I've Lived in Christchurch 80% of my life and happy to help

Smiwee

Hi everyone I sort id come on here and help people if they are planing to move to christchurch (which I think is the best place in the world) I've lived here for around 18 years of my life and have also lived in Rotorua and and got a good persepective on life in other towns and cities in NZ and did I miss chch or wat when i was living up north. I missed the clear blue skys, those dam red busses even :lol: all the malls,watching the rugby at jade stadium,the mountains in the distance, the sea well everything really!

I am more of an expert on places to live, growth pattern,things to do and places not to live.

Happy to help and hopefully help you to decide to come to Christchurch

Smiwee :smile:

justin.g.s · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:15 am Post subject:

That is incredibly generous of you to volunteer your help. We are considering visiting for three weeks or so in nov of this year. I am sure that we will have a million questions.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Thank god for AL GORE for inventing it. Confused

( our former vice president once suggested that he helped invent it)

jajpe · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 7:55 am Post subject:

HI Smiwee,
your offer of help is so generous i feel it would be rude not to take you up on it!! Basically we are a family of five hopefully arriving in Christchurch in June with residents visas. We were over on holiday last year and spent 10 days researching Christchurch and were very taken with a little village outside town called Lincoln. Do you know much about it? Do you think it is a good choice for semi rural living and also do you know anything about the High School there? We have heard that it is a good school with a decile rating of 9, but would love to know if this means it is 'average good' or comparable to the likes of Burnside etc when it comes to accademic results or sporting oppertunities?

Alternatively, being scared of rising house prices we have recently looked at houses on the net a bit further out at say Darfield etc. which seem a bit cheaper but how long would it take to travel in to the city from there? I have a job in Christchurch Hosp and don't want to be stuck in the car half the day! Also how would Darfield high compare?

You're going to be really sorry you offered now but I look forward to hearing from you if you can. Great to hear from someone who has lived there for so long and is still lovin' it!!

Smiwee · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:13 am Post subject:

Hello jajpe

Glad to help, I grew up in a place called Greenpark which was a farming area about 5kms out of Lincoln so I know the area pretty much like the back of my hand. I attended Lincoln High School for about 2 years before moving up north and I found that the sporting side of the school wasnt the greatest because of the lack of competion in surronding areas but its still there and the school teams go into the city to play each wednesday. Also Lincoln has its own rugby,netball etc clubs outside the school which are managed very well. The education side of things will stack up just as good as other High Schools in the Canterbury Region. The school also has a very mixed culture which makes things different but fun. Lincoln also is a fast growing area with a new subdivison being built which has about 500 lots on it. The future of Lincoln you will probably see alot of growth with people like yourself liking the rural lifestyle which seems to be the trend these days. Travelling to the city will take you about 25-30 minutes to the central city and there are plans for an expressway which will cut that down.

Darfield sits about 40kms west from Christchurch but would probably only take you an extra 5minutes than say from Lincoln to the city as traffic isnt as bad. The High School there couldnt really say much about that as I have never been or no any one who has attended High School there. Also it gets very windy there in the summer and extremly dry with the summer just been Darfield recorded temps in the 40's for around a week. Darfield you colud call it as a lifestyle area out of Christchurch a nice place.

Hope that helped abit more questions welcome.

jajpe · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:07 pm Post subject:

Hi Smiwee,
thank you so much - this is exactly the kind of information we were looking for. By the way, sorry it took me so long to reply but we had big computer probs for a week or so and i wasn't online!

Anyway sounds like Lincoln will suit us perfectly so long as there is still a reasonable amount of sport played in the High School!! We keep looking at houses on the net and have seen quite a few recently that look like they would suit - just have to get our buyer to sign on the dotted line for ours yet though.

In the meantime, thanks again for your help about Lincoln and if I think of anything else I'll maybe drop you a line if that is OK?

Moorf · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2004 9:42 am Post subject:

Hi Swimee

We intend to spend a month in Ch.Church in June/July - could you recommend a hotel / motel or short term property that we could spend our time in - self catering if possible.

Thanks
Moorf

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

I love this place, I usually put friends there.
It is a self contained house and the owners live next door and come and make your beds and cook breakfast if you want..or leave breakfast for you.
It overlooks the ocean.
this is the link,
www.PlacesToStay.co.nz/Places/5011.asp

I dont get any kick backs, I just think it is great (on a bus route too) about 20 mins to town on the way to Sumner.

In winter ask for the whole house for yourselves (as if it is only one room you want, she will let the other 2 out..your call) and pay no more than $500 pw (motels are $80-$130 a night) this includes phone and electric.

It is a 3 bed ensuited home. Tell them Nicola sent you and you want to be picked up from the airport as they do that as well.

Let me know if I can help in anyway

veronica · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2004 6:56 pm Post subject:

the other option is to book an ensuite room at one of the backpackers hostels (usually about $20/$25 dollars each) and use the communal kitchen and lounge facilities. http://www.backpack.co.nz/ we always stay in them and so far have been pleased. Meet some great people in them (and in case you are wandering we are both in our 50's)

Moorf · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 10:32 am Post subject:

Hey Kiwi

Great looking place - thanks v. much for that we will look into it as we will be there mid-winter!

Thanks so much - maybe you could help with drive times... for instance, what are the drive times at rush hour for, say, Banks Pen, Kaiapoi, Ashburton, Rangiora, Methven?

Or maybe someone knows of a site where I can work these out myself!!

Thanks
Moorf

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

Is that as in 'Mindy!?" Laughing

It is a lovely house (has a fire, do you know how to build a fire? that is the only down side..the poms dont know how to build a fire and keep warm! It is not an open one but a woodsman type...enclosed black box...but I digress)

Driving from chch to Rangiora....40 mins
Methvern...near the ski fields... nearly 2hrs
Ashburton....1 hour
Banks penisular...I take it you mean Akaroa...1 hour 40 or diamond harbour..which is opposite lyttelton about 50 mins
Kaiapoi ...25 mins

Rush hour...you are funny!!!! Rush hour means there are 4 cars at the lights instead of NONE!!

During rush hour (which I guess is 5 pm till 5.05pm!) from my house at the beach to the city..takes 15 mins instead of 12...promise! As chch is a one way grid system so all the lights (most times!) change together...so you get from one side of town to the other...at 50 kms (if you go faster..you will get to the lights before they change to green) in about 4 mins...it is brilliant...and all the traffic flows.

Give us a shout when you arrive (I helped Sue arrive last week...she posted to say she was finally here on the forum last week) and we will all meet up for hot chocs!!!

Nicola

www.4greenhouses.co.nz
if you need any help with moving here...rentals, schools, car hire, picking up from airport etc....cheap as chips! Not trying to flogg my wares, but sometimes you just need some answers to your millions of questions...I am a 5th generation local..happy to help.

Moorf · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:27 am Post subject:

That's Mork and Mindy !! Laughing

Hmm perhaps similar age?!! Or is the TV v. bad over there!

Good news indeed about travel / non-existent rush hour - that's what we ccurrentl enjoy here in Scotland Nice One

We'll be over in June/July for a month so perhaps we too could share a hot choc (with a dash of whisky!) Razz

Cheers
Moorf

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

May well be?....I was born last century, in the year 66!!

July is my birthday, so of course you can have a whisky! Clapping

And anyone who wants to join us for a gathering...just email me and I will arrange something and keep you all posted.

A dessert night at Starwberry fare is a MUST ($10-$15 for the best desserts ever. It is a dessert restaurant and a cheap night out..so start saving moorf, and I will book a table)

So it is a date!
Nic

Moorf · Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:

Wooo spooky - I wasn't far off! 68'er here!!

Hmmm Dessert....... Nice One

A gathering sounds good - we'll bring whisky fresh from Scotland!

Perhaps a new thread needed - I read that a few are in ChChurch during that period and same existing residents ! Razz

Moorf

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

A new thread that can be pulled up every month till the big day would be good (for any newies who didnt see this thread)

You want to do it? (as you know when you will be here) we can mark it in our diaries now, and anyone is welcome....

Nic
(the older sister!)

Tara Sage · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 8:26 am Post subject: Hot Choc

Nicola & Co

We will join you for a Hot Choc, but it might have to wait till Aug!!

A Cafe that only serves dessert sounds like heaven my son (6) would love it Yes

Maybe we will meet one day fingers crossed

Tara