Who has left UK for NZ
Discussion
Hi all.
My wife and I are (as serious as you can be) looking into a move to NZ in the next 24 months or so.
I am an HGV mechanic and she is a HR Manager in the RAF. I think I'd be going as the main earner to begin with while we got settled in.
Who has left the UK for NZ and why did you leave?
How long ago did you leave and have two stayed there!?
Any and all helpful/unhelpful responses appreciated
Thanks in advance, Stuart.
My wife and I are (as serious as you can be) looking into a move to NZ in the next 24 months or so.
I am an HGV mechanic and she is a HR Manager in the RAF. I think I'd be going as the main earner to begin with while we got settled in.
Who has left the UK for NZ and why did you leave?
How long ago did you leave and have two stayed there!?
Any and all helpful/unhelpful responses appreciated
Thanks in advance, Stuart.
TheLordJohn said:
Hi all.
My wife and I are (as serious as you can be) looking into a move to NZ in the next 24 months or so.
I am an HGV mechanic and she is a HR Manager in the RAF. I think I'd be going as the main earner to begin with while we got settled in.
Who has left the UK for NZ and why did you leave?
How long ago did you leave and have two stayed there!?
Any and all helpful/unhelpful responses appreciated
Thanks in advance, Stuart.
Been here hmm 13-14 years now. My wife and I are (as serious as you can be) looking into a move to NZ in the next 24 months or so.
I am an HGV mechanic and she is a HR Manager in the RAF. I think I'd be going as the main earner to begin with while we got settled in.
Who has left the UK for NZ and why did you leave?
How long ago did you leave and have two stayed there!?
Any and all helpful/unhelpful responses appreciated
Thanks in advance, Stuart.
I left because I wanted a different lifestyle that wasnt achievable in the UK, and loved the NZ scenery..
every time i go back to the Uk convinced me it was the right choice.
On the actual move it helped we both were qualified and on the shortlists, and my wide had a (well two) job offers. And that we had good equity in our house to fund things, that ans 2.5:1 exchange.
check out the NZ immigration website and points calculator.
We've had a record year for immigrants, 100,000 and a bigger percentage of UK and Americans afik, it was a political football until the last few weeks when the election race left the rails and headed down an embankment...
Moved here in 2002 - other half got offered a permanent job after being on a series of short contracts in the UK. My employer was going through a merger, so took redundancy after 15 years working for the same company.
Got a job after about 18 months of being a kept man.
Became citizens in 2005/6.
Been back on average every other year (or perhaps a bit more due to funerals etc.) - (South-East) UK is just stupid busy and crowded now.
Here (Dunedin - South Island) is becoming busier too, just not in the same league.
NZ needs a change in Government, as the current one is so short-termist that they can't think beyond lunchtime, and seem to be in power only to line their (and their mates) pockets, before escaping as the sh!t hits the fan...
Lots of pros, probably just as many cons - just depends on who you are and what you want from life.
It is like the UK in many respects, but isn't exactly the same.
Can be a bit annoying when trying to buy stuff, as the range of stuff imported isn't as wide, and decent quality things can be very expensive compared to the UK. Sometimes it is cheaper to order from the UK, get the VAT taken off, pay shipping, customs & GST and still be 25% ahead of a locally bought item...
Food has got more expensive than ever recently - our weekly shop is almost double what it cost in the UK when we were back there earlier in the year.
And as for car tyres!
Got a job after about 18 months of being a kept man.
Became citizens in 2005/6.
Been back on average every other year (or perhaps a bit more due to funerals etc.) - (South-East) UK is just stupid busy and crowded now.
Here (Dunedin - South Island) is becoming busier too, just not in the same league.
NZ needs a change in Government, as the current one is so short-termist that they can't think beyond lunchtime, and seem to be in power only to line their (and their mates) pockets, before escaping as the sh!t hits the fan...
Lots of pros, probably just as many cons - just depends on who you are and what you want from life.
It is like the UK in many respects, but isn't exactly the same.
Can be a bit annoying when trying to buy stuff, as the range of stuff imported isn't as wide, and decent quality things can be very expensive compared to the UK. Sometimes it is cheaper to order from the UK, get the VAT taken off, pay shipping, customs & GST and still be 25% ahead of a locally bought item...
Food has got more expensive than ever recently - our weekly shop is almost double what it cost in the UK when we were back there earlier in the year.
And as for car tyres!
Edited by dobly on Monday 21st August 00:57
Edited by dobly on Monday 21st August 00:58
Edited by dobly on Monday 21st August 22:35
I moved here in '99, first to Nelson then Christchurch and now in a small village in the foothills.
I love it but I've had to evolve, post quakes Christchurch has become a messy grind of demolition and roadworks, seems incredibly slow progress to rebuild, it'll be 7 years in February, I knew it would take a long time so I moved away quite soon after the quakes and I'm now about 30 minutes from the city and only go in once a month to shop.
Auckland is congested and housing is terrifically expensive, Wellington is a nicer city but a little isolated. Which areas are you currently considering?
I love it but I've had to evolve, post quakes Christchurch has become a messy grind of demolition and roadworks, seems incredibly slow progress to rebuild, it'll be 7 years in February, I knew it would take a long time so I moved away quite soon after the quakes and I'm now about 30 minutes from the city and only go in once a month to shop.
Auckland is congested and housing is terrifically expensive, Wellington is a nicer city but a little isolated. Which areas are you currently considering?
Thanks for the replies, gents.
I'm a bit annoyed with myself for not putting a '?' at the end of the title!
Looking at North Island, not Auckland. We aren't professional types, so no need to suffer the busyness/over-crowding/expense.
I like the look of Thames/Kopu, as it has the Coromandel on its' door step.
I fix trucks for a living so would most likely continue that, and it would probably be the basis of our application.
If I can get a job offer in writing, that puts me at 160/170 points, and their guide on the website states minimum 100.
We like village life more so than city life so wherever we end up it'll be somewhere with woods/forests, rivers, fields and not very built up
Thanks again, Stuart.
I'm a bit annoyed with myself for not putting a '?' at the end of the title!
Looking at North Island, not Auckland. We aren't professional types, so no need to suffer the busyness/over-crowding/expense.
I like the look of Thames/Kopu, as it has the Coromandel on its' door step.
I fix trucks for a living so would most likely continue that, and it would probably be the basis of our application.
If I can get a job offer in writing, that puts me at 160/170 points, and their guide on the website states minimum 100.
We like village life more so than city life so wherever we end up it'll be somewhere with woods/forests, rivers, fields and not very built up
Thanks again, Stuart.
As with moving anywhere, you need to leave the UK with your eyes wide open and be prepared to change.
If you want an idea of what its like, watch a few episodes of Police 10-7 and Border Security.
Also Newshub on channel Three is worth a look for current affairs.
Not much motor sport on tv, unless you have Sky.
Although generally slated by the locals, the health service is pretty good, well, it has been for my circumstances.
Top of the country is sub-tropical, bottom is colder/wetter than Scotland.
Good luck, and Welcome.
If you want an idea of what its like, watch a few episodes of Police 10-7 and Border Security.
Also Newshub on channel Three is worth a look for current affairs.
Not much motor sport on tv, unless you have Sky.
Although generally slated by the locals, the health service is pretty good, well, it has been for my circumstances.
Top of the country is sub-tropical, bottom is colder/wetter than Scotland.
Good luck, and Welcome.
Wanchaiwarrior said:
As with moving anywhere, you need to leave the UK with your eyes wide open and be prepared to change.
Not much motor sport on tv, unless you have Sky.
Top of the country is sub-tropical, bottom is colder/wetter than Scotland.
Good call on eyes wide open.Not much motor sport on tv, unless you have Sky.
Top of the country is sub-tropical, bottom is colder/wetter than Scotland.
Op, get Sky, V8 Supercars, Moto GP and F1 have live coverage of ALL practice, qualifying and races, incredibly extensive coverage, costs about £50 a month for a billion channels.
Not quite accurate regarding North/South weather, some parts of the inland South are baking hot in Summer, way drier than the North Island and very sunny through Winter, I'll take cold but sunny over a bit warmer but overcast anytime.
Why North Island OP?
Thanks for the replies, gents.
And the TV recommendations.
Well I am not tied down to either for any particular reason buy I just liked the look of Thames and the surrounding area.
Reasonable distance to Hamilton and Auckland, with a forest next to it and sea on the other side
And of course the reported difference in weather led me to spend longer looking at North over South.
And the TV recommendations.
Well I am not tied down to either for any particular reason buy I just liked the look of Thames and the surrounding area.
Reasonable distance to Hamilton and Auckland, with a forest next to it and sea on the other side
And of course the reported difference in weather led me to spend longer looking at North over South.
Edited by TheLordJohn on Tuesday 22 August 09:07
Weather on the south island doesnt need to be bad...
nelson area has heaps of sunshine and is quite pleasant
Christchurch is generally quite dry and has amazing winter days, yes on average colder than Auckland but nowhere near as humid and damp. And we are an hour from the ski fields...
nelson area has heaps of sunshine and is quite pleasant
Christchurch is generally quite dry and has amazing winter days, yes on average colder than Auckland but nowhere near as humid and damp. And we are an hour from the ski fields...
Hmm, all this talk makes me a little envious!! We spend a couple of months a year in North Shore AKL as our daughter and family live there, we did enquire about moving over as we are retired but the conditions that have to be met made it a no-go so we just go over in Jan/Feb and return in Mar/Apr and rent an apartment for the stay as I like my own space and living with family can get fraught after a long period.
cheddar said:
I moved here in '99, first to Nelson then Christchurch and now in a small village in the foothills.
I love it but I've had to evolve, post quakes Christchurch has become a messy grind of demolition and roadworks, seems incredibly slow progress to rebuild, it'll be 7 years in February, I knew it would take a long time so I moved away quite soon after the quakes and I'm now about 30 minutes from the city and only go in once a month to shop.
Auckland is congested and housing is terrifically expensive, Wellington is a nicer city but a little isolated. Which areas are you currently considering?
cheddar your not the chap with the yellow beetle by any chance....."Big lump of cheddar on the number plate"I love it but I've had to evolve, post quakes Christchurch has become a messy grind of demolition and roadworks, seems incredibly slow progress to rebuild, it'll be 7 years in February, I knew it would take a long time so I moved away quite soon after the quakes and I'm now about 30 minutes from the city and only go in once a month to shop.
Auckland is congested and housing is terrifically expensive, Wellington is a nicer city but a little isolated. Which areas are you currently considering?
My wife and I have been here since December 2015 and love it. We were round in Sumner until a week or so ago and have moved back round to Lyttelton both of which are lovely places with there own individual charm. NZ is a fantastic place and we have traveled all over and even since we have been here things in the city after the earthquake have moved on dramatically. Traffic wise Auckland is no worse than a city the size of Bristol, its just bad for NZ, Kiwi's will tell you its grid lock but it's not, but the cost of property close to the CBD is nuts but its easily commutable. The south island is for me the best all round of the two with the right balance of outdoors, property prices, cost of living and population etc....and along with the nice winter weather it makes a nice place to be with all sorts reachable in quite honestly the easiest couple of hours drive you can ever make.
As has been said there are lots of pro's and con's and generally folk are extremely pleasant. There are many things we don't like but we roll with it when you weigh up the reasons why we left the UK which we have to remind ourselves from time to time as they are easily forgotten as time goes on.
If you eat, sleep, work, repeat then you may as well be anywhere, you have to get out and enjoy whats around you that would be my only advise if you come
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