Lexylou

again state houses and not lifestyle blocks at all. Shall I post some pictures of NZ state houses? Then we can compare like for like rather than you posting something not at all similar to what Burt deed.

Burt Badger

Geez mate if they built houses for the wet, cold and damp conditions found in NZ the Warehouse would go out of business due to lack of sales of $3.99 squeegees!

For some reason Kywy's build houses as if they are living on the Med. As for laziness - it must have been something I picked up in Prosaic Land??

Burt

The Weezer

Great to see you back!
I believe you lived in the greater Tauranga metropolitan area?

Look exactly like the "lifestyle" properties just south-west of urban Auckland.
Recently took a drive down to the beach where the Waikato meets the sea.
Once off the motorway, it was nearly pure squalor all the way. Very
depressing, isn't it, because they really do represent a real, and not
uncommon aspect of actual New Zealand lifestyle.
You have to wonder the mentality of people who do not even realise
they live in squalor and think they have the best of everything.
Too often I find drives in the country are more depressing than uplifting.

I didn't take pictures, wish I had!

The Weezer

Here's a lifestyle photo from my neighborhood, taken at 1:30 PM on a
Sunday afternoon.

Genesis

Thank you Burt. We are enjoying the dream, very much indeed. Sorry you did not manage to achieve it..you sound a bit bitter.

Humidity. It is easy to sort. Our modern home was cold and damp when we moved in..because the atmosphere here in the Manawatu is just that, damp. Simple solution, install euro style central heating, buy a few dehumidifiers and get a woodburner. Our house is now dry and cured of crying windows.

Anyway, enjoy sharing the same sized country as NZ with another 56 million odd others won't you!!! And if you are soooooooooooooooo happy in North Beds what are you doing on here? Need your NZ fix? Why don't you loose yourself in some traffic jam and leave those who like it here alone. You are no longer an ex pat, you are simply back where you choose to be.

I do not think a few photos will put anyone off coming here so don't say you are trying to warn people..you are simply stiring a big, sad, wooden spoon . Goodbye.

happynz

Thanks for that Weez. A nice sunny shirt-sleeve kinda day it looks like. Who wouldn't want a snooze under a tree?

The Weezer

Especially as the fun started on Friday night and this photo was
taken Sunday afternoon! These good gentlemen did not nap for long,
surprisingly. I think they must have had another barbeque to attend.
Or a boil-up.

Avid

Well, I think it's been said before but New Zealand looks wonderful because there are just so few people to mess it up, not because anybody is particularly 'ecology conscious' .

Just to reassure our younger viewers (some as young as 9, it seems), that in photo you posted above...the young men were resting after a hard days work, yes? It looks like a drive-by shooting.....

The Weezer

Definitely not ecologically or environmentally conscious, in fact, quite
the opposite. And the devastating impact relatively few people have had
on the landscape is quite out of proportion and quite shocking. This is
an area I have particularly made a study of, so I will stop now before
I get out of hand!

I have to disagree with the "looks wonderful" though.
I do not find most NZ landscapes appealing, but I am bringing a
North American perpsective to it, which is not really relevant to this forum.
I've said this before, there are good reasons why NZ has a relatively
low population.

Those gentleman were resting after a laid-back barbeque.

Avid

Well...to be honest I can't really comment either as I have only been here 2 months and have spent a grand total of 2 hours outside central Wellington.

It's like playing Scrabble with half the letters missing when you leave the city centre...make a town name from the following ...'T' 'K' 'W' 'W' 'G' 'U' 'A'..

Anyway...I only made it as far Lower Hutt before realising that everything really was Scotland but double size...

Radio Ham

Same here... a few UK refinements in the form of better ventilation and sensible dry heat and the house is superb. Add in an automatic pyrethrin sprayer to chase the flies to outside and you're sorted.

RobClubley

Sorry you had a bad time here Burt - but these things can be sorted out with the addition of a few home improvements, such as a DVS, and for (just a bit) more money, double glazing.

Kiwi house builders are deluding themselves about the climate they live in, but it is changing and new houses are hopefully going to get better.

There's no condensation in our house any more!

AlbieLittle

funny thread! The underbelly of NZ aye? Dreading the winter here in my rental.

Avid

Whereabouts are you living? Might not be so bad if......if.....

Actually, you better go out and buy a second mop, just in case.

AlbieLittle

Im in Newtown, Wellington. Easy to say, buy heating, do this, that or the other. Sure, if you have the $$ to chuck around. Im on minimum wage in a rental, so that means getting hard!

Life is grim at the moment. Still, been here before, im sure it will improve