Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Apr 21st 2016, 8:46 pm
#46
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
You can say what you like about the Wellington weather, but I think its stretching credibility to sum up the place as down at heel. I dont get that impression about it at all.
Apr 21st 2016, 9:07 pm
#47
Welly bound
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Joined: Apr 2016
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
(No offence to anyone from those towns, I do know them all and there are some great things about each of them 
)
Apr 21st 2016, 9:12 pm
#48
Welly bound
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Location: Wellington
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
I would say there's a shabby chic quality about it in places such as around Cuba Street. That boho studenty vibe could be interpreted by some as a bit rough round the edges. If you'd spent most of your life in Montparnasse or Kensington Gardens then maybe you'd see Wellington as 'down at heel'. But certainly not if you'd grown up in Trowbridge, Rochdale, Stoke or Port Talbot. Relative to those places it feels like Monte Carlo (No offence to anyone from those towns, I do know them all and there are some great things about each of them )
(No offence to anyone from those towns, I do know them all and there are some great things about each of them )
Apr 21st 2016, 9:38 pm
#49
Welly bound
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Mrs F your house is made from wood with brick cladding as most are in Waikanae!
You will not need central heating, just a heat pump for aircon in summer and for maybe 3 months max in winter. They're a couple of grand to buy and then install. Most places will have them or a wood fire. The temp is usually 5 degrees warmer than Welly and much less windy with a beautiful beach...but if you work in Welly you will have to commute so that's the price to pay for the larger sections and better weather.
There is a cinema in Waikanae (shoreline), 2 supermarkets, restaurants, outdoor swimming pool, library, banks etc, 2 primary schools, and plenty of clubs for kids and adults - scouts, guides, dance, gymnastics, tennis, rugby, swimming, soccer etc. Most children go to Paraparaumu College on the school buses which has just got some of the best NCEA results in Wellington area and some others go to Kapiti College which is also good.
There are theatre groups in Otaki (Otaki Players) who are very friendly and put on shows and musicals, there's also the Kapiti Playhouse in Paraparaumu.
There are all the usual offices such as the council and small businesses for local work. There are larger town centres in Levin and towards Wellington in Porirua for more local work. I have an easy commute up SH1 in 30 mins and OH gets the train to Welly so it suits us well. Both primary schools offer Childcare from 7 am to 7 pm.
If you're on fb, join the group Destination Waikanae for a taste of living here!
You will not need central heating, just a heat pump for aircon in summer and for maybe 3 months max in winter. They're a couple of grand to buy and then install. Most places will have them or a wood fire. The temp is usually 5 degrees warmer than Welly and much less windy with a beautiful beach...but if you work in Welly you will have to commute so that's the price to pay for the larger sections and better weather.
There is a cinema in Waikanae (shoreline), 2 supermarkets, restaurants, outdoor swimming pool, library, banks etc, 2 primary schools, and plenty of clubs for kids and adults - scouts, guides, dance, gymnastics, tennis, rugby, swimming, soccer etc. Most children go to Paraparaumu College on the school buses which has just got some of the best NCEA results in Wellington area and some others go to Kapiti College which is also good.
There are theatre groups in Otaki (Otaki Players) who are very friendly and put on shows and musicals, there's also the Kapiti Playhouse in Paraparaumu.
There are all the usual offices such as the council and small businesses for local work. There are larger town centres in Levin and towards Wellington in Porirua for more local work. I have an easy commute up SH1 in 30 mins and OH gets the train to Welly so it suits us well. Both primary schools offer Childcare from 7 am to 7 pm.
If you're on fb, join the group Destination Waikanae for a taste of living here!
Does Paraparam have a different feel to Waikanae?
Apr 21st 2016, 11:02 pm
#50
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Congratulations on your job offer in Wellington. We have been here for two and a half year and we previously lived in Manchester. Lived in Wellington for six months then moved to Palmerston North and bought a lifestyle property as you can get so much more for your money in Palmy. My partner still works in Wellington he stays over two nights a week. Wellington is a fab place so is the Kapiti coast you will find there is more going on in parapram than waikanae but both beautiful places. I'm sure your wife will be concerned but think of it as an adventure and if it don't work out you can always go back😊 although I've got many miserable memories of being stuck in traffic on the m60 and manchunian way and wouldn't want to go back to that 😨
Apr 21st 2016, 11:44 pm
#51
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Yes it does, Waikanae is more aligned to a gentler way of life, known as the retirement capital of Wellington, which we actually think is brilliant as its very quiet. a more village feel. Paraparaumu is a lot bigger and spread out. more of a small city feel. but as its literally 8mins drive from Waikanae High Street to the shops at Param (where I do big, clothes shops) it depends on what sort of feel you want.
Apr 22nd 2016, 12:01 am
#52
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Anytime late April thru to Sept. Still better than a Mancunian 7 months which I believe is one of the wettest places in the UK.It's more about the drop in temp of an evening once the sun goes down. During the day it is possible to be all toasty outside. I tend to kick up the log burner around 4pm so we are toasty come the evening. Doesn't take much .
Haven't lit ours yet this year . There again the Autumn is a rather good one.
OK, I've got the message. Essentially Wellington's cr*p, don't move there. I've also heard that Auckland's cr@p don't move there either.Thanks guys I'll stay in cr@p Manchester!
I think you'll be fine in and around Welly. As good a place to start an NZ life as any.
Apr 22nd 2016, 7:26 am
#53
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
We've been here 6 years and it would have to be rare for us to light the fire before June and much into Sep but our house is well insulated with brick cladding and a concrete base. It is warm with a north facing lounge - so about 3 months! A lot of houses on the Kapiti coast benefit from extra cladding, but there are some which must be cold!
Apr 22nd 2016, 7:51 am
#54
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
It's obviously sunnier (similar to Bognor Regis in the UK) and that can make a difference, but then again the wind and cold can be a downer for some. Scenery and feel for a place can also make a huge difference. Here in the West of Ireland, I feel an overcast day feels a lot brighter than an overcast day in a grey city somewhere in the UK, France, Germany etc. and others again will see it different.
Apr 22nd 2016, 8:08 am
#55
Welly bound
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
It's also a different sort of rain you get here in UK. I've had the good fortune to live predominantly in the west (North and South) and subsequently quite the rain connoisseur! It's that persistent drizzle that lasts for a week at a time that I can't abide. It just puts you off doing anything apart from staring out the window at it, with the lights on. Also up here it's often damp and overcast even when it's not raining, that's why everything is covered in moss. Even cars and people if they stand still too long..it's nice and very English/Welsh/Scottish but also tiresome.
Apr 22nd 2016, 8:23 am
#56
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
It's also a different sort of rain you get here in UK. I've had the good fortune to live predominantly in the west (North and South) and subsequently quite the rain connoisseur! It's that persistent drizzle that lasts for a week at a time that I can't abide. It just puts you off doing anything apart from staring out the window at it, with the lights on. Also up here it's often damp and overcast even when it's not raining, that's why everything is covered in moss. Even cars and people if they stand still too long..it's nice and very English/Welsh/Scottish but also tiresome.
This article is very realistic about it.
The good; the bad; and the really windy | Stuff.co.nz
Apr 22nd 2016, 8:28 am
#57
Welly bound
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Location: Wellington
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
It also depends. Many people prefer the rain in parts of the UK, as it's not the horizontal rain you'd get in Wellington, or what we experience here.
This article is very realistic about it.
The good; the bad; and the really windy | Stuff.co.nz
This article is very realistic about it.
The good; the bad; and the really windy | Stuff.co.nz
I have friends who live there and who have lived there (in Wellington) and they assure me that based on their experiences the weather in Wellington region is better than here. That's good enough for me.
Apr 22nd 2016, 9:06 am
#58
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
Thanks. We certainly do get horizontal rain and even upwards rain in the form of mizzle.
I have friends who live there and who have lived there (in Wellington) and they assure me that based on their experiences the weather in Wellington region is better than here. That's good enough for me.
I have friends who live there and who have lived there (in Wellington) and they assure me that based on their experiences the weather in Wellington region is better than here. That's good enough for me.
At the beginning every place is exciting, but after routine kicks in some people might get frustrated, especially if the partner/wife is not working and has too much time to think. Weather is one thing, but if you own a nice home in the UK and end up renting a small damp place in NZ you might see it different than your friends.
Even simple things, like driving to another city, drinking coffee with friends & family can then seem more important. It's not like living in a rural part of the UK, as you really are on the other side of the world. Saying that, it can also all be positive and great, but the concerns of your wife should be looked at.
Apr 22nd 2016, 11:16 am
#59
Welly bound
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Joined: Apr 2016
Location: Wellington
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
My main concern would be the wife and it really depends how you live now and what both you and your wife expect. New Zealand can be a great country for certain people, but don't forget that Wellington is very isolated and you and your partner need to be aware of that.
At the beginning every place is exciting, but after routine kicks in some people might get frustrated, especially if the partner/wife is not working and has too much time to think. Weather is one thing, but if you own a nice home in the UK and end up renting a small damp place in NZ you might see it different than your friends.
Even simple things, like driving to another city, drinking coffee with friends & family can then seem more important. It's not like living in a rural part of the UK, as you really are on the other side of the world. Saying that, it can also all be positive and great, but the concerns of your wife should be looked at.
At the beginning every place is exciting, but after routine kicks in some people might get frustrated, especially if the partner/wife is not working and has too much time to think. Weather is one thing, but if you own a nice home in the UK and end up renting a small damp place in NZ you might see it different than your friends.
Even simple things, like driving to another city, drinking coffee with friends & family can then seem more important. It's not like living in a rural part of the UK, as you really are on the other side of the world. Saying that, it can also all be positive and great, but the concerns of your wife should be looked at.
Apr 22nd 2016, 11:22 am
#60
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Re: Job offer Wellington but wife concerned
But apart from the earthquakes, the wind, the isolation, the crushing loneliness, the strange people, the cultural abyss, the social problems, the houses, the rain, the tsunami risk, the sand flies, the traffic, the cost of living, the lack of choice in the supermarkets, the politics and the giant winged monsters, it sounds pretty idyllic to be fair.
