Hi Eveyone..Karl reporting for duty as promised

karltsmith

Hi Eveyone,

Just a note to say we arrived safely on the North Shore and it is as beautiful as I remember it.....new shops...new Auckland skyline but essentially it's good to be back.

The flight over was our biggest trial but with twin year old daughters we didn't expect it to be bed of roses!

We have a fully furnished rental 300m from Waiake Beach near Torbay and have been here 6 days.

In that time we have sorted our accomodation, car rental (temporary measure), converted driving licences, opened bank accounts, transfered some funds, Transfered our AA membership, which contrary to what we were told in the UK is honoured in NZ by the AA (and even gets discounted on the number of years you have been a member), registered for our IRD numbers, shopped around for cars, arranged phones and internet, visited some creches and short listed some childcare options, met with Helen's employers and even had time to get invited to a BBQ for the weekend.

Not bad for 6 days and you know what everyone we have dealt with without exception has been polite, courteous, patient, helpful and friendly...it's like a breath of fresh air!

ITS GOOD TO BE BACK Nice One

r+j · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 6:15 am Post subject:

Well done!

Glad to hear you're getting settled.
When do you start work?
How do you find Torbay area?
Hope you don't mind me asking but how much is the weekly rent?
Let us know how you get on

J

karltsmith · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 7:52 am Post subject:

Hi R+J

Torbay area is great, very laid back.....almost fully reclined! Rent is $400 wk for a fully furnished 3 bed cottage 00m fron Waiake beach...lovelly. If you are headed this way I can put you in touch with people for rentals or keep an eye out for you!

richsadams · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 11:27 am Post subject: Welcome

Hi Karl,

Welcome "back"!

Great to know that you've realized your dream...gives the rest of us hope. Laughing

We're working on getting rid of belongings, shipping the rest, shipping pets and otherwise going a bit Nutcase

. We suddenly realized we have about eight weeks before we climb on a plane to head for the other side of the world! Scary! Eek

Glad to see you survived it all. Please keep us in the loop and let us know the "truths" from the "stories" we've all read here.

Can't wait to hear more. Thanks for returning! Clapping

ruthj · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 8:58 pm Post subject:

Hi Karl

Great news that things are working out so well.
Interesting about the AA membership - I didn't know it was transferrable either - have just paid my year subs in January too.

Could you explain about "converting driving licences"? I thought you just kept your UK one until sitting the NZ test within first 12 months - is that not the case??

You seem to have done so much in just 6 days - well done!! Hope we have the same success in Dunedin in 3 weeks time!!!!!
Ruth

karltsmith · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:38 pm Post subject:

Hi Ruth,

AA just take your UK AA membership card to any AA office in NZ and they will issue you a NZ AA card free of charge and honour your UK membership free until its renewal date. You will also qualify for discounts on memebership based on how long you have been a member in the UK.

Coversion of drivers licence:- I already have an old style NZ paper licence, having been a PR before and I now have to convert it to a photo licence..just a formality really.

My wife, Helen, is swatting the NZ road code (yes they do have one...believe it or not) and she is expecting to take her theory test in a week or so...it's easy peasy so she can tick it off our things to do list.

We are busy searching for cars and vetting nurseries at present.

Take care and good luck in Dunedin!!! It's a nice place I've been there a few times....a bit cold this time of year though!

lesly · Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2004 7:38 am Post subject:

Hi Karl, welcome back, it's great to hear everything is allright Nice One

and remember : Destiny is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice.
Wink

Cheers, Lesly

pam owen · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:05 am Post subject: welcome back

Hi Karl

Great to hear you have settled in NZ.Can i ask what are you planning to do regarding the NZ$ exchange rate,as i remember you were contemplating offshore accounts until the NZ$ improved. As for ourselves we have had an invitation to apply for residency and have sent all relevent info back to NZIS.I have a job offer in Palmerston North, fingers crossed we will be out there within a couple of months.

All the best

Pam

karltsmith · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:55 am Post subject:

Hi Pam,

I bought on spot price at $2.7950. I am buying in chucks of cash to hedge my bets against the exchange rates. Its a bit of a dilema because NZ interest rates are better than the Uk so you can make a bit back agaist a poor exchange rate by putting it on deposit. I have 60% of our funds off-shore and have exchanged the remainder. you can get 6.10% over here without too much problem, my offshore account returns 4.5% net of tax. The dollar is hovering around $2.81 so you can buy at about 2.79 incl brokers fee. Hope this helps!!!!

pam owen · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:29 pm Post subject: currency

Hi Karl

Thanks for the info,it's very helpful.

Kind regards

Pam

karltsmith · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:35 pm Post subject:

Hi Pam,

I've just found a deposit rate of 8.08% on investments over $5000 with a finance house here and special rates for >$150,000. So if you but at say 2.80 and invest for say 6 months you will net an extra 4.02% on your investment taking this up to the equivqlent of about 2.90!

JCM · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 11:04 am Post subject:

Welcome back Karl - I hope you and your family are settling in and enjoying life on the North Shore.

Clink

karltsmith · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:43 pm Post subject:

Hi JCM,

Thanks...yes we are settling in just great....couldn't be better everyone we have met has been so kind and helpful. I'm getting involved with a local community childcare scheme next term to get my girls back into the routine of playgroups and nursery ('kindy'). Just got back from a trial session and was very impressed.... The pace of life here is so much slower than in the UK and people actually have time for you especially when you have young children....a great move all round we think! NZ has changed certainly from when I lived here back the late eighties/early nineties but not so much that the charm of the place has gone ... quite the reverse in some cases. I completely overwhelemed by the abundance of high quality community services provided. You don't mind paying taxes if you can see where the money has been spent and the amount of government sponsorship of local comminities seems to pay dividends!

Nice One

lor · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:00 pm Post subject:

Hi there, please keep me up to date on how your little ones are finding play group/ nursery, We have 3 children eldest nearly 7, middle one who is 2 and a baby of 7months, so if all goes well with my husbands interviews then I would also like to get involved with playgroup schemes etc for my youngest 2 when and IF fingers crossed

we finally make our move.
Sounds like you and your family are having a ball!!, its really great hearing all your views on life in NZ, keep your info coming in, its just great

, Good luck to all of you.

karltsmith · Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 8:54 pm Post subject:

Hi lor,

When we arrived in the East Coast bays I went to the local community centre and was deluged by info. Even a folder ready to go for newcomers to the region....it puts us to shame in the UK...honestly it does. There are a variety of play groups, kindergarten, early childhood education facilities here...you really are spoilt for choice. I'm trying out a local community playgroup which has facilities you would not believe for such a small group. It's government funded and one parent must do one session per week to cover play/activites with the children. Outside they have a huge sand pit, slides, wendy houses, rubberised tarmac play areas throughout and crash mats, climbing frames, swings, slides, seasaws, a marooned boat (project in the making), basketball, carpentry shop. Inside they have story time, painting, play dough, the usual collection of toys, a library, a nusery for the wee ones to sleep in, a changing area and mothers feeding area...phew I don't think I've covered everything but you get the idea....and as if that isn't enough they also arrange day trips all over the place! and the cost you won't believe...$30.00 per term no matter how many children you have! Our two will go three morning per week and they thoroughly enjoyed their first session, even my rather timid younger twin daughter was happy and that says a lot! cool