[Natalieb]

Hope someone might be able to answer a couple of questions:-

1. As we are unsure exactly where we will be living we cant give an address of our new location to the container company, does that matter at an early stage?

2. When our container arrives in NZ do we have to travel to Auckland to sign documents etc?

3. We are hoping to rent somewhere for the first few months, is it possible to arrange for the container to go into storage for a while, if that is possible has anybody idea of prices.

4. What are we not allowed to take in our Container. Can we take dried foods such as herbs? is it true you cant take lawnmowers or Christmas decorations?

Natalie xx

[gil]

Hi Natalieb,
If I remember correctly:
1. We gave the address of the the Howick Motor Lodge, the temporary accomodation we went to straight from the airport. I may be wrong, but I think we had to give a contact address here, so we gave my frienss in Tauranga even though we weren't going there.
2. I'm sure there are regional offices! Can't imagine they'd make you go to Auckland! Check with your shipper re offices of the compaby they use this end.
3. Plenty of storage places, we didn't use it so can't help with prices. Try a search on here and you'll find info e.g. http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9355&highlight=storage
4. We brought our lawn mower (steamcleaned and disinfected), all our Christmas deccies (MAF wanted to check the l-m and the decs) but no herbs as I had not had the imagination to buy new! Ypu can't bring opened ones (or so our shippers told me) nut unopened and sealed is fine (i.e as brand new from the shop) Your shippers shoulc provode you with a list of what you can and acn't take.

Good luck!

Gil

[StevieD]

Natalie - just noticed you in Manchester, we having a meet on the 10th Feb in Warrington - coming along?? We can chew the cud about containers and everything emigrate there...

We are flying out to NZ on the 9th March, still haven't a clue where we are going to be living, many people are in the same situation. I think it is just for a contact address that the shippers require for their paperwork.

Drop us a pm with any questions you may have or about where we are up to, don't know how far down the line you are but we'll help you as much as we can.

Steve - oh, and see you there in Warrington on the 10th?? There is a thread on the community/meets sub forum ;)

[diforsyth]

Hi Natalie,

In answer to your questions: -

1. No, we advised the shippers that the eventual destination (after a period of storage) of our container would be "in the Auckland region" for pricing. Our container went in June and we didn't arrive until September and then only to a motel.

2. No, this can be taken care of by the shippers. We kept in touch via e-mail to make decisions like whether to pay to treat the Christmas tree (with real pine cones) or allow it to be burned.

3. Should be no problem, we paid about $11 per day and eventually got our container in November. Living out a suitcase for nearly six months :(

4. As mentioned before, see MAF restrictions. I left the lawnmower behind for other reasons - no tools, no work :o

Hope this helps,

David.

[nippa&pippa]

4. What are we not allowed to take in our Container. Can we take dried foods such as herbs? is it true you cant take lawnmowers or Christmas decorations?

Natalie xx

One things i will mention as not mention anywhere on the offical list of MAF is craft kits, caught me surprise when MAF turned up....if you got art and craft kits/boxes...go through it and check for any plant, seeds and similar, bin it as not allowed.
I had several art and crafts in several different boxes, packer's faults, much to MAF's dismay :laugh so they gave up and asked me what in it...long list but i confirmed that there is no plants or similar....

[Ana&Steve]

One things i will mention as not mention anywhere on the offical list of MAF is craft kits, caught me surprise when MAF turned up....if you got art and craft kits/boxes...go through it and check for any plant, seeds and similar, bin it as not allowed.
I had several art and crafts in several different boxes, packer's faults, much to MAF's dismay :laugh so they gave up and asked me what in it...long list but i confirmed that there is no plants or similar....
Good point! I was going though my crafts the other day, and found dried flowers, twig wreaths, and a cute little pine cone the size of my thumbnail.(Threw it all into the garage sale box and wiped all the drawers with bleach solution)
Ana