiwi parnter
Ease of immigration- really, my visa was really easy to get
Public toilets- lots of them and generally clean
Greenery
Outdoor lifestyle
Inexpensive insurance since there is no tort law
No tipping
iSites everywhere
Socialized medicine
My Kiwi partner and soon to be wee kiwi

Dislikes
Traffic lights-geez they take forever!
Lack of insulation and heat in houses
Auckland traffic-almost as bad as LA
Cell phone plan prices
Internet useage caps
Price of goods especially whiteware
Lack of variety for takeout (oops takeaway) food

[Soon2baKiwi]

Dislikes

The fact that you really have to have a car here
Cost of mobile phone calls & capped internet usage

Likes
Everything else :raebanana

Em... I actually work for estate agents now :laugh

[pieeater]

Likes.
Climate.
Northland.
Living rurally on a few acres(and being able to walk round naked)(Watching the Horse in the Paddocks)
Wet back on the woodburner.
Kids at a Country School.
Cafe Culture.
Cellarmans Rich Cream Sherry.
The view from the top of wood chip silo at work look out over the Whangarei harbour enterence and Ruakaka surf beach)
Kauri Tree's.
Tui's in the orchard.
Fantails.
Bushwalking.
Kiaora -Maori Culture.
Beaches.
Hokey Pokey ice cream.
Paihia Jazz and Blues Festival.
NZ music scene is awsome(OOps!the awsome word slipped out)
Growing Sub Tropical Plants.
Growing my own Beef.
My son being able to crank up his Fender Strat.without stressing the neighbours.
Being able to nip out on the dirtbike on the gravel roads with no probs.
Riding to the beach on my Motorbike for a Swim.
Watching the NRL on SKY(and the Superleague games too).
The School Bus.
Fish ,kumara's etc
Son says the hot chicks !(Oh my god)
And did I say Cellarmans Rich Cream?.
Being chased out of the water by a Bronze Whaler at Wooley's Bay!
Bodysurfing at Waipu Cove.


Dislikes
Wages.(poor pay )
Holiday entitlement.
septic tanks!
Carrot weed
Kiwi fashion i.e what the best dressed guy is wearing_ black singlet ,white wellies, shorts ,too short .... if you know what I mean.As for Caroline Eve ...Well it;s not Next or New look!.
Health system.
Bullying in the workplace .
Hoons.
"P".
Gangster culture.
Hard nosed kiwi kids.
Poor Drivers/driving on crap roads way too fast.
Snackbar sandwiches???????????Carrot ,egg ,cheese,beeetroot ,need I say more!.
Dentists(Bank loan jobbie).
It's no cheaper than tesco's,morrison's or asda etc.
Fuel costs same as Uk (Take into consideration- more milage here and Ruc.)
Racism.
Sexism.
No decent t-bags except -Dilmar?.
Education system.
Work opportunities.
Being away from family.
Not being able to nip over to France/Europe..
WOF every 6 months.
No decent mango chutney(except every blue moon ,Pac&Save gets Pataks in )
Sausages are @*#& Cowmans in Clitheroe(we are not worthy!)
Only can get Performance Bike at the
Airport.
How could I forget the Housing........Damp wood, smelly ,Mouldy and cold.)Oh for central heating and no thermal underwear...Dead sexy!.not!.I don't know how the rest of N.Z manage to stop frostbite setting in or just becoming a damp squib....
Public transport..Eh!!!
Welfare spongers (absolutely no different to the UK).
Inequality-In the workplace,as a Pom !,I feel that Kiwis are too willing to let you take the lead in the more demanding situations .I don't know if it's because we are more experienced or because we just get on with it but it is the norm in my workplace and the spouses.
Not enough Cellermans rich Cream.
40hr working week.

[zardell]

Sausages are @*#& Cowmans in Clitheroe(we are not worthy!)
.


Ooooh yes, Cowmans - 10 minutes up the road from us.

Where are you from in the UK Pieeater ??

Julie

xx

[pieeater]

We're from the Wigan,Preston area and we have dreams about 'Sunny Sizzlers'and Ted's 'Christmas Special' :nice1 .

[zardell]

We're from the Wigan,Preston area and we have dreams about 'Sunny Sizzlers'and Ted's 'Christmas Special' :nice1 .


Yes, I'm going to miss Cowmans and I'll miss Clitheroe when it comes to that. I think I will miss the 'olde worlde' English village type places once we are in NZ.

Julie

xx

ps
sorry for 'thread-jacking'

[pieeater]

Yeah,for sure,make the most of it now!!.

[Jenny & Mark]

Dislikes-
no American football... or fans to discuss it with


Being from Canada, I would have "no American football" very high on my Likes list. Ditto that for Baseball. Hockey (ice) will be another story :( although I do enjoy cricket and rugby.

Cheers, Mark.

P.S. Jenny looks forward to seeing netball again. Why? I don't know.
Ouch. I got a hit and "cheeky" for that one.

[Albertz]

Likes.
Climate.
Northland.
Living rurally on a few acres(and being able to walk round naked)(Watching the Horse in the Paddocks)
Wet back on the woodburner.
Kids at a Country School.
Cafe Culture.
Cellarmans Rich Cream Sherry.
The view from the top of wood chip silo at work look out over the Whangarei harbour enterence and Ruakaka surf beach)
Kauri Tree's.
Tui's in the orchard.
Fantails.
Bushwalking.
Kiaora -Maori Culture.
Beaches.
Hokey Pokey ice cream.
Paihia Jazz and Blues Festival.
NZ music scene is awsome(OOps!the awsome word slipped out)
Growing Sub Tropical Plants.
Growing my own Beef.
My son being able to crank up his Fender Strat.without stressing the neighbours.
Being able to nip out on the dirtbike on the gravel roads with no probs.
Riding to the beach on my Motorbike for a Swim.
Watching the NRL on SKY(and the Superleague games too).
The School Bus.
Fish ,kumara's etc
Son says the hot chicks !(Oh my god)
And did I say Cellarmans Rich Cream?.
Being chased out of the water by a Bronze Whaler at Wooley's Bay!
Bodysurfing at Waipu Cove.


Dislikes
Wages.(poor pay )
Holiday entitlement.
septic tanks!
Carrot weed
Kiwi fashion i.e what the best dressed guy is wearing_ black singlet ,white wellies, shorts ,too short .... if you know what I mean.As for Caroline Eve ...Well it;s not Next or New look!.
Health system.
Bullying in the workplace .
Hoons.
"P".
Gangster culture.
Hard nosed kiwi kids.
Poor Drivers/driving on crap roads way too fast.
Snackbar sandwiches???????????Carrot ,egg ,cheese,beeetroot ,need I say more!.
Dentists(Bank loan jobbie).
It's no cheaper than tesco's,morrison's or asda etc.
Fuel costs same as Uk (Take into consideration- more milage here and Ruc.)
Racism.
Sexism.
No decent t-bags except -Dilmar?.
Education system.
Work opportunities.
Being away from family.
Not being able to nip over to France/Europe..
WOF every 6 months.
No decent mango chutney(except every blue moon ,Pac&Save gets Pataks in )
Sausages are @*#& Cowmans in Clitheroe(we are not worthy!)
Only can get Performance Bike at the
Airport.
How could I forget the Housing........Damp wood, smelly ,Mouldy and cold.)Oh for central heating and no thermal underwear...Dead sexy!.not!.I don't know how the rest of N.Z manage to stop frostbite setting in or just becoming a damp squib....
Public transport..Eh!!!
Welfare spongers (absolutely no different to the UK).
Inequality-In the workplace,as a Pom !,I feel that Kiwis are too willing to let you take the lead in the more demanding situations .I don't know if it's because we are more experienced or because we just get on with it but it is the norm in my workplace and the spouses.
Not enough Cellermans rich Cream.
40hr working week.

I'd be interested in a breakdown as to what eveidence you have of your dislikes (apart from the ones you have mentioned) :uhoh happy to read of likes tho :)

[Kim39]

NZ FLU arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh really knocks the stuffing out of you.:wah :wah


kim

[Moorf]

Yeah I'll 2nd and 3rd that - it was the WORST flu I've had and I'm still, 3 weeks later, on anti-b's for the chest infection it left me with :wah

[Carol]

I'm not the only one who delights in Tui's singing in the trees
Diny



They sound like a fat kid on a squeaky swing!


;)

[Diny]

That's the best description I've ever heard. I won't be able to listen to ours again without thinking about that.

[Carol]

That's the best description I've ever heard. I won't be able to listen to ours again without thinking about that.

:laugh
sorry to burst your bubble pet.

[Diny]

Not at all - I think it's a cracker. I also think the magpies sound like the Clangers.

[Carol]

Not at all - I think it's a cracker. I also think the magpies sound like the Clangers.

now hey.....there's nowt clangy about Newcastle Utd!
:laugh

[StevieD]

I take it from your comments Carol that you hail from the land of the "Barcodes"? Especially coming out with the term 'pet'! :laugh

Can't wait to hear Tui song now - and magpies sounding like the Clangers, that is bizarre.


Talking of things Clanger and TV nostalgia from childhood times, have a peek at this site for you UK tv buffs. Help while away an hour or three!

http://www.jedisparadise.co.uk/index.htm?childrenstv/Childrens_TV_Details.htm&1

[Carol]

I take it from your comments Carol that you hail from the land of the "Barcodes"? Especially coming out with the term 'pet'! :laugh




me?
a geordie???

;)

[NannyOgg]

Err.... Call me Mrs. Thickie - but what is a 'hoon'?

[StevieD]

Yeah!! Wel come on Carol, spill the beanz :laugh

Nanny Ogg, a hoon is a boy racer type, who delights in wrecking tyres and driving at breakneck speeds, boom boxes thumping etc..

[NannyOgg]

Ahhhh... a young, male chav right?

[Moorf]

Yeah a 15 year old Chav who can drive a car with no insurance and no limit on the car's power etc etc... :mad:

[Moorf]

There's even a "Boy Racer Act" :yes

http://www.police.govt.nz/service/road/boyracerdetails.html

[Jenny & Mark]

Welfare spongers (absolutely no different to the UK)

commonly called 'dole bludgers' not sure where that originated from, but yeah, they are disliked by most "working-class" kiwi's

Jenny