[markyspark]

Ok, well as many people have said already - NZ is a beautiful country. But there is a down side I feel. We are living in the Northland, Whangarei, and really there is very little oppotrunity up here. I am an Industrial sparkie and do fairly well financially compared to most, my average yearly pay is probably about 60k gross and about 45k after tax. Thats good pay for a sparkie, most would be lucky to earn 45k gross. I am not bragging, I just think facts are good for people wanting to live here. My brother-in-law also lives here and works as a carpenter and he earns about 40k gross. Sister-in-law works at a local school as a lab tech and she probably gets about 30k gross with no holiday pay during the hols. Mother-in-law is a carer getting about 22k and father-in-law is a security guard getting 30k, Sorry if I am boring you. (if you didnt know we all came over in the last two years)

Anyway, outside of Auckland the job scene is just a bit dull, with many companies really out to screw you. Most small companies here wont give you any holiday pay for your first year, you cant take any paid holiday. Working and living inside Auckland would be a complete nightmare - unless you are used to London and the terrible traffic etc. dont even consider Auckland, the fumes from cars are even worse than London due to a lack of emission control. Whangarei is a nice place to live, retire, holiday, and have fun - but work ? Well, I guess it just depends on what you want out of life. When you are fed up with beaches and all that stuff what else is there. Oh sorry for the doom and gloom but I am not the only pom who feels this way - we had more opportunity in the UK. But then wait - in another 5 - 10 years things may be very different. Industry could grow in this country and pay could increase etc. So maybe it will be good - if we dont enter into a recession with the high oil prices, interest rates, food, house prices all going up. It really is a bit bleek at the moment. If you bring plenty of money with you and can be mortgage free - youve probably got a good start.

Another thing...dont come without PR, this immigration system is absolutely shocking. We have applied for our PR back in early January and have now been told that due to my wifes Diabetes her medical has been refered for a second opinion. We may not get PR, or at least thats how it looks, just because my wife has diabetes ! Unreal. Whenever you contact immigration they fob you off and your case officer isnt even polite enough to call you or email you back. Things are different in the south island - probably because they really need people down there. Seriously consider it. Another thing with the 'winterless north' (certainly not rainless north) is the dampness due to humidity. In the last month I have become asthmatic - I never had this before and I am 35 now. Looks like its all to do with damp houses - and you cant do that much about it apart from dehumifiers etc.

To date we have paid:

2500 pounds to move our stuff
2000 pounds for flights
2000 pounds for camper and travelling when arrived
$8000 for car
$800 for another car (almost scrap)
$600 for Permits, and you only get a year we asked for two (approx)
$350 for EOI
$800 for PR app
$500 for medicals
$500 for blood tests
$200 for X-Rays
$1200 for Electrical course through ETCO
$2000 for lost pay and staying in Auckland to go on course
$300 for EWRB (approx inc registration as electrician)

I am sure there is a lot more.

On the upside, our rent is cheap although this is not common. Here are our bills

$130 Rent (others pay between 250 - 350)
$200 Shopping (2 adults 2 children)
$100 Car (we only use the one)
$10 Phone
$5 Internet

So at least we can save for our deposit - if we can stay. Otherwise its going to be used to fly the four of us back at a cost of $6000 one way - flights are sooo expensive. Then there is sending everything back and I dont even want to go there.

Hope I havent depressed you all, I just feel like its not what it was cracked up to be. If we didnt have the immigration and the money grabbing government (bit like the UK) and more job prospects with better pay then it would be cool. You just need plenty of money so you dont have to work your butt off.

Until the next time

PS: If I dont reply I am not being rude just working hard to save some money.

[carina]

Hi

Thanks for your views, it was interesting to read about your experiences. We are just considering the move at present, and it helps to hear the down side as well. Most comments I have heard haven't put me off, but just wanted to ask you, do you wish you had stayed in the UK now?

Good luck

Carina

[Delson]

Hi

Good informative post. Sorry to hear it's not working out as you had planned. Have you considered a move to South Island? Maybe the climate and work situation would be better for you. Good luck to you and your family.

[David with a dream]

Hi Mark, good post and deffo not through rose tinted specs! I to wonder if you wished you had stayed in the UK. Hope you dont mind me asking but did you bring much cash over from the UK to put down on a house? Is your wife enjoying NZ and what about the kids how are they getting on?
I do hope it works out for you Mark and your family, good luck mate........David

[Crunchmonkey]

Ouch Marky ! That's not the best of news, thanks for sharing the downside with us. I wish you the best for a better future.

[Milliemoo]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for such an honest post.

Peeps may find this site usefull with regards to minimum wage etc:
http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/pay/minimum.html

I have to disagree with your comments about Auckland. Auckland City, maybe, but Auckland Region is so huge that there's no way it could be compared to London. Like anywhere there are good areas and bad areas and places which some poeple will love and some people will hate.

I think your post really does emphasise how important reasearch is with regards to the area you want to live and the type of wage you can expect for the job that you do.

Good luck, and I hope it all works out for you.

Milliemoo

[Lukas]

that's a good post bro...I can tell you much more stuff like this...try to imagine the immigrants comming in NZ with nothing and non British non native English Speackers...

[Howie]

Thanks for the great post. I think people are sometimes embarrassed when they make a big decision like a move to NZ and then it doesn't turn out like they thought. They tend to just get quiet about it or pretend it's going better than they thought.

We've only been here a month and a half, and the biggest surprise has been that we're not finding Kiwis to be that friendly. Superficially, they're very friendly, but they don't seem to want to get to know new people. Maybe it's just us. The other big issue is general competence. A lot of people complain about the "she'll be right" attitude. As a junior engineer, I'm starting to think I may have trouble finding good mentors to learn from.

Regarding your comments on Auckland, I couldn't disagree more. I'm not sure if you've lived here, or are just listening to non-Aucklander propaganda, but it can be a great place. We live in Howick within a 10 minute walk of a nice little town center with plenty of shops, 20 minute walk to the beach, 10 minute drive to all the shopping we could ever need, and 25-30 minute drive to work (we both work south of here, so it's a reverse commute on back roads). I haven't noticed any air pollution issues. I'm sure some people have nightmare commutes on the motorway, but it all depends on where you choose to work and where you choose to live. Our rent is certainly more than yours, though. We pay $375/week.

Chris

[Carol]

We've only been here a month and a half, and the biggest surprise has been that we're not finding Kiwis to be that friendly. Superficially, they're very friendly, but they don't seem to want to get to know new people. Maybe it's just us.
Chris

No it's not just you.
I really struggled with this for a long time.......

ANd started enjoying time with good friends - simply people I just liked.

TO be honest ........many are English.

But SOME are kiwis.

:cheers

[wilson182]

Ok, Does anyone think this is a North Island, South Island thing?? We have had this discussion with a lot of kiwis and mostly the ones who have moved down from the North Island. Aparently (and I am quoting them as I have no actual experience of this myself) people are friendlier on the South Island. We have a VERY good kiwi friend who is maori, and originates from the NI, he claims that if we were on the NI there is no way we would be such close friends.!!
I can honestly say I have never experienced unfriendly kiwis, (although maybe I just dont get out enough!!)

[Carol]

no - I dont think so.

Actually - in the last couple of months I've met and made friends with a kiwi who just blows me away with warmth.
It's not the first time it has happened - I met one of my best friends in the entire world here - a year after we got here - and she is a kiwi too.


But GENERALLY speaking - they aren't all like that.
Far from it.

[markyspark]

Thank you all so much for your positive replies, I actually expected a negative response as I am critising the dream so to speak. But I have an appology to make about Auckland - sorry I know its a great place if you live in the right parts - and it is really spread out. I just hated the traffic, and I know London is worse although I never lived there. We lived 50 miles from London and that was bad enough. Even though the countryside is nice it does have its drawbacks - especially no broadband and probably for another 5 years....!!!!

Anyway, enough on that. To answer the question about going back to the UK I would say absolutely NO WAY !! Its not that NZ isnt or couldnt be a nice place to live its more about the money and jobs. This we can change eventually with the right attitude. Oh and the Governments could almost be the same, although thats a very un-educated thing to say. I am sure ultimately our two boys would have a much better life here, well actually they already do. We also didnt come with any money, only enough to get us started certainly not enough for a deposit..etc.

Last thing, I work with a guy from the South Island and also I have spoken to people about the attitudes of the South Island folk and it seems that they are more friendly towards each other and outsiders. I wonder how they are when they get behind the wheel because the North Island people are terrible - and I dont mean just the driving skill I mean that there is absolutely no cuourtesy at all, especially to pedestrians. Try crossing the road in Whangarei and you will see what I mean. People look amazed at me when I stop to let them cross.

Thanks again everyone, good luck to you all coming here and just remember that money does make life easier and NZ is not the best place to get ahead financially. You may think its worth the sacrifice but eventually it will get you down when you feel like your empolyer is screwing you. And get the PR before you come...

Mark

[markyspark]

Oh and about moving to the South Island, we did consider it but I worry that it may be worse than here for job prospects and money. Only saying that because of the small population.

Bye for now

Mark

[Singel]

Our kiwi ex-neighbour moved to the next suburb and were very happy to stay in touch with us. When they know that I was made redundant, they came to visit us with cakes and to find out how am I doing with job searching. This couple came from Napier, we also picked their brains about this place as we would be going there during the Anzac holiday. There was a landslip happened on Friday (before Anzac day) along the way to Napier, resulting in serious traffic jam. Fortunately, we started our journey on Saturday because by the time we reach the landslip area, the place is under control and the traffic is light. After we came back from Napier, our ex-neighbour pop over to find out how are we doing with our trip as they are worried that we were caught in the terrific traffic jam on the landslip day.

We were deeply touch by these kiwi kindness :nice1 :nice1 even though we have been immediate neighbour for a short time.

Our other immediate kiwi neighbours help us to clear our letters from our mail-box, look after our house plants and mow our front lawn when we are away on holidays.

So far we have great experience with the kiwis and we find them friendly, sincere and helpful. Certainly we felt confident that we could count on them in time of crisis.

[Singel]

Oh and about moving to the South Island, we did consider it but I worry that it may be worse than here for job prospects and money. Only saying that because of the small population.

Bye for now

Mark
Mark, this is a good worry.

I think new emigrants should start in a place where they could find jobs and later move to their ideal place in NZ.

[Singel]

Thank you all so much for your positive replies, I actually expected a negative response as I am critising the dream so to speak. But I have an appology to make about Auckland - sorry I know its a great place if you live in the right parts - and it is really spread out. I just hated the traffic, and I know London is worse although I never lived there.
We live in Manurewa and it only take us 30 mins drive each way to and fro work in Penrose/Mt. Wellington. So it is not just where you live, it is also where you work.

The area where we live is great, 5 mins walk to the beach, less than 10 mins drive to the Auckland Botanic Garden and good amenities.

[starkhorn]

About the NI/SI thing, I remember going on the Whale Watch at Kaikoura and the guy on the mic was doing some comparasions between the NI and the SI. According to this gentlemen, despite the SI having a smaller population, they have far more pubs in the SI than in the north. That says everything for me! :)

[Lukas]

SI is more traditional, more British than NI...safer, quieter, higher salaries for casual jobs, more opportunities for new arrived immigrants due to the high demand of skiled people. Also the cost of living is much cheaper...you can save more out of an average salary.

[tottefan]

Most people don't want a 'British' place though. They want somewhere with a bit of buzz and excitement.

The NI seems like a good compromise because the weather's warmer and better than the UK, it's still pretty sparsely populated with loads and loads of open spaces, low crime rate compared to the UK, but there is a bit more life in the towns and cities if you want some.


Tottefan.

[Lukas]

well man...I think 75% of the Kiwis are living out of around 500NZ$ a week...living in Central Otago or South Land with those money you cand have a decent house, holiday lifestile...or you can just survive...in NI...Also SI may be colder but is dryer. I also found it much much easier to find a decent paid job.

[wilson182]

By 'buzz and excitement' do you mean sitting in traffic for an hour or so to get to work!! Pop into chch central city any night of the week and you will find plenty of life.....(does anyone fancy trying out 'boogie nights??')
Hubby works in different place everyday meeting various people and nationalities, and as a general rule of thumb he tends to find the Brits are the least friendly of them all and the kiwis the most friendly (thats not to say he hasnt met ANY unfriendly ones)

[Singel]

well man...I think 75% of the Kiwis are living out of around 500NZ$ a week...living in Central Otago or South Land with those money you cand have a decent house, holiday lifestile...or you can just survive...in NI...Also SI may be colder but is dryer. I also found it much much easier to find a decent paid job.
If 2/3 of the NZ population live in NI, it already tell you something about it.

Recently, the Mayor of Invercargill said that a brand-new 3 bed-rooom house costs $85k there and 3 cars at the traffic junction is a crisis. However, there isn't any rush for people from NI to move to the Southland. This also tell you something.................

By the way, we have a great lifestyle* in Auckland :raebanana
* when we reach home from work everyday, we still could walk to the beach or walk around one of the 5 lakes here, before it get dark (now, it is around 6 pm). We couldn't do things like this in Holland.

[tottefan]

It's funny how when people live in NZ they argue that their island/region/city is the best. It doesn't seem to happen in the UK, so I'm thinking that perhaps it's just a NZ thing.


Tottefan.

[ruthyroo]

Ha - you've obviously never come between a weegie and an edinburgh-ger when 'discussing' the relative merits of their respective cities!!

R

[Moorf]

Great initial post, like many who haven't been to Auckland it's hard to imagine what it's like and therefore good to hear both sides of the coin. For us, it's not the place we want to be because the SI backdrop, towns, climate etc etc are more our sort of thang, but I can see why people who live in Auckland do so.


It doesn't seem to happen in the UK, so I'm thinking that perhaps it's just a NZ thing.


Couldn't disagree more!!! Having lived in London, Brighton, Edinburgh and plenty of places between the "here is better than there" attitude is alive and kicking in the UK - and Woz learnt very early on when we lived in Edinburgh that you don't call them weegies to their face :roll (especially rather large Glaswegian rugby players and even MORE so when you're English and they're drunk.... :D )


If 2/3 of the NZ population live in NI, it already tell you something about it.



Yep, it tells me I'd prefer to be where we are



.....(does anyone fancy trying out 'boogie nights??')



Count me in - walked past it the other day and thought the same thing!! And no, you can't bring kids..... :roll

Friendly Kiwi's? I must be doing something wrong cos apart from the occasional misery guts I find them to be very friendly and welcoming (too friendly sometimes when I just want an afternoon to myself!!) Not sure if it's a north/south island thing as I've never been to the north island so can't comment but if I come across a misery guts then they're just a miserable human being... not a taint on the whole nation!!! Likewise an over-friendly Kiwi doesn't represent a nation of over-zealous neighbours begging to be your mate.

And you must have had the same Maori guide at Kaikoura as the one we had did nothing but joke about the North Island - but nothing more than the sort of banter we're used to from the UK, whether it be north/south, English/Scots/French, townie/bumpkin...

I get fed up with people bashing the South Island, and I know people who get fed up with Auckland/NI taking a bashing. I could quote lots of "awful" stuff about Auckland (the radio the other day said it was the 2nd worst city in the world for car crime quoting 65 cars a day being stolen), or Christchurch ("asthma capital of Australasia") or "windy" Wellington or the "chilly bin" Dunedin - but who cares??? Suck it and see.. you may be pleasantly surprised... ;)

[Lukas]

If 2/3 of the NZ population live in NI, it already tell you something about it.

Recently, the Mayor of Invercargill said that a brand-new 3 bed-rooom house costs $85k there and 3 cars at the traffic junction is a crisis. However, there isn't any rush for people from NI to move to the Southland. This also tell you something.................

By the way, we have a great lifestyle* in Auckland :raebanana
* when we reach home from work everyday, we still could walk to the beach or walk around one of the 5 lakes here, before it get dark (now, it is around 6 pm). We couldn't do things like this in Holland.

I have serious doubts a real three bed-room house costs 85k by the year 2006...but who knows...sometimes they call it "house" a barack....which would qualify at most for a holiday house in Europe.

[Smiler]

I have serious doubts a real three bed-room house costs 85k by the year 2006...but who knows...sometimes they call it "house" a barack....which would qualify at most for a holiday house in Europe.

I'm not qualified to talk about Invercagill as I've not been there, but a quick search on google shows pages of houses under $95,000. True some of them I wouldn't put my dog in but there are others and well, the opportunity is there if you want to grab it because it suits you.

[Moorf]

I have serious doubts a real three bed-room house costs 85k by the year 2006



You're right!! Try just $80k instead :D

http://www.macphersonrealestate.co.nz/Results.asp?Cart=&ListingNoCart=&District=&City=&Zone=&Suburb=&txtSuburb=invercargill&PropertyType=&Minimum=&Maximum=&Bedrooms=&Bathrooms=&Garages=&MinLandArea=&MaxLandArea=&MinLandAreaSQM=&MaxLandAreaSQM=&OpenHomeDate=&UseMap=&MapImage=&AreaWhere=&OfficeAreaWhere=&Combo=&PropertyTypeWhere=&PriceWhere=&BedroomWhere=&BathroomWhere=&GarageWhere=&MinLandHAWhere=&MinLandSQMWhere=&OpenHomeDateWhere=&FormAction=DetailSearch&PageNumber=2&ListingNo=2440&PropertySearchType=Residential&OfficeNo=1057-0%27%2C+%271057-0P%27%2C+%278821-0%27%2C+%278821-0P&RepCode=&ConsRepCode=&cboDistrict=20&cboCity=All&cboZone=All&cboSuburb=All&cboPropertyType=&cboMinimum=0&cboMaximum=100000.00&cboBedrooms=ALL&cboBathrooms=ALL&cboGarages=ALL&cboMinLandAreaHA=&cboMaxLandAreaHA=&cboMinLandAreaSQM=&cboMaxLandAreaSQM=&cboMinFloorArea=&cboOpenHomeDetails=&PropertyID=&Search=

[Singel]

I have serious doubts a real three bed-room house costs 85k by the year 2006...but who knows...sometimes they call it "house" a barack....which would qualify at most for a holiday house in Europe.

NZ Herald
29.04.06
By Anne Gibson

In Auckland, $78,000 is a carpark. In Invercargill it's a home.

That's the price one buyer has paid for a single park in the basement of downtown Auckland's Ascott Metropolis apartment tower - a record according to the agent who sold it.

In Invercargill, about the same amount buys a good-quality home. Asked for his best picks, Tony Jenkins of Harcourts Invercargill sent details of two modern, well-maintained brick three-bedroom houses, one selling for $80,000, the other $85,000.

"It's just outrageous," says Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt of what he sees as Aucklanders' wicked car obsession.

"It just goes to show the problem New Zealand is facing in terms of its population imbalance. If we [in Invercargill] get more than three cars at the lights, it's called a crisis here."

A policy change to encourage migrants to settle outside Auckland would solve the unequal population spread, he said.

Even in the world of carpark peddling, the agent who made the sale finds the price unbelievable.

Damian Piggin of Ray White City Apartments said he thought it was "ludicrous" when in November last year he got $70,000 for a Metropolis parking space.

When he later sold a level-25 unit in the tower, another carpark became available.

"The purchaser just wanted a one-bedroom overlooking the park and the car park was of no interest to him. I then put the word out to a few people and a day later I had an offer for $78,000, which is how much the carpark finished selling for," he said.

The woman who bought the carpark already owned a Metropolis unit, which she rents out. She wanted the park for work, Mr Piggin said.

"People have asked to purchase an apartment with a carpark just to get the carpark and then re-sell the unit," said Mr Piggin. He is now chasing $110,000 for a tandem carpark - two parks end-to-end, locking one vehicle against the wall - in the Quay West apartment block on Albert St.

Mr Piggin reckons he might get $80,000 for a carpark if he took it to auction, a sales technique he said would never have been contemplated a few years ago.

Colliers International agent Roger Seavill said Auckland carparks had drawn such strong interest lately that he had started a website, carparknz.co.nz, for buyers and sellers.

"You can get a 6 per cent yield on carparks, which is better than residential investment," he said.

"I'd rather own a carpark than an apartment."

His price record: $62,000 for a carpark in a Mills Lane building alongside the Quay West apartments.

Mr Seavill said carparks in Sydney sold for more than $100,000.


Take your pick

Invercargill house:
* Harcourts is selling 1 Brooke St for $80,000.
* Buyer will get a 505 sq m fully landscaped corner section.
* Contemporary, three-bedroom house, separate dining, separate lounge.

[Lukas]

Those are news papers storyes bro...I use to live in Central Otago in a semi-rural area...not far from Invercargill...so I am quite well aquinted with the prices, kind of houses etc, etc. You won't find something decent under 120k...yes you may build a one bed-roome ew house from prefabricated materials at around 75k...but you have to ad to this the cost of land section, connection to facilities electricity, running water etc

[Singel]

Have a look at this house in Invercargill for $85k..............
http://www.harcourts.co.nz/listing/details.do?rul=%2Fsearch%2Fprocess.do%3Fpg%3D1%26t s%3D92609048%26zon%3D1137%26br%3DB%26typ%3DHOU%26r eg%3D1011%26pmx%3D100000&id=323670

[Lukas]

what can I say...it looks not bad for this price...17 yo house, ...however you have to see it...the souroundings, the neighbours...details etc, etc...You may know better than me...real estate agents are experts in dressing the crown as kakadoo...pictures etc.

[Moorf]

one persons kakadoo is another's palace..... ;)

[Lukas]

I agree

[Ant&Eve]

Living outside Christchurch for over a year now. Loving it.

We’ve made some great kiwi cobbers. My experiences so far with kiwis have been almost entirely positive (I’m struggling to think of a negative one). We’ve been blown away by people’s generosity and friendliness down here.

Not trying to evangelise New Zealand or kiwis, just saying as I find.

Am quite delighted 2/3 of the population is on NI, perfectly happy for it to stay that way ;-)

[K&CS]

Ant & Eve - with you 100% on the last comment! We're also loving it in Christchurch and can't think of any way our life was better than this back in the UK (and we were actually very happy in the UK!). Whereabouts in Christchurch are you?

Kate

PS just seen you're outside Christchurch!

[theoptom]

Thanks for the honest post, us prospective movers need an occasional grounding.(pardon the pun.)

[veronica]

think some of the issues come when people decide where they are going to live before they get here. Its really best to come and have a look around first, or failing that take a job in one area and have a good look around in the first year to decide what you want from the place. Those remote places do have cheap property, theres a reason for it too sometimes, not many people want to live there, and sometimes the people who do are in the poorer end of the ecconomic chain. that doesn't make them bad, just maybe not the sort of people you would have masses in common with. (could get some flak perhaps from that remark). the top end of the north island does have some issues that perhaps are not apparent when you live in the UK. Yes Auckland offers lots more job opportunities and better pay too, it would do, it has a bigger population base.

Our daughter and son in law live in Auckland and are reasonably settled there, they too are in Howick and only a little way from the beach, both are heavily involved in local Scout troops and have masses of friends mostly Kiwi. the kiwis are there if you go out to find them and join in. We are down here in Chch and love the south island, yep its damp here too, think most of NZ suffers from it but rental houses more than most.
The nightlife here in Chch is, according to daughter, better here than Auckland, and a lot of the backpackers we have through feel the same way, culturally there is a lot on offer here too. Its a town with a little bit of a bohemian feel. Wellington also has a rep as a town with things happening.

Its not perfect here, theres lots of things the same as the UK, similar probs with youth culture and general crime, low wages, not the same vast opportunities as offered in the UK, but surely most people realise that a place with a population of 4 million spread over an area the same size as Britain is going to be a tad more restricted on the job front. In a perverse way that same situation also offers MORE opportunities in some things too.

the best thing you can do is really look into the different areas before you come here, not just the 'it'll be nice to live there its near the beach' sort of thing. the more you research "with plain specs on" the better chance any of you have of settling here. Rose tinted specs are best kept for looking at your kids when they are asleep!! None of this is a critisim of anyone, just my opinions of the comments made by the postings above.

[Vanessa]

What a great post Veronica, you are absolutely right about choosing where to live before you get there! It's so difficult though, I find I get sucked into how good or bad a place looks on paper just researching it on the net, and before I know it I'm saying "oh I'm not going there, there's too many factories..." (just an example, nothing against factories!) or "this place is great, it's got X,Y & Z" Does anyone else do this??

[veronica]

I think we're all guilty of it cos we only have limited knowledge, I know Pete and I in our early reseach had some perceptions that I cringe a bit over when I think of them now. At least we only shared them with each other though.

[Diny]

Does anyone else do this??

When we decide to 'up sticks' our lives and move to a different part of the world it's only natural to enthuse and 'fall in love' with pictures, ideas, place names, locations etc. After all, it's human nature to seek out the good and cover the bad. We all want to believe that our new home will be full of wonderfully affordable houses with stunning views and a 2 min walk to the beach. No crime, no backstabbing politics, no out of control teenagers hanging around in gangs ...... in fact why should any of us believe that anything other than 'fantastic' should lie ahead of us.

Like Veronica mentioned, rose tinted specs should be worn for looking at our children in bed asleep.

It's human nature - you're not alone.

Diny

[Dozzer]

Anyone got any personal views of Hamilton area... Waikato ?

[wilson182]

Fantastic Post Veronica... I agree and would really recommend your comments to any newbies out there.

When we first came to NZ we came for a month and travelled around and liked Christchurch, but being townies we settled in the town. We couldnt buy for at least a year because we were still renting the house out in England. I am so glad, cause now we have settled out in Rangiora, something we would never have considered in the begining.
Debs